Friday, June 5, 2015

Announcing the 2nd Annual British Invaders Blogathon

Last year A Shroud of Thoughts hosted the British Invaders Blogathon, a celebration of the best in British classic films. The British Invaders Blogathon was such a success that I decided to make it an annual event. While many people think of Hollywood when they think of classic movie, the fact is that the United Kingdom made many significant contributions to film over the years. From the Gainsborough melodramas to Hammer Films to the British New Wave, cinema would be much poorer without the British.  I've scheduled this year's British Invaders Blogathon  for July 31, August 1, and August 2.

Here are the ground rules for this year's blogathon:

1. Posts can be about any British film or any topic related to British films. For the sake of simplicity, I am using "British" here to refer to any film made by a company based in the United Kingdom or British Crown dependencies. If you want to write about a film made in Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man, then, you can do so. Also for the sake of simplicity, people can write about co-productions made with companies from outside the United Kingdom. For example, since 2001: A Space Odyssey is a British-American co-production, someone could write about it if they chose.

2. There is no limit on subject matter. You can write about any film in any genre you want. Posts can be on everything from the British New Wave to the Gainsborough bodice rippers to the Hammer Horrors. I am also making no limit on the format posts can make. You could review a classic British film, make an in-depth analysis of a series of British films, or even simply do a pictorial tribute to a film. That having been said, since this is a classic film blogathon,  I only ask that you write about films made before 1990. I generally don't think of a film as a classic until it has been around for thirty years, but to give bloggers more options I am setting the cut off point at twenty five years ago.

3. I am asking that there please be no duplicates. That having been said, if someone has already chosen to cover From Russia with Love (1963), someone else could write about the James Bond series as a whole.

4. I am not going to schedule days for individual posts. All I ask is that the posts be made on or between July 31, August 1, or August 2.

If you want to participate in the British Invaders Blogathon, you can get a hold of me either on Twitter at mercurie80 or at my email:  mercurie80 at gmail.com, or you can simply comment below.

Below is a roster of participants and the topics they are covering. Come July 31 I will make a post that will include all of the posts in the blogathon.

The Hitless Wonder Blog: Where Eagles Dare

Defiant Success: Four Queer Films--Victim; Sunday, Bloody Sunday; My Beautiful Laundrette; and Maurice

Moon in Gemini: A Fish Called Wanda
 
The Wonderful World of Cinema: The Importance of Being Earnest (1952)

Crítica Retrô: Zulu

CineMaven's: ESSAYS from the COUCH: Night and the City

Outspoken & Freckled: Room With a View

Ramblings of a Cinephile: Room at The Top
 
Cinephilia: I Know Where I'm Going!

MovieMovieBlogBlog: A Hard Day's Night and Help!

In The Good Old Days Of Classic Hollywood: Goodbye Mr. Chips (1939) and Go On Singing

Girls Do Film: Blue Scar
  
Speakeasy: The Damned (1963)

Bubblegum Aesthetics: Quadrophenia

The Stop Button: Hope and Glory 

Love Letters to Old Hollywood: The Tales of Hoffmann 

Noirish: Whistle Down the Wind 

Back to Golden Days: The End of the Affair 

litlover12: The Scapegoat

The Joy and Agony of Movies:  Get Carter (1971), The Long Good Friday, The Hit, and Mona Lisa

portraitsbyjenni: The Wicked Lady 

Once Upon a Screen: The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)

Sacred Celluloid: Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

Pop Culture Reverie: The Lion in Winter

Movies Silently: The Lad From Old Ireland (1910)

Sister Celluloid: The Holly and the Ivy

A Shroud of Thoughts: The Ladykillers (1955) 

Bnoirdetour: It Always Rains on Sunday
 
 Voyages Extraordinaires: "The Edwardian Scientific Romances of Amicus Productions"

Almost Ginger: Hell is a City (1960) and A Taste of Honey (1961)

Below are several banners for participants in the blogathon to use (or you can always make your own):



57 comments:

Dan Day, Jr. said...

Would "Where Eagles Dare" qualify for this blogathon?

Terence Towles Canote said...

