The Times on Cinema

by Brian Pendreigh (editor)

‘It is up to the Great Film Critic in the Sky to deal with Life of Brian.’Penelope MortimerLETTERS TO THE EDITORIn 1958, The Times referred to Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo as ‘not an important film or even major Hitchcock’. In 2012, they reported that it had been declared the best film of all time.Cinematic history is filled with hindsight; filled with tales of the ‘underdog’ being talked down only to rise triumphantly – nobody thought The Wizard of Oz or Titanic would be remotely successful. But they were.In The Times on Cinema, celebrated film author and journalist Brian Pendreigh throws open the archives on one of Britain’s favourite pastimes. From the Fatty Arbuckle scandal in the 1920s to the infamous Oscars mix up of 2017, from Harry Potter to James Bond, cinema’s most revered and sharp-tongued critics line up to review and retell some of the world’s most famous films and infamous events.

336 pages, Hardcover

Published September 17, 2018

About the author

Brian Pendreigh is an award-winning writer and journalist, whose regular outlets have included The Guardian (1999-2007), The Times and The Scotsman. He has written several film books and most recently was editor of The Times on Cinema (2018). He was twice Britain’s Film Journalist of the Year and his work has been picked by the Scottish Examination Board for English interpretation questions. He is a keen long-distance runner and pub quizzer (with wins on Mastermind, Eggheads, 15 to 1 and Only Connect). He lives in Portobello, Edinburgh. His lounge overlooks the Pentland Hills and his bedroom looks out to the sea and romance.

You can follow Brian on Twitter @BrianPendreigh