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my back pages

essays, my back pages, thoughts & opinions books

Talking Book: Should One Watch It, or Should One Read It?

May 20, 2016

When the book-versus-movie debate seems less clear-cut.

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Ryan McNeil
american movie critics, discussion, my back pages american movie critics, andre sennwald, jandy hardesty

You Want History: Jandy & I Discuss Andre Sennwald

July 23, 2015

Class is back in session. Jandy & I discover why we’re wrong about “why we’re wrong”, and discuss film’s early adoption of colour…fanciful as it may have been.

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Ryan McNeil
american movie critics, discussion, my back pages american movie critics, cecelia ager, jandy hardesty

You Want History: Jandy & I Discuss Cecilia Ager

May 13, 2015

The drape of a dress, the cut of a suit, and the volumes they can say about the characters in our films.

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Ryan McNeil
my back pages citizen kane

Poisoned Rose: One Small Change to CITIZEN KANE

April 6, 2015

“The moment the CITIZEN KANE screenplay threw me for a loop…or “How can you never notice a detail that’s never there?”

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Ryan McNeil
my back pages alfred hitchcock, francois truffaut

Meet Your Master: Reading François Truffaut’s Hitchcock

March 29, 2015

Every once in a while, reading someone else’s textbook can be a source of great joy.

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Ryan McNeil
american movie critics, discussion, my back pages american movie critics, jandy hardesty, king kong, phillip lopate, the invisible man, william troy

You Want History: Jandy & I Discuss William Troy

March 4, 2015

Two of the biggest creature features of all time prompt brevity and wit in todays critic up for discussion with Jandy.

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Ryan McNeil
american movie critics, discussion, my back pages american movie critics, jandy hardesty, pare lorentz, phillip lopate

You Want History: Jandy & I Discuss Pare Lorentz

February 17, 2015

The book finally gives us a curious inclusion, and a prophecy about the future of documentary films.

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Ryan McNeil
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