Venue 373

Ellie Robson Venue Editor

ellie.robson@uea.ac.uk Hello! We’ve finally made it to February, after what seems like the never ending month of January. This change hasn’t been too exciting - the cold weather is still here, and I’m feeling older by the minute as the impending doom of graduation and adult life looms nearer. It doesn’t help that my younger sister turns 18 the day that this issue is released (happy birthday Meg!). My sibling is officially an adult. I got my penultimate set of summative questions last week, which is equal parts terrifying and relieving. I love my course, but condensing my thoughts on a module, and my whole grade, to one or two 3,000 word essays throughout each semester has always been a source of stress for me. It’s by far my least favourite part of university. What is more exciting is the release of Concrete’s 2020 Sex and Drugs survey, which can be found inside Concrete alongside our wonderful publication. Some of our editors have matched their content to this theme, so look forward to some controversial and juicy explorations of your favourite types of media.

Amelia Rentell Venue Deputy Editor

concrete.venuedeputy@uea.ac.uk To me, February is a great month. It’s my Birthday month (I’m 22 now, come at my T-Swift), it’s the month of luuurve (discounted chocolate), and it’s sex survey season! After the most boring month of the year, February feels like a refreshing new start. Like rolling out of bed and actually feeling awake for the first time in a while. I’m sure this optimism and good mood won’t last but for now, l’m ignoring my upcoming deadlines, dissertation, and doom of what to do post uni - and I’m falling in love with the LCR again. This also won’t last long, but I’m enjoying it whilst it lasts. This is a really great issue of both Venue and Concrete. Our editors and writers have really pushed the boat out and produced some fabulously entertaining content. Ellie and I are always super proud to lead this team and issues like this are what makes the whole thing worthwhile. Not to mention the gorgeous cover art this week! Check out instagram details below. Lastly, don’t forget to tune in to Livewire on Tuesdays at 5pm for “A Week in Concrete”, our radio show. If you’re lucky, you’ll listen to one with me in - which are the best ones.

Featured Articles:

Read Gaming editor Martha’s exploration of sex in video games - coinciding with our 2020 sex and drugs survey!

Check out the Music section for information about the fanastic gigs happening around Norwich in February.

SECTION EDITORS ARTS - Leia Butler

concrete.arts@uea.ac.uk

FASHION - Maya Coomarasamy concrete.fashion@uea.ac.uk

CREATIVE WRITING - Oliver Shrouder concrete.creativewriting@uea.ac.uk

02 Cover art: Manaka Mori @pastelcolouredlife

MUSIC - Lewis Oxley

concrete.music@uea.ac.uk

GAMING - Martha Griffiths concrete.gamingtech@uea.ac.uk

FILM & TV - Fin Aitken

concrete.film@uea.ac.uk

Sex, scandal and seduction Lustful literature ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ is a book that is famed for being sexually explicit. It was written by D. H. Lawrence in 1928, but was only published by a small publishing house in Florence. There was an infamous trial held in 1959 where Penguin attempted to publish the text and distribute it nationally, however the novel was declared to have a corrupting influence upon the young and vulnerable minds of women (yawn). The novel explicitly describes the occasions when Connie Chatterley sleeps with not one, but two men outside of her marital bed, and eventually conceives a child by her

gamekeeper, Mellors. Mellors and Connie are both married to different people, but form an adulterous and scandalous relationship and fall madly in love. The books explicit scenes revolve around a lonely wood shack in the middle of the Chatterley’s estate. The scandalous nature of the mixing of classes causes outrage amongst society within the text, but also outside of the text – hence the trial. D.H Lawrence was criticised for his repetitive style and his use of explicit language. However, this use of language frames Mellors as a character. The defence within the trial said that

D.H. Lawrence was amongst the top ten greatest writers in the twentieth century, and that preventing the distribution of ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ would be a social and an academic injustice. The trial concluded that the book could be published and now anyone is able to purchase the text and read it to their hearts content. ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ is perhaps one of the texts best known for its sexually explicit content, but what was considered scandalous in the 1920’s is laughable in the 2020’s.

ership and human pleasure. Recorded for the first time in 1964, Schneemann’s work coincided with the rise of sexual liberation. The performance itself poses a loose timeline: the beginning, where the participants hold themselves in quite a restrained manner, is almost politely innocent (the nudity takes away from its ability to be wholly innocent). This devolves slowly, and then quickly, into wet madness. The addition of raw meat evokes their human fleshiness, although there is a greasy sheen to the meat that proposes a subtle dichotomy of human and animal cleanliness. The initial ‘purity’ of their unmarked skin is sullied by splatters of colour. They go about their carnal ministra-

tions with unrestricted delight, revelling in the pleasures of flesh (both human and animal), without fear of judgement. It is slick and feral. It is disgusting and hypnotising. It is unfettered by politeness and taboo. It is, as the title suggests, joyous, in the strangest way. ‘Meat Joy’ oozes a fleshy and visceral energy, while simultaneously allowing us a glimpse of Schneemann’s view on the unabashed human experience of empowerment through sex.

Jess Barrett

Erotic art ‘Meat Joy’ is a work of performance art by feminist artist Carolee Schneemann. It harnesses the franticness of kinetic theatre with playful, yet disturbing, sexual and sensual overtones. A group of underwear-clad male and female performers writhe around on a white sheet. They practice synchronised dances. They fall around in tangles of limbs and bare flesh. They get frantic. They pour paint on each other. They throw raw fish and poultry and meat around like confetti. A recording of radio voices, nonsensical French words and street noises, play over the performance. ‘Meat Joy’ is baffling to watch, but the piece unveils itself as a fascinating journey of sexual own-

Ally Fowler

Images: Wikimedia Commons (above), Pixabay

Discussions in the arts world ‘Literature or art that contains sexually explicit or ‘adult’ content, should have a form of age restriction’ If movies have age restrictions, why can’t art or books have the same? Age restrictions are safety gages put into place so that young minds don’t get the negative mental effects of content which is too adult for them. A couple of years ago, I read ‘American Gods’ and some of the sexually explicit scenes absolutely shocked me and I couldn’t imagine how a younger mind would have felt reading those scenes. The book is great, but for someone who can handle those sexual images, and I don’t think an age description would make it any less enjoyable. If Amazon Prime marks the series as having an ‘18+’ restriction, I don’t see why the books, which contain the same content, shouldn’t also be appropriately marked.

Since the dawn of art, and the invention of the printing press, there has been art and literature that experiments with the public consciousness by testing the barriers of decency. By this, I mean that art forms which contain themes and depictions of ‘indecent’ material, should have the freedom to do so. I believe it should not be censored, if the artist is true to their artistic purpose and craft.

