Films

I have no real memory of how I got into films. My parents used to take me when I was young, but not that often, usually to see a Disney film or something like Star Trek or Star Wars. But now it's a major passion of mine. I'll watch anything not made by John Hughes (except Ferris Bueller's Day Off).

Some of my favourite films are (in no particular order):

• Robocop

• Moulin Rouge

• John Carpenter's The Thing

• Suspiria

• The Fly

• The Dead Zone

• Cyrano de Bergerac

• Batman Returns

• Evil Dead

• Clockwork Orange

Like my books, I started collecting videos heavily in Watford, again at a second-hand stall, and this continues today, although it's usually now new releases. And recently I discovered the joy of DVD, which is currently costing me a fortune.

The thing that galls me most about the British Video Industry is that it is so heavily censored. There are so many films I would like to own or see, but can't because they are banned.

While I agree that there are some films out there that deserve to be banned, I can't agree with the policy that it's better to lose out on a large number of titles just so we don't have to put up with a few truly offensive films. I'd rather learn which titles to avoid than have to do without the rest.

I can also see the validity behind the argument that children need to be protected from seeing certain things, but there is something already there that should prevent this happening without the need for censorship. It's called a parent!

I don't see why I should have to do without certain films that I have made, as an adult, a considered decision about viewing, just because there are idiots out there (and there are a lot of idiots, believe me - I worked in a video shop for three years) who are too lazy to actually think about what they are allowing their children to watch.