Contributions from James Clarke | Little White Lies

Contributor James Clarke

Two young men standing in a wooded area, one wearing a checked shirt and the other a denim jacket.
In Praise Of

Nothing Gold Can Stay – In praise of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders

by James Clarke

This teenage drama from 1983 is the pinnacle of the director’s career-long obsession with the passage of time.
Cartoon image of Pinocchio sitting on the floor, tinkering with a wooden object. He wears a blue jacket, red shorts, and a yellow hat.
In Praise Of

The pull of Pinocchio – How an Italian fairy tale became a pop culture staple

by James Clarke

On the 80th anniversary of Disney’s animation, we look at the different ways this magical fable has been interpreted.
Elderly man wearing cowboy hat and plaid shirt, sitting on a tractor in a field.
In Praise Of

Why The Straight Story remains one of the great American road movies

by James Clarke

In praise of David Lynch’s 1999 drama, a film about moving slowly and gently in a hard and fast world.
Man sitting in car, focused expression
In Praise Of

Fuel Injected Future: Remembering Mad Max at 40

by James Clarke

How George Miller’s 1979 debut feature helped set the post-apocalyptic genre in motion.
A person with long dark hair holding a rifle, standing in a rocky, mountainous landscape.
In Praise Of

Red Earth Resistance – Remembering Geronimo: An American Legend

by James Clarke

Walter Hill’s under-appreciated historical drama reminds us how powerful Hollywood cinema can be.
A man with long hair and a moustache, wearing a white coat, stands in an outdoor setting.
In Praise Of

How The Duellists set the tone for Ridley Scott’s filmmaking career

by James Clarke

The director’s 1977 feature debut contains several key thematic and stylistic hallmarks.
Bearded man in fur-trimmed coat, holding a red toy in a dimly lit setting.
In Praise Of

Why I love Robin Williams’ performance in The Fisher King

by James Clarke

The late actor is at his dangerous, dynamic best in this melancholy fantasy from Terry Gilliam.
Surreal scene with a female figure in a flowing dress, holding a glass, balanced on a peaked structure. Behind, a giant floating bust of a man. Geometric checkerboard pattern on the ground. Blue sky background.

When Dalí met Disney – the surreal story of an unlikely creative kinship

by James Clarke

In 1946 the moustachioed maestros embarked on the most ambitious project of their careers.
A group of men in military uniforms, some wielding rifles, stand in a crowd of people in an outdoor setting. The scene appears to depict a historical or political event.
In Praise Of

How Ken Loach captured the emotional fallout of the Spanish Civil War

by James Clarke

Land and Freedom shows the personal and political sides of this 80-year-old conflict.
Two Black men, one sitting and one standing, in a dimly lit room.
In Praise Of

Increase the Peace – In praise of Boyz n the Hood

by James Clarke

John Singleton’s South Central LA story delivered a powerful universal message that still rings true today.
Two blond-haired people, a young boy and a woman, standing outdoors on a dark night.
In Praise Of

How Close Encounters channels the wishful spirit of Pinocchio

by James Clarke

Steven Spielberg’s classic sci-fi teaches the importance of holding on to dreams.
Two men in coats standing in front of graffiti-covered wall, one pointing upward.
In Praise Of

In defence of Hook – Steven Spielberg’s grown-up ode to childhood

by James Clarke

Does the director’s take on JM Barrie’s classic tale of arrested development deserve its reputation?