Christopher Fowler's Blog, page 292

Writing For The Ages

Writing my ‘Invisible Ink’ column certainly gives me an overview on writers’ lives.The survival rate is shockingly low. Generally speaking, awriter’s career runs like this:

1. Early success (thanks to controversial subject matter).

2. The Big Hit Novel.

3. A rubbish Hollywood version that eviscerates the original.

4. An attempt to follow the big hit that flops.

5. Another smaller [...]

Re:View – ‘El Cuerpo’ (‘The Body’)

*No Spoilers*

In strict contrast to the disastrously muddled ‘Trance’ (see below), we have yet another cracker coming in from Spain, who lately can’t seem to put a foot wrong at the movies. Like ‘Trance’ it has a plot that messes with your head and rewrites what you’ve seen. Unlike ‘Trance’ it makes perfect retroactive sense. [...]

On Being A professional Writer 9: The Research

How many rounds do you order if you’ve gone to the pub after a work event?My general rule of thumb is; if there are three of you, that’s one round each, making three pints, which is perfectly sociably acceptable. If you decide to go to a fourth round, this could lead to everyone completing their [...]

The Walkie-Scorchie And The Press

The funniest news article opener in the Times today runs thus;

‘The architects of 20 Fenchurch Street, the £239 million building nicknamed the Walkie Talkie, had thought of almost everything. Extensive glass to make the most of the Sun; a building wider at the top to maximise floor space; sleek curves to impress clients.There was just [...]

Could ‘Quirky’ Be Making A Comeback?

One of the most appealing things about London has always been its quirkiness. It’s obvious that people love them; guidebooks gleefully point out all of the capitals oddities. But, like New York, in the last few years we’ve had Corporate domination up to the eyes and it has proven disastrous. I used to visit NYC [...]

It’s Showtime!

This being the start of the Autmun book season, I’ll be doing several gigs around the country.

Feel free to come along to any of these events and say the usual things; ‘You’re much older than I thought you’d be,’ ‘I loved your first book – you were very good in those days,’ and the ever-popular [...]

No More Frost Bite

Amazing as it may seem, satire is nothing new to British television. Long before shows like the flaccid ‘Have I Got New For You’ there was ‘TWTWTW’ or ‘That Was The Week That Was’, showcasing political pundits, comedians and singers tearing into the past week’s news, and it was spearheaded by a very young David [...]

Re:View – ‘Trance’

*No Spoilers*

After Danny Boyle hit National Treasure status directing the Olympics opening ceremony, he created this exercise in brain-tomfoolery and divided critics sharply. Now I can see why. The tale of an auction house employee on an inside job to steal a Goya should have been a win-win, with high expectations of cross and double-cross, [...]

Things That Drive Me Crazy

When I saw this, I wanted to call up Car Giant and tell them to fire their agency. Is it wrong to be so anal about grammar and spelling?

People I Admire: Peter Nichols

‘You dare speak to an officer of the law like that and I’ll scream the place down.’ So says Captain Dennis of SADUSEA, Song And Dance Unit South East Asia, in Nichols’ autobiographical play ‘Privates On Parade’, his best known work. It’s a bravura piece that’s funny, gruesome, tragic and moving. ‘Vaudevilian’ is a good [...]