I was at the London Rex show in 1999 when Steve Albini revealed to the world that his favourite biscuits were chocolate Hobnobs.
Kat Ellinger's latest podcast venture, To The Devil a Daughter, is her best yet. A personal and deeply profound exploration of " the chthonic feminine in cinema, literature and culture". Kat somehow finds a fresh perspective to engage with the avant-cult sweet spot. Perfect.
Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film by Chris D was the book that introduced me to the world of Japanese action cinema from the 1950s to the 1970s. It profiles some of the best directors and tw of the stars of this period in exquisite detail.
The Tally Ho - A Prisoner Podcast by Time For Tea And Cakes is a thorough examination of Patrick McGoohan's groundbreaking TV series. The wealth of guests on the bonus episodes as well as the individual episode analysis help make this a must listen.
Making Mischief - The Cult Films of Pete Walker by Steve Chibnall was one of the first books to look in depth at the perversely English films of arch reactionary Pete Walker. Walker's films capture and dissect England through a grimy, gruesome low budget exploitation lens.
The Supporting Characters is a brilliant idea for a podcast. A series of interviews with the people who help protect and proclaim every corner of the cinematic universe, from bloggers to academics to programmers and more besides. Pure, earnest and entertaining.
La Dolce Morte by Mikel Koven was one of the first books to seriously analyse gialli whilst also remaining accessible. An important book that came at an important time and deserves to be held up as one of the seminal texts on Italian genre cinema.
The Cult Movies Podcast with @akdonelly.bsky.social took us through the world of cult movies as curated by the legendary series of books by Danny Peary. This podcast discussed an eclectic range of films with an eclectic range of guests.
Blood & Black Lace by Adrian Luther Smith was the book that hooked me when I first started watching Dario Argento films and wanted to know more about other Italian horror and thriller films. Watching a film like Death Laid An Egg after reading about it in this book was so exciting!
Hell's Belles from Kat Ellinger and Heather Drain was a riotous, raucous evocation of the love of films and music. They extol the importance of art in nourishing our souls, whether it be punk rock, the films of Lamberto Bava or the godliness of Tom Atkins.
