How good are British Movies?

[DB7]

For cultural reasons I'd guess 5 or 6 of my ten favourite films would be British, I enjoy many films from elsewhere but without going all Morrissey I identify closest with those films I was brought up on. Today's generation will no doubt grow up on Blockbuster dvds and Sky Movies, and be greater influenced by Hollywood.

[VladTheImpala]

I didn't expect so many people to have mostly British movies among their top, top favourites. The question was stimulated by the prevalence of 'best' and 'favourite' threads: although I tend to feel that categories like 'best' or 'all-time favourite' are problematic.

Personally I think that, pound for pound, British films are as good as any. However, they only make up a small proportion of the world's output and,of course, the US industry has had a huge commercial advantage over everyone else in both volume and purchasing power for the best talent. So I would expect, on the law of averages alone, few of the very best movies ever made to be British.

On the other hand, as DB7 says, I tend towards those movies I grew up with and they were overwhelmingly British; so if I was to list my top, say, 500 movies I suspect there would be a heavily disproportionate number of British ones among them.

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by VladTheImpala Personally I think that, pound for pound, British films are as good as any. However, they only make up a small proportion of the world's output and,of course, the US industry has had a huge commercial advantage over everyone else in both volume and purchasing power for the best talent. So I would expect, on the law of averages alone, few of the very best movies ever made to be British.

But that's just considering the quantity. I think quality should be taken into account as well. And that's where British films often successfully fight back against Hollywood.

Although there are some terrible British films, given that the Americans made so many more films, if you play the pure averages game, they must have made a lot more terrible films

Steve

[Azanti]

Our biggest problem is lack of distribution and all of chains of cinemas except for Odeon are owned by US companies. But we just don't have the advertising or campaigning resources that the Americans do.

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Azanti Our biggest problem is lack of distribution and all of chains of cinemas except for Odeon are owned by US companies. But we just don't have the advertising or campaigning resources that the Americans do.

T'was ever thus. That's why Rank bought the Odeon chain back in 1938

Steve

[christoph404]

If you were judging contemporary British films on how good they were based on their box office success you would be looking at films like "Notting Hill" and "Love Actually" and "Bridget Jones" (not my favourite films at all, I loathe Notting Hill and Love Actually).In the 50s 60s and 70s Britain could boast several actors who were internationally renowned, ie, British Film Stars. Im thinking of people like Richard Burton, Richard Harris, Laurence Harvey, Albert Finney, Peter O'Toole, Michael Caine, Terence Stamp, David Hemmings, Malcolm McDowell,Tom Courtney, David Niven, Dirk Bogarde. My favourite films are from their era and I would choose any number of films involving those actors as my favourite. Now we have Hugh Grant and Jude Law,and the less said about those two the better I think!

[Bulldog Jack]

My top three would have to be:

FIRST A GIRL
ALF'S BUTTON AFLOAT
GASBAGS

Sorry, but I really stand THE THIRD MAN. I have no idea why almost everyone thinks it's so great. Another piece of dogroll is DARLING despite the great cast.


CLARA

[batman]

Originally Posted by Clara Bow THE THIRD MAN. I have no idea why almost everyone thinks it's so great.

Great story and script, excellent performances, atmospheric photography, confident, innovative direction and memorable music.

That's why I like it.

Bats.

[Bulldog Jack]

Personally I prefer the screetch of chalk on a blackboard to the Harry Lime theme song.

It's a matter of taste, I suppose.

[Chris B]

my top 5 would be :-
THE LIFE & DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP, FOLLOW A STAR, THE TITFIELD THUNDERBOLT, THE DEAD OF NIGHT, THIS HAPPY BREED. although I must confess I have a great liking for all the MGM and Fox musicals of the 40s / 50s. (Sacrilege) ****
Regards Chris B

[smiffy]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook Well you can vote with your own Top Three and try to readjust things Steve

Hi Steve , I voted for my top three ,but when I input my Email address the cursor moved and the field stayed blank , and when I voted ,all the fields reset with no message to say my vote had been counted . Is this normal and has my vote counted ?

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by smiffy Hi Steve , I voted for my top three ,but when I input my Email address the cursor moved and the field stayed blank , and when I voted ,all the fields reset with no message to say my vote had been counted . Is this normal and has my vote counted ?

That form does seem to do some odd things in some browsers. Maybe it could be simplified. (DB7?)

Steve

[Bulldog Jack]

FOUR FEATHERS
SMASHING TIME
A TASTE of HONEY
and the list goes on

Nothing can beat a UK comedy or costume drama.

[stevie boy]

Originally Posted by Bulldog Jack My top three would have to be: FIRST A GIRL ALF'S BUTTON AFLOAT GASBAGS Sorry, but I really stand THE THIRD MAN. I have no idea why almost everyone thinks it's so great. Another piece of dogroll is DARLING despite the great cast. CLARA

What is it that you dislike about the third man.? Genuinely interested. I love it for atmosphere, the music,locations,acting,directing, I think it is perfect. Everytime I see it, I see something new. AMOLAD is another film that is similar in that you can watch and see something different every time.