DB7

Dusty Ermine

A romantic comedy-thriller in the Hitch vein from Vorhaus at Twickenham. Like most of his films it's pacey and makes the most of the limited budget. The cast boasts a number of what would become recognised character actors; chief amongst them Margaret Rutherford cast against type in her debut as a jolly fraudster.

CaptainWaggett

The Galloping Major, thanks to the kindness of DB7. Something of a vanity project for Basil Radford but immensely charming for people who like sub-Ealing comedies (which would be me) and Joyce Grenfell gets to do a Cockney accent (sort of). Incidentally the New York Times raved about it at the time though The Times was less enthusiastic

stevie boy

was that a title of a Danger Man episode??

batman

Foyle's War taped from last week. I enjoyed it. A bit cliched at times but never less than interesting. Kitchen remains very watchable although the facial ticks are becoming a bit exaggerated.

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Rob Compton

If I may crave your indulgence, a theatre outing this week, to see "Dad's Army - the Lost Episodes" at the New Theatre in Oxford. A disappointment - the cast (including Leslie Grantham as Private Walker) worked hard - but all I kept thinking was that they weren't the originals....

rgds
Rob

Steve Crook

Yes, "The Galloping Major" was also used as an episode title in Lovejoy and in the Donald Sinden / Joan Hickson comedy Our Man at St. Marks.


There was a well known song with the chorus:
Bumpity, Bumpity, Bumpity, Bump, As if I was riding my charger
Bumpity, Bumpity, Bumpity, Bump, As proud as an Indian Rajah
All the girls declare
That I'm a gay old stager
Hey hey clear the way
Here comes the Galloping Major!


Steve

Steve Crook

Becket (1964)
Storming performances from Richard Burton as Becket and Peter O'Toole as King Henry II

Talk about "The love that dare not speak its name". If only they'd kissed and hugged a bit more there wouldn't have been any of the problems they had

Full of dialogue more then action although there were a few fun and interesting action scenes and a few good locations used. But most of it was indoors as they discussed their friendship, Henry's need for love, Becket's inability to declare his love for his friend. Becket's warning Henry that making him Archbishop wasn't a good idea. Becket finding God and deciding to defend the Church against the King.

But they still found time for some humour. Most notably when Henry comes upon his children, playing noisily. He goes up to one and asks "Which one are you?"
"Henry III" answers the boy.
"NOT YET!" is the swift response

Great support from a screen full of great actors like John Gielgud, Felix Aylmer, Pamela Brown, Siân Phillips, Niall MacGinnis and many others.

I must admit I didn't recognise Niall MacGinnis - until he spoke. He's quite a bit older (of course) than he was in The Edge of the World.

Steve

batman

Public Eye - 'Egg and Cress Sandwiches'. Marker investigates some racy letters written about the Rev Brian Blessed. Not a great episode, it was spoiled by a director who thought he was directing The Ipcress File, but it was never less than interesting. A fine restrained performance from BB and excellent work from Sir Alfred earn bonus points.

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stevie boy

thanks steve can you film it with you singing and post it on you tube??

stevie boy

Brian Blessed restrained!!! did he not shout as he usually does??? I do love him though

batman

Mrs Bat said of him 'God God, Brian Blessed is doing some acting'. He was very good as the trendy vicar ..... I don't think he really started the OTT stuff till the late 70s.

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smudge

Finally - after a number of attempts over many years - Mrs. Smudge and I battled through to the end of Hammer's early 70s entry DEMONS OF THE MIND...

What a film! The wheel goes full circle as Hammer's Victorian Gothic meets (then) trendy psycho-drama in this tale of near-incest and insanity. It tells you something about the film when you watch the trailer and realise that best part of it was culled from the last 30 minutes of the picture! Yes, it drags - and boy, when it drags it DRAGS.

What a waste of some decent cast members, particularly Yvonne Mitchell and a pointless role for Michael Hordern whose only purpose appears to be to deliver the Witchfinder-type ending. Only Patrick Magee comes out of it with some acting honours as you realise with the progression of the film that his cod psychologist, albeit to some degree a charlatan, is the sanest man in the building.

Speaking of the building it is a good job that most of this film was realised on location at Wykehurst Place. Had they tarried too long in the studio there would have been great holes in the sets from Robert Hardy's disappointing and scenery-chewing performance.

The whole thing is disjointed and convoluted and falls betwen two stools, with a copious amount of blood-letting juxtaposed with the study of the madness within the family.

The singularly downbeat (and somewhat thought-provoking) ending is a minor redeeming feature but on the whole, and with the benefit of hindsight, the writing does seem to be on the wall for the 'House of Horror' with this one...

Smudge

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

penfold

Ben Hur (1925). As it was meant to be seen. Big screen, 70-piece orchestra. London Philharmonic at the Royal Festival Hall, Carl Davis conducting.
Still a stunning film, some parts, the sea-battle and chariot race sequences in particular, far more impressive than the remake......
And an emotional occasion; because evenings like this cost so much to mount, this may have been the last time a silent epic is staged like this in this country....despite selling 1200 or so tickets at £38 a pop (less in some areas) it needs serious sponsorship.

Bit of a Bay Window, what??

Steve Crook

The Aviator (2004)
Well Scorsese is an "Honorary Brit" because of the interest he takes in British films, and not just those of Powell & Pressburger. He's financed the restoration of quite a few of them and keeps telling us that he's hoping to do a documentary on British films.

So, The Aviator, I never seemed to get around to watching it in the cinema so I've just seen it on BBC2. To be honest I was a bit afraid of it. I knew it was outside his normal "comfort zone" of the gangster movies and that when he's moved outside that zone before, sometimes they're great, sometimes they aren't.

But I would definitely classify this one as Great

A bit too much CGI for my tastes, but how else could he have done some of those events. And it was mainly a "people movie". About people, their lives and loves, their hopes and fears, their strengths and their weaknesses.

The ladies were played brilliantly, Katherine Hepburn (Cate Blanchett) and Ava Gardner (Kate Beckinsale). Alec Baldwin makes a good villain as the head of Pan-Am and Ian Holm was delightful as the boffin. And little Leo himself, this was the film where he showed he was all growed up

There were some magic moments, like Kate on their first flight and Ava refusing to marry him. Although Ava's shock tactics to get him ready for the hearing seemed a bit extreme. But the best moment had no words, it was when he looked at the closed door in the wash-room and realised that there were no more towels. Just beautiful.

Steve

rskershaw

I avoided it. Maybe I missed something, but I think Scorcese was at his finest when he made films such as Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy. I am sceptical as to why he has now gone West Side. And anything featuring Jennifer Capriati is woeful.

Otherwise, I had a pleasant evening.

And what's all this about me having me leg off?