A twelfth of the way through the year. Did you Veganuary? Dryanuary? Tryanuary? Or, like the Cut Crew, did you decide that the dark doldrums days of the new year are no time to be mucking about with fads you’ll start half-heartedly before abandoning two weeks in? We hope one habit you’ve kept up is your weekly fix of linkeration with us. If you enjoy it, why not tell a friend? That’s a resolution we can happily agree with.
This week: The Archies, the greatest film review ever and the Ninth Art Desk goes for a full takeover.
Now is the time. Here is the place. This is The Cut.
Antony Amardoux was a baker in the 2018 series of the Great British Bake Off, leaving the tent in week three. Frankly, anyone who makes it in there in the first place is a hero in our eyes. He shares some fascinating insights into his short time in the spotlight and dishes the goss on what Paul Hollywood is really like…
Three Weeks In The Bake-Off Tent
Peg Bracken wrote recipes to suit her life rather than the writers of the cookbooks she loathed. Her output, including The I Hate To Cook Book, brought practicality and common sense to the kitchen—along with a heaped helping of dry humour. Her style reminds us of Cut Crush Jack Monroe, although the budget constraints are somewhat different.
Marie Le Conte is an excellent political writer and sharp commentator on modern English life. She’s also, when she puts her mind to it, a clever cook, putting her particular skill sets to very good use. There are a few recipes in this list of super-fast weekday meals we fancy trying.
Linda Jildmalm is a film editor who has just finished work on Hatching, an indie horror getting lots of attention after its premiere at Sundance. She invites us into the editing room and tells us about the special challenges which come with cutting a film when you don’t know the language…
This, from the recently appointed Junior Film Critic of I Might Be Wrong, may just be the greatest film review of the year. We’ll say no more, but recommend you read to the very end.
https://imightbewrong.substack.com/p/joel-coens-the-tragedy-of-macbeth
Legendary author Toni Morrison only ever wrote one short story. But boy howdy it’s a good one. An absolute masterclass of the form, Recitatif shows what can be done in a piece of short fiction and, probably more importantly, what to leave out. Zadie Smith examines the story and teases out what makes it such a core part of Morrison’s oeuvre…
As part of our pledge to bring you more short fiction in 2022, here’s the story. It will be available in a lovely new edition this month which, if budget allows, you should consider as an investment for your bookshelf.
https://www.cusd80.com/cms/lib/AZ01001175/Centricity/Domain/1073/Morrison_recitatifessay.doc.pdf
Vigon is one of those stars who shone brightly but very briefly. A stalwart of the French soul scene in the 60s (yes, there was such a thing) he shook the rafters than vanished before the dust had a chance to settle. Miles Marshall Lewis chronicles his search for the mystery soul man in a great piece that’s part social documentary, half crate-digging celebration.
On the other side of the musical spectrum, The Archies were as manufactured as you could get. A confection stirred up by music execs and crewed by animators and session musicians. The Archies might not have been real. But the music… well, that brought the whole shebang to living, colourful life.
Pour A L’il Sugar On Me, Baby.
On the other, other side of the musical spectrum stands Poison Ivy, Queen Of Rock ‘n’ Roll and Matriarch of The Cramps. She brought both the glamour and the filth, strutting the stage in glitter and heels while grinding out some of the dirtiest riffs ever heard. This rare interview with Ivy makes it clear just how influential her sound is to modern rock, and why everyone should bow down and worship.
Poison Ivy: The Queen Of Rock N Roll
The Ninth Art Desk is live! Buckle up, buttercups, we have a lot to get through. First up, an examination via the ever-excellent NeoTextReview of Glyn Dillon’s incredible 2010 graphic novel The Nao Of Brown. Now better known for his film design work (Kylo Ren’s look in the latest batch of Star Wars films? That’s Glyn), his skill as a comics storyteller is unparalleled. The Nao Of Brown is worth seeking out, as its themes are highly relevant to the current discourse on mental well-being.
The Observer/Cape/Comica Graphic Short Story Prize announced winners this week, with first prize going to Astrid Goldsmith for A Funeral In Freiburg. This darkly humourous tale of the hard work involved in a Jewish funeral skews from tragedy to laffs in the space of a couple of panels. The link also leads to the two runners-up, both of which are equally excellent. Go read!
And finally. A big week in the Ninth Art world as Substack announced a big push in big names launching big works on their platform. Substack’s support for questionable authors is well documented, but we’re fully behind an initiative which allows comic creators the freedom to stretch out and do something different. The main hoop-de-la has focussed on sexy wizard Grant Morrison’s first foray onto the platform. For our money, the best value is to be found with Tom King and Elsa Charretier’s Love Everlasting, a wild reimagining of that most sidelined of comics genres—romance. The strip will be free for the duration of the run although subscription gets you process and art perks. The first episode is up now. Go check it out!
The Cut’s Custom Musical Algorithm coughed up this slice of delight which left the whole office swaying along with a slightly dreamy look on their faces. Utter gorgeousness, bruised romanticism, melancholia in full effect. The song to take us properly into February.
See you next Saturday, sweethearts.
EXCUSES AND HALF TRUTHS 