Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

Are the days of the big name headliners disappearing?

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Tom Jolliffe looks at whether the days of the superstar headliner are disappearing with audiences more drawn to franchises or film concepts than the stars attached… You could say it started in Hollywood’s classic era. The movie star. The big name. They were in some ways manufactured, or at least their image was. Rock Hudson […]

A Beginner’s Guide to Brian De Palma

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Tom Jolliffe begins a series of features focused on iconic directors. Those whose work has influenced many younger directors who have followed them. First up is Brian De Palma… The 70’s saw a group of exceptional directors coming to the forefront of cinema. It’s an era where I could all too easily cover Martin Scorsese, […]

The Importance of Film Archives and Curated Selections

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Tom Jolliffe looks at the importance of archiving seminal films, and giving new life to forgotten classics and cult titles…. Cinema history is etched with key figures. Mould breakers, revolutionaries, and visionaries. Fritz Lang, leading the German expressionist era. Orson Welles breaking tradition and Hollywood protocols. Maybe Brando thundering an arrow through the conventions of […]

The Cult of Cults in Movies

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Tom Jolliffe looks at cinema’s preoccupation with Cults…  Minor Spoilers Follow… Film has always had a fascination with the odd. It delights in the macabre, the outsiders, and in portraying the sects who lurk off the grid, away from the rest of us. There was a particular shift toward the idea of cults especially after […]

Movie Review – The Queen Of Hollywood Blvd (2017)

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The Queen Of Hollywood Blvd. 2017 Directed by Orson Oblowitz Starring Rosemary Hoschschild, Ana Mulvoy Ten, Michael Parks, Roger Guenveur Smith and Ella Thomas. SYNOPSIS: On her 60th birthday, the proud owner of a Los Angeles strip club, finds herself in hot water over a twenty-five year old debt to the mob, leading her on a […]

Why Creed II appears to be ticking the right boxes

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Tom Jolliffe on why Creed II looks like it could match, or even surpass the previous film… The new Creed II trailer dropped just a matter of days ago. The first trailer looked good. The second looks great. We’re not seeing anything ground breaking here, but there are a number of things the trailer suggests, […]

How To Be Unique In Cinema

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Tom Jolliffe delves into what makes a film truly unique… If you’ve watched Captain America, or Spider-Man, or another masked hero, you’ve pretty much seen a variation on the same film. Genres themselves have clearly identifiable tropes and an action film for example, will often adhere to specific action genre calling cards. That doesn’t necessarily […]

Why Jordan Peele and Candyman are a perfect match

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Tom Jolliffe looks at the recent rumours about Jordan Peele producing a Candyman remake… Jordan Peele has come a long way in the last 18 months. Predominantly known for his work in comedy, particularly in unison with Keegan-Michael Key, there’s always been an element of social commentary and historical context in whatever Peele has creatively […]

Movie Review – Gloves Off (2017)

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Gloves Off, 2017. Directed by Steven Nesbit. Starring Brad Moore, Paul Barber, Ricky Tomlinson, Denise Van Outen, Greg Orvis, and Laurie Kynaston. SYNOPSIS: This is the story of Doug, a fantastic fighter but not so fantastic businessman, who must save his beloved gym by training a gentle giant for a bare-knuckle fight. The humble underdog […]