Electric Sheep podcast: The current state of Gay cinema part 1 (Kenneth Anger / LLGFF)

Electric Sheep podcast:

The current state of Gay cinema part 1 (Kenneth Anger / LLGFF)

Interview originally broadcast 03/07/09 in an edited version on www.resonancefm.com

Kenneth Anger at the Imperial War Museum, photo by Damon Cleary

Following London Gay Pride weekend, in the first of two podcasts looking at the current state of gay cinema, Alex Fitch looks at this year’s London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival and at the short film collection ‘Boys on film 2: In too deep’. Virginie Sélavy interviews infamous gay experimental film maker Kenneth Anger about his work, from the Magick Lantern Cycle of the second half of the last century to his current interest in digital media and manipulation. (Part 1 of 2)

For more info about the variety of formats you can download this podcast in / stream, please visit www.archive.org

Links: Read a transcript of Virginie’s interview with Kenneth Anger and Alex’s article about gay cinema at www.electricsheepmagazine.com
Anger’s Wikipedia and IMDb pages
Article about Anger’s recent films at www.artforum.com
Buy Boys on film 2 from peccadillopictures.com
Info about London Pride film screenings

For info on the latest issue of Electric Sheep magazine, please click here

Related news:

The London Japanese Art Festival
is on the weekend of the 11th / 12th of July at Richmond Adult Community College and includes:
Manga and Anime Art Exhibition, craft and sales tables from Manga shops, toys and dolls and all sorts of Japanese art and culture related goods.
Talks by Helen McCarthy and Paul Gravett
Martial Arts
Kimono dressing (kitsuke) and kimono fashion show
Cosplay Masquerade and presentations
Manga drawing workshops
J-Pop Party
Set photo shoots and roving photographers
Origami and other paper art
Calligraphy
Koto music
Japanese Dancing
Taiko Drumming
Japanese food and drink, including Pocky, obento and sake, as well as the open cafe area
Three Yatai – Takoyaki, Okonomi-yaki, Yakisoba, Donbri

UK PREMIERE : OCEAN WAVES

The Japanese Art Festival is proud to announce that the event will be hosting the premiere of the Studio Ghibli anime Ocean Waves. Studio Ghibli is better known as the Oscar-winning animation studio who brought us Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle.

Never before released in the UK, Ocean Waves centres around the life of Taku, an average high school student. But soon his quiet life will be turned upside down with the arrival of Rikako: a beautiful exchange student from Tokyo. By the end of term Taku will have learnt a valuable lesson in love and friendship.

The Ocean Waves screening is courtesy of Optimum Releasing.

More info at www.japaneseartfestival.com

also:

Kevin O’Neill at the Illustration Cupboard

14 July – 08 August 2009

The first British exhibition of his original artwork from.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Marshall Law
Nemesis the Warlock
Judge Dredd

The Illustration Cupboardis pleased to present the first British exhibition of the world-famous graphic-novel artist Kevin O’Neill.

As one of the most respected and highly regarded names in this field Kevin O’Neill’s illustrative work has led him to rub shoulders with distinguished writers, directors and film stars. Most widely known for his collaborations with writer Pat Mills on Marshal Law (see over) and Nemesis the Warlock in 2000AD Kevin has also worked with Alan Moore on The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which was recently turned into a blockbuster Hollywood film starring Sean Connery.

An exciting and sometimes controversial artist this unique event offers fans and collectors an opportunity to view thirty pieces of Kevin’s original drawings and paintings never seen before, and provides visitors to London during the summer season a chance to visit a truly special event.

All artwork is available for purchase, and signed books will also be for sale.
The exhibition will continue on our first floor gallery throughout the remainder of August.
Artwork can be viewed and purchased off our website from 8th July.
Prices range from £500 – £7500

Monday – Friday 10am to 6pm
Saturday 12pm – 5pm

More info at www.illustrationcupboard.com

Today’s show: The films of Kenneth Anger

Today on Resonance FM:

I’m ready for my close-up: Kenneth Anger

Kenneth Anger at the Imperial War Museum, photo by Damon Cleary

To herald the arrival of London Gay Pride weekend, Virginie Sélavy talks to infamous experimental film maker Kenneth Anger about his career, from ground breaking shorts such as his Magick Lantern Cycle and Scorpio Rising in the 1960s, to his recent return to the medium after a twenty year break.

5pm, Friday 03/07/09, Resonance 104.4 FM / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast soon after transmission at www.electricsheepmagazine.wordpress.com

Links: Read a transcript of Virginie’s interview with Kenneth Anger at www.electricsheepmagazine.com
Anger’s Wikipedia and IMDb pages
Article about Anger’s recent films at www.artforum.com
Info about London Pride film screenings

Related news:

The London Japanese Art Festival
is on the weekend of the 11th / 12th of July at Richmond Adult Community College and includes:
Manga and Anime Art Exhibition, craft and sales tables from Manga shops, toys and dolls and all sorts of Japanese art and culture related goods.
Talks by Helen McCarthy and Paul Gravett
Martial Arts
Kimono dressing (kitsuke) and kimono fashion show
Cosplay Masquerade and presentations
Manga drawing workshops
J-Pop Party
Set photo shoots and roving photographers
Origami and other paper art
Calligraphy
Koto music
Japanese Dancing
Taiko Drumming
Japanese food and drink, including Pocky, obento and sake, as well as the open cafe area
Three Yatai – Takoyaki, Okonomi-yaki, Yakisoba, Donbri

UK PREMIERE : OCEAN WAVES

The Japanese Art Festival is proud to announce that the event will be hosting the premiere of the Studio Ghibli anime Ocean Waves. Studio Ghibli is better known as the Oscar-winning animation studio who brought us Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle.

Never before released in the UK, Ocean Waves centres around the life of Taku, an average high school student. But soon his quiet life will be turned upside down with the arrival of Rikako: a beautiful exchange student from Tokyo. By the end of term Taku will have learnt a valuable lesson in love and friendship.

The Ocean Waves screening is courtesy of Optimum Releasing.

More info at www.japaneseartfestival.com

also:

Kevin O’Neill at the Illustration Cupboard

14 July – 08 August 2009

The first British exhibition of his original artwork from.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Marshall Law
Nemesis the Warlock
Judge Dredd

The Illustration Cupboardis pleased to present the first British exhibition of the world-famous graphic-novel artist Kevin O’Neill.

As one of the most respected and highly regarded names in this field Kevin O’Neill’s illustrative work has led him to rub shoulders with distinguished writers, directors and film stars. Most widely known for his collaborations with writer Pat Mills on Marshal Law (see over) and Nemesis the Warlock in 2000AD Kevin has also worked with Alan Moore on The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which was recently turned into a blockbuster Hollywood film starring Sean Connery.

An exciting and sometimes controversial artist this unique event offers fans and collectors an opportunity to view thirty pieces of Kevin’s original drawings and paintings never seen before, and provides visitors to London during the summer season a chance to visit a truly special event.

All artwork is available for purchase, and signed books will also be for sale.
The exhibition will continue on our first floor gallery throughout the remainder of August.
Artwork can be viewed and purchased off our website from 8th July.
Prices range from £500 – £7500

Monday – Friday 10am to 6pm
Saturday 12pm – 5pm

More info at www.illustrationcupboard.com

Today’s show – Giallo by Dario Argento

Today on Resonance FM
I’m ready for my close-up: Dario Argento

Dario Argento directs Adrien Brody on the set of Giallo

In an interview recorded at the Cine-Excess cult film festival in London, Alex Fitch talks to Italian film maker Dario Argento about his career from writing ‘Spaghetti Westerns’ in the 1960s such as Once Upon a time in the West to his most recent film Mother of Tears. Alex and Dario talk about the importance of music in his work, why he doesn’t like being pigeon holed as a horror director and his next project Giallo.


5pm Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast soon at www.electricsheepmagazine.wordpress.com


Links: IMDb pages on Argento, Once upon a time in the West and Giallo
The ‘Three Mothers’ trilogy: Suspiria, Inferno, Mother of Tears and Luigi Cozzi’s unofficial sequel The Black Cat
Wikipedia pages on Argento and the giallo genre
Watch the trailer for his new film Giallo on youtube
BFI page on the rerelease of Once upon a time in the West
Cine-Excess website

Reality Check: Genre (crossing) directors – Kaufman and Vigalondo

Reality Check:

Genre (crossing) directors – Kaufman and Vigalondo
Charlie Kaufman interview originally broadcast 21/05/09 on Resonance FM as part of I’m ready for my close-up

Charlie Kaufman directs Robin Weigert in Synecdoche, New York

Continuing our series of twice annual looks at pairs of directors who combine genres on screen to beguiling effect, Alex Fitch talks to Academy Award winning screenwriter turned director Charlie Kaufman about his new film Synecdoche, New York and the processes of getting his previous scripts Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Being John Malkovich to the screen.

Nacho Vigalondo in character on the set of TimeCrimes

Alex also talks to Nacho Vigalondo, the director of the new Spanish film TimeCrimes / Los cronocrimenes which mixes the style of a 1970s psycho thriller with the tropes of a modern, cerebral time travel film.

For more info, please visit the home of this podcast at Sci-Fi London

There are the following instalments of “Genre (crossing) directors” on Reality Check; episode:
2.11 – Charlie Kaufman / Nacho Vigalondo
2.01 – Tarsem Singh / Paul W.S. Anderson
1.11 – Garth Jennings / Park Chan-Wook

Links: Charlie Kaufman -
Charlie’s pages on Wikipedia
and the IMDb
Kaufman resource site – beingcharliekaufman.com
Interview in The Guardian

Nacho Vigalondo – Official Spanish TimeCrimes website
IMDb page about the film
Read a partial transcript of the interview with Nacho in Electric Sheep Magazine

Comics / sci-fi news:

Kamishibai.org is now live, being a resource for Japan’s performance art of telling stories with sequential images, including info on the next London performance of the form on May 31st…

plus:

Rutu Modan at JCC

Rutu Modan’s work has appeared regularly in the New York Times, and her novel Exit Wounds received the Eisner award for best Graphic Novel last year. With both delicacy and clarity, her work captures the complexity, surreal humour and emotional challenges of living in contemporary Israel. The novel depicts the quest of Koby, a taxi driver, for his father in the wake of a suicide bombing, with the help of the mysterious Numi. Rutu will be at JCC Lit Café in conversation with Ariel Kahn, the winner of the Bloomsbury New Writing Competition, a Lecturer in Creative Writing at Roehampton University, and contributor to The Jewish Graphic Novel. (Ed. Samantha Berman and Ranen. Omer-Sherman, Rutgers, 2008). Supported by Bank Hapoalim.
Time: 8pm
Venue: Upstairs at the Magdala, 2a South Hill Park, London NW3 2SB Price: £6 TO BOOK: www.jcclondon.org.uk

I’m ready for my close-up: Charlie Kaufman – bringing interior worlds to the screen

Today on Resonance FM:

I’m ready for my close-up: Charlie Kaufman – bringing interior worlds to the screen

Charlie Kaufman directs Robin Weigert in Synecdoche, New York

Alex Fitch talks to Academy Award winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman about his new film Synecdoche, New York, the challenges of directing his own script, working with Spike Jones and Michel Gondry on his previous screenplays such as Being John Malkovich and Human Nature and issues of post-modernism and magical realism in his work. Alex also talks to Electric Sheep Magazine editor Virginie Selavy about Synecdoche, New York looking at Kaufman’s depictions of the internal workings of the human mind in that film and in earlier scripts such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind.

5pm 22/05/09, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast online after broadcast at www.sci-fi-london.com/audio

Links: Charlie’s pages on Wikipedia and the IMDb
Kaufman resource site beingcharliekaufman.com
Interview in The Guardian

Multimedia news:

Kamishibai.org is now live, being a resource for Japan’s performance art of telling stories with sequential images, including info on the next London performance of the form on May 31st…

plus:

The animated trailer for Bryan Talbot’s new graphic novel Grandville, a new Steampunk tale about murder and intrigue in Fin de siècle Paris, is online now

More info at www.bryan-talbot.com

and:

The MCM Expo is on this weekend at the Excel Centre in London’s Docklands and features guests from film, TV and comics including Warren Ellis, Tony Curtis, Linda Hamilton and many more.

