I wanted to drop you a line to let you know about a live event I’ll be doing next week. It will be my first foray into live stuff on Substack which is super exciting!

I’ll be talking with as part of a Film Thread series on autism at Vicki Lesley is..Documental about the film Please Stand By:

Why this film then?

I’ve been reading Vicki’s excellent page for a few years now. Being a documentary filmmaker, Vicki’s Substack is full of insight on her time making her last project, The Atom: A Love Affair as well as documenting thoughts and notes on her next project which is in its early stages.

On top of all that, Vicki hosts her own film club which has seasons around different themes. This season explores autism on film which is a topic I’m really excited to talk about. I am by no means an expert in the subject however I have recently been exploring neurodivergence in different ways as members of my family begin to see new aspects in themselves. It’s been a revealing and fascinating year.

For the Film Thread I wanted to pick a film that deals with autistic experience for women; a topic that’s grossly under-researched1.

Great, can you give me any more details?

I can.

Well, Vicki can.

Here’s her post with some more details and do make sure to sign up to her emails to get a reminder and the notifications!

Vicki Lesley is... Documental

Please Stand By: A special summer live event for The Film Thread 🎬🪡🖖

Hi film fans…

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19 days ago · 8 likes · 1 comment · Vicki Lesley

How do I watch it?

Firstly, here’s the link for the session: https://open.substack.com/live-stream/319085

Secondly you will need a Susbtack account to watch the live stream and it’s really easy to do. You can either download the Substack app or sign up on your browser.

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I’ll be there!

Well shucks.

If you can join us I’d love to see you there!

Thanks

Gareth

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Bond, Games Bond

In today’s movie landscape it’s easy to forget that IP wasn’t always everything. For years, film adaptation in gaming often failed due to the constraints from either end. More often than not you would have a side-scrolling Mario-like set-up with a pixelated main character representing the film’s stars.

A game tie-in was at the periphery of movie marketing; there were simply easier, cheaper and quicker ways to advertise your film that serviced more people. Gaming was still the reserve of arcades or certain groups of children that didn’t get out loads (e.g. me).

But back in 1997, a movie-to-game adaptation was released that changed gaming forever. It set a new standard for the whole industry about what this kind of game could be, while living up to the expectations of the most highly guarded IP in the film industry.

Tomorrow Begins Today

Initially titled Project Reality, the N64 was a huge leap in gaming at a transformative time for the industry when it was released in 1996. Sony had recently released its first Playstation console, with both promising fully 3D environments which blew every child’s mind at the time (e.g. mine). Though the Playstation came out on top, the N64 remains an iconic console with games that are at the foundation of modern Nintendo.

Over in Bond’s world, there were also major upheavals. Timothy Dalton’s run as the British spy was cut short due to legal disputes, and we hadn’t seen an entry to the franchise in the 90’s until Goldeneye showed up in 1995.

Brosnan’s new take on Bond went down well with critics, with Variety stating that it, “breathes fresh creative and commercial life” into the franchise. This new bond was modern, tech-heavy and ready to compete with the likes of Die Hard for the slice of the blockbuster pie. Today, Goldeneye is still seen as one of Bond’s better outings, and part of that is attached to the success of Nintendo’s iconic tie-in.

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License to Game

The Goldeneye license was relatively easy to acquire, and found its way into the hands of Rare, a company that had been making games since 1985, based in Leicestershire (near me!). They made games like Donkey Kong for Nintendo, who gave them the key to the Bond castle.

The team that made the game was nine strong.

Nine!?

Four of them had made a game before, and only one of those in a lead role. Some of them were musicians or artists, and one of them was an architect. With game making still a rare skill, most people had to learn on the job. Just like Orson Welle’s said that there were “things we didn’t know we couldn’t do” with film making, the same applies here with gaming; this team were pushing boundaries they didn’t know were there.

Nintendo gave Rare unlimited time and budget to complete Goldeney, the only pressure on them was to make it good.

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Music to Live & Let Die For

Famously, the music for this game went harder than anyone needed it to.

Though they had the rights to the theme tune, Grant Kirkhope and Graeme Norgate had a vast amount of restrictions when it came to the music. The full game takes up only 12mb, with all sound making up 700kb’s (as a comparison, a typical modern MP3 today is 10mb, meaning the Goldeneye soundtrack could fit in a modern song file 14 times!)

This presented both a problem and an opportunity to Grant and Graeme; what can we do to simplify every aspect of the score, while making it feel Bond at every turn?

“All we had was the rights to the theme tune…which was fine because there are so many themes and hooks in that one piece of music that just did all the work for us”

- Graeme Norgate

Fortunately for them, modern soundtracks at the time were veering away from large orchestras and relying more on synth sounds. Listen to the Goldeneye film soundtrack and you will see what I mean. Tina Turner’s title track even includes a game like Bond stab at the hear of it!

This was midi to Grant and Graeme’s ears. They didn’t have to emulate the classic orchestra Bond theme; they could go their own way and break down the tracks into repeatable, synth loops that fitted the style of the times.

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Reception & Legacy

The realistic setting, the remarkaleby well-animated characters, and interactive backgrounds combine to create a genuine sense of ‘being-there’ which is rarely experienced in a video-game

- Edge Magazine Review August 1997

Nintendo made one million cartridges of Goldeneye 007 which quickly sold out. Then they had to make another million and ship them by boat from Japan to the rest of the world. Which obviously took time.

The game sold more in year two than it did in year one. It then sold more in year three than it did in year’s one and two combined. In total the game sold over eight million copies and was discussed in all circles, from the kids in the playground to the grown up kids in the office.

If you didn’t have an N64 you had to actually go to your friend’s house to see it. Then you would have to hope they had another controller so that you could try the multiplayer. Personally I saw it being played at a friend’s house a few times and just had to watch them play, it was too grown up for me!

Today the game is seen as having shaped the first-person-shooter genre. You wouldn’t have games like Call of Duty or Uncharted without Goldeneye 007.

Those nine folks working on a farm in Twycross managed to inspire the next generation of developers while also doing something no one else had done to that point; they elevated the film they were emulating.

It was a game made by people who understood Bond and how we would want to feel if we were 007.

Thanks for reading.

Gareth

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Here are some of the videos and links I used while researching this piece if you want to go even further into the making of!

In this episode, I share my thoughts on 007 First Light and take a look at how film and games continue to inspire each other. I also explore how GoldenEye 007 helped define a generation of gaming, from its technical breakthroughs to its long-lasting influence on modern shooters.

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I didn’t expect to be writing or talking about The Mandalorian & Grogu this week. It didn’t seem like something I was interested in, and I barely made it to the cinema to watch it.

But here we are. This is me sending you a note to say I have talked about it, because I loved it! And you’re just one click away from giving it a listen.

In this episode I talk about my love for the TV to movie tie-ins and how there is something nostalgic about the lack of stakes they tend to have. I also discuss why Disney doesn’t need to worry about these movies making money on initial release, and if they actually listen to me for five seconds, they might think about green-lighting more of this kind of movie.

It was a surprisingly good time at the cinema for me and hopefully it was for you too!

