Daniel Best - Author
@danielbest.bsky.social
Author, researcher, historian, cinema, music & comic-book junkie. 5x Rondo Award nominee. My latest book, Louise Lovely: Australia's First Hollywood Movie Star, out now. My views are my own.
Substack: danielbest1967.substack.com
Substack: danielbest1967.substack.com
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Daniel Best - Author | Substack
Author, researcher and commentator, Film, comic books, music. Books include Terror Down Under: A History Of Horror Film In Australia, The World vs Todd McFarlane, Australian Gothic: The Untold Story O...
danielbest1967.substack.com
Just a little thing. If you want to support my work, then the best way to do it is to buy my books or subscribe to my Substack. These are the avenues of income for me these days, so any support is appreciated. Links to my books on my Substack. Cheers!
danielbest1967.substack.com
danielbest1967.substack.com
#AdelaideWritersFestival is now cancelled for 2026. This is incredibly sad and insanely frustrating. This should never have happened, and steps have to be put in place to ensure no outside agency or politician can influence the event ever again.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Australia news live: Adelaide writers’ week cancelled as festival board apologises to Randa Abdel-Fattah
Follow updates live
www.theguardian.com
January 13, 2026 at 3:51 AM
#AdelaideWritersFestival is now cancelled for 2026. This is incredibly sad and insanely frustrating. This should never have happened, and steps have to be put in place to ensure no outside agency or politician can influence the event ever again.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Why are people so scared of words? What terrifies some people about a group of writers talking in public? Suppression and censorship of writers has happened in the past, and it's never ended well for everyone. Now it's happening again.
Do not go quietly.
#AdelaideWritersFestival
Do not go quietly.
#AdelaideWritersFestival
January 12, 2026 at 10:44 PM
Why are people so scared of words? What terrifies some people about a group of writers talking in public? Suppression and censorship of writers has happened in the past, and it's never ended well for everyone. Now it's happening again.
Do not go quietly.
#AdelaideWritersFestival
Do not go quietly.
#AdelaideWritersFestival
Louise Adler has stood down as director of #AdelaideWritersWeek. Her reasons explain everything. I am gutted. If you applaud the demise of writer's week, you need serious help. This is an event of literature and views. What are people so afraid of?
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
I cannot be party to silencing writers, which is why I am resigning as director of Adelaide Writers’ Week | Louise Adler
Cancelling the Australian Palestinian author Randa Abdel-Fattah weakens freedom of speech and is the harbinger of a less free nation
www.theguardian.com
January 12, 2026 at 10:19 PM
Louise Adler has stood down as director of #AdelaideWritersWeek. Her reasons explain everything. I am gutted. If you applaud the demise of writer's week, you need serious help. This is an event of literature and views. What are people so afraid of?
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
You can add Henry Reynolds to this now as he’s withdrawn. There have been some who have wanted to defund the #AdelaideWritersWeek for a while now. Thanks to the actions of the Board, they’re going to get their way.
This is sadness beyond words.
This is sadness beyond words.
January 11, 2026 at 3:46 AM
You can add Henry Reynolds to this now as he’s withdrawn. There have been some who have wanted to defund the #AdelaideWritersWeek for a while now. Thanks to the actions of the Board, they’re going to get their way.
This is sadness beyond words.
This is sadness beyond words.
My own piece about #AdelaideWritersWeek. I'm not that important, so read it if you want.
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
The Perils of Non-Fiction and Censorship
Adelaide Writer's Week 2026
open.substack.com
January 11, 2026 at 2:24 AM
My own piece about #AdelaideWritersWeek. I'm not that important, so read it if you want.
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
Reposted by Daniel Best - Author
My reply to the Adelaide Festival Board's email. I'll add the text in a thread.
In no way do I believe this ill-conceived decision has come from the Adelaide Writers Week team.
Always was always will be / From the river to the sea ✊🏾
In no way do I believe this ill-conceived decision has come from the Adelaide Writers Week team.
