Exploring how we tell stories on page and screen though review, retrospective and commentary.
Hello, and thanks for visiting. I’m glad you’re here.
This site is an exploration of something that fascinates me: how we tell stories, and what they mean.
If this is your secret obsession too: welcome! This page explains how to use the site, what you’ll find here, and who writes it.
How to find content
- Browse the A-Z
- See archives for all book reviews, film commentary and long-read literature analysis
- Use the tags under each article to surface related books and films
- Search via the icon in the menu bar.
For site news and new post alerts, catch us on Substack.
What you’ll find here
thehaughtyculturist.com publishes original, deep-dive content about cult, classic and popular culture. New content lands weekly.
Articles are a mix of story analysis and social interpretation. They celebrate quirky narratives, and unpack symbolism and textural analysis. Some connect broader dots to explore why we make sense of stories the way we do.
The theories, philosophies and opinions on this site are independent, original and organic, and I don’t speak for directors, cinematographers, authors or screenplay writers. Neither do I speak for any universal reader or audience.
That said, this site has grown from a respect and appreciation for film and literature, and the people who create our collective stories.
While articles marked ‘review’ tend to do what they say they will, the majority of explainers aren’t so much about value judgements (“is it good?”) as why, how and what content reveals about storytelling, myth-making and society.
Above all, read this site with an open mind – but find your own way and opinions.
I write and run this site single-handedly. If you’d like to support future ad-free, original content, please donate here.
Thanks for reading!
The HC
About the author: Ruth Bushi
I’ve been a copywriter, journalist and editor for 20-something years, currently as a freelancer. I work with charities and content agencies, and have bylines in The Guardian, Independent and Big Issue, and all over the web.
I’ve twice been long-listed for the Commonwealth Writers Short Story Prize, which is a fancy way of saying I’ve never won it. I did once win a poster for a radio script about zombies, if that counts?
To commission me to write, edit or develop content, get in touch with me here: https://linktr.ee/ruthbushi