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If you’d like to read more, wrote this a few weeks ago and it’s basically my whole opinion too.

Deleted Scenes

The Case for Small Star Wars

Seven years. That’s how long it’s been since a Star Wars movie was in theaters…

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3 months ago · 28 likes · 7 comments · Bardiya Mazda

Take care and I’ll see you again soon.

Gareth

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I’ve wanted to put together a cinema journal for a little while and have been slowly compiling moments over the past few weeks.

In the newsletter below you will find some short stories, links to other pieces of writing and an audio journal of my recent cinema day trip down to London. If you’re in the U.K and live outside of the big city, you’ll know what a big deal that is…

If you do like anything you see please consider commenting and/or sharing it either by forwarding the link, the email, or reposting if you use Substack. It all really helps my little corner of the internet and it means a lot.

Enjoy!

My Brush with God

Hello, I thought. In my 38 years I’ve never been hit on before.

- Hit on? In a costa at the Odeon at 6pm?

It’s been known.

- You’re mental you are.

What else could it be?

- You’ve probably got a deodorant stain down your top or your hair’s sticking up.

Just let her speak will you?

“It’s just that, when you walked in I could just see that Jesus was surrounding you”

What’s that she said?

- I think she just said you’re surrounded by Jesus.

Jesus Christ.

“You’ve just got so much love and happiness surrounding you and I just had to come over and tell you that Jesus loves you”…

Well, erm, thank you! That’s nice of you to come over and say so.

…

“Are you religious by any chance"?”

No. Are you?

- Bloody hell, you idiot. Of course she is.

“Yeah lol”.

- Yeah lol.

The lady leaves and comes back five minutes later

“We have a church just across the road. Here’s a quote and the directions to the church. If you ever feel like you want to explore what God can do for you, come along. It would be great to see you”

Ok thanks, great! Thanks again for coming over

She walks off

Have I just been hit on by God?

- You have yeah.

At 6pm at the Odeon?

- It’s been known.

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Project Hail Mary & My Trip To London

The recording above is the first time I’ve taken my microphone on a little road trip to try and make some sort of roving podcast episode. I was supremely self-conscious until I got going and realised that London is the perfect place to do it because no one is looking at you, or cares.

I’m pretty happy with how it’s turned out. There are some sound things to work on for next time (like the fact I need to talk louder!) but hope it’s not too jarring when you listen to it. The recording itself covers two trips in the same day. The first I went to see Singin’ in the Rain at The Prince Charles Cinema and second, Project Hail Mary in 70mm at the BFI IMAX.

My Brush with John

I knew something wasn’t right when I saw he’d brought a punnet of cocktail sausages.

What are you attending a cinema screening with a party-sized punnet of cocktail sausages for?

I guess I could see myself doing that. When I get to his age.

He was with a group of other men as well. Friends you could say. All into middle age, all had been to the shop on their way here to pick up their cinema snacks. Cocktail sausages…

What really got me though - as we approached the climax of the film I turned my head to look down the aisle, and what did I see… a two pinter. A two pint plastic carton of milk on the little table which attaches to the seat in front of him.

A party-sized punnet of cocktail sausages and a litre of milk.

Saturated fat is calling…it wants its cholesterol back.

Seeing that carton of milk completely took me out of the movie. If it was a small one pint carton then yes, maybe sure. I can imagine that world. But this man, (we’ll call him John), had gotten two thirds of the way through this thing in less than 90 minutes.

As I got up to leave I clocked the bag he brought with him.

This wasn’t just any two pinter. This was an M&S two pinter.

Only the best cows in the UK for our John. As I walked past him with his empty punnet and the dregs of the milk, I could only wonder what were the extremities of the snack world that I would be willing to bring into the cinema.

Someone brought in a full Indian takeaway and sat next to me once. I was kinda jealous but then it dawned on my that eating wet food in the dark is tricky.

No, I think I'm a traditionalist when it comes to snacks. At the very most, a meal deal. And that’s only if I’m going straight from work and need dinner. Even then I sometimes plump for popcorn as my main meal that day. I sound worse than John.

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But what about actual films Gareth?

Ah yes. Films.

I’m trying this card based way of writing my reviews at the moment. It’s partly a journal, partly an anti-AI thing. Partly an anti-letterboxd thing too.

I love letterboxd don’t get me wrong. But it’s still an app right? Taking a minute to make these little notes and slowly compile them will be fun for me, and something different for me to show you too.

Here’s a full review of Project Hail Mary which I sent out a couple of weeks ago.

Other highlights this month for me have been all the monster movies I’ve been watching. Especially Del Torro’s Frankenstein which I enjoyed far more than I was expecting. If you’re interested, be sure to have a listen to last month’s podcast where I talk more about my time with the Universal monsters.

During my time in London I also went to the Prince Charles Cinema and watched Singin’ in the Rain. Watching films like that with a full house is joyous. The jokes rise to the surface and there’s a theatre-like energy; everyone joining in revelry at seeing a film they love in its original setting.

That’s it from me for this time. See you all again next week for the Poppedcast.

Take care of yourselves.

Gareth

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There is a lot of talk about cinema being “back” at the moment. I’m waiting for a movie to commercially flop for it all to be doom and gloom again but so far original stories and artistic takes on established IP are working. Hell, even OpenAi are closing their video creation tool, Sora. Things are looking up!

What these movies are cottoning on to is the success of the Tom Cruise engine: make ambitious movies and make them for the cinema.

His success in bringing people back to the cinema with Top Gun: Maverick was truly impressive. The marketing at the time centred around how it was made. Everything you see actually happened and you could tell in the finished piece. The g-forces being pulled in those sequences were etched on every face in every cockpit. The whole package was visceral. The sight, the sound, the muscles on the beach.

That was the moment that not only broke the “cinematic universe” bubble, but the CGI bubble too. 30 years of being told we can do anything with computer imagery and we’ve finally come full circle and Real is “wow” once again.

Since then we’ve seen CGI pushed aside for physical multiple times in the big movies. The Barbie Movie used up the majority of the world’s pink paint at the time, while Wicked planted 9 million tulips to pull off their Munchkin Land. But I think this era of the practical is coming of age with Project Hail Mary.

They could have easily used green screens for this movie. Space films actually make the best use of CGI in my opinion. There’s something about space that lends itself to looking good when it’s created in a computer. Perhaps it’s because it’s other-worldly to begin with. Someone out there can probably tell me why this is…

But the fact that this film didn’t use green screens and focussed on practical effects elevates it in ways that go beyond our initial viewing. The camaraderie between Grace and Rocky felt real because it was real. Grace collecting the red substance on a space walk sung in red hues that have taken viewers to emotional heights that would have felt hollow otherwise.

And there’s the rub. CGI-centric movies feel hollow. Project Hail Mary feels full.

We consume art to feel human. The human hand leaves prints that aren’t clean but makes art what it is. The filmmakers have been explicit in their framing of Project Hail Mary as a practical endeavour. Going in knowing that changes the experience.

The 70mm IMAX Version

Homer and Marge Simpson, moving up in the world, once drove up to a posh house they were invited to:

Marge: Wow, look at this place. The house number is spelled out with letters!

