The Big Picture MagazineEmma Simmonds's interest in the serious contemplation of cinema began aged 10 whilst watching Blue Velvet. With sadistic imagery and Kyle MacLachlan's barnet burnt forever into her tiny impressionable mind, she set forth on a journey to ensure others were corrupted in this same way, starting by studying Film at Kent and following that up with a Postgraduate Certificate in Film Journalism with the BFI/Sight and Sound magazine. A staff writer at Popmatters for the past few years, she has also written for various film festivals. A huge admirer of many of the usual suspects - Hitchcock, Wilder, Godard, Almodovar - her favourite films include Vertigo and His Girl Friday. Yet Ms Simmonds is conversely partial to a bit of maniacal horror, be it The Old Dark House (30s original), Black Sunday, or the mighty Evil Dead 2. She lays her hat down in Camden, London. And watches Buffy. Almost constantly.
The World Film Locations book series – inspired by The Big Picture magazine’s ‘On Location’ feature – kicks off in a few months time with the release of titles for Tokyo, Los Angeles, London and New York. A highly visual exploration into the relationship between the city and cinema – each book will be chock […]
Stumbling shambolically back onto cinema screens this month is Michel Simon’s iconic portrayal of that terrible tramp Boudu. With his raison d’être that no mischief should be left unmade, Emma Simmonds finds herself charmed and highly amused by this fish-out-of-water. In Jean Renoir’s broad satire, based on René Fauchois’ comic drama, Michel Simon (who also […]
In a year in which, for many, there was no standout film, a whole array of exciting new cinema clamoured for the limelight and this year’s festival was, not least, a splendid showcase for British talent – which is both heartening and terrifying in an industry about to be hit by an almighty austerity drive. […]
Artist filmmaker Clio Barnard’s debut feature is the affecting tale of playwright Andrea Dunbar; her chaotic life, untimely death and the lingering impact of both on her children. Told in an unconventional but commendably ingenious manner, it simultaneously gives her subjects a degree of anonymity and a voice. This fresh, evocative take on the documentary […]
Emma Simmonds reports back following her ten colourful days spent in the presence of the world’s weirdest, wildest, most wonderful animation. What kind of cinema-going experience begins with an impossibly rotund gentleman emerging from a gigantic snail shell to find that he is on the menu, and ends with a body-popping, limb-lengthening, yet philosophical examination […]
In the first of a two-part piece Emma Simmonds examines four prototype noir villainesses from classic Hollywood cinema. Next week, she looks at the far-reaching legacy of these scintillating spider women by considering French cinema’s most memorable femme fatales. The Hollywood noirs of the 40s left an indelible impression on cinema. Their depictions of powerful, […]
As a continuation to our cover feature on Maniacal Matriarchs in Issue 7 of The Big Picture magazine, Emma Simmonds looks at more memorable movie mothers who exert unholy influence over their offspring. Harold and Maude (1971) Dir. Hal Ashby Bud Cort, Vivian Pickles and Ellen Geer When we first see Mrs Chasen (Vivian Pickles) […]
In the concluding part of a two-part piece on cinema’s wicked, wanton women, Emma Simmonds shifts the focus to four significant French contributions to the character type. Despite Hollywood’s popularisation of the enchantress paradigm as a staple of its fabulous noirs, these slinky villainesses are still most commonly described by the French expression femme fatale. […]
Dotted throughout cinematic history are films which boldly combine black and white with colour, occasionally within the same frame. An aesthetically arresting technique – although it draws attention to the artifice and manipulations of cinema – done effectively it can be a symbolic shift which enhances our understanding of character psychology and theme. This is colour […]