Paul Duffus

Paul got his PhD at the University of Bristol. Over the years he has written for various online and ye olde offline publications. He spends far too much time obsessing over literature, music, and cinema. He knows for a fact that the band Silkworm were the greatest thing ever. He recognises how odd it is to write about himself in the third person. Contact him at @paulpatrick77.
Between the Grooves: Silkworm – ‘Lifestyle’
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Between the Grooves: Silkworm – ‘Lifestyle’

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 / 3 December 2020

On a day when we share the Best Indie Rock of the year, step back in time to revisit Silkworm's 2000 indie rock classic, Lifestyle. Between the Grooves is a book-length PopMatters series examining artistically worthy albums in great depth.

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‘Expresso Bongo’ Is a 1959 Satire on the Music Industry with Contemporary Relevancy

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 / 5 May 2016
‘Mommy’ Is an Overpraised Mess of a Movie
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‘Mommy’ Is an Overpraised Mess of a Movie

By
 / 20 July 2015
Middlebrow, glib, and unjustifiably pleased with itself, the winner of the Cannes Jury Prize arrives on DVD.
‘Hyena’ Is an Adult Crime Drama That Will Shock and Dismay
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‘Hyena’ Is an Adult Crime Drama That Will Shock and Dismay

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 / 15 July 2015
Gerard Johnson's portrait of an even worse lieutenant never seeks to ingratiate itself or pander to audience expectations.
‘The Decent One’ Takes on the Task of Humanizing Himmler
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‘The Decent One’ Takes on the Task of Humanizing Himmler

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 / 4 June 2015
Using Heinrich Himmler's personal letters and journals, The Decent One presents an intimate family portrait of the architect of the Holocaust.
‘Rigor Mortis’ Doesn’t Have the Decency to Scare Its Audience
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‘Rigor Mortis’ Doesn’t Have the Decency to Scare Its Audience

By
 / 11 May 2015
It wouldn't seem possible to make a dour movie about China's famous "hopping vampires", but somehow Juno Mak has done it.
‘Late Phases’ Is a Tame and Toothless Experience
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‘Late Phases’ Is a Tame and Toothless Experience

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 / 20 April 2015
This tale of werewolves run amok in a retirement community could do with more guts -- in every sense.
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‘What We Do in the Shadows’ Became a Cult Classic Upon Creation

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 / 13 April 2015
Tinseltown Has Rarely Seemed More Terrifying Than in ‘Starry Eyes’
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Tinseltown Has Rarely Seemed More Terrifying Than in ‘Starry Eyes’

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 / 27 March 2015
Starry Eyes presents a twilit world of hysterical ambition that would put Norma Desmond to shame.
Radio France Remains Faceless Even at the End of a Camera Lens
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Radio France Remains Faceless Even at the End of a Camera Lens

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 / 20 March 2015
Much of Nicolas Philibert's La Maison de la Radio is essentially The Office without any jokes.
‘The Haunting of Black Wood’ Contains No Haunting Whatsoever
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‘The Haunting of Black Wood’ Contains No Haunting Whatsoever

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 / 19 February 2015
The issue with this ostensible haunting in Black Wood is not a paucity of dollars in the budget, but rather of tension, drama, and ideas.
‘Jimi: All Is by My Side’ Is a Portrait of an Artist Without His Art
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‘Jimi: All Is by My Side’ Is a Portrait of an Artist Without His Art

By
 / 18 February 2015
Where Jimi Hendrix’s music is a fireworks display, this film is rather grey and lifeless.