Christopher Fowler's Blog, page 510

Double Oh!

Outrage! The new James Bond is American! Jeffery Deaver is set to take on the 007 books. Best known for the quadriplegic detective Lincoln Rhyme, the star of books including The Bone Collector and The Stone Monkey, Deaver has been commissioned to write a new Bond novel by Fleming's estate. He's following Sebastian Faulk's period [...:]

'Tell Him What I Said'

I'm quietly working on a book called 'Film Freak', which tells scandalous stories from the film world and the London party scene in the 70s and 80s. Sometimes, though, you need a visual jolt to remind you of what the period was like. When it came to going out, there was certainly less attitude and [...:]

The Ubiquity Of Steig

Quite what the French thought they were doing by lifting a shot from of Thora Birch from The Addams Family for Stieg Larsson's 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' (presented here in its blunter original title, Men Who Hate Women) and decorating her with women's heads is anyone's guess, but it makes a change from [...:]

Hidden London: The Savoy Graveyard

This post comes courtesy of a lovely little site called 'A Glimpse of London'. I've never noticed this place, but it seems to be hidden behind the Savoy Hotel on a little street off the Strand, a small chapel and graveyard which apparently dates back to the reign of Henry VII. Check out other hidden [...:]

Where To Get The Chills

Once in a while I see a piece of artwork that looks as if it was commissioned to illustrate one of my stories. This gruesome piece by Florida-based artist Ash Arceneaux appears to be the frontispiece of my story 'The Look', abut just how far top models will go to look good. I used to [...:]

When Is A Shop Not A Shop?

When it's a Louis Vuiton shop, apparently. Newcomers to the new flagship (don't you hate that? It's not a naval vessel) store are told that it's emphatically not a shop. It's a maison reflecting Louis Vuitton's art-de-vivre and savoir-faire, conceived as the home of a collector. Well, I'd say if it has tills and changing [...:]

Re:View – The Goodbye People

The paradox of Hollywood never changes; it's that so many men and women should attempt to prove their individuality in an place that actively discourages individual thinking. The idea is perverse but makes good copy by raising the stakes between success and failure. Although California symbolises artistic freedom, Los Angeles is a company town, and [...:]

Re: View – Canary

Poltical activist Peter Tatchell famously said "Gay people are the litmus test of whether a society is democratic and respecting human rights. We are the canaries in the mine." So Jonathan ('Beautiful Thing' Harvey's epic new comedy-drama at the Hampstead Theatre revives the issue play and covers half a century from the point of view [...:]

No-Name Buildings

Former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone famously placed a limit on the size of the Gherkin to prevent it from dominating the London skyline. So do we have Boris Johnson to thank for this eyesore? Already taller than the Gherkin, it throws the area around Liverpool Street Station entirely out of balance. As far as [...:]

Finally, A Brilliant Fourth Plinth

Londoners have a habit of deciding for themselves which buildings and artworks they like most. The Gherkin was instantly loved, as were the London Eye and the Wobbly Bridge. I have a feeling they'll take very strongly to the latest addition, and want to make it permanent. Most artists providing pieces for Trafalgar Square's fourth [...:]