iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

At 90 years old, Peter Watkins death yesterday was hardly unexpected but it’s still sad that such an astonishing and bold film maker is still on the margins in our culture. His intelligent, often challenging and innovative films are unique. Here’s an obit: www.bfi.org.uk/features/pet...

Collection of blu rays and dvds of Peter Watkins’ films

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Andrew an interesting critic with a deep knowledge of horror so this should be good.

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

For the past few years, I've been enjoying some of the film courses by Matthew Asprey-Gear. There's a couple coming up. The Latin American cinema has a lot of underseen gems. From 13th September: matthewasprey2.wordpress.com/2025/07/26/o...

matthewasprey2.wordpress.com

Online course: A Panorama of Latin American Cinema (starting September 13)

A 12-WEEK ONLINE FILM STUDIES COURSE(September – December, 2025) This original film studies course, presented online via Google Meet, will give a comprehensive survey of the best of Latin America…

Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

A thrill to meet Alex Cox and Nick Freand Jones after an event discussing Moviedrome, the BBC film programming that turned me on to the weird and wonderful in cinema. I even found my old Moviedrome booklets and got them signed!

Signed by Nick Freand Jones and Alex Cox

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead at the Royal Albert Hall complete with London Philharmonic Orchestra was brilliant. Lots of tie dyes in the audience. The only performance in Europe.

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

Here’s hoping this year’s Grateful Dead Meet Up At The Movies returns to the UK. Picturehouse did a great job hosting the last two. You can sign up for updates here: www.meetupatthemovies.com

meetupatthemovies.com

The Grateful Dead Movie

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 16/06/2025

David Cronenberg’s THE SHROUDS is surprisingly effective as both a personal meditation on grief and also an almost absurdist comedy. Like the best of speculative sci fi, it’s a reflection of contemporary concerns, and is very much a film about ideas.

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

This nugget says a lot: “in keeping with its idiosyncratic way of operating, they’ve had to call in a ghost hunter to investigate the source of a mystery flood that has been blighting the building. It turns out that the cinema is home to numerous ghosts, but none are responsible for water damage.”

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

An interesting article covering the @princecharlescinema.com’s current challenges with its landlord. Great that the recent petition inspired Westminster to declare it an ” asset of community value” but the threat is stop there and the landlord is price gouging www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

theguardian.com

‘The city is being hollowed out’: the billionaire landlord locked in a David v Goliath battle for London’s West End

Dubbed ‘Britain’s meanest landlord’, Asif Aziz is fighting it out with a tiny cinema that counts Christopher Nolan, Paul Mescal and other Hollywood heroes as fans. How did the capital’s cultural landm...

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

A brilliant day at bfi Film On Film festival today, well worth hiding from the sunshine! Preminger’s ADVISE & CONSENT, Iranian film A MOMENT OF INNOCENCE, Hitchcock’s 1934 version of THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH and Georgian film PIROSMANI. More tomorrow.

Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

A Sunday afternoon treat at the Garden Cinema. My DVD of the wonderful Fishing with John has never been able to play the first Dennis Hopper episode. Eventually I got to see it! Next in this double bill is the UK premiere of a mythical doc called Tarpon.

Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

As a violin player, I'd ask you please consider signing the petition to save Newark musical instrument school, the last string instrument making school in the UK. It's not just about making new instruments, it's about having skilled people who can do repairs. www.change.org/p/save-the-n...

change.org

Sign the Petition

Save the Newark School of Musical Instrument Crafts!

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

For those who need translation of the last scene when the subtitle projector packed in at the ICA's rare screening of Jacques Rivette's HISTOIRE OF MARIE ET JULIEN: Julien: What time is it Marie: Pretty early J: I mean … what are you doing here, who are you? How did you enter? (cont...)

Still from Le histoire de Julien et Marie

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

The BFI have announced a Moviedrome season starting July!!!! As a teen, I religiously tuned in every Sunday night to watch these weird, cult movies introduced by Alex Cox. Now I’ll see them on the big screen with Cox and producer Nick Freand Jones introducing! whatson.bfi.org.uk/Online/defau...

whatson.bfi.org.uk

Moviedrome: Bringing the Cult TV Series to the Big Screen | BFI Southbank

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Le Cinema Club is spoiling us again. Kelly Reichard’s marvellous debut RIVERS OF GRASS available to watch free for one week. www.lecinemaclub.com/now-showing/...

lecinemaclub.com

RIVER OF GRASS a film by KELLY REICHARDT

RIVER OF GRASS a film by KELLY REICHARDT. 1994. USA. 76 min.

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

UK premiere of David Cronenberg's THE SHROUDS!! This is now on sale to Members (any remaining tickets on sale to public tomorrow lunchtime). I know it's had mixed reviews, but I can't wait.

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

For the next six days you can watch Bi Gan’s debut film KAILI BLUES for free at Le Cinema Club. His latest film RESURRECTION will debut shortly at Cannes. www.lecinemaclub.com/now-showing/...

lecinemaclub.com

Le Cinéma Club | KAILI BLUES

A free, curated platform streaming one film every week.

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 11/05/2025

I picked this up from the BFI today and can’t wait to dive in. Murch is a fascinating guy and I’d strongly recommend ‘The Conversations’ and ‘In The Blink Of An Eye’.

Book by Walter Murch called Suddenly Something Clicked

Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 10/05/2025

The first of four performances over two days of The Necks at @cafeotodalston.bsky.social this afternoon. As mesmerising as always, the two long sets seemed barely to last an instant.

