Michael Brooke
@marbleicehook.bsky.social
Freelance writer, editor and DVD/Blu-ray producer/commentator specialising in British and central/eastern European cinema. Indexes to my regular posts celebrating the latter (9am daily, 9pm most days) can be found at http://www.michaelbrooke.com/bluesky
When he called Paul Krugman "a deranged BUM" [sic], Krugman promptly and proudly added this to his Substack biography.
November 11, 2025 at 9:08 PM
When he called Paul Krugman "a deranged BUM" [sic], Krugman promptly and proudly added this to his Substack biography.
A decade before he was elevated to the House of Lords, and I'm genuinely not making that up. Apparently his attendance record was pretty decent, as he was fascinated by the process, but when Tony Blair got rid of most of the hereditary peers in the late 90s he wasn't at all surprised to be let go.
November 11, 2025 at 9:04 PM
A decade before he was elevated to the House of Lords, and I'm genuinely not making that up. Apparently his attendance record was pretty decent, as he was fascinated by the process, but when Tony Blair got rid of most of the hereditary peers in the late 90s he wasn't at all surprised to be let go.
See also Poland. It’s hard to believe that prior to 1993 it was the go-to abortion destination for women from nearby countries like Sweden - and more than one Krzysztof Kieślowski film casually refers to abortion in a way that I don’t think I’ve seen in a 21st-century Polish film (and I’d notice).
November 10, 2025 at 5:40 PM
See also Poland. It’s hard to believe that prior to 1993 it was the go-to abortion destination for women from nearby countries like Sweden - and more than one Krzysztof Kieślowski film casually refers to abortion in a way that I don’t think I’ve seen in a 21st-century Polish film (and I’d notice).
You've just answered your own question!
November 10, 2025 at 3:49 PM
You've just answered your own question!
And, as a general rule, the more outspokenly, frothingly and, frankly, performatively homophobic they are, the more likely they are to have a well-used Grindr account.
November 10, 2025 at 3:41 PM
And, as a general rule, the more outspokenly, frothingly and, frankly, performatively homophobic they are, the more likely they are to have a well-used Grindr account.
In most other countries, Trump wouldn't have been on the ballot*, and the fact that he was is a shocking indictment of the failure of America's once-vaunted checks and balances.
(*and in quite a few others, he'd have been jailed, as Brazil has just reminded us by turning down Bolsonaro's appeal.)
(*and in quite a few others, he'd have been jailed, as Brazil has just reminded us by turning down Bolsonaro's appeal.)
November 10, 2025 at 1:30 PM
In most other countries, Trump wouldn't have been on the ballot*, and the fact that he was is a shocking indictment of the failure of America's once-vaunted checks and balances.
(*and in quite a few others, he'd have been jailed, as Brazil has just reminded us by turning down Bolsonaro's appeal.)
(*and in quite a few others, he'd have been jailed, as Brazil has just reminded us by turning down Bolsonaro's appeal.)
I worked on the Indicator Blu-ray of The Taming of the Shrew a few months ago, and there were a ton of juicy Burton/Taylor stories in the commentary—and impressively on-topic ones, although I daresay that wasn't especially difficult when it came to this particular film.
November 10, 2025 at 1:21 PM
I worked on the Indicator Blu-ray of The Taming of the Shrew a few months ago, and there were a ton of juicy Burton/Taylor stories in the commentary—and impressively on-topic ones, although I daresay that wasn't especially difficult when it came to this particular film.
Sold!
And indeed bought! (just now)
And indeed bought! (just now)
November 10, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Sold!
And indeed bought! (just now)
And indeed bought! (just now)
Well, with Nosferatu they famously didn't bother to clear the rights when Dracula was still very much in copyright!
November 10, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Well, with Nosferatu they famously didn't bother to clear the rights when Dracula was still very much in copyright!
Private Eye once did a cruel but very funny piece comparing journalists' official byline photos with how they look from less meticulously calculated angles. This was particularly entertaining if the journalists in question had a habit of dunking on other people's looks.
November 10, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Private Eye once did a cruel but very funny piece comparing journalists' official byline photos with how they look from less meticulously calculated angles. This was particularly entertaining if the journalists in question had a habit of dunking on other people's looks.
