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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman
@raynewman.bsky.social
6.6K followers 1.6K following 11K posts
He/him. From Bridgwater, in Bristol. Writer, editor, content designer. Ghost stories, films. No alt text, no repost. Not here for politics. Linktree: https://linktr.ee/raynewman Header: my book Intervals of Darkness https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DDR8X9QY
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · Mar 22
Between them ‘Municipal Gothic’ and ‘Intervals of Darkness’ have 27 stories full of haunted buildings, haunted people, and working class weirdness. Obviously *I* think they're great – but so do strangers who owe me nothing!

👉 www.amazon.co.uk/Municipal-Go...

👉 www.amazon.co.uk/Intervals-Da...
The covers of both books with quotes in praise of them, and of specific stories: “‘Modern Buildings In Wessex’, which pulls a compelling horror narrative out of several architectural reviews, is an all-timer. Can’t recommend enough... Fans of Ghostwatch and Inside No. 9 – run don’t walk.” Trevor Henderson “...a tremendous collection, hugely enjoyable, and essential... for anyone interested in the English ghost story... ‘Men Who Live in Caravans’... is one of my very favourite stories of recent years: a future classic of the English weird, full of an almost unbearable sadness, quite exquisitely told.” Seán Padraic Birnie
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Reposted by Ray Newman
salimotxo.bsky.social
Sal Cap0ne @salimotxo.bsky.social · 53m
Ian Curtis is the most lanyard name imaginable
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Reposted by Ray Newman
pgwodelouse.bsky.social
P.G. Wodelouse 💀 @pgwodelouse.bsky.social · 1h
My 11yo daughter very earnestly asked me ‘Is the reason Shaggy can understand Scooby-Doo because he’s high? And is that why Shaggy’s so hungry the whole time?’ and I’m like ‘How and why do you know what high means?’ and also ‘Actually, those are bloody good questions’ 🤔
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 2h
Rock stars who sound as if they work in accounts number 73: Graham Nash. “Can you copy in Graham Nash? He’ll need to sign off any travel costs as we go into quarter four and the budgets are looking tighter.”
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andrewmale.bsky.social
Andrew Male @andrewmale.bsky.social · 2h
Inspired by Dario Argento catching two episodes of Dad’s Army on his visit to the UK in October 1970. The end-titles influence is clear but there also may have been no razor-wire room if it hadn’t been for Argento seeing Private Pike caught in barbed wire in Series 4, Episode 4: Sgt – Save My Boy!
gregk.co.uk
Gregk Foley @gregk.co.uk · 2h
No other film ending has ever gone this hard. Every time this rolls up on-screen I immediately think, “Damn right I have.”
Final shot of SUSPIRIA before the credits roll, which begin with the following: You have been watching "SUSPIRIA"
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 3h
I think you have to go through that initial disappointment before you can appreciate them. It helps that both folk horror (Stigma) and oblique, Aickmanesque weird fiction (The Ice House) and now quite fashionable.
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 3h
Now watching: ‘The Ice House’, dir. Derek Lister, 1978. Interesting to watch this again having recently re-read Aickman’s ‘The Hospice’. 🎥🎬
The title card from the TV play.
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rsmythfreelance.bsky.social
Richard Smyth @rsmythfreelance.bsky.social · 5h
"Go pot" is a new name for it but I still think it's unhygienic to eat your breakfast on it.
BREAKFAST ON THE GO POT
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hannahcooper.bsky.social
Hannah Cooper @hannahcooper.bsky.social · 6h
Unexpected rabbit hole today is discovering that "Phwoar!" was first recorded by the dictionary in 1976, and 1972's Carry On Matron may be its first film appearance.

I thought I'd found an earlier 60s TV use, but it seems "Phwoar!" is firmly a 70s phenomenon.
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tobytram.bsky.social
Toby Miller @tobytram.bsky.social · 5h
Saw a man towing a pumpkin. Too many shapes and colours to ignore, so I asked if I could take photos.
“Ignore me. Just keep towing; it’s the shape of the pumpkin in the wagon I like” I explained.

