Author Archives: alexfitch

About alexfitch

Co-presenter / producer of "Panel Borders", Thursdays 5pm Resonance 104.4 FM. Film reviewer for www.electricsheepmagazine.com Podcaster for www.sci-fi-london.com

Panel Borders: How Gay are comics? pt.2

Patricia JeresIn the second pilot episode of Panel Borders, Alex Fitch concludes his interview with Patricia Jeres about gay representation in comics both on the page and behind the creator’s pen, looking this week at the new Batwoman and transgender Skrulls in Young Avengers!

Patricia is an advisory board member of Prism comics – a company that promotes LGBT creators in the medium and previously worked for DC comics.
Original broadcast: 5th July ’07 on 104.4 FM (mp3 format, 14.5mb)

Links to info on some of the creators discussed in the programme:
Prism comics’ website and page on Patty Jeres
dykes to watch out for.com – Alison Bechdel’s blog
Allan Heinberg’s myspace page
Greg Rucka’s website
Brian K Vaughan’s website
Zeb Wells’ bibliography at Marvel.com
Wikipedia pages on Prism Comics, Alison Bechdel, Allan Heinberg, Greg Rucka and Brian K. Vaughan
‘Adventures of a Gay Geek’ blog about diversity in comics
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

Art house Cinema: Podcast #3

It’s finally time for this month’s Art House cinema podcast featuring reviews of films released this month at ‘Art House’ cinemas in London… Presented by Alex Fitch and Jessica Fostekew, a member of the comedy improv group The Institute, who has recently completed an acclaimed 6 week run in the reknowned News Revue and will soon be appearing at the Edinburgh festival…

Films reviewed include Water, Black Gold and Tell no one / Ne le dis a personne.

Links: You can read print versions of the reviews at backprojection.com
(mp3 format, 23mins / 32.8mb)

I’m ready for my close-up: Making a new Picture of Dorian Gray

In the second of today’s shows leading up to Pride Weekend and continuing director’s month on IR4MCU, Alex Fitch talks to British director Duncan Roy about his new movie. Following his terrific debut A.K.A., Roy returns to the topic of the social classes (albeit relocated to the New York art scene) with his adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s classic novel…
N.B. Dorian Gray is showing next at The Cambridge film festival (download a PDF of the programme – it’s on page 31) on the 12th & 14th of July…

Originally broadcast 28th June 2007 at 10.30pm (mp3 format, 28.7 mb)

Links: Official movie website
IMDb page on The Picture of Dorian Gray
Duncan’s myspace page
Interview with Duncan in Indie Wire magazine
Wikipedia list of Dorian Gray adaptations
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

I’m ready for my close-up: Alejandro Jodorowski and the art of the sublime

Continuing directors month on IR4MCU guest presenter Virginie Sélavy (Electric Sheep magazine) interviews legendary Mexican director Alejandro Jodorowski about his career focusing on his admiration of eerie sound effects, Sam Peckinpah and the ‘Conquest of Mexico’…
The show is introduced by Alex Fitch and was edited by Richard Thomas…
Originally broadcast 21st June 2007 (mp3 format, 27.1mb)

Links: Pages on Jodorowski from from Wikipedia and the IMDb…
Article on Jodorowski from The Independant
Buy Jodorowski comics from Forbidden Planet International
Electric Sheep magazine
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

I’m ready for my close-up: P – the making of a Thai Horror film

Continuing director’s month on IR4MCU, Alex Fitch interviews British director Paul Spurrier who unexpectedly followed his debut film ‘Underground’ (starring Ian Dury and Nick Frost) with ‘P’, a Thai horror film made with a local cast and crew. This interview was the first one recorded for Close-up (nearly 2 years ago – so, sorry about the sound quality) and as tonight’s episode is the 50th show Alex has done for Resonance, it seemed a nice way to celebrate the occasion…

Originally broadcast 14th June 2007 (mp3 format 28.3mb)

Links: Wikipedia page on Paul Spurrier
Official P movie website
Buy P on PAL Region 4 DVD
about.com article on Thai ghosts
frightfest website
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

