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Reposted by David Cottis

Dr. Benjamin Broadribb @benbroadribb.bsky.social · 20h

A fantastic Performance Reviews section in 43.1, with pieces from @terribourus.bsky.social, @davidcottis.bsky.social, @joestephenson.bsky.social, Justin B. Hopkins, Suzy Lawrence, Scott Shepherd, Katie O'Hare, @hanhbuiwrites.bsky.social, @emmakatwood.bsky.social, Olivia Soileau, and Laurie Maguire.

Shakespeare Bulletin @shaxbull.bsky.social · 20h

NEW ISSUE KLAXON: Shakespeare Bulletin 43.1 is now published! Now fully open access, this issue features a cluster of essays edited by Louise Geddes and Nora J. Williams reflecting on casting, race, community, and tragedy in productions performed on and off Broadway.

📰: muse.jhu.edu/issue/55715

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 1d

I've got a review in the current issue of Shakespeare Bulletin: muse.jhu.edu/issue/55715

Project MUSE - Shakespeare Bulletin-Volume 43, Number 1, Spring 2025

muse.jhu.edu

David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 1d

George C. Scott and Kirk Douglas acquit themselves well among a mostly British cast. Great location shooting in London and the countryside. Surprisingly affectionate towards the English aristocracy - it must be one of the last Hollywood films in which foxhunting in portrayed positively. (3/3)

David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 1d

... except it was revealed later that most of them probably don't, and Mitchum, the only one who actually shows up, has a terrible cockney accent. It's a shame, as underneath the gimmick, there's a dark little idea about the long-term effects of the war on those who fought it. (2/3)

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 1d

One of those films that probably more people have read about than actually seen: John Huston's UK-set noir with the weird gimmick that a set of US stars (Tony Curtis, Robert Mitchum, Frank Sinatra, Burt Lancaster) play cameos in heavy disguise... (1/3) www.imdb.com/title/tt0057...

The List of Adrian Messenger (1963) ⭐ 6.8 | Mystery, Thriller

1h 38m | Approved

www.imdb.com

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 2d

Two students, overheard walking past me in a corridor:

First: I'm not good at any sport.
Second: (in the tone of someone trumping an ace) Yeah, I'm no good at anything.

David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 2d

I always do the intro to I'm a Moody Guy by Shane Fenton

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 3d

@secondmentions.bsky.social 'this garish gourd'

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 3d

Pumpkin power! How this garish gourd took over the world

Whether you want a mug, tealight holder or fidget spinners, all are available with a pumpkin theme. Festivals are dedicated to the orange fruit, and there are countless recipes to try. Why are they suddenly October’s overlords?

www.theguardian.com

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 3d

Also one of the founders of the ESC - Shylock, Volpone, Prospero, and a glorious George Melly-suited Falstaff

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 4d

R.I.P. John Woodvine - an RSC stalwart when I was a teenager, during that company's imperial period; Banquo to McKellen's Macbeth, Falstaff in Merry Wives, Ralph Nickleby. Less of a film career, but he was perfect in An American Werewolf in London. The definition of an actor with authority.

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 6d

The best section has pianist Johnny B. Great, whoever he may be, doing a storming version of 'I Had a Hammer'. The US release had a completely different title and framing plot. One of the songs is credited to 'Mercy Hump', a mildly risque in-joke, later used by Anthony Newley. (2/2)

David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 6d

Not really a film, more a video show, with Sam Costa lying in bed watching mimed performances by various second division '60s singers and bands. Freddie and the Dreamers top the bill, with Freddie Garrity dressed as a court jester, which seems about right. (1/2) www.imdb.com/title/tt0060...

Just for You (1964) ⭐ 5.5 | Musical

1h 3m

www.imdb.com

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 6d

London vignette: a teenager on a Lime bike, in the classic uniform of black jeans, hoodie, and scarf, cycles round and stops in front of me. He holds up his hand for a high-five, which I give him. I hear a couple of young people behind me cheering. I think I might have just won somebody a bet.

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 6d

In the stage adaptation, this was then applied back to Lind, which may have influenced the authors of 'Barnum' to create a story about P.T. Barnum's (fictional) affair with Jenny Lind, which was then carried over into 'The Greatest Showman'. What a wonderful world. (2/2)

David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 6d

So, let's see if I've got this right... 'Hans Christian Andersen' took Andersen's (real-life) infatuation with Jenny Lind, hybridised it with 'The Red Shoes' (which is itself a hetting-up of the Diaghilev/Nijinsky relationship) to produce a story about a (fictional) ballerina. (1/2)

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 7d

That website's quite the rabbit hole, btw.

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 7d

Hmm.. interesting that they made Jenny Lind into his lost love. Presumably this is a few years before 'Barnum' did the same thing (with the difference being that in Andersen's case, it may actually have been true).

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 7d

I assume you know the story about Singin' in the Rain...

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 7d

Yeah, I remember that, and wondered how it would work - there are only eight songs, and they're mostly in the first half. I'm guessing someone had to augment the score - from what I've heard of Tommy, i doubt that he would put up with a dancer stealing half of his show.

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 7d

The great Basil Wolverton

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 7d

... marking the screen debut of the French ballerina Zizi Jeanmaire (of 'Where Do You Go To , My Lovely?' fame). The template is clearly 'The Red Shoes' - a love story structured round an Andersen story (here, 'The Little Mermaid', with Andersen as the mermaid) ending with a ballet version. (3/3)

David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 7d

Watching it now, I'm struck my a few things: the brilliance of Frank Loesser's songs, the odd darkness of the central love triangle (Andersen is more of a stalker/voyeur than a lover), and especially how dance-heavy it is - almost the entire second half is taken up with ballet routines... (2/3)

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 7d

I'm not quite sure how I got to the age i am without seeing this, especially given how present Danny Kaye was in the culture when I was growing up, but a recent reading of a biography of Moss Hart, who wrote the screenplay, inspired me to seek it out. (1/3)

www.imdb.com/title/tt0044...

Hans Christian Andersen (1952) ⭐ 6.9 | Biography, Family, Musical

1h 52m | Approved

www.imdb.com

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David Cottis @davidcottis.bsky.social · 8d

Two female students overheard in a corridor:

First: Still, people are quite nice to us.
Second: Yeah (Pause.). It's quite good being NPCs.

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Reposted by David Cottis

Anne Billson @annebillson.bsky.social · 9d

The Cardinal and the Corpse was directed by Chris Petit & features Martin (not Michael) Stone, legend, who once lent me a first edition of Fritz Leiber's Night's Black Agents, at a time when it was impossible to find (I have my own not-a-first copy now thanks to @annodracula.bsky.social)

Jonathan Calder @lordbonkers.bsky.social · 9d

This film takes us deeper into its world of disreputable book scouts.

We meet - still alive and thoroughly respectable - Michael Moorcock and Alan Moore.

Then there's David Seabrook (dead), Michael Stone (dead) and Driffield (disappeared, though see the recent court case).

The Cardinal and The Corpse: Deeper into Iain Sinclair's world

Reminiscing about a lost Stamford bookshop , I mentioned Iain Sinclair's novel White Chappell, Scarlet Tracings. This film takes us deep...

liberalengland.blogspot.com

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