Protecting young minds from sometimes disturbing sexual content is an important part in not letting youngsters grow up too fast and become sex-focussed from an early age. Sex education is important, and it is a natural part of life which should 100% be discussed, however the levels and severtities that it is discussed in should vary depending on age and how young people’s minds could be negatively influenced without having a certain level of protection.

A glaring example of this is inclusion of nudity and sex. In Manet’s ‘Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe’ (1863), the female nude appears as a realistic element of beauty, that is deliberately used to challenge the male gaze set in the background. If the artist is committed to exposing it within a certain form and with a particular motive, then it should not be given censorship. After all, sex and nudity are natural, and invoke a spacial and mental awareness of ourselves.

Leia Butler

However, censorship against forms of art is something that is inconsistent in determining how something is qualified as idencent. The indecency in mid 19th Century Europe is different from our current era. A problem with censorship of the arts is a repression of emotion and especially the difficult emotions. If art is purely governed by social institutions, it loses its aura and disrespects artistic endeavour, no matter how radical or daring. If art is censored for highlighting an unpleasant truth than our connection to the world will be severely hindered. We need to experience the uncomfortable to experience the comfortable.

Lewis Oxley

Lets talk about sex, baby When eroticism comes across as comedic A couple of days ago, my friends and I were sitting in our living room paying ‘Catan’, and the conversation got onto what we wanted to do after uni. My friend James Ward said that he ideally wanted to be a writer, but that his chosen writerly name, J. R. Ward, had already been taken, by a writer of erotica, of all things. This piqued my interest. Erotica and sex have never really been my thing, but I decided, out of sheer curiosity, to check out the work of J. R. Ward, and I was not disappointed. J. R. Ward writes homoerotic vampire fiction, and has over forty published titles, such as ‘Dark Lover’, ‘Lover Awakened’, ‘Lover Reborn’, ‘Lover Eternal’, ‘Lover at Last’, ‘Lover

Unbound’, and various other works also beginning with the title “Lover.” She’s also a New York Times Bestseller. Now, usually I’m not bothered by these things – people are free to like whatever they want, and some erotica is objectively well-written, such as ‘Venus in Furs’. However, J. R. Ward’s titles are not, and the fact she’s a bestseller baffles me. Here are a couple of quotes from her more acclaimed novels: “Hey, I know you’ve never seen me before, but I’m your dad. Oh, and guess what? You’ve won the evolutionary lottery: You’re a vampire. Let’s go to Disneyland” (Dark Lover). Or: “I liked you, cop. From the moment I met you. No… not the first moment. I wanted to kill you when I first met you. But then I

Scandalous Mr Sloane

Set in 1960’s Britain, ‘Entertaining Mr Sloane’ is the most famous of Joe Orton’s sexual dark comedies. The controversal reception of the play stems from the blatant presentation of homosexuality in a time when it was still illegal. Orton, an open homosexual, died the year sexuality laws were revoked, and wrote all his plays in fear of arrest and persecution. But at the same time, he wrote with wit, and included scandal and moments of embarrassing sex that called theatre audiences to his side. Mr Sloane, a problematic lodger, finds a home with the

delusional, middle-aged Kath and her father “Dadda”. Tensions are already high as to why Kath is so insistent on Sloane renting a room with the two, and the introduction of her closeted older brother Ed turns the play into an all-out battle of appeasement to win over Sloane. The play itself isn’t spectacularly erotic or romantic, but Orton instead works at juggling intimate scenes into moments of quiet comedy, having the natural lust for sex be the punchline. In some aspects, it is corny, outdated and slapstick. Then again, it was the first breakthrough play that leaked

liked you. A lot” (Lover Revealed). This woman is a NYT bestseller. Let that sink in; she’s sold as many copies as ‘The Satanic Verses’ and books in the ‘Harry Potter’ series. That, to me, is laughable. Reading J. R. Ward is like watching a bootleg version of ‘The Room’, and that is why she is my favourite author to write about love and sex. I guarantee you’ll be comically satisfied if you give her work a read. Furthermore, the tragic irony of her being called J. R. Ward, is only intensified when you realise that her real name is Jessica Bird. Ironically, she’s ended up stealing James’ ideal fictional name to spiel out her vampiric trash.

Alex Grenfell

influence into the likes of Allan Bennet and Phoebe WallerBridge, who owe their intriguing romantic storylines to the dark eroticism of Sloane. With murder, blackmail and forced marriages, it is hard to say that this is not still controversial. But, with all honesty, it became one of the most intriguing plays I’ve ever watched. Joe Orton was murdered by his lover Kenneth Halliwell in his London flat in 1967. If this had not happened, he might have seen his play revived six times in Britain, as well as a film adaptation in 1970.

Fin Little

Image: Public Domain pictures

The Death of the ‘It Girl’ As we leave behind the decade that birthed Instagram, it seems appropriate to think about the future of influencers. No, not those influencers, the originals. Think Alexa Chung and Olivia Palermo. The original influencer was the ‘It Girl’: she could be found perfectly at ease in the front row of a fashion show, the opening of a new gallery, on the red carpet of the Grammys, or simply snapped crossing the street and brandished on front pages. The 2000’s and early-2010’s were far from the beginning of the ‘It Girl’ (the 60’s and 70’s were full of women like Jean Shrimpton, Edie Sedgwick and Jane Birkin), but the beginnings of social media offered these new cult figures coverage like never before. It was almost impossible for a month to pass by without an article dissecting Chung’s impeccable eye-liner, or a 6-page spread following Palermo’s unbelievable New York Socialite life. For a while, these

In the past, Scandinavian style has been associated with minimalism and a muted colour palette, but that couldn’t be further from what the fashion girls and bloggers are wearing on the streets of Copenhagen and Stockholm right now. Unafraid of colour, big sleeves and perfectly tailored jackets, the Scandi way of dressing brings some colour and eccentricity to the street style scene and has captured the eyes of editors and style fanatics worldwide. Helped by the surge in popularity of Scandinavian brands like Ganni, Stine Goya and Cecilie Bahnsen, Copehnagen fashion week is arguably becoming just as important as Milan or Paris, with insiders scrambling to see how Scandi fashion girls are wearing the latest trends. More than just their clothing style, over the last few years there

