Monday, June 22, 2020

Announcing the 7th Annual Rule, Britannia Blogathon

I am proud to announce the 7th Annual Rule Britannia Blogathon, which will take place on September 25, 26, and 27 2020. Many of you might remember that the blogathon has traditionally taken place the first week of August, but I have two reasons for moving it. The first is that it totally slipped my mind to announce the blogathon, which I usually do in late May or early June. Since it is now late June, I thought a later date would give participants more time to choose the movie they want to write about. The second is that August is a truly difficult month for me, as many of you may well know. Given both these reasons, it seems to me that a late September date is better.

While many people think of Hollywood when they think of classic movies, 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.

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 take. 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 2010. 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 ten 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 September 25, 26, and 27 .

If you want to participate in the Rule, Britannia Blogathon, you can simply comment below or get a hold of me on Twitter at mercurie80 or at my email:  mercurie80 at gmail.com
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Below is a roster of participants and the topics they are covering. Come September 25 I will make a post that will include all of the posts in the blogathon:

Liberal England: A Canterbury Tale
Caftan Woman: I See a Dark Stranger (1946)
Wide Screen World: Black Narcissus (1947)
 A Scunner Darkly: Oliver Tobias in The Stud (1979)
Realweegiemidget Reviews:  Deadly Strangers (1975)
Taking Up Room: A Yank at Oxford
Silver Screenings: Rich and Strange (1931)
Dubsisim: ffolkes (1980)
Moon in Gemini: Howard's End (1992)
Lorna DupreThe Draughtsman's Contract (1982)
Crítica Retrô: British film pioneers
Cinematic Catharsis: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
18 Cinema Lane: Nicholas Nickelby (2002)
Poppity Talks Classic FilmThe Manxman (1929)
The Wonderful World of Cinema: So Long at the Fair (1950)
A Shroud of Thoughts: The Dam Busters (1955)
In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood: Anne Bancroft's British films
Cinema Essentials: The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954)
Diary of a Movie Maniac: The Devils (1971)
 
Below are several banners for participants in the blogathon to use (or you can always make your own):


19 comments:

Caftan Woman said...

I've been giving this some thought lately and would like to work something up on I See a Dark Stranger, 1946.

Rich said...

Black Narcissus.
http://widescreenworld.blogspot.com

Kevin Sturton said...

Hi Terence,

Can I please write about Oliver Tobias in The Stud (1979)?

Best,
Kevin
AScunnerDarkly.com

Realweegiemidget Reviews said...

Hi there

Can you please add me with Deadly Strangers (1975)?

Thanks

Gill from Realweegiemidger Reviews

Silver Screenings said...

I'd like to do the poorly-received Alfred Hitchcock film, Rich and Strange (1931), if not already taken.
Ruth at Silver Screenings

J-Dub said...

I'd like to join with Roger Moore's UK-made 1980 action flick ffolkes (also released as North Sea Hijack)

J-Dub from dubsism.com

Lorna Dupré said...

I would love to do Peter Greenaway's The Draughtsman's Contract (1982), please! https://lornadupre.mycouncillor.org.uk/

said...

Hi, Terry! I'm glad this event is back.
I'd like to write about some British film pioneers, please!
Thanks!
Le from Critica Retro

Barry P. said...

Hi, Terry:

I would like to discuss 2001: A Space Odyssey for Cinematic Catharsis.

Thanks so much!

18 Cinema Lane said...

Hello Terry! I'd like to join this blogathon by reviewing the 2002 film, 'Nicholas Nickelby'.

Virginie Pronovost said...

I'm glad this is back! I would like to write about So Long at the Fair! (1950)

Here's the link to my blog:

https://thewonderfulworldofcinema.wordpress.com/

Realweegiemidget Reviews said...

Hi there, hope all well with you, here's my post for the blogathon...

https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/2020/09/23/films-deadly-strangers-1975/

Realweegiemidget Reviews said...

Hi there,

Hope all is good with you. Here's my post for the blogathon...

https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/2020/09/23/films-deadly-strangers-1975/

from Gill at Realweegiemidget Reviews

Diary of a Movie Maniac said...

I want to write about Ken Russell's The Devils.

Cinema Essentials said...

Hi Terence. Please put me down for The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954).

Thanks

Jay

www.cinemaessentials.com

Rebecca Deniston said...

Hi, Terence, I was wondering if I could change my film to "The Way Ahead"? Sorry this is so last minute.

Silver Screenings said...

Hi there! I just posted my entry on Rich and Strange here: https://silverscreenings.org/2020/09/23/the-misery-of-getting-what-you-ask-for/

Looking forward to this!

Terence Towles Canote said...

That would be all right, Rebecca! I had to change mine too. I couldn't find The Dam Busters, so I am doing Sink the Bismark! instead.

Lorna Dupré said...

Whew! That was a close run thing. The Draughtsman's Contract now at https://lornadupre.mycouncillor.org.uk/2020/09/27/film-review-the-draughtsmans-contract-peter-greenaway-1982/