Dan, it most definitely does. Do you want me to put you down for it?

Dan Day, Jr. said...

Yes, please!

John Hitchcock said...


Oh wow, it looks like we're getting into Blogathon season! Things are a bit hectic for me right now (really boring class) which makes it hard to think about these kinds of things, but I'd certainly like to get involved in some of these activities. I'm probably not going to run the Gay on Film Blogathon as I'd originally planned, but I have toyed with a few ideas. I do have an interesting concept for one about directorial debuts. I'd just have to decide when to announce it and when to run it.

Anyway, back on topic, it's exciting to see this one come back but choosing a film is going to be difficult. I've already covered so much territory in the realm of British Cinema on my blog I'm not sure how I'll find something new. I suppose I could revisit some old territory, but we'll see. In the meantime, I'm going to have to think about some British films I can examine.

MovieNut14 said...

Ooh, I'm in! For my post, I'd like to write about four queer films: Victim, Sunday, Bloody Sunday, My Beautiful Laundrette, and Maurice. (I'm also adding Pride to my list even though it was released last year.)

Debbie Vega said...

Yay! So happy this is now an annual event!

Since you're including 80s movies, I MUST claim to A Fish Called Wanda.

Terence Towles Canote said...

Great choices, Anna. I love Victim. Sir Dirk Bogarde has always been one of my favourite actors. I have you down for it!

Debra, I love A Fish Called Wanda, I've gotten you down for it!

Virginie Pronovost said...

Hi! I would like to write about The Importance of Being Earnest (1952's version). :) My blog is The Wonderful World of Cinema (but I think you already know it!)

said...

Hey, Terence! May I write about Zulu (1964)? I'm in need for a good Michael Caine movie marathon!
Cheers!
Le

Terence Towles Canote said...

Virgine, I have you down for The Importance of Being Earnest. Lê, I have you down for Zulu.

CineMaven said...

Hi there - I'd love to participate in this second "BRITISH INVADERS BLOGATHON" with my entry "Night and the City" with the great Richard Widmark. Would that work? Thanx. CineMaven

Irish Jayhawk said...

May I pick 'A Room With A View'? Thanks, Terry!

Marta said...

I'd like to contribute with Room At The Top, would that be ok?
Thanks.

My blog is
http://ramblingsofacinephile.com/

Jeff Duncanson said...

I would love to do Basil Dearden's The League of Gentlemen at filmscreed.

http://filmscreed.wix.com/filmscreed

AutumnMist10 said...

Hey Terence!!
This is me,Spandan.
I would love to do "I Know Where I'm Going!" by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
My blog is:
iamcineaste.wordpress.com

Terence Towles Canote said...

Cinemaven, I have you down for it. What is your blog URL?

Kellee, I got you down for A Room with a View!

Marta, Jeff, and Spandan, I have you down!

Andrew Wickliffe said...

How about Hope and Glory for the Stop Button (www.thestopbutton)... 1987 getting as close to 1990 as I can :)

Terence Towles Canote said...

Andrew, I've got you down for Hope and Glory.

Michaela said...

I'd like to do The Tales of Hoffmann by Powell and Pressburger. My blog is Love Letters to Old Hollywood (loveletterstooldhollywood.blogspot.com). Thanks!

Terence Towles Canote said...

Michaela Ann, I have you down for The Tales of Hoffmann!

noirencyclopedia said...

Could I volunteer for Whistle Down the Wind (1961), please? My site is called Noirish.

Terence Towles Canote said...

I have you down for Whistle Down the Wind!

noirencyclopedia said...

I have you down for Whistle Down the Wind!

Many thanks!

Cátia said...

I'd love to write about "The End of the Affair" (1955), if that's okay.
My blog is called Back to Golden Days.
http://back-to-golden-days.blogspot.pt/

Thanks.
-Cátia

Terence Towles Canote said...

MarsMoonlight, I have you down for The End of the Affair!

Gina said...

Ooh, I want to do this! May I cover Alec Guinness's "The Scapegoat"? My site is http://litlover12.livejournal.com.

Terence Towles Canote said...