Always was always will be / From the river to the sea ✊🏾
January 8, 2026 at 8:14 AM
My reply to the Adelaide Festival Board's email. I'll add the text in a thread.
In no way do I believe this ill-conceived decision has come from the Adelaide Writers Week team.
Always was always will be / From the river to the sea ✊🏾
In no way do I believe this ill-conceived decision has come from the Adelaide Writers Week team.
Always was always will be / From the river to the sea ✊🏾
Reposted by Daniel Best - Author
Following the decision from the Board of the Adelaide Festival, The Australia Institute is withdrawing its support from this year’s literary festival. Here is our statement, and a personal one from me.
January 8, 2026 at 5:57 AM
Following the decision from the Board of the Adelaide Festival, The Australia Institute is withdrawing its support from this year’s literary festival. Here is our statement, and a personal one from me.
Reposted by Daniel Best - Author
No Adelaide Writers Week for me. I can’t in any good conscience now appear at a festival seeking to mute a very necessary public conversation … Randa Abdel-Fattah is an important voice. Here’s something I published from her on, guess what, Palestinian marginalisation. meanjin.com.au/latest/the-g...
The Great Palestinian Silence
It seems everyone is tweeting about freedom of speech. So let me tell you a story about freedom of speech and the exceptional case of Palestine. In the days leading up to Israel’s proposed annexati…
meanjin.com.au
January 8, 2026 at 7:33 AM
No Adelaide Writers Week for me. I can’t in any good conscience now appear at a festival seeking to mute a very necessary public conversation … Randa Abdel-Fattah is an important voice. Here’s something I published from her on, guess what, Palestinian marginalisation. meanjin.com.au/latest/the-g...
Reposted by Daniel Best - Author
As a former Director of Adelaide Writers' Week I am appalled that the Adelaide Festival Board has rescinded Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah's invitation to the 2026 AWW, explicitly linking its decision to the shattering crimes in Bondi.
A shocking decision that will and should have far-reaching consequences.
A shocking decision that will and should have far-reaching consequences.
January 8, 2026 at 4:50 AM
As a former Director of Adelaide Writers' Week I am appalled that the Adelaide Festival Board has rescinded Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah's invitation to the 2026 AWW, explicitly linking its decision to the shattering crimes in Bondi.
A shocking decision that will and should have far-reaching consequences.
A shocking decision that will and should have far-reaching consequences.
This is highly disappointing. #AdelaideWritersWeek has caved in under pressure from lobbyists and are now removing people who don't fall into line with Zionists. This is not how Writer's Week should be run.
This is pure censorship from the Board. I can't see it survives now.
This is pure censorship from the Board. I can't see it survives now.
January 8, 2026 at 3:16 AM
This is highly disappointing. #AdelaideWritersWeek has caved in under pressure from lobbyists and are now removing people who don't fall into line with Zionists. This is not how Writer's Week should be run.
This is pure censorship from the Board. I can't see it survives now.
This is pure censorship from the Board. I can't see it survives now.
Looking over the preliminary list for 2026's Adelaide Writer's Week. So far everything announced is a ticketed event that will cost money. I guess the days of seeing great authors free of charge at Writer's Week is over. So sad. I'll still go, but I can't afford all of it.
#WritersWeek
#WritersWeek
November 19, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Looking over the preliminary list for 2026's Adelaide Writer's Week. So far everything announced is a ticketed event that will cost money. I guess the days of seeing great authors free of charge at Writer's Week is over. So sad. I'll still go, but I can't afford all of it.
#WritersWeek
#WritersWeek
Each week I become more and more reclusive. It’s odd really. I don’t mind it when I do see people, but I go for weeks on end without talking to anyone other than neighbours. I’m at the point where only one chum invites me for brekkie now, and that’s when he visits from Melbourne. It’s interesting.
