Jamie
@vanjpes.bsky.social
Tired enthusiast. I write weird things. Mostly here to post about old television shows, films, comedy, books, and horror.
Rambles and tangents on culture here: https://arowofopengraves.co.uk/
Rambles and tangents on culture here: https://arowofopengraves.co.uk/
Don't often pick up a magazine these days but I'll make an exception for one that includes Hollywood ghosts, Columbo, werewolves in films, Conrad Veidt, the 1958 The Fly, Anthony Newley, tv's Angels, spooky TV shows from the seventies, George Romero and Return to Oz.
November 11, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Don't often pick up a magazine these days but I'll make an exception for one that includes Hollywood ghosts, Columbo, werewolves in films, Conrad Veidt, the 1958 The Fly, Anthony Newley, tv's Angels, spooky TV shows from the seventies, George Romero and Return to Oz.
Kid Auto Races at Venice (1914, dir. Henry Lehrman) is the second filmed appearance of The Tramp but the first actually released. It's a fourth wall breaking improv of Chaplin constantly annoying a film crew trying to shoot a kid auto race. Barely there as a concept, but funny in execution.
November 10, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Kid Auto Races at Venice (1914, dir. Henry Lehrman) is the second filmed appearance of The Tramp but the first actually released. It's a fourth wall breaking improv of Chaplin constantly annoying a film crew trying to shoot a kid auto race. Barely there as a concept, but funny in execution.
Mabel's Strange Predicament (1914, dir. Mabel Normand) has her just wanting to hang out with her dog. But Charlie Chaplin's tramp (his first time in that costume) and agent of drunken chaos sets off a series of escalating misunderstandings instead. An agreeably silly farce with a dark heart.
November 10, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Mabel's Strange Predicament (1914, dir. Mabel Normand) has her just wanting to hang out with her dog. But Charlie Chaplin's tramp (his first time in that costume) and agent of drunken chaos sets off a series of escalating misunderstandings instead. An agreeably silly farce with a dark heart.
Reposted by Jamie
Mabel Normand and Charlie Chaplin brawl in MABEL'S BUSY DAY (1914). Normand directed this frenetic comedy and clearly has a ball mixing it up with the boys.
November 10, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Mabel Normand and Charlie Chaplin brawl in MABEL'S BUSY DAY (1914). Normand directed this frenetic comedy and clearly has a ball mixing it up with the boys.
Reposted by Jamie
This is an excellent read, the story of Tony Cornell and the SPR. Gutted that not crossing the picket line meant we didn’t get to do our British Library event with Ben. But this is a terrific book for anyone interested in how intelligent people might engage with the paranormal.
November 10, 2025 at 8:18 AM
This is an excellent read, the story of Tony Cornell and the SPR. Gutted that not crossing the picket line meant we didn’t get to do our British Library event with Ben. But this is a terrific book for anyone interested in how intelligent people might engage with the paranormal.
Reposted by Jamie
There's a story in ‘Intervals of Darkness’ about a couple who meet, marry, have kids, give up on having hairdos, get scarred and worn down by industrial work, and then slowly decay into oil and rust. It's QUITE PERSONAL. Do give it a read.
Between them ‘Municipal Gothic’ and ‘Intervals of Darkness’ have 27 stories full of haunted buildings, haunted people, and working class weirdness. Obviously *I* think they're great – but so do strangers who owe me nothing!
👉 www.amazon.co.uk/Municipal-Go...
👉 www.amazon.co.uk/Intervals-Da...
👉 www.amazon.co.uk/Municipal-Go...
👉 www.amazon.co.uk/Intervals-Da...
November 8, 2025 at 7:53 PM
There's a story in ‘Intervals of Darkness’ about a couple who meet, marry, have kids, give up on having hairdos, get scarred and worn down by industrial work, and then slowly decay into oil and rust. It's QUITE PERSONAL. Do give it a read.
Enjoying a scrappy copy of the Magic, Murder and Monsters: The Story of British Horror and Fantasy episode of seemingly forgotten 2007 documentary series British Film Forever, which has some great clips and talking heads. Oh, and John Landis.
November 8, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Enjoying a scrappy copy of the Magic, Murder and Monsters: The Story of British Horror and Fantasy episode of seemingly forgotten 2007 documentary series British Film Forever, which has some great clips and talking heads. Oh, and John Landis.
Reposted by Jamie
Beautiful Jill McDonald front and back covers for this 1960s primary school English textbook, filled with lovely, thoughtful invitations to imagine, play with poems and write short creative pieces
November 7, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Beautiful Jill McDonald front and back covers for this 1960s primary school English textbook, filled with lovely, thoughtful invitations to imagine, play with poems and write short creative pieces
Universal Horror (1998, dir. Kevin Brownlow) is a pretty solid, massively spoilerific history of the studio's classic horror cycle with lots of clips and background information. Talking heads include Sarah Karloff, Ray Bradbury, Gloria Stuart, Carla Laemmle, Fay Wray and a delighted James Karen.