Homer: Get used to it honey, from now on we’ll be spelling everything with letters.

Over the next few years, Hollywood will be spelling everything with 70mm IMAX.

There aren’t many screens that can show 70mm IMAX in the world today and I felt fortunate to see this version first-hand last week.

It’s an experience that you do quickly get used to even if it is mightily impressive. What I particularly enjoyed with this film though is that it flits between the full 70mm to a more standard ratio when the story is centred on Earth. There’s a lovely (practically done) transition between the ratios that make it feel like a flashback. But the change in scale makes you realise how amazing the floor-to-ceiling nature of 70mm is every ten to fifteen minutes.

Seeing Ryan Gosling’s face projected to be larger than my house was also quite something. What a charmer.

This large scale screening was like nothing I’ve experienced before and I wouldn’t be surprised if more countries globally find a way to install 70mm IMAX capable screens in their major cities in the near future. The movie industry is doing what it has always done best - it’s finding a way to make the cinema an exclusive experience.

My View of the Film Itself

The more I reflect on Project Hail Mary the more I decide that it is a five star film.

I’ve watched it twice (so far) and what I like about it is that it’s a feel-good sci-fi movie. It’s pretty difficult to make a feel-good film about an existential threat to earth and I’m assuming the success of that push and pull is down to its source material. If anyone’s read the book I’m sure you can confirm this!

The vastness of space is a character in itself and is another reason I can’t understand how they’ve pulled this off. It boils down to being a buddy movie between Grace and Rocky I suppose.

Ryan Gosling is a true movie star at this point and it’s great to recognise something like that while the actor is still working. It makes these releases something to look forward to. The humour in this film is akin to Marvel humour, off-the-cuff and downplayed. Gosling acts those moments with such charm he manages to refresh the style and ground it in the story’s reality.

And that’s what this film is for me: refreshing. It’s intelligent, big, funny, while still appealing to a broad audience.

Project Hail Mary will surely go down as essential viewing from this decade. It will be part of a handful of movies that signified that cinema was making its mid-twenties comeback.

Gareth

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This is the third episode of the relaunched Poppedcast and this week I’m reflecting on how it’s gone so far. In a roundabout way I go on to talk through the history of the Universal monster collection and how they link to where I’m taking this newsletter!

If you’ve seen any of the monster movies please let me know what you think about them and which your favourites are. And here’s the link to THE spreadsheet! Feel free to download and use it if you want to watch a certain strand of the collection.

Universal Monsters Spreadsheet

I’ll be back next week with a cinema journal post of what I’ve been up to and what I’ve been watching.

Take care of yourselves in the meantime and thanks for listening.

Gareth

Previous Post: The Bride

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If you prefer audio, take a look at the podcast version above. Stay tuned at the end of the podcast for my overall thoughts on both The Bride and The Bride of Frankenstein!

Lord Byron: Possibly those thunders are for our dear Shelley, heaven’s applause for England’s greatest poet.

Shelley: What of my Mary?

Byron: She is an angel.

Mary Shelley: You think so?

From The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

The following post contains spoilers!

As a direct reaction to The Bride of Frankenstein I think The Bride works. They both deal in female power and self-determination. Though the demonstration of a phallocentric world is more overt in this modern interpretation, I think it provides a respectful nod to its predecessor while carving out its own unique path.

Ultimately, The Bride is a continuation of the question; who is the bride of Frankenstein?

Is she the “monster’s companion'‘?

Is she Mary Shelley?

or are their legacies both tied to the same monster?

The answer that The Bride gives us…

None of the above.

The Bride of Frankenstein - 1935

When I watched this film last week, I couldn’t understand why we spend 90% of the runtime waiting for The Bride to show up. Yes she’s iconic, but why couldn’t she have been iconic for longer?

It wasn’t until I read this research piece that I realised I’d missed the point entirely. She is created as an attempt to humanise the monster. A nameless, powerless companion, the Bride is brought to life, flanked by two men crazed on power and on each other.

But then she sees the monster and screams.

Not once, but twice.

Her screams are a defiant call against her own dehumanisation. They are a vocal rejection at a time when women’s roll in society is to be seen and not heard. The first female monster on film has a message: We have our own voice and we will scream.

And how does Frankenstein’s monster respond? Just like any man who hasn’t been taught how to deal with difficult emotions: he blows everything up.

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Mary Shelley & James Whale

It’s a message that shouldn’t be as timeless as it is. But self-determination is something the 2026 Bride is still battling with. All of the female characters are erased when there are men in the room and have to shout (scream) to be heard.

Mary Shelley herself faced her own erasure as a female writer. Claims against her authorship of Frankenstein have followed her and the book since its release. It’s a nonsense of course and no surprise to hear that there has been doubts shed on a progressive, intelligent woman’s work. It’s this fight, with Shelly lurking in the shadows, that this film is really all about.

Another element of the original that bleeds through into The Bride is its take on sexuality. The director of the 1935 film, James Whale, was an openly gay man in a Hollywood that was heavily and increasingly conservative on the issue. He was widely known to be ostracised as a direct result of his sexuality and though his estate denies any deeper meaning in his films, at the very least his lived experience will have naturally found its way into them.

The Bride (2026) plays on these sensibilities as both of the ‘monsters’ explore a world of open freedoms that were closed to James Whale. Frankenstein openly says he only wants a companion and rejects any advances, while seemingly being obsessed with Jake Gyllenhaal’s celebrity character (another bride of Frankenstein perhaps?).

Does he really fall in love with The Bride or is he mistaking companionship for love? Thinking about it, they’ve really got the male psyche down with this modern Frankenstein character haven’t they?

Lord Byron: Can you believe that bland and lovely brow conceived of Frankenstein, a monster created from cadavers out of rifled graves? Isn't it astonishing?

Mary Shelley: l don't know why you should think so. What do you expect?
Such an audience needs something stronger than a pretty little love story.
So, why shouldn't l write of monsters?

The Film as The Monster

I understand how The Bride can be seen as on-the-nose with its messaging. This reaches its peak during the final moments as The Bride shouts “Me Too” over and over.

That’s why I think it makes the most sense as an artistic reaction to The Bride of Frankenstein. It explores its themes as well as the wider context of the original, with the more obscure moments up for interpretation rather than having to make sense within its own plot.

It was interesting to me that this Bride was not made up of multiple bodies, and was in fact one of the only whole things in the film. Her mind was in two, the period was a mismatch of eras, and the breakout dance numbers stitched together mediums while the Bride herself remained always intact. The film itself was the monster here.

Just as in 1935, Shelley begins this film, played by the same actress that plays the Bride. Dismiss her as angel at your peril; by the end she is all powerful and will choose her future on her own terms.

What did you think of The Bride? Let me know your thoughts in the comments :)

Thank you for reading.

Gareth

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Though I’m not usually into award ceremonies, this year I tuned into BAFTA as a friend of mine was up for an award. It’s moving to see someone you know being recognised for an amazing talent that they have. They were also dressed to kill!

This month’s Poppedcast touches on the awards, on the controversy surrounding this year, as well as the people involved and some of the great achievements of the night.

