Ellen Cheshire

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Film Writer, Researcher & Lecturer.

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Leni Riefenstahl - documentary filmmaker or propagandist?

Aug 22, 2019
4 min

Leni Riefenstahl - documentary filmmaker or propagandist?

On this day, 22 August 1902, Leni Riefenstahl was born in Berlin. As you may have spotted from my writing and talks, I am very interested in women directors, and Leni Riefenstahl is an extraordinary filmmaker. In 2009 I wrote a chapter on German propaganda for Under Fire: a century of war movies (Ian Allen Publishing, 2009). The book is now out of print, but you can snap up secondhand copies on Amazon from 1p! Here's an extract from my chapter “Don't Come to Me with political

100 Years on... Lads of the Village: from stage to silent film to court

Jan 16, 2019
1 min

100 Years on... Lads of the Village: from stage to silent film to court

In 1919 a film version of the hit stage show Lads of the Village lurched into cinemas. The show had been touring the UK for two years at this point, and would continue to tour for at least another four. But the film is mired in controversy. Read the blog I wrote for the Great War Theatre project which gives an overview of the stage show, the film, and the subsequent copyright court case. This is an abridged version of a paper I gave at the British Silent Film Festival Sympo

Hitler's Propaganda Machine

Nov 20, 2018
1 min

Hitler's Propaganda Machine

Almost 10 years ago in 2009, I wrote a chapter on German WWII films for Under Fire: a century of war movies. Last year I was interviewed for the documentary series Hitler's Propaganda Machine, which is now beginning to be screened around the world. Last week it finished it's run on the History Channel in Australia, and can now be seen on Amazon Prime in the US. Still waiting to hear if/when it'll be screened in the UK. I pop briefly in episode 3 talking about The Eternal Je

War on Film

Jan 4, 2018
2 min

War on Film

Is it any surprise that Darkest Hour (2017) is doing better at the Box Office and in Award Ceremonies than Churchill (2017). Darkest Hour starring Gary Oldman depicts the Churchill of popular national memory, the Churchill who won the war. Whereas Churchill starring Brian Cox offered a far more complex and somewhat conflicting depiction of Churchill. In general, films that offer a critical view of World War Two do not fare to well at the Box office. 1953 American studio Colu

Hue and Cry - the first Ealing comedy

Aug 4, 2017
2 min

Hue and Cry - the first Ealing comedy

As someone who writes and lectures about film I am frequently asked what my favourite film is, and it is a really tough question. There are so many! Over 100 years, from over 100 countries. I was recently asked a slightly easier question, what's my favourite British film. Still tough, should I go for Shaun of the Dead? Trainspotting? A Matter of Life and Death? Carry on Screaming? But I settled on Hue and Cry! So why Hue and Cry? This 1947 film directed by Charles Chrichto