Tag Archives: Satire

The Truth [2000]

Posted on 18/08/2014 by alasdair101

Terry Pratchett’s “Discworld” series is a fascinating study in flexibility. Att different times in the series, the Discworld as a whole and Ankh-Morpork has been all things to all stories. In the early novels, there was a distinct sense of … Continue reading →

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The Jennifer Morgue

Posted on 01/05/2014 by alasdair101

I always say that any work that juxtaposes two radically different genres should aim to be an exemplar of both, as well as using that juxtaposition to tell us something about each of the genres that isn’t (as) available from … Continue reading →

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The Mousetrap

Posted on 16/04/2014 by alasdair101

Unusually, let me begin by promising that there will be no spoilers in this post. While I can theoretically agree with Fraser’s argument that spoilers are about permanent consideration for the emotions of others, in practical terms I do tend … Continue reading →

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Return to Cabin in the Woods

Posted on 16/12/2013 by alasdair101

My first viewing of this film was one of those great cinematic experiences, where the energy of the audience created a positive feedback loop that ramped up the enjoyment on all levels. It was an argument in favour of a … Continue reading →

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The Fantastical Past

Posted on 02/09/2013 by alasdair101

I recently read The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. I thoroughly enjoyed the dark-fantasy romp. It was complex, intriguing, and epic in scope without succumbing to splintering the narrative across an unmanageable cast. The writing was clear, distinctive, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Kraken [2010]

Posted on 07/07/2013 by alasdair101

My interaction with the genre now known as “Urban Fantasy” really began with Good Omens, but it was the Anita Blake series that was the fodder and prompt for my first serious engagements with it. Of course, no discussion of … Continue reading →

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Clue [1985]

Posted on 04/07/2013 by alasdair101

The major conceptual paradigm for mystery novels it the so-called “Fair Play Method”, where the reader must have sufficient information to solve the mystery at the same point as the detective begins his revelation. Just why this should be the … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, The Mystery-Investigation Complex | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

A stray thought on Satire

Posted on 20/03/2013 by alasdair101

The Oscars this year stirred up a bit of controversy, specifically, the gender politics of the total presentation were apparently more than a little retrograde. I didn’t actually watch them myself, but I caught some loose strands out of the … Continue reading →

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Serial Killer

Posted on 22/09/2012 by alasdair101

In my theatre-going tonight, the role of Clare was played by my friend Chloe, so my comments are without Clare’s usual additions and expansions. I saw the play at the Gryphon Theatre, which is a tiny space that I have … Continue reading →

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Paul [2011]

Posted on 03/09/2012 by alasdair101

I’ve been pretty ambivalent in my filmgoing experience. I just wasn’t sure what conclusions to draw about, say, Barbara or Rampart – flawed movies, but where I felt there were some interesting things going on if I could just… prise … Continue reading →

Posted in Film | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments