Harper Collins 2003 , 320 pages , £16.99 , HB
Bitesize: Film Diary of a Nobody.
Film biographies traditionally deal with people involved in the creation of film – of actors and directors, or reminiscences of those who worked with the greats at pivotal points in their careers. Most of us, it is probably safe to say, are unlikely to find ourselves able to fill a book with anecdotes about our experiences with French New Wave auteurs or fiery drug-fuelled thespians. We, after all, pay our fiver and just watch the films. Or do we? John Walsh’s book introduces the idea of a film biography where the films themselves comment upon the life of the author. From the time his school class is dragged along to see the flogging delights of Mutiny on the Bounty, Walsh sees his life in relation to the films that influenced him and their indication of changing times. So this is a story of growing up, from the fifties through to the seventies. It’s not a volume pumped full of startling incident, great insight or monumental world changing events – but that is its point. This is the tale of a normal (as anyone can be) boy, growing up and feeling all the doubt and confusion anyone does. There are embarrassing moments, fashion disasters and fumbled lines. There’s the hard path of young love, the first kiss and the elemental need for sexual release. All themes that are familiar yet distant; after all everyone has their own personal tale. Like many a person who spends too long in a darkened room watching fantasies flicker on screen, Walsh sees his life as an extension of the movies (not a direct psycho-pathological influence you’ll be pleased to hear). In many ways this is the book’s strength and weakness. It speaks to us about the relevance that the multi-million dollar industry (and there was a British film industry then too!) had on ordinary everyday lives. The only downside is that the films are described in too much detail – if you’ve seen them you’ll already be familiar, and if not then it’s quite easy to have the plot spoiled.
Any Cop?: An amiable breeze of a read, ideal for film buffs when they want to remain “untaxed”.
