On Marilyn (and Buñuel): images, images, still and moving.

June 1st saw the centenary of the birth of Norma Jeane Mortenson, far better known as Marilyn Monroe, whose iconic status remains as vital and widespread today as it was at the time of her sad, premature death on August 4th, 1962. (I was just eight years old when her demise was announced, but I … Continue reading On Marilyn (and Buñuel): images, images, still and moving.

The Christophers: another gem from Steven Soderbergh

I’m not about to explain, once more, my reasons for always wanting to catch any new movie (or any small screen fare, for that matter) by Steven Soderbergh; I already wrote about my enduring interest in his work in posts about Black Bag and Presence and about his low-budget web series Command Z. But that … Continue reading The Christophers: another gem from Steven Soderbergh

Man of the Cinema: one or two things I know about Peter Howden (1945-2026)

The first time I encountered Peter Howden was shortly after I moved to London in the autumn of 1976. I had moved into a seedy basement flat in Westbourne Park, and the similarly seedy Electric Cinema Club, five minutes’ walk away in Portobello Road, soon became my second home. There was a bearded, bespectacled guy … Continue reading Man of the Cinema: one or two things I know about Peter Howden (1945-2026)