Category Archives: I’m Ready for my Closeup

Reality Check: Michael Winterbottom’s Code 46

Reality Check: Michael Winterbottom’s Code 46

Michael Winterbottom directs Tim Robbins and Samantha Morton in Code 46, Photo by Peter Mountain, courtesy of United Artists.

Michael Winterbottom directs Tim Robbins & Samantha Morton in Code 46, Photo by Peter Mountain, courtesy of United Artists.

During a special Architecture foundation screening of Code 46 at the Barbican centre, Alex Fitch caught up with director Michael Winterbottom in the foyer of the cinema and discussed issues of British Science Fiction, unreliable narrators and the importance of location in Sci-Fi films. Alex and Michael also look at issues of psychogeography, breaking the fourth wall in 24 hour party people and A cock and bull story and why Spielberg’s Minority Report (which also starred Samantha Morton) was an interesting attempt to make realistic SF…
With thanks to the Barbican and the Architecture Foundation – next screening: Los Angeles plays itself on 21st Jan 2009.

For more info, please visit the home of this podcast at Sci-Fi London
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Reality Check: Michael Winterbottom's Code 46 [ 28:26 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Reality Check: Life during Wartime

Reality Check: Life during Wartime

Continuing our new series of Sci-Fi London podcasts, we have a pair of interviews about modern Science-Fiction takes on warfare which have a classical, yet prescient feel to them: Duncan Nott talks to Garth Ennis about working on the new Virgin Comics version of the classic British sci-fi comic strip Dan Dare which sees Dare called out of retirement as Britain and Earth enter new hostilities with the Mekon due to a corrupt Prime Minister running the country. Also, Tripwire Magazine editor Joel Meadows presents and takes part in a brief press conference with actor Michael Hogan about playing the long suffering character Colonel Tigh in the 21st century reimagining of Battlestar Galactica, which is about to return to our screens shortly for the second half of its final season. Recorded and edited by Alex Fitch (with thanks to the MCM Expo for their invite to the Michael Hogan junket).
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Reality Check: Life during Wartime [ 27:53 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Electric Sheep podcast: Peter Greenaway and the Raindance Film Festival

Electric Sheep podcast: Peter Greenaway and the Raindance Film Festival
(Peter Greenaway interview previously broadcast 30/10/08 on Resonance 104.4 FM as part of that evening’s “Clear Spot”)

This month’s Electric Sheep Magazine Podcast is a Raindance Film Festival special. ESM is proud to be a media partner of Raindance and this year the magazine’s editor Virginie Sélavy conducted a Q and A at one of the screenings and wrote an article on Faye Dunaway for the Festival brochure while assistant editor Alex Fitch conducted a couple of Q and As and was granted an interview with Peter Greenaway after the British premiere of his new film Nightwatching.
In this podcast you’ll hear Alex’s Q and As with director Guy Ducker about his short film Lover’s Lane and with the filmmakers – David Boaretto and Charles-Henri Belleville – and members of the cast – including Nhamo Shire, Mike Martin and Pierre Henry-Fontaine – of the new British Basketball film Midnight Madness. Alex also talks to Mr Greenaway about the crossover between filmmaking and fine art and the master painter Rembrant’s position as a pioneer of both.
For more info, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org

Links: Wikipedia pages on Rembrant, Peter Greenaway and The Raindance Film Festival
Websites: www.raindance.co.uk, www.petergreenaway.info, www.guyducker.com, www.midnight-madness.com

In association with: Electric Sheep Magazine logo

Electric Sheep podcast: Peter Greenaway and the Raindance Film Festival [ 46:27 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I’m ready for my close-up: OSS-117, Licence to kill

I’m ready for my close-up – OSS-117, Licence to kill
originally broadcast 06/11/08 on Resonance FM

Massively popular in France but fairly unknown in the UK are the adventures of OSS-117, a cold war secret agent who has appeared in 40 books over the last half century and half a dozen movies. With a new (spoof) version of the Gallic James Bond about to hit our screens, Alex Fitch talks to the director – Michel Hazanavicius – and Bonisseur girl – Bérénice Bejo – of Cairo: Nest of Spies / Le Caire nid d’espions. Although his code number and name seem strangely familiar, apparently 117 predates 007…

The home of this audio podcast which includes a variety of formats to download or stream can be found at www.archive.org…

Links: Wikipedia pages on the literary life of OSS-117 and Cairo: Nest of Spies
IMDb page on Cairo: Nest of Spies / Official movie website
Buy tickets to see Cairo: Nest of Spiesat the ICA

I'm ready for my close-up: OSS-117, Licence to kill [ 28:54 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I’m ready for my close-up: Silent horror and cinematic opera

I’m ready for my close-up – Silent horror and cinematic opera
to be broadcast on 30/10/08 as part of the 8pm Clear Spot on Resonance FM

A special podcast episode of I’m ready for my close-up: Alex Fitch talks to Robert Rider, cinema programmer at the Barbican centre in London about their season of silent horror films which includes such films as Der Golem and The Man who laughs with scores that range from classic piano accompaniment to DJ mixing. Alex and Richard also talk about the centre’s presentations of New York Met. operas such as “Doctor Atomic” and Robert Lapage’s production of “The Damnation of Faust”.

