Inspired by an alleged real case of demonic possession in 1949, The Exorcist became an international phenomenon on its release in 1973. A blockbusting adaptation of a best-selling novel, it was praised as 'deeply spiritual' by some sections of the Catholic Church while being picketed by the Festival of Light and branded 'Satanic' by the evangelist Billy Graham. Banned on video in the UK for nearly fifteen years, the film still retains an extraordinary power to shock and startle.Mar...

'Wonderful - such a terrific read. Brilliantly captures the passion, commitment, searing self-knowledge and dizzy happiness that comes with loving music. An enchanting book' STEPHEN FRY***Following a formative encounter with the British pop movie Slade in Flame in 1975, Mark Kermode decided that musical superstardom was totally attainable. And so, armed with a homemade electric guitar and very little talent, he embarked on an alternative career - a chaotic ...

How did a low-key prison drama which was considered a box-office flop on its original release become one of the most popular movies of all time?Mark Kermode traces the history of this unexpected audience favourite, from its source in Stephen King's novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, through the icy corridors of Ohio's Mansfield Reformatory (whose imposing gothic architecture dominates the film), to the television and video screens on which

In It's Only a Movie, the incomparable Mark Kermode takes us into the weird world of a life lived in widescreen. Join him as he gets lost in Russia on the trail of a low-budget horror flick, gasp as he's shot at in Hollywood while interviewing Bavarian director Werner Herzog, cheer as he gets thrown out of the Cannes film festival for heckling in very bad French, and cringe as he's handbagged by Helen Mirren at London's glitzy BAFTA Awards. Written with sardonic wit and wry good h...

If blockbusters make money no matter how bad they are, then why not make a good one for a change?How can 3-D be the future of cinema when it's been giving audiences a headache for over a hundred years?Why pay to watch films in cinemas that don't have a projectionist but do have a fast-food stand?And, in a world where Sex and the City 2 was a hit, what are film critics even for?Outspoken, opinionated and hilariously funny, The Good, The Bad and T...

How did a low-key prison movie which was considered a box-office flop on its original release become one of the most popular movies of all time? Mark Kermode traces the history of this unexpected audience favourite from the pages of Stephen King's novella 'Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption', through the icy corridors of Ohio's Mansfield Reformatory (whose imposing gothic architecture dominates the film), to the television and video screens on which 'The Shawshank Redemption' became a ...

How can a film score make you cheer, shiver, cry or punch the air?How do directors communicate their musical vision to composers?And when does a soundtrack take on a life of its own?In Mark Kermode's Surround Sound the award-winning film critic, together with radio producer Jenny Nelson, embarks on a full-throttle trip down the glorious rabbit hole of film composition.Celebrating the emotional connection that audiences form with film ...

How can a film score make you cheer, shiver, cry or punch the air?How do directors communicate their musical vision to composers?And when does a soundtrack take on a life of its own?In Mark Kermode's Surround Sound the award-winning film critic, together with radio producer Jenny Nelson, embarks on a full-throttle trip down the glorious rabbit hole of film composition.Celebrating the emotional connection that audiences form with film ...

The surgery is now open . . .For over a decade, Simon Mayo and Mark Kermode have been sharing their film expertise with each other (and occasionally the odd listener) on the airwaves. Now they are donning their surgical scrubs and bringing their unique blend of deep movie knowledge and medical ignorance to their new guise as the Movie Doctors. Mayo and Kermode are armed and ready to offer improbable cinematic cures for the dilemmas of modern life.Suffering with insomnia and...

Once upon a time there were professional film makers and professional critics. They didn't always agree, but there was a mutual respect. It is very different now.Starting with the celebrated TV fight between Ken Russell and Alexander Walker (the former hit the latter with a rolled up copy of his Evening Standard review!) and ending with his own admission to Steven Spielberg of a major error of judgement, Mark Kermode takes us on a journey across the modern cinematic landsc...

A wry, robust and developed defence of accountable critical voices' 4 stars, Total FilmFor decades, the backbone of film criticism has been the hatchet job – the entertaining trashing of a film by professional reviewers, seen by many as cynical snobs. But with the arrival of the internet, have the critics finally fallen under the axe? With movie posters now just as likely to be adorned by Twitter quotes as fusty reviewer recommendations, has the rise of enthusiastic amateu...

Following a formative encounter with the British pop movie Slade in Flame in 1975*,* Mark Kermode decided that musical superstardom was totally attainable. And so, armed with a homemade electric guitar and very little talent, he embarked on an alternative career - a chaotic journey which would take him from the halls and youth clubs of North London to the stages of Glastonbury, the London Palladium and The Royal Albert Hall.HOW DOES IT FEEL? follows a lifetime of musical m...