There’s also time to look back at the films I picked out last month (one of them is near three hour documentary about the rugby legend Gareth Edwards) and a reveal of a new Popped feature incoming.

If you enjoy this podcast, please do share with others, it really is the best way to support my work. If podcasts aren’t your thing, there will be more written stuff to come!

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1980’s British Film - Playlist

In the build-up to my post last week, I put a note out on Substack for people to suggest 80’s British films that they loved so that we can build a wider picture of the country at the time. I have to say it’s a tidy little list so far!

You can access the list here.

Have you seen any or many of these? If you have any other films from the time you would like to add please let me know!

Thanks to , , , , and for your contributions :).

Thanks again, your support means the world.

Gareth

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If you would prefer to listen to this post you will see the play button above, or subscribe to my podcast wherever you get your podcasts!

Jim Radcliffe’s comments last week are rooted in 1980’s Britain. The fact that a multibillionaire even exists is a sign of the times. But a billionaire having a political voice and the ability to swan off to Monaco while crying foul over a welfare system that he doesn’t contribute to is a global normality that really got going during the Thatcher and Reagan years.

Thatcher herself made comments painfully similar to those of Radcliffe’s back in 1978,

“[P]eople are really rather afraid that this country might be rather swamped by people with a different culture” - Granada’s World in Action

Winning on a ticket of anti-immigration, financial stagnation and unemployment, the Conservatives had the working class on its knees within just a few years. They set a path towards a world of individualism, a power transfer to the rich and a dismantling of the social safety nets we sorely miss today.

I always thought the failure to learn this stuff in school was because we hadn’t yet felt the full effects of it in the 90’s. But reactions were happening in real time on our screens. Through film and television, artists were making the quiet voices heard. The pain of the working class and minority groups are there for all to see. And so is the new Britain that was emerging.

Babylon

The power of British film is the way it cuts through the facade of Empire. The Downton Abbey version of this country sells well internationally, but pull back the layers and there are institutional forces at play that we grapple with to this day. Babylon is a fantastic example of this.

Made a year before the Brixton riots of 1981, Babylon is a ‘hang-out’ film telling the story of Blue. He is trying to hold his life together on all sides while living at a time, just like today, where openly expressing racist views is part of every day life.

There are moments of pure joy in this film through its camaraderie, sense of community and amazing music sequences. There are also moments of desperation. One particularly agonising scene occurs where Blue runs away from a police car for hours on end. He is eventually caught and searched under the '“Sus” law, later evolving into stop and search laws which predominantly targets Black people then and now.

"This place used to be nice before your kind showed up. Go home!"
"This is my home! And it was never nice!"

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Lord Scarman’s public investigation into the Brixton riots found no institutional racism in the police at the time. This directly contradicts what we see with Blue’s run-in, as well as the statistics on the Sus law and the Macpherson Report year’s later. With all of this in mind, watching Babylon today is a visceral experience and is noticeably missing in conversations about our cultural footprint.

The Long Good Friday

The gangster film that depicts the U.K as a zero messing money powerhouse, full of hairy chested businessmen. It must be Nigel Farage’s favourite picture.

This is a fun movie that competes with Hollywood in terms of its scope and style. Looking at it through an historical lens it vividly highlights where the country was headed. It was filmed before Thatcher came to power, and its release was delayed due to nervousness around its depiction of violence and the IRA. Nevertheless, Harold Shand’s (Bob Hoskins) devotion to the free market is on full parade, and the circles he swims in are money-backed and all-powerful.

When The Long Good Friday was released, the working class were increasingly desperate. At the same time, Thatcher was pushing on with privatisation and reducing government intervention. Her neoliberal policies have resulted in the individualist mindset we see today, the seeds of which you can see in Shand’s actions.

Boys from the Blackstuff

In a bid to lower interest rates, 1980 saw Thatcher’s government introducing monetarism, a mechanism to control the flow of money into the economy.

Some historical sites I’ve read said this led to three “uncomfortable years for the Conservatives”. But between this and an oil crisis, the exchange rate plummeted and industry around the country began to go bankrupt.

Thatcher came in on a ticket of lowering unemployment but by 1982, one in eight people were unemployed. The worst since 1930.1

The Black Stuff was a Play for Today released in 1980. It’s a gritty, humorous and real look at a group of men working for scraps around the country. It was such a hit that a series was immediately commissioned, which went on to win a BAFTA and right up to the 00’s it was seen as one of the top UK TV dramas of all time.

Watching both the film and the series recently, it’s a truly devastating few hours spent seeing lives break down over the search for money while trying to hide from a system that is stacked against you. But don’t let that put you off. I think it was popular because it was human and truthful. It’s funny and charming and if you have lived in the U.K for any amount of time, you will recognise so much of Boys from the Blackstuff in the world around you.

Ultimately though its popularity came from its direct reaction to the effects of Thatcherism on the working classes and a flailing social net that wasn’t ready for a changing landscape.

Today the news frames social benefits as a negative, a drain on resources. The Blackstuff offered a lens on the grim reality for The People that is harder to find in our tv and film today.

Next week I will continue this conversation on The Poppedcast. I’ll be talking about where all this come from and how I’ve ended up spending a year reading, watching and listening to things about this time in our history.

But if you are instantly intrigued and want to dive into this subject right now, I highly recommend you check out Adam Curtis’ Shifty which is currently on BBC iPlayer in the UK. It’s a thoroughly entertaining and innovative five-part documentary series detailing the shifting of power from government to the rich. You won’t regret it.

Before next week, I have asked the community here for any film or TV recommendations around this topic that reflect the time. If you have any thoughts please add a comment! I will be collating these into a playlist to share next time.

Thank you again for reading, I truly appreciate the support :)

Thanks

Gareth

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It’s been a little while but I’m excited to be back with the Poppedcast which has a new feel to it.

After reflecting on the kind of stuff I like to listen to, and the experience I want create for Popped, this month’s Poppedcast is a more reflective, less “recommend-y” listen. It’s something I had fun putting together and I’m happy with it. I hope you enjoy.

This month I have a look into a box of DVD’s I found, not before reflecting on the week we’ve had news wise, and the effect the constant bombardment of atrocities has on us all.

Here is a list of films I mention in case you want to have a look for yourself.

Note: It hadn’t sunk in that The Story of Gareth Edwards is presented by Gareth Edwards. I simply cannot wait to watch this. How is he going to pull this off!?

Finally the documentary I spoke about is called Cover-Up and it’s on Netflix now. It’s not an easy watch; the content is pretty harsh. But there is a strong link to the important role that proper journalism has to play in holding those in power to account.

I’d love your thoughts and feedback on the episode.

If you feel like someone you know would take something from listening to it please do pass it on.

Take care of yourselves. Go and watch some films.

Gareth

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Note: This post contains spoilers for both 28 Years Later films.

The latest instalment of 28 Years Later is superb. The Bone Temple is another slap around the face paired with a quiet natural beauty that has set the tone of the series since 2002. Nia DaCosta is a fantastic director. If you haven’t seen Candyman yet, get going now. The writer, Alex Garland, is proving to be a master of dystopia. But not the dystopian robot future of something like The Terminator. Garland’s worlds feel close enough to touch, and it shakes me to the core.

