Thursday, October 10, 2013

Conference to pay tribute to “neglected comedy genius”



Event celebrating the life and career of comic actor Arthur Lucan to be held at the London Cinema Museum Saturday 12 October

A one-day conference celebrating the Life and Films of comic actor Arthur Lucan and the centenary of his marriage to Kitty McShane is to be held at the London Cinema Museum on Saturday, 12 October between 10:30am and 5:00pm.

The event is being organised by Dr Robert Kenny of the University of Leicester’s School of Modern Languages, who will be speaking in the morning of the event and presenting pages from his forthcoming full-length study, "The Man who was Old Mother Riley."

Dr Kenny will be joined by academic speakers Dr Anthony Slide, Professor Jeffrey Richards from Lancaster University and Professor Steven Fielding from the University of Nottingham.

Afternoon events will include a round table discussion and a presentation by playwright and broadcaster Patrick Prior of his new play for the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford, "The Vampire and Mrs Riley."

The British Film Institute (BFI) has agreed to allow an exceptional one-off showing of the master-tape of Old Mother Riley in Business (1940); the film is commercially unavailable and has not been seen for some forty years. Other screenings will include Margery Baker’s 1969 documentary, ‘Applause! Applause!’. 

Dr Kenny said: “When I discovered that there was only one rather inadequate and inaccurate study of Arthur Lucan and his wife Kitty McShane I decided they deserved better, particularly when I realised that much of the accepted biography in fact bears little relation to the truth.

“Arthur Lucan is a neglected comic genius, a viewed first expressed by Rachael Low and Leslie Halliwell, two of Britain's most famous film historians.

“I have received enormous support from a number distinguished academics and critics, including Anthony Slide, the man the Los Angeles Times called a "one man publishing phenomenon."  A year ago Anthony and I agreed that I should organise this conference to mark the centenary of the Lucans' stormy marriage, and to showcase my forthcoming book.

“I am especially happy that some young recent graduates in film and TV studies will also be with us, passing knowledge of Lucan's comic skills to a new generation.”

As well as academics, many members of Arthur Lucan's family will be present. The event will be the first time that Arthur Lucan has attracted a gathering of academic speakers as well as loyal fans. The day should prove to be both instructive and highly entertaining.

Refreshments will be available at the Cinema Museum licensed cafe/bar.

Doors open at 09.30am for a 10.30am start. The event concludes at 5:00pm.

Tickets are £10/£7 concessions.

Advance tickets may be purchased from WeGotTickets at the following address: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/233755

Alternatively, tickets can be purchased directly from the London Cinema Museum by calling 020 7840 2200 during office hours.

Award Winning Director Invites TV Fans To Be A Part Of Brand New Crime Drama Series


Award winning director Jamaal Green has announced the launch of a crowdfunding campaign which will give psychological thriller and crime drama fans the chance to back the brand new web series, ‘Chronicles of a Profiler’. The drama has been written and directed by up-and-coming film maker Jamaal Green, Creative Director of the New York production company Time Squared Arts.

In return for supporting the crowdfunding campaign to back the cost of producing the series, benefactors will receive a range of once-in-a-lifetime rewards including the chance to be a part of the series and pen a crucial plot arc. The rewards on offer range from a mention on the ‘Chronicles of a Profiler’ social media channels, access to exclusive behind the scenes footage and a special mention in the credits to being an extra or walk on in a future episode. The highest endowments will get the chance visit the set or to become filmmakers themselves by creating an integral plot point for an episode.

Jamaal Green, creator of ‘Chronicles of a Profiler’ said, “Already a lot of work has been put into creating this dark crime drama. We have made the first episode and are getting ready to release it on the web. Now we need the help of the public, through crowdfunding so we can get the rest of the series completed and uploaded so that fans of the genre all round the world can enjoy it. The team and I are eternally grateful to anyone who helps this project come to fruition, which is why we are offering some fantastic rewards in return for support.”

The series itself is a tense, psychological crime drama with elements of the supernatural. It is set in the woods of Bucks County, Pennsylvania and centers around the world of Jack Sheppard, a reclusive former detective who has isolated himself from outside world in order to escape from his dark and checkered past. Jack also has a gift; haunted by lucid dreams in which he can see horrific crimes being committed, sometimes even before they happen. Although these dreams occur to him in precise detail, the only faces he is able to see are those of the dead. Though he has cut himself off from his past, friends, family and a longtime foe track him down and force him to confront his inner demons.

The series is sure to appeal to any fans of dark psychological dramas and detective stories, such as the recent smash hit ‘Hannibal’ or the 90’s classic series ‘The X Files.’ Written and directed by award winning film maker Jamaal Green, it is being produced by Time Squared Arts, a production company based in New York’s legendary Film Center Building. The company specializes in creating short films, music videos, web series and commercials.

For more information about ‘Chronicles of a Profiler’ visit: http://chronprofiler.com