More info at www.londonexpo.com

also:

If you’re in South London:

Charley’s War and Manga Shakespeare at Streatham Library

Pat Mills and Ilya will be talking about their work at Streatham Library as part of Lambeth Readers and Writers festival. Pat will be discussing Charley’s War, Slaine, ABC Warriors, Marshall Law, Judge Dredd, Nemesis The Warlock and many other strips and Ilya will be talking about his roots in the small press, editing the Mammoth Best New Manga anthologies and adapting King Lear into Manga format…

7.30pm Streatham Library, 63 Streatham High Road, SW16 1PL. Saturday 23rd May 2009
More info at: www.lambeth.gov.uk

If you’re in North London:

ARGH! The Ups & Downs of Life as a Comic Book Creator – I was Spider-Man’s Editor
Saturday 23rd May 2009 8.00PM
Stories told in pictures have been around for a long time .. from prehistoric cave drawings through the Bayeaux Tapestry, illustrator and editor, Tim Quinn takes you on a highly nostalgic trip down memory lane to meet some of the great and not-so-great comic characters of the last 150 years.
Tim also takes you behind-the-scenes from his days working for The Beano, Sparky, Bunty, Playhour, Jack & Jill, Buster, The Topper, the Daily Mirror’s Jane and Garth and America’s finest Marvel Comics. He will guide you through the creation of a brand new comic book charcter and reveal his own secret identity as Supreme Speedster, Jet Lagg.
The audience is invited to attend wearing capes and masks. Suitable for boys (of all ages and sexes). Ages 9+
Arts Depot, 5 Nether Street, North Finchley, London N12 0GA
More info at www.artsdepot.co.uk

Today’s shows: Charlie Kaufman on Synecdoche, New York / Andrzej Klimowski, Danusia Schejbal and Ian Culbard on adapting the classics

Today on Resonance FM:

Strip!: Sherlock Holmes vs. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Andrzej Klimowski

Continuing adaptation and inspiration month on the show, Alex Fitch talks to the illustrators of some new and recent literary adaptations in comic book format. Self Made Hero is a relatively new publishing company who have made a name for themselves with their range of Manga Shakespeare adaptations and are now doing European style graphic novels of literary classics. Alex talks to Ian Culbard, artist of Ian Edginton’s adaptations of The Picture of Dorian Grey and The Hound of the Baskervilles and to Andrzej Klimowski and Danusia Schejbal, illustrators and adaptors of The Master and Margarita and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

5pm 21/05/09, repeated 11.30pm 24/05/09, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast online at www.panelborders.wordpress.com after broadcast…

I’m ready for my close-up: Charlie Kaufman – bringing interior worlds to the screen

Charlie Kaufman directs Robin Weigert in Synecdoche, New York

Alex Fitch talks to Academy Award winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman about his new film Synecdoche, New York, the challenges of directing his own script, working with Spike Jones and Michel Gondry on his previous screenplays such as Being John Malkovich and Human Nature and issues of post-modernism and magical realism in his work. Alex also talks to Electric Sheep Magazine editor Virginie Selavy about Synecdoche, New York looking at Kaufman’s depictions of the internal workings of the human mind in that film and in earlier scripts such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind.

10.30pm 21/05/09, repeated 5pm 22/05/09, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast online after broadcast at www.sci-fi-london.com/audio

Links: www.selfmadehero.com

Ian Culbard – Ian’s blog
Ian’s other collaboration with Ian Edginton, Retro Rockets, Go!
Ian’s “Round Robin” comics with various other creators: Huzzah and Huzzah Noir

Andrzej Klimowski – Andrzej’s website
Andrzej’s pages at www.polishposter.com and The Royal College of Art
Article by Paul Gravett on The Secret
Listen to Alex’s previous interview with Andrzej

Danusia Schejbal – Danusia’s website
Read extracts from The Master and Margarita at www.guardian.co.uk
Review of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on the FPI blog
Review of The Master and Margarita from The New Statesman

Charlie Kaufman – Charlie’s pages on Wikipedia and the IMDb
Kaufman resource site beingcharliekaufman.com</em
Interview in The Guardian

Comics / sci-fi news:

Kamishibai.org is now live, being a resource for Japan’s performance art of telling stories with sequential images, including info on the next London performance of the form on May 31st…

plus:

 

The animated trailer for Bryan Talbot’s new graphic novel Grandville, a new Steampunk tale about murder and intrigue in Fin de siècle Paris, is online now

More info at www.bryan-talbot.com

and:

The MCM Expo is on this weekend at the Excel Centre in London’s Docklands and features guests from film, TV and comics including Warren Ellis, Tony Curtis, Linda Hamilton and many more.

More info at www.londonexpo.com

also:

If you’re in South London:

Charley’s War and Manga Shakespeare at Streatham Library

Pat Mills and Ilya will be talking about their work at Streatham Library as part of Lambeth Readers and Writers festival. Pat will be discussing Charley’s War, Slaine, ABC Warriors, Marshall Law, Judge Dredd, Nemesis The Warlock and many other strips and Ilya will be talking about his roots in the small press, editing the Mammoth Best New Manga anthologies and adapting King Lear into Manga format…

7.30pm Streatham Library, 63 Streatham High Road, SW16 1PL. Saturday 23rd May 2009
More info at: www.lambeth.gov.uk

If you’re in North London:

 
ARGH! The Ups & Downs of Life as a Comic Book Creator – I was Spider-Man’s Editor
Saturday 23rd May 2009 8.00PM
Stories told in pictures have been around for a long time .. from prehistoric cave drawings through the Bayeaux Tapestry, illustrator and editor, Tim Quinn takes you on a highly nostalgic trip down memory lane to meet some of the great and not-so-great comic characters of the last 150 years.
Tim also takes you behind-the-scenes from his days working for The Beano, Sparky, Bunty, Playhour, Jack & Jill, Buster, The Topper, the Daily Mirror’s Jane and Garth and America’s finest Marvel Comics. He will guide you through the creation of a brand new comic book charcter and reveal his own secret identity as Supreme Speedster, Jet Lagg.
The audience is invited to attend wearing capes and masks. Suitable for boys (of all ages and sexes). Ages 9+
Arts Depot, 5 Nether Street, North Finchley, London N12 0GA
More info at www.artsdepot.co.uk

Hectic Peelers screening: An Independent Mind

Hectic Peelers screening: An Independent Mind

Rex Bloomstein filming An Independent Mind

TUESDAY 12th MARCH, Roxy Bar and Screen, 7:30pm, FREE: Resonance FM and Electric Sheep Magazine proudly present An Independent Mind. The film explores the state of freedom of expression around the world in 2008, the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which protects freedom of expression under Article 19. An Independent Mind interviews people from diverse walks of life who have faced oppression and censorship for expressing unpopular or radical opinions. The interviewees include: The Moustache Brothers, a comedy troupe in Burma, Tiken Jah Fakoly, a reggae star from Côte d’Ivoire, Ali Dilem, an Algerian cartoonist, David Irving, a controversial British writer and historian, Mu Zimei, a Chinese sex blogger, Soziedad Alkoholika, a Basque rock band, Marielos Monzon, a Guatemalan radio journalist and Faraj Bayrakdar, a Syrian poet and journalist.

The film will be introduced by Alex Fitch, assistant editor of Electric Sheep Magazine and the director, Rex Bloomstein, will take part in a Q & A after the screening.

With thanks to Rex Entertainment.
7.30pm, 12/05/09, Roxy Bar and Screen, 128-132 Borough High Street London SE1 1LB

To find out more about other Electric Sheep Screenings, please click here and for the latest issue of the magazine, please click here

Links: Rex’s website
Interview with Rex following a screening of KZ at the Sundance Film Festival
Rex’s page at the “British Documentary Website” dfgdocs.com
Rex’s filmography at the University of Leicester website
Listen to Alex interview Rex about his films KZ and Traitors to Hitler

Electric Sheep podcast: Figures in a landscape

Electric Sheep podcast: Figures in a landscape

Interviews originally broadcast 01/05/09 in an edited version on www.resonancefm.com

Still from Helen by Desperate Optimists

Alex Fitch talks to the directors of two new films which take the starting point of a character walking through a landscape and twist it into unexpected directions. Alex talks to Bent Hamer, the director of the gentle new Norwegian comedy O’Horten which depicts the tale of a recently retired train driver who gets embroiled in a series of misadventures of the kind Victor Meldrew would be proud of from losing his shoes in a locker room and ending up with red stilettos to ending up in a car driven by a blind man. Alex also talks to Christine Molloy, one half of the film making duo Desperate Optimists, about their new film Helen, which concerns a young woman who takes part in a police reconstruction of a girl going missing and starts to take over her life from dating her boyfriend to getting maths advice from her parents.
Helen is released in selected UK cinemas on May 1st /
O’Horten is released in selected UK cinemas on May 8th

For more info about the variety of formats you can download this podcast in / stream, please visit www.archive.org

Links: Desperate Optimists‘ official website for info on Helen
Artificial Eye’s official website for info about O’Horten
Listen to Alex’s interview with Joe Lawlor, the other half of Desperate Optimists about their series of short films – Civic Life

For info on the latest issue of Electric Sheep magazine, please click here
Electric Sheep Events:

Alex Fitch and Electric sheep magazine editor Virginie Selavy will be interviewing Marc Caro co-director of The City of Lost Children about his work on stage after a screening of the film at the Apollo Piccadilly on Lower Regent Street at 9pm tonight, 01/05/09

and tomorrow, 02/05/09, at the same location at 4.15 Alex is chairing a panel with Marc Caro, Richard Jobson, director of A woman in winter, Cory McAbee (The American Astronaut) and Gerald McMorrow (Franklyn) called The problem of Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film-making and you can find more details about both at www.sci-fi-london.com

In association with:

Today’s show: Figures in a landscape

Today on Resonance FM
I’m ready for my close-up: Figures in a landscape

Still from Helen by Desperate Optimists

Alex Fitch talks to the directors of two new films which take the starting point of a character walking through a landscape and twist it into unexpected directions. Alex talks to Bent Hamer, the director of the gentle new Norwegian comedy O’Horten which depicts the tale of a recently retired train driver who gets embroiled in a series of misadventures of the kind Victor Meldrew would be proud of from losing his shoes in a locker room and ending up with red stilettos to ending up in a car driven by a blind man. Alex also talks to Christine Molloy, one half of the film making duo Desperate Optimists, about their new film Helen, which concerns a young woman who takes part in a police reconstruction of a girl going missing and starts to take over her life from dating her boyfriend to getting maths advice from her parents.
Helen is released in selected UK cinemas on May 1st /
O’Horten is released in selected UK cinemas on May 8th

5pm Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast 06/05/09 at www.electricsheepmagazine.wordpress.com

Links: Desperate Optimists‘ official website for info on Helen
Artificial Eye’s official website for info about O’Horten
Listen to Alex’s interview with Joe Lawlor, the other half of Desperate Optimists about their series of short films – Civic Life

Electric Sheep Events:

Alex Fitch and Electric sheep magazine editor Virginie Selavy will be interviewing Marc Caro co-director of The City of Lost Children about his work on stage after a screening of the film at the Apollo Piccadilly on Lower Regent Street at 9pm tonight, 01/05/09

and tomorrow, 02/05/09, at the same location at 4.15 Alex is chairing a panel with Marc Caro, Richard Jobson, director of A woman in winter, Cory McAbee (The American Astronaut) and Gerald McMorrow (Franklyn) called The problem of Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film-making and you can find more details about both at www.sci-fi-london.com

Electric Sheep podcast: World Cinema, Spring 2009

Electric Sheep podcast: World Cinema, Spring 2009

Interviews originally broadcast 26/03/09 on www.resonancefm.com

Paolo Sorrentino directs Il Divo

In the latest edition of the Electric Sheep Magazine podcast, we’re looking at recent world and art-house cinema releases on DVD and in cinemas. Alex Fitch interviews the director (Christophe Van Rompaey) and star (Jurgen Delnaet) of the new Belgian rom-com Moscow, Belgium / Aanrijding in Moscou, while Jessica Fostekew talks to director Paolo Sorrentino about his new film Il Divo, which chronicles the life of former Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti who has been tried for murder and ties to the Mafia, but acquitted due to the 24 year gap of getting the case before the courts.

Also, Alex reviews the Spanish Science Fiction thriller Timecrimes / Los cronocrímenes and our new reviewer David Warwick looks at the new DVD of Geoffrey Malins’ The Battle of the Somme (1916).

For more info about the variety of formats you can download this podcast in / stream, please visit www.archive.org

Links: IMDb pages on Il Divo, Moscow, Belgium, The Battle of the Somme and Timecrimes
Il Divo, Moscow, Belgium, Timecrimes and The Battle of the Somme official websites
Wikipedia pages on Giulio Andreotti, Il Divo and Moscow, Belgium

Listen to Alex’s interview with Toby Haggith (Imperial War Museum) and Andrew Robertshaw (National Army Museum) about the restoration of The Battle of the Somme
European Cinema info site
Londonnet’s guide to all the times and locations of all films currently showing in the Capital’s cinemas
Listen to Jess deliver a Sweeney Todd monologue
Jess’ pages at spotlight.com, castingcallpro.com and comedycv.co.uk

Jess’s film reviews: in (electronic) print and podcast

Sci-Fi London 8

Sci-Fi London 8 logo

It’s nearly the May Bank Holiday, which means it’s also nearly time for this year’s Sci-Fi London – The London International Festival of Science Fiction and Fantasy Film

Now in its 8th year, Sci-Fi London has developed into a more wide-ranging science fiction festival than ever before. Sci-Fi London now includes talks on literature, science and comic books that not only sit alongside the film events in the programme, but provide a dialogue with the screenings: TV and radio writers will discuss sci-fi comedy while comic book artist Kevin O’Neill will talk about his drawings on screen and the film based on them, Hardware (1990), which will be shown afterwards.

