Tom Jolliffe looks at the art of making visually beautiful films… Cinema is a visual medium. A way to tell stories through a combination of visuals and sound, through script and direction, and the manipulation of the editing. Some films are emotionally crushing, involving, gripping. Some are audio-visual sensory overloads. Directors can opt for a […]
The Disturbed Outsider: A Cinematic Pathway Leading to Joker
In the wake of Joker’s success, Tom Jolliffe looks at similar cinematic examples of the disturbed outsider… With a quarter billion in takings and counting, as well as divisive reviews, media attention up the wazoo, and a status (particularly among the 18-30 viewers) as a cinematic masterpiece, Joker’s depiction of disturbed isolation and disconnect from […]
It’s Time to Give the Horror Genre More Respect
As Halloween approaches, Tom Jolliffe looks at the Horror genre, and why it needs more respect… As a movie lover with a wide ranging taste in films I’ve long been fairly open to an array of genres. It was recently though, and perhaps in part this stems from writing a few horror features of late, […]
Decoding Film: The Hidden Layers in Cinema
Tom Jolliffe looks at film analysis and fan theories. Do we over-analyse films? Cinema is a fascinating medium. A combination of carefully constructed (under the watchful eye of an auteur) visual imagery, combined with performance and sound. Some films have a clear and overriding message. Die Hard is Die Hard. You might pick apart some […]
When Cabin Fever Strikes: The Lighthouse and The Shining Double Bill
Tom Jolliffe delves into the delights of cabin fever and double bills The Lighthouse and The Shining… I do love a double bill. Sometimes it’s pre-planned, like pre-meditated eating of the chocolate in the cupboard. Sometimes it just happens to cross my mind when watching one film, that I can connect it to something else […]
A Lasting Final Shot
Tom Jolliffe looks at the power a film’s final shot can have… There are many aspects that will make a piece of cinema stay long in your mind. You give yourself over to a film sometimes. It sweeps you away. Moments leave particularly strong and inedible impressions. One thing that many films will strive for […]
What is the Most Iconic Image in Horror Cinema?
Tom Jolliffe looks over some of the most iconic images in horror… Cinema is full of iconic films and iconic images within those. A moment of hope in Rocky personified by his mangled post fight face screaming ‘Adrian!’ or even in the same film, his victorious beating of those famous steps, holding his arms aloft […]
What Makes a Great Horror Concept?
Tom Jolliffe on what makes a great horror concept… No doubt many film fans will be having a particular focus on the horror genre right as we work our way to Halloween. The genre is loaded with the great, and the not so great (and everything in between). The key to horror has always been […]
Why Writers are Such Popular Protagonists
Tom Jolliffe on what makes writers a popular choice for a protagonist… There are many popular archetypes for a cinema protagonist. How often do you see a cop as the lead character in a film? It’s a regular character choice, particularly in action and thriller films. Almost every protagonist needs some kind of vocation I […]
10 Essential Jack Nicholson Films
Tom Jolliffe offers up ten essential films from one of Hollywood’s greatest icons, Jack Nicholson… The unpredictable spark. The unconventional delivery. The eyebrows. A permanent sense of being on the verge of exploding. It’s Jack Nicholson, an actor of unique, almost unmatched intensity. He’s got an ability to dial his emotions right up, and to […]
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