November 12, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Each week I become more and more reclusive. It’s odd really. I don’t mind it when I do see people, but I go for weeks on end without talking to anyone other than neighbours. I’m at the point where only one chum invites me for brekkie now, and that’s when he visits from Melbourne. It’s interesting.
My uncle once told me, if you’re an arsehole in life you don’t become a saint in death.
When someone dies, their ‘good’ does not erase their ‘bad’. It all makes up the whole of a life. You don’t get to pick and choose what you want people to talk about.
Just tell the truth.
When someone dies, their ‘good’ does not erase their ‘bad’. It all makes up the whole of a life. You don’t get to pick and choose what you want people to talk about.
Just tell the truth.
November 9, 2025 at 9:48 AM
My uncle once told me, if you’re an arsehole in life you don’t become a saint in death.
When someone dies, their ‘good’ does not erase their ‘bad’. It all makes up the whole of a life. You don’t get to pick and choose what you want people to talk about.
Just tell the truth.
When someone dies, their ‘good’ does not erase their ‘bad’. It all makes up the whole of a life. You don’t get to pick and choose what you want people to talk about.
Just tell the truth.
Binned from Twitter again for daring to suggest that John Laws wasn’t the saint that people want others to believe he was. Oh well. Funny really.
November 9, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Binned from Twitter again for daring to suggest that John Laws wasn’t the saint that people want others to believe he was. Oh well. Funny really.
Never liked it. It's just an awful day for many reasons. The abuse of animals, the domestic violence, the fleecing of people. It'd be good to see this kind of crap ended for good, but that's a long way off. Until then, you won't catch me near it.
#NupToTheCup
#NupToTheCup
November 4, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Never liked it. It's just an awful day for many reasons. The abuse of animals, the domestic violence, the fleecing of people. It'd be good to see this kind of crap ended for good, but that's a long way off. Until then, you won't catch me near it.
#NupToTheCup
#NupToTheCup
In the words of the philosopher L. Kravitz, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.”
#NeilGaiman
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
#NeilGaiman
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
Pavolich v Gaiman: Case Dismissed Does Not Mean It's All Over
Technicalities...
open.substack.com
October 4, 2025 at 1:04 AM
In the words of the philosopher L. Kravitz, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.”
#NeilGaiman
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
#NeilGaiman
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
Finally updated and ‘remixed’ (whatever that means). Read all about the first true horror film to be made in Australia since 1924.
And no, it’s not Wake In Fright. Sorry, that’s not a genuine horror.
#HorrorFilms #AustralianCinema
danielbest1967.substack.com/p/the-new-wa...
And no, it’s not Wake In Fright. Sorry, that’s not a genuine horror.
#HorrorFilms #AustralianCinema
danielbest1967.substack.com/p/the-new-wa...
The New Wave of Australian Horror Films: Night Of Fear
'Strictly speaking, it's a tale of mice and men.' Australian Jewish News 20 July 1973
danielbest1967.substack.com
September 2, 2025 at 3:05 AM
Finally updated and ‘remixed’ (whatever that means). Read all about the first true horror film to be made in Australia since 1924.
And no, it’s not Wake In Fright. Sorry, that’s not a genuine horror.
#HorrorFilms #AustralianCinema
danielbest1967.substack.com/p/the-new-wa...
And no, it’s not Wake In Fright. Sorry, that’s not a genuine horror.
#HorrorFilms #AustralianCinema
danielbest1967.substack.com/p/the-new-wa...
I'm slowly learning what it means to quit a social media platform without anybody noticing or caring.
It's a bit odd, but I'm going to be winding back my presence mainly because I'm tired of the abuse and, frankly, nobody needs to hear my opinion on anything really.
It's a bit odd, but I'm going to be winding back my presence mainly because I'm tired of the abuse and, frankly, nobody needs to hear my opinion on anything really.
August 18, 2025 at 1:52 AM
I'm slowly learning what it means to quit a social media platform without anybody noticing or caring.
