The Voynich manuscript (so called) is one of the most profound mysteries in the history of literature. Believed to have been written in the 15th century, it appears to be rendered in an entirely artificial language and is illuminated with strange drawings, the nature of which ranges from the biological and pharmaceutical to the astronomical […]
The plot synopsis for Penny Dreadful makes it sound like a cross between Ripper Street and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen; an experiment in interbred Victoriana which could go either way. Showtime’s new series paints a suitably grimy portrait of Victorian London’s supernatural underbelly, where fouler things than Jack the Ripper roam the dark streets […]
“We always write in order to remember the truth. When we invent, it is only in order to remember the truth more exactly.” (Luis Fernando Verissimo) I’ve often mistakenly attributed the above quote to Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges, possibly because it’s written in a book (Borges and the Eternal Orangutans) which pays tribute to […]
The wait is over! After all the speculation and anticipation following Matt Smith’s announcement that he would be leaving Doctor Who after this year’s Christmas special, the new Doctor has finally been unveiled, and it is…. PETER CAPALDI! He’s an interesting choice for the role, as since the series’ return to our screens in 2005 […]
Pacific Rim is a hugely enjoyable (if flawed) film which does a better job than Michael Bay of putting giant robots on the big screen, while at the same time paying homage to Japanese monster movies and manga/anime series like Neon Genesis Evangelion. Although dominated by the awesome spectacle of towering machine men waging war […]
As it approached the end of its most recent season, HBO’s Game of Thrones began to attract more vociferous criticism for its lack of non-white actors. The series’ main characters are overwhelmingly presented as pale-skinned, a casting choice which has often led to accusations of orientalism, and one which has also characterised (to varying degrees) […]