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Donald Clarke

Whingeing about cinema and real life since 2009

Monthly Archives: April 2012

That Scarlett Johansson Lego

By now you will have read Tara Brady’s interview with Scarlett Johansson for Marvel Avengers Upended (is this right?). The conversation was energised by certain interactions concerning a Lego version of the Black Widow, Ms Johansson’s character in the enthusiastically …

Is Disney turning a setback into a crisis?

It certainly looks that way. Last Friday it emerged that Rich Ross had resigned as head of Walt Disney Studios. The move seems to have been triggered by the high-profile failure of Andrew Stanton’s flatulent space opera John Carter. As …

The Cannes competition is announced.

Two years ago the competition was a tad disappointing. Last year, it was absolutely top drawer. The 2012 competition programme, which was announced by Thierry Frémaux, festival director, in Paris earlier today, looks pretty darn promising. We were already fairly sure …

Kraftwerk and the Blue Mask effect

All sensible people will, of course, rejoice at the news that Kraftwerk, one of the five greatest music acts of the last half-century, are set to release a new album. It’s been nearly 10 years since the well-dressed Germans gave …

The great Prometheus certificate debate

I’ve been jetting about recently. As a result, this place has been a bit less busy than usual. Tuesday saw Screenwriter touching down in London for a special screening of new footage from Ridley Scott’s Prometheus. Might Shelley have been …

From Pinewood with Love

We have been transported to the English countryside to hang out with the cast and crew of the latest James Bond film. It’s called Skyfall for some reason. Chicken Little has not sued. A visit to Pinewood Studios is always …

On Woody Allen in Rome

Ah, Woody Allen. Everybody has an opinion about the great man. Three or four malcontents still argue that he was only ever any good when he was making “the early funny ones“. These maniacs date his decline to the release …

Leave China Miéville alone, Priest.
  • Books
  • April 1, 2012, 22:36

Have you seen this? Christopher Priest, the author of The Prestige and The Affirmation, has got himself in a terrible tizzy about the nominations for this year’s Arthur C Clarke Award. Mr Priest maintains that his objections have nothing to …