Image: Unsplash

stories seemed to captivate the fashion and beauty industries. There were make-up lines, blogs, invites to couture shows, eponymous labels. These women were taken seriously, and used effectively to market product to wide and willing audiences. Of course, fashion is fickle, and nothing lasts forever. Audiences’ tastes began to change. Suddenly, the unattainable life of Palermo, and the unending commercialisation of Chung lost some of their appeal. There to fill in the void were the beginnings of a new generation of ‘It Girls’: the Instagram influencers. Sure, both women transitioned to the app and maintain healthy followings to this day, but the social world is ruled by new faces. Has the scale of the ‘It Girl’ phenomenon outgrown itself? We are now inundated with stylish socialites. Just take a scroll through Instagram and see women like

I want Scandi

has been a fixation on all aspects of their aesthetics, from Nordic interiors, to wanting to adopt the Danish concept of cosy living, aka: hygge, in order to replicate their laid-back lifestyles. To get their look on a budget, look to some of the biggest high street brands that have Scandinavian roots, from Arket, to Monki to & Other Stories. Unlike the simple beige and navy colour palettes synonymous with the French wardrobe, there is no holding back in colour here, as the colder climates are combated with pops of fuchsia, orange and yellow to lift spirits. For styling inspiration look to Instagram stars Prosen Kilde, Hanna Stefansson and Emili Sindlev, who are constantly being photographed for their playful and unique dress sense. Turn to

Camille Charriere, Aimee Song, and Laura Jackson walking the paths through this modern ‘It Girl’ landscape that Chung and Palermo helped to forge. With so many chic women to follow, there is no longer a small, exclusive group of ‘It Girls’, but rather a burgeoning culture of approachable figures revealing the ups and downs of life in the public eye. Where the old school ‘It Girl’ was shrouded in mystery, the new generation of influential women offer a relatively relatable view of themselves: vlogging fashion weeks, answering personal questions on Instagram Stories, and often meeting with followers face-toface. As we enter this new decade, and Instagram looks towards its 10th birthday, I wonder when these new faces will inevitably fall from grace, and what the new wave of iconic women will look like.

Reeve Langston them for spring trends to covet, which includes a lot of gingham, mixed pastels and sweater vests, so expect to see these all over the racks at Zara and H&M. If you’re not ready to do a full revamp just yet, start with hair accessories, as Scandi girls are notably never without their diamante and pearls hair clips, silk scarf hair ties, and velvet headbands.

Maya Coomarasamy

Cult fashion documentaries The fashion world has a reputation of being extremely exclusive and operating behind closed doors, and while this is generally true, there is a huge host of documentaries that give fashion fanatics the opportunity to learn more about this covetable and secret industry. Showing everything from how the biggest magazines are run, to the perosnal lives of the biggest designers. Read on for a couple of docs to watch for an insightful and informative look into the industry. The September Issue This was the first fashion documentary I watched, and probably the most famous, as it follows the team of American Vogue while they put together the most important magazine issue in the fashion calendar. It is also the first instance in which viewers really saw Anna Wintour in the context of being the ‘ice queen’ that inspired Meryl Streep’s depiction Miranda Priestley in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. Whilst Anna and her iconic bob are of course at the centre of the magazine and film, it is Andre Leon Talley and Grace Coddington that captured audiences, as their passion for creating beautiful photographs and love for clothing shines through the screen. I r i s Iris Apfel is far from your average 98-year-old. With her signature oversized black glasses, and her arms chock-a-block with statement bangles and bracelets. Her unique dress

sense has made her an icon within the industry, as she has had jobs from editorial assisting, to interior decorating the White House. In this film, famed documentary maker Albert Maysles, follows Apfel around and probes her to share more about her extraordinary life, giving viewers a more intimate look at the witty and always fashionable businesswoman. The First Monday in May The first Monday in May marks another important date in the fashion calendar, as celebrities from far and wide dress to the nines and gather at the Met to celebrate the opening of a new exhibition in the fashion wing. This movie goes behind the scenes to see how Anna Wintour and her team put together this massive operation, showing everything from the politics behind seating plans to the way exhibitions come together. Bill Cunningham New York Long before Instagram influencers were organising photoshoots to document their outfits of the day, there was Bill Cunningham. The iconic street style photographer, beloved within the industry, spent decades cycling around New York, donning his camera and signature blue parka to snap all the trends and best dressed people on the street. Anna Wintour once said, “We all get dressed for Bill”, and you can see why when watching the energetic

80-year-old sprinting about to get the best shot, still as passionate about fashion and beautiful imagery as when he started in the 1970’s. Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist Vivienne Westwood is arguably one of the craziest characters in fashion, heralded as one of the people at the forefront of the British punk movement. This biopic looks at how her iconic brand began, how she runs it now with her partner, and the various problems that accompany running a multi-million-pound clothing brand. As the title suggests, the film looks at more than just her eponymous label, but her work in climate activism, and what it was like living in London in the 70’s. Westwood herself wasn’t a fan of how the film turned out, but viewers delighted in the opportunity to learn more about one of fashions most outspoken members.

Maya Coomarasamy

Image: Unsplash

Beauty trends of the decade Whilst makeup has been and will always be very personal and individual, we cannot deny that there have been overarching themes throughout this last decade. In the relatively short space of ten years, popular aesthetics within makeup have changed to an arguably rather extreme extent. The

Early

2010’s

I personally feel like this time period was very polarising. Budding beauty gurus such as Michelle Phan were able to effortlessly complete sultry, yet natural looks. It’s fascinating to see that there still is a polarising difference between makeup tutorials, and real life today. Countless girls had clumpy mascara, raccoon-like eyeliner and the notorious concealer lips (Dream Matte Mousse still haunts me to this day). Of course, whilst what is deemed to be good makeup is very subjective, makeup styles of this time felt very unrefined. The little resources which were out there were just too similar; natural, simple and countless smoky eyes. Like most people, I do miss this simplicity to some extent, and we should pay credit to people like Michelle Phan for paving the way- but at least we now have varied looks and styles. 2

It was one of these years which launched the extravagant makeup we see on Instagram. Due to individuals such as NikkieTutorials, Kylie Jenner, and Kim Kardashian (who did NOT invent contouring), makeup styles became bolder. Arched brows, mauve matte lips, snatched contour and beaming cheeks. In fact, these were the years of the brow. Long gone were the thin eyebrows from the nineties and noughties, as the brand ‘Anastasia Beverly Hills’ exploded in popularity.