Gina, I have you down for it!

Gina said...

Thanks!

Unknown said...

Oh I would love to participate again. Please put me down for The Wicked Lady.

Terence Towles Canote said...

I have you down for The Wicked Lady, Jennifer.

Nick Cardillo said...

Hello there,

I would love to write about "Murder on the Orient Express" (1974). It's one of my favorite films.

Mu blog's web address is sacred-celluloid.blogspot.com

Thanks,

Nick

Robin Franson Pruter said...

I would like to write about The Lion in Winter if it hasn't been picked. If it has, my second choice is Chariots of Fire.

My blog is https://popculturereverie.wordpress.com/

Robin

robinpruter@gmail.com

Terence Towles Canote said...

Hi Robin, I have you down for The Lion in Winter!

Red Team said...

Hi Terry! Can I do "The Holly and the Ivy" for the blogathon! Kind of like Christmas in July!! :)

Red Team said...

P.S. The tag says "Red Team" but it's me, Sister Celluloid!

Thanks again,

Janet

Terence Towles Canote said...

Hi Janet! I have you down for The Holly and the Ivy! :-)

Sensei said...

I'd love to join in, with discussion of It Always Rains on Sunday. I will post to BNoirDetour.wordpress.com.

Terence Towles Canote said...

I've got you down for It Always Rains on Sunday!

Cory Gross said...

Hi! This is a great idea!

Can my blog - Voyages Extraordinaires - join in with "The Edwardian Scientific Romances of Amicus Productions"?

Terence Towles Canote said...

Yes, Cory, I have got you added. That is a great idea for a post!

Rebecca Sharp said...
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Rebecca Sharp said...
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Rebecca Sharp said...

This sounds like an awesome idea for a blogathon! Please could I write about Hell is a City (1960) and A Taste of Honey (1961)? My blog is almostginger.com... Also, are you doing a round up post on the 31st or just a list of participating blogs?

Terence Towles Canote said...

Hi Rebecca! I got you added for Hell is a City and A Taste of Honey! Anyway on August 31 I'll have a post with links to all the blog posts that are part of the blogathon set up. I'll be updating it over the course of the blogthon during the next few days.

Rebecca Sharp said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rebecca Sharp said...

Ahh August 31st, cool, that makes more sense! Thanks for clarifying :)

Gina said...

Wait -- August 31? The original post says July 31.

Terence Towles Canote said...

You're right, Gina! I meant July 31! Anyway, the first day of the blogathon.

Steve Bailey said...

From Movie Movie Blog Blog:

Here are the URLS for my reviews of, respectively, A HARD DAY'S NIGHT and HELP!:

https://moviemovieblogblog.wordpress.com/2015/07/23/a-hard-days-night-1964-a-beautiful-cinematic-scrapbook-of-the-beatles/

https://moviemovieblogblog.wordpress.com/2015/07/25/the-beatles-in-help-1965-no-hard-days-night-but-a-nice-ticket-to-ride/

Terence Towles Canote said...

Thanks, Steve! I'll have the round up post up on July 31. :-)

Michaela said...

I went ahead and posted my entry:
http://loveletterstooldhollywood.blogspot.com/2015/07/powell-and-pressburger-entrance-with.html

Thanks for hosting this!

Terence Towles Canote said...

Michaela, I've got it added to the summary post (which should auto-publish tomorrow morning)! You're welcome and thanks for participating!

Robin Franson Pruter said...

My post is up. https://popculturereverie.wordpress.com/2015/07/31/the-lion-in-winter-1968-review-by-robin-franson-pruter/

noirencyclopedia said...

I've posted my account of Whistle Down the Wind (1961) on my Noirish site.

It makes for a sort of odd fit there, but not nearly as odd as I'd thought it might!

Terence Towles Canote said...

noirencylcopedia, I got it on the summary page.

noirencyclopedia said...

Thanks!

Andrew Wickliffe said...

and I'm posted (long ago but was helping someone post). Next year I'm doing something different--not eighties, either thirties or seventies. lol.

http://thestopbutton.com/2015/07/31/hope-glory-1987/