Pomona Rewind

When it came to landing in-depth interviews with public figures, talk show host Larry King reigned supreme - particularly in his 25 years as a CNN host. An American broadcaster who commanded the same respect across the world as David Frost, he shared the legendary British television host's ability to extract much more from the political leaders and Hollywood stars he interviewed than they may have intended. In an era of aggressive interviews, his less confrontational, more conversational approach often seduced public figures into revealing more about the influences that shaped their lives. And he could also get them to disclose their real opinions. Born in Brooklyn in 1933 to Lithuanian and Ukranian parents, his mother was a garment worker and father ran a restaurant. Raised Larry Ziegler in the Orthodox Jewish tradition, he lost his father at the age of nine after he suffered a heart attack. With the family reliant on welfare, he attended Lafayette High School in Brooklyn but was

   Even before it hit cinema screens in December, Patty Jenkins' sequel 'Wonder Woman 1984' felt like a bit of a game changer. Even though Disney chose to release  'Artemis Fowl,'  the live action version of  'Mulan'  and the wonderful  'Soul'  on its streaming service, the decision by Warner Bros to simultaneously release one of its biggest superhero franchises on HBO Max in the US and in cinemas seems like it could change the industry forever. The studio may have been responding to the disruption Covid has caused to theatrical distribution but it incurred the wrath of  filmmakers like Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve  by deciding 16 other films will get a simultaneous release this year. Among those films getting this treatment are Villeneuve's long awaited adaptation of 'Dune,' Shaka King's awards contender 'Judas and the Black Messiah,' Alan Taylor's 'Sopranos' prequel 'The Many Saints of Newark,'

   Michael Apted was not a household name but the chances are if you grew up in the 1980s and 90s you saw some of his work. One of the most versatile directors Britain has ever produced, he made feature films, directed episodes of TV dramas and made documentaries. His career saw him direct a Bond movie with Pierce Brosnan as well as episodes of 'Coronation Street,' 'Rome' and 'Ray Donovan'. He also worked with the likes of Dustin Hoffman, Sissy Spacek, Lee Marvin, Jodie Foster, Liam Neeson and Tilda Swinton.   As a documentary filmmaker, he was best known as the driving force behind the groundbreaking TV series '7 Up' and chronicled Sting's emergence as a solo rock star after the break-up of The Police. Born in Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire in 1941, Apted came from solid middle class stock. His father was employed by an insurance company and he secured a scholarship to the City of London School whose alumni include Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith