Comedy / Film / Horror / Science fiction / Theatre

Rising star Antonia Tootill talks stage, screen – and robots in tin foil

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

Comedy / Film / Horror / Jazz / Music / Science fiction / Television

Daleks, werewolves, voodoo and rebellion – Roy Castle’s big screen legacy

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

Comedy / Drama / Film / Horror / Science fiction / Television / Victoriana

Dr Frankenstein, I presume

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

Comedy / Comedy / Film / Music / Pop / sitcom / Television / Wales

Hedley, Andi, Michael and Nick – shared names that raise a smile

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

Cardiff / Comedy / Fantasy / Film / Horror / Romance / Victoriana / Wales

A monster of a night in a spooky castle – with real bats

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