Image from Hardware, directed by Richard Stanley

A perennial and popular strand at SFL is the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 all-night screenings, where fans of SF B-movies watch a TV version of those films, with heckling by an onscreen astronaut and two robots. This year’s festival takes that idea into the realm of stand-up comedy, screening one of the films showing in the festival again with a live redub of the soundtrack by improv comedians who include Cariad Lloyd, Gemma Whelan, Sara Pascoe (Free Agents), Humphrey Ker (Penny Dreadfuls) and Paul Foxcroft. Elsewhere there are different kinds of interaction with SF fans. For the first time in its history, SFL 8 will screen a ‘fan-film’, The Hunt for Gollum, which boasts production values similar to any of the authentic Lord of the Rings films and should keep devotees of the saga happy before the official prequel hits the big screen. In addition, SFL features an on-stage reading of a radio play script, The Brightonomicon, by some of the original cast, allowing the audience to see behind the scenes of something they’d normally only hear. The films at this year’s SFL are a mixture of old and new, Western SF and films from further afield:

The City of Lost Children / La cite des enfants perdus directed by Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet

As well as The City of Lost Children (1995), featuring a Q and A with co-director Marc Caro performed by Alex Fitch with translation by Virginie Sélavy, there’s a kids screening of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth (1986), Ever Since the World Ended (2003), and four of the best Star Trek movies from the 1980s, which fans can see for free. World cinema is represented by Turkish comedies G.O.R.A. (2004) and A.R.O.G. (2008), Japanese SF epic Twentieth-Century Boys part 2 and a selection of Israeli short films.

Image from Stingray Sam directed by Cory McAbee

New films and premieres include Bill Plympton’s Idiots and Angels, Stingray Sam (from the director of The American Astronaut, a low-fi American indie favourite of recent years) and new Japanese / American co-produced animé Afro Samurai: Resurrection, featuring the voices of Samuel L. Jackson and Lucy Liu. Perhaps the most obvious example of combining old and new at the festival is Mamoru Oshii’s Ghost in the Shell 2.0, which is a remix of the original film, replacing all of the backgrounds and some of the characters with new visuals. Whether Oshii’s interference with his own film is on the level of George Lucas’s endless tinkering with Star Wars – making it worse each time – or Ridley Scott’s various re-edits of Blade Runner – all equally as good and as unneeded – remains to be seen.

A longer version of this article first appeared in Electric Sheep Magazine online

Today’s shows: Daredevil by Maleev & Irvine / New World Cinema

Today on Resonance FM:

Strip!: Daredevil by Alex Maleev and Alex Irvine

Daredevil by Alex Maleev

Classic heroes month continues on Strip! with a look at the red-suited vigilante Daredevil – blind lawyer by day and superhero by night. Trying to break the record for the largest number of people called Alex in any one episode of the show, Alex Fitch talks to the Bulgarian artist Alex Maleev who with writer Brian Bendis brought the periodical back to the forefront of Marvel Comics’ line in an award winning four year run on the title in the mid 2000s. Alex also talks to novelist Alex Irvine whose anachronistic reimagining of the comic – Dardevil Noir – starts next month and combines the Chandleresque storytelling of Frank Miller’s iconic run on the title with the look and feel of classic Film Noir, relocating the adventures of Matt Murdock to Hell’s Kitchen in the 1930s…

5pm 26/03/09, repeated 11.30pm 29/03/09, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Links: Wikipedia pages on Daredevil, Alex Maleev and Alex Irvine
Daredevil and Alex Maleev fansites
Alex Irvine’s blog and website
Read the first five pages of Daredevil Noir at www.comicbookresources.com

also:

I’m ready for my close-up extra: New World Cinema

Paolo Sorrentino directs Il Divo

In a special extra edition of I’m ready for my close-up, heralding the start of Spring, Alex Fitch and Jessica Fostekew look at two new critically acclaimed World Cinema releases. Alex interviews the director (Christophe Van Rompaey) and star (Jurgen Delnaet) of the new Belgian rom-com “Moscow, Belgium / Aanrijding in Moscou“, while Jess talks to director Paolo Sorrentino about his new film “Il Divo“, which chronicles the life of former Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti who has been tried for murder and ties to the Mafia, but acquitted due to the 24 year gap of getting the case before the courts.
(N.B. this is an extra edition of IRFMCU in addition to the regular 10.30pm show)

6pm 26/03/09, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast 31/03/09 at www. electricsheepmagazine.wordpress.com

Links: IMDb pages on Il Divo and Moscow, Belgium
Il Divo and Moscow, Belgium official websites
Wikipedia pages on Giulio Andreotti, Il Divo and Moscow, Belgium
European Cinema info site
Londonnet’s guide to all the times and locations of all films currently showing in the Capital’s cinemas
Listen to Jess’ previous appearance on IRFMCU: delivering a Sweeney Todd monologue
Jess’ pages at spotlight.com, castingcallpro.com and comedycv.co.uk

Jess’s film reviews: in (electronic) print and podcast

 

 

Electric Sheep / Wheel Me Out magazines Spring 2009

Electric Sheep Magazine Winter Spring cover

The Fourth Wallflower Press edition of Electric Sheep magazine has just been released and focuses on Tainted Love to celebrate the release of the sweet and bloody pre-teen vampire romance Let the Right One In, with articles on incestuous cinematic siblings, François Ozon’s tales of tortuous relationships, destructive passion in Nic Roeg’s Bad Timing, Julio Medem’s ambiguous lovers and nihilistic tenderness from Kôji Wakamatsu. Also Alex Fitch reviews Timecrimes and looks at the similarities between Wall-E and the Planet of the Apes (!), Tania Glyde discusses her ‘alter-ego’ in The Last Seduction and Virginie Selavy interviews Tomas Alfredson, author of Let the Right one in…

In good bookshops now and available online (with a 15% discount) at www.wallflowerpress.co.uk and features illustrations by Oli Smith, Emma Price and Tom Humberstone and a new comic strip by Mark Stafford.
It’s a measly £3.25 in shops / £12 for 4 issues on subscription.

Click here for more details of the current issue, or here for the previous one…

 

Let the right one in illustration by Tom Humberstone

WALL-E and EVE on the Planet of the Apes illustration by Oli Smith

 

The Red Squirrel illustration by Emma Price

Watchmen article illustration by Mark Stafford

 

ESM continues online as a monthly magazine between print issues including exclusive content such as Alex Fitch’s article on the West London Fantastic Film society and Virginie Selavy’s interview with Kim Ji Woon

Also:

Cover of Wheel Me Out magazine #3

The third issue of the new online magazine Wheel Me Out has just been released and features transcripts of Alex Fitch’s interviews with comic book creators Dave Gibbons and Bryan Talbot plus audio drama scribe Mark Wright. WMO also features Ananda Pellerin’s interviews with Ocean’s Eleven director Steven Soderbergh and DJ Max Tundra…

I’m ready for my close-up: The films of Rex Bloomstein

I’m ready for my close-up: The films of Rex Bloomstein

Rex Bloomstein filming An Independent Mind

A special episode of Resonance FM’s film show I’m ready for my close-up. Alex Fitch talks to director Rex Bloomstein about his films Traitors to Hitler (1979), KZ (2006) and An Independent Mind (2008) in advance of a screening of Traitors… at the Imperial War Museum as part of a weekend of films (28/02/02+01/03/09) and talks about the 1944 Bomb plot to kill Hitler (including a screening of Valkyrie starring Tom Cruise); Alex and Rex talk about documenting persecution and freedom of speech on film and notions of psychogeography in the documentary process.For more info about this podcast and a variety of different formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org

Links: Rex’s website
Interview with Rex following a screening of KZ at the Sundance Film Festival
Rex’s page at the “British Documentary Website” dfgdocs.com
Rex’s filmography at the University of Leicester website
Imperial War Museum website

Today’s shows: The art of Philip Spence / Traitors to Hitler

Today on Resonance FM:

Strip!: The art of Philip Spence

Ninja Bunnies by Philip Spence

Concluding Indie comics month on Strip!: Alex Fitch talks to artist Philip Spence about his self published mini-comics / web comic The Adventures of Ninja Bunny. Mini-comics are an offshoot of the zine and small press comics scene, measuring approx 9cm square and have a more collectible appearance for causal comics browsers who may pick up the titles in art fairs and markets. Philip has recently branched out from his minis into regular sized autobiographical titles and talks about his interest in fine art prints and the production process.
(Please note, the interview with Richy K Chandler has been delayed for a little while and will be included in a future episode of “Strip!” / “Panel Borders”)

5pm 26/02/09, repeated 11.30pm 01/03/09, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Links: Phil’s website
Interview with Phil at Forbidden Planet International’s blog
Info about the UK Web and Mini Comix Thing where Phil will next be selling his wares on 28th March

I’m ready for my close-up special*: The films of Rex Bloomstein

Alex Fitch talks to director Rex Bloomstein about his films Traitors to Hitler (1979) and KZ (2006) while deal respectively with the 1944 Bomb plot against Hitler and the last concentration camp to close at the end of the Second World War. “Traitors to Hitler” is showing this Saturday and Sunday at the Imperial War Museum as part of a weekend of films and talks about the Bomb plot (including a screening of Valkyrie starring Tom Cruise); Alex and Rex talk about documenting persecution and freedom of speech on film and notions of psychogeography in the documentary process.

6pm 26/02/09, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / www.electricsheepmagazine.wordpress.com

*(N.B./ This is an extra edition today of IRFMCU at the unusual time of 6pm as well as the regular 10.30pm show)

Links: Rex’s website
Interview with Rex following a screening of KZ at the Sundance Film Festival
Rex’s page at the “British Documentary Website” dfgdocs.com
Rex’s filmography at the University of Leicester website
Imperial War Museum website

Reality Check: Being Bruce Campbell

Reality Check:

Being Bruce Campbell

Originally broadcast 19/02/09 on Resonance FM as an episode of I’m ready for my close-up

Bruce Campbell in My name is Bruce

Alex Fitch talks to legendary ‘B’-movie actor Bruce Campbell about his new film My name is Bruce which sees the actor directing, producing and playing a fictionalised version of himself on screen. My name is Bruce sees Campbell kidnapped by a fan and taken to the small town of Gold Lick, Oregon (pop. 333) to save the locals from an ancient Chinese demon prefaced by his own country and western musical numbers… Alex and Bruce also talk about the actor’s career so far, appearing in memorable films by Sam Raimi such as the Evil Dead and Spider-Man trilogies, and his experience of dealing with fandom over the years…

For more info, please visit the home of this podcast at Sci-Fi London

Links: Watch the trailer for My Name is Bruce
Bruce’s website
More info on the My name is Bruce DVD

In association with:

Electric Sheep podcast: Experimental film as performance art

Electric Sheep podcast: Experimental film as performance art

Interviews originally broadcast 30/10/08 and 12/02/09 on www.resonancefm.com

 

A Home Movie by Jeff Keen

In this episode we’re looking at how experimental cinema and experimental approaches to cinema recycle and reuse intriguing images from the past. Later in the podcast Alex Fitch talks to Wajid Yaseen, the artistic director of Ear Cinema about their touring project Late Noon Sun which uses silent movie tropes and iconography in a haunting theatrical installation about murder and magic that combines projection and performance in an immersive 360 degree experience.

Late Noon Sun is next on at The Colchester Arts Centre on the 18th of February 2009 and for future performances please visit www.earcinema.co.uk for more info.

Also, we’ve reunited the presenters of Resonance FM’s long missed radio show Midnight Sex Talk for a preview of the short films of experimental filmmaker Jeff Keen which are about to be shown at the BFI southbank and elsewhere and released in a new definitive box set.,
MST co-presenter Kim Morgan joins us later in the show and for the rest of the time we’re talking to presenter Tania Glyde who also worked as the agony aunt for Time Out magazine and has recently written the book “Cleaning up, how I gave up drinking and lived”, which has just been published in paperback.

Jeff Keen’s films mix found footage of pop culture items and iconography combined with experimental scenes of domesticity, landscapes and violence. There are four compilations of Jeff’s work being shown at the BFI Southbank over the next two weeks and in March at various cinemas in Bristol, Hastings and Belfast, more info about which you can find at bfi.org.uk and also in March a definitive 4 DVD box set is being released on their label. For this podcast’s review of his work,Alex Fitch sat down with Tania and we watched 7 of Keen’s films in a row with Kim joining us for the 8th and stopped after each one to record our immediate thoughts on what we’d just watched.