He has just won first prize at the village show.
- Congratulations
- Thank you. I am very happy
Seen from behind- an enormous emergency red pumpkin sat in a metal wagon. It has a sticker with Kit Kat written on it. A man is towing the wagon down a narrow village pavement. He had been using two hands behind him to pull, which is the composition I really wanted. But I didn’t want to get all David Hemmings and start posing him. A photo from the side of the man - big broad smile, like he’d won the lottery - pulling his pumpkin in a trolley.
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dancarpenter.bsky.social
Daniel Carpenter @dancarpenter.bsky.social · 5h
A reminder that E. Nesbit wrote the greatest opening to a ghost story ever.
THIS is not an artistically rounded off ghost story and nothing is explained in it; and there seems to be no reason why any of it should have happened. But that is no reason why it should not be told. You must have noticed that all the real ghost stories you ever come close to are like this in these respects: no explanation, no logical coherence. Here is the story.
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 6h
I'm now watching it.
raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 6h
Now watching: ‘Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman’, dir. Kōji Shiraishi, 2007, via the Arrow Video box set ‘J-Horror Rising’. 🎬🎥
A poster for the film, or rather a DVD cover. It shows a woman in a surgical mask with icy blue eyes, long lank hair, and a massive pair of bloody scissors. Three other actors from the film are below looking shocked, pensive or scared.
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 13h
Enjoyed listening to the @purecinemapod.bsky.social Halloween episode yesterday while doing boring painting and decorating jobs. As ever, it's the sheer enthusiasm for films others might overlook that makes it such fun.

open.spotify.com/episode/3sxx...
A cover image for Pure Cinema Podcast's Horrorthon 2025 with screenshots from various fun, trashy movies.
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 13h
I've often thought it might be nice to be able to leave a little note: ‘This user blocked you because... “I couldn't handle seeing someone more successful than me in my feed”’. I suppose it might be pretty bleak reading most of the time, though.
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 13h
4. So, I reckon hunting around for old type specimens labelled ‘Grotesque Square’ or similar might yet turn up the original.
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 13h
3. And New Grotesk Square Six, a modern digital font supposedly created from historic wooden type blocks, is *super* close I think.

a2-type.co.uk/new-grotesk-...
The name DEIGHTON in nice squared off sans serif letters.
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 13h
2. Which makes me think your font might be something that was labelled ‘Grotesque’ or ‘Grotesk' by some foundry or other.
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 13h
I can see you've had excellent answers from proper experts, and have already done the thing, but...

1. I got my 1970s Monotype catalogue out and can definitely see some similarities to Grotesque Bold Condensed. Except, obviously, not.
A sans serif font specimen with narrow letters. The G is similar to the original sample and the O is a bit square.
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 1d
Now watching: ‘Miami Vice', dir. Michael Mann, 2006. 🎥🎬
A poster for the film starring Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx.
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 1d
Coraline was actually the starting point for the original query. The kid in question liked it, but wanted something more grown up.
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Reposted by Ray Newman
typejunky.bsky.social
Nick Stone @typejunky.bsky.social · 2d
Shine.
Shine. On a brutalist glass wall.
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 1d
"Take this. It's Mace. If the General tries to take over Pat again, spray it in his eyes. It won't hurt him, but it will stop him."
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janeruffino.bsky.social
Jane Ruffino @janeruffino.bsky.social · 1d
It would be my preference that someone would step in and say, “don’t answer that” and “does anyone have a question that’s not an insult?” But most people don’t know how to moderate a discussion, so I would never expect it.

(At one of my own events, you’d be kicked out without hesitation.)
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 1d
I think quite a bit about ghost stories, obviously, and this is very much the old-fashioned model: the house is haunted; only by finding clues and solving a historic mystery can the ghosts be laid to rest. It's a compelling format in some ways, almost like a crime drama, but it's also very cheesy.
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raynewman.bsky.social
Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 1d
"Here's something... It looks like an old scroll! This could be the key we're looking for."
A very bad prop of an 'old scroll' tied with red ribbon. Like a child would make.
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