What I am particularly enjoying in this new trilogy is the opportunity to hold up a mirror. By removing from the world everything that’s happened between the year 2002 to the present day, it forces us to study the gap between. A gap that can be too traumatic to face.

Twenty four years of change is reflected back at us through an apocalyptic world that’s holding the late 20th century as an ideal; when the world had an order, the Teletubbies were family viewing and the public had no idea that Jimmy Saville was a monster.

The clan of Jimmy’s; the head of which, Jimmy Crystal, sees himself a prophet. But just like his namesake he is a false one, administering abuse under the name of ‘charity’. When they appeared at the end of the first instalment, it was a completely wild way to finish. But on their return in The Bone Temple, the first thing we see is a sign saying “no children beyond this point” before we head into a meeting of the clan. It’s a chilling reminder that they have no idea who their idol was. And neither did we.

Through our binoculars we observe Dr Ian Kelson as he appears from his bunker, iodine stained and contemplative.1

At once eccentric and absurd in his ivory tower of skulls, look closer and he is as much the cure as the medicine he gives to Samson.

Dr Ian is kind and thoughtful. He will speak to the infected as much as the uninfected; finding common ground between devil worshippers while still managing to keep his morals intact. He spares Samson when he realises that there is hope. He’s pragmatic when he realises that Spike’s mother won’t make it.

He is the truth in it all. The silly, dancing doctor with photos pinned in the bunker while he builds his forest of bones.

Then we come to the ending of The Bone Temple. Cillian Murphy (Jim) is testing his children on 20th century geopolitics. It was a time when we made totalitarianism and populism extinct through international law and sharing common interests.

Jim looking back on our late century Utopia stands to highlight how quickly those ideals have changed. Progressivism, democracy and the truth are built on paper thin ground. To run a world on the contrary was naive.

We are staring down the barrel of it all once again. Just like the virus, division needs an antidote.

The final decision in the film: do we help or not? is another nod to the individualism of our age. We’ve grown accustomed to characters looking after themselves in most movies today, but especially in this series. Jim deciding to help as though it is the only answer is a hint to what Garland, DaCosta and Boyle think the antidote may be.

I’ve titled this post Beware False Prophets. While directly I'm referencing the Jimmy’s in the film, I’m also thinking about our nostalgia for the past. The 80’s and 90’s are increasingly being seen as the last time things were good in the world. Before 9/11, before the internet, when the world was still ok.

But that version of the past is just not true. The pressures we all face today are a direct result of choices that were made then. The house prices, the cost of living, the division, the individualism. They were sown by the same people who want to take us back to when Brits were Brits and a pint cost 3p.

Beware false prophets.

Listen to the people you don’t understand.

That’s what this film is saying to me.

What does it say to you?

Thanks so much for reading. Please do leave a comment if you’d like and share this article with someone if you think they would be interested.

Gareth

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It made me think about why that is.

Wicked squash.

I’ve got a bottle of Wicked branded cordial in my cupboard that turns shiny and green when you add it to water.

I haven’t seen that kind of marketing in years. I remember when I was a child, when Casper came out, you could get Casper ice lollies that were shaped like Casper the friendly ghost. It turned your tongue bright blue. Just like my cordial making the water shiny.

And this Wicked stuff has been all over TikTok. Wicked tooth brushes, Wicked Le Creuset pans. Pink and green stuff everywhere. But Hollywood was pulling these stunts when I was a kid. And then, for the most part, they stopped.

But why has it started again so vigorously? And what other old tricks are they pulling?

Monoculture vs Polyculture

For decades we’ve been living in a monoculture when it comes to our art. There were no more than five channels on television, everyone watched the same stuff. Everyone knew who the big music stars were or the top comedians.

But now we live in a polyculture.

Each individual is watching a screen where every single thing they see is tailored to their tastes. The music they like, the people they enjoy watching. That’s why you don’t know half the people on celebrity version of reality shows. A couple of million people know who they are, and that’s enough to draw that crowd in.

While this has its positives, what you lose is discovering things by osmosis. You don’t catch the advert on TV because you’re not watching the TV. You don’t talk to your friends about the show you’re watching because everyone’s in the middle of something different.

By going back to monoculture tactics, the film industry are bringing Wicked out into the wild, where people actually are. You’re seeing it on the buses, in the supermarket, in your cupboards. You don’t have a choice but to know about Wicked. That’s how they used to get us in the 90’s. Now that social media is collapsing, the real world is still the only sure fire way to get to people, while your feed is compounding what you see on the streets.

Cultural Scarcity

The first three episodes of The Traitors last week were not released on iPlayer first. They kept them back. The age of full release on day-one is over. Commissioners are noticing what brings people together. Meanwhile the film industry are clinging to a theatrical release window that, though shrunk, still has life in it yet. Why is that?

While the average millennial struggles to sit through an awkward silence without reaching for Instagram, gen alpha are enjoying movies like Minecraft, Wicked and Zootopia 2 in their droves. These films have created cultural moments for a new generation. Memes or TikTok moments that can only be understood or joined in with if you’ve seen the film they reference.

You can’t miss out. You have to get yourself to the cinema so that you can make your own videos, your own reactions.

The thing I love about reading this development is that Gen Alpha get to experience a feeling we know all too well. Cultural scarcity.

In primary school, I was caught off guard one week when everyone I knew was going to see Titanic. I was like, “How are you going to see Titanic..it’s a 12”. They said their Mum and Dad snuck them in.

I’d heard there was nudity in it and couldn’t bring myself to ask to go. I’d have to save my blushing face and confusion for when the tape came out and I could watch it on my own.

But if you didn’t see the film, you couldn’t join in. “It’s the best film I’ve ever seen". “It’s the longest film I’ve ever seen”. “They did it in the car!”

There were multiple steps to this social inclusion. It was the film, but then the parodies (French and Saunders anyone?) and the theme tune selling out in Woolworths. If I didn’t see the film there and then, it was gone for a year or so and by then the moment was gone.

In the last ten years this structure has collapsed. You’ll never miss out because it’s all online waiting for you.

The theatrical window has been under attack in the age of box-set binging. There’s an assumption that because we want everything now, that’s exactly what we should have.

But the theatrical window works because scarcity is vitally important to the way our minds work. Our brains are wired to value it. Humans once craved what was hardest to come by. Food, water. The anticipation of receiving something scarce releases a strong hit of dopamine that’s difficult to resist.

So Gen Alpha has the same feelings at play today that we had growing up. While trends move faster than ever, cinema is now part of that conversation. It’s added one more step back in to feel like you’re part of something.

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Playing the Long Game

The film industry needs Gen Alpha in the cinema creating memories so that they can flog them a remake or a prequel in twenty years time. That’s why these tactics are so important to them.

How many movies do you remember watching in your living room with your sound turned down because your parents have gone to bed?

Not many.

How many movies do you remember at the cinema with your friends, sneaking into a rated 18 horror or holding hands with the person you’ve fancied for ages.

Plenty.

