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La dolce vita once more: the new confidence of Italian cinema
The golden generation that made Italy such a cinematic force in the mid-twentieth century may be long gone, but recent output suggests that Italian cinema is more vibrant than it has been in a long...
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From Werner Herzog to Pompeii: the difficulties of capturing volcanoes in film
It is strange that the full terror of the volcano has rarely been harnessed for narrative purposes – most films about eruptions end up as camp disaster flicks.The Bardarbunga volcano in south-east...
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Why do we care about anachronisms in films?
Our desire for historical accuracy in films, TV programmes and books often tells us more about ourselves than it does about art.The use of anachronistic music, as in “Marie Antoinette”, is...
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Should you be wary of writers you know? You might just be providing them with...
Perhaps the most pervasive source of self-censorship for writers is their relationships with the people around them.Ernest Hemingway (R), who took revenge on ex-wife Martha Gelhorn in his novel...
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The crack of the spine: why do we find wear and tear in books so comforting?
Objects that feel lived in give us a comforting feeling of having come a long way, of having been through the years and having done some hard work to get there.Outside the Strand bookstore in New...
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From brutalism to Borgen to blogging: how the language of cities has changed
Do you speak urbanism? The way we read and write in the language of cities has transformed.Flying books in San Francisco. Photo: Flickr/Sonny Abesamis One language most people speak fluently without...
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The Irish identity crisis: why St Patrick's Day is an odd holiday
For such a small country, there is far too great a divergence within it to attempt to define a quintessential Ireland.Irish identity is a rough terrain. Photo: Getty St Patrick’s Day is an odd holiday...
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How do you make a film about a dictator?
Beyond propaganda, trying to get under the skin of despots and dictators is a near-impossible task.Mikheil Gelovani as Stalin.Until very recently filmmaking was so expensive and logistically difficult...
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Is it possible to make a good film about writing?
Too often, films are very inarticulate when talking about books. Nicholas Cage in Spike Jonze’s 2002 film “Adaptation”.In Wim Wenders’ very earnest new film Every Thing Will Be Fine, James Franco plays...
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Lyrics accompanying a city symphony: street names help us do more than just...
Street names tell of a city's character and story, rather than simply being a function to help us get around.The famous boulevard Unter den Linden in Berlin. Photo: Getty A mild source of annoyance for...
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Why do some directors repeatedly use the same actors in their films?
Looking behind the preferred casts of directors throughout the history of cinema who always use the same actors.The director Woody Allen has his favourites. Photo: GettyA painting discovered in a...
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Sinister structures or homely beacons: why lighthouses stand firm as a...
Though they are rarely operational these days, lighthouses remain culturally powerful and maintain a strong hold on the imagination. Artists and authors alike turn to the lighthouse as a meaningful...
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In search of authenticity: what's the difference between a traveller and a...
In an age of unprecedented foreign travel, tourists get quite a bad rap, not least from tourists themselves.Tourists on the Rialto bridge in Venice. Photo: GettySome years ago I was walking past a café...
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