I, Daniel Blake’s Geordie in Crisis
Ken Loach’s latest film is set in Newcastle and stars Dave Johns as a traditional Geordie facing up to the challenge of living and getting by in 21st century England.
Four Visions of T. Dan Smith
T. Dan Smith remains as one of Tyneside’s most controversial political figures. Hero or villain? Visionary or crook? Smith’s legacy distilled into four narratives.
Dheepan and the Refugee Experience
With the migrant crisis looming on television screens and in the pages of newspapers – and in all the other places where news is now disseminated – it is surely about time that cinema will show us the side of the story we haven’t seen or read about yet. While politicians ponder the numbers (for… Continue reading Dheepan and the Refugee Experience
Joseph Cowen: Geordie Entrepreneur, Politician and Radical
At the foot of Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, stands a bronze statue of Joseph Cowen (1829-1900), strategically placed to remind contemporary Geordies of his extraordinary influence as they travel up towards the Tyne Theatre and Opera House which was designed and operated under his guidance. Cowen dominated Tyneside politics between the years 1850-1900: as… Continue reading Joseph Cowen: Geordie Entrepreneur, Politician and Radical
Winter Film Viewing
As we emerge from the depths of winter, as the snowdrops sink back into the earth, replaced by the heads of daffodils peeping at the spring light, there is a discernible enthusiasm in the air, excitement for what is to come – could it be the Great British Summer? – while North Shields – where… Continue reading Winter Film Viewing
British Cinema’s North-South Divide: In Conversation with Tom Jackson
Northern Realism versus ‘Southern Splendour’ – two common ways of imagining the geography and the stories of the United Kingdom.
On the Unfortunate Fate of Newcastle’s Old Odeon Cinema
Newcastle’s historic art-deco Odeon Cinema is facing demolition at the hands of billionaire businessmen David and Simon Reuben.
A Few Views from the Tyneside Cinema Roof
Yesterday, I was frantically trying to take the perfect photo of the crumbling Old Paramount Theatre (also known as the Old Odeon) on Pilgrim St. for a forthcoming blog post on this site, from Pilgrim St., Blackett St. and High Friar Lane, but unfortunately could never get quite the right angle (this will be obvious from… Continue reading A Few Views from the Tyneside Cinema Roof
Documentary Ethics and Aesthetics: In Conversation with Tom Jackson
How three new films – The Act of Killing, Waltz with Bashir and Leviathan – play with documentary history.
A Personal Note on 35mm v Digital Film Projection
Last week, I watched Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown at the BFI Southbank in glorious 35mm, the first time I had seen a film in this format for over a year. The Tyneside Cinema – my local independent cinema and employer – like most mainstream and independent cinemas since the beginning of the digital (projection) age,… Continue reading A Personal Note on 35mm v Digital Film Projection
