Tag: ACMI

ACMI presents GODZILLA: Global Pop Culture Icon

That big ol’ lug GODZILLA is turning 70, and we’ve all been invited to ACMI’s monumental GODZILLAFEST party!


My role in the formalities is to front up to a panel on Sunday 3rd November @ 11.30am hosted by Silvi Vann-Wall called GODZILLA: Global Pulp Culture Icon.

Tickets are free but you need to register your place – and currently, the ticket allocation is exhausted. But, never fear, I’m hoping and praying we might be moved to a bigger space. Because any GODZILLA party deserves to be monstrous.

Keep your eyes on the ACMI link in the lead-up.

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Screening: FATAL ATTRACTION

FATAL ATTRACTION is one of the biggest psychological thrillers of the 1980s, a film that divided opinion at the time of its release, and continues to reveal its hand in the decades proceeding it.

I’m the lucky one who’ll be contextualising it for the audience in a late addition to the Cinemaniacs program for 2023, at ACMI on Saturday 11th November.

The story goes like this:

Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) is a happily married man and high-flying lawyer living the dream in New York City. When his wife, Beth (Anne Archer), and their young daughter, Ellen (Ellen Latzen), head to the country for a break, Dan succumbs to the sexual charms of work colleague, Alex (Glenn Close). The weekend ends, and so does the fling – for Dan. Alex, on the other hand, sees this as the start of something else. 

This film not only took the box office by storm; it spawned a host of rip-offs, was nominated for six Academy Awards, introduced the term ‘bunny boiler’ into our lexicon and had a generation of men quaking in boots. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!

I can’t wait to put this film under the microscope… without spoiling (both) its ending(s).

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Book Launch & Screening: BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (it’s a wrap!)

On 26th August 2023, Cinemaniacs launched our new book on James Whale’s classic BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN at ACMI in Melbourne, Australia.

This GLORIOUS event (emphasis intended) featured an introduction by the editor (me); followed by a screening of the film itself, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935); then a ‘meet the authors’ panel with Dr Eloise Ross, Stephen A. Russell, Dr Andrew Nette and Cerise Howard; followed by another screening from the Universal Monster Movie canon, FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN (1943).

Somewhere amongst it all, we managed to sell all our books, give away custom-made fragrances, distribute a number of movie-related raffle prizes and – the cherry on top – be welcomed by Sara Karloff, daughter of Boris Karloff, in a special video greeting recorded especially for the night.

For me, most thrillingly of all was the electricity in the cinema – a full house, nonetheless – with everyone there to celebrate a film as old as the hills; proof that the power of a masterpiece never fades.

Here it is immortalised in pictures:

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Cinemaniacs’ screening: ALL THAT JAZZ

How blessed I am to have been asked by Lee Gambin and Cinemaniacs to do the pre-screening presentation of ALL THAT JAZZ (1979) on Friday 27th May at ACMI, Melbourne. I make no bones about this being one of my favourite films (ever) and, luckily, the prep for this presentation was completed almost two years ago when I appeared on The Projection Booth to speak about this incredible film.

This will be the first time I’ve seen ALL THAT JAZZ on the big screen so it’s likely I’ll be crying with joy (something I do often when I attend good cinema). Come along and cry 😭 (or dance 👯‍♀️) with me.

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Cut the Protesting: A look at Jesus Christ Superstar and more!

Public appearances have been few and far between during this global pandemic but, with a little bit of luck, I’ll be dusting myself off for another Cinemaniacs joint on 27th August at ACMI, Melbourne, Australia. Here’s a bit about it:

“Launching from a 20-minute video essay detailing various components of Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) by Lee Gambin, fellow critics Emma Westwood and Jarret Gahan will discuss works that caused controversy, sometimes sparking protest, as well as the role of the rock opera through a cinematic lens.”

“From religious themed films that prompted outrage such as The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) and Ken Russell’s The Devils (1971) to Russell’s manic magnificence in his filmic adaptation of The Who’s Tommy (1975), this will be a rollicking panel conversation.”

You can book tix now via ACMI’s website:

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Did you catch ACMI’s Psychology of Fear?

It’s fine if you didn’t manage to front up as part of the live audience because the whole panel event – all 90 minutes of it, including clips and other media – are now available online.

Watch below or head to YouTube to see experts Rosie Jones (documentary maker), Professor Nick Haslam (psychologist) and Penelope Thomas (biometrics researcher) thrash out theories around why we might be so fascinated with scaring ourselves.

As the moderator/host, I provide a little introduction to set the context that includes meeting Peghead and the rest of my family…

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