“When you are on a cliff edge but you don’t know it’s a cliff edge, it gives you perfect confidence.” – Orson Welles
Hello, this is Ray Bennett writing from London on movies, television, theatre, music, media and more. You might have seen my stories, features and reviews for many years in The Hollywood Reporter and other outlets around the world as they were syndicated by the Reuters news agency. Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic and other aggregators also flagged my reviews.
For more than a decade, I was a regular at the Festival de Cannes, along with the festivals in Berlin, Venice, Locarno, Karlovy Vary, Edinburgh, and London. I made it to the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival once and I have been very glad to be back at the Toronto International Film Festival for the past five years. I’ve covered music at MIDEM and television at MIP.
I reviewed major music concerts such as “Live 8,” “Concert for Diana,” and Led Zeppelin. I attend the Krakow Film Music Festival each year and the World Soundtrack Awards at the Ghent Film Festival in Belgium.
I’ve been editor, writer, reporter, and critic covering the entertainment business on major monthly and weekly magazines, and big-city dailies in the United States, Canada and my native England throughout my long career. I covered US and Canadian film, television and music from the vantage point of The Windsor Star, across the river from Detroit. I was Managing Editor of TV Guide Canada and Arts & Entertainment Editor at both the Los Angeles Herald Examiner and the Los Angeles Daily News; also Senior Editor of Video Digest, Editor of Satellite Orbit and West Coast Bureau Chief of Entertainment Weekly.
Long associated with The Hollywood Reporter, I was Managing Editor of Special Issues in Los Angeles, European Bureau Chief based in London, and I worked as editor and critic on The Hollywood Reporter Dailies in Cannes and critic for the Berlin and Toronto THR dailies. Also, I was senior editor and correspondent for the UK home entertainment trade monthly Cue Entertainment.
I started out as a trainee reporter on the Gravesend Reporter in Kent, England, and then worked for the entertainment weekly Where To Go In London. In Canada, I was a reporter at the Brampton Daily Times and a feature writer and columnist at the Sudbury Star before I joined The Windsor Star.
I’ve written for the Los Angeles Times, People Magazine, US Magazine, Penthouse, Variety, Maclean’s, the Bookseller, Inside Books, Marquee Magazine, the British Journalism Review, and many more. I’ve been on BBC-TV, Channel 4, Channel 5, CNBC, CNN, Bloomberg, PBS and BBC Radio’s “Woman’s Hour.”
I am a member of the Critics’ Circle in London in both the film and drama sections, and a member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
I am very fond of standing stones, burial mounds, iron-age forts, abbeys, old buildings and ruined castles. Only in England would they put up a sign like the one at Tintagel Castle in my photo on the home page. But it serves for all in the entertainment business because everyone is always on the precipice of success or failure.
These are dispatches from The Cliff Edge.
Hi Ray,
Many years ago we both attended Victoria Road School, I did contact you a while ago, I was looking up old friends, but you didn’t remember me.
Good to see you looking so well, I am also in my prime, just two weeks ago my wife and I left UK to live on Vancouver Island BC, we heard they are looking for young settlers.
Hope this message finds you well, all the best Pete
Hi Ray!
We met in Karlovy Vary years ago over Ed’s film This Beautiful City. Had a quick question and email request. Drop me a line if you get a chance! Hope you are well,
Best wishes-
Aa
Long time no hear, hope all well. Happy Birthday!
Hi Ray, just to check what is the best email address for you?
Thanks,
Rachel.
I’m in London and free on Thursday and Friday. Would love to meet for a pint if you’re in town.
Hello friend…going to be in Britain late August, early September…itinerary incomplete at this time…will you be available for a visit and a couple of cold ones?…will let you know what our (sister ) plans are as soon as I know..luv di
I am a regular reader…good to see you are still having fun at. I, meanwhile, have retired from the Star which, by the way, you would barely recognize. Brampton Times is sure name from the past …. 1969 to 1974 in my case.
Any way cheers
Dave Hall
Hey, Dave: Many thanks. I send a reply to the email address listed for you but it bounced back.
Hey Ray,
Want to get in touch but don’t have your email. We’re coming to London early next month and want to see you.
I was a journo on the Brampton Times in Ontario when Ray turned up almost straight off the UK boat looking for a reporter’s job. He had already written features for the Toronto Telegram and I was in awe. Over the decades we both progressed onwards and upwards and met for a pint in London around 15 years ago. I was still in awe of a larger than life character. Great company, lovely writer. Time for another chat mate.
Hi Ray we both worked at the Toronto Star in the 70’s and I think we had a date or two.
Hope life has been good you.
Drop me a line if you can.
Hi there. Have fond memories of eating Falafels at Tiger’s in Kensington Market after the show at the El Mocambo. You weren’t a fan of the falafel then.
Cheers
Gay
Heya. So happy to see your name. I’ll drop you a line.
Hello Ray,
I have just recently become aware of Charlie Rich and – as the time post indicates – have spent many early morning hours learning more about this incredibly talented, sensitive artist. Artist in the true sense of the word. That you knew him as a father in law was quite remarkable, as I read your article noting what would have been Charlie’s 90th birthday. As I listen to his music – particularly the album Pictures and Paintings – I can just imagine his presence. I too greatly appreciate his shyness. It is that quality that seems to open people’s hearts to him.