Streaming broke the cycle and the industry is scrambling to find the answer.

You went to the movies to meet your friends, you went to stay clued up in the playground or at the pub. You went to meet your girlfriend, or to see the sequel of the film you saw with your brother when you were young. You remembered the flavour of the ice cream and how it made your tongue turn blue as you browsed the newspaper for when Casper was coming to town. Because if you didn't check when it was on, you’d miss it. And if you missed it, all of the above was null and void.

The powers that be are waking up to something previous generations knew all too well. A system that’s been in place since VHS wasn’t there just because streaming hadn’t been invented. It was in place because it worked.

Take your kids to the cinema folks. They want to go more than you do!

Gareth

I’m currently on holiday near the Yorkshire Moors. It’s lovely, thanks for asking.

Though it would be ideal for the current sunshine to last throughout my stay, it was not meant to be. Rain prevails, giving me an excuse to visit a nearby independent cinema to while away the downpour.

The cinema is called The Palace, and here’s a quick picture journal about my trip.

In the sleepy town of Malton, down an unassuming alley way, a red brick building hints at something cosier inside. Besides the three film posters displayed within their plastic housings, the only sign that this is a cinema is the words CINEMA on the doorframe. I suppose that’s actually quite a clear sign isn’t it…

The cinema itself is a life’s ambition of Jeremy Powell, a sound engineer in radio for years, he was finally able to realise his dream of owning a cinema in 2002. A picture hall from 1915 and a theatre in 1934, the building itself had a long history of showing movies before Jeremy took over. When I reach The Palace in 2025, I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to spend an afternoon soaking up the realisation of a dream.

You can tell this is a cinema that’s been created by someone and not a company. Memorabilia and trinkets fill the ticket hall. It’s not particularly organised, and it’s a place frozen in the moment it opened, but that adds to its charm. I love the timetable on entry, and the file-o-fax of future events in the foyer.

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“One ticket for Superman please. A large popcorn and a coke”.

Printed on my ticket, a reminder that I can’t bring my own snacks, and if I do, to not insult them further by leaving my rubbish! A notice added through years of frustration and hard times, though it did sour the mood a little. Luckily I’d already max’d out in the in-house snack department.

There were around 12 people in my screening. Not bad for 2pm on a rainy Wednesday I suppose.

The lights go down and The Palace becomes just like any other cinema. Two hours flash by and before I know it I’m out in the foyer again, shuffling out with the others from my showing and Screen 1 as three or four families queue for the 4:30 showing. I head down the stairs and back into the rain, wondering whether I can turn around and join the 4:30’s.

The Palace is part of the Malton community. It would be sorely missed if it ever had to close its doors. Families, teenagers and older couples were present in my very short encounter. A sure sign that it’s needed.

It could do with a bit of updating, and I’m pretty sure they served me yesterday’s popcorn, but I can forgive a certain amount for a quiet, functional cinema that’s clearly keeping culture alive in its small town.

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Superman

But what did I think of Superman I hear you say?

I’m glad that there is a superhero film mirroring the current state of the world. It has an overall message of hope and the need to do good against tyranny which I appreciated.

This is a great reset for DC. A sentimental take on Superman is exactly what’s needed. None of this “Superman is a God” vibe that was emanating from recent incarnations. Superman just needs to be good. And they seem to have 3D printed the perfect looking one in the shape of David Corenswet.

Nicholas Hoult too was a great Lex Luthor. He was an annoying tech-bro, giving an Elon Musk (i.e. uncool tech-evil who thinks he’s the best) approach to the role. By that I mean, extremely punchable.

Some of the more sci-fi (dare I say Guardians of the Galaxy-like) stuff was fine, but Superman was at its best when it focussed on being human, or canine. As for the larger DC universe stuff, I’m still not so sure it' will work. But I will pay my money time and time again in the hope to be proved wrong.

What did you think?

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Thanks so much for reading!

Until next time,

Gareth

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You join me as I ride the train to Cardiff. I’m on the way to spend the weekend watching Wales play football, going to gigs and generally having a lovely time with the family.

As romantic as writing on a train sounds, I’m actually jotting this down on my phone, it’s raining outside and all I have for sustenance are Percy Pigs.

I write today to bring you a couple of things I’ve worked on recently with other people. It’s been great fun to do these little side pieces, one of which I’m sharing far too late as the event I was writing for happened two weeks ago. If you can time travel, please consider attending.

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Podcast

First up is a podcast episode that’s just been published today. I joined the lovely on The Oscar Project as he gradually watches and talks about every Oscar nominee through history.

For this episode I watched a film called The Leatherneck from 1929. It was made as Hollywood was transitioning to sound, so it was partly made in sound at the time, though that copy has been lost.

What we’re left with today is a copy on YouTube with no sound at all, not even music. I’ve never watched a silent film in complete silence before, and I don’t know if I’d recommend it or not!

Do have a listen to the episode and consider subscribing to Jonathan’s newsletter and podcast. There’s plenty on offer with interviews with people like me, along with actual real life film makers!

Link to the podcast here

Cardiff Animation Festival Blog

Ok so yes, this one’s on me. I did shout about this on socials but didn’t put it on here!

It was a nice surprise and exciting to be asked to write for Cardiff Animation Festival ahead of their recent Weekender event. They asked me to write about nostalgia in animation and the power of nostalgia for modern audiences.

Here is a link to the blog and while you’re there, have a look at their past events and what’s coming up, especially if you’re nearby.

Link to Blog

Popped Updates

Gosh I have been slow on here haven’t I! Popped being on my mind daily doesn’t seem to add up to posting less than once a month.

But such is life.

I have finally started working on some research based posts which I’m excited about. I’m also keen to start making some YouTube videos which actually have plans and outlines! I’m threatening to do something, any day now.

In the meantime, do add me on instagram as I’m most active there at the moment.

My Last 4 Watched

In between cinema visits I’m attempting to catch up with what I missed from 2024. Zendaya constantly cementing her place as a modern icon in Challengers, it was refreshingly well made after sitting through Fright Night: Prom Queen.

The Phoenician Scheme was a bit “Wes Anderson by numbers” for me. I think the viral Wes Anderson aesthetic reels/TikTok’s over the last year or so has made his films look like a pastiche of themselves.

And as for Nosferatu…Robert Eggers is definitely at home in horror. More please!

That’s it for now. Always good to catch up.

Thanks for reading, and stay safe!

Gareth

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I’m not interested in being the prime minister for a day.

If I was ruler for the day I would barely get anything done anyway. I’d be in shock for the first hour, probably on Zoom calls for two. Then I would only manage to get three policies enacted and they’d all be ‘lefty’ ones so would be thrown out the following day anyway.

No, I would much rather own a cinema. I could really put my stamp on that. This post is what that would look like.

Thanks to at for his post that inspired this one!

The Style

Mine would basically be the cinema from Empire of Light.

The patterned carpets, the red curtains, the brass fittings, the snack bar in the centre of the lobby, and the ticket booth at the entrance. The smell of over-vaccummed carpets mixed with sweet popcorn fills the air.

