Film – Tom Chivers

Pi

The Mystery of Love

The mystery of love is greater than the mystery of death Back from Latitude Festival. My highlights were: Lykke Li, again Ben Moor performing Coelacanth in the woods Bishi accompanying the screening of the 1923 silent film Salome (starring Nazimova – see video, above) Jeffrey Lewis in the poetry tent The poetry tent in general is coralledContinue reading “The Mystery of Love”

“The Jewel IS India”

I’m working my way through a recently acquired box-set of The Jewel in the Crown. For those unfamiliar with the famous 1984 Granada TV series, I say – go and buy this now. It is quite simply the greatest TV drama ever made – a ‘last days of the empire’ epic set in 1940s British India, andContinue reading ““The Jewel IS India””

Ephemera of the month

Recent cultural consumption has included – Generation Kill – 7-part mini-series from the makers of The Wire which follows a company of US marines during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Brutal and very funny. See clip below. In the Loop – biting political satire with creative swearing and the best cameo ever by Steve Coogan.Continue reading “Ephemera of the month”

Cultural Review of 2008

Based on my limited intake, here are my top cultural victuals of 2008. Immediate thoughts: (a) I don’t read enough fiction; (b) I have no idea what’s hip in music anymore (although to be fair the wondrous Lykke Li is quite hip, I think). Oh, and with this post, a change of theme for this is yogic. BContinue reading “Cultural Review of 2008”

Indy returns!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull hit our shores this week, and last night I trooped to the Barbican with my girlfriend and cousin to see it. I am a massive Indy fan. Palpable excitement outside Screen One. As the film certificate screen appeared, someone started whistling (badly) the famous John Williams themeContinue reading “Indy returns!”

Horse logic

What is it about horses? They’re everywhere, it seems. What set it off for me was Paul Muldoon’s latest poetry collection Horse Latitudes. Then came Bat for Lashes’ haunting song ‘Horse and I’, from her Mercury Prize nominated album Fur and Gold. Next, I was hosting a reading in Whitechapel and introducedContinue reading “Horse logic”

London in film

Luke Heeley recently sent me a DVD of his London Triptych. Watching it made me think of the films I’ve enjoyed that are about and/or set in London. Not including period dramas such as Shakespeare in Love, which recreates the Elizabethan city with its brothels and playhouses, or film versions of London novels (eg. Dickens). Horror /Continue reading “London in film”