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SubscriptionsSection: Culture
History, music, cooking, travel, books, theatre, film – but also with an eye on the ‘culture wars’, nationalism and identity.
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Brexitannia: The British Identity Crisis
Brexit has become an identity conflict in Britain. It is Danny Boyle’s London Olympics Opening Ceremony versus the Last Night of the Proms. Where do we go from here?
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How My Punjabi Immigrant New Labour-Supporting Parents were Charmed by Boris Johnson
Hardeep Matharu reflects on the personal story of her parents’ political shift towards the right – and what it might represent about Britain as a whole.
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A Full Moon Election
Poet Salena Godden with a personal reflection ahead of tomorrow’s General Election.
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The Re-Emergence of English Nationalism Defines Brexit
Film-maker Sheridan Flynn explores English identity through an Irish lens and what Britain can learn from Ireland about how the divisions of Brexit can ever be healed.
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How Politicians Talk To You: Oven-Ready Rhetoric during the General Election
Luke Murphy dissects the slogans of the General Election 2019 and what they reveal about class, empire, royalty and racism in Britain today.
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Brexit Britain’s Mental State: Time to Bring on the Shrinks
Fiona O’Connor on the Sado-Populism of Boris Johnson and how Britain is suffering from a suicidal form of ‘weak Fascism’.
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Reasons to be Islamophobic: Profiting from the Politics of Fear
Dr Shazad Amin explains why hatred of Muslims is such a powerful, hidden force in this General Election.
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‘Motherless Brooklyn’ Review: A Film Noir about Town Planning and Ethnic Cleansing
Chris Sullivan on a sprawling, ambitious tale of murder, blackmail, and corruption in mid-century New York that has dark resonances for London today.
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Putin, Bannon & Silicon Valley: The Axis of Oligarchs
Tamsin Shaw explains how anti-market Russian oligarchy has spread to the US, and that Big Tech may be the prime beneficiary.
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‘The Irishman’ Review: The Power of the Gangster Myth
Chris Sullivan reviews Martin Scorsese’ latest film, The Irishman and explores the history of the cult of Mafia films.
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The Oligarch Spawn: Can the Global Super Kids with the World at their Feet Find Meaning and Do Good?
As part of Byline Times’ look at The March of the Oligarchs, Stephen Colegrave considers the impact of their progeny: the global super kids.
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Odeon of Death: Shite Hawk Down
The Odeon of Death takes a look at the week’s events through the medium of cinema. Shite Hawk Down (2001) The pitiful tale of a helicopter pilot who can’t tell upstairs from downstairs, recognise his own hand, break off friendships with convicted paedophiles, or perspire (even after eating the ‘Diavolo’ with extra Jalapeño peppers at…
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Prince Andrew has Prised Open the Lid of the Monarchy’s Pandora’s Box
Otto English explores why the British are so reluctant to discuss what the point of the Royal Family is
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‘Sorry We Missed You’ Review: Ken Loach’s True Story Delivers a Punch
A damning portrait of zero-hours contracts, private debt and public austerity in Brexit Britain.
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Odeon of Death: Noah
Noah (Show-a) (2019) And lo, a great flood came upon the earth, and the Lord said to Noah, Buildeth thou an ark. So he did, and sailed far away, as the people of South Yorkshire cried, “Shit! Come back!” And over the waves the distant strains of Rock the Casbah could be heard… The Odeon…
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How I Fell Down a Right-Wing Brexit Rabbit Hole – and Came Out the Other Side
Steve Jones recalls how Facebook took him on a dark journey and why he now regrets voting to Leave the EU.
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WORD OF THE WEEK: hugger-mugger
(n.) secrecy, concealment; (adj., adv.) clandestine, hidden from view Rely solely on the headlines and you’d be forgiven for thinking not much of any consequence has happened this week, save for two former Labour MPs endorsing Boris Johnson in the upcoming December election. It’s true, Ian Austen and John Woodcock’s words were hardly beneficial to…
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When will we Return to the Hope we had when the Berlin Wall Fell 30 Years Ago?
Otto English recalls what it was like growing up in a world where the threat of the Cold War loomed large – and the surprise and optimism when, one day, this came to an end.
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THE UPSIDE DOWN: Making Better People – Why Eugenics Refuses to Die
Even if we could make fitter, cleverer humans, would that make them more valuable people?
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Odeon of Death: The Twat in the Hat
(With apologies to Theodor Geisel) Who’s that creeping in the fog?
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Jacob Rees-Mogg: A Relic of the Past, A Danger to the Future
Musa Okwonga explores the controversial Conservative politician’s popularity and what it represents about modern England.
