Blake Collier
School
The University Of Texas
Texas Tech University
Expertise
History, Philosophy, Film Criticism, Politics
- Blake has written for various sites for nearly 10 years including Mockingbird, Rise Up Daily, Film Inquiry, Reel World Theology, Grindhouse Theology, Christ and Pop Culture, and The Curator.
- Blake's essays have been published in various publications including The Mockingbird Journal, Mockingbird at the Movies, and Christ and Pop Culture Goes to the Movies. He also has four essays on horror film and culture coming out in the next two to three years in academic collections, including Toxic Cultures: A Companion for Peter Lang Publishing out (hopefully) in 2021.
- He did two seasons of a podcast, 88 Names Podcast, with author Matt Ruff (Lovecraft Country) on virtual reality, ethics, technology, etc.
Experience
Blake is a freelance writer, critic, and independent researcher in various fields including horror culture, film, dementia, and other culture-related subjects. Most of his writing has appeared on Mockingbird and Reel World Theology, sites dedicated to religious explorations of culture. He received "Article of the Year" from Film Inquiry for his essay, "A Violent System: How Marxism Is Making A Cinematic Comeback" in 2020. He wrote a lengthy essay for Film Inquiry on the film Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) that got noticed (and read, twice) by John Cusack, himself. He, however, is currently expanding his writing subject base beyond film into politics, history, philosophy, and other subject matter.
Education
He has a wide knowledge base in history and philosophy. He studied the intersections of religious mission work and British colonialism in East Africa for his Master's thesis and taught numerous courses on American and World History as a teaching assistant at Texas Tech University. He also has minors (with both degrees) in philosophy.
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Stories By Blake Collier
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Today's vacations weren't always part of the American pastime, making the 1970s unique on that front. This is what the American road trip was like 50 years ago.
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These songs topped the charts and the radio during 2002. Here are some songs turning 20 in 2022.
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Drifting back through memory lane and getting reacquainted with music of 2012 is a mix of disbelief and nostalgia. These are songs that are turning 10 in 2022.
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It's odd to know that only select people all over the world hear a uniquely low "hum". This is the history of the mysterious world wide hum explained.
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When one thinks of soul, Marvin Gaye probably comes to mind, but the singer found himself troubled throughout his life. This is the untold truth of Marvin Gaye.
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Daniel Burnham was the architect of the 1863 World's Fair. A relatively unknown figure in most circles, his life had some surprising twists and turns.
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The story of Pandora opening her box of evils is a metaphor for much of humanity. Here is her actual mythology explained.
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In the 1950s, Notting Hill, London, was home to cheap flats and slums. And a few gruesome murders. Here is the messed up truth of serial killer John Christie.
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Leslie Nielsen made bank off his slapstick comedic schtick. But there are also lesser-known parts of Nielsen's life. Here's the untold truth of Leslie Nielsen.
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Johnny Carson remains for many the undisputed king of late night talk shows, but guest hosts were a big part of Carson's era of "The Tonight Show."
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Hollywood and organized religion have long had a difficult relationship. Here are some of the most controversial movies based on the Bible.
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The Ten Commandments are fundamental in Judaism and Christianity. Here's what the commandments mean in a modern context.