Screenings of Keen’s work are on at the BFI Southbank on the 17th, 19th, 25th and 27th of this month February 2009, and you can find more info at www.bfi.org.uk

For more info, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org
To find out more about Electric Sheep Screenings, please click here and for the magazine, please visit www.electricsheepmagazine.com

Links: Jeff Keen- More info on the BFI’s Jeff Keen season and DVD box set
Listen to Kim’s previous film reviews
Tania’s blog and info about her book Cleaning up, how I gave up drinking and lived
Alex’s early radio appearances on episodes of Midnight Sex Talk concerning “Movies”, “Censorship”, “Death” and “Psychos”!
Visit the archive of Tania and Kim’s previous shows at www.midnightsextalk.com
Wajid Yaseen - His cinema / theatre group’s website www.earcinema.co.uk including info on Late Noon Sun
Wikipedia page on “3D Sound”
Listen to Alex’s interview with Peter Greenaway

In association with:

Electric Sheep news:

Tom Humberstone exhibition at Orbital

The comic shop Orbital which Marc Ellerby waxed lyrical about in a recent Panel Borders, have relocated to 8 Great Newport Street, WC2H 7JF (previously the Photographer’s Gallery).
Orbital appropriately now also have an exhibition space, which opened with a selection of new art pages by Tom Humberstone from the latest issue of his Eagle award winning title: How to date a girl in ten days.

More info at www.orbitalcomics.com / www.ventedspleen.com

and…

Here’s Johnny Screening on More4

The excellent documentary Here’s Johnny about artist John (Nemesis the Warlock, Judge Dredd) Hicklenton’s battle with multiple sclerosis is being shown tonight (17/02/09) at 10pm on More4. The film includes great examples of his work and interviews with the likes of Pat Mills and Glenn Fabry…
More info about the film on its official site.

Today’s shows: Comics by David Baillie / Being Bruce Campbell

Today on Resonance FM:

Strip!: The work of David Baillie

Advert for The Belly Button Bubble Chronicles by David Baillie

Continuing Indie comics month on Strip!: Alex Fitch talks to writer and artist David Baillie about his experiences in the comics industry. David has been self publishing comics since the beginning of the 2000s and has recently produced his first graphic novel – Tongue of the dead – a pastiche and welcome update of 1970s and 80s Sword and Sorcery comics. David also has worked as a comics commentator for various publications, is working on a 3D site specific graphic novel with Daniel Merlin Goodbrey displayed on the walls of a children’s hospital in France and has just seen his first “Future Shock” published in the venerable British periodical 2000AD.

5pm 19/02/09, repeated 11.30pm 22/02/09, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Links: David’s website
The first page of David’s Future Shock at the Forbidden Planet International blog
David’s 24 minute comic on flickr

I’m ready for my close-up: Being Bruce Campbell

Bruce Campbell in My name is Bruce

Alex Fitch talks to legendary ‘B’-movie actor Bruce Campbell about his new film My name is Bruce which sees the actor directing, producing and playing a fictionalised version of himself on screen. My name is Bruce sees Campbell kidnapped by a fan and taken to the small town of Gold Lick, Oregon (pop. 333) to save the locals from an ancient Chinese demon prefaced by his own country and western musical numbers… Alex and Bruce also talk about the actor’s career so far, appearing in memorable films by Sam Raimi such as the Evil Dead and Spider-Man trilogies, and his experience of dealing with fandom over the years…

10.30pm 19/02/09, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended (sweary!) podcast online now at www.sci-fi-london.com/audio

Links: Watch the trailer for My Name is Bruce
Bruce’s website
More info on the My name is Bruce DVD

Comics News:

Brighton ‘zine fest February 2008

…will be taking place over the weekend of 21st/22nd February. Workshops, talks and bands will be on the Saturday (@ The Cowley Club) and zine stalls, acoustic acts and a few other mystery things will be on the Sunday (@ West Hill Hall).

More info at www.brightonzinefest.co.uk

Today’s shows: Tom Humberstone talks to Adrian Tomine / The short films of Jeff Keen‏

Today on Resonance FM:

Strip: The work of Adrian Tomine

Extract from Summer Blonde by Adrian Tomine

Continuing Indie comics month on Strip!: Eagle Award winning writer and artist Tom Humberstone will be talking to American comic book creator Adrian Tomine who writes and draws the comic book Optic Nerve, originally self published and now serialised by Drawn and Quarterly. Collections of short stories from the comic, entitled Summer Blonde and Sleepwalk, have just been published in the UK by Faber and Faber.
Adrian is also the editor of a series of collections of the work of underground manga creator Yoshihiro Tatsumi including Abandon the old in Tokyo and The Push Man and other stories. Tom and Adrian talk about working in comics, Adrian’s artistic influences and interests, his graphic novel Shortcomings and his involvement in bringing Tatsumi’s work to the attention of a new generation in the West.

5pm 12/02/09, repeated 11.30pm 15/02/09, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Links: Adrian’s website
Buy Adrian’s books from Drawn and Quarterly, Faber and Faber and Forbidden Planet International
Article on Summer Blonde in Time Magazine
Tom’s website
Listen to Alex Fitch and Tom Humberstone chat about David Lynch, Dark City and Tom’s comics

I’m ready for my close-up: The strange short films of Jeff Keen

A Home Movie by Jeff Keen

For one night only (unless we inveigle them into doing more), the team of Resonance’s long missed Sunday night show Midnight Sex Talk are reunited on air for a special episode of I’m ready for my close-up…
Alex Fitch talks to Tania Glyde and Kim Morgan about the films of experimental film maker Jeff Keen, whose work is about to be showcased in 4 programmes at the BFI Southbank over the next couple of weeks and in a definitive DVD box set. Keen’s work ranges from comic book inspired free-for-alls featuring cameos by The Flash, The Spirit and Mickey Mouse, to vaguely erotic scenes of debauchery in squats, and apocalyptic visions in ancient quarries.
Tania, Kim and Alex look at the variety of images and found footage in Keen’s work and try to answer the inevitable question: “What does it all mean?”…

10.30pm 12/02/09, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast 18/02/09 at www.electricsheepmagazine.wordpress.com

Links: More info on the BFI’s Jeff Keen season and DVD box set
Listen to Kim’s previous film reviews
Tania’s blog and info about her book Cleaning up, how I gave up drinking and lived
Alex’s early radio appearances on episodes of Midnight Sex Talk concerning “Movies”, “Censorship”, “Death” and “Psychos”!
Visit the archive of Tania and Kim’s previous shows at www.midnightsextalk.com

I’m ready for my close-up: Julien Temple’s Eternity Man

I’m ready for my close-up: Julien Temple’s Eternity Man

“The Eternity Man” presentation at the Locarno film festival – Julien Temple, Director; Christa Hughes, actress; Rosemary Blight, producer

In an interview recorded just before a theatrical screening of The Eternity Man at the Barbican, Alex Fitch talks to director Julien Temple about his film of the modern opera by Dorothy Porter and Jonathan Mills. The Eternity Man tells the true story of Arthur Stace who wandered the streets of Sydney for two generations, writing the word “Eternity” in chalk on a myriad of surfaces and Temple’s film vividly brings to life this modern avatar of the Wandering Jew. Alex and Julien also talk about the director’s other work from Absolute Beginners to Pandaemonium and notions of combining fact and fiction on screen.

For more info about this podcast and a variety of different formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org

Links: Info about forthcoming screenings (next: on sunday night / monday morning on S4C)
Watch clips from The Eternity Man on youtube
Wikipedia pages on Julien Temple, Dorothy Porter and The Eternity Man

Comics news:

Tom Humberstone exhibition at Orbital

The comic shop Orbital which Marc Ellerby waxed lyrical about in last week’s Panel Borders, have relocated to 8 Great Newport Street, WC2H 7JF (previously the Photographer’s Gallery).
Orbital appropriately now also have an exhibition space, which opened with a selection of new art pages by Tom Humberstone from the latest issue of his Eagle award winning title: How to date a girl in ten days.

More info at www.orbitalcomics.com / www.ventedspleen.com

and…

Brighton ‘zine fest February 2008

…will be taking place over the weekend of 21st/22nd February. Workshops, talks and bands will be on the Saturday (@ The Cowley Club) and zine stalls, acoustic acts and a few other mystery things will be on the Sunday (@ West Hill Hall).

More info at www.brightonzinefest.co.uk

Today’s shows: Comica 2008 / Julien Temple’s Eternity Man

Today on Resonance FM:

Strip: Comica 2008

Extracts from comics by Julian Hanshaw and Isabel Greenberg, entries in the Observer / Jonathan Cape Graphic Short story competition

Dickon Harris presents a trio of interviews recorded at last autumn’s Comica festival at the ICA; Dickon is talking to the winner – Julian Hanshaw – and runner-up – Isabel Greenberg – of 2008’s Observer / Jonathan Cape Graphic Short Story competition and to Tim Pilcher about his books on Erotic Comics.

5pm 05/02/09, repeated 11.30pm 08/02/09, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Links: Isabel Greenberg’s website and entry for the Graphic Short Story competition
Julian Hanshaw’s NFTS profile and entry for the Graphic Short Story competition
Ilex Press, publishers of Tim’s books on erotic comics
Tim’s bebo profile…

I’m ready for my close-up: Julien Temple’s Eternity Man

“The Eternity Man” presentation at the Locarno film festival – Julien Temple, Director; Christa Hughes, actress; Rosemary Blight, producer

In an interview recorded just before last week’s screening of The Eternity Man at the Barbican, Alex Fitch talks to director Julien Temple about his film of the modern opera by Dorothy Porter and Jonathan Mills. The Eternity Man tells the true story of Arthur Stace who wandered the streets of Sydney for two generations, writing the word “Eternity” in chalk on a myriad of surfaces and Temple’s film vividly brings to life this modern avatar of the Wandering Jew. Alex and Julien also talk about the director’s other work from Absolute Beginners to Pandaemonium and notions of combining fact and fiction on screen.

10.30pm 05/02/09, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
Links: Info about forthcoming screenings (next: on sunday night / monday morning on S4C)
Watch clips from The Eternity Man on youtube
Wikipedia pages on Julien Temple, Dorothy Porter and The Eternity Man

Comics news:

Tom Humberstone exhibition at Orbital

The comic shop Orbital which Marc Ellerby waxed lyrical about in last week’s Panel Borders, have relocated to 8 Great Newport Street, WC2H 7JF (previously the Photographer’s Gallery).
Orbital appropriately now also have an exhibition space, which opened with a selection of new art pages by Tom Humberstone from the latest issue of his Eagle award winning title: How to date a girl in ten days.

More info at www.orbitalcomics.com / www.ventedspleen.com

and…

Brighton ‘zine fest February 2008

…will be taking place over the weekend of 21st/22nd February. Workshops, talks and bands will be on the Saturday (@ The Cowley Club) and zine stalls, acoustic acts and a few other mystery things will be on the Sunday (@ West Hill Hall).

More info at www.brightonzinefest.co.uk

Electric Sheep podcast: Hitchcock, Hyde and Houdini – the Magic of Classics

Electric Sheep podcast: Hitchcock, Hyde and Houdini – the Magic of Classics

 

Image from Notorious by Alfred Hitchcock

In an interview / Q and A recorded live at the Roxy Bar and Screen, Alex Fitch talks to magician Granville Markland about depictions of magic and magicians on the big screen, focussing on the work of Harry Houdini in such films as The Man from Beyond (1922) and the more recent blurring of fact and fiction in movies like The Prestige and The Illusionist. Also, Alex talks to musician and comedy writer Robin Warren from the band Liberation Jumpsuit about the recent BFI cinema rereleases of Hitchcock’s Notorious and Rouben Mamoulian’s Dr. Jeckyll and Mr Hyde (1931) which combine suspense and eroticism to beguiling effect.

For more info, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org
To find out more about Electric Sheep Screenings, please click here and for the magazine, please visit www.electricsheepmagazine.com

Links: Wikipedia pages on Hitchcock’s Notorious, Rouben Mamoulian’s Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde and Harry Houdini
Book tickets for Notorious at the BFI Southbank

Robin’s band: Liberation Jumpsuit
Download Robin’s kids radio show the Yummy Mummy School Run at www.archive.org
Info about Granville’s performances at the Imperial War Museum

In association with:

Electric Sheep news:

Tom Humberstone exhibition at Orbital

The comic shop Orbital which Marc Ellerby waxed lyrical about in last week’s Panel Borders, have relocated to 8 Great Newport Street, WC2H 7JF (previously the Photographer’s Gallery).
Orbital appropriately now also have an exhibition space, which opened with a selection of new art pages by Tom Humberstone from the latest issue of his Eagle award winning title: How to date a girl in ten days.

More info at www.orbitalcomics.com / www.ventedspleen.com

and…

After Tezuka at The Barbican

Continuing the Barbican’s current multimedia celebration of the art of classic manga artist Osamu Tezaka, there are screenings of Black Jack + Q&A with Helen McCarthy Akira, and Phoenix: Immutable Conclusion this weekend 31st Jan & 1st Feb.

