Read an interview with Deborah Allison, author of The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema. This book introduces the exhilarating oeuvre of one of the world’s great masters of fairy-tale cinema to Western audiences. 👉https://ow.ly/8Hoj50ZnEJw Dr Deborah Allison

It’s the centenary of somewhat overlooked British director, writer and actor Bryan Forbes. BFI National Archive curator Dr. Jo Botting is organising a season of his work in September and has written this excellent piece for the BFI’s website.

Bryan Forbes at 100: remembering the Whistle down the Wind and The Stepford Wives director on his centenary

From 1960s British classics such as Whistle down the Wind and Seance on a Wet Afternoon to big-budget Hollywood productions, the genre-hopping films of British director Bryan Forbes often reflected hi...

bfi.org.uk

The delicious results of today’s impromptu blackberry foraging session.

In the rather funky environs of the Club Room at Picturehouse Finsbury Park to see @deborahuk.bsky.social introduce Soviet fairy tale Vasilisa the Beautiful. Here lie the origins of so much 80s fantasy cinema! Looking forward to getting Deborah's book.

This Thursday, 16 July, I’ll be introducing Aleksandr Rou’s wonderful Soviet fantasy film VASILISA THE BEAUTIFUL (1939) at Finsbury Park Picturehouse in London. Further info and tickets here: picturehouses.com/Vasilisa

A great evening at the BFI with Deborah Allison discussing her new book, The Films of Aleksandr Rou. Thank you to everyone who joined us for a fascinating conversation about one of Russian cinema's most visionary filmmakers. 🎬📚

More BFI object of the week stuff, and this time it's got that Ealing feeling www.bfi.org.uk/inside-the-a...

The back room from Dead of Night: the production design for a dusty hiding place

In a section of Ealing’s classic anthology horror Dead of Night, children hide in an empty room that’s become a dumping ground for obsolete household items. The original production design sketched out...

bfi.org.uk

Fancy the rare chance to watch a classic of Soviet fantasy cinema on the big screen? Join me at Finsbury Park Picturehouse on 16 July when I’ll be introducing director Aleksandr Rou’s rather wonderful VASILISA THE BEAUTIFUL (1939). picturehouses.com/Vasilisa

𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆 @vicpratt.bsky.social‘s excellent commentary for the little-seen psychological drama Eclipse (1977), available on the @BFI Blu-ray 🎧

New book review! Find out more about the book 👉https://www.intellectbooks.com/the-films-of-aleksandr-rou

On this episode, James Campbell is joined by Deborah Allison, author of The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema. They discuss Rou's life, filmmaking style, fairy-tale adaptations and lasting impact on Soviet cinema. Watch 👉https://youtu.be/aysnlid-LNM

There's a lovely review of Children's Film Foundation Bumper Box Volume 6 by the marvellous Bob Fischer @bobfischer.bsky.social in the latest Fortean Times...

Please join me next Monday, 15 June, when I’ll be on the other side of this lovely Storyteller window at the BFI Reuben Library to talk about my latest book: ‘The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema’. More info here: tinyurl.com/43atz6ce @intellectbooks.bsky.social

Today’s postal delivery. I wrote about the opening title sequences of Universal horror movies in the 1930s and 1940s for the new issue of The Age of Thrills. #titledesign

In this illustrated presentation, Dr Deborah Allison introduces the work of one of the world’s great masters of fairy-tale cinema. Buy tickets here 👉https://ow.ly/a1cw50YY5sS Dr Deborah Allison

'Short, sweet, high on kid-based comedy hi-jinks and straightforward adventure; low on boring grown-ups' ★★★★★ CHILDREN'S FILM FOUNDATION Volume 6 - Life-enhancing vintage entertainment, for children of all ages, now on #BFI DVD - review @grahamrickson.bsky.social www.theartsdesk.com/film/dvd-chi...

Precarious scholar? Grad student? Are you thinking of submitting to #SCMS27 but have no institutional support for membership? Apply for a 2026-27 SCMS membership fee waiver from the PLO! Deadline: July 27! buff.ly/RCFLdff

Ahead of my book talk at the BFI Reuben Library on 15 June, I wrote this piece for the BFI website: Where to begin with Aleksandr Rou. www.bfi.org.uk/features/where-begin-with-aleksandr-rou

A record-breaking 35 degrees in London today. How I long for Jack Frost to touch me with his icy wand. Aleksandr Khvylia in MOROZKO (aka Jack Frost; dir. Aleksandr Rou, USSR, 1964).

Fancy the rare chance to watch a classic of Soviet fantasy cinema on the big screen? Join me at Finsbury Park Picturehouse on 16 July when I’ll be introducing director Aleksandr Rou’s rather wonderful VASILISA THE BEAUTIFUL (1939). picturehouses.com/Vasilisa

I did some writing! It was fun to revisit ‘Invaders from Mars’ (1953) for the BFI’S upcoming extras-stacked 4K UHD Blu-ray release – out tomorrow.

Join me on Monday 15 June at BFI Southbank in London, where I’ll be talking about my book, ‘The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema’, at the wonderful BFI Reuben Library. Tickets available now.

Have you heard the GOON POD podcast? All things Sellers, Milligan,Secombe, et al. I had a fine time chatting to host Tyler Adams about the Sellers-directed MR TOPAZE - a much underated film & one of my favourite BFI Flipside releases. Check it out: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...

Mr Topaze (1961)

Podcast Episode · Goon Pod · 6 May · 1hr 15min

podcasts.apple.com

Discover the Soviet fantasy cinema of Aleksandr Rou and take a walk on the wild side with ‘Barbara the Fair with the Silken Hair’: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkZH6cyBrB4. Read more about it in my new book, ‘The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema’: ow.ly/MbXT50YJNJs

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We Can Make an Impact.

Keep the Hammer House Sign at the Hammer House of Horror on Wardour Street

c.org

Delighted to have been given the opportunity to contribute to this splendid new 4K UHD release of Saul Bass’s PHASE IV, released by 88 Films this week. It’s a film I like a lot. Review by @nicksetchfield.bsky.social for SFX Magazine.

🧵 We tend to think the internet is permanent, but VANISHING CULTURE—the new 📚 from Internet Archive—starts with a simple reality: our digital record is far more fragile than we think 🕳️ 📖 Read for free: archive.org/details/vani... 🛒 Purchase in print: www.betterworldbooks.com/product/deta... ⬇️

Today in 1914 director William Castle was born.

The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema by Deborah Allison is out in paperback now! This book introduces the exhilarating oeuvre of one of the world’s great masters of fairy-tale cinema to Western audiences. Find out more here 👉https://ow.ly/MbXT50YJNJs