Author Archives: samiraahmed
How we made The Victorian Queens of Ancient Egypt
Have you ever wondered why ancient Egypt lives in so many museum collections across Britain? Not to mention Germany, France, the USA and other former colonial powers. Why it haunts our dreams and our films and since childhood our imaginations? … Continue reading
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Two Gentlemen Sharing: Swinging London’s “race” picture
The films of Swinging London have been pored over and cherished ever since the 1960s. Which made Saturday’s rare BFI Southbank screening for Two Gentlemen Sharing with a Q&A with director and the two leading ladies all the more intriguing. … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Film, History
Tagged 60s, culture, elitism, film, judy geeson, kitchen sink drama, London, norman rossington, robin phillips, swinging London, ted kotcheff, two gentlemen sharing
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Duran Duran and the glamour v grit music wars of the 80s
Ahead of tonightās BBC4 Duran Duran night.. There is one rather interesting section of my interview with John Taylor and Roger Taylor we couldnāt quite get into the final Front Row edit on Monday night. Ā So hereās the transcript. … Continue reading
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Tagged 1980s, 80s, culture, Duran Duran, front row, james bond, music, pop videos
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I sense a disturbance. Everything that’s missing from The Last Jedi (some SPOILERS so see it first!!)
The scroll screen could have been written for Ep VII. As if nothing has happened. First rule of sequels: Take the story on. What’s the new line? Please hire me to write proper copy in future. Leia is unconscious for … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Film, Media, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Tagged adam driver, carrie fisher, culture, daisy ridley, Disney, errol flynn, film, Hillary Clinton, Hollywood, john boyega, kylo ren, luke skywalker], princess leia, star wars, the last jedi
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What made America great? On the trail of Laura Ingalls Wilder
It was the 2008 crash that somehow inspired me to finally read the Little House on the Prairie books. I was clearly craving comfort, safety, a kind of nostalgia for a vaguely remembered 70s girlhood in which I half watched … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Children, Culture, Film, History, Politics, Radio, Travel, Uncategorized
Tagged almanzo wilder, ayn rand, BBC America, BBC Sunday Feature, dean butler, laura ingalls wilder, mansfield missouri, Radio 3, rose wilder lane, the fountainhead, USA
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Jodie Foster on why The Silence of The Lambs is a perfect film
I recently wrote about why the 1990s was such an amazing time to be a young woman. Jodie Foster confirmed the sense of a breakthrough at a screening of The Silence of The Lambs on Friday night at the BFI … Continue reading
Posted in Crime and Justice, Film
Tagged 90s, anthony hopkins, bfi, cinema, feminism, film, Hollywood, jodie foster, jonathan demme, the silence of the lambs
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Making news in the “fake news” age
These are links to further reading from today’s Kingston University journalism/media lecture. Newswatch – on the Theresa May speech/cough – to see the connection between audience, traditional BBC news and the impact of “viral” social media on traditional news. The … Continue reading
Posted in journalism, Kingston University class notes, Uncategorized
Tagged fake news, journalism, media
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The Prisoner: An Anglo Saxon poetic meditation
Was meditating on the enduring power of The Prisoner TV series for Matthew Sweet who wrote a rather excellent piece about its 50th anniversary. If you’ve read it you know IĀ came up with a thesis that it has more … Continue reading
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Tagged 60s, anglo saxon, culture, media, patrick mcgoohan, the avengers, the prisoner, tv
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Filth, fury and the funny way Britain feels about Joe Orton
You never forget your first time. I was 19 years old. I descended into a dark, cramped basement where student actors brought to life a weird, twisted sexual triangle. Going to student drama productions in odd spaces around the University … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Crime and Justice, Culture, Film, Media, Radio, Theatre, TV, Uncategorized
Tagged 60s, crime, culture, dr emma parker, elitism, film, joe orton, john lahr, kenneth halliwell, Kenneth Williams, Leicester, leonie orton, literature, London, prick up your ears, satire, sheila hancock, soft touch arts, tv
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Oh Boy! Why certain Radio 1 DJs are missing believed wiped
If you sat down to watch a night of lost pop music TV shows from the 1950s, 60s and 70s, what would you expect to find?Ā Fun, nostalgia, eye popping colour and experimentation, some great music. What I didn’t expect … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, History, Media, Music, TV, Uncategorized
Tagged 50s, 60s, 70s, BBC, culture, david hamilton, debbie harry, Hot Gossip, jack good, jimmy savile, media, music, oh boy!, pete murray, top of the pops, totp, tv
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