David Stratton on a life reviewing films – and the one TV show he thinks is ‘pretty damn good’

‘Films are not dated. They are a reflection of the era in which they were made’ … David Stratton at his desk at home in the Blue Mountains. Photograph: Jessica Hromas/The Guardian

David Stratton’s newest book – a weighty tome chronicling contemporary Australian cinema – will probably be the last published material from the beloved critic and former television presenter who, now 85, has several health problems including a disease that has caused him to lose much of his sight. This is the reason, Stratton tells me, that he retired from reviewing in 2023.

“I’m not completely blind,” he says, “but I can’t see well enough to review films any more. Everything is a little out of focus. I’m not in the best of health at the moment. When you get to my age, I guess you expect these things. I was pleased that I managed to finish the book.”