It's a bit odd, but I'm going to be winding back my presence mainly because I'm tired of the abuse and, frankly, nobody needs to hear my opinion on anything really.
It's a bit odd, but I'm going to be winding back my presence mainly because I'm tired of the abuse and, frankly, nobody needs to hear my opinion on anything really.
The first in a detailed series examining the long history that Australia has with Frankenstein and his monster. Part one looks at the stage and the silent film era.
#Horror #Frankenstein #Stage #SilentCinema
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
#Horror #Frankenstein #Stage #SilentCinema
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
FRANKENSTEIN IN AUSTRALIA 1832 to 1973
PART ONE: 1832 to 1910 Frankenstein from Stage to Screen
open.substack.com
August 7, 2025 at 3:28 AM
The first in a detailed series examining the long history that Australia has with Frankenstein and his monster. Part one looks at the stage and the silent film era.
#Horror #Frankenstein #Stage #SilentCinema
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
#Horror #Frankenstein #Stage #SilentCinema
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
Tasmanians!! Cracked and Spineless in Hobart now have copies of my Louise Lovely book. Get in there and grab your copy. And they're all signed - by me.
August 7, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Tasmanians!! Cracked and Spineless in Hobart now have copies of my Louise Lovely book. Get in there and grab your copy. And they're all signed - by me.
Read about the first Australian who headlined the first talkie serial Universal filmed in the United Kingdom, and his tragic end.
#Australia #History #Stage #Cinema
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
#Australia #History #Stage #Cinema
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
The Short Life and Sad Death of Universal’s First Australian Leading Man
Claude Saunders, a.k.a Jack Lloyd
open.substack.com
July 29, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Read about the first Australian who headlined the first talkie serial Universal filmed in the United Kingdom, and his tragic end.
#Australia #History #Stage #Cinema
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
#Australia #History #Stage #Cinema
open.substack.com/pub/danielbe...
This Friday, it's going to be vile weather in #Adelaide. So why not pop out to the Palace Nova and watch a classic Universal Horror - Creature From The Black Lagoon! I'll be doing a Q&A and have a couple of my books for giveaways.
Get your tickets here.
www.palacenova.com.au/films/creatu...
Get your tickets here.
www.palacenova.com.au/films/creatu...
Creature from the Black Lagoon | Palace Nova
www.palacenova.com.au
July 23, 2025 at 1:53 AM
This Friday, it's going to be vile weather in #Adelaide. So why not pop out to the Palace Nova and watch a classic Universal Horror - Creature From The Black Lagoon! I'll be doing a Q&A and have a couple of my books for giveaways.
Get your tickets here.
www.palacenova.com.au/films/creatu...
Get your tickets here.
www.palacenova.com.au/films/creatu...
My own thoughts on Ozzy. They didn't break the mould when he was born because they never had one.
#OzzyOsbourne
substack.com/profile/3453...
#OzzyOsbourne
substack.com/profile/3453...
Daniel Best (@danbest)
Growing up I wasn't a massive fan of Black Sabbath. We had the Paranoid album and it got played to death, of course. I have always admitted that I found the riffs to be a bit repetitive overall. The s...
substack.com
July 22, 2025 at 11:59 PM
My own thoughts on Ozzy. They didn't break the mould when he was born because they never had one.
#OzzyOsbourne
substack.com/profile/3453...
#OzzyOsbourne
substack.com/profile/3453...
I knew this day would come. I can write government briefings, policy, procedure, appeals and pretty much anything you care to ask for. It means nothing now. I'm not alone, I know that, but I do have to eat and savings are pretty much gone.
I'm living off small royalties.
I'm living off small royalties.
July 10, 2025 at 4:57 AM
I knew this day would come. I can write government briefings, policy, procedure, appeals and pretty much anything you care to ask for. It means nothing now. I'm not alone, I know that, but I do have to eat and savings are pretty much gone.
I'm living off small royalties.
I'm living off small royalties.