Posts by Vic Pratt
"King of the Underworld", the film @vicpratt.bsky.social discusses in this month's show, is actually 3 episodes of an old TV series “Inspector Morley, Late of Scotland Yard” stitched together. Each story ends abruptly. This is the end scene from story 1, cut out when the film was put together 📽️ 1/3
Discover the fantasy and fairy-tale movies of Aleksandr Rou. ‘The Magic Weaver’ (USSR, 1959). Read more in my book ‘The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema’, out in paperback April 2026. intellectbooks.com/the-films-of-aleksandr-rou #fantasy #fairytale #SovietCinema
New and exclusive on the Haunted Generation website! A genial natter with the BFI's own @vicpratt.bsky.social, producer of the brand new Children's Film Foundation box set. Magic marbles, escaped lions, Michael Elphick and pocket calculators all included...
hauntedgeneration.co.uk/2026/04/14/v...
Soho Bites episode 51 landed today - @vicpratt.bsky.social from the #BFI discusses a clunky old crime drama, “King of the Underworld” (1952) starring #TodSlaughter and Aidan McManus from @portobelloradio.com talks about a real life king of the underworld, #BernieSilver 📽️
Discover the fantasy and fairy-tale movies of Aleksandr Rou. ‘Jack Frost’ (Morozko, USSR, 1964). Read more in my book ‘The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema’, out in paperback April 2026. intellectbooks.com/the-films-of-aleksandr-rou #fantasy #fairytale #SovietCinema
Out in paperback this month: My book, ‘The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema’. Use code INTELLECT30 for a 30% discount on pre-orders direct from Intellect (UK) bit.ly/3Qj9Q2E or Chicago University Press (US) bit.ly/47HqU8F. #AleksandrRou #АлександрРоу
Discover the fantasy and fairy-tale movies of Aleksandr Rou. ‘Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors’ (USSR, 1963). Read more in my book ‘The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema’, out in paperback April 2026. bit.ly/3Qj9Q2E #fantasy #SovietCinema
Discover the fantasy and fairy-tale movies of Aleksandr Rou. ‘Kashchei The Immortal’ (USSR, 1945). Read more in my book ‘The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema’, out in paperback April 2026. bit.ly/3Qj9Q2E #fantasy #SovietCinema
Discover the fantasy and fairy-tale movies of Aleksandr Rou. ‘New Adventures of Puss in Boots’ (USSR, 1958). Read more in my book ‘The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema’, in paperback April 2026. intellectbooks.com/the-films-of-aleksandr-rou #fantasy #fairytale #SovietCinema
Out in paperback this month: My book, ‘The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema’. Use code INTELLECT30 for a 30% discount on pre-orders direct from Intellect (UK) bit.ly/3Qj9Q2E or Chicago University Press (US) bit.ly/47HqU8F. #AleksandrRou #АлександрРоу
Barbara the Fair with the Silken Hair (dir. Aleksandr Rou, USSR, 1969) can be viewed on YouTube with English subs here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkZH...
Happy Easter! Frame still of the Storyteller (Anastasiia Zueva) from the utterly wonderful and crazy fairy-tale feature film ‘Barbara the Fair with the Silken Hair’ (dir. Aleksandr Rou, USSR, 1969). To be honest, it’s not an Easter film, but it’s a really fun watch. #AleksandrRou #АлександрРоу
Photograph of author Deborah Allison holding a copy of her book, 'The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema'.
Out in paperback this month: My book, ‘The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema’. Use code INTELLECT30 for a 30% discount on pre-orders direct from Intellect (UK) bit.ly/3Qj9Q2E or Chicago University Press (US) bit.ly/47HqU8F. #AleksandrRou #АлександрРоу
Saturday afternoon band practice in the Sooty retirement home.
A poster for the film with Tom Conti lying dead in the water with a small sailing boat behind or above him.
Now watching: ‘Eclipse’, dir. Simon Perry, 1977.
✅ Sense of foreboding
✅ Humming, warbling synths
✅ Wintry coastal landscapes
The BFI’s @vicpratt.bsky.social deserves medals and things.
Glad you enjoyed it, Ray!
A montage of five images, including the following. A portrait photograph of Aleksandr Rou. The front cover of the book ‘The Films of Aleksandr Rou: Father of Soviet Fairy-Tale Cinema’ by Deborah Allison, which shows an image from the film ‘Vasilisa the Beautiful’ (1939). An image from the film ‘Evenings on a Film Near Dikanka’ (1961). An image from the film ‘Jack Frost’, aka ‘Morozko’ (1964). An image from the film ‘Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors’ (1963).
8 March marks 120 years since the birth of one of my favourite film directors. Aleksandr Rou, the father of Soviet fairy-tale cinema, #BOTD in 1906. My book about his career will be out in paperback on 22 May. @intellectbooks.bsky.social
I loved watching and reviewing this disc. Pioneering investigative journalist Daniel Farson investigates witches, UFOs, cats, striptease, the Stock Exchange and a whole load more: www.theartsdesk.com/tv/blu-ray-d... @vicpratt.bsky.social #bfi #danielfarson #associatedrediffusion
IT’S NANCY’S THURSDAY WE JUST LIVE IN IT We see a close up of Nancy with her red hair bow ,She is happy .
IT’S NANCY’S THURSDAY
WE JUST LIVE IN IT
There's some corking stuff on 1950s - 1960s pop culture in this latest release in the BFI Video Rediffusion range - on dual format Blu ray/DVD! First stop, The Cavern Club...straight from the fridge, Dad...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rENw...
Kenneth Anger #BOTD. How I wish he’d actually got round to publishing those Memoirs he promised me back in 1995!
My latest article is out today: ‘Juvenile Enculturation in a Time of Change: The Early Years of the “Boys’ Cinema Weekly”’ out today in Journal of Modern Periodical Studies. doi.org/10.5325/jmod...
Yes! Black Angel is great - there's a lovely cleaned-up version on the BFI's new Short Sharp Shocks Blu-Ray, Vol 4. Highly recommended. Salut @vicpratt.bsky.social...
Juraj Herz’s THE NINTH HEART (Czechoslovakia, 1979) proved a worthy follow up to the previous year’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Bonus points earned for the fabulous opening titles by Eva Švankmajerová and Jan Švankmajer.
Thanks Vic. The Appointment is astonishingly good. RIP Lindsey and condolences to friends and family.
In SSS vol. 4 @vicpratt.bsky.social and William Fowler ramp it up for disc 2 with some spicy teatime shorts including an atmospheric rescore by the Begotten. But then drops the all time classic, Frisbee. 🥏 ‘Jimmy!’