Contributions from James McMahon | Little White Lies

Contributor James McMahon

A man with greying facial hair and a contemplative expression, staring intently.

The real-life tragedy that inspired Jaws’ most famous scene

by James McMahon

Quint’s show-stop­ping mono­logue recounts the doomed tale of the USS Indi­anapo­lis – but it isn’t entire­ly accurate.
Two men in military uniform standing in front of an aircraft.

What has cinema taught us about Area 51?

by James McMahon

From Inde­pen­dence Day to Zero Dark Thir­ty, the movies have fuelled our fas­ci­na­tion with this top-secret mil­i­tary facility.
Wooden cabin in forest, with green roof; yellow brick path leading through trees and undergrowth.

Unpacking the myth of The Wizard of Oz’s hanging Munchkin

by James McMahon

Did a mem­ber of the sup­port­ing cast real­ly com­mit sui­cide on the set of MGM’s clas­sic musical?
Large grey shark swimming in blue water, with green plants in the foreground.

The insane story of Zombi 2’s notorious shark fight scene

by James McMahon

How fear­less stunt­work and a load of tran­quil­lis­ers cre­at­ed one of the cra­zi­est moments in hor­ror history.
Three people in Halloween costumes, including a man holding a book titled "13 Ghosts".
In Praise Of

In praise of William Castle – undisputed king of cinema gimmickry

by James McMahon

A pio­neer of 4D screen­ings, the Amer­i­can B‑movie direc­tor was a born showman.