I’m going 100% U.K. traditional, bringing back the occasion of going to the pictures! I want ushers, I want the temperature to be just the right side of stuffy, and maybe some seating to line the perimeter of the lobby to enable general chit-chat.

The Screens

There will be no more than two big screens.

To modernise things a bit, I will add a few off-shoot rooms which will be bars showing classic movies on smaller screens at the back. A mix of tall chairs & tables, tapering down to sofas at the front. A more casual affair to watch a film, with headphones included, think silent disco.

I’m also thinking a mysterious speakeasy downstairs. A hidden bar showing noir movies with a mysterious man in the corner smoking a cigar.1

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The Snacks

• Sweet/Salty Popcorn - of course

• Sweets in cardboard boxes - we’re talking poppets mainly, but any fruity sweet we can get in cardboard boxes are included here.

• Filter Coffee & Tea - An absolute treat

• Soft pastries - What I mean is, pastry that’s not too crispy so as to avoid noise and flakes on the floor. They will be served on small plates with flowers on.

• The Special: Everyone’s talking about the ice cream sundaes here. They’re bigger than your head. They come in strawberry or mint choc chip.

The Rules

You can’t have your own pretend cinema without making your own selfish rules right? Here are mine:

1. No Phones - This is an obvious one. No one really wants phones in the cinema do they? There will be a phone locker room. Anyone caught with their phone out during the film will be hoovered out immediately.

2. No Phones - I can’t stress it enough.

3. Pre-Film Short-Film - I used to love this as a kid. An episode of The Pink Panther before the main event. Here it will be a short film relevant to the showing at hand. A nightmare for the programmers, a treat for the audience!

4. Intermissions - Vive Les intermissions!

5. Latecomers - Anyone arriving late cannot buy snacks. Anyone arriving more than five minutes after the film starts will get a mark against their name. Three strikes and your picture will be printed in the local paper, shamed as that one with “no respect”.

6. Talking - Talking during the adverts is fine. Talking through the trailers needs cooling down. Talking during the film is only reserved for the people who say something stupid during the quiet moments.

Special Programming

My Birthday

Everyone in the town will get the day off (it’s a small town). We’ll spend it watching anything I fancy that year, planned the week before. Snacks are half price. Free Toblerone for the first 50 people, free pizza for all.

Sponsored by Dominos.

Christmas

Lord of the Rings Marathon

October

An absolutely massive horror festival where we all have a good old laugh at some great horror movies.

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To Conclude

What I would really want to conjure with my cinema is a sense of belonging for everyone. That extension of your home life that’s fancier. That’s special. It’s where you know everyone is going to be, or wants to be, if they’re not at home.

From the moment you get your ticket, everything is slightly heightened. And when you leave again, the lights on your back as you walk into the cold night air, you know it won’t be long until you’re back there, laughing anonymously with the crowds.

What would you do differently?

Let me know how you would run your cinema. What would be your rules? What would it look like? Feel like?

Thanks for reading.

Gareth

My Last Four Watched

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We have changed the conversation in this city. And our work isn't done yet. We need to hold Glenbrook and our politicians to account. There are three listed buildings on Station Street AND The Electric.

Birmingham deserves better than bulldozers. Station Street deserves better than bulldozers. You deserve better than bulldozers.

Darren John - Save the Electric Cinema Birmingham Facebook Group

Opened in 1909, the Birmingham Electric was Britain’s oldest working cinema until it closed its doors last year. A week ago, it failed to get its listed status which means that there is nothing stopping it being demolished in the future.

Though you would think that it would be a PR disaster for anyone to tear the building down, I’ve seen a few “accidental” fires in my time, or even just a brazen lack of understanding or care of community history from the rich who decide that regeneration is best.

It was stated that the building didn’t meet the guidelines on becoming a listed building. On the UK Government website, one guideline states,

National interest: … to ensure that not only are all buildings of strong intrinsic national architectural or historic interest included on the statutory list, but also the most significant or distinctive regional buildings that together make a major contribution to the national historic stock.

Reading through the Facebook group, there has been an outpouring of support from locals, people sharing stories of their family trips and their grandmother’s recollections. The group feels like a collective gasp, attempting to hold on to working class symbols that are easily cast aside, while the red brick buildings of the elite remain standing to serve afternoon teas for generations to come.

It raises some interesting questions that are at the heart of this newsletter,

• Where does film and cinema sit in our collective history?

• How much weight do we put behind a modern history that, on the face of it, is only for entertainment?

• If the oldest working cinema doesn’t cut it, when would cinemas make a “major contribution to the national historic stock”?

These are common themes among universities, film enthusiasts and archives like the BFI. But I don’t think that it knocks on the national door until we lose a site like the Electric.

Not just a cinema

The campaign for The Electric isn’t just about the cinema itself, it’s about the whole street. Station Street is home to The Crown, the venue where Black Sabbath played their first gig. Sabbath have recently been given freedom of the city, and there is a call to ensure that the momentum of this occasion is used to keep Station Street on the agenda, with The Crown being left vacant for years.

It’s inspirational to see Darren John and the Save Station Street group make a stand on a local level to save our recent cultural heritage. Without these people we will easily see the sites around the UK regenerated into monochrome streets of Slug & Lettuce bars and Lounges.

From what I can see, it looks like Station Street is still high on the cultural agenda, but no guarantees are in place.

But it’s made me think, what sites are important to me? What street would make me stand up and fight for history?

What about you? Let me know what streets, places, cinemas are important to you and why. It’s good to write these things down. You may have to fight for them one day.

If you are interested in knowing more, here is the Facebook group to get involved with the Save the Electric Cinema campaign.

A Quick Catch Up

I’ve been a little quiet lately.

I still keep getting followers and subscribers which has been very heart warming and makes me think “Yeah I should definitely get back to this”. To those of you who are new here, hello and thank you for helping me to keep the faith :).

There may have been some digital burn-out going on. I’d ran out of things to say and the confidence to say it. After deleting all socials for a few weeks and sitting at home playing video games, it’s probably time I put this head of mine to use.

The newsletter may not be as regular as before, but my main commitment is to approach it with creativity, in subjects I’m totally interested in. Hopefully you will be interested in them too.

Cheers

Gareth

My Last 4 Watched

What have you enjoyed watching lately? Always love to hear a recommendation.

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It’s in December where I tend to do most of my film watching and where my sofa earns its keep.

There are my annual Christmas films. Then there are the ones that I missed in the cinema, and then the older ones that seem to make sense to watch in December. And of course the ones that are on TV at 2pm in the afternoon when I’m more Toblerone than human.

Recently I’ve found that Amazon Prime is the best of the popular streaming sites in terms of offering a variety of older and classic movies but with Bezzo’s buying out studios like MGM you can understand why. Right now you can watch It’s a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, The Holiday and Scrooged. That’s Christmas sorted. Someone get me a Toblerone.

But when browsing this week I noticed that there are a great selection of silent movies on the platform, and I sat down to watch one of my Chaplin blind-spots, City Lights. It was another classic and reminded me just how much these movies have to offer us.

I thought it would be good to compile a short list for you to try, especially if you haven’t watched a silent before. If they don’t surprise you on how good they actually are, it’s a fascinating history lesson played out in real life, filmmakers from a century ago sculpting an art form.

