DB7

Overlooked British Gems of the 1990s
Here are 25 films that aren't illustrious, and for one reason or another passed many people by. These films may have lacked publicity and hype, failed to earn widespread distribution, be low-budget, flawed, but may be worth a second viewing

The Comfort of Strangers (1991, Paul Schrader) In a sinister tale of beauty and destruction, Mary and Colin return to Venice to recapture the happiness of their previous holiday and to decide their future together. Their peace is disturbed however, when another couple befriends them. Paul Schrader's film is an elegantly wrought bit of nastiness. It's a Gothic chamber piece, just as it was in Ian McEwan's novella but with a script by Harold Pinter, so that all the themes have been submerged, encoded, worked out in an intricate formula of aesthetic dots and dashes.

Hear My Song (1991, Peter Chelsom) An acclaimed film celebrating music, Irish whimsy, magic and true love; loosely based on the real life story of Irish tenor, Josef Locke. Director and co-scriptwriter Peter Chelsom has a gift for atmospherics and Hear My Song is full of blue-lit scenes, fog-suffused landscapes, smoky backrooms and black-and-white flashbacks. Everything's touched with a magical, eccentric ambience.

Let Him Have It (1991, Peter Medak) In 1953 Derek Bentley, a London boy, was hanged for the murder of a policeman. It was reported that the words 'Let him have it!' were heard before the shooting. This drama replays the crime and following controversial court case. Let Him Have It is a superb piece of craftsmanship. It's also not an easy movie to watch. Amid the institutional savagery it depicts are glimpses of singularly British moments of compassion:

The Young Poisoner's Handbook (1995, Benjamin Ross) A fourteen year-old schoolboy with ambitions to become a toxicologist begins experimenting on family and friends... Successfully murdering his father and stepmother rehabilitation seems a long way off. The most remarkable achievement in director-writer Benjamin Ross' film is the way he turns an unrepentant mass murderer into the movie's hero. But best of all, The Young Poisoner's Handbook is funny - a macabre mixture of ghastliness and humour that works on every level.

The Miracle (1991, Neil Jordan) The two teenagers Jimmy and Rose spend their vacation at the small Irish sea-resort Bray. Out of boredom they observe other people and imagine wild stories about them. One day they observe the blonde Renee, and Jimmy is immediately fascinated by her and even follows her home. She, too, seems to like him, but for a mysterious reason keeps him at a distance. Neil Jordan goes back to his sandy roots in The Miracle, its Gaelic mysticism seasoned with salt air. A magic surrealist, Jordan is best in the British Isles, where an eerie animism seems to creep into his works and the land itself becomes a dramatic force.

Widow’s Peak (1994, John Irvin) A quaint Irish town is set buzzing when a sexy, secretive stranger arrives, seducing the men and manipulating the women in this comic murder=mystery. Like many of the classic British comedies of the 1950s in which everyone on the screen is essentially nutty as a fruitcake, we enjoy them so much we hope they never catch on.

Fairytale – A True Story (1997, Charles Sutrridge) Based on a true story. Two children in 1917 take a photograph, believed by some to be the first scientific evidence of the existence of fairies. This is a story without villains or melodramatic plot twists. It's a simple picture with two very likable, believable young protagonists and an uplifting, optimistic viewpoint. Few family films of this calibre reach the screen in any given year.

Photographing Fairies (1998, Nick Willing) A more adult version of Fairytale – A True Story. After the war Charles Castle devotes himself to his work in trick photography and exposes frauds, but when a pair of little girls come forth with photos seemingly showing them dancing with fairies. The rational young man travels to the country to investigate the photos and gradually finds himself awakening to the possibilities he has long denied. Photographing Fairies is a stylish and interesting film that's worth your time if you are open to considering that your reality might just not be the only reality that's out there.

Close My Eyes (1991, Stephen Poliakoff) When a brother and sister, who have not seen each other for a long time meet up again in London their relationship becomes closer than the law allows. One of the most underrated and misunderstood films I remember. Many critics have witnessed this film only as a passionate love story, totally ignoring what it is about and how the film affects you. This is one among the best British films ever made.

The Long Day Closes (1992, Terence Davies) Set in Liverpool in the years 1955 and 1956, the story tells of 11-year-old Bud's happy childhood. An informal sequel to his breakthrough feature Distant Voices, Still Lives, Terence Davies' film revisits the same vivid autobiographical sources as its predecessor, giving it a wrenching poignancy that turns understatement into a spectacle and the film into a small miracle.

