August 25, 2007
Jeff Schubert Dictates
Met Jeff Schubert, a fascinating Australian economist, business consultant and writer for a drink in Jermyn Street this afternoon. He was in England to meet a publisher for a spin-off book to "Dictatorial CEOs & their Lieutenants - inside the Executive Suites of Napoleon, Stalin, Ataturk, Mussolini, Hitler and Mao," his book about 'the dictators who have put their stamp on the world in the past two centuries'. His controversial and thought-provoking book, which has a Foreword by Bob Johnston, Former Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia has had heavyweight reviews since its publication in October.
'Jeff Schubert is well known for lateral thinking about big issues affecting the world... This book provides exciting insights into some of the most important, enthralling and appalling figures that have shaped the world,' comments Professor Ross Garnut, ANU, Professor of Economics and former Australian Ambassador to China.
In complete juxtaposition, Jeff also writes a delightful blog called The Little Pink Ant which consists of his original children's stories, uniquely illustrated by Antoinette Starkiewicz, a Sydney based animator. There is no justice in this world if this blog isn't published in hard copy book form and also turned into an animated movie. Jeff, who is now going to Moscow to work for a while, wrote the stories 'for the enjoyment' of Anastasia, his ten year old daughter who lives in Russia.
Posted by frances on August 25, 2007
August 23, 2007
Film4 Sponsors Horror
Film4 is sponsoring FrightFest (held at the Odeon West End) for the first time this year. Even though Film4 isn't a horror channel, Jeff Ford, Director of Acquisitions and Film4 says, 'The genre has always been a crucial part of our programming. In the past, with our Extreme strand, and now, with our weekly Saturday Night Shocks showcase, Film 4 has championed exactly the sort of filmmaking that's the lifeblood of FrightFest.'
Alan Jones, one of the festival's founders is an old friend. When I was a film critic in 'The Old Days', we saw each other every night at screenings and even did interviews together. Once, we attended a press conference at a West End hotel for the actor, Tony Perkins who was promoting "Psycho 11". Alan, ever the 'investigative reporter' asked Perkins how one of the special effects was done. Perkins erupted with fury. 'People like you are responsible for ruining the film industry,' he ranted.
For old time's sake, Alan invited me to see Black Sheep, a New Zealand offering which opened the festival. Alan used to live in jeans and a horror logo T shirt, the uniform of a dedicated horror fanatic. Tonight, he was running around in a pinstripe suit, supposedly because he is now part of the establishment due to Channel 4's sponsorship. Clive Ashenden, whose award winning short, Snatching Time was shown at the horror festival last year remarked he had never seen Alan in a suit before. Many of the FrightFest hardcore fans were genuinely horrified. Incidentally, the FrightFest team asked to see Clive's original new short, "Gunplay", which was shown at Cannes this year, but Clive had to warn them it wasn't horror.
Black Sheep might have come off quickly in New Zealand, but the FrightFest audience loved it, laughing uproariously at the explicit gore. After the movie, which was a 'homage' to horror classics like "An American Werewolf in London", Joe Dante's "The Howling" and George Romero's "Night Of The Living Dead", Alan interviewed Jonathan King, the young writer/director on stage. He insinuated (was he joking?) there might be sequels similar to Romero's trilogy, 'Night', 'Dawn' and 'Day'. One of the organisers proceeded to throw sheep masks into the audience and one fell into my lap!
Posted by frances on August 23, 2007
August 3, 2007
A reunion with Adrian George
Adrian George, the painter was my Svengali in the late Seventies: he was responsible for my becoming a journalist. I haven't seen him for years, so was euphoric when he contacted me this morning at the crack of dawn. He asked if I would like a drawing he did of me three decades ago.
'Yes, yes, yes,' I screamed.
He explained he was clearing out his plan chest and was giving away pictures to friends.
'I want to spread a little happiness,' he quipped.
I ran over to his Kensington flat in order to collect my drawing, as soon as he put the phone down. It was so nostalgic to see him again. Adrian used to be a sardonic reprobate. Thankfully, he's still sardonic but is now domesticated instead of being louche. Since I last saw him, he's become a grandfather to Joshua's kids (his eldest son), and now has two more children - Jack Apollo and Joe Bacchus by his concubine, Amanda. The children both go to The Lycee and during their leisure hours make original films together, which Adrian proudly showed me on his iBook. Jack, his twelve year old directs and writes the music, while little Joe sings.
I sat on Adrian's red and gold French late eighteenth century sofa - his 'bordello sofa' is how he described it, while I flicked through 'Carnival of Desire', his coffee table book about his last exhibition in London and also his book, Adrian George's Paris in August, which is soon going to be reprinted. I also viewed his press cuttings of the time when he travelled all over the world for the Times and Sunday Times, writing articles and doing illustrations of the countries he chose to visit. In the end, he had to stop as he ran out of new countries to see.
In return for the drawing, I gave Adrian a copy of Frantic and Crushed and asked him to tell me what he thinks of my illustrations. I'll have to wait until September for his verdict as he's now taking his family to (his flat in) Paris for the whole of August.
I've now hung his lovely drawing on the wall in front of my computer in my office. It makes the room.
Posted by frances on August 3, 2007
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