Guest blog by Jamie McHale
To coincide with the release of his new book, The Good, The Bad & The Multiplex – what’s wrong with modern movies? Leading UK film critic Mark Kermode will be touring the country to give his take on the future of (big-budget) cinema.
Welcoming him back after a couple of appearances, our very own Hyde Park Picture House will be one of the stops his latest tour, a cinema which Kermode has described as; “a lovely, lovely cinema… the kind of place that you’d actually want to go to and watch a film”, an assertion I wholeheartedly agree with, being a longtime fan and frequent patron of the charming place.
You don’t have to live your life on IMDB or be a big fan of silent German expressionist film (although if you’d like a starting point, check out Metropolis) to appreciate Mark Kermode, he’s remarkably accessible and no resident of the ivory tower. His BBC video blog is one of the most interactive and interesting film commentary sources out there, with regular blockbuster as well as art-house reviews and audience participation where Kermode asks for nominations under a certain topic such as ‘high-school’ or ‘homecoming’ films. The responses are always fascinating and are sure to throw up a few titles you (and indeed Kermode) would never have thought of.
You can also find Kermode in the Observer, 5 Live & The Culture Show, to get a taste for his talk on the 3rd October you can read an introduction of sorts here. Get tickets for what’s sure to be a fascinating talk from the Picture House website or by calling the box office on 0113 275 2045 – see you there