John Hodson
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mgcroadster.bsky.social
John Hodson
@mgcroadster.bsky.social
Journalist since '73, now retired, film geek for longer. Rejoiner, lefty, love films of all eras. Recovering Man Utd. fan of six decades. Uses admiration of John Ford as a Rorschach test. No followers without a profile - sorry!
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If you can, please support this; from his early teenage years, our late son James did what he could to support Manchester's homeless, whether it was a gift, food, or simply a kind word. It's a charity that means a lot to us & we give every year...
Done all your Christmas shopping but still have that one person left to buy for?
Gift a Bed! 🎁

For £32, you can provide a night of much needed rest for someone who would otherwise have nowhere safe to sleep.

Save the stress and gift a bed today.

www.gmmayorscharity.org.uk/gift/p/gift-...
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This is a wonderful, useful thread, not least because it begins with Orson Welles’s greatest performance i.e. as himself, interviewed by Alan Yentob for Arena. The ultimate comfort watch IMIO.
February 15, 2026 at 6:33 PM
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Public Service Announcement. 🙏🙏🙏
February 15, 2026 at 7:13 PM
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HBD Claire Bloom!!
MCCT5: 5)Limelight (Chaplin) 4)Look Back in Anger (Richardson) 3)Crimes & Misdemeanors (Allen) 2)The Man Between (Reed) 1)The Spy Who Came in from Cold (Ritt)
More:
Michael Billington: www.theguardian.com/stage/2021/f...
Alex Ramon: www.bfi.org.uk/interviews/c...
February 15, 2026 at 10:18 PM
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This is such a brilliant and withering dismantling of ‘Wuthering Heights’ and the entire Fennell schtick open.substack.com/pub/heatherp...
this is not an essay about Emerald Fennell's "Wuthering Heights"
why can't we cope with ambiguity these days?
open.substack.com
February 15, 2026 at 9:51 PM
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An otter on the first day of this small adventure along the Leeds and Liverpool canal. @iwa-uk.bsky.social

Up by Salt Mill, Saltaire with quite a little crowd watching.

My third otter encounter along the #UKCanals. My heart sings.
February 15, 2026 at 1:44 PM
Watching the new Winter Olympic disciplines...
February 15, 2026 at 10:04 PM
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1/2. Love the fragile beauty and mystery of these single 35mm frames from unidentified early films.
February 15, 2026 at 9:53 PM
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The opening of Michael Curtiz's Captain Blood has this extraordinary galloping horse scene. I assume the horse is running on a belt, with rear projection of a model effect in the background. This is only about 60 years since Eadweard Muybridge's famous photo of a running horse.

I find this amazing
February 15, 2026 at 1:51 PM
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HEY come hear us debate the merits of Del Toro's Frankenstein! Had such a great time hanging out with the thoughtful and hilarious ITF crew for this one
Guillermo Del Toro's adaptation of Frankenstein has sharply divided fans of Mary Shelley's classic, but does it divide this podcast? Author @rachaelkjones.bsky.social joins the show again to help us discuss a reanimated classic!
📺 bit.ly/3Onq4a7
🎙️ bit.ly/3OiOVfi
February 15, 2026 at 6:52 PM
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Here's the answers for this week:
1. SHAFT (1971) Isaac Hayes
2. IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (1967) Quincy Jones
3. ANATOMY OF A MURDER (1959) Duke Ellington
4. BLACKKKLANSMAN (2018) Terence Blanchard
5. GREEN BOOK (2018) Kris Bowers
Theme: Film scores by Black composers
#blackhistorymonth #filmsky
Time to play "What's the Score?"
Using your ears and the years, guess the titles of the 5 movies and the composer for each. Then, guess the common connection between all the films. (hint: it's NOT a Valentine's Day theme!)
(rules in the reply) #filmsky #moviesky #musicsky #games #fun #quiz
1/2
"What's the Score?" February 14, 2026
How to play: Listen to the 5 music clips in the video. Your job is to guess the title of each movie the music is from, and the name of the composer for each one. You…
vimeo.com
February 15, 2026 at 7:29 PM
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This is the Gov looking for your input on the BBC. It takes a while to complete (15/20 mins) but it’s pretty comprehensive and covers most aspects.

Please share. I’m surprised many people haven’t seen it yet.

www.gov.uk/government/c...
Britain’s Story: The Next Chapter - BBC Royal Charter Review, Green Paper and public consultation
www.gov.uk
February 15, 2026 at 6:19 PM
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“Buy these books. I command you.”
February 15, 2026 at 9:30 PM
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Tonight on YouTube, THE PRISONER (1955), starring Alec Guinness & Jack Hawkins.

youtu.be/rpvVVVDoWGs
The Prisoner (ft. Alec Guinness) | 1955 Full Movie | StreamCore
YouTube video by StreamCore
youtu.be
February 15, 2026 at 8:27 PM
Ah, just look at those colours... #4KUHD
caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=192...
Ben Hur • US Ultra HD Blu-ray vs. UK Ultimate Collector's Edition Blu-ray
caps-a-holic.com
February 15, 2026 at 8:10 PM
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Here's a little thread collating Orson Welles material currently available on BBCiPlayer - Arena, The Orson Welles Story: Episode 1: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00plc51 (available for seven months)
Arena - The Orson Welles Story: Episode 1
Profile of Orson Welles, looking at his life and career in theatre, radio and particularly film. This part deals with his work up to Touch of Evil.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 15, 2026 at 6:24 PM
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Goodness me! What an utterly sensual delight and the best combination of high romance and haute cuisine since THE AGE OF INNOCENCE - to the iPlayer for Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel in THE TASTE OF THINGS... #FilmSky www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002rlpp
The Taste of Things
French romance set in 1889, focusing on the enduring bond between gourmet chef Dodin and his cook of 20 years, Eugénie. Dodin resolves to woo Eugénie by cooking for her.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 14, 2026 at 11:56 PM
From Wellesnet: "British television archivist and historian Ray Langstone alerted us to an upgraded version of the 1953 Omnibus television production of King Lear on YouTube..." #OrsonWelles
wellesnet.com/remastered-k...
Watch remastered 'King Lear' starring Orson Welles
The remastered "King Lear" is on YouTube
wellesnet.com
February 15, 2026 at 5:57 PM
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Today marks 50 years since the release of The Killing of a Chinese Bookie.

Our deep dive into this raw, hypnotic masterpiece is the perfect anniversary read.

⬇️⬇️⬇️

cinephiliabeyond.org/killing-of-a...
‘The Killing of a Chinese Bookie’: Turning Entertainment into Personal Statement—Revisiting a Masterpiece on Its 50th Anniversary • Cinephilia & Beyond
By Sven Mikulec We did 'The Killing of a Chinese Bookie' just as an effort to get out of the distribution business. We started writing it two weeks before we started shooting. Years ago, Martin Scorse...
cinephiliabeyond.org
February 15, 2026 at 5:03 PM
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Film-wise: at 6.45pm, Godzilla vs Kong on ITV2 or Twins on Great TV. At 6.50pm, The Left Handed Gun on 5Action. At 9pm, Cape Fear on Legend or Midnight Run on Great TV. At 10.30pm, Beetlejuice on BBC2. At 11.55pm, Crimes of the Future on BBC2 or Queer on BBC3. At 12am, American Woman on C4 #telly
February 15, 2026 at 5:34 PM
Drop some EXPLOSIONS 💥💣🖤🧨🌋
February 15, 2026 at 4:59 PM
Drop some EXPLOSIONS 💥💣🖤🧨🌋
February 15, 2026 at 4:47 PM