More info at www.barbican.org.uk

Today on Resonance FM: Lucky Cat – The films of Tetsuya Nakashima

Today on Resonance FM:

Lucky Cat: The films of Tetsuya Nakashima

Extract from Kamikaze Girls review by Dan Lester

For a change, I’m a guest on someone else’s show today and along with cartoonist Dan Lester, who supplied a comic strip review of ‘Kamikaze Girls / Shimotsuma monogatari’ to the most recent issue of Electric Sheep Magazine, we’re discussing with host Zoe Baxter, the films of Tetsuya Nakashima, director of ‘Memories of Matsuko / Kiraware Matsuko no isshô’.
‘Lucky Cat’ is Resonance FM’s weekly show about Asian Culture and also includes Zoe’s selection of Asian music that’s caught her interest recently and live food tasting from her home made ‘Dim Sum Lunch Box’ (an item that has featured cameos by Alex Fitch in the past!)…

Links: Dan’s website
Zoe’s Lucky Cat blog which includes podcasts and info about the show including her
November special about Byron Lee, who contributed music to the soundtrack of Dr. No
Info about the latest issue of Electric Sheep Magazine
Info about Memories of Matsuko and Kamikaze Girls
Watch Nakashima’s short film Rolling bomber special on youtube
Listen to a 2006 episode of I’m ready for my close-up in which Zoe talks to Asian film expert Annie Kwan
Listen to Alex’s interview with Dan about his comic book work

Comics / Sci-Fi news:

Museum Exhibition at Willesden Green Library Centre

Drawn! A graphic art exhibition
Open daily until Sunday 8^th February 2009.

Cartoonists, illustrators, students and designers have expressed and interpreted themselves and their view of ‘graphic art’ in Brent Museum’s latest exhibition Drawn! Test your own understanding of the term and be prepared to draw your own conclusions!

Featuring finished work – comics and large print illustrations, sketchbooks and biographies from…

• Marc Ellerby
• Antonia Hazlerigg
• Drew Hussey
• Jenika Ioffreda
• Meiko Kikuta
• Elena Sainz
• Adrian Stapleton
• …and a couple of little-known Hergé illustrations

also…

Sci-Fi London 2009 (29 Apr – 4 May) has been nominated as one of the best things to do this year by The Times, so put it in your diaries now! It’s going to be amazing (and I only know about the events I’m organising!)…

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/news/article5389520.ece

plus…

“Ask Alan Moore…”,

the Forbidden Planet International Blog is inviting people to submit questions for their next interview with Alan Moore (about The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century), so visit the blog entry for more info and submit a question…!

Electric Sheep Magazine Winter 2008

Electric Sheep Magazine Winter 2008 cover

The third Wallflower Press edition of Electric Sheep magazine (co-presenter(s) of the Hectic Peelers cinema nights with Resonance FM) has just been released and is available from various stockists… Electric Sheep is edited by Virginie Sélavy with assistance by Alex Fitch and has reviews / interviews by various Resonance programme makers including Virginie, Alex and James DC (all contributors to I’m ready for my close-up / Strip!), and features illustrations by Strip! guests Tom Humberstone, Dan Lester, Mark Stafford (left to right below), and future Strip! guest Lee O’Connor.

It’s a measly £3.25 in shops / £12 for 4 issues on subscription.

Click here for more details of the current issue, or here for the previous one…

 

 

ES also continues online as a monthly magazine between print issues including exclusive interviews like Alex Fitch talking to acclaimed Britsh directors Peter Greenaway and Michael Winterbottom and reviews such as Oli Smith looking at The Mindscape of Alan Moore…

Reality Check: Michael Winterbottom’s Code 46

Reality Check:

Michael Winterbottom’s Code 46

Originally broadcast 11/12/08 on Resonance FM as an episode of I’m ready for my close-up

Michael Winterbottom directs Tim Robbins & Samantha Morton in Code 46, Photo by Peter Mountain, courtesy of United Artists.

During a special Architecture foundation screening of Code 46 at the Barbican centre, Alex Fitch caught up with director Michael Winterbottom in the foyer of the cinema and discussed issues of British Science Fiction, unreliable narrators and the importance of location in Sci-Fi films. Alex and Michael also look at issues of psychogeography, breaking the fourth wall in 24 hour party people and A cock and bull story and why Spielberg’s Minority Report (which also starred Samantha Morton) was an interesting attempt to make realistic SF…
With thanks to the Barbican and the Architecture Foundation – next screening: Los Angeles plays itself on 21st Jan 2009. 

For more info, please visit the home of this podcast at Sci-Fi London

Links: Article on Code 46 at www.indiewire.com
IMDb and Wikipedia pages on Code 46
Official United Artists website for the movie
Article on the Architecture foundation screening of the film

In association with:

Comics / Sci-Fi news:

BADGER AT THE GREENWICH PICTURE HOUSE

Artwork from Howard Hardiman’s delightful small press comic Badger goes on display from Monday1st of December at the Picture House Cinema in Greenwich for a month.
01/12/08 – 01/01/09, Greenwich Picture House, Greenwich High Road, SE10 8NN, London

More info at www.picturehouses.co.uk
and www.cutebutsad.co.uk

DAVID LLOYD AT THE NEW END GALLERY, HAMPSTEAD

Kickback – an exhibtion of the sequential art of David Lloyd, including work from Night Raven, Kickback and V for Vendetta is the latest show at The New End Gallery in Hampstead. All the pages on display will be for sale…

Tues- Sun 04/12/08 – 23/12/08, New end gallery, 27 Carnegie House, Hampstead, London NW3 1JE

More info at www.newendgallery.com

Today’s shows: Queer Press Grant and Michael Winterbottom

Today on Resonance FM:

Strip!: Queer Press Grant winners

Continuing gay comics month on Resonance FM, Alex Fitch talks to the winners of last year’s Queer Press Grant – Justin Hall and Tommy Roddy about their comics “Glamazonia: The Uncanny Super Tranny” and “Pride High” respectively. “Glamazonia” tells the tale of a transgender super-heroine fighting mythical creatures, serial killers and old fashioned super hero origin stories while “Pride High” is a hipper version of the “X-Men” which allows the gay characters of a super hero school take centre stage, while dealing with issues of oppression and mortal enemies.

Glamazonia

Pride High #6

5pm GMT, Thursday 11th December, repeated at 11.30pm Sunday 14th
December, Resonance 104.4FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com
Individual half hour edits of the two interviews will be podcast
after transmission here and at http://podcasts.resonancefm.com

I’m ready for my close-up: Michael Winterbottom’s Code 46, 10.30pm Thurs 11th December

During a special Architecture foundation screening of Code 46 at the Barbican centre, Alex Fitch caught up with director Michael Winterbottom in the foyer of the cinema and discussed issues of British Science Fiction, unreliable narrators and the importance of location in Sci-Fi films. Alex and Michael also look at issues of psychogeography, breaking the fourth wall in 24 hour party people and A cock and bull story and why Spielberg’s Minority Report is a ludicrous attempt to make realistic SF!

(with thanks to the Barbican and the Architecture Foundation – next screening: Los Angeles plays itself on 21st Jan 2009)

Links: Tommy Roddy – Profile at www.prismcomics.org
Wikipedia page on Pride High
Buy Pride High from www.pridecomics.com

Justin Hall – youtube video of Justin reading Glamazonia
Justin’s livejournal page, website and profile on prismcomics.org
Comics Bulletin report on Justin & Tommy winning the Queer Press Grant

Michael Winterbottom – Article on Code 46 at www.indiewire.com
IMDb and Wikipedia pages on Code 46
Official United Artists website for the movie
Article on the Barbican screening of Code 46 at bldgblog

Electric Sheep Podcast: Peter Greenaway and the Raindance Film Festival

Electric Sheep podcast: Raindance Film Festival
(Peter Greenaway interview previously broadcast 30/10/08 on Resonance 104.4 FM as part of that evening’s “Clear Spot”)

This month’s Electric Sheep Magazine Podcast is a Raindance Film Festival special. ESM is proud to be a media partner of Raindance and this year the magazine’s editor Virginie Sélavy conducted a Q and A at one of the screenings and wrote an article on Faye Dunaway for the Festival brochure while assistant editor Alex Fitch conducted a couple of Q & As and was granted an interview with Peter Greenaway after the British premiere of his new film Nightwatching.
In this podcast you’ll hear Alex’s Q and As with director Guy Ducker about his short film Lover’s Lane and with the filmmakers – David Boaretto & Charles-Henri Belleville – and members of the cast – including Nhamo Shire, Mike Martin and Pierre Henry-Fontaine – of the new British Basketball film Midnight Madness. Alex also talks to Mr Greenaway about the crossover between filmmaking and fine art and the master painter Rembrant’s position as a pioneer of both.
For more info, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org
Click here for a partial transcript of Alex’s interview with Peter…

Links: Wikipedia pages on Rembrant, Peter Greenaway and The Raindance Film Festival
Websites: www.raindance.co.uk, www.petergreenaway.info, www.guyducker.com, www.midnight-madness.com

In association with:

Today’s screening: Civic Life and Weekend Friends

It’s time for the latest Hectic Peelers screening at the Roxy bar and Screen. Resonance FM and Electric Sheep Magazine are proud to present the theatrical premiere of acclaimed comic book artist Oli Smith’s short film Weekend Friends and to host a screening of the director’s cut of the portmanteau film Civic Life by Desperate Optimists.

Weekend Friends (click above for the first three mins) with cameos by Mr Alex Fitch and the crème de la crème of the British Underground comics scene, tells the story of the lead up to Oli’s most recent mini-convention, Low Energy Day at Camden Market and the come down afterwards, shot by himself and collaborator Sean Azzopardi.
Oli will introduce the screening tonight and be available to answer questions and sell / sign copies of the prequel comics…

Civic Life is a series of short films that span the width and breadth of the UK made with the help and participation of local people and range in length from 5 to 17 minutes, all of which comprise a single, uncut take. The version showing tonight is the new director’s cut which includes excerpts from Desperate Optimists’ subsequent film Daydream. Co-director Christine Molloy will be in attendance to intoduce the film and do a Q & A afterwards with Electric Sheep Magazine’s assistant editor, Alex Fitch…

7.30pm, Roxy Bar and Screen, 128-132 Borough High Street, London SE1 1LB

Copies of the Autumn ‘08 issue of Electric Sheep featuring art by Smith and Azzopardi will be available to buy at the venue…

Links: Listen to Alex’s interview with the other director of Civic Life, Joe Lawlor
Desperate Optimists’ website
For more info on where to get Oli and Sean’s comics please check out www.londonundergroundcomics.com

I’m ready for my close-up: OSS-117, Licence to kill

I’m ready for my close-up – OSS-117, Licence to kill
originally broadcast 06/11/08 on Resonance FM

Massively popular in France but fairly unknown in the UK are the adventures of OSS-117, a cold war secret agent who has appeared in 40 books over the last half century and half a dozen movies. With a new (spoof) version of the Gallic James Bond about to hit our screens, Alex Fitch talks to the director – Michel Hazanavicius – and Bonisseur girl – Bérénice Bejo – of Cairo: Nest of Spies / Le Caire nid d’espions. Although his code number and name seem strangely familiar, apparently 117 predates 007…

The home of this audio podcast which includes a variety of formats to download or stream is at www.archive.org…

Links: Wikipedia pages on the literary life of OSS-117 and Cairo: Nest of Spies
IMDb page on Cairo: Nest of Spies / Official movie website
Buy tickets to see Cairo: Nest of Spiesat the ICA

Today’s shows: The Fate of Eddie Campbell, Peter Greenaway, Ear Cinema and silent horror!

Today on Resonance FM:

Strip: Eddie Campbell – the life and many deaths of the artist

In the fourth of four episodes of Panel Borders looking at the work of artist Eddie Campbell, Alex Fitch talks to Eddie about his books The Fate of the Artist, The Black Diamond Detective Agency and The Amazing, Remarkable Monsieur Leotard. Alex and Eddie also touch on film to comic adaptations and vice versa and the lack of heroes at the beginning on the twenty first century via consideration of his comics From Hell, Bacchus and Alec…
(With thanks to Oli Smith for putting Alex in touch with Eddie Campbell)

5pm 30/10/08 Resonance 104.4 FM,
repeated 11.30pm 02/11/08

Clear Spot: Silent horror, cinema of the Ear and murder mysteries in paint

In a special Devil’s night broadcast Alex Fitch talks to Peter Greenaway about his new film Nightwatching which postulates that Rembrandt hid the clues to a murder mystery in one of his most famous paintings. Alex also talks to Robert Rider (cinema programmer at the Barbican) about his season of silent horror films that continues tonight with The Man who Laughs and to Wajid Yaseen about his spooky theatre experience Late Noon Sun which combines cinema projection and performance to unsettling effect.
(With thanks to the Raindance film festival for organising the interview with Peter Greenaway.)

