Lord Brett

And in the Italian pop-art classic Danger: Diabolik.

Harbottle

The Golden Gong: The Story of Rank Films (1987) R1 DVD. Superficial and largely unsatisfactory documentary with far too much time given to largely irrelevant figures like Joan Collins. Even more unforgivable when the greats such as David Lean, Ronald Neame (still with us of course) and Betty Box were still available. Even allowing for this the 76 minutes passes quite quickly in the company of Michael Caine, with many clips from classic films featured. Oh but it could have been so much better though.

batman

Episode 2 of City of Vice. No genteel costume drama this, more a 'gritty' look at London's first police force .... The Bow Street Runners, founded by 'Tom Jones' author Henry Fielding and his brother John. With high production values and storylines taken from actual cases, this is a kind of 18th Century Dragnet, but with 'realistic dialogue' and 'scenes of a sexual nature'. Ian McDiermid and Iain Glen are both excellent as the Fielding brothers. If you fancy something a bit different give this a look. Recommended.

Bats.

Don't miss out on a chance to win a rare film in Bat-Quiz 13 closing date - 31/8/8.

Harbottle

Dear Murderer (1947) DVD-R. Rather good if perhaps a little stagy crime drama, Eric Portman is especially impressive in the lead, Greta Gynt effective as the wife from hell and uncle Jack Warner ever reliable as the dogged detective.

batman

.... and Max as a very tall suspect!

Bats.

Don't miss out on a chance to win a rare film in Bat-Quiz 13 closing date - 31/8/8.

adeUK

A Cry from the Street (DDHV)

I would never have guessed how much I ended up enjoying this. It had been sitting on my shelf as a present for a few weeks. Like many of my generation I suppose, Max Bygraves always seemed a bit naff thanks to Family Fortunes and his compendium records. He was wonderful in this Lewis Gilbert pic, which packed quite a few punches and laid bare a frequently sentimental approach to child-centred social pics of the fifties (not that I mind sentimental, not at all!).

The little girl looking after her two brothers could well have been a miniature Kathy Burke, one of the best child performances I've seen in ages. The episodes centred around each of the children in the home I found poignant and quite daring (suicide from alcoholism, domestic violence against children) from a time when we, apparantly, never had it so good.

dremble wedge

Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River starring Jerry Lewis and a host of British support; Terry-Thomas, Jacqueline Pearce, Bernard Cribbins, Patricia Routledge and Nicholas Parsons.

Always been fairly ambivalent about Lewis but this was awfully shoddy stuff with only Routledge and T-T emerging with any credit.

deckard

Quatermass and the pit(1967).What can I say? 1960's Hammer production....Terrible sets, dreadful effects, over the top acting, but highly entertaining and watchable!! Don't get it but hey, am I worried? ta ta for now, Decks.

"and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock"

stevie boy

I watched the recent programme on Norman Wisdom. He seemed ok mentally, ok a bit forgetful but generally for a man of 92 he looked good. The trouble though with people of that age is that they need constant assistance and that for any family can be draining. I personally thought that his Daughter in Law was an angel.,Kimmo,Kimmo. I hope that he is well in his current abode and I hope that he lives for a few more years. I followed this with One Good Turn,sparkling entertainment. Loved that telephone box scene and also the peeling of the onions. Great also to see Thora, she was a national treasure as Norman still is

stevie boy

That was the best Dr. Quatermass in my opinion, better than Donlevy.

Harbottle

The Man Who Liked Funerals (1959) DVD-R. Leslie Phillips hits on a novel idea to raise funds to try to save the Boy's Club threatened with closure. Quite a fun little film that just about has sufficient material for the hour or so it runs with Phillips as watchable as ever, along with reliable Bill Fraser.

Windthrop

The poster should have been enough to put anyone off

That's the joke that killed the Music Hall

Joe Fraguela

Another trip down Top of The Pops Memory Lane. This time, last night's BBC4 showing of the Christmas Top of The Pops Show from 1982.

stevie boy

I had to put my Hammer House box set to one side as my daughters insisted that we watch Bend it Like Beckham. Not a bad film, quite funny in parts and good acting from the two leads.

Steve Crook

I liked it, it managed to avoid what must have been a strong temptation to try to preach to us

Steve