Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

The new PTA, second time around, in 70mm.
dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/25/o...

So, Filmhouse was showing ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER in 70mm, and Fiona hadn’t seen it, and I was tired of her asking “What is that?” every time I brought it up, so we went and she …

dcairns.wordpress.com

November 25, 2025 at 5:10 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

I would like, if I may, to take you on...
dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/24/a...

All-Star

Visit the post for more.

dcairns.wordpress.com

November 24, 2025 at 6:33 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

Self-reflexive soviet silent comedy!
dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/23/t...

The Sunday Intertitle: Kino Eye for the Straight Guy

I’ve just about finished teaching my Films on Film class for the second year running, and it looks like I’m trapped into doing it again next year. This is no big problem as there are pl…

dcairns.wordpress.com

November 23, 2025 at 11:35 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

The most ambitious superhero movie ever made came out in 1968.
dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/22/e...

November 22, 2025 at 10:02 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

Lex Neal, a Buster Keaton gagman, co-wrote this kind of incredible all-Black comedy from 1941...
dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/21/e...

November 21, 2025 at 10:18 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

Marvin Schwarz, putz. dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/20/f...

From the desk of Marvin Schwarz

The buzzer on Marvin Schwarz’s desk Dictaphone makes a noise. The William Morris agent’s finger holds the lever down on the box. “Is that my ten-thirty you’re buzzing me abo…

dcairns.wordpress.com

November 20, 2025 at 6:04 PM

Reposted by David Cairns

Fiona Watson

@monsterfromid66.bsky.social

#autism #adhd #neurodivergence Something happened when I first joined this platform that has radicalised me. I made a stupid, overfamiliar post to someone extremely famous, the most high profile person I've ever been in contact with, and after initially following me after liking one of my skeets -

November 18, 2025 at 12:45 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

The (new) stages of movie stardom:
Who's Ian Holm?
Get me Ian Holm!
Get me a digitally de-aged Ian Holm!
Get me a CGI Ian Holm!

November 18, 2025 at 1:08 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

Two proposals for a new Marx Bros film. There may be some scheduling problems. dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/18/a...

A Night at the Movies

Two ideas for Marx Bros movies. I may be slightly late to this party. 1930. Troubled Paramount Pictures, teetering on the verge of bankruptcy, engages the Marx Bros to make their first movie. The t…

dcairns.wordpress.com

November 18, 2025 at 12:55 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

Movie trailer mashup Monday -
dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/17/c...

Colossus

Visit the post for more.

dcairns.wordpress.com

November 17, 2025 at 7:17 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

In which Howard Hawks swipes a spitoon from Joseph Von Sternberg. dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/16/t...

November 16, 2025 at 2:40 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

Dunno about anyone else but I'm assuming Trump's defence will be "It was just locker room rape."

November 16, 2025 at 2:17 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

Finished off Aldrich's WORLD FOR RANSOM which has a lot of nice shots but no good scenes.
dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/15/n...

Not playing with a full decoupage

It’s pronounced Dew-RAY-ah, as I understand it, in case you wondered. Anyway, IF Robert Aldrich’s debut feature WORLD FOR RANSOM is intended as a parody of the private eye genre, Dan Du…

dcairns.wordpress.com

November 15, 2025 at 10:08 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

The first all-Black horror movie? DRUMS O' VOODOO (1934) dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/14/v...

Voodoo You

DRUMS O’ VOODOO (1934), AKA LOUISIANA, is claimed to be the first all-black horror movie. I’m not sure if it can be called a horror movie, but it did give me the creeps a little at the …

dcairns.wordpress.com

November 14, 2025 at 12:24 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

Another Cinema de Papa classic - Claude Autant-Lara's DOUCE: dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/13/p...

PAPA KNOWS BEST: D is for ‘Douce’

PAPA KNOWS BEST An A-Z of French Cinema Before the New Wave D is for ‘Douce’ “I won’t threaten you with Hell. You can get there on your own.” ~ A priest to Odette Joyeux in Douce At the opening of …

dcairns.wordpress.com

November 13, 2025 at 6:18 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

THE BEATLES GET BACK. In which Peter Jackson swallows Michael Lindsay-Hogg and tries to digest him. dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/12/c...

Charles Hawtrey and the Deaf-Aids

No, we’re not doing noirs all month, that might get monotonous. I do love a good noir, though. By way of a change, I just finished watching THE BEATLES GET BACK which I’d have to admit …

dcairns.wordpress.com

November 12, 2025 at 1:44 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

I WALK ALONE interestingly anticipates some more modern crime flicks -- Leone, Boorman... dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/11/n...

November 11, 2025 at 12:59 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

Jacob Elordi is good and all, but he's not, like, better than Peter Hinwood.

November 10, 2025 at 1:27 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

Strange blend of style and incompetence in an Aldrich.
dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/08/a...

Aldrich Night

I was always keen to see Robert Aldrich’s WORLD FOR RANSOM in hopes that it would have at least some of the interest of KISS ME DEADLY and, now that I’m finally watching it (haven&#8217…

dcairns.wordpress.com

November 8, 2025 at 8:44 PM

Reposted by David Cairns

MidCenturyCinema

@midcenturycinema.bsky.social

11/7/52: B #filmnoir maestro Phil Karlson w/Kansas City Confidential - #noirvember
More:
Crowther, unhappy: nytimes.com/1952/11/29/a...
@dcairns.bsky.social: dcairns.wordpress.com/tag/kansas-c...
Manny Farber: archive.org/details/nati...

November 7, 2025 at 4:17 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

I just knew I'd like MURDER BY CONTRACT this time, even though I didn't last time. dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/07/h...

November 8, 2025 at 12:09 AM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

I look at a single take from TOUCH OF EVIL. But not the usual one.
dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/06/a...

A Touch of “Touch”

So yes, TOUCH OF EVIL. A single shot. No, not that one. I thought I’d try closely analysing a little bit of it I always enjoyed, but I quickly found so much detail there that I’ll have …

dcairns.wordpress.com

November 6, 2025 at 7:24 PM

David Cairns

@dcairns.bsky.social

THE DEVIL'S RAIN is a bad movie with a good movie trying to get out, but the good movie is treated like Whack-a-Mole. dcairns.wordpress.com/2025/11/05/i...