8pm 30/10/08 Resonance 104.4 FM

Links:
Eddie Campbell - Eddie’s blog
First Second books, publishers of Eddie’s three most recent books
Wikipedia page on Eddie Campbell
Buy From Hell from www.topshelfcomix.com (U.S) or Knockabout comics (U.K.), who also stock Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell’s other collaboration: ‘A disease of language’
Listen to Oz Comics’ Grant Stone talk to Eddie about The Fate of the artist

Robert Rider – Silent horror films and Met Opera at the Barbican
Daily Telegraph article about silents at The Barbican
Listen to Alex’s previous interview with Robert Rider and previous podcasts on silent movies

Peter Greenaway – Info on the Raindance screening of Nightwatching
IMDb page on Nightwatching
Wikipedia pages on Peter Greenaway, Rembrant’s Nightwatch and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

Wajid Yaseen - His cinema / theatre group’s website www.earcinema.co.uk including info on Late Noon Sun
Buy tickets to see Late Noon Sun at the ICA
Wikipedia page on “3D Sound”

I’m ready for my close-up: Silent horror and cinematic opera

I’m ready for my close-up – Silent horror and cinematic opera
to be broadcast on 30/10/08 as part of the 8pm Clear Spot on Resonance FM

A special podcast episode of I’m ready for my close-up: Alex Fitch talks to Robert Rider, cinema programmer at the Barbican centre in London about their season of silent horror films which includes such films as Der Golem and The Man who laughs with scores that range from classic piano accompaniment to DJ mixing. Alex and Richard also talk about the centre’s presentations of New York Met. operas such as “Doctor Atomic” and Robert Lapage’s production of “The Damnation of Faust”.

The home of the audio podcast can be found at www.archive.org…

Links: Info on screenings of Barbican screenings of silent horror films and New York Met. operas
Daily Telegraph article about silents at The Barbican
Listen to Alex’s previous interview with Robert Rider and previous podcasts on silent movies

Electric Sheep podcast: Cutting Edge Animation

Electric Sheep podcast: Cutting Edge Animation
(Charles Burns interview previously broadcast 25/09/08 on Resonance 104.4 FM as an episode of “Strip!”)

Following on from last month’s look at Osamu Tezuka’s classic animé, the Electric Sheep Podcast is exploring more experimental animation from 1970s surrealism to the very latest French comic strip inspired cartoons.
Tom (How to date a girl in ten days) Humberstone and Alex Fitch chat about the early films of David Lynch which mixed animation and live action to beguiling effect and how Lynch may have been influenced by his peers such as Terry Gilliam and Jan Švankmajer. Also: Virginie Sélavy talks to Charles Burns about his contribution to the French portmanteau film Fear(s) of the dark and about his acclaimed graphic novel “Black Hole”…

For more info, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org

Links: Wikipedia pages on David Lynch, Charles Burns and Fear(s) of the dark
Tom’s website

In association with:

Reality Check: Genre (crossing) directors, Autumn ‘08

Reality Check: Genre (crossing) directors, Autumn ‘08

To kick off the second series of our fortnightly podcasts, it’s the second of our twice yearly looks at directors who mix a variety of genres in their work with intriguing results. Chris Patmore talks to Tarsem Singh, director of The Cell, about The Fall, his stylish homage to silent movies which combines elements of Wuxia, cowboy films and the Arabian nights to dazzling effect… Also, Alex Fitch talks to Paul W.S. Anderson about his reimagining of Roger Corman’s Death Race which sees the original satirical road race relocated to a futristic prison yard.

Panel Borders: The manga of Osamu Tezuka

Panel Borders: The manga of Osamu Tezuka
To be broadcast 18/09/08 as part of a special “Clear Spot” at 8pm on Resonance FM

Alex Fitch talks to manga expert Helen McCarthy in front of an audience of comic book readers at Streatham Library about the work of manga and animé pioneer Osamu Tezuka who is the subject of a season now on at The Barbican. In this episode Alex and Helen look at Tezuka’s manga work from New Treasure Island to MW…

For more info please visit the home of this podcast at archive.org
Listen to the other half of Helen and Alex’s chat about Tezuka, focussing on the artist’s animé work…

Links: Info on Movies into Manga: Osamu Tezuka at The Barbican
wikipedia page on Osamu Tezuka
Info on the current Kamishibai tour of the UK
Review of Tezuka’s Black Jack volume one by Joe McCulloch
Info about Helen’s panel on Tezuka at The Bristol Comics expo earlier this year (under “2pm Ramada Suite”)
Buy Helen’s books from amazon.co.uk
Info on Osamu Tezuka titles on DVD at imdb.com
Listen to Alex’s previous interviews with Helen McCarthy and The Streatham Library Graphic Novels readers group part one / part two…

Comics news:

Movies into Manga: Osamu Tezuka at The Barbican

From 18th September, there’s a week long season of Osamu Tezuka adaptations at The Barbican, curated by Helen McCarthy, who Alex will be interviewing for a second time at Streatham Library on Monday 15th September, to be broadcast as a clear spot on Resonance FM at 8pm on the 18th…

Plus: The Jonthan Cape / Observer graphic fiction competition is back on, with the deadline being 17/10/09 to design a short story in comic book form to fit two pages of The Observer…

Jonathan Cape / The Observer graphic short story competition

Also: At Harrods, Knightsbridge, Rich Johnston has curated an exhibtion of original comic book art by industry luminaries such as Sean Phillips and Raymond Briggs, open from now until the end of October…
More info at www.comicbitsonline.com and at Sean’s blog

Electric Sheep podcast: The animé of Osamu Tezuka

Electric Sheep podcast: The animé of Osamu Tezuka

An episode of The Electric Sheep Magazine Podcast – Alex Fitch talks to anime expert Helen McCarthy in front of an audience of manga fans at Streatham Library about the work of manga and animé pioneer Osamu Tezuka who is the subject of a season now on at The Barbican. Alex and Helen talk about Tezuka’s career in animé from early experimental shorts to the big budget adaptation of his classic manga comic Metropolis. Also comedienne and actress Jessica Fostekew reviews the cinema release of Eden Lake and the DVD release of Annie Leibovitz – Life Through a Lens…

For more info, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org
Listen to the other half of Helen and Alex’s chat about Tezuka, focussing on the artist’s manga work…

Links: Info on Movies into Manga: Osamu Tezuka at The Barbican
wikipedia page on Osamu Tezuka
Info on the current Kamishibai tour of the UK
Review of Tezuka’s Black Jack volume one by Joe McCulloch
Info about Helen’s panel on Tezuka at The Bristol Comics expo earlier this year (under “2pm Ramada Suite”)
Buy Helen’s books from amazon.co.uk
Info on Osamu Tezuka titles on DVD at imdb.com
Listen to Alex’s previous interviews with Helen McCarthy and The Streatham Library Graphic Novels readers group part one / part two…
Jess’ page at castingcallpro.com
myspace page for The Instute, the improv group featuring Jessica Fostekew

In association with:

I’m ready for my close-up: Malcolm McDowell and Lindsay Anderson

I’m ready for my close-up – Malcolm McDowell and Lindsay Anderson
partially broadcast on 14/11/07 on Resonance FM

Alex Fitch interviews Malcolm McDowell and Mike Kaplan

Alex Fitch interviews star Malcolm McDowell and director Mike Kaplan about their film Never Apologise – a personal visit with Lindsay Anderson. Never Apologize (sic) is currently showing at the Curzon Soho cinema in London and will shortly tour the UK – more details at vervepics.com
The home of the audio podcast can be found here at www.archive.org and there is also a video podcast available for download or streaming and this will be shortly available on our youtube ‘channel’ as well…

Links: Info on screenings of Never Apologize throughout the U.K.
Info on Never Apologize (sic), Lindsay Anderson and Malcolm McDowell at the IMDb
Info on Malcolm McDowell, Lindsay Anderson and The Whales of August (produced by Mike Kaplan) at wikipedia.org
Official website: neverapologize.com

Panel Borders on youtube

Here at Panel Borders HQ, we realise that getting video clips onto your xunes, itubes and ephones isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do and while all of our video podcasts have been available to download from archive.org we thought it was high time to get the stuff onto youtube as well.
As this involves divvying up each video into ten min segments, it’s going to take a not small amount of time to copy over all the videos, but all four parts of Alex Fitch’s interview with Dave Gibbons are on youtube now:

(direct link: www.youtube.com/user/PanelBorders / easier interface at alexfitch.com)

with youtube versions of Alex’s interviews with David Lloyd, Alan Moore, Malcolm McDowell, Guy Maddin and Bryan Talbot (online this time-ish next week) to follow…

The site even includes videos by other people that feature Alex in front of and behind the camera,
such as Oli Smith’s latest magnum opus in which Mr Smith goes to Nottingham and meets Eddie Campbell, films Alex eating and Dan Lester dancing, D’Israeli chewing a flyer for ‘Low Energy Day’ while Ian Edgington watches and a bemused Stephen Holland belatedly receives a broken award for his shop…:

And if you enjoyed that…

London Underground Comics' Low Energy Day

LUC is proud to announce its SECOND festival of the year, Low Energy Day on the 30th of August.
After the success of No Barcodes, with its beautiful atmosphere, universal profit making and footfall of over six hundred visitors we’ve decided to do… well pretty much the same again actually.

Plus a couple of sexy bonuses:

Last time we had twelve tables and fifty two exhibitors, this time we are spread over two areas, meaning we can ditch the tables that weren’t in prime positions. We now have ten tables in the original No Barcodes hall, and another five in the centre of the busy Market Hall next door, allowing us to accommodate more creators than ever before, and hopefully give people who asked for space after we were full before a chance to participate.
DJ Laurence Powell from small press legends Modern Monstrosity (Tales From The Flat) will be entertaining us all day with his comics themed mixes in the middle of the main room.
On top of that expect the usual food discounts for taking part in the event, opportunities to sell comics to a large and unsaturated market, and the chance to meet and make friends new and old in the beautiful and popular Camden Lock Market.

Also: On now until the end of August – “Caption Comics Collective” at the Jam Factory

Caption Collective exhibition at The Jam Factory

Comics artists Daniel Merlin Goodbrey, D’Israeli, David Baillie, Sally Anne Hickman and many more display their artistic wares at this gallery show in Oxford. More info at www.thejamfactoryoxford.com

Reality Check: The Truth is (still) out there

Reality Check: The Truth is (still) out there

Alex Fitch talks to the creators of two new science-fiction dramas that deal with issues of body augmentation, morality, religion and new technology.

Writer / director Chris Carter and producer Frank Spotnitz discuss their new film The X-Files: I want to believe, which reunites iconic 90s TV characters Mulder and Scully on the big screen. The interview was recorded by Oli Smith.

Chris Carter, three days ago! Photo taken by Oli Smith.

We also have an interview with Rachel Welch, the writer of the new play Involution, which is set in the near future and deals with human rights and themes of identity in a world where genome mapping dictates people’s lifestyles as well as featuring shadowy government agents and robot pleasure companions.
Involution is on at The Pleasance Theatre in Edinburgh every day at noon from 31/07/08 to 25/08/08…

Electric Sheep video podcast: Guy Maddin and My Winnipeg

Electric Sheep video podcast: Guy Maddin and My Winnipeg

An episode of The Electric Sheep Magazine Podcast – Alex Fitch talks to Guy Maddin about his new film “My Winnipeg” and about his career so far from Tales of the Gimli Hospital to The Saddest music in the world.

You can stream the show by clicking here and pressing the play button or right click here to save the mp4 file direct to your computer… (mp4 format, 27mins / 252mb)
This podcast is also available in an audio only format which includes an additional interview with Kinga P, a former resident of Winnipeg…

Links: Electric Sheep Magazine
IMDb and wikipedia pages on My Winnipeg
Transcript of Alex’s interview with Guy Maddin + Alex’s article on the film and the director’s career
Alex’s interview with Cecilia Araneda, director of the Winnipeg Film Group

In association with:

Electric Sheep podcast: Guy Maddin and My Winnipeg

Electric Sheep podcast: Guy Maddin and My Winnipeg

An episode of The Electric Sheep Magazine Podcast – Alex Fitch talks to Guy Maddin about his new film “My Winnipeg” and about his career so far from Tales of the Gimli Hospital to The Saddest music in the world. Alex also talks to former Winnipeg resident Kinga P about her experience of growing up in the city when she moved there as a 12 year old from Warsaw.
You can stream the show by clicking here and pressing the play button or right click here to save the mp3 file direct to your computer… (mp3 format, 41mins / 39.1mb)

The Guy Maddin interview is also available as a video podcast and print transcript…

Links: Electric Sheep Magazine
IMDb and wikipedia pages on My Winnipeg
Kinga’s blog
Transcript of Alex’s interview with Guy Maddin + Alex’s article on the film and the director’s career
Alex’s interview with Cecilia Araneda, director of the Winnipeg Film Group

In association with:

Reality Check: James McAvoy and Timur Bekmambetov’s Wanted

Reality Check: James McAvoy and Timur Bekmambetov’s Wanted

A special presentation of the press conference for the new action movie Wanted based on the cult comic book by Mark Millar… Star James McAvoy and director Timur (Night Watch) Bekmanbetov talk about the challenges of making the movie, working with co-star Angelina Jolie and fun of working in the genre…
Edited by Alex Fitch.

