Category Archives: Film

To go or not to go: The freakonomics of the school reunion

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

This article first appeared in The Big Issue Magazine: Journalism worth paying for. Available from street vendors across the UK or by subscription. “My generation thought we’d fix the world for free. We were LBJ (Lyndon B J cohnson) technocrats.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Business/Economics, Education, Film, journalism, Media, Radio, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Outer Limits: A fantastic voyage

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

“To God there is no zero. I still exist.” – Richard Matheson’s The Incredible Shrinking Man screenplay (1957) The summer solstice  has just passed — marking the extreme tipping point of the earth’s axis and the longest day. It was … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Film, Radio, Religion, Science, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Drag Queen Tombola and other tales of cross dressing glory

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

This column first appeared in The Big Issue magazine. I was once asked what was the best night out I ever had in London. My husband, thought I’d say it was that romantic night we went to the National Theatre … Continue reading →

Posted in Comedy, Culture, Film, Germany, Theatre, TV, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What If…? HG Wells, Arnold Bennett and your alternative future

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

It is early January in a new century and a group of  technicolored-Victorian gentlemen are awaiting the return of their friend from the future. I’ve always loved the 1960 film of HG Wells’ The Time Machine. Drawing inspiration from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Film, History, Politics, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

How RBS bankers wiped The Life of Brian rushes: Stories from Missing Believed Wiped

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Samira Ahmed

  TV archiving is, it turns out, a lot like classic archaeology. “What archaeologists want to find most is the midden – [the dump] full of waste, and ephemera which tell you the most about a society.” Chris Perry ofKaleidoscope … Continue reading →

Posted in Comedy, Culture, Film, History, Media, TV, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 66 Comments

Midnight movies to Kickstarter: John Waters & selling films

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Samira Ahmed

Trailer for Pink Flamingos (1972) (Updated December 8th 2014) These are notes for further reading based on my Kingston University film class today about John Waters’ career and its lessons for independent filmmaking. John Waters Trailer for Pink Flamingos – … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Business/Economics, Comedy, Culture, Film, Kingston University class notes, Media, Uncategorized | Tagged | 2 Comments

Dodging the censors and the draft: Extras on John Waters’ American journey

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Samira Ahmed

My special interview with director John Waters  for Radio 3  is here. And I’ve  posted some of the things that stood out that I had to leave out of the BBC Online news piece I wrote. Most of it should … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Comedy, Crime and Justice, Culture, Film, Media, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Pink Flamingos, red poppies & the fine art of causing offence

Posted on November 1, 2013 by Samira Ahmed

I have been pre-occupied with offence these past few weeks. Preparing to interview the Pope of Trash (copyright William Burroughs) ahead of his Nov 8th appearance at Liverpool’s Homotopia festival,  I have been starting each day with a John Waters film. … Continue reading →

Posted in Comedy, Culture, Film, History, Media, Politics, Radio, Theatre, War | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Battling it out with the 70s & The Lamb’s Navy Rum Girl

Posted on August 27, 2013 by Samira Ahmed

My earliest registered nightmare (circa 1971): Coming downstairs in the dark to find the TV taken over by a ghost station, broadcasting horrors for the denizens of the night. I didn’t know then of course, that one day there would … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Film, Media | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Summertime and how to reclaim your inner teen

Posted on August 10, 2013 by Samira Ahmed

The heat of a real summer does funny things to your memory. I find myself instinctively wanting to wear pastels, frosted eyeshadow, roll the sleeves up above my elbow and go to the cinema for the nth time, to see … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Film, Germany, Media, Uncategorized | Tagged | 7 Comments