Jessie part two.This is the second instalment of a three part mini-series about the 1930s' biggest UK film star, Jessie Matthews.Evergreen (1934) was based on Ever Green, CB Cochran's 1930 musical spectacular at the Adelphi Theatre. Jessie star

Soho Bites 43: The Good Companions (1933)

Sep 20th, 2023 1h 3m

The Big Jessie series.This is the first of a three part mini-series focusing on the 1930s' biggest UK film star, Jessie Matthews.None of Jessie's films were set in Soho, but the fact that she was born on Berwick Street where her dad was a marke

Soho Bites 16: Soho Conspiracy (1950)

Aug 27th, 2020 46m 27s

Episode 16: Soho Conspiracy (1950) & Dr Adrian Smith on EJ FanceyThis is our Fancey episode and no, that’s not a typo. Edwin J Fancey (or EJ) was a Soho based film producer and distributor who made a fortune by churning out cheaply made films a

Soho Bites 47: Monsieur Ripois (1954)

Feb 1st, 2024 1h 1m

Bienvenue dans le premier épisode de 2024.Monsieur Ripois (1954) was directed by René Clément and stars the French heart throb, Gérard Philipe along with the English beauties, Joan Greenwood, Natasha Parry & Valerie Hobson. It was based on the

Soho Bites 46: Don't Open 'til Christmas (1984)

Dec 21st, 2023 54m 12s

Ching ching etc - it's the Soho Bites Christmas special.Having just left behind the wholesome world of Jessie Matthews and 1930s musicals, it feels right to descend into the grubby underbelly of Soho with the festive fiasco, Don't Open 'til Chr

Soho Bites 45: Friday the Thirteenth (1933)

Dec 20th, 2023 1h 9m

Jessie part three.For this, the third and final instalment of our mini-series about the 1930s' biggest UK film star, Jessie Matthews, we met up with Dr Jennifer Voss of De Montford University to talk about Friday the Thirteenth (1933).NB: this

Soho Bites 42: A Fallen Idol?

Jul 15th, 2023 46m 11s

Not a normal episode.We're not actually talking about a Soho film in this episode. It's a long story... We do, however, talk to a genuine film star from the golden era.As an eight year old boy, Bobby Henrey was rocketed into the public eye whe

Soho Bites 41: The Green Cockatoo (1937)

May 26th, 2023 51m

At last! It's the long awaited exotic birds episode.The Green Cockatoo (1937) is a noir-ish thriller set in gangland Soho. The Green Cockatoo of the title is not actually a beautiful tropical bird but a drab Soho nightclub. When Dave Connor get

Soho Bites 40: All Night Long (1962)

Apr 28th, 2023 49m 11s

It's Jazz, man. Also, it's Shakespeare.All Night Long (1962) is a re-telling of Shakespeare's Othello in which Othello is Rex, the famous leader of a jazz band, Desdemona is a singer called Delia and Iago is the band's drummer, Johnny.The film

Soho Bites 39: Nighthawks (1978)

Mar 29th, 2023 59m 35s

Thirty nine episodes in and we finally do a gay themed episode of the show. About time too!Nighthawks (1978) was directed by Ron Peck and was based on a script developed by him and Paul Hallam. It stars Ken Robertson as Jim, a geography teacher

Soho Bites 38: East of Piccadilly (1941)

Feb 27th, 2023 53m 4s

Murder mystery? Rom-com? And, as an afterthought.... wartime boosterism?East of Piccadilly (1941) was known as "The Strangler" in the US and was directed by Harold Huth. It stars Judy Campbell & Sebastian Shaw and was written by the then quite

Soho Bites 37: Beat Girl (1960)

Feb 5th, 2023 49m 59s

Attention jiving scum! This is one is straight from the fridge dad.It doesn't get more Soho than Beat Girl (1960) - coffee shops, beatniks, strip clubs, The 2 i's.... it's got the lot.Gillian Hills leads the cast of Beat Girl, which also stars