Funny Bones (1995, Peter Chelsom) A young comic actor returns to his home town when his act bombs in Las Vegas. He meets up with the seemingly dim Jack Parker who helps him uncover some family secrets to form the basis of a new comedy routine. In the end, the film's fey whimsicality gets the better of it. But indulging the filmmaker is sometimes the price you have to pay for an original experience.

Love Is the Devil (1998, John Maybury) Burglar-turned-model George Dyer competes so passionately for the affections of one of Britain's greatest painters, Francis Bacon, that his relationship Bacon eventually destroys him. In an age when mood-enhancing drugs are prescribed for every minor depression, it all seems long ago and far away. Love Is the Devil however, brings it all vividly back to life.

Nothing Personal (1995, Thaddeus O'Sullivan) Belfast, 1975. A bomb explodes in a crowded pub and battle lines are drawn. Loyalist and Republican bosses are negotiating a ceasefire but the foot soldiers want vengeance. Innocently caught in the crossfire is Kenny’s childhood friend, Liam, whose involvement places events on a personal level. Nothing Personal is the kind of film that inspires pronouncements about human nature, but it might be more accurate to say it's a film about male nature.

Hollow Reed (1996, Angela Pope) A father and son have a hidden secret that keeps their relationship close. But it's a tale of child abuse threatening to tear them apart. This is not the sort of production that's likely to find favour with the "feel good" crowd, but, if you aren't afraid of a film that is capable of challenging convictions and wrenching emotions, Hollow Reed makes for an unforgettable two hours.

The Cement Garden (1993, Andrew Birkin) Based on the novel by Ian McEwan. An orphaned brother and sister become close and discover friendship and intimacy. The Cement Garden is not a pleasant film, nor is their any reassurance at the end - no promise that all will eventually be well. It's more of a seduction, like the events of the plot. It leads us into a world where some secrets are hidden and others indulged, and there is no restraint on its dark impulses.

Divorcing Jack (1998, David Caffrey) An offbeat comedy thriller which follows the antics of a cynical Belfast newspaper columnist who meets up with a young woman whilst covering a country's first election. David Caffrey's passionate film is funny, witty, dry and black – but beneath the froth and laughs lie deep serious issues set on a political backdrop.

Under the Skin (1997, Carine Adler) When things start to go badly for Iris she ends up giving up her job, flat and boyfriend and walks the streets looking for love - in all the wrong places. Under the Skin made its way around the festival circuit, playing to worldwide acclaim. It won the Edinburgh International Film Festival Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature, and while such recognition doesn't always guarantee quality, this is a case when at least a portion of the accolades is deserved.

Twenty Four Seven (1997, Shane Meadows) Gritty British social realism as a group of working-class no-hopers in rundown 1980s Nottingham learn the value of discipline and commitment through the art of boxing. The feature debut from acclaimed short-film director Shane Meadows, Twenty Four Seven is a good-looking smartly paced parable that skirts around its larger social issues in favour of knockabout humour and neat narrative resolution

The Darkest Light (1999, Simon Beaufoy and Bille Eltringham) Set in Yorkshire, this is the story of a family whose child has cancer while their new neighbours, an Indian family, struggle to adjust to the new and hostile environment. Beaufoy and Eltringham's film is thoughtful, thoroughly humane, and tugs tirelessly on our emotions but ends on a message of hope.

Small Faces (1996, Gillies MacKinnon) An urban drama set in the inner city ganglands of 1960s Glasgow where the brothers MacLean become caught up in a gang war beyond their control. Small Faces shows the personal, often-tragic toll of gang violence. Though it takes place during another decade, we can identify with what these characters are feeling. Ultimately, this film is less about the situation than the people who are trapped by it, and that simple, human element provides Small Faces with its core strength.

Hardware (1990, Richard Stanley) Jill lives in a war-torn and alien world. She is given the remains of a Mark 13 Cyborg, a killing machine found on radioactive waste ground by a friend. Once the Cyborg is in her flat it begins to rebuild itself with household equipment. For a first-time director, Hardware is an astonishingly assured sci-fi shocker, even though it lives in the shadow of its more illustrious genre-mates. It is by no means perfect, but it delivers the goods, and is actually quite disturbing on occasion.

Like It Is (1998, Paul Oremland) The story of Matt, who leaves his native London to find work in Blackpool. Whilst there he meets up with Craig, a bare knuckle fighter who eventually follows Matt back to London. Like It Is" has the necessary qualities that will make it a crowd-pleaser. The actors wonderfully realize the complex romance at the heart of its story with little help from the director, and although the film lacks popular mass appeal it will nonetheless appeal to those who like thoughtful films showcasing good performances.

Deadly Advice (1993, Mandie Fletcher) Black comedy. Two sisters decide to murder their over-bearing mother, but they haven't reckoned on their home becoming full of famous dead murderers, and all are anxious to give advice. Jane Horrocks is fabulous as the girl who looks like the last person that anybody would suspect. And of course, Sir John Mills offers a brief, though terrific, performance as her favourite advisor, Jack the Ripper.

Staggered (1994, Martin Clunes) Neil's stag night turns into a nightmare when he is flown drugged to a remote Scottish island and left, naked and penniless. Now he has only three days to get to London for his wedding. This journey from hell gets expert handling from director-star Clunes, who mines the plot's comic potential vigorously. Staggered is a traditional farce with lots of embarrassing situations and silly sex comedy.

Bad Behaviour (1993, Les Blair) Heartache and humour from the suburbs of London. A married couple with children experience a subsiding bathroom, an emotional single mother and the decorators. Bad Behaviour is an intelligent, insightful film that suffers only from uneven pacing and an occasional tendency to be too talky, but once it gets going the film is intensely fascinating. Bad Behaviour's strengths are much more apparent than its weaknesses, however, and it's worth a trip to a theatre.

deckard

Excellent posting,DB7,a great reminder of good films seen and ones to make sure I do see!Thanks. thumbs_u

"and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock"

Yvonne

It was a very cruel posting for someone like me who hasn't the likelihood of seeing any one of these very interesting-sounding films on DVD, the only film method I have. Perhaps when DVDs get bigger there'll be compilations of half-a-dozen or so; I live in hopes!

Yvonne

Russ

Cheers DB7 I'll certainly be on the look out and scanning the TV listings for them.
Two on there which are personal favourites in my all time best list are Small Faces, and Hear my Song both easily available, in fact if memory serves Small Faces is out on budget DVD.

Russ

I know such efforts take up time etc DB7, but is there any chance you could do similar exercises for other decades, in particular as you did with the one above highlight flms that aren't quite as well known...

Thnks in anticipation

deckard

Good idea,Russ!Perhaps we should all take a not-so-well-known film that we particularly liked from various decades and post about it and see if we all agree :) ....or not!What do you think?

"and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock"

DB7

Already ahead of you thumbs_u

When I get a bit of time I'll work down the decades.

DB7

I narrowed Gillies MacKinnon down to just Small Faces but The Playboys and Regeneration (loved the book but haven't seen the film) are worth a mention.

DB7

Watched Deadly Advice last night with Jane Horrocks. It kicks of as a typical British black comedy with a nod to Ealing before taking a very Royston Vaseyish type turn. There's something of a 'tv' film' feel to the direction but that's hardly surprising given it was BBC tv director Mandie Fletcher's first and only feature film - she'd previously directed episodes of Blackadder II and III so was perhaps well suited to the material.

Horrock's of course has an overbearing mother who prevents her having both a social life and a love life (to Jonathan Pryce, who has his own intimate problems). Step forward a couple of relatively unknown Victorian murderers (Edward Woodward and Billie Whitelaw) who draw on their vast experience to offer Horrock's a handy hint or two on how to dispose of her troublesome mother. Of course it couldn't be that simple, more people (including her sister Imelda Staunton) stand between Horrocks and married bliss - and as a consequence the rogues gallery is bolstered by the arrival of A-List luminaries Dr. Crippen and Jack the Ripper (Hywel Bennett and John Mills) to aid the rising body count.

By the end Horrocks has despatched of all those in her way and married the man of her dreams. Unfortunately the quartet of ghosts believe their services may be required once more...

ollie

THE WARZONE 1999 directed by Tim Roth,a challenging and dark film,difficult subject matter well executed,good performances by Tilda swinton,lara belmont,i'm not a big Ray Winston fan but i think he shows another side of his acting here.Beautifully shot north devon coast line,isolation a feeling of calm that counters the devastation,ambiguous conclusion.
Miserable,Desperate...right up my steet :)

"Bullseye !!"

JustJane

Totally agree with you Ollie, this is one of the most uncomfortable films i have ever watched and also one which will stay with me forever i think. I don't think i can look at Ray Winston in the same light again, especially when he does lighter roles.