November 7, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Universal Horror (1998, dir. Kevin Brownlow) is a pretty solid, massively spoilerific history of the studio's classic horror cycle with lots of clips and background information. Talking heads include Sarah Karloff, Ray Bradbury, Gloria Stuart, Carla Laemmle, Fay Wray and a delighted James Karen.
Nearly at the end of a run through of the 1998 Universal horror documentary (narrated by Ken Branagh) and enjoying Ulmer's daughter Arianne relating how he based Poelzig on Fritz Lang, whom he considered a sadist
In each revisit to The Black Cat (1934, dir. Edgar G. Ulmer) I love something in this wonderful film more. This time? The tear slowly trickling from Werdegast's face, his heart breaking again when Poelzig shows him his awful basement. Karloff is beautiful death in this, Lugosi raging, defiant life.
November 7, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Nearly at the end of a run through of the 1998 Universal horror documentary (narrated by Ken Branagh) and enjoying Ulmer's daughter Arianne relating how he based Poelzig on Fritz Lang, whom he considered a sadist
Reposted by Jamie
New newsletter--
“The abiding sense here is that physical reality, if we know how to approach it, will open up to reveal something deeper—a truer, more monstrous reality waiting out of sight.” On the 1925 Phantom of the Opera
www.deadofnightletter.com/mask-mind-mo... #filmsky #horror
“The abiding sense here is that physical reality, if we know how to approach it, will open up to reveal something deeper—a truer, more monstrous reality waiting out of sight.” On the 1925 Phantom of the Opera
www.deadofnightletter.com/mask-mind-mo... #filmsky #horror
November 5, 2025 at 9:06 PM
New newsletter--
“The abiding sense here is that physical reality, if we know how to approach it, will open up to reveal something deeper—a truer, more monstrous reality waiting out of sight.” On the 1925 Phantom of the Opera
www.deadofnightletter.com/mask-mind-mo... #filmsky #horror
“The abiding sense here is that physical reality, if we know how to approach it, will open up to reveal something deeper—a truer, more monstrous reality waiting out of sight.” On the 1925 Phantom of the Opera
www.deadofnightletter.com/mask-mind-mo... #filmsky #horror
Reposted by Jamie
One Step Beyond spends two episodes telling The Peter Hurkos Story, that story being newly discovered psychic powers after a fall leading him to fame, infamy and redemption as a solver of murder. It being One Step Beyond and Newland the episodes are elegant and compelling, even if it's all bollocks.
November 6, 2025 at 8:57 AM
One Step Beyond spends two episodes telling The Peter Hurkos Story, that story being newly discovered psychic powers after a fall leading him to fame, infamy and redemption as a solver of murder. It being One Step Beyond and Newland the episodes are elegant and compelling, even if it's all bollocks.
Blunder Boys (1955, dir. Jules White) marks Shemp's final exit from The Three Stooges, a Dragnet parody taking them from being soldiers to detectives-in-training and a disastrous hunt for The Eel, a 'slippery' (ouch) thief. A solid swan song for Shemp, going out with broad gags and extreme violence.
November 5, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Blunder Boys (1955, dir. Jules White) marks Shemp's final exit from The Three Stooges, a Dragnet parody taking them from being soldiers to detectives-in-training and a disastrous hunt for The Eel, a 'slippery' (ouch) thief. A solid swan song for Shemp, going out with broad gags and extreme violence.
Minor in the scheme of things, I know, but still tickled at the WHSMITH band every time I pick up this edition of History of Movie Comedy by Janice Anderson
November 5, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Minor in the scheme of things, I know, but still tickled at the WHSMITH band every time I pick up this edition of History of Movie Comedy by Janice Anderson
Reposted by Jamie
Hello Wednesday.
🖼️ Jill Barklem
🖼️ Jill Barklem
November 5, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Hello Wednesday.
🖼️ Jill Barklem
🖼️ Jill Barklem
A Dash Through the Clouds (1912, dir. Mack Sennett) is a fun Mabel Normand short in which her Martha is diverted from having the time of her life flying with real-life aviation pioneer Philip Parmelee so she can help her piece-of-shit boyfriend out of a jam when he tries it on with another woman.
November 4, 2025 at 8:10 PM
A Dash Through the Clouds (1912, dir. Mack Sennett) is a fun Mabel Normand short in which her Martha is diverted from having the time of her life flying with real-life aviation pioneer Philip Parmelee so she can help her piece-of-shit boyfriend out of a jam when he tries it on with another woman.
Reposted by Jamie
TV Tuesday - The Buster Keaton Show "The Detective Story," 1951, finds Buster in the back of the Sporting Goods store where he is studying to be a detective. Falling asleep, he dreams that he is a private investigator.
