Volume 1, Issue 1 January 2026 Filmphernalia Your New Entertainment Bud From the Editor’s Desk Lines Immortal “After all, tomorrow is another day.” Gone with the Wind (1939) How many times have you thought of abstaining from putting one more on your plate only to do it eventually as you realize the plate can fit some more? Filmospheric is that item and since it had enough room of its own for a newsletter, Filmphernalia was born. Now Filmospheric, my site with movie reviews and articles from topics in the Entertainment world, is about the same age as Filmphernalia since it’s still not a year that the site was born. It’s kind of having twins, getting more love while soothing your anxieties about raising them with the thought that love conquers all. Inside this issue: Screenopticals: Tom Cruise in Action, The Matrix, and Die Hard FilmBuzz — Usual, Unusual, and Unheard Scripter’s Haven — Sharks Shorts Contest Q&A: Guillaume Campanacci — Styling the Shot Retro Fandom — Airwolf Flies Again! Film Quiz Been There, Seen It! 2 2 2 The Fabulous 3 3 3 4 Over the past two months, I’ve seen some really great movies from the yesteryears, making it a challenge to pick and choose for creating a short list of the best ones. It depends on one’s taste, mood, and other things. So here are my five picks for this month. 1. Babette’s Feast (1987) 2. Life with Father (1947) 3. Out of the Past (1947) 4. Decision at Sundown (1957) 5. Century (1993) Danish Faith-based Drama Classic Hollywood Comedy Film Noir Western Period Drama For the inaugural issue of Filmphernalia, I’m including entries rather randomly and trying to get as much of glimpses of the site as possible. For now, it’s not a huge site—just a hundred reviews, a few articles – or Screenopticals (my coinage) – and this infant newsletter. External content like a short chat with someone from the filmmaking world, news preferably from indie filmmaking circles, maybe a movie quiz, and some other tidbits will be included. I’ll be open to letters from readers as well as contributions, and suggestions of course for making this newborn worth your time. Filmphernalia is planned to be published 6 issues a year, or one issue every other month. This may change with time, Ernest Dempsey December 31, 2025 depending on time and content manageability. Let’s get on this ride together! Thank you for your time and feel free to reach out via the Contact Form on https:// www.filmospheric.com.
Page 2 Filmphernalia Screenopticals: Tom Cruise in Action, The Matrix, and Die Hard Back when I watched action movies, Tom Cruise was not even remotely on the map of action movie stars. But seeing someone ask on X (Twitter) recently whether Cruise is one of the greatest action heroes of all times, I had to look up Tom’s filmography on IMDb to see what action roles he has taken over the last two plus decades. Comparing it roughly to the credits of action actors I knew (I’m watching action movies again), the Screenopticals section was added to the site address this question. Writing about The Matrix was on my mind since media created a little buzz about the movie as an allegory for transgenderism a few years ago. The topic made some headlines as the creators of The Matrix – the Wachowski siblings – claimed so during an interview and then went back and forth on it, according to various sources. How valid is this interpretation? And who decides? These questions are addressed in the screenoptical. Then there is the unsettled debate of whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie. I say no and give my reasons. Read these screenopticals on Filmospheric site (carousel). FilmBuzz — Usual, Unusual, and Unheard Epoch Times, December 5) At his 100th birthday, Dick Van Dyke is seen dancing. Kevin Spacey Accused of Sexual Assault by Three Men; Headed to Civil Court. (Reality Tea, November 28) The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025) earns $494 million globally. (Box Office Mojo, December 5) Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros. Entertainment Assets in $72 Billion Deal. (The ist Dick Van Dyke turns 100 — and he’s still dancing. (Deseret News, December 12) Rob Reiner and Wife Found Dead in Their L.A. Home. (Parade, December 14) Brigitte Bardot, 1960s sultry sex symbol turned militant animal rights activdies at 91. (The Associated Press, December 28) Scripter’s Haven — Sharks Shorts Contest The story begins here and now... This year’s Sharks Short Film Scriptwriting Competition is now open to submissions. This is a free-to-enter international screenwriting contest, based in the United Kingdom (UK). The fun part of this contest is that they give you a brief (prompt) and you create a script of up to 5 pages (or less) around it. Deadline: January 31, 2026 I have participated twice (2022 and 2024). The first time my script The One Egg Challenge was one of the top 10 finalists. The second time, my script A Touch of Purple didn’t make it to the finals. Now I am participating again (and loving it). Let’s do it! To enter the contest, visit https://filmfreeway.com/ KinsaleSharksShorts.