Image: Unsplash

I will also mention that NikkieTutorials helped reinforce that makeup should have personal style and that there is no shame in using it to boost self-esteem in her viral video ‘The Power of Makeup’. However, I will say that observing my makeup-wearing peers (I didn’t really wear makeup regularly till university), it seemed to be that individuality was diminishing due to the overwhelming urge to follow these trends. N

This section may come as a surprise, but I do believe that very recently there has been a shift. Whilst elements of ‘Instagram Makeup’ still remain, there is now a shift to more natural, editorial styles. With the launch of brands such as Milk Makeup, and Glossier, a gap in the market was addressed. This gap was the natural look; polar opposite to the ‘fullbeat’ we are used to. With recent launches such as Fenty Beauty’s Hydrating Foundation and Pat McGrath’s foundation, we are moving away from the matte, full-coverage look associated with ‘Instagram Makeup’. Instead we are now being given ‘Your Skin But Better’, which I personally much prefer. With the copious eyeshadow palette launches (looking at you ABH), colourful and sometimes quirky eye looks are still here to stay. Brows are softer and fluffier. I think that ‘soft’ is a big part of very recent trends, including of course ‘soft glam’. I am enjoying the space we are in terms of trends, as I feel like the individuality and creativity associated with makeup is beginning to return. I believe that there is more creative freedom within makeup looks recently, whether that be editorial, full beat or artsy (think of the eye makeup in HBO’s Euphoria). I hope this continues into the next decade.

Juliette Kay

The Opening There is an opening. I can see it with my bare eyes, and yet, despite my swollen, blistered feet, I have come no closer. Step after step – how many steps have I taken? Thousands? Tens of thousands? I cannot remember a time where I was not walking. And still, at the end of the corridor, the exit winked like a cat’s slit pupil, as if laughing at me. It had not gone any farther, or come any closer. It stayed precisely where it was, squinting through the light of the corridor, asking me to follow it. I’m exhausted. My feet have rubbed themselves raw – for a time, I had removed my boots and walked the hall in my socks, if only to amuse myself by the noise of cotton on hardwood, until I had caught the ridge of the underside of my foot sole on a stray nail and, holding back any noises of pain, quickly slid my boots back on. There was no real reason for this, but I didn’t want to make any noise; it was too quiet, and I was far too lonely for it. I wanted to listen for the bustle of people or animals that I may pass. If something or someone was to break through this stillness, I really didn’t want for it to be me. Occasionally I would hear the sound of chalk on blackboard in the classrooms to the right of me, but when I would rush into the room, eager for company, there was nothing. I was thoroughly alone. Normally, these phantom noises would scare me, but I was too lonely to be afraid of encountering anything, alive or not. But I must walk – there is nothing else to do. The welt from the nail stings with every step, but it was welcome, reminding me that something along this corridor had been different from the rest – one rebel nail uncurling itself from the plank that I had not seen before and not seen since. If there is a nail, there may be a person, or perhaps a stray cat asleep under the lid of an old wooden desk, or a squirrel scratching a path up the doorframe, or maybe an exit. I stared straight into the opening, black, solid as a refusal, and can’t see any of that being true. The opening, without moving or breathing, speaks a ‘no’ out from the dark hole. I am not going anywhere. On my left side, opposite the door panes of the classrooms, are windows – or, rather, windowpanes, absent of their glass, carving huge holes into the side of the corridor with their modern design. Through the hole of the panes, sunlight seeps through, still, constant. There is no clear time here, not that I can decipher – the sky swims in its blue, permanently cloudless, and the sun hangs held like the hands of a broken clock. Below the window ledge are the tips of pine trees, slipping down into the earth like green slides, outstretching their needled handles; I think about falling, swinging from branch to branch until my sore feet can feel soil again... Find the full story on our website, concrete-online.co.uk.

Image: Unsplash, Kevin Jiner

Dylan Davies

Puddle Jumping A month with no colour, no snow, a thick puffer jacket pulled over two red ears against a thudding Arctic bite; the boy treads on, warm and shuffling up the garden path happy simply for the freedom of the winds.

The boy saw himself rippling, wrinkled like a grandfather, just a head swinging back and forth and pendulous, and they stare and stare back through this corridor of ice. This boy, a silent fisherman, his head cast in the wrap of January air, stamps down and breaks it, bursts the frost from his window and spooks a group of magpies, each jumping out from the ripples to shriek above, circling the silence of the boy and his muddled face, a silent fisherman, his head cast in.

The world is his: he sees no fence but the stretch of grass that coils out giddy towards a blanching sky, the world is his, until a puddle stops his form, a puddle of himself, colder, shoeless, withered in a cup of grass.

Oliver Shrouder

Corridors The distance between wet floors and soft sheets lies beyond the corridor Between scorched toast and fresh flowers fires

And broken wires and burntout

And everything in between. The feel of strawberry skin against unfinished bricks Hair that gets caught on everything and

peace that

feels like nothing Lies beyond the corridor.

Leia Butler Image: Pixabay

The Left Crematorium Dr. Stanley Archibald Williams was a well-respected doctor at St. Igneous Psychiatric Hospital. He had experienced the most dangerous, distressed and damaged patients, yet his appearance never wavered from the calm and collected man who remained a sturdy figurehead and valued specialist. His soothing auburn eyes a pool of comfort, oil slicked hair never out of place and, despite having recently passed his sixtyeighth birthday in the autumn of 1978, his skin still had the polished glaze of youth. This unruffled appearance was immovable since he gained the role of head doctor twenty years ago. Until, after a catastrophic error of judgement that destroyed his career and a subsequent two week period of temporary leave, Dr. Williams found himself demoted and changed to the hospitals night shift. Fatigue spread like ivy across his face, his old age becoming more apparent by the day. His appearance and mannerisms corroded, mutating from a respected man who could always be trusted, to a reserved shell of the man he once was. His sole began to wrinkle like a fruit in the sun and his eyes, once dazzling pools of golden-brown, turned a milky and lifeless grey. Those he had formerly worked alongside watched him change into a paranoid and guilt ridden man, who it was now assumed should be in a strait jacket rather than doctor’s coat. It was a surprise he was able to keep his job at all. Especially after the mistake he had made… Unlike the bustle of the day and the many responsibilities that came with his preceding head role, Dr. Williams now found himself confined to completing the monotonous paperwork for higher ranking consultants, in his now far smaller office in the far-flung left wing of the hospital. Patients piercing screams of insanity, once masked by the many voices of workers and visitors, rippling throughout the night smothered hallways and eating away at his exhausted brain. --It wasn’t long after Dr. Williams had started his night shifts when the burning smell began. It was around 1:00am when the pungent scent seeped in. A thick spoor of charred meat wafting beneath his door, filling the room. At first he shrugged it off as merely the left wings crematorium being used, his office was only a few corridors away and he knew they were used often in the unfortunate cases where patients were beyond medical help. However, he quickly realised that this probably wasn’t the case. In fact, this could not be the case. He was certain that the left wing’s crematorium was still closed for police investigations. A sudden pang of guilt hit his heart, remembering why this was… So this smell must be coming from the right wings? But he knew this too was impossible. The right wing was too far away for the smell to be that heavy. That bitter. Besides, he knew that crematorium was locked and sterilised at 5:00pm. So where was this ghastly smell coming from? Unable to bear it any longer, Dr. Williams left his cramped office to investigate, following the scent through the labyrinth of halls. During the day they were easy enough to navigate but at night, the many large glazed windows let in reams of darkness, the faint glow of the ceiling bulbs only illuminating the floor directly beneath. Moths waltzing below the flickering beams, casting wavering shadows through the dark corridors. If it hadn’t been for Dr. Williams many years of walking these halls, he would easily have become lost in the blackness...

