‘Ellen E Jones and Mark Kermode guide us through the expanding universe of the moving image…’
Mark Kermode has been a ubiquitous presence on the UK cinema scene for decades now. Indeed, I force my film studies students to watch Kermode’s take on all of the films that we watch during lessons, prompting one student to ask “Is he (Kermode) that guy who is angry all the time?”. Now, this is an unfair reflection on Kermode resulting from the fact that I once showed those same students a compilation of the famous film critic’s greatest rants. In reality, Kermode is very much a lover and promoter of cinema. The BBC podcast Screenshot sees Kermode joining forces with journalist and broadcaster Ellen E. Jones to take a sideways look at film and television from the comfort of a podcast studio…
Covering topics as diverse as film noir, kids’ TV and box office bombs, Screenshot sees Kermode and Jones tackling a different pop culture topic each week. Episodes also feature guest interviews and ‘Viewing Notes’ – a section in which somebody involved in show business in some capacity shows up to inform the listeners about what they are currently watching that week. It’s lighthearted fare but there is enough depth and discussion here to please cineastes and casual fans alike. Kermode and Jones make for an enjoyable double act, possibly because they are so different, Kermode the curmudgeonly uncle to Jones’ more effusive and excitable partner-in-crime. Both presenters are clearly knowledgeable and passionate about film and it is these attributes that make Screenshot so compelling. Kermode has taken a bit of a step back in recent years, from both the BBC and The Guardian, and so Screenshot is a great way to check in with a man who has become like an old friend to so many film obsessives over the years.
While I myself prefer more niche film podcasts (The Evolution of Horror, With Gourley and Rust, Halloweenies etc), the eclectic and disparate topics covered by Screenshot ensure that this is a podcast with someone for everyone. So long as you’re a film geek like me.