Ahead of his live talk at the Finchley artsdepot on Friday, Emma McAlpine catches up with film critic, radio braodcaster and Culture Show presenter Mark Kermode.
He’s been shot at while interviewing the great Bavarian film director Werner Herzog, he’s been handbagged by Dame Helen Mirren at the BAFTAs and he was thrown out of Cannes film festival for heckling. For someone who spends a large percentage of his time in a dark room, top film critic Mark Kermode has led a pretty colourful life. Renowned for his amusing and no holds barred opinions (he once dubbed Transformers director Michael Bay the Antichrist), he published his first autobiography this year: a rip-roaring account of a life immersed in film. Having read the book and laughed like a banshee throughout, I jumped at the chance to interview him in person, in the fitting location of the BAFTA cafe. He didn’t disappoint...
I really enjoyed the book and as a comedy critic, I found your thoughts on criticism in general and what it takes to be a good critic, very interesting.
Thank you. In the case of the book I set out to make something funny which is why it’s quite appropriate that you’re a comedy writer, if it made you laugh then that’s great. It’s odd because while a lot of reviews have said it’s funny, I’ve read some quite serious reviews of it which seem to have missed the point. It’s like reviewing a Will Ferrell comedy and not understanding that whatever else may be going on, it’s meant to be funny. One journalist’s biggest criticism of it so far was that it was all about me. It’s an autobiography!
Do you think criticism takes itself too seriously at times?
Toby Young recently interviewed some critics on The Culture Show and asked them what the future of criticism was in the age of the internet. Pete Bradshaw said (which I agree with): “In the end your opinion is your opinion but what earns you the right to have that opinion read is the elegance with how you write it.” Now, you would never describe my writing as elegant, but I feel that as long as it’s funny and entertaining you will enjoy the review. I am serious about Sex and the City 2 and I am serious that Michael Bay is the Antichrist but you can be funny and serious too.
There’s a brilliant story in the book about your first disastrous experience reviewing videos on radio, where they told you they liked how unprepared you sounded because it was funny. Do you think that influenced your style as a critic?
Absolutely. It was genuinely terrifying. I really thought there would be a few hours to prepare but I got pulled through a door and I was faced with Sarah Ward the host, given some headphones and she said “..and now to videos.” The light went on and I was the proverbial rabbit in the headlights. But I knew I had to talk. I had no notes and I just gabbled until the light went off. Then they asked me back, so I prepared and they didn’t like it because it wasn’t funny. So I went back to the original style.
Do you find it hard socialising with the people you are critiquing?
You can’t do it. In an ideal world you can’t be close to them at all and you wouldn’t have any connections with them or feel beholden to them. More importantly, the film companies wouldn’t have to show you the films in advance or quote your review and there would be no relationship between the critic and the film companies. I actually have very few friends in that area.
What about Werner Herzog?
Well I’ve been shot at with Werner Herzog so we’ll always have that but I don’t know him personally. I’m very good friends with Ken Russell and it doesn’t matter what Ken does, I look on it kindly, which is not good for criticism. You need to be completely removed. I don’t do red carpet stuff much so it’s not that hard to avoid people.
Do you dread the occasional premiere?
It’s the only time you get handbagged! I’m quite happy to be taken to task for my opinion. Hitting people however is another matter. Danny Dyer has famously said if he ever sees me he’s going to beat me up, well that’s not going to move things on is it? A person disagreeing with you is fine but getting cross? Get a grip - it’s criticism!
You must be fairly thick-skinned by now.
Absolutely, if you dish it out you have to be able to take it. If you have half an hour free, Google ‘Mark Kermode’ and ‘wanker'. I was also very proud to be on a list of ’50 People More Annoying than Mick Hucknall’ but it’s up to 500 now so it’s not so impressive.
In the book you talk about how The Exorcist is your favourite film, which people always seem bemused by.
It’s because it’s a horror film. When I said “It’s the greatest film ever made”, rather than the greatest horror film ever made, I said it on purpose. Why can’t a horror film be the greatest film ever made? You are never more alive than when watching a horror film. You can feel the blood in your hands, and there’s that whole flight or flight thing going on.
The book takes us through your time at LBC Radio, Time Out, BBC One and The Culture Show. What’s been the most exciting period of your life so far?
I’m 47 now and the fact I’m still employed is pretty exciting to me. Film journalism is not a secure job and every day that I carry on doing it I’m remarkably surprised. Meeting Linda Blair was great because she was so nice and Herzog because it was so odd. I’ve spent a lifetime watching movies and it’s not like the more you see the less you enjoy, it’s the other way round.
Mark Kermode will be recounting some of the best stories from his autiobiography It's Only a Movie at the artsdpot on Friday 19th November.
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