Find the full story on our website, concrete-online.co.uk. Toby Skinner

Image: Unsplash

Nevermind the Sex Pistols, Here’s The Bollocks The Sex Pistols’ debut was prolific. Sort of. From it came documentaries, mythologies and a caricature of punk to boot. You could write a piece on just how those guitars move so fast, but doing so would be missing it’s real importance: its effect on punk’s image. Released in 1977, the year synonymous with the violent birth of punk rock. It saw The Clash’s debut, Buzzcocks’ first EP Spiral Scratch, The

Damned’s Damned Damned Damned, and Talking Heads’ ’77 (important in creating the lineage which led to the mix of punk-rock and new wave to make post-punk). Also in the mix was the Ramones (Rocket to Russia), Wire (Pink Flag), and the tail end of proto-punk with Richard Hell & The Voidoids and the Modern Lovers both releasing ‘albums’. It be would reducing punk greatly to say it was all the Sex Pistols. But in a way,

that’s what it’s become. The Sex Pistols did less musically for punk, and more for it’s packaging. While the famous anecdote of ‘the Manchester gig which changed the world’ is slung out like a 3-week old dead fish at every opportunity, it probably didn’t. The atmosphere of aggressive bands was there, and had been since bands like Ramones and the Stooges had been strutting about. The design is striking –

one of the best album covers ever. The record itself is good, but it’s far from great. There are four good songs: God Save The Queen, Anarchy In The UK and Pretty Vacant (maybe Problems). The Stooges did the same thing in ’73 with Raw Power, which was as potently visceral but with better songs. The Sex Pistols were influential; they kicked, spat and had immeasurable nervous energy. They were part of the DIY movement, and they made punk something, but to say they are the definition of it? That’s bollocks.

Callum Gray

Has Music Censorship been successful? No Censorship has played a large role in the music industry since parental advisory stickers were added to album covers. I would say that it has been largely successful as it gives parents more choice with what they allow their children to listen to, especially in the US where the scheme has been in place since 1985. In wider use, radio edits have generally censored profanity and made music more palatable to all audiences, and as a child my interactions with adult themes and language were restricted by this, just as it is with the watershed for television.

James Ward

Yes Now that we’re in an increasingly digital age, I think that the censorship of explicit music has become less successful. When I was younger, adults would have influence over the music that I listened to – I remember my mum would turn the car radio down at times when songs used explicit language, and I would only receive age appropriate CDs. With more youngsters having almost unlimited internet access, they are more likely to stumble across explicit music on platforms such as YouTube. I also think that when a song gains a reputation for being crude, those who it hasn’t been made for seek it out more.

Ellie Robson Image: Flickr

Not Your Typical Girls - the story of riot grrrl The early 1990s, and in the underbelly of America’s northwest coast, a new slice of anarchy was cutting through social conventions and norms. The foundations of this movement lay deep in the D.I.Y methods of punk rock and its aggressive fist, waiting to break into the glass ceiling of punk music and the subculture at large, a message summarised by the leading 3-piece of this movement, Bikini Kill and its bellicose frontwoman Kathleen Hanna, “Rebel girl, you are the queen of my world”. Through the fashion, zine publications and a raw music sound, they were interested in inhibiting a new identity, one that took the patriarchal voice of punk and turned it on its head.

The music that centred around the small town of Olympia, Washington with Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney and Le Tigre broke new waves. The two-and-a-half-minute punk song, previously drawn up by male bands or those who played “cock rock” was revolutionised into something that celebrates a wider connection of sisterhood to its followers and admirers. The theme, for example in Bikini Kill’s publication of the RIOT GRRRL manifesto, was to challenge the ludicrous stereotypes ran in mainstream media outlets of what Hanna simplifies as “Girl = Dumb, Girl = Bad, Girl = Weak”. This narrative manifested itself into some of the most controversial and pioneering music that took away acceptable boundaries of artist performance and replaced it with a “call to arms” militancy framed in feminine unity. As

Images: Wikipedia

Hanna outlines firstly in the RIOT GRRRL manifesto of Bikini Kill’s “Zine 2” of 1991:

“BECAUSE us girls crave records and books and fanzines that speak to us that we feel included in can understand in our own ways” The RIOT GRRRL evolution had come about from the image of punk rock and the alternative scenes in between them had become a noisy boys club. The poster boys for these bands from the Ramones and Black Flag in the States, to Public Image ltd and their renegade frontman that is John Lydon to other outliers such as, The Fall and Joy Division in the UK. This issue here was the enigma surrounded great frontmen, and female members were often side-lined. Some bands, however, did compensate for this. Iconic musicians Tina Weymouth from Talking Heads (later Tom Tom Club) and Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon, demonstrated the attitude that put musicianship over image. Their presence in both of their respective bands saw the change in direction of the focal point in

alternative bands. It saw the vital input of female musicians that went above and beyond, valued as equal to their male counterparts. The RIOT GRRL identity did more than expand its subcultural sphere, it became an intellectual hub. The new raw sound from Washington became imbued in the intellect of third-wave feminism and radical far-left anarchist politics. The post-punk literary heroine Kathy Acker became the equivalent of the cult writers of the Beat Generation that patriarchal punk first proclaimed as an influence. Young women were now being granted a voice that previously was shut down or called out as something of a childish strop. The anger at patriarchal hegemony, the ownership of insulting labels sometimes written across their bodies or through their outlandish outfits, saw a political transfer of power contained in full view of the music press. The notoriety gain has become forever attached. Riot Grrrl continues its presence in popular contemporary music. Bands like Deep Vally, Amyl and the Snifflers, and of course, the Russian avant-garde Pussy Riot who are still emulating the belligerent attitude to music and politics, with the stifling atmosphere of gender inequality very much in the air. These issues still remain, but without a creative collective to combat them, RIOT GRRRL’s legacy would be all in vain.

