ChristineCB

First, RAFFLES with Niven and a lot of fun, now Turner Movie's giving us here in Texas the treat of LIFE & DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP. Second time in 3 weeks?

penfold

Running through Man In A Suitcase still....one episode in particular is pretty fine; not just an impossibly cute 21-year old Felicity Kendal as a blind Parisienne, but Marius Goring as a 1960's French Aristo obviously descended from Conductor 71....hat at the same jaunty angle, same business with a walking stick, same slightly dodgy accent....

Bit of a Bay Window, what??

thirdlady

Women in Love (1969)

I watched Women in love last night with glenda Jackson and oliver reed (1969) directed by Ken Russell.

That's a real classic movie that includes the wrestling scene that must've been a first in the sixties to have 2 men in the nude fighting!

when I first saw it I was red faced because I'd never seen a naked man(the truth) that was in 1988 I saw the movie at first

A.S.Carroll
"Happiness isn't sold in bottles you have to achieve it in your own lifetime!"

samkydd

A lady once told me that it was highly erotic to see the two men wrestling like that in the film, and apparently the Romans used to enjoy the same spectacle. Not my cup of tea but then I suppose if it was two female stars of the day it would be slightly more bearable! I'm sure members with minds in the gutter like mine can think up a few likely candidates (probably not Glenda Jackson though); Julie Christie v Ursula Andress for example.

"...the chairman of Littlewoods stores made a Keynote speech!"

Rob Compton

I took a girl I used to know to see "Women in Love" when it was first released. When we got to the nude wrestling scene she turned to me, glared and said "what sort of film is this you've brought me to see then?

I had to use all my manly charms to keep her in the cinema!

rgds
Rob

Jim

Blimey Rob, there can't be many ladies around like that today can there?

Good morning boys.

DB7

I've been running through a few shorts like Passionate Pilgrim, The Picnic, Bachelor of Arts and Spare Tyres (Hence a change of avatar)

ChristineCB

Today, there's a news report out of Minnesota where all schools have banned their wrestling programs completely because of herpes outbreaks. "Skin to skin contact will no longer be allowed" and any student-athlete with symptoms or a diagnosis is now banned from any athletic program. Basketball, American football, volleyball, etc.

Golf? Tennis? Swimming?

The Romans didn't know what they were missing! Or maybe they did...

Moor Larkin

There was report in Britain that a school is reintroducing the Noble Art of boxing....... but due to safety concerns it will be non-contact......

Back on topic I watched 28 Days Later on Filmfour. I had seen it before but something nagged me that it wasn't as good as it might have been. I realised last night that the 'all soldiers are fascists' angle was way over the top. Apart from that it was okay - certainly a lot better than "51st State"... Have I mentioned how dreadful that Picture was?

[code]http://www.flickr.com/photos/29487363@N02/sets/72157606700675506/code]

ChristineCB

No, you've never mentioned it. Wot a shame. I'm REALLY looking forward to that (ha ha - OK OK, I can't find my Sarcasm font - please forgive (yawn) me).

Like you said, there's something wrong with 28 DAYS LATER where my interest dries up and blows away. And not coincidentally, I think it's about the time Dear Ol' Dad bites the big one (er, so to speak) and your appropriately titled Over The Toppers show up.

I would have definitely given them a far different group-persona. Occasionally, there is dialog about surviving. Occasionally, there is dialog about "outsiders" and "orders" and "command structure". Yet, none of their behavior centers on observing any of that - they demonstrate only gang-predatory skills instead - trying to be top dog, testing, pushing, threatening, etc. It's like the notion of "Maybe we can use each other and improve our own survival rather than proving who's the Alpha Male" never occurs to the film-makers.

NO BLADE OF GRASS uses that "Let's try to improve our individual survival by being a collective" far better, although it too ends up rather over-the-top.

Or in the ground, as the case may be.

And in none of these oh-so-fine pictures was wrestling or boxing discussed as the Beginning State. But maybe we're onto something.

I knew there were attempts to stop boxers from dipping their gloves in bird-flu infected blood prior to entering the ring...

Say - how is the Plague doing these days? Boy, ya hardly hear much from ol' Plaguey anymore...

Rob Compton

"The League of Gentlemen" great bargain DVD from Network, see Network DVD for £9.99.

Especially interesting extras, including a PDF of Bryan Forbes' script; an old but good South Bank Show from 1992ish on Sir Richard Attenborough's directorial and production career; and a reasonably attention-holding commentary on the film from Nanette