Culture

Getty ImagesIn a 1968 interview, the BBC spoke to author JRR Tolkien about his experiences during World War One, how they had a profound effect and influenced his epic fantasy novel, Lord of the Rings."Stories – frankly, human stories are...

Getty Images'Lolita' fashion is a well-established subculture in Japan – a doll-like look, it draws on baroque and rococo styles (Credit: Getty Images)Frilly, hyper-feminine and cute with bows everywhere, coquette style is increasingly popular. As an aesthetic, is it a...

Getty Images(Credit: Getty Images)Starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, Stanley Kubrick's final film was poorly received on its release in the summer of 1999. But 25 years on, it's been reappraised as a masterpiece and endlessly theorised over."Those were not...

Universal(Credit: Universal)For a while, there's been talk of 'the death of stardom', with young actors not able to match the clout of Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Will Smith et al. But that might be changing.There has been no lack of...

Netflix(Credit: Netflix)Skywalkers, a jaw-dropping Netflix documentary featuring Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, follows the "rooftoppers" as they risk their lives for art atop the world's tallest buildings.A young couple are facing each other in the dawn sunshine. The man moves...

AlamyMake a splash this summer – from luxury vintage to sustainable fabrics, here's our smart guide to swimming in style.It's at this time of year when images of Jane Birkin in a ring-fronted bikini or Brigitte Bardot in her classic...

BBC ArchiveWorld War One broke out on 28 July, 1914. Fifty years later, one of the German soldiers, Stefan Westmann, told the BBC about his experiences fighting in the conflict.World War One broke out on 28 July 1914. To mark...

Getty ImagesWith the release of new, previously unheard live recordings from the BBC, questions remain over Louis Armstrong's complicated and controversial career and persona.More than half a century after the death of Louis Armstrong, fans and critics are still arguing...

Walt Disney Studios Motion PicturesDespite a stellar media campaign, the odd-couple buddy team of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman is occasionally wry and entertaining, but the action is "a slog".Deadpool and Wolverine – which might more accurately have been called...

Paris 2024/ Raphael VrietSince 1924, cities hosting the Olympics have created vast areas of purpose-built dwellings to house the athletes. These have increasingly been seen as a vehicle for urban regeneration – but do they really end up serving local...