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The 2008 Financial Crisis Paved the Way for Brexit – Why Don’t We Talk About it Anymore?
A decade ago, the financial crisis presented the most pivotal economic, political and social moment since the fall of the Berlin Wall. We need to examine its effects if we are to learn lessons in Brexit Britain.
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The Strange Death of Middle Class England
As part of the March of the Oligarchs series, Stephen Colegrave looks at the impact of the super rich on the English middle class.
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War and Amnesia: Tales My Grandfather Never Told Me
A personal story from Otto English about how the past is far too often sanitised to make people who were never there feel better about their family, our collective past and our country.
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The March of the Oligarchs: 1979 to 2019
Peter Jukes with the historical background to a new Byline Times series on a global phenomenon that best explains Boris Johnson and Donald Trump.
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Odeon of Death: Halloween
Halloween (2019) Notice: the Odeon regrets to announce the cancellation of tonight’s screening, in which Michael Myers may or may not end up dead in a ditch. The show will be rescheduled for late January 2020. Maybe. The Odeon of Death can be found on Twitter at, perhaps not altogether surprisingly, @OdeonofDeath.
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‘Men Need Spaces to Talk About Masculinity. Cutting Hair Can Save Lives’
As part of her Why Masculinity Matters series, Hardeep Matharu speaks to Tom Chapman, founder of the Lions Barber Collective, about the need for spaces for men to speak to each other about the challenges of navigating masculinity.
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Odeon of Death: Interminablenator: Dark Fart
The Odeon of Death takes a look at the week’s events through the medium of cinema. Interminablenator: Dark Fart (2019) The peace and prosperity of the UK is under threat from a new Terminator sent from the future. Skynet’s secret weapon, the D0MCUM-1000, absolutely will not stop, ever, until we are dead. The Odeon of…
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‘The Idea is Trump and Boris are Alpha Males and their Ludicrous Sex Drive Tells You they are Winners’
As part of her Why Masculinity Matters series, Hardeep Matharu speaks to cultural commentator and writer Peter York about why ideas of toxic masculinity seem to be more relevant in politics than ever.
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‘It’s Men. That’s the Common Denominator in Crime and We have to Address It’
As part of her Why Masculinity Matters series, Hardeep Matharu speaks to Frances Crook, chief executive of the UK’s oldest prison reform charity, about why masculinity must be discussed by those in power if we are to effectively address crime.
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WORD OF THE WEEK: undermimic
(v.) to fall short in replicating something already done by someone else Well, well, well. He’s only gone and done it. Apparently. After a week of frantic into-the-night renegotiations, a plume of white smoke finally puffed its way up from the Brussels skyline early Thursday morning. Rumour has it, from a burning pile of three…
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Odeon of Death Film of the Week: Brexit – The Movie
The Odeon of Death takes a look at the week’s events through the medium of cinema. Brexit: The Movie (2019) Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer star in this surreal black comedy. ** Cinema note: this is an ongoing and endless feature presentation. Once the auditorium doors are locked, there’s no way out again. The Odeon of…
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WORD OF THE WEEK: Scowth
scowth (n.) a period of time off from work; scope or freedom to focus on other things
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Odeon of Death: Joker
The Odeon of Death takes a look at the week’s events through the medium of cinema.
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‘Joker’ Review: This Dark Tale of Gotham City Shows How a Hellish Populism Could Take Hold of Our Society
Chris Sullivan gives his take on the controversial new film starring Joaquin Phoenix and compares its dystopian vision with 1970s New York and the UK today.
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WORD OF THE WEEK: public house bargain
public house bargain (n.) a poor or unprofitable bargain; a questionable deal For the past several weeks, it has seemed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s approach to the on-going Brexit negotiations has been to keep his cards close to his chest, and then at the very last moment reveal that he wasn’t ever actually holding…
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The Odeon of Death Film of the Week: Nineteen Eighty-Four II: The Return of Big Brother
The Odeon of Death takes a look at the week’s events through the medium of cinema. Nineteen Eighty-Four II: The Return of Big Brother (2019) “Nobody heard what Big Brother was saying. It was merely a few words of encouragement, the sort of words that are uttered in the din of battle, not distinguishable individually…
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‘Judy’ Review – “If I am a Legend Why Am I So Lonely?”
Chris Sullivan reviews the film Judy and considers how the star became a victim of her own fame.
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MOOD-BASED TRAVEL: Miami Beach
In the latest in his series exploring how to experience travelling as an antidote to your mood, Kyle Taylor gives his take on Miami.
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THE UPSIDE DOWN: The Point of Wasps
John Mitchinson on why we should cut the pub garden pest some slack.