Interview with Makoto Shinkai

A text only interview for a change – I may get Phil to read it out for the next ES podcast – between Alex Fitch and acclaimed animé director Makoto Shinkai (The Place Promised in Our Early Days, Voices of a Distant Star) is online now at www.electricsheepmagazine.com… Also online and in the print version of the magazine is a chat between Alex and ES editor Virginie Selavy about Paranoia Agent.
Shinkai will be appearing in person at the BFI’s Animé Now weekend to introduce a screening of his new film 5 centimetres per second, on 20th June.
The all new Wallflower Press quartely version of Electric Sheep Magazine is available to buy now from the ICA bookshop and elsewhere and features an exclusive Asian film review in comic strip format by Dan Lester and illustrations by Mark Stafford.

 

Links: Buy the print version of Electric Sheep magazine
Info on the BFI’s Animé Now weekend
Wallflower Press website
Other photos from the Electric Sheep relaunch party

Extract:

“AF: In both Voices of a Distant Star and The Place Promised in Our Early Days, it’s technology that both enables and prohibits normal communication and it seems to be a metaphor for unspoken words in relationships. Do you think technology – from letter writing to video phones – is something that gives people a chance to express their true feelings by liberating them from direct confrontation? Or does it make communication more difficult due to the lack of body language?

MS: I believe that it depends more on the circumstance if this kind of technology expresses your feelings. For Voices of a Distant Star, one of the reasons that I used mobile phone technology is that when I made it, texting on phones and sending e-mail by phone was starting to be popular in Japan. I was in a relationship at the time and used to send texts to my girlfriend. Although my texts arrived quickly, sometimes it took a long time for the replies to get back to me. In these instances, I wondered why it took such a long time to hear back and though we both lived relatively close by in Tokyo, I felt that her feelings might be far from mine. This experience drove me to include the use of mobile phone technology within the film.”

Click here to read the full version…

 

Reality Check: Julian Doyle’s Chemical Wedding

Reality Check: Julian Doyle’s Chemical Wedding

In the last of our podcasts recorded at this year’s Sci-Fi London Film Festival, guest presenter Chris Patmore talks to Julian Doyle, the director of the new sci-fi / black comedy horror film Chemical Wedding. Julian and Chris talk about the challenges of adapting the script, Julian’s interests in outré magic, science and religion and his experiences of working on films such as Brazil, Time Bandits and Monty Python’s Life of Brian.
Edited and presented by Alex Fitch.

Reality Check: Zombies at Sci-Fi London

Reality Check: Zombies at Sci-Fi London

In the third of our podcasts recorded live at this year’s Sci-Fi London Film Festival, we’re looking at the new American Indie zombie comedy Wasting Away. Louis Savy introduces a screening of the film and then Alex Fitch conducts a Q & A with director / producer team and co-writers Sean and Matthew Kohnen plus lead actress Julianna Robinson.

Reality Check: Humour at Sci-Fi London

Reality Check: Humour at Sci-Fi London

In the second of our podcasts recorded live at this year’s Sci-Fi London Film Festival, we’re looking at the more humourous aspects of the festival – a new French kids film Dragon Hunters and a visit by a couple of comedians. Louis Savy introduces a screening of Dragon Hunters and then Alex Fitch conducts a Q & A with directors Guillaume Ivernel and Arthur Qwak. Following that, Alex talks to Rich (The Mighty Boosh) Fulcher and Dean (X-Files / Lone Gunmen) Haglund about their love of the genre.

Panel Borders: Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis

Panel Borders: Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis
Broadcast 24/04/08 as part of Strip! on Resonance 104.4 FM

Guest presenter Virginie Selavy’s interview with cartoonist and film maker Marjane Satrapi whose film and graphic novel Persepolis breaks new ground in terms of depictions of the Middle East, comic book adaptations and autobiography.
Edited by Alex Fitch

Today’s show: Breaking conventions

Today’s show is all about breaking conventions. Not just because I like a good pun but also because half of today’s interviews were recorded at conventions over the easter weekend last month, while Virginie Selavy’s interview later in the show is with cartoonist and film maker Marjane Satrapi whose film and graphic novel Persepolis breaks with convention in terms of depictions of the middle east, comic book adaptations and autobiography.
Over the Easter weekend there were two very different conventions going on in London, both of which mixed industry, professionals and fans. Alex attended Orbital, the sci-fi literary convention held at a hotel near heathrow and interviewed a variety of fans and sci-fi professionals about their interests and trade.
You can hear all 8 of the interviews from Orbital at www.sci-fi-london.com but as two of the writers featured are also comic creators you can hear Alex Fitch’s interviews with Neil Gaiman and last week’s guest, Bryan Talbot on today’s show.
Before that, in order to record the show in two places at once, small press creator, Oliver Lambden, who draws the popular indie comic Tales from the flat, interviews a variety of creators and one girlfriend at the post pub get-together after the UK Web & Mini Comix Thing, a comic book convention for self published and internet comic creators which was held in Mile End. At the same time as that, a rival mini comix protest was held in Camden, so Oliver talked to attendees of both, about what they got from either attending the East End convention or boycotting the event and heading west.

Thursday 24/04/08 5pm, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com

Links – Selavy / Satrapi:
Random House page on the Persepolis graphic novels
Review round up”
Wikipedia page on Marjane Satrapi
Print version of Virginie’s interview at Electric Sheep Magazine

Lambden / UK Web & Mini Comix Thing
Info on comics by… Oliver Lambden & Laurence Powell, Jake Harold, David Baillie, Mike Rouse-Deane, Dan Lester, Sean Azzopardi, Oli Smith, Adam Cadwell and Marc Ellerby
Small Press Info blog – bugpowder.com
London Underground Comics – distributor of small press titles @ Camden Market on Saturdays

Fitch / Orbital
Orbital Eastercon website
Bryan Talbot’s ‘official fanpage’
Neil Gaiman and Paul Cornell’s blogs
Listen to the complete Eastercon coverage at Sci-Fi London

Podcast: Art House cinema podcast, Winter ‘07 / ‘08

Yup, it’s Electric Sheep Magazine & Resonance FM’s latest Art House cinema podcast featuring reviews of films released last autumn at ‘Art House’ cinemas in London… This show is presented by Alex Fitch with contributions from Virginie Sélavy (editor of Electric Sheep Magazine) , comedienne Jessica Fostekew and beloved Resonance FM engineer (and electronic musician) Robin Warren… Featuring reviews of Jesus Camp, KM31 / Kilometro treinta y uno, Southland Tales, The Saragossa Manuscript, The Kite Runner, Paranoid Park, 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days, Dan in real life, No country for old men, Our daily bread / Unser taglich brot and Sweeney Todd: The demon barber of Fleet Street. In this episode there’s also an exclusive interviews with Rigoberto Castaneda about his film KM31 and there’s an extract from Jessica Fostekew’s performance of the monologue Looking for Sweeney Todd. This is a hour long special edition.

You can stream the show by clicking here and pressing the play button or right click here to save the mp3 file direct to your computer…

Links: You can read print versions of the reviews in Electric Sheep Magazine
Londonnet’s guide to all the times and locations of all films currently showing in the Capital’s cinemas
Listen to Jess’ complete Sweeney Todd monologue
Robin’s band: Liberation Jumpsuit
(mp3 format, 61mins / 58.9mb)

Reality Check: Manufacturing Cloverfield

Reality Check: Manufacturing Cloverfield

Alex Fitch presents an edited version of the Cloverfield press conference – director Matt Reeves talks about bringing the giant monster movie genre up to date, the challenges of shooting an entire movie on ‘handycam’ and the pressures of living up to the hype generated by the ambiguous teaser trailer.

Podcast: Art House cinema podcast, Autumn ‘07

Finally, it’s Electric Sheep Magazine & Resonance FM’s latest Art House cinema podcast featuring reviews of films released last autumn at ‘Art House’ cinemas in London… This show is presented by Alex Fitch with contributions from Virginie Sélavy (editor of Electric Sheep Magazine) , comedienne Jessica Fostekew and Sean Price… Featuring reviews of Daywatch, Control, The Counterfeiters, Princess, Blame it on Fidel, 30 Days of night, Never Apologise, Planet Terror and Weirdsville. In this episode there’s also exclusive interviews with Anders Morgenthaler (Princess), Malcolm McDowell & Mike Kaplan (Never Apologise – a personal visit with Lindsay Anderson). This is a hour long special edition.

You can stream the show by clicking here and pressing the play button or right click here to save the mp3 file direct to your computer…

Links: You can read print versions of the reviews in Electric Sheep Magazine
Londonnet’s guide to all the times and locations of all films currently showing in the Capital’s cinemas
Watch Alex’s complete interview with Malcolm McDowell & Mike Kaplan
Further screenings of Never Apologize throughout the U.K.
(mp3 format, 58mins / 55.3mb)

Video Podcast: Malcolm McDowell and Lindsay Anderson

I’m ready for my close-up – Malcolm McDowell & Lindsay Anderson
(video podcast) Audio version partially broadcast on 14/11/07 on Resonance FM

You can download now the video of Alex Fitch’s interview with Malcolm McDowell & Mike Kaplan about their film Never Apoloigise – a personal visit with Lindsay Anderson.
There are a variety of versions of the video available to download at archive.org including 256kb & 64kb streams and downloads as well as the original 3.8Gb video. For more info and to see jpg screen grabs and an animated gif of the video, please visit the home of this podcast (vodcast / vidcast?) at archive.org

Links: Book tickets for Never Apologise at the BFI

Further screenings of Never Apologize throughout the U.K.
Info on Never Apologize (sic), Lindsay Anderson and Malcolm McDowell at the IMDb
Info on Malcolm McDowell, Lindsay Anderson and The Whales of August (produced by Mike Kaplan) at wikipedia.org
Official website: neverapologize.com

Podcast: Animation – Creating great cartoon characters

Last thursday’s I’m ready for my close-up is now available for download…
(mp3 format, 28.6mb)

For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

Today’s show: Larger than life part 1

Today on Resonance 104.4 FM at 5pm I’m ready for my podcast – Larger than life part 1

The first of two shows looking at the largest of large screen cinema. In part one, Alex Fitch interviews David Strohmaier, director of the documentary Cinerama Adventure which looks at the rise and fall of the seminal 1950s big screen format from its initial use as a military application, how the revolutionary three camera and projector format was used for nature documentaries and feature films to its disuse and legacy in other large screen formats.

The follow up to this episode which is Alex’s interview with Dennis Laws, the technical and general manager of the BFI London IMAX cinema, about the eclectic mix of films shown at the IMAX cinema will be broadcast in two weeks time, following a special episode next week which I’m not going to jinx by mentioning just yet!

This show was originally podcast on 26th July 2007 during Resonance’s summer hiatus…

Links: IMDb entry for Cinerama Adventure
David’s website
Wikipedia page on Cinerama
Info about Bradford’s Cinerama and 70mm cinema, the National Media Museum and the next screening of This is Cinerama

Tonight’s show: Animation – Creating great cartoon characters

10.30pm – I’m ready for my close-up [Animation month]: Creating great cartoon characters

In a show recorded ‘live’ in front of a studio audience, Alex Fitch interviews former Disney animator Vincent Woodcock about working on such films as The Tigger Movie and DuckTales: Treasure of the lost lamp as well as writing a book on creating cartoon characters. This is the start of animation month on IRFMCU…

Links: Buy Vincent’s book from amazon.co.uk
Wikipedia pages on The Tigger Movie/, DuckTales the movie and Bimble’s Bucket
Cartoon Brew – one of the most authorative blogs on animation on the ‘net

Tonight’s show: Gypsy Caravan and the Raindance Festival

Also, tonight at 10.30pm, I’m ready for my close-up is back on air, starting with a compliation of two interviews recorded for podcast. Alex Fitch talks to Gypsy Caravan director Jasmine Dellal and I for India director Sandhya Suri plus Virginie Sélavy interviews Suzanne Ballantyne, lead programmer of the Raindance Festival.

If you’d like to hear those interviews in their original context you can do so now and you can find links on each of the two pages:
Suzanne Ballantyne (Art-house cinema podcast) /
Jasmine Dellal and Sandhya Suri (IRFMCU 13/09/07)

Podcast: The weird(sville) films of Allan Moyle

Tonight’s show is now ready to download…
(mp3 format, 27.7mb)

N.B./ Tonight’s show’s contains very strong language !

So, if you are offended by such phrases as c**k-s**k*r and mother-f****r (which crop up frequently in Allan’s reenactment of dealings with one of the producers of his films!), you have been warned!

For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

Tonight’s show: The Weird(sville) films of Allan Moyle

Concluding I’m ready for my close-up’s exclusive run of online podcasts*…

Alex Fitch interviews Allan Moyle, the cult film director of such classic movies as Pump up the Volume and Empire Records about his career and his new film Weirdsville which opens next week’s Raindance Film Festival.

