Performing Arts / Film & Video

Despite starting on a high in 1978, by 1997 there could be no doubt that the superhero genre was all but dead. So, whatever happened to the heroes? Join John Rain as he walks through every film of note from 1978 to 1997, from Flash Gordon to Spider Man and examines just what went wrong, and how.

This critical history of Doctor Who covers the series 60 years, from the creation of the show to its triumph as Britain's number one TV drama. Opening with an in-depth account of the creation of the series within the BBC of the early 1960s, each decade of the show is tackled through a unique political and pop cultural historical viewpoint.

Lost Federations traces the story of unmade projects across the Star Trek franchise from the 1960s to the present day, examining why they never happened. At the same time, A.J. Black makes a case for how much of our popular culture and entertainment has been driven by Star Trek’s 60-year vision, and how differently that story might have evolved.

Philip K. Dick, the visionary author behind Blade Runner, is the most adapted science fiction writer in cinema history. Illustrated with scores of rare photos, Counterfeit Worlds is the first book to trace the history of Philip K. Dick screen adaptations, both in cinema and on television.

Welcome to Wrexham, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s TV series about their shock buyout of failing non-League Welsh soccer club Wrexham AFC, has propelled it to unimaginable new global popularity. Lifelong fan Peter Read looks at his own obsessive support, the club’s history, and developments over the first two seasons under the Hollywood stars.

In time for the 40th anniversary of Local Hero, Jonathan Melville checks into Urquhart’s Hotel – watching out for motorbikes – and examines director Bill Forsyth’s early career before spending time with the cast and crew to find out how this classic film was made.

Author Jonathan Melville looks back at the creation of Highlander with the help of more than 60 cast and crew, including stars Christopher Lambert and Clancy Brown, as they talk candidly about the gruelling shoot that took them from the alleys of London, to the far reaches of the Scottish Highlands, and onto the streets of 1980s New York City.

Thunderbook: The World of Bond According to Smersh Pod affectionately examines Bond with tongue firmly in cheek and elbow dug in ribs. Join John Rain as he goes film-by-film through the Bond saga as he points out all the good, the bad, and the double-taking pigeons contained within Bond’s half-century of world domination.

In Screams & Nightmares, Brian J. Robb examines the entire career of legendary film maker Wes Craven, from his low-budget beginnings to his most recent box office hits, from the banned thriller The Last House on the Left and the cult classic The Hills Have Eyes to the outrageous Shocker and The People Under the Stairs.

Join John Rain, the author of the critically-acclaimed Thunderbook: The World of Bond According to Smersh Pod, as he examines a choice selection of the greatest action movies from the decade when the explosion was king. A must have for the action movie aficionado!