Trailer

Dora Bryan competition winners & Kino Quickies preview

Sep 19th, 2022 18m 51s

This is not really an episode I'm afraid - time just ran away from me.However, I've recorded this mini-episode because there is some very important business to finish up which is to announce two things....The winners of last month's Dora Bryan

Soho Bites 36: The Optimists of Nine Elms (1973)

Aug 29th, 2022 55m 55s

Everything changes but....The changing faces of London neighbourhoods is our loose theme for this episode.In the first half, the novelist, Christopher Fowler makes his second appearance on the podcast, talking about his latest book and about hi

Soho Bites 35: Zeta One (1969)

Jul 25th, 2022 57m 47s

Two Films, One Guest.Normally we have two guests on each episode of Soho Bites, but when your guest is as good as David McGillivray, who needs a second?Long before Matthew Sweet gave him the moniker, "The Truffaut of Smut", David reviewed Zeta

Soho Bites 34: It Happened in Soho (1948)

Jun 28th, 2022 47m 51s

Double Stinker.After an extended break to allow our massive team to shift its attention to our most recent podcast series, Kino Quickies, we return to Soho Bites with the 1948 murder mystery, It Happened in Soho.It’s safe to say, the film had a

Soho Bites 33: The Sandwich Man (1966)

Mar 4th, 2022 48m 38s

Special Sandwich Special.We’ve done some episodes in the past with some disparate and unusual themes. We did a Spain themed episode, a sport one, a God special and even a wrestling / boxing episode, but we think we’ve surpassed ourselves this

Soho Bites 32: Turn the Key Softly (1953)

Jan 22nd, 2022 53m 57s

Softly Shoe Shuffle.Murphy's Law states that if you've arranged an interview with a brilliant guest to talk about a fantastic film in a great location, then you will catch Covid and have to self-isolate. This is why my interview with Ming Ho ab

Soho Bites 31: The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Dec 13th, 2021 37m 32s

Sohohoho Bites Christmas special.In this festive special, we’re talking about the much loved Christmas classic, The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) which, according to this article, is the greatest film ever made.In the first half of the show we

Soho Bites 30: Good-Time Girl (1948)

Nov 12th, 2021 50m 47s

Kent Noir.Good-Time Girl is a post war UK film noir with three main locations – Lambeth, Soho and “Soho-On-Sea” (AKA Brighton). James Harrison of South West Silents & Film Noir UK joins Dom to talk about the film and about Film Noir UK.The star

Soho Bites 29: Absolute Beginners (1986)

Oct 25th, 2021 49m 2s

Wham bam Bowie special.In this Bowie special, we talk to Del Pike about the much maligned Absolute Beginners (1986) - was the critical mauling justified? And Aiden McManus returns to the show to talk about Bowie's pre-fame years in Soho.Arrivin

Soho Bites 28: Value for Money (1955)

Sep 24th, 2021 52m 20s

Early Dors.We look at two extraordinary lives in this episode. The film under discussion is Value for Money (1955) about a naive northern man played by John Gregson who becomes captivated by a glamorous West End showgirl played by Diana Dors. H

Soho Bites 27: Saturday Night Revue (1937)

Aug 10th, 2021 55m 9s

Yesteryear's Soho club-land.Dr Lawrence Napper of Kings College London met up with Dom to discuss 1937’s Saturday Night Revue. Starring Sally Gray and Billy Milton, it’s a role call of some long forgotten cabaret & variety acts of the day. That

Soho Bites 26: Too Hot to Handle (1960)

Jul 11th, 2021 42m 23s

Lobotomy Room special.For the first part of episode 26, we headed out to Fontaines bar in Dalston (Stoke Newington if you’re an estate agent, Dalston if you’re “street”) to catch a screening of the kitsch, sexploitation B movie from 1960, Too H

Soho Bites 25: The Golden Disc (1958)

Jun 21st, 2021 49m 48s

Just for the record.The theme of episode 25 is record shops. Soho was, for a long time (and arguably still is?) THE place to go to buy records of all genres with dozens of shops packed closely together. In the first half of the show, Dom talks