Lewis Oxley

What’s On - February 2020

Bombay Bicycle Club

Sigala

The Orielles

Popular indie rock quartet Bombay Bicycle Club are back on tour following their latest release “Everything Else Has Gone Wrong”. If their warm up shows are anything to go by, their Norwich show won’t be one to miss. Catch them at the Nick Rayns LCR on Thursday 6 February.

Following an impressive rise to fame with six singles in the UK charts since 2015, DJ Sigala (real name Bruce Fielder) is returning to his home city of Norwich in the midst of a world tour. Catch his set on Saturday 15 February at the Nick Rayns LCR.

The Orielles released their debut album Silver Dollar Moment in 2018 and were named “One to watch” by the Guardian. Known for their cinematic influence, The Orielles are in Norwich on the same day as their second album release, don’t miss them on Friday 28 February at the Waterfront.

Fontaines D.C.

Sink Ya Teeth

Although relatively new to the scene, Dublin post-punk band Fontaines D.C have already made a name for themselves, winning BBC 6 Music’s album of the year 2019. With a second album planned for 2020, their gig at the Nick Rayns LCR on Monday 24 February isn’t to be missed.

Norwich based ‘Post-Punk dance infused duo’ Sink Ya Teeth, comprised of Gemma Cullingford and Maria Uzor, released their debut album in 2018. The group, named one of the Guardians “Ones to watch” will release their second album in February 2020. Catch them on Saturday 29 February at Norwich Arts Centre.

The Monochrome Set The Monochrome Set, originally formed in 1978, have been making music for well over three decades. Despite a ten year hiatus the group returned to making music in 2010. Now on tour to promote their latest album “Fabula Mendax”, this post-punk group are at Norwich Waterfront on Saturday 8 February.

Rhiannon Culley

Shocking Sleeves Night Time My Time Sky Ferreira Dylan Davies

Fuck World Trade - Leftover Crack Lucy Burrows

A truly controversial album cover When compared to other conwould be Leftover Crack with their troversial album covers, Sky album Fuck World Trade which deFerreira’s ‘Night Time My Time’ picts the world trade centre attacks doesn’t seem controversial at being caused by the west. At the time all, but the presence of one of its release in 2004, it was banned female nipple on the album by several retailers and had mixed cover was enough for its cencritical reviews. I think the artwork is sorship on most streaming still controversial as the World Trade services. Sky Ferreira stated Centre attack will always be poignin NME that “most of the peoant worldwide. ple who had a problem with [the cover art] were men” – it is disappointing that, even in Yesterday and Today - The Beatles 2013, just a bare female chest is Leia Butler enough to place an album cover in the ranks of controversy. The last thing you think of when someone mentions The Beatles is decapitated baby dolls and raw meat. Though creative and certainly quirky, the album cover was heavily criticised by those who had seen advance copies and thus the 750,000 copies that were released were almost instantly recalled due to enormous backlash. The copies that do exist are collectable and extremely rare. Image: Flickr

Let’s Talk About Sex In light of the Concrete Sex and Drug Survey, I felt it was a good time to discuss sex in gaming (there’s not that many natural opportunities I will admit): what’s been done well, what has been done (really) bad, and what should we be looking for in the future? Let’s take a look at some of the weird and wonderful ways sexual encounters have featured in gaming. It may surprise you to know that since almost the beginning of video gaming, there have been games featuring sexually explicit content. Softporn Adventure, made for the Apple-II in 1981, was arguably the first and it involves a man finding items to please different women and eventually have sex with them. Whilst a textbased game with no visual representation of sex, the game does begin a long-standing argument over sex in media and the male gaze. In Softporn Adventure, there is no option to seduce men and whilst a female version was alleged to be in production, it never surfaced.

As game capability has grown, this problem of female representation has not necessarily matured. As we move into the twenty-first century, we begin to get games such as the God of War franchise with topless women abound and sex as part of minigames which prove their hero’s masculinity. Again, these are not healthy representations of sex as they perform a very voyeuristic role, often involving two women instigating a threesome with the player. Whilst the player does not actually see the sexual act, they are privy and sometimes in control of brief foreplay and then the camera cuts to a non-explicit image whist sound usage and obvious intent prove that sex has happened. As a female player, this gets pretty boring after a while I can tell you! Probably the most famous controversy in recent memory involving games and sex was in 2004 with the ‘Hot Coffee mod’ in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Whilst initially pulled from the game, the code

Image: Tkgd2007, wikiCommons & Ryan Morrison, Pixabay

for a vivid sex scene was left in the game and it didn’t take very long for gamers to find it. This led to a massive back lash towards Rockstar and a re-rating of the game to AO (adults-only). There’s even a BBC docudrama about the events starring Daniel Radcliffe called ‘The Gamechangers’. To even the most avid of fans of GTA, its hard not to note the often violent sexualised undertones of the game even in its most modern of incarnations. There have been improvements, however, although nothing’s perfect; Bioware for example, famous for franchises such as Dragon Age and Mass Effect has managed to create a much healthier relationship with sex than other Western companies. With recent studies finding that around half of the gaming community is female, designers need to have a hard think about what an audience actually wants from them, and hopefully we will never have a repeat of that scene in Witcher III involving a unicorn….

Martha Griffiths

What About Sexuality and Gender? The topic of sexuality and gender in video games is hardly undiscussed. It is easy to take a glance at the most prominent titles and series over the last thirty years and believe there was a serious lack of non-heterosexual relationships and unconventional gender presentation in gaming on offer up until very recently. However, this ignores a wealth of representation that has built up over time, whether it was considered ‘mainstream’ or not. Games with romantic subplots or routes have offered increasing freedom in allowing the player to pursue love interests of both the same or opposite sex. The Mass Effect trilogy, which began in 2007, is notable for featuring a number of optional romantic choices for the playable Commander Shepherd (the gender of whom is decided by the player). Some are available for both genders, while others can only be with either the male or female Shepherd. Unique interactions and cutscenes help to establish the fact that, even in a fantasy setting, there are differences between heterosexual and homosexual relationships related to

prejudices and power dynamics which can’t simply go unaddressed. But not every LGBT game experience should have to be rooted in reality, and a number of titles involve LGBT-related mechanics as an everyday factor, free of discrimination. Stardew Valley allows the player to get together with any romanceable NPC in the game, with little story impact beyond a few dialogue changes. MMORPGs like Final Fantasy XIV and The Elder Scrolls Online let players develop relationships with and marry other characters; the latter even allows for polyamory. A particularly interesting example is Dwarf Fortress, which simulates an entire world, including a relative proportion of homosexual, bisexual and asexual NPCs to that of the real world. Additionally, gender roles don’t exist and the only influence gender has is the ability to get pregnant. When only looking at games in which gender and sexuality are directly incorporated into their plot, the number of those which address LGBT issues in any way are dwarfed by those which don’t. That’s not to say that they were

nonexistent in the past; titles as old as 2006’s Rule of Rose have been able to weave themes of gender and sexuality into their story. In this form of media it is often hard to develop a satisfying narrative related to such themes, especially in genres which rely little on story or characters, but there has been an effort to change this nonetheless. Unfortunately, big name companies have begun using representation as a marketing tool, instead of genuinely wanting to show perspectives rarely seen in the media. When Dontnod, developers of the Life is Strange series, announced their upcoming game Tell Me Why, almost nothing was revealed about the game except that one of its main characters is a trans man, to much media praise. A later interview revealed that the company wanted to have a ‘unique’ protagonist, suggesting that the decision to make them trans was entirely superficial. These actions overshadow the efforts of other developers to continue making diverse games, without using said diversity as a lure for business.

Jude Davies Image: Serene Vannoy, flickr

Lets Try It: God of War Now let’s get one thing completely clear before we start – I’ve NEVER played a God of War game before Santa Monica Studio’s latest release. I’ve had a turbulent relationship with Hack-NSlash games previously. I’ve found them to be too needy… they’re all like “go Hack this”, and “time to Slash this”, and “don’t forget to N this” – it’s all too much of an attack on the senses. So, when I tried out this 2018 instalment, I had little to go on in terms of story and gameplay – I was flung straight into it and, lo and behold, here I am, several months later, loving it and writing this bite-sized review. Here goes! The story focuses on the bond between Kratos, the ancient Greek God of war, and his son Atreus as they are both pitted against all manner of monsters, Gods and creatures from Norse mythology – watching the two of them grow together as characters is infinitely rewarding. Alongside the story, the realms are packed with other activities and quests, as you travel the world by the conventional ‘leg’ and one of the many longboats that conveniently populate Midgard. Together with the game’s stunning graphics, the fantastical settings of the nine realms certainly evoke the ancient feel of Norse mythology – that raw, earthy quality

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which always seems to go hand-in-hand with Scandinavian folklore. While God of War isn’t technically another hugeopen-world title, other areas of the Midgard hub are opened up as the story progresses – the world is always changing, increasing your desire to discover more. However, it is the immersive gameplay which makes the game truly exceptional. The puzzle areas are intuitive and, while finally cracking them feels great, they perfectly complement the fast-paced action sequences and fierce combat encounters. And what a combat system this game has! The Leviathan Axe serves as your trusty primary weapon, which can be utilised as classic closequarters, or launched and summoned back from a ranged stance (personally I could throw it and have it return all day and never tire of that satisfying rumble of the controller as it hurtles back to you). The variety of enemies you go up against offers an unlimited combination of combat scenarios, so you are never short of new things to slice through. All in all, a great introduction to the series for me. I’d best get back to it though. BOY!

James Penny

Escape from Tarkov: a mini review

Escape from Tarkov has hooked me in a way that has not happened since the release of Dark Souls back in 2011. This comparison actually runs further than the amount of time I’ve dedicated to the title: the complex, frustrating yet rewarding gameplay delivers some very entertaining sessions. A First-Person Shooter exclusive to PC, EFT takes place in a Russian special economic district where corporations and the government came to blows after hiring private military forces. The game shares a lot of characteristics in common with the Arma series and DayZ in particular, with the looting and survival mechanics resembling the Bohemia Interactive titles. The objective of the game Is to enter “raids” Images: openicons, pixabay

on different open-world maps, loot the area and escape from designated extraction points. You are able to keep all the items you find during raids or sell them to other players on the Flea Market to make a profit and invest in better equipment. However, if killed, all your items will be lost and are at the mercy of other players. The title presents a steep learning curve and is brutally unforgiving to new players, and also does not go easy on your gaming platform, with the graphical requirements being relatively high. While the game has not been officially released and is still in Beta, it offers content superior in both quantity and quality compared to some mother Triple-A titles.

Marco Rizzo

My Oscar’s Best Picture: Parasite South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s film ‘Parasite’ has been the Won everybody’s lips, generating buzz from Hollywood and far beyond. Buzz within the film industry can often result in a film being overhyped and not living up to the high expectations it has been held to, but that is not the case here. ‘Parasite’ deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture as Bong Joonho has created a story that is able to elicit fear, empathy, anxiety and thrill within his viewers, all while incorporating humour and stunning cinematography, The way the plot unfolds

is perfect. We are taken on a journey of prosperity and tragedy beginning in the confined basement of the Kim family, witnessing the discomfort of their living conditions and the world of unemployment and poverty, before following the family as they slither their way into wealth and infiltrate the jobs of the Park family. One of my favourite aspects of the film is its

unpredictability, the thrill of thinking you can guess what will happen next, only to be proved wrong time and time again. One of my personal favourite parts of the film is the montage before the second half of the film, where Bong manages

to fit several shots each telling a different story, with dramatic classical music and rhythmic changes all setting up for the movies’ stark change in tone. ‘Parasite’ encourages viewers to think deeper, providing important commentary on the detachment between wealth and meritocracy. Being the rollercoaster ride that it is, ‘Parasite’ has many qualities that its competitors simply do not have, therefore if the Oscars can take a break in its obsession with white-American films, then perhaps Bong & Co will win their deserved Oscar.

