Well, as Gloria Estefan might put it: here we are. This month I’m revisiting Virago classics, good sci-fi, and the sheer brilliance (and big hair) of 90s thriller Shattered. Plus: an exclusive interview from Glasgow Film Festival. Let’s go!
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The making of Samyuktha Vijayan | Interview
Fresh from Glasgow Film Festival: the director of Blue Sunshine on telling trans stories and what YouTube taught her about making movies.
“Blue Sunshine, then, speaks a language many of us can understand, trans or not. This is one more contradiction, of course.”
Shattered (1991): One hell of an identity parade | Film analysis
Unmasking the players and protagonists in Shattered, the 90s thriller in which no one is quite who they say they are.
“The man we think is Dan Merrick is an imposter. And, in one of cinema’s most outrageously unpredictable reveals, even Dan doesn’t see it coming.”
A Little Love, A Little Learning | Book review
The perils of puberty and really good gossip collide in A Little Love, A Little Learning, Nina Bawden’s 1965 tale of an unconventional family.
“while others anticipate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, twelve-year-old Kate Boyd has loftier things in mind. Her top ambitions are to rescue someone from drowning, win the Victoria Cross, and stuff herself with Knicker-Bocker Glories”
Murder, a Self Portrait | Columbo corner
An egotistical artist murders his ex-wife to hide a terrible secret, but overlooks the power of dreams, coded symbols … and Columbo.
“In one dream, Max eats berries while Louise finds a chopped up hand in the sink. Meh, this isn’t so much a hidden meaning as a screaming signpost.”
Source Code: thank you for your service | Film analysis
All my favourite topics: what Source Code can tell us about a good life, noble death, and the endless appeal of sacrifice.
“Source Code is a terrorism thriller with a smart sci-fi hook. And pretty nifty it is, too. But what if this story isn’t about a bomb at all?”
Frost in May | Book review
An urge to belong pulses through Frost in May’s tale of a protestant child at a convent boarding school.
“In White’s novel, as in her tumultuous life, love and terror tightly mingle. “
Regular readers may have spotted this newsletter is a bit (cough) later than usual. I’m waiting to go into hospital - I’ll spare you the deets - so I’m working on things as and when I can.
On the bright side, I should have more news, reviews and insider goss from Glasgow Film Festival soon. Keep an eye on the site, or sit tight and wait for the highlights.
Until then: bye bye, baby (baby goodbye) and whatnot,
Ruth / The HC
Pic credit: Pavel Golasowski via Unsplash
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