A steal.
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Not exactly news, more ‘history repeating’…
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Couldn’t they try to find the ones overseas? Would be too easy.
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It seems it’s really one of the murkiest, most difficult jobs thinkable. Rarely are these investigations clean cut and provide irrefutable courtroom-grade evidence*. In the end, if the spy in question doesn’t confess, it’s a long and winding puzzle that oftentimes remains unsolved. I suspect, had Philby not jumped the ship in time and appeared in Moscow, there’d still be friends, acquaintances and any number of writers defending him.
And some would even be honest in their belief.
*This purely based on anecdotal evidence and the lecture of various books and articles on the topic, not any professional insight or contacts.
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So all those moles in M.I. and JB movies it’s not that unbelievable, they have it also for real.
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An obscure piece of news from the ongoing shadow war - with a definite Casino Royale influence…
The operative described the scheme in Oleh and Serhiy’s case: the black rucksack contained a homemade explosive device, packed with screws and nails; the smaller bag held a white box containing a less powerful explosive device.
This box had a small hole cut into it, with a cameraphone that transmitted geolocation and images of the surroundings to Alexander, who was also speaking to Oleh on a Telegram call. He could watch video of Oleh’s location in real time and direct him to a suitable spot packed with people. Then, as Oleh waited for the command to remove the supposed paint canister from the bag, the curator would detonate both devices, by calling the phones attached to them.
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And what a disgustlingly horrifying idea.
Gogol would never have done that.
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https://uk.news.yahoo.com/ferrari-wins-eu-court-battle-105942323.html
This might put an end to this Mr Kleindienst’s efforts… 
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Was just going to post this:
The ruling sets an important precedent for legacy brands, showing that trademarks can remain valid even when tied to vintage or collectable products, so long as the brand stays actively involved in the market. … While new Testarossas haven’t rolled off the production line in decades, Ferrari has continued to support the model, especially through the resale and authentication of second-hand vehicles via its authorised dealer network. According to the court, this activity was enough to qualify as genuine trademark use, even if Ferrari wasn’t manufacturing new cars under the name. The court also ruled that the use of the trademark by Ferrari-approved dealers and distributors, even without explicit written consent, counted as authorised use.
Let’s hope this blows Kleindienst out of his Dubai waters…
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And a big event for the big screen - alas, only in Edinburgh. But if you happen to be anywhere near enough to justify the trip, I’d strongly urge you to. Seeing these films on the big screen is a huge difference.
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I live around one hour away. I’ll definitely be attending some of these screenings
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Not exactly ‘news’ - we’ve been going through most of this article for years already on CBn - but perhaps interesting for members nonetheless.
“Whether the IP is fresh, reworked or recycled, they all conform to the same formula. The big change is in the indie and mid-market sector. Truly original, provocative mainstream drama which deals in recognisable human dilemmas no longer has a place in cinemas.” Instead, it has shifted to TV, where the success of Adolescence and Baby Reindeer, as well as boundary-pushing series such as The White Lotus, Severance and Black Mirror, seems to tell a more edifying story to that being offered by the big screen. At home, at least, dramatic engagement with the real world appears to be exactly what people want.
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Terrific article, absolutely agreed on all the arguments made.
I would add that the problem, however, lies even deeper.
Why did audiences begin to hesitate buying tickets to original films?
Because tickets have become so expensive.
People don‘t want to pay so much and then realize they don’t like what they were buying.
Also, the last two generations have been groomed by the studios that cinema is offering spectacle on the BIG SCREEN. And the other „boring“ or „weird“ stuff for adults is in the small cinema boxes with the bad projection and sound.
After the pandemic the older generations have not returned to the cinema, so that enlarges the problem.
How long will audiences watch the umpteenth sequel of a tired but famous IP?
I fear this is the only thing they will want to watch. And the streamers are already reacting accordingly.
One other big problem: the so-called original adult fare which underperformed was often too challenging („Mickey 17“) or not original at all („Black Bag“). Dramas or comedies about relatable human beings could work very well for mature audiences - but they are too few in the marketplace, or if they actually manage to be shown in theatres the marketing is non existent.
Basically, the studios created the problem by becoming focused on maximizing profits as fast as possible.
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Also, what is really considered original these days? BLACK BAG screams le Carré/Deighton tribute act at the top of its lungs. And F1 seems like a pretty generic race-car drama like literally countless of films since GRAND PRIX/LE MANS, typical rivalry between old hand driver and young upstart included. I struggle to count how often I’ve already seen that show - why should I add Pitt’s version on top of all the others if I’m not a die-hard fan anyway?
These flicks are genre fare, entertaining but hardly the turf where originality grows. Or where anybody in their right mind would look for it. Same with most of the horror trash, endless repetition of the genre’s few interesting masterpieces. There’s no WAIT UNTIL DARK or DON’T LOOK NOW, no KRAMER VS KRAMER or TOOTSIE or MARATHON MAN or RAIN MAN waiting to be greenlit in this already rancid smelling century.
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The state of cinemas is a big part of why nobody goes out of their way to invest in a ticket to the more original films that are out there. Gone are the days when you could take a flyer on something a bit outside the mainstream since nowadays you’re on the hook for anywhere between $15-$20 just to get in the door before the highway robbery of the concession stand even gets a chance at you. And that’s even before you have to sit through more ads than a Super Bowl broadcast trying to sell you even more stuff. After that kind of investment, people are going to look for more familiar, more “safe” fare rather than something that might have the chance of being a complete misfire (or being a masterpiece).
I remember going to the theater one evening with my dad with the intent to see whatever the latest Ben Affleck movie was. That showing was sold out but he saw a movie called Traffic in the lineup of movie posters and suggested we give that a shot. Turned out to be one of my favorite films of all-time. Tickets, while beginning to rise a bit then, were still affordable enough to take a chance like that. Now, I’d just head back to my car and go home and find something on one of the streaming platforms to watch from the comfort of my own home, away from the screaming toddlers, the people deciding that it’s appropriate to give their own running DVD commentary throughout the film, and the other just nonstop nonsense that happens at the modern cinema.
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Just for fun (or sadness): here is a list with the box office (US) for the films in release for 2025.
Only two films so far are mega blockbusters: 1. A Minecraft Movie (based on the game) and 2. the Lilo & Stitch remake.
130 millions separate the No.2 from the next big success “Sinners”. And what follows then are mostly very pricey films which topped out before they could recoup their marketing costs.
While it seems probable that the recent Jurassic Park will crawl up in the upper top ten of the year, it seems highly unlikely that the Brad Pitt vehicle (and kind of “Days of Thunder”-ish") F1 will stay in the top 10 (it probably will enter there) for long if next week´s “Superman” performs as well as expected and “Fantastic Four” will also do better than the last Marvel films.
That’s all highly depressing, for cinema owners and audiences alike.
Still, will the studios learn anything from this? Hah…
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If we had only been listened to. More original movies, and Blofeld would never, ever have been Bond’s brother.
I maintain that it all started in 1948 with the Paramount Decree. Been downhill ever since.
Even more in NYC.
My soda was already in my bag both times I went to the movies this weekend–one senior ticket and one senior matinee ticket. Reports forthcoming.
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Leaving this here as it may be of interest for its similarities and contrasts with Fleming’s approach.
“He was like an academic. He would go to the places he would be writing about and do fieldwork like an anthropologist or a sociologist. He would read extensively, interview people in the field, take notes – and then write it up as fiction. He would do it for all the novels, which is quite extraordinary.”
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