Mark Kermode: Mark Kermode. Self: Kermode & Mayo's Take. Mark Kermode's trademark intense, often frightening rants about various films which he likes or dislikes has earned him something of a 'cult' following in the UK. He began his career in film journalism and broadcasting in the 1980s after studying English at Manchester University, where he wrote his Ph.D thesis on horror fiction. After starting work as a van driver (he claims he...