When faced with a threat, characters in films will often use fists or guns to protect themselves. But it’s sometimes refreshing to see evidence of a more powerful weapon – friendship. That is at the core of a delightful new [I write this in January 2017, when release is ‘coming soon’] short British film, Mia. … Continue reading
A young actress from the Channel Islands, now based in London, with British, Canadian, and Portuguese heritage, Antonia Tootill‘s experience is as varied as her background. Although still very early in her career, she has already completed an extensive spread of acting work on stage, in independent film, and in commercials. Continue reading
Roy Castle was one of the UK’s biggest TV stars of the 1960s and ’70s. An accomplished jazz musician, dancer and actor, a generation of Brits grew up with him as the presenter of the hugely popular Record Breakers. Surprisingly, perhaps, he made only four feature films over 10 years, but each one of them … Continue reading
Juneau, the beautiful capital city of Alaska, is home to a monster (and I’m not talking about any former governors). At least, it is home to a monster in a forthcoming “sort of” documentary, Mongo: The Ice Monster of Juneau. Or, more accurately, it isn’t. Continue reading
Francesa Louise White is one of those emerging talents who seems to be busy on one project after another – or more accurately, several at a time. So, I was especially pleased when she agreed to an interview for Piece of Pink Pie. Continue reading
My adopted home city of Cardiff has an interesting and sometimes surprising history on film (remember the Wolf Man?), but a new project, Saucy Horsey, is perhaps the most surprising. Continue reading
Frankenstein, the modern Prometheus, creator of the ‘monster’, and inspiration for all those mad scientists, has been portrayed in countless movies since the original 1910 adaptation of the Mary Shelley story. Usually he’s Dr Victor Frankenstein (as in the book), but sometimes Henry, or Baron von Frankenstein, or one of his many descendants (check this … Continue reading
One of the funniest gags in the Mel Brooks classic Blazing Saddles (and there are plenty to choose from) must be the running joke about the character Hedley Lamarr – that’s Hedley, not Hedy! Supposedly, the Austrian-born actress took exception to the unauthorised use of (almost) her name for the Harvey Korman character and threatened … Continue reading
The Monster carries his victim into a spooky cave, and a fake bat on a string flaps in front of him, just as real bats flit more convincingly in front the screen. Special effects? Nature can provide something much more special, when films are shown in unusual locations. In this case, it was the 1935 … Continue reading
Most reviewers dismiss the 1968 horror movie The Blood Beast Terror as unremarkable at best, but I reckon there are at least six reasons why you might consider spending an hour and a half of your life on it. 1. Peter Cushing. The master of British horror (and more) brings his class and gravitas to … Continue reading
PieceOf Pink Pie