Are you missing the opportunity to visit your library in the current virus lockdown? Try listening to this 7 minute article on what you’re missing, by Umberto Eco, writing somehow despite having his tongue firmly in his cheek. The essay “How to Organize a Public Library” is selected and read by Booktube creator Shawn DContinue reading “BOOKS: Missing Libraries?”
Tag Archives: humour
BOOK REVIEW: “William’s Crowded Hours”
This Bank Holiday weekend, I have been reading “William’s Crowded Hours” – typical of the many good-humoured, laughter-generating books about the life of young rapscallion William Brown, penned by Richmal Crompton. Richmal’s tales of her young hero have been continuously in print for about 100 years (first book 1922) – because they’re genuinely amusing. (TheContinue reading “BOOK REVIEW: “William’s Crowded Hours””
Other People’s Phone Messages
I don’t normally listen in on other people’s phones – but we’re all invited to do so in the opening title sequence for the TV series “The Rockford Files”. What a great idea for an opener – it immediately tells us so much about the main character of the downbeat Private Investigator – the humour,Continue reading “Other People’s Phone Messages”
First 10 comedy pages
If you want to write comedy for the UK market – you’ll want to hear this podcast: Sitcom Geeks. In a recent episode, (No. 126) there is great specific advice on making the first 10 pages of your script outstandingly good. Sitcom Geeks is a fortnightly podcast by James Cary (Miranda) and Dave Cohen (HorribleContinue reading “First 10 comedy pages”
Terry Gilliam
Animator, Python (Monty Python’s Flying Circus) and film-maker, Terry Gilliam, was invited earlier in the year to select favourite films. Given the run of Criterion’s DVD Closet, he excitedly chose: Yojimbo RIFIFI The complete Jaques Tati A box-set of Ingmar Bergman 8 1/2 (which he says is a great truthful insight into being a Director)Continue reading “Terry Gilliam”
An afternoon with Nora Ephron
Have you read Nora Ephron? You’ve probably seen her films: “Sleepless in Seattle”, “When Harry met Sally”, “You’ve got Mail” perhaps even her older film “Heartburn”. However, she wrote witty short journalistic pieces on life as she experienced it, about her friends, full of her love of food, sociable dinners, her kids and her thoughtsContinue reading “An afternoon with Nora Ephron”
Friday night is Health & Safety Film Night: Diction
Professor Mal Archaic: Bon soir, mesdames et monseiurs, tonight at ,& (i.e. ce soir) I present to you a safety film on the importance of Diction. For reasons which shall become clear, enunciation is of key importance. Tonight’s film was made by that great French documentary filmmaker, Jacques Tati. It concerns the importance of clearContinue reading “Friday night is Health & Safety Film Night: Diction”
Friday Night is Health & Safety Film Night: Deportment
Professor Mal Archaic (for it is he): Good evening, to thee. Etiquette is such a forgotten aspect of modern society, one finds – indeed, these days who can spell the word without an online dictionary? Fellow students of the je ne sais quoi (this is your actual French but one does not like to showContinue reading “Friday Night is Health & Safety Film Night: Deportment”
Ever seen a chicken dance?
“Hen Hop” by Norman McLaren is a joyous dance of lines on a screen with a country dancing soundtrack: fun and silliness.
Finding Inspiration: animations
Ladies and Gentlemen, (drumroll) a short appreciation of the writing and style of Chuck Jones. There are creative takeaways on humour, setting up a joke, characterisation and inspiration – “You can find it any place” says Jones.
