Author: Pete Johnson
The British New Wave: 5 Movies About Gritty Brits
Before 1960, most films about the British working people showed them in a patronising, if affectionate way. They always worked hard, paid their bills, and endured hardship with a grin. Apron-wearing matriarchs hen-pecked their husbands, and terrified prospective sons-in-law. Men returned from work to enjoy a wash in the sink, followed by a frugal meal.…
Das Kino Deutschlands: An appreciation of German Cinema
I do not intend to cover the history of the cinematic output of Germany; that would take a book, and many already exist. However, I have noticed German films mentioned on CURNBLOG occasionally, and I would like to offer some for consideration, and hopefully introduce them to new viewers. Before the Second World War, many…
Top Ten Films: A Mission Impossible
Many film blogs and websites are keen on ‘Top Lists’. They will ask readers to name their ten best, twenty best, even fifty best. This, of course, provokes a lot of debate and discussion, and hopefully increases traffic to their site. On rare occasions, these lists will reveal a Pandora’s Box of diversity. They will…
The Big Bang: Cinema and The Bomb
Ever since the first use of atomic weapons on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, the idea of the effects of a nuclear war and its post-apocalyptic aftermath has been the subject of numerous film treatments. From giants ants, mutated by radiation fallout in the deserts of the American south-west in Them!…
Twist in the tale: Movie plots with a difference
Most films, old or new, follow well-established formulas. Boy gets girl, hero wins against all odds, and we always triumph over the alien invaders. Natural disasters bring out the best in mankind, and those reliable comedians are guaranteed to leave us chuckling. Even the ‘anti-films’ of recent decades; anti-war, anti-homophobia, anti-racism, wear their colours on…