I’m ready for my close-up: Nick and Marc Francis’ Black Gold

It’s the start of directors month on I’m ready for my close-up and we’re kicking off with a film that’s new and topical…
Alex Fitch interviews Nick and Marc Francis, directors of the feature length documentary Black Gold, which is released in cinemas tomorrow. Nick and Marc talk about the challenges of making the film, their desire to make their film stand out from other films in the genre and reactions from corporations and multi-nationals to their film.
Originally broadcast 10.30 pm, 7th May 2007 (mp3 format, 29.9mb)

Links: The Black Gold website
portafilter.net, a discussion group for coffee enthusiasts
Wikipedia pages on Black Gold , Fair Trade and The World Trade Organization
A glossary of Coffee terminology
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

I’m ready for my close-up: Paul Cornell – ‘Human Nature’ & the BSFA

There were 2 interviews with Paul Cornell on “I’m ready for my close-up” last week – the first conducted by Graham Sleight at the British Science Fiction Association meeting in January about Paul’s history as a writer, the 1990s Doctor Who novels and Marvel comics… The second by Alex Fitch, was recorded more recently concerns Paul adaptaing Human Nature for the small screen and also writing for the second series of ITV’s Primaeval… Plus an interview with Hugo award winning critic and writer Farah Mendlesohn about the work of the BSFA…
Originally broadcast 10.30 pm, 31th May 2007 (mp3 format, 26.7mb)

Links: Download / read the original novel online
Paul’s blog
Graham’s website
Farah’s blog
Wikipedia pages on Paul Cornell, the novel Human Nature and the BSFA
The BSFA’s website
The BBC’s Doctor Who website
Pre-order Paul’s graphic novel Wisdom from Forbidden Planet international
Download the trailer for / buy Paul’s most recent Doctor Who audio CD – Circular Time
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

Clear Spot: Benjamin Yeoh & Nakamitsu

Alex Fitch talks to playwright Benjamin Yeoh about his translation of the 14th Century Noh play Nakamitsu – currently being performed at the Gate theatre in Notting Hill – which retains traditional (and bloody) samurai drama and musical interludes but also adds a modern day Yakuza framing device set in a strip club!
Originally broadcast 5pm, 31st May 2007 (mp3 format, 13.4mb)

Links: The Gate Theatre website
Ben’s blog
Wikipedia pages on Ben and Noh theatre in general
Preview of Nakamitsu from The Guardian Guide
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

I’m ready for my close-up: The worlds of Bryan Talbot

In this episode of “I’m ready for my close-up”, Alex Fitch’s guests are Bryan Talbot & Mark Wright, creator and adaptor respectively of The Adventures of Luther Arkwright… In an interview recorded at the Bristol Comics Expo, Alex talks to Bryan about his career in comics, focusing on Luther and Alice in Sunderland and in a seperate interview, asks Mark about the challenges of converting a graphic novel to the audio medium…
Originally broadcast 24th May 2007 (mp3 format, 28.6mb)

N.B./ The competition mentioned in the show has now closed.

Links: Find details about Bryan’s Alice in Sunderland signing tour
Read a review of Alice in Sunderland in comic strip form
Wikipedia pages on The Adventures of Luther Arkwright
and Bryan Talbot
More info on Bryan’s exhibition at The Cartoon Museum which runs to the beginning of July
Buy / sample The Adventures of Luther Arkwright web comic
Buy / download the trailer for The Adventures of Luther Arkwright audio adaptation
More info on Bryan’s next project Cherubs
…which is drawn by former close-up guest Mark Stafford
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com

I’m ready for my close-up: Blake’s 7 redux

Recorded at this year’s Bristol international Comic Expo – Alex Fitch interviews the makers of the new Blake’s 7 internet radio series – writer Ben Aaronovitch, actor Owen Aaronovitch who plays ‘Gan’, sound designer / actor Alistair Lock who plays ‘Zen’ and producer Andrew Sewell. Originally broadcast 17th May, 2007 (mp3 format, 28.3mb)

Links: Listen to the new Blake’s 7 at www.blakes7.com
Wikipedia pages on Blake’s 7 and Ben Aaronovich
IMDb page on Owen Aaronovich
Outpost Gallifrey page on Alistair Lock
Interview with Andrew Sewell at www.blakes-7.co.uk
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com