Author: James Curnow
Child’s Play: Tough movies for little beasts
There are many myths about children and childhood, most of which relate to a misconception about the notion of innocence. We talk about kids as though they are friendly, effervescent bubbles of untainted purity, as yet uncorrupted by the difficulties and evils of the world. This is, of course, untrue. Anybody who has been a…
At the movies: Looking past the Popcorners and Noiseites
A recent article in a blog or newspaper (I can’t recall) on the social etiquette of cinema-going started me thinking about my own views on what is or is not acceptable within the realm of the movie theatre. It quickly became apparent to me that my views on the subject were militant to the point…
History and the movies: How to avoid telling lies and getting it wrong
I have long held a fascination with the complex and chaotic relationship that cinema has with the representation of history. Since the earliest beginnings of humanity’s attempts at iconographic representation, we have endeavoured to tear the past from the vague and intangible clutches of memory and thrust it into the living present moment. Despite these…
Michael Parks: Crusty Genius
As a teenager I developed an almost unhealthy obsession with the movie From Dusk till Dawn – most especially with one scene in particular. The scene in question featured a monologue from a crusty Texas lawman on the joys of alcohol abuse and the dangers of being served food by the mentally disabled. Aside from…
Silly, Slimy and Offensive: The Heart of Gross-Out Comedy
Flicking through the usual assortment of reality shows, cop shows, cartoons and current affairs programs that littered the airwaves last night, I fell upon a film that has always induced an inordinate amount of rage deep within my heart. This film is by all measures silly and at least mildly offensive, which is of course…