"Grimoires are not harmless fun and can destroy lives!"

John Harrison, via email

A WARNING

As a long-term fan of your excellent mag. I have never found anything to complain about. That all changed after I read Anthony O'Neill's 'World Of Spellcraft' in your October issue (Harry Porter feature). The Clavis Solomonis and the Book Of Abramelin are dangerous, and although the article was tongue-incheek, any kind of promotion of these books really should come with a health warning. These grimoires are not a harmless bit of fun and can lead to the destruction of people's lives. Let's just hope for Mr. O'Neill's sake we don't have a surge of demonic-influenced teenagers after his lighthearted look at a very serious matter indeed.

John Harrison, via email

Kids, do not attempt to cast spells from these books. Especially if you're staying in a log cabin for the weekend with no mobile phone and a car that won't start.

LISTOMANIA

What happened to the Top 10 feature? I understand you need to keep the mag fresh, but the Top 10 would always inspire debates among me and my friends. Maybe it would be a good idea to mark the Top 10's comeback with Top 10 Comebacks.

Darryl Coopen via email

When we started seriously considering Top 10 Moustaches and Top 10 Moments In Meet The Parents Films When Robert De Niro Does That I'm Watching You Gesture, we decided it was time to give it a rest for a while. Don't rule it out forever.

TRULY SCRUMPTIOUS?

I have just read Steve O'Brien's review of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, I normally agree with just about everything Empire says, but on this occasion you really have got it wrong. CCBB is an all-time 'standalone' classic and should have been awarded five stars. I hope you can correct this error!

J. Elmer via email

We tried to reach Steve for comment, but the Child Catcher had got him.

UNBEATABLE

I just wanted to say that your interview with Denzel Washington was inspiring. If only other actors had a smidgen of his humility. Good job. Empire, on enabling us to discover the true nature of a real icon.

Joss Frimond via email

Thanks, Denzel!

UNFIXABLE

I found a whopping error In the latest issue's interview with Denzel Washington. It states that 2002 was the first time that an AfricanAmerican won the Oscar for Best Actor, which is not true. Sidney Poitler won in 1964 for Lilies Of The Field.

Keith Tobin, via email

As it says in footnote 2, Sidney Poitier was the first black actor to win a Best Actor Oscar, but was Bahamian, not American.

DISC WARS

In Dan Jolln's review of The A-Team he implies that people who buy DVDs are scum. I'm curious - is this people who buy them or people who receive free copies to review?

Mike Watson, via email

Dan replies: "My 'DVD scum' quip was in no way intended to insult you, Mike, nor indeed any Empire reader who has not yet 'upgraded' to Blu-ray. It was merely a glib way of criticising those distributors who now treat DVD as a second-tier product, saving all the best added value for the Blu-ray version - i.e. it is rheywho are treating us as 'DVD scum'. I say 'us' because, in fact, I don't yet own a Blu-ray player myself, which makes me 'DVD scum', too."

WORD COUNT

Empire - you've been rumbled! I've noticed In recent issues that a certain word will appear through the edition. Last month's word was 'faux', it's in it lots. I reckon it's a game played by the writers. Pick a word and see how often it can be used in an issue of Empire. For faux sake, am I right?

Neil Renton via email

This month's word is 'apricot-esque'. See how many you can spot.

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