Lian Lakhope

My Oscar’s Best Picture: Joker I am not a fan of superhero movies but I am an activist for Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker’. As one of the frontrunners this year, it is the most well-written, wellacted and experimental choice from the major film companies. Joaquin Phoenix showed a role few could properly pull off, the tortured psychotic left out of whacky antics of the comic books and showcasing modern gritty realism, without losing that important interest. This is hard! Last year ‘Black Panther’ was a weak nomination for Best Picture for its reliance on action, and conservative shots that the superhero formula has

Image: Pixabay

rigorously enforced up to now. This time however, it’s hard to find a competitor to the cinematic beauty and experimentation of ‘Joker’, perhaps its closest rival being ‘Once Upon A Time….In Hollywood’. It should win because an endorsement to a film like this could prevent the growth of the stale superhero which many studios are committed to producing. Marvel and DC are finding more acclaim for films outside their cinematic universes ,but the high profits of their safe movies could cause them to ignore experimentation. ‘Avengers Endgame’, a movie that cashed in

twice as much as ‘Joker’, has been snubbed for all major awards as it fails to have significance in any aspect outside CGI. It could be vital to many groups in film that a movie linked to the superhero studios wins the awards soon, with the possibility of a crash of profit if they cannot show to be worthy of such. If ‘Joker’ were to fail best picture it’s unlikely DC would invest in a new campaign. The other films are basic Oscar-bait ideas. None would fall out of the list to be a massive staple in cinematic history. ‘Joker’ would be that. And behind closed doors that is what Hollywood is looking for.

Fin Little

R-Patz: Heartthrob to Artthrob Robert Pattinson dazzled our screens (quite literally) in 2008 with the adaptation of teen hit ‘Twilight’, which would go on to produce four more films in the same series and spark Patz’s well-known embarrassment and public hatred for the films. His scruffy hair and gruff demeanour bewitched coming of age kids and bemused their parents. Team Edward or Team Jacob? It didn’t matter because Pattinson had officially made it on the scene. Of course, he’d previously starred in ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’, but it wasn’t until ‘Twilight’, that his fan base blew up. So how? How did Pattinson escape the teen fantasy series for films such as ‘The Lighthouse’ and now the upcoming ‘Batman’ reboot? We

can’t forget his inevitable foray into romance such as ‘Water for Elephants’ and the heart-breaking ‘Remember Me’. Pattinson’s ability to be so self-deprecating is most likely what makes him so popular (as well as his handsome looks). The people love to see him hate. Any simple google search will bring you tonnes of Pattinson articles condensing and combining his seemingly weird approach to interviews. He’s not quiet in his hatred for the ‘Twilight’ films, calling the series “weird” when interviewed by Variety. His obvious self-hatred is relatable to us all. Who doesn’t hate themselves at least once whilst studying for a degree? In a Guardian article, Pattinson calls himself his worst critic,

adding that if ‘Batman’ fails he’d quite happily continue to do arthouse films like ‘The Lighthouse’. Ultimately, Pattinson hasn’t and will never escape his ‘Twilight’ roots (and why should he want to? It’s the greatest film series ever to be made. Have you heard the soundtrack?). ‘The Lighthouse’ cost 4 million to make. Twilight? 37 million. So, has Pattinson played us all by moving to modest arthouse? One could suggest the lad is expressing his creativity, taking his tousled hair and dark humour with him. But - with the ‘Batman’ reboot looming, has he really traded in the sellout sagas? As far as I’m concerned, it may be more well liked but it’s still vampires and bats.

Amelia Rentell

Little Women: “Warm Story of Sisterhood” I’ve always loved ‘Little Women’, and Greta Gerwig’s recent adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel does not disappoint. It is a fresh take on the March sisters that captures the hearts of a new, modern audience. ‘Little Women’ tells the story of four sisters – Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy – as they journey from childhood to adulthood. There’s a reason this story is as endearing as it is: it’s about family, friendship, female fulfilment, and creative ambition, and all these thematic elements are seen through the character of Jo March, played by the brilliant Saoirse Ronan. She’s imaginative, talented and refuses to conform to what society expects of a woman, and that’s what makes her such a relatable and contemporary protagonist.

This adaptation is told in nonchronological order, switching between present day and the past, seven years ago. The weaving of the two narratives is a bold choice, but it works well, emphasising the emotional impact and journey of a woman through romance, joy and tragedy. The heartbreak of Beth’s story hits harder than ever.

The casting for this movie is phenomenal. There really is no other way to describe it. For me, the portrayal of Amy March by Florence Pugh is one of the best I’ve seen. Many adaptations paint her as bratty, spoilt and selfish, but here we get to experience her intelligence and headstrong nature. Her blossoming relationship with Laurie is believable, and really is rather sweet. ‘Little Women’ is a movie that is worth a watch. It’s a warm story of sisterhood that presents perfectly imperfect female characters. It’s poignant and hopeful with the belief that tomorrow can be a better day, and we could all use a bit of hope nowadays. This is an adaptation that I can’t wait to watch again.

Nerisse Appleby Image: Wikimedia Commons

Ode to Paul Thomas Anderson When you look at Paul Thomas Anderson, you see a director who has made eight of the most stunningly brilliant films of the past 25 years, who uses all the tools of cinema, sound, camera movement, lighting, editing, and acting in order to create films that are more perfect and beautiful than any other director out there. He is completely in control of his films, evoking great emotion in every scene, telling stories which succinctly capture the entirety of the human experience, leaving a lasting mark on the audience. His ability to work with actors is most evident, with some of the greatest film performances ever coming in his films. From Daniel Day-Lewis’ multiple iconic performances in ‘There Will Be Blood’ and ‘Phantom Thread’, to Joaquin Phoenix’s roles in ‘The Master’ and ‘Inherent Vice’ (both of which I think are far beyond his performance in ‘Joker’), to Phillip Seymour-Hoffman and William H. Macy’s absolutely stunning and heart-breaking roles in films like ‘Magnolia’ and ‘Boogie Nights’, his ability to get performances

which convey so much humanity and emotion is incredible. One can’t talk Anderson movies, or film scores in the past 15 years, without touching on Jonny Greenwood. Radiohead’s lead guitarist (among other things),

Greenwood’s scores are magical in their effect on the audience. The haunting strings setting you right on edge in ‘Phantom Thread’, the jazz and lounge popinfluenced sound of ‘Inherent Vice’ dropping you right into the

70s. Anderson uses Greenwood’s scores with the deftest touch, to really strike at the emotion of the audience. Despite having one of the great film composers of the 21st century, one of the most notable aspects of Anderson’s filmmaking is when he drops the score entirely and he relies just on the diegetic sound. This is perhaps most brilliantly used in ‘There Will Be Blood’, as Daniel Day-Lewis’ Daniel Plainview slobbers and stumbles his way around the bowling alley, screaming with all his might, with absolutely no score, just allowing the action on screen to horrify you by itself. But Anderson doesn’t use his vast arsenal to tell just stories, entirely focused on plot for plot’s sake. His films are about mood, emotion, style, how the plot affects the characters, putting human experience at the very forefront, and creating films that truly affect you at the deepest level, in a way that very few directors do. Even now, I can think of the ways Anderson’s films have

Matt Branston

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Image: Wikabay, Jurgen Fauth

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