A silent movie star is reborn: Pola Negri's lost Mania is found

From the Guardian

"The tragedy of silent cinema is that we have so little of it. Of all the films made in the silent era, no more than 20% are extant, and even fewer of those are available to be seen by the public. But happily, that isn't the end of the story. Those missing reels have not all been burned, re-used or left to rot. New discoveries are being made all the time, and each lost film that is returned to the fold has something to teach us about cinema at the beginning of the last century – and the best of them are a delight to watch as well."

A new adventure begins

Next month will mark a year since my final exam of my BA History with the Open University, and as that degree is safely out of the way (i got a 2:1) its time to move onto the MA...

I registered for the course back in April ready for a start in October, that did seem a long way away when i registered but now i am just a few weeks away and yesterday i received my course materials... and there seems to be a lot to read!

Hopefully i don't have to read all of it as there is a choice of module later on in the course, this part of my MA will be a 15 month course too not a 8 month one like the BA modules were. Maybe i'll make a start with reading the introduction at least at the weekend.

Photo : Tomb of King John

The tomb of King John of England in Worcester Cathedral. More photos from the cathedral plus Worcester itself can be seen here.

Is Saudi Arabia finally taking an interest in its own heritage?

From the Guardian

"For years, the country has been erasing any evidence of its polytheistic, desert-dwelling past. But now, slowly, the tide may be starting to turn."

Lost Hitchcock film to be given Hollywood premiere in New Zealand archive

From the Indy

"Thirty years after his death, a film by Sir Alfred Hitchcock will once more enjoy a Hollywood premiere after a copy of what is believed to be the earliest surviving film from his back catalogue was found in New Zealand."

Photo : Hatton Locks

Hatton Locks heritage workshops and offices on the Grand Union Canal. More photos at Hatton Locks can be seen here.

Hilarious and Surprising Predictions of the Future…From the 1960s!

From Singularity Hub

"Nothing should make a futurist more wary than looking at the history of the profession and seeing how hilarious its mistakes have been. Jetpacks, flying cars, death rays…the future isn’t quite what the past hoped it would be. Of course, when predictions do come true it can be really shocking."

(Videos galore included)