Dispatches from the Frontline of Law and Popular Culture

Censors Working Overtime

2011-12-13T07:36:00.000-08:00

It may not be common knowledge, but the British Board of Film Classification celebrates its centenary in 2012, see this useful piece by Andrew Pulver in the Guardian recently. Recently, along with my colleague Alexander Sinclair, I have been working with the BBFC on a book project that celebrates this centenary. Our chapter broadly covers the years 1975 to 1982. These were exciting years, and

The Art of the Olympics and the Cultural Olympiad: Bell ringers of the world, unite and take over

2011-11-10T02:35:00.000-08:00

Whilst technically spread over four years, and starting with the end of one edition of the Games and finishing at the closing ceremony of the next, this week has seen something of a relaunch of the Cultural Olympiad for London 2012 and the London 2012 Festival programme. Perhaps the most eye catching, or ear splitting, highlight of which is Martin Creed's Work No 1197 which has campanologists of

Now on twitter

2011-11-02T03:52:00.000-07:00

Now on twitter! Am working out way to embed this in site too. Follow @kippernoggin

It was thirty years ago today...

2011-05-24T03:58:00.000-07:00

The papers this morning were full of reports of Bob Dylan's 70th birthday, but in terms of anniversaries today has a much more personal resonance for me. 30 years ago today I went to my first ever proper concert, XTC and The Members (purveyors of The Sound of the Suburbs, lest anyone forget) at Birmingham Odeon along with my good friend Tim Worth, now one half of the dynamic wine duo that is

The Olympics and the British Library

2011-03-25T04:14:00.000-07:00

On a way back from a trip to the Olympic Stadium yesterday (note incongruous welcome sign above, viewed through electrified fencing and razor wire, with the picture taken shortly after my friend and colleague JP was chased away by a security guard!) I popped into the British Library. Whilst I am a Reader there and do occasionally visit other exhibitions, I had not visited the Treasures of the

Films, the X Certificate and the University of Westminster

2011-01-19T03:10:00.000-08:00

Three years ago I blogged about the passing of Tony Tenser and in passing mentioned that the Old Cinema at the University of Westminster was the location for the first showing of an X rated film in the UK. This was in January 1951, and the film in question was La Vie Commence Demain. The film was described by Hal Erickson in the the All Move Guide, reproduced in the New York Times as Documentary

Art and Artifice

2011-01-11T02:47:00.000-08:00

I just came across this really interesting new blog on art and law, Art and Artifice - well worth a read, regular readers of this blog will know that art and law often crops up on Dispatches.

The late, great, Pete Postlethwaite

2011-01-06T04:24:00.000-08:00

I was really saddened to learn of the passing of Pete Postlethwaite at the weekend, see the Guardian obituary here. He truly was a great actor, and I have enjoyed seeing him in lots of films as varied as Distant Voices, Still Lives which I saw at the Scala many years ago and James and the Giant Peach which was a favourite of my daughter Keir for a time ('marvelllous things will happen'). As an

A Fire in my Belly

2010-12-03T03:57:00.000-08:00

I have posted before on the relationship between art and law, and in particular the policing of 'contentious' art, yesterdays Guardian provided another great example with news of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington pulling an exhibit from the Hide/Seek exhibition. Over 18s can watch the video in question, A Fire in my Belly, here. It's an interesting piece created by the artist David

Popularity of copyright: mash-ups and time

2010-12-02T06:23:00.000-08:00

With the great digital impact upon creation and its using, that is, producing and consuming, copyright law has become not only subject of protecting and promoting creativity within the popular culture, but also it has become an object of popularity itself. We are witnessing the continuous dialogues, if not conflicts, between those justifying its existence and those calling for its greater

Betrayed by Rough Trade lies?

2010-11-21T23:54:00.000-08:00

I have just finished reading the excellent book Document and Eyewitness: An Intimate History of Rough Trade by Neil Taylor, which charts the various trials and tribulations that have afflicted Rough Trade over its 30 plus year history. I have always had a soft spot for Rough Trade, as a youth I used to buy a lot of Rough Trade singles and use their mail order, and when I first came to London in

Seamless Web - popular culture and law blog

2010-11-17T00:17:00.000-08:00

In a spirit of non-competitive bonhomie I would like to bring The Seamless Web to your attention. Lots of interesting material and links, especially looking at film and TV, and well worth a look. A great addition to the blogosphere.

Rave On? Rave Off?

2010-11-09T03:57:00.000-08:00

Mark Townshend's piece on the huge rave that took place in central London, Scumoween: The Squat Monster's Ball, published in The Observer, took me back twenty years to the so called Second Summer of Love, and the previous conservative administration's attempts to police youth culture by trying to clamp down on raves via the Entertainment (Increased Penalties) Act 1990 and the Criminal Justice and

The Filth and the Fury

2010-11-08T02:46:00.000-08:00

It may not have escaped your notice that last week saw the publication of a 50th Anniversary edition of D.H.Lawrence's celebrated novel. This edition looks interesting on a number of fronts, not only does it include the unexpurgated text, but also essays by Geoffrey Roberston and Steve Hare, but also a timeline of events around the trial and is supported by a useful website. For a useful piece

Creep

2010-11-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

From my favourite magazine, the word, a great reinterpretation of Radiohead's Creep. While we are about it this is also a recent favourite, although the song is certainly not my usual cup of tea.

Bronco Bullfrog

2010-10-21T05:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we screened Bronco Bullfrog, Barney Platts-Mills' classic 1970 film set in the East end of London, that has been described as a lost mod classic and has acquired cult status. The context for this screening was that it marked the 40th anniversary of its first screening at what is now known as the Old Cinema at the University of Westminster in October 1970. As has previously been

Law, Sport and Education

2010-06-29T06:38:00.000-07:00