Well, it’s a brand new year, and so we’ve decided to try something a bit different for our very first issue of 2014. Whereas previous issues largely focused on essays that gathered together under some kind of thematic umbrella, this time around we’re splitting the issue up a bit differently, featuring essays on a handful of fantastic films (Her, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and Fargo), offering up a mini-theme of sorts by turning the spotlight on a trio of films from director David O. Russell (American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook, and I Heart Huckabees), and then—since this is BW/DR after all—we’ve wrapped the whole issue up with the only essay you will ever read in your entire life comparing Clueless (1995) and The Hunger Games (2012).
Sometimes an issue comes together thematically and it’s a beautiful thing. Other times the ends are a bit looser, the throughline a bit more complicated to piece together, but that can be a beautiful thing, too.
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2014 is shaping up to be quite an intersting year for our little magazine. We have a whole lot of things (and themes) in the pipeline, and we can’t wait to start rolling them out for you with each new month. This month, in particular, is a special one for us as it marks the long-awaited release of an entirely web-based version of the magazine, thanks to our good friends at TypeEngine and Tugboat Yards. No longer will subscriptions be limited only to those with iOS devices and iTunes accounts – now, finally, anybody with a computer will be able to subscribe online and fully access the magazine! We couldn’t be more excited about this, as it allows us to expand our reach a great deal and get our essays a bit further out into the world. The goal here has always been community and connection, with films and one another, and so having the magazine fully accessible and available to any one with an internet connection is something we feel immensely hopeful about.
The release of the web-based version should happen within the week, and in fact, there’s a good chance that some of you reading this are actually reading it a week from now, and are doing so on our new platform! If so, please, tell all your friends and whoever else will listen (especially if they’re film and/or writing geeks) that Bright Wall/Dark Room is now more available than ever – and still only $2 per month.
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We’ll also be offering up a whole host of brand new offers, discounts, and opportunities—including the chance to purchase some of the actual artwork used in the issues—through our new partnership with Tugboat Yards. If you haven’t connected with us there yet, you can do so here to see what we’re selling – and to be kept in the loop about all things BW/DR.
And so, to another a year of movies!
—Chad Perman, Editor-in-Chief