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

I enjoyed watching Errol Flynn in swashbuckling romp CAPTAIN BLOOD, a template for action films such as PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN. My thoughts here: wp.me/p8BjDL-1Ii

wp.me

Captain Blood (1935)

“Aloft! There’s no chains to hold you now. Break out those sails and watch them fill with the wind that’s carrying us all to freedom!”

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

I just discovered this happy yawning fellow on the 4th floor balcony of an Art Nouveaux building in Riga, Latvia. It’s said to resemble film director Sergei Eisenstein, who was the son of the building’s architect Mikhail.

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

There's a lot more than STAR WARS in the BFI's Film on Film Festival this summer - I'm particularly intrigued by HUD, PIROSMANI, Q THE WINGED SERPENT, THE WIND, LAST SUMMER, STRONGROOM and A MOMENT OF INNOCENCE. I made a @letterboxd.social list of all that's been announced so far. boxd.it/FULv8

boxd.it

BFI Film on Film 2025

Films included in the BFI Film on Film festival 12-15th June 2025

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

I received a little badge for donating blood 25 times. That's the equivalent of donating all of the blood in my body two and a half times. Although that fast-track method doesn't seem too appealing.

Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

I listened to the new Waterboys album entirely devoted to Dennis Hopper, with Bruce Springsteen and Steve Earle guesting! References to Easy Rider, The Last Picture, Orson Welles, and of course Frank Booth. It's sincere and fun - I like it. youtu.be/N6o9HsvbekQ?...

youtu.be

The Waterboys - Hopper's On Top

YouTube video by TheWaterboysVEVO

Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

I’ve been really enjoying the Jacques Rivette season at the ICA and today’s treat Pont Du Nord was another highlight. A conspiracy mystery set in Paris (what else?), this had a spritely wit and inventiveness that made it a joy from start to finish.

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

Ebay has an original CASABLANCA poster for just £69,500!! If I were a billionaire that’s the kind of thing I’d spend my cash on.

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

I’m looking forward to exploring the themes and methods of Paul Thomas Anderson in this intriguing book. I’ve loved his films since the release of Boogie Nights. Thanks @ethanwarren.bsky.social

Book: The Cinema of Paul Thomas Anderson by Ethan Warren

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

David Cronenberg and Howard Shore discussing a 46 year working relationship. What struck me is how much trust and understanding they had for one another. The only disagreement they could recall was whether a particular scene with a bus needed engine noise in the mix!

David Cronenberg and Howard Shore on stage

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

It’s David Cronenberg Day at the London Soundtrack festival. First off, a 10am (!) screening of CRASH at the @BFI IMAX, with DEAD RINGERS and an in-conversation event with Howard Shore both to follow. This will be wonderful.

David Cronenberg and Howard Shore at BFI IMAX

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

John Cale at the @southbankcentre.bsky.social was brilliant. A good cross section of lesser known songs including Rosegarden Funeral of Sores, Do Not Go Gentle…, Set Me Free, My Maria, Out Your Window, Barracuda, and a haunting cover of Nico’s Frozen Borderline.

Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

14 Haneke films on blu ray including 3 I haven’t seen (Three Paths To The Lake, Lemmings, The Rebellion)! This looks so tempting. Pricey but it’s only £14 per film so not silly money. I do wonder if there’ll be a Curzon equivalent in the UK though. shop.umbrellaent.com.au/products/mic...

shop.umbrellaent.com.au

Michael Haneke Collection (1976 - 2012) Blu-ray

LEMMINGS (1979) Tale 1: Arcadia and Tale 2: Injuries: Haneke’s early foray into television films, Lemmings explores the destructive patterns of middle-class life, examining his own generation’s fate p...

Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

I’m surprised that there are still loads of tickets to see David Cronenberg in conversation with Howard Shore in London at the @southbankcentre.bsky.social on Saturday. I can’t wait, personally. www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/dav...

southbankcentre.co.uk

David Cronenberg & Howard Shore in Conversation | Southbank Centre

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

A new Tom Waits performance for an Italian documentary! This version of Tom Traubert’s Blues is heartbreaking. I had assumed he’d chosen to vanish into a quiet retirement, so this is a treat and a wonderful surprise. youtu.be/pbktJytZvTY?...

youtu.be

Tom Waits - Tom Traubert's Blues (Live 2025)

YouTube video by SPianista

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

The mushroom scene in Phantom Thread. Because I like mushrooms.

Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Pete Toth Trio last night included the incredible Bill Bruford on drums! It's such a thrill to see him come out of retirement and having fun. And I even got to say hello at the end.

Drummer Bill Bruford standing next to Dave McAllister

Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

Now enjoying my second viewing of THE BRUTALIST. It’s just as rich and satisfying as my first.

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Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

Now seated for this preview screening of A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. Will Timee portray Bob as the mysterious mischievous imp that he truly is.

A Complete Unknown screening at BFI Southbank

Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

Post boxes in the UK are red because people complained the original standardised colour - green - made them difficult to find, and people kept bumping into them! It took ten years from 1859 to paint them all red. Perhaps because it was so hard to locate them all.

Green and red post boxes taken from https://www.postalmuseum.org/collections/highlights/letter-boxes/

Dave McAllister @davefilmblog.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

Will Oldham aka Bonnie “Prince” Billy played solo for about an hour at @roughtraderecords.bsky.social this evening, sharing a few from his upcoming album, also some older songs. A beautiful and intimate rendition of Like It Or Not was a highlight.

Bonnie “Prince” Billy aka Will Oldham performing at Rough Trade East 1st December 2024