#ooldhollywood
#ooldhollywood
November 4, 2025 at 5:04 PM
TV Tuesday - The Buster Keaton Show "The Detective Story," 1951, finds Buster in the back of the Sporting Goods store where he is studying to be a detective. Falling asleep, he dreams that he is a private investigator.
#ooldhollywood
#ooldhollywood
Reposted by Jamie
On the 16th I’ll hosting a Q&A with writer Peter Harness alongside a screening of his 2005 adaptation of A View from A Hill.
Before that I’ll be introducing an ultra rare screening of Andrew Davies’ adaptation of Poe’s Imp of the Perverse starring Michael Kitchen & Lalla Ward.
Details:
Before that I’ll be introducing an ultra rare screening of Andrew Davies’ adaptation of Poe’s Imp of the Perverse starring Michael Kitchen & Lalla Ward.
Details:
A Birmingham Ghost Story + Peter Harness Q&A | Midlands Arts Centre
The BBC became well known in the 70s for producing popular anthology series Ghost Stories For Christmas, but Birmingham’s Pebble Mill had its own anthology
macbirmingham.co.uk
November 4, 2025 at 1:41 PM
On the 16th I’ll hosting a Q&A with writer Peter Harness alongside a screening of his 2005 adaptation of A View from A Hill.
Before that I’ll be introducing an ultra rare screening of Andrew Davies’ adaptation of Poe’s Imp of the Perverse starring Michael Kitchen & Lalla Ward.
Details:
Before that I’ll be introducing an ultra rare screening of Andrew Davies’ adaptation of Poe’s Imp of the Perverse starring Michael Kitchen & Lalla Ward.
Details:
Read a *terrible* essay earlier (they promised 'updated nuance' at the end after, you know, reading up on the topic) which was nicely contextualised by the rest of their posts being some okay photos and trashfire contrarianism and it really had that early 00s vibe to it. Blogging *is* back!
November 4, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Read a *terrible* essay earlier (they promised 'updated nuance' at the end after, you know, reading up on the topic) which was nicely contextualised by the rest of their posts being some okay photos and trashfire contrarianism and it really had that early 00s vibe to it. Blogging *is* back!
Reposted by Jamie
Wowsers, In A Lonely Place (Ray, 1950) is one heck of a motion picture. I hesitate to use the modern shorthand for something ultimately so much more complex and multilayered but it’s meta as absolute fuck. Insanely good script and phenomenal performances from Bogey and Gloria Grahame 🔥
November 3, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Wowsers, In A Lonely Place (Ray, 1950) is one heck of a motion picture. I hesitate to use the modern shorthand for something ultimately so much more complex and multilayered but it’s meta as absolute fuck. Insanely good script and phenomenal performances from Bogey and Gloria Grahame 🔥
Reposted by Jamie
This YouTube thumbnail from the BBC Archive looks like a lost Ghost Stories for Christmas episode...
November 4, 2025 at 12:50 PM
This YouTube thumbnail from the BBC Archive looks like a lost Ghost Stories for Christmas episode...
Reposted by Jamie
Movie Monday - Buster Keaton's ‘His Ex Marks the Spot’, 1940 is a tale of astronomical alimony & an awful ex partner is punctuated by violent slapstick.
#oldhollywood #damfino #busterkeaton
#oldhollywood #damfino #busterkeaton
November 4, 2025 at 6:19 AM
Movie Monday - Buster Keaton's ‘His Ex Marks the Spot’, 1940 is a tale of astronomical alimony & an awful ex partner is punctuated by violent slapstick.
#oldhollywood #damfino #busterkeaton
#oldhollywood #damfino #busterkeaton
Reposted by Jamie
Municipal Dreams supremo John Boughton champions 60s expanded town Thetford in the latest episode of Monstrosities Mon Amour
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
Monstrosities Mon Amour: Thetford with John Boughton
Podcast Episode · Monstrosities Mon Amour · 30/10/2025 · 28m
podcasts.apple.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Municipal Dreams supremo John Boughton champions 60s expanded town Thetford in the latest episode of Monstrosities Mon Amour
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
Reposted by Jamie
This Thursday, me & @benpester.bsky.social at Mount Florida books in Glasgow, won’t you join us please?
Glasgow loves please join me & @benpester.bsky.social at Mount Florida Books on the 6th of November to talk about the marvel that is The Expansion Project.
Everyone* is saying it’s going to be the real fireworks night
*No one is saying that. But it will be good
mountfloridabooks.com/products/the...
Everyone* is saying it’s going to be the real fireworks night
*No one is saying that. But it will be good
mountfloridabooks.com/products/the...
November 3, 2025 at 12:31 PM
This Thursday, me & @benpester.bsky.social at Mount Florida books in Glasgow, won’t you join us please?