Money Is the Game: The Strange Journey of ‘The Magic Christian’
“‘The Magic Christian’ cries out to be re-visited. For all the cultural specificity of the novel and film, Grand remains a strikingly modern figure.”
First as Tragedy: ‘Winter Kills’ and the Twilight of the Conspiracy Thriller
“The demise of the conspiracy thriller pointed to a broader shift; it signalled the rise of a new credulity, a willingness to re-engage with the idea of America in spite of its reality.”
The Spirit of Revolution: How World Cinema Defined the 1920s
“There is a danger and dynamism to 20s cinema which was gradually eradicated by the standardisation of production processes.”
Things Go Wrong: Tony Hancock’s Cinema of Despair
“The Hancock persona tapped into a uniquely British strain of malaise, which manifests itself in a fractious fatalism, a dread of impotence which finds its expression in outlandish displays of petulance, pettiness and pomposity.”
Vague Visages Short Stories: Only the Names Have Been Changed by D.M. Palmer
Vague Visages Short Stories #15: Only the Names Have Been Changed by D.M. Palmer (Sheffield, UK)
VVIBES: Martin Scorsese and Marvel
VV’s D.M. Palmer, Peter Bell and Q.V. Hough on Martin Scorsese and Marvel
The Western Enters the 70s – Part 3: Expansion Pains
“The cowboy is an emissary of civilisation, enduring all the hardships the elements can throw at him to create a space in which civilised values can flourish unhindered. The symbolism of the cowboy is so potent that it continues to be invoked for political gain.”
A Divine Madness: Gregory La Cava’s ‘Gabriel Over the White House’
“There is little doubt that ‘Gabriel Over the White House’ was a test balloon of sorts, priming the audience for a discussion on the merits of the strongman leader, asking them what they would be willing to sacrifice in order to ameliorate the national plight.”
Vague Visages Short Stories: iamdifid: by D.M. Palmer
Vague Visages Short Stories #13: iamdifid: by D.M. Palmer (Sheffield, UK)
Vague Visages Short Stories: Beaming by D.M. Palmer
Vague Visages Short Stories #11: Beaming by D.M. Palmer (Sheffield, UK)
In Real Life: ‘Slender Man’ and the Clash of Media
“Just as the internet unleashed the Slenderman, it is culpable in bringing forth another seductive monster who uses this technology to warp minds and sow division…”
Welcome to the War: Power Politics in the ‘Predator’ Franchise
“The ‘Predator’ franchise is a repository of the fears that plague the powerful. The context changes, but the fear persists — the fear that the conqueror may one day become the conquered.”
An Expedient Portrait: Robert Mullan’s ‘Mad to Be Normal’
“As a primer on Laing, ‘Mad to be Normal’ offers nothing substantive; there is little attempt to explicate Laing’s ideas, or to pursue how he formulated those ideas while working in Glasgow’s mental hospitals…”
A Terrain of Violence: Clio Barnard’s ‘Dark River’
“‘Dark River’ excels in the areas where Barnard has already proven herself adept: she draws stellar performances from her cast across the board, and creates a vibrant naturalism without sacrificing tone or style.”
Vague Visages Short Stories: Find Your Perfection by D.M. Palmer
Vague Visages Short Stories #10: Find Your Perfection by D.M. Palmer (Sheffield, UK)
Lost Amidst the Architecture: Aaron Katz’s ‘Gemini’
“In straining to emulate something in the order of a traditional thriller, Katz and his team of long-time collaborators find themselves sliding perilously towards the formulaic.”
The Transcendent Banality of ‘Joe Pera Talks with You’
“In its absence of cynicism and surface mundanity, ‘Joe Pera Talks with You’ presents a conceit that feels genuinely daring in the context of a comic universe which prides itself on provocative fare from the likes of Tim and Eric, Dave Willis and Eric Andre.”
Vague Visages Writers’ Room: Favorite Bob Dylan Songs
In celebration of Bob Dylan’s May 24 birthday, Vague Visages writers list their favorite tracks.
Vague Visages Writers’ Room: Weekend Vibes 5.18.18
Weekend Vibes is a Friday column about streaming recommendations, new release hype and entertainment events.
Walking Contradiction: The Double Life of Cisco Pike
“‘Cisco Pike’ is a meditation on failure at all levels; defeat was in the air and no stratum of society was exempt.”
