Rupert Murdoch is flying over to Britain to rescue the foundations of his empire that are crumbling under the weight of accusations of corruption and shady practice, his staff are revolting … pause … pause … he needs to face them down. Although he cuts a more gnarled and brusque figure than Kane, the story of his rise to fortune, his dynastic power and recent sense of hubris and decline has been spun into a Shakespearean drama. Grumble, grumble followed by humble, humble.

The best made stories come from the story-makers themselves. There must be something in the air, because in recent weeks, films about the ‘old media’ have been coming hot off the press here at DM’s World of Film.

Whether it’s The New York Globe in SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, with Burt Lancaster as the fities equivalent of the 3am girls, or the The New York Inquirer in CITIZEN KANE, movies about the papers are appealing. There are papers in films such as The Washington Post in ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN (1976) or (one of Dom-Dirk’s favourites) THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE (1961) featuring the Daily Express, but this Friday Five presents made-up rags.

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE

1) The Albuquerque Sun-Bulletin in ACE IN THE HOLE (1951)

Favourite of Dirk Malcolm’s World of Film, Wilder’s primer on journalistic cynicism contrasting small town truth-seeking editor Jacob T. Boot with hard-nosed, hard-boiled Charles Tatum, “I can handle big news and little news. And if there is no news, I’ll go out there and bite a dog.”

GET ME Lorne Guyland!

2) The Island Times in THE TRUMAN SHOW (1998)

The news from nowhere provided Jim Carey with an illusion of reality: Seahaven is voted Planet’s best town. There was nothing on the telly.

3) The Morning Post in HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940)

Cary Grant plays an editor of a newspaper where if they paid by words per second, they would go bust, if the dialogue is anything to go by! Wonderful; in a loathsome sort of way.

4) The Hill Valley Telegraph in BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985)

The Telegraph always went with the most helpful plot-points as headlines even if it was some anonymous local inventor being sent to the loony-bin, or a farmer’s barn being destroyed by a strange-looking car. It’s always a slow news day in Hill Valley. [Roof-Dirk]

DROP THE DEAD DONKEY

5) The Daily Planet in SUPERMAN (1978)

Editor Perry ‘Don’t call me Chief’ White is missing the biggest story in the world from right under his nose. He should be taken out and shot, by a speeding bullet.

GREAT CAESAR’S GHOST what a mystery!