20 Sunday Jun 2010
Posted in Books, Film, Interviews, Websites, Writing
≈ Comments Off on Moon in the Gutter
Tags
Donna Tartt, Emily Bronte, Frida Kahlo, Jeremy Richey, Madonna, Marilyn Monroe, Moon in the Gutter, Tara Hanks
Jeremy Richey has interviewed me about my influences – books, films, movies and more – over at his wonderful ‘Moon in the Gutter’ blog. Well worth checking out for Jeremy’s insightful reviews, ten of which are published in a new book, Directory of World Cinema: American Independent.
23 Sunday May 2010
Posted in Books, Fiction, Film, Marilyn Monroe
Photo by Eric Skipsey, 1961
The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog and of his Friend Marilyn Monroe by Andrew O’Hagan – my review… Continue reading
12 Wednesday May 2010
Posted in Books, Film, Marilyn Monroe, Non-Fiction
It could be argued that Arthur Miller is now remembered as much for his four-year marriage to Marilyn Monroe as for his plays, including at least one masterpiece, Death of a Salesman. But in post-war theatre, only Tennessee Williams rivalled Miller in stature. When the outspoken, liberal playwright won the heart of America’s golden girl in 1956, many predicted this unlikely match would soon fail.
Nearly sixty years later, their marriage is the subject of a new book by Jeffrey Meyers. Continue reading
11 Sunday Apr 2010
Posted in Books, Brighton, Fiction, Film, Profumo Affair
≈ Comments Off on From Russia With Love
Artwork by Michael Gillette
‘City Reads’ is an annual event in Brighton and Hove, beginning on World Book Day in March and concluding during the Brighton Festival in May. Each year one book is chosen, to be read and discussed by the whole community over three months. Since 2005, a variety of texts from Lewis Carroll’s classic fantasy, Alice in Wonderland, to contemporary novels such as The Book Thief by Marcus Zusack have been selected.
This year’s read is From Russia With Love, the fifth of Ian Fleming’s thrillers featuring the dashing secret agent, James Bond. Continue reading
31 Wednesday Mar 2010
Posted in Brighton, Film, Marilyn Monroe
The Duke of York’s Picture House at Preston Circus, Brighton, is the oldest independent cinema in England and celebrates its centenary this month. Like many local residents, I can ring the changes in my own life by recalling my frequent visits to the Duke’s over the last 16 years. (For more on Brighton’s cinematic past, click here.)
When I first moved to Brighton in 1994, I would often attend the matinees as it was a safe and friendly place for a single girl to hang out. Among my favourite films at the time were Hal Hartley’s Amateur and Kieslowski’s Three Colours series. And one afternoon before Christmas, I saw Marilyn Monroe on the big screen for the first time, in her most celebrated film, Some Like It Hot. Continue reading
Tara Hanks 
You must be logged in to post a comment.