The home of the audio podcast can be found at www.archive.org…

Links: Info on screenings of Barbican screenings of silent horror films and New York Met. operas
Listen to Alex’s previous interview with Robert Rider and previous podcasts on silent movies

I'm ready for my close-up: Silent horror and cinematic opera [ 31:54 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Electric Sheep podcast: Cutting Edge Animation

Electric Sheep podcast: Cutting Edge Animation
(Charles Burns interview originally broadcast 25/09/08 on Resonance 104.4 FM as an episode of “Strip!”)

Following on from last month’s look at Osamu Tezuka’s classic animé, the Electric Sheep Podcast is exploring more experimental animation from 1970s surrealism to the very latest French comic strip inspired cartoons.
Tom (How to date a girl in ten days) Humberstone and Alex Fitch chat about the early films of David Lynch which mixed animation and live action to beguiling effect and how Lynch may have been influenced by his peers such as Terry Gilliam and Jan Å vankmajer. Also: Virginie Sélavy talks to Charles Burns about his contribution to the French portmanteau film Fear(s) of the dark and about his acclaimed graphic novel “Black Hole”…

For more info, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org

Links: Wikipedia pages on David Lynch, Charles Burns and Fear(s) of the dark
Tom’s website

In association with: Electric Sheep Magazine logo

Electric Sheep podcast: Cutting Edge Animation [ 1:01:03 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Electric Sheep podcast: The animé of Osamu Tezuka

Electric Sheep podcast: The animé of Osamu Tezuka

An episode of The Electric Sheep Magazine Podcast – Alex Fitch talks to animé expert Helen McCarthy in front of an audience of manga fans at Streatham Library about the work of manga and anime pioneer Osamu Tezuka who is the subject of a season now on at The Barbican. Alex and Helen talk about Tezuka’s career in animé from early experimental shorts to the big budget adaptation of his classic manga comic Metropolis. Also comedienne and actress Jessica Fostekew reviews the cinema release of Eden Lake and the DVD release of Annie Leibovitz – Life Through a Lens…

For more info, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org
Listen to the other half of Helen and Alex’s chat about Tezuka, focussing on the artist’s manga work…
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I’m ready for my close-up: Malcolm McDowell and Lindsay Anderson (audio version)

I’m ready for my close-up – Malcolm McDowell & Lindsay Anderson
partially broadcast on 14/11/07 on Resonance FM

Alex Fitch interviews Malcolm McDowell and Mike Kaplan

Alex Fitch interviews Malcolm McDowell and Mike Kaplan

Alex Fitch interviews star Malcolm McDowell and director Mike Kaplan about their film Never Apologise – a personal visit with Lindsay Anderson. Never Apologize (sic) is currently showing at the Curzon Soho cinema in London and will shortly tour the UK – more details at vervepics.com
The home of the audio podcast can be found here at www.archive.org and there is also a video podcast available for download or streaming and this will be shortly available on our youtube ‘channel’ as well…
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I'm ready for my close-up: Malcolm McDowell and Lyndsay Anderson [ 29:27 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Electric Sheep podcast: (Re)visiting Dark City

Electric Sheep podcast: (Re)visiting Dark City

Dark City montage by Tom Humberstone / Vented Spleen
(Illustration by Tom Humberstone / Vented Spleen)

An episode of The Electric Sheep Magazine Podcast – Alex Fitch talks to Eagle Award winning comic book artist Tom Humberstone about Dark City – the underrated 1998 sci-fi film noir which has been recently rereleased in an extended director’s cut.

For more info, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org

Links: Read a print extract at Electric Sheep Magazine
Tom’s website ventedspleen.com
Official Dark City website

In association with: Electric Sheep Magazine logo

Reality Check: The Truth is (still) out there

Reality Check: The Truth is (still) out there
(partially broadcast as an episode of I’m ready for my close-up , 31/07/08 & 01/08/08 on Resonance 104.4 FM)

Alex Fitch talks to the creators of two new science-fiction dramas that deal with issues of body augmentation, morality, religion and new technology.

First we have an interview with writer / director Chris Carter and producer Frank Spotnitz about their new film The X-Files: I want to believe, which reunites iconic 90s TV characters Mulder and Scully on the big screen. The interview was recorded by Oli Smith.

We also have an interview with Rachel Welch, the writer of the new play Involution, which is set in the near future and deals with human rights and themes of identity in a world where genome mapping dictates people’s lifestyles as well as featuring shadowy government agents and robot pleasure companions.
Involution is on at Involution is on at The Pleasance Theatre in Edinburgh every day at noon from 31/07/08 to 25/08/08…

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