I’m only adding films I've seen and can recommend!

A Note on Music

If you decide to watch any of these silent movies and you get the thirst for more, I would like to send a warning to you! Not all silent movies are created equal.

The movies below have had a score made for them. Chaplin actually went back and wrote his own scores for all of his pictures. But a lot of films haven’t had this luxury. If you watch a short film on YouTube for example and find it jarring, there’s a good chance that the company who published it has stuck generic music on top. These films are funny, and the music tends to help the laughs along. So if in doubt, try another one!

Buster Keaton - Sherlock Jr., Steamboat Billy

Buster Keaton is less known if you don’t know much about silent movies, but for a lot of people he is their preference over Chaplin.

His style is slapstick, pure comedy and an inclination towards the daring. The stunts he manages to pull off in his movies are breathtaking. There is a storm scene in Steamboat Billy where a house falls on Keaton, with only a hole in a window for him to fit through on its way down. No harnesses, no CGI, just a house falling on a guy. It’s something.

Sherlock Jr. is another one of his classics, ranked one of the greatest American comedies of all time by the American Film Institute. There are plenty of stunts here as well, with added detective work.

Both come in at just over an hour. Though I’m a big fan of them, silent movies do have a way of making an hour feel like two, so these film lengths are more than adequate for a modern audience. 1

Links to the movies

Steamboat Billy

Sherlock Jr

Charlie Chaplin - Modern Times, The Gold Rush, The Circus, City Lights

I’ve banged on about Chaplin enough in this newsletter. He was my introduction to silent movies and I think he has produced multiple masterpieces, four of which are available below.

His work is more sentimental than Keaton’s, filled with as much pathos as there is comedy. His movies are laced with political commentary, especially later in his career.

If you were to start anywhere, I would go with Modern Times. It has sound in it to help the plot along and there are some fantastic set pieces all the way through.

The Gold Rush is a feat of film making, using over 600 extras who climbed through the snow for a single shot. I also love his inventiveness in this. The Tramp, starving in his cabin, cooks his shoe for dinner and eats it as though he would in a restaurant. Perfect.

Links to the movies:

Modern Times

The Gold Rush

The Circus

City Lights

Later classics on Prime now

Here are some other great films I’ve stumbled across that are on Prime which you could try over the holidays.

Want a challenge? Try His Girl Friday. They talk faster than the speed of sound but it’s a great example of late 30’s/early 40’s pictures.

Want to try an early noir film? Sweet Smell of Success is dark, gritty and an expertly created example of noir. Perfect for winter.

Want to see a new favourite of mine? The Apartment is a love story told with humour, charm and more emotion that you would expect. It’s honestly one my favourites these days and it’s streaming now. You will get swept away with this.

Please let me know if this has tempted you to watch something older this Christmas! If you did, what did you think!?

Until next time…

Gareth

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This month’s Poppedcast was due to be sent out to you last week but then I went to see Wicked and I got too excited about that. Have you all seen it yet? You have? Great isn’t it?

I’m glad you all agree.

Now we can move on and get listening to this month’s Poppedcast! There’s a great clip here and if you have seen the documentary please do leave me a comment to tell me what you think.

There’s also a link to my YouTube at the bottom of this post if you would prefer to watch me talk rather than just listen. I bet you do, you cheeky thing.

Enjoy!

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What’s in this episode?

As usual I have some excellent clips, books and docs to talk about. More detail on each one below. The archive clip this month is lovely and it would be great to hear what you think.

Clip

The Saviour of Cinema - Aunt Laura

I don’t often use the word quintessential, but this is quintessential British archive viewing. A wonderful little story about a cinema, and the woman who ran it, Aunt Laura.

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Book

I love romcoms and I am a feminist: A manifesto in 100 romcoms by Corrina Antrobus

A perfect movie companion and book of suggestions for looking at romcoms in a new way and taking back control of what is a fantastic genre.

You can buy the book here.

During this part I also mention the shopping guide by Story Has It, and here it is if you need some filmy ideas for Christmas!

Documentary

Music by John Williams - Disney+

I urge you all to hunt down this documentary on Disney+ if you have the time over the festive period. I guarantee it will result in a new list of rewatches from Star Wars to Jurassic Park. He is one of the most accomplished artists of our time.

Thanks again for listening and reading! Please do pass this on to anyone you think may enjoy. And if you have any clips you would like to share, you can reply to this email or leave a comment!

Gareth

P.S. Here’s the video version!

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Honestly mate, I've walked in and a choir is belting Defying Gravity.

My mate Ellis - Messaging from Odeon, Leicester

It feels like nearly everyone I know is in the cinema tonight, spread across a frosty East Midlands.

I’ll grant you that I have a large cohort of musical-theatre-heavy friends. If they’re not going tonight, 79% of them will have watched Wicked by the end of the weekend, while the rest are just normal people who don’t really know what it’s like to karaoke the soundtrack three times a year1.

The cinema is packed for my screening, the previous one and the next. We’ve decided that it’s date night, so we pick the fancy seats which include a “bento box”. I went sweet (I should have gone savoury)

We’ve been waiting some time for this. I saw the stage show in 2021 and I just couldn’t imagine how they would capture that end of act one. At the time I was left awestruck, nothing could match it.

Could it?

We take our seats (ten minutes early for the trailers because..well..I don’t know why).

Lights down and a full house.

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Before I say any more I have to tell you about the woman sat next to me for this screening.

I have never. EVER. known anyone so excited for anything in my life.

Every time Ariana Grande said a word she would do that laugh that’s half laugh, half hyperventilation, like her body couldn’t hold in her excitement for every word Grande uttered.

It really put me off to start with. This film wasn’t ALL funny. The bits I was finding funny I had half a mind on finding a brown paper bag to help the poor lady out.

We’re in the throws of it. I look across at the Mrs as she happily mouths the words to every song. I look to the other side and this woman is levitating, her excitement giving her the power of flight.

I wasn’t sure about this film at first. You know when you’ve been waiting for something for so long, you put up a barrier just incase it’s no good, so that you can protect yourself from certain disappointment?

But after the first fifteen minutes I let that go.

This is something special.

Every department has come together and created something worthy of its name. The care behind the film is there for all to see, which doesn’t often come across in similar big budget movies. It’s been made to be watched time and time again for years to come.

As Defying Gravity begins I wonder where the last two and a half hours have gone.

The woman next to me is in bits.

She’s broken in to pieces and is just lying in a pile on the floor, waiting to be swept away and put in the recycling with everyone else who got too excited to see this film.2

For someone who likes a musical, this couldn’t get much better. It’s an epic in every sense of the word. I bet everyone in that cinema was glad to have been there, sharing it with their friends and family, excited to purchase the sing-along copy in a few months time.

As for us, we watch the credits to soak it all in. That end of act one was good. VERY good.

We walk back to the car, trying to avoid slipping on the icey pavement. We get in the car and reach for THE album and sing every song at the top of our voices. Wicked is an event and whether you’re into musicals or not, you’ll be enjoying it long after that final note.

Gareth

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