Page 3 Q&A: Guillaume Campanacci — Styling the Shot Actor, director, cinematographer, and editor Guillaume Campanacci tells about styling his shots. Where do you prefer B&W against color? Color dominates modern life; B&W lets characters exist in a more intimate, timeless space. But the story always dictates it, not myself. When do you choose moving camera shots? I move the camera when a character’s inner world is shifting, when energy needs to flow, tension needs to grow, or the audience should feel physically pulled into the moment rather than simply observing it. Do your actors do their own makeup? On Devils in Disguise, yes. On my other films, it depended on budget. I have zero interest in make-up, except if it's a part of the character's look. How do you enjoy your work on the shot as a cinematographer as against editor of the footage? Cinematography is instinct, capturing emotion in the moment. Editing is architecture, discovering rhythm and the film’s true heartbeat. I love shifting between them: one is impulse, the other revelation, and both complete the story Campanacci’s Whenever I’m Alone With You and Devils in Disguise are now available on Prime Video and Tubi. Guillaume Campanacci Retro Fandom — Airwolf Flies Again! For those of who grew up with the ‘80s TV sensation Airwolf, buckle up for another flight! The YouTube channel Airwolf Fan Movies has created a short Airwolf fan film called “Valley of Fire” as an episode related to the original show. Here’s the plot in brief (from the video’s description): Two stolen WWII aircraft (aided by a mysterious, high-level F.I.R.M. operative) and some skillful Russian pilots leads to an aerial confrontation on Hawke's briar patch, the Valley of the Gods. But those aren't the only old ghosts to return from Airwolf's past. Fun fact about the film: it’s not AI (as I mistakenly thought at first), but good old-school frame -by-frame editing out of passion for the memories of Airwolf. Check out the short film and other Airwolf fan videos by this group on YouTube at www.youtube.com/ @AIRWOLFMovie. Fandom never dies; it flies! Film Quiz — Can You Guess the Movie? mood goes. :) Instead of posting a still from a movie and asking about the movie’s name or a certain actor in a particular role, as I have done for years on my personal website, I switched gears and tried a new kind of quiz. It’s borrowed straight from my other website. For future quizzes, maybe a mix of older and new formats can be tried—as the For this quiz, see the group of images below and see what movie name you come up with. Send your answers to: editor@ernestdempsey.com.
https://www.twinpawsproductions.com Twin Paws Productions made some short films and plans to resume production on small indie projects. Filmospheric is a manifestation of the same passion for movies and filmmaking that led to the creation of Twin Paws Productions. If you are an indie filmmaker open to collaborating on projects where we won’t need any real funding, because we can do all the needed work ourselves, feel free to connect with me on Stage32. My profile URL on the site is: https://www.stage32.com/profile/178458/about. Down the road, this section may be open for any special messages or advertisements. So keep your scanners peeled for it! Visit and bookmark https://www.filmospheric.com. Been There, Seen It! Location, location, location – the prime directive in the real estate is every bit true when it comes to movies. Where and from what angle a scene is shot can determine the screen value of the production. This section brings the location in a parttravel and part-trivia combo. For this issue, I acknowledge my dream filming location – which is from the TV show Twin Peaks by David Lynch (RIP). After dreaming about seeing it in person for years, I finally got to visit the Snoqualmie Falls in Washington State in November 2022. The show’s iconic intro features the Snoqualmie Falls with the opening credits. The Salish Lodge & Spa overlooking the falls was made The Great Northern Hotel in the show where FBI Agent Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) stayed while he was investigating the murder of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee). With the woods on one side and the green hilly surroundings on the other, the falls create a music that lets you go back and forth in time. It’s such a unique experience. My friend Annie who took the trip with me can verify. So what’s your favorite filming location and how many times have you visited it? Want to share your pics and/or travel tale? Write to Us Send us your two cents on cinema/movies/TV and Filmphernalia will publish along with your name and location (city/state/country). Write to: edtor@ernestdempsey.com
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