Screenwriter/author/contributing editor
@screendaily
INSIDER'S GUIDE TO INSIDE NO.9, BURTON ON BURTON, BEING BOND, NO TIME TO DIE, ex-
@Empiremagazine
ed
Inside No.9 (the series) finishes tonight with Plodding On. I was very fortunate to be on set for this one, including for the final day's filming — and for the final shot. It was emotional. Trust me, it's a fabulously fitting episode for this incredible show to sign off with.
I interviewed Michael Gambon on the set of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix while he was shooting Dumbledore and Voldemort's duel in the Ministry of Magic and can confirm he was an absolute hoot. As well as a gloriously good actor. RIP
Very sorry to hear of the death of the great Sir Michael Gambon aged 82, here in an interview explaining why he didn’t like being interviewed. RIP Michael.
Douglas Trumbull was a genius. And while all the obits will, rightly, point to his effects work on 2001, Blade Runner and Close Encounters, he also directed the classic Silent Running and, my favourite, the sadly underrated Brainstorm. RIP
As both a fan, and as a chronicler of the show, the last ten years of Inside No 9 have been an absolute blast. My thanks go to Reece and Steve, Adam Tandy and the countless crew who welcomed me into their world. I will forever be grateful for their kindness and hospitality.
At long last! It's publication day for No Time To Die: The Making Of The Film. I wrote this book almost two years ago, so it's a relief that it's finally released. I really hope you like it.
@TitanBooks
@007
#JamesBond
After listening to
@flanaganfilm
talk about Doctor Sleep on
@MickGarrisPM
, I decided to watch Garris' version of The Shining which, for some reason, I hadn't seen. And, you know what, one episode in, it's really rather good.
I had a blast writing this. And it was a privilege and a pleasure to collaborate with the awesome
@ReeceShearsmith
and
@SP1nightonly
who are as super talented as they are nice.
Caught some of Edward Scissorhands on TV this afternoon, which reminded me just how masterful Depp is in it. Almost a silent movie performance. And, as with Ed Wood, he wasn't even nominated.
A year ago tonight,
@ReeceShearsmith
,
@SP1nightonly
and I embarked on the Insider’s Guide tour. It was a pleasure and a privilege to share the stage with these two very fine and extraordinarily talented gentlemen.
As an antidote to the current shittiness of the world, might I suggest that, if you live in America, you visit a cinema this weekend to be swept way by the sublime The Shape Of Water. It's
@RealGDT
's favourite film of his. And mine, too.
Thanks to everyone who came to see the
#Insideno9tour
and made the last two weeks so special. And to
@ReeceShearsmith
and
@SP1nightonly
, thank you for your company, your insights, and your humour, it was a pleasure and an honour to share the stage with you.
As the UK is this month finally getting The Fabelmans, why not give my Spielberg site a little look. Essays, articles, book recommendations, and lots of other stuff besides.
One February 5, 2014, I settled down at home to watch the first episode of Inside No 9 and immediately fell in love with it. Today, almost a decade later, I was on set and watched Reece and Steve film the final scene and the final shot. It’s been quite a ride.
#RIP
Syd Mead, the concept artist & illustrator who played a pivotal role in designing the look of films like BLADE RUNNER, ALIENS, TRON, STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE, TOMORROWLAND and SHORT CIRCUIT, has died at 86. He was to be honored by the Art Directors Guild next February.
Decided that 2018 will be my year of rewatching Hitchcock. Started yesterday with Rear Window, which was even better than I remembered. And I already considered it a masterpiece.
Slightly late to the party on this but
#TheInvisbleMan
is fantastic. Tense, suspenseful, inventive. Kudos
@LWhannell
. I really like your opening titles, too. For this and Upgrade.
My favourite film. If you’ve never seen it, tomorrow is the perfect time to rectify that. And if you have, here’s another chance to bask in its warmth and glory.
Fear not, everyone! Next Saturday at 2pm, BBC Two's showing A Matter Of Life And Death, and so, for 105 minutes, everything will be right with the world.
#amatteroflifeanddeath
It is with the greatest of sadness that we have to tell you that the mainstay of a vast number of Kubrick's films, Leon Vitali, passed away peacefully last night. Our thoughts are with his family and all that new and loved him.
26 July 1948 - 20 August 2022
I've lost count of how many times I've seen Blade Runner and The Thing, their influence on me as strong today as when I first saw them, their legacy undiminished by time.
#TheThing40thAnniversary
#BladeRunner40thAnniversary
Just a reminder that
@scottfrank
's Godless hits Netflix tomorrow. And it's great. Really, really, really great. Beautifully crafted, superbly performed and, frankly, unmissable.
Sir Ridley Scott directed his first film when he was 39 and hasn't stopped since. Today he's 81. I've been lucky enough to interview him several times, seen him work his magic on set, and written a couple of books about his films. Many happy returns, guv'nor.
Rewatched
@RealGDT
’s Crimson Peak and the fact the film wasn’t nominated for cinematography, production design and costumes by the Academy is a fucking travesty.
Episode two was great. As
@flanaganfilm
pointed out yesterday, Steven Weber and Rebecca De Mornay are terrific in this, and that long fireside scene between the pair is absolutely rivetting.
Time to say goodbye to
#InsideNo9
having just wrapped series 9. This takes us to 55 episodes, a very decent innings. Mixed emotions but can’t wait to share what we’ve made.
@ReeceShearsmith
For all those bemoaning Netflix's decision to axe Archive 81, may I recommend
@jacobgentry
's paranoia thriller Broadcast Signal Intrusion which is a like weird mix of Max Headroom, Klute and The Parallax View.
Now that everyone is raving (with good reason) about The Queen’s Gambit, might I direct your attention to Scott Frank’s stellar adaptation of
@LawrenceBlock
’s A Walk Among The Tombstones which is also on
#Netflix
.
It's utterly beyond me how anyone thinks it's okay to report on potential spoilers for a major film ten months before it comes out. And I'm not singling out The Guardian here, they picked up the story from other sources, although they really should know better.
I still remember, many years ago, being at
@KermodeMovie
's, house and him saying to me: "Have you seen the subliminal scenes in The Exorcist?" Then proceeding to show me. On VHS. This masterful documentary is testament to that devotion. Do watch.
It’s here! The FULL version of my 1998 Exorcist doc THE FEAR OF GOD (made with the great
@nickfreand
) is available for the first time on
@BBCiPlayer
NOW! Interviews with ALL the major players (including Mercedes McCambridge) & much more. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Rewatched Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes for the first time in an age. Because of the acclaim heaped upon Matt Reeves' two sequels, I think Rupert Wyatt's instalment doesn't get the praise it richly deserves for rebuilding that franchise from the ground up.
What’s a critically reviled film that you think is great.
Not like, “it’s a guilty pleasure”, but a movie you’re like, “what is wrong with everyone? This is good.”
Alien was an original screenplay, so was Star Wars, so was Predator, so was Halloween, if Hollywood doesn’t make more original movies, there won’t be films to reboot/remake in ten years time.
Ten years ago I was on holiday in France when
@CartoonGravity
texted me to say Tony Scott was dead. I was devastated. I was a fan long before it was fashionable, I'd interviewed him many times and we'd struck up a nice relationship. He remains solely missed.