Check back here around 10.30pm BST to download the show or click on one of the following links to download / stream the show from the Internet Archive, Feedburner or iTunes…

*While Resonance FM moves studios across London… Normal service will be resumed on Monday.
The podcast only shows will then be broadcast on FM in the Autumn

Links: Official Weirdsville site
IMDb pages on Weirdsville and Allan’s films
Wikipedia page on Allan Moyle
Allan’s website
Raindance Film Festival website

Podcast: New Female Directors

Tonight’s show is now available to download… (mp3 format, 26.4mb)

Continuing I’m ready for my close-up’s exclusive run of online podcasts*…

In a show recorded live at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, Alex Fitch talks to two new female directors who have made two very different debut feature films. In I for India Sandhya Suri has collated 40 years of home movie footage of her family in Britain and India that tells the poignant tale of loved ones separated by land and culture, while in Gypsy Caravan Jasmine Dellal has created an epic concert movie with the cinematographer of Monteray Pop that showcases Romany music that will hopefully prove to be this decade’s Buena vista social club…

*While Resonance FM moves studios across London… The podcast only shows will then be broadcast on FM later in the Autumn

For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

Links: IMDb pages on Gypsy Caravan and I for India
I for India official website
Gypsy Caravan official website
Wikipedia’s list of female directors
What’s on at the ICA cinema?

Podcast: Looking back at "Sweetback"

Tonight’s show is now available to download… (mp3 format, 28.5mb)

Continuing I’m ready for my close-up’s exclusive run of online podcasts*…

In a show recorded live at the inaugural Resonance FM / Electric Sheep Magazine monthly film club at the Roxy Bar and Screen in London’s Borough High Street, Virginie Sélavy introduces a talk and Q & A conducted by Joel Karamath.
Joel, host of the ICA’s Uncut film night, looks at the career of Melvin van Peebles and his seminal film Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song.
As the talk was performed in a surround sound theatre with Joel & Virginie standing close to both the speakers and the recording device, there is unfortunately a pronounced echo in the playback, however sit back and imagine Joel is performing his speech with a megaphone at a political rally in the 1970s and suddenly it might feel a lot more authentic! Tonight’s show was recorded and edited by Alex Fitch.

*While Resonance FM moves studios across London… The podcast only shows will then be broadcast on FM later in the Autumn

For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

Links: Electric Sheep Magazine
Virginie’s review of the film
The Roxy Bar and Screen’s website and page on yesterday’s event
Wikipedia’s page on the movie
Joel’s notes on other black movies @ bfi.org.uk
Info on Joel’s film night at the ICA

Podcast: Larger than life part 1

Tonight’s show is now available to download… (mp3 format, 29.9mb)

For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

Tonight’s show: Larger than life part 1

Tonight, as I’m ready for my close-up goes podcast only for the next four weeks*, it’s the first of two shows looking at the largest of large screen cinema. In part one, Alex Fitch interviews David Strohmaier, director of the documentary Cinerama Adventure which looks at the rise and fall of the seminal 1950s big screen format from its initial use as a military application, how the revolutionary three camera and projector format was used for nature documentaries and feature films to its disuse and legacy in other large screen formats.
Check back here around 10.30pm BST to download the show or click on one of the following links to download / stream the show from the Internet Archive, Feedburner or iTunes…

*While Resonance FM moves studios across London… The podcast only shows will then be broadcast on FM in the Autumn

Links: IMDb entry for Cinerama Adventure
David’s website
Wikipedia page on Cinerama
Info about Bradford’s Cinerama and 70mm cinema, the National Media Museum and the next screening of This is Cinerama

Podcast: Stuart Gordon and the cinema of the extreme

Last night’s show is now available to download… (mp3 format, 26.6mb)

For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

Tonight’s show: Stuart Gordon and the cinema of the extreme

Concluding directors month on IR4MCU, Alex Fitch interviews director Stuart Gordon about his new film ‘Edmond’ based on the play by David Mamet. Having made his name with classic H.P. Lovecraft adaptations ‘Re-animator’ and ‘From Beyond’ in the eighties and sci-fi B movies in the nineties, Gordon has now returned to his experimental theatre roots with this adaptation that may garner his biggest audience yet…

10.30pm BST Resonance 104.4FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com

Links: Official movie website
IMDb pages on Edmond, Stuart Gordon and David Mamet
Wikipedia pages on Edmond, Stuart Gordon and David Mamet

Podcast: Making a new Picture of Dorian Gray

Last night’s show is now available to download… (mp3 format, 28.7mb)

For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

Tonight’s show: Making a new Picture of Dorian Gray

In the second of today’s shows leading up to Pride Weekend and continuing director’s month on IR4MCU, Alex Fitch talks to British director Duncan Roy about his new movie. Following his terrific debut A.K.A., Roy returns to the topic of the social classes (albeit relocated to the New York art scene) with his adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s classic novel…
N.B. Dorian Gray is showing next at The Cambridge film festival (download a PDF of the programme – it’s on page 31) on the 12th & 14th of July…

10.30pm BST Resonance 104.4FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com

Links: Official movie website
IMDb page on The Picture of Dorian Gray
Duncan’s myspace page
Interview with Duncan in Indie Wire magazine
Wikipedia list of Dorian Gray adaptations

Podcast: Alejandro Jodorowski and the art of the sublime

Last night’s show is now available to download… (mp3 format, 27.1mb)

For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

Podcast: ‘P’ – the making of a Thai horror film

Last night’s show is now available to download… (mp3 format, 28.3mb)

For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

Tonight’s show: ‘P’ – making a Thai horror film

Continuing director’s month on IR4MCU, Alex Fitch interviews British director Paul Spurrier who unexpectedly followed his debut film ‘Underground’ (starring Ian Dury and Nick Frost) with ‘P’, a Thai horror film made with a local cast and crew. This interview was the first one recorded for Close-up (nearly 2 years ago – so, sorry about the sound quality) and as tonight’s episode is the 50th show Alex has done for Resonance, it seemed a nice way to celebrate the occasion…

10.30pm BST Resonance 104.4FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com

Links: Wikipedia page on Paul Spurrier
Official P movie website
Buy P on PAL Region 4 DVD
about.com article on Thai ghosts
frightfest website

Podcast: Nick & Marc Francis’ Black Gold

Last night’s show is now available to download… (mp3 format, 29.9mb)

For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at archive.org

Homeview interactive:

Fans of the show I did about video shops, may be interested in the comic strip that has appeared on the windows of Homeview Video over the last week…

More info at www.14-15-77.com

Tonight’s show: Nick and Marc Francis’ Black Gold

It’s the start of directors month on I’m ready for my close-up and we’re starting off with a film that’s new and topical…
Alex Fitch interviews Nick and Marc Francis, directors of the feature length documentary Black Gold, which is released in cinemas tomorrow. Nick and Marc talk about the challenges of making the film, their desire to make their film stand out from other films in the genre and reactions from corporations and multi-nationals to their film.

10.30pm BST Resonance 104.4FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com

Links: The Black Gold website
portafilter.net, a discussion group for coffee enthusiasts
Wikipedia pages on Black Gold , Fair Trade
and The World Trade Organization
A glossary of Coffee terminology

Podcast: "How gay is the screen" part 2

Last week’s show is now available to download… (mp3 format, 28.7mb)

For more info, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com
Read reviews of films showing at the LLGFF at backprojection.com
Listen to an episode of Midnight Sex Talk about gay bars in London
If you’re one of our Californian listeners, you can catch Small Town Gay Bar at Outfest on Wednesday

Tonight’s show: "How gay is the screen" part 2

Following the conclusion of this year’s London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, Alex Fitch interviews director Malcolm Ingram about his documentary Small Town Gay Bar and then talks to Inigo Andersson (a film night and club promoter) and Michael Hall (a video shop manager) who are helping to encourage access to gay film-making the rest of the year when the festival isn’t on…

10.30pm BST Resonance 104.4FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com

Links: The London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
IMDb page on Small Town Gay Bar
Film Wotever’s Myspace page
Michael’s band Nebraska’s Myspace page
MSNBC article on how TV is ‘less gay’ this year

Podcast: Desperate Optimists and the art of the long take

Originally broadcast 5th October 2006: Alex Fitch interviews Joe Lawlor, who with Christine Molloy make up the film-making duo ‘Desperate Optimists’: a couple who make short films in a single take. Alex and Joe discuss the new film ‘Daydream’, which premiered at the Liverpool biennial last year plus Joe and Christine’s award winning series ‘Civic Life’ and also mention their favourite examples of the long take in other people’s films…

Links: Desperate Optimists’ website
‘Daydream’ screening details
Buy ‘Civic Life’ on DVD
Civic Life review at backprojection.com

Download (mp3 format, 27mb)

Podcast: The best films of 2006

Last night’s show is now ready to download…
(mp3 format, 26.5mb)

Tonight’s show: The best films of 2006

It’s the end of the year show… Alex Fitch asks various broadcasters and previous guests of I’m ready for my close-up to name their favourite film of the last 12 months. Guests include Emma Smart (BFI), Kim Morgan (Midnight Sex Talk), Kev. F. Sutherland (The Beano), Kai Clear (Film-maker), Grant Rogers (Artist / animator) and Toby Haggith (Head of cinema programming, IWM).

Other links: IWM student film festival
Alex’s film reviews

10.30pm Resonance 104.4 FM / streamed at resonancefm.com

Podcast: Audible pictures

Originally broadcast 19th October 2006: Alex Fitch talks to Matt Hulse, curator of and contributor to ‘The Audible Picture Show’ a touring collection of short films without pictures featuring such film-makers as Andrew Kotting and the Brothers Quay. Alex and Matt talk about the art of foley work, the under-appreciation of sound in modern society, the joy of found footage and the use of sampled soundtracks to create evocative soundscapes.
There will be a retrospective of Matt’s work and a ’showing’ of ‘The Audible Picture Show’ on Sunday 14th January 2007 as part of The Halloween Society’s 4th Short Film Festival at the ICA. Please visit the sites below for more info.

Download (mp3 format, 27mb)

Links: www.audiblepictureshow.org.uk
The Halloween Society
Institute of Contemporary Arts

Tonight’s show: Audible pictures

Alex Fitch talks to Matt Hulse, curator of and contributor to ‘The Audible Picture Show’ a touring collection of short films without pictures featuring such film-makers as Andrew Kotting and the Brothers Quay. Alex and Matt talk about the art of foley work, the under-appreciation of sound in modern society, the joy of found footage and the use of sampled soundtracks to create evocative soundscapes.

10.30pm Resonance 104.4 FM / streamed at resonancefm.com and will be available to podcast here soon after. This site is available both in HTML or as an RSS feed…

Link: www.audiblepictureshow.org.uk

Tonight’s show: Desperate Optimists and the art of the long take

Alex Fitch interviews Joe Lawlor, who with Christine Molloy make up the film-making duo ‘Desperate Optimists’: a couple who make short films in a single take. Their new film premieres tonight in Liverpool, so Alex and Joe discuss ‘Daydream’ plus Joe and Christine’s award winning series ‘Civic Life’ as well as their favourite examples of the long take in other people’s films…

10.30pm Resonance 104.4 FM / streamed at resonancefm.com and will be available to podcast here soon after. This site is available both in HTML or as an RSS feed…

Links: Desperate Optimists’ website
‘Daydream’ screening details
Buy ‘Civic Life’ on DVD
Civic Life review at backprojection.com

Podcast: Filming Domestic Archaelogy

Alex Fitch interviews Chris Allen, founder member of the Light Surgeons, a company that produces films and multimedia events. Their current project is an exhibition called Domestic Archaeology which is at the Geffrye Museum in East London until the 28th of August. The show features video and photographic depictions of modern living rooms plus interviews with the inhabitants.
The show is also available to download as an uncut interview; see below…
Originally broadcast 3rd August 2006 (mp3 format, 27mb)

Links: The Light Surgeons
Domestic Archaeology
The Geffrye Museum

Uncut interview: Chris Allen

As an adjunct to our regular podcasts of I’m ready for my close-up you’ll be able to download hour long uncut versions of the interviews that were recorded for the show. First up: the complete interview with Chris Allen (The Light Surgeons) regarding Domestic Archaelogy at the Geffrye Museum. Also included are excerpts from the exhibition soundtrack which we weren’t able to feature in the show when it was originally broadcast.
If you’d rather hear the original broadcast version of the show, please go to the post above…

Running time 59 min 46 sec (mp3 format, 54.6mb)
Please note, this is an uncut interview with strong language!

Tonight’s show: Filming Domestic Archaeology

Alex Fitch interviews Chris Allen, founder member of the Light Surgeons, a company that produces films and multimedia events. Their current project is an exhibition called Domestic Archaeology which is at the Geffrye Museum in East London until the 28th of August. The show features video and photographic depictions of modern living rooms plus interviews with the inhabitants.
10.30pm Resonance 104.4 FM / streamed at resonancefm.com and will be available to podcast here soon after. This site is available both in HTML or as an RSS feed…

Podcast: The Horror films of Norman J. Warren

Adrian Winchester interviews Norman J. Warren director of classic and infamous horror films from the 1970s, concentrating on his films: Terror, Inseminoid, Satan’s Slave and Prey which were released by Anchor Bay on DVD earlier this year. The show is introduced, edited and recorded by Alex Fitch.
Originally broadcast 8th June 2006 (mp3 format, 24.5mb)

Link: Anchor Bay’s Norman Warren collection – www.anchorbay.co.uk