Category Archives: Film

Shylock: A Traveller in Time

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Samira Ahmed

The film producer Davina Belling once said of Jonathan Pryce that she always uses him as a lesson for actors “not to count their lines when they’re offered a role. He had 20 lines in the whole film [Breaking Glass] … Continue reading →

Posted in Comedy, Culture, Film, History, Media, Theatre, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Desert worlds: JG Ballard, Lawrence of Arabia, Dune & the story of Ishmael

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Samira Ahmed

My latest Something Understood for Radio 4 on Sunday April 19th was conceived as a sequel  to The White North Has Thy Bones, about our fascination with the Arctic and the North West Passage. Together with producer Natalie Steed we … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Film, Music, Radio, Religion, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

Serial killer stories: From Burke and Hare to Tales Of The Grim Sleeper

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Samira Ahmed

It was late, I was tired and I needed cheering up and I found this great comedy on TV that I’d never seen before which did just the job. Burke and Hare, directed by John Landis in 2010 and starring … Continue reading →

Posted in Comedy, Crime and Justice, Film, History, journalism, Media, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sixty years on: Has Cinderella on film got trapped in The Valley of the Dolls?

Posted on March 14, 2015 by Samira Ahmed

I rather enjoyed the new live action Disney Cinderella. We’re reviewing it on Front Row on Monday Mar 23rd. But the issues raised here still stand. Imagine Cinderella as a anti social tomboy with cropped black hair who acts well, just … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Culture, Film, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Frozen? That’s not feminism

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Samira Ahmed

My daughter finally got me to watch Frozen recently. I think she’s sorry she did. Though I sense 13 year old girls are watching it with a sense of irony and a  kind of knowing detachment in the way my … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Film, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

While the flame is strong: Pop and politics (Kingston Uni class notes)

Posted on March 1, 2015 by Samira Ahmed

This a list of suggested reading and films to follow on from my lecture for  Dr Rupa Huq’s 2nd year sociology module on Monday March 2nd 2015 11am. The title of course comes from The Young Ones (1961). It’s open … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Film, Kingston University class notes, Music, Politics, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Body swap Muslims & playing “The Jew”

Posted on November 28, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

Had a great discussion with David Baddiel and David Schneider on Front Row this week about why Britain was hosting its first Jewish comedy festival. It  made me revisit  this 2009 news film I made on location at the shoot … Continue reading →

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Interstellar’s Heart of Darkness & the Dust Bowl

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

I like to go to the cinema to escape the gloom of a Sunday evening and what better escape than Interstellar? An epic journey to other worlds. It begins in a rural America devastated by environmental disaster. Real survivors of … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Film, History, Media, Politics, Religion, Science, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A brief encounter with Richard Attenborough & his best friend Bryan Forbes

Posted on August 25, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

When the British Film Institute ran a Richard Attenborough retrospective back in the early 2000s, Sir Richard came to introduce every screening. The gesture seemed to capture his enthusiasm, modesty, kindness and warmth for cinema and audiences. At the screening … Continue reading →

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A Smashing Time: Murray Melvin on busting taboos in the 60s

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

 This is one of the most read pieces on my website but the link had stopped working so I’ve re-posted it here. The interview is still available to listen on the iplayer One to One link just below. For the … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Film, Media, Radio, Theatre, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments