Contributions from Stephen Puddicombe | Little White Lies

Contributor Stephen Puddicombe

Black and white image of two runners in a park, one in the foreground with a focused expression and the other in the background.
In Praise Of

Is this the greatest sporting drama ever told?

by Stephen Puddicombe

The Lone­li­ness of the Long Dis­tance Run­ner under­lines the impor­tance of com­pet­ing on your own terms.
Two people in a black and white film scene, a man sitting in a chair and a woman standing beside him, both dressed in 1940s-style clothing.
In Praise Of

The film noir that exposed the everyday horrors of domestic violence

by Stephen Puddicombe

George Cukor’s 1944 Gaslight was the first major Hol­ly­wood pic­ture to depict an abu­sive relationship.
A woman with blonde hair wearing a blue dress stands in a colourful, vibrant setting with pink and blue hues.
In Praise Of

Is La La Land an homage to The Umbrellas of Cherbourg?

by Stephen Puddicombe

Direc­tor Damien Chazelle has admit­ted this ​’60s clas­sic is a key influ­ence on his forth­com­ing musical.
A person wielding a chainsaw against a sunset background in a rural setting.
In Praise Of

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the sound of violence

by Stephen Puddicombe

It may not be the most icon­ic piece of film music, but Tobe Hooper’s organ­ic, vis­cer­al sound­track is unique­ly unsettling.
Two men in a black-and-white photograph, one looking into a mirror.

How Archibald Leach became Cary Grant

by Stephen Puddicombe

From find­ing his feat as tour­ing acro­bat to earn­ing Hol­ly­wood lead­ing man sta­tus, the sto­ry of this endur­ing icon is full of intrigue.
A man in a cowboy hat and brown coat standing in a desert landscape with rocky formations and cloudy sky.
In Praise Of

In praise of Sterling Hayden – cinema’s nicest tough guy

by Stephen Puddicombe

With John­ny Gui­tar return­ing to cin­e­mas, we tip our hat to one of the most tow­er­ing act­ing tal­ents of his generation.
A woman in a black dress posed on rocks, silhouetted against a blurred, heavily textured background.
In Praise Of

How Federico Fellini mastered the magic hour

by Stephen Puddicombe

Dawn plays an impor­tant role in the Ital­ian director’s 1960 film La Dolce Vita.
Man with bloody face and distressed expression, standing against a red and textured background.
In Praise Of

Taxi Driver and the frightening truth about our current political climate

by Stephen Puddicombe

Is the alt-right giv­ing rise to a new gen­er­a­tion of Travis Bickles?