10 fictional books, films, and series: my recommendations
Because, as we all know, I have excellent taste
- Remains of The Day, Kazuo Ishiguro (book, 1989)
This is by far the most powerful book I’ve read in a while: a potent exploration of the consequences of silence. TLDR; an emotionally avoidant butler struggles with the fact that his fervent belief in tradition, feudal loyalty, and order has cost him his values, his principles, and the only woman he truly loved. Mr Ishiguro’s stern and standoffish nature glows through the character and the whole thing is heartbreakingly honest about regret and repression. Unbelievably painful. Crushing conclusion. V good.
2. The Ticket To Leave Man, George King (film, 1937)
Continuing on the theme of unrequited love, let us move now to cheap British 1930s cinema. My favourite, if extremely problematic, film of the year. I will flag this for some very wobbly characterisation, not least in the questionable use of faux-Yiddish in a supporting character (Solomon ze effeminate penny-pinching foreigner, how original), but Mr Tod Slaughter, my favourite actor, is a delight as ever as the flamboyant Victorian criminal gang lord after the chaste young maiden. The close ups speak of a deeper, more naturalistic style of acting that would become the norm in later film: you…