Although whether there'd have been quite as many adaptations of his work is an open question, as their creators would all have to stump up no doubt hefty copyright fees.
November 10, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Although whether there'd have been quite as many adaptations of his work is an open question, as their creators would all have to stump up no doubt hefty copyright fees.
I see it also features Orson Welles as Winston Churchill, doubtless ensnared for precisely the same reason.
November 10, 2025 at 12:45 PM
I see it also features Orson Welles as Winston Churchill, doubtless ensnared for precisely the same reason.
In fact, I don't imagine he thought twice about it; given the film's then-gargantuan budget (it was essentially backed by the Yugoslav state), I imagine his fee was very substantial indeed.
November 10, 2025 at 12:43 PM
In fact, I don't imagine he thought twice about it; given the film's then-gargantuan budget (it was essentially backed by the Yugoslav state), I imagine his fee was very substantial indeed.
I love the fact that Yugoslav dictator Jozip Broz Tito personally picked Richard Burton as the ideal actor to star in a big-screen big-budget Tito hagiography—and that Burton said yes!
Battle of Sutjeska (film) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 10, 2025 at 12:42 PM
I love the fact that Yugoslav dictator Jozip Broz Tito personally picked Richard Burton as the ideal actor to star in a big-screen big-budget Tito hagiography—and that Burton said yes!
Brighton took a direct hit! I remember it vividly as I was living there.
November 9, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Brighton took a direct hit! I remember it vividly as I was living there.
I remember arranging a screening of The Shining (which I just happened to have on video) when the Sussex University campus was temporarily snowbound circa 1987.
November 9, 2025 at 2:11 PM
I remember arranging a screening of The Shining (which I just happened to have on video) when the Sussex University campus was temporarily snowbound circa 1987.
We took a gazillion photos of the puppy that we acquired round about Easter 2013, precisely none of which feature him romping around in the snow, because there was never any snow for him to romp around in. I think he briefly encountered his first snowflake circa 2016.
November 9, 2025 at 1:21 PM
We took a gazillion photos of the puppy that we acquired round about Easter 2013, precisely none of which feature him romping around in the snow, because there was never any snow for him to romp around in. I think he briefly encountered his first snowflake circa 2016.
Happily, they're still on the Express website, although the comments sadly seem to have vanished. ("Great news - I'll bulk-buy some sun cream.")
100 DAYS OF HEAVY SNOW: Britain now facing worst winter in SIXTY YEARS
LONG-RANGE weather forecasters have warned that Britain should prepare for heavy and persistent snow for up to THREE MONTHS with winter 2013 set to be the worst in more than 60 years.
www.express.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Happily, they're still on the Express website, although the comments sadly seem to have vanished. ("Great news - I'll bulk-buy some sun cream.")
I rather miss the Express’s annual snowpocalypse forecasts. They were invariably gibbering cobblers, but they helped bring the nation together, even if only in a lusty chorus of finger-pointing mockery.
(They were scrapped after a new editor took over and decided that enough was enough.)
(They were scrapped after a new editor took over and decided that enough was enough.)
November 9, 2025 at 7:49 AM
I rather miss the Express’s annual snowpocalypse forecasts. They were invariably gibbering cobblers, but they helped bring the nation together, even if only in a lusty chorus of finger-pointing mockery.
(They were scrapped after a new editor took over and decided that enough was enough.)
(They were scrapped after a new editor took over and decided that enough was enough.)
Surely sometime in the 1980s?
November 8, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Surely sometime in the 1980s?
Of course she knew perfectly well what the expected answer was, and was determined not to furnish me with it. It was the sheer speed of her reply that most impressed me.
November 8, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Of course she knew perfectly well what the expected answer was, and was determined not to furnish me with it. It was the sheer speed of her reply that most impressed me.
(I'll never forget those idiot vox-poppers on the day after the referendum blithely saying "we didn't realise it was serious until the prime minister resigned!")
November 7, 2025 at 10:08 AM
(I'll never forget those idiot vox-poppers on the day after the referendum blithely saying "we didn't realise it was serious until the prime minister resigned!")