[rating=4]
278 pages • Duckworth Overlook • May 21st, 2009 [PB]

No matter what you think of the controversial PETA, Dan Matthews memoir is a fascinating and funny insight into the life a committed campaigner.

“I was rattled by the thought that I had been attacked after class as a teen for being gay, and now as an adult for being a carrot; I guess you could say that I’ve courted hostility for being both a fruit and a vegetable.”

[rating=3]
US: 110 min • Peccadillo Pictures • DVD

A fascinating and thorough documentary about how Hollywood has dealt with sexuality over the years.

In the pre-liberation period – a time in which homosexuality on the screen was largely a matter of coded meanings and sub-text – The Celluloid Closet is fascinating. In the post-liberation years it loses its focus and descends somewhat into a ‘Hooray for Hollywood’ ahistorical celebration.

[rating=4]
US: 117 min • Paramount Pictures • 2009

It’s fun, it’s corny, and it has Channing Tatum in the lead role. GI Joe is definitely returned to his original 12″ glory.

“GI JOE: The mere mention of the name conjures up images of heroism, patriotism, and the kind of tough rigor required to get the job done,” states the press release. Either that or it conjures the thought, ‘damn, I bet he would be a hottie in real life.’ And boy is he.

[rating=4]
US: 666 min • Fox Television • DVD

It may have started slow, but Dollhouse proved to be a fascinating series. The dollhouse is the base for people who are in a tabula rasa state. These voluntary ‘dolls’ have their personalities removed and stored on disc, which leaves them a blank slate onto which other personalities can be imprinted so that they can be sent out as operatives. Don’t be put off by episodes 3 and 4 …

By episode six, the Whedon written and directed ‘Man on the Street’, Dollhouse becomes compelling. The audio commentary, provided by Whedon alone, is a fascinating insight into the creative and production processes. Whedon is a master of the story arc.

[rating=3]
198 pages • Olympia Press • 1959

Weird and twisted, Naked Lunch is nevertheless a unique moment in American literature.

Naked Lunch is … well, it is hard to call it a novel, but that is only because the classification of the novel is one of those agreed upon definitions that the creators of the Syllabus go in for. Burroughs nevertheless called it a novel in his letters. That said, he was also off his head on junk when writing both the letters and the book itself.

[rating=4]
408 pages • Vintage • September 4th, 2008 [HB]

Peter Ackroyd’s imagined life of Victor Frankenstein fascinates Tim Bennett-Goodman.

“Reason? What has reason to do with this? The pact between us is of fire and blood.”

[rating=4]
UK: 95 min • Hammer • DVD

Bette Davis plays matriarch Mrs Taggart and plays a rough game to keep her sons away from the guiding influence of other women.

Like all hag films, the women get the strongest roles – Sheila Hancock and Elaine Taylor measure up well, although this is Bette’s film and she relishes the role, cackling with witchy glee at the outrageous things that she gets to do.

Clementine talks about Barbie’s age

The Living Fashion Doll celebrates the 50th birthday of a close rival/friend!.

Barbie is a totem for the American Dream.

[rating=4]
Released on July 11th, 1969

A strong re-release package accompanies the 40th anniversary of the Bowie classic.

Classic pop alienation and otherness from Pop’s greatest ever alien other.

On the world of gay television after Queer as Folk

QaF changed how television dealt with homosexuality, and it also led to the Dr Who revival.

Queer as Folk first aired on 23 February 1999. There were reactions from the tabloids, from Conservative MPs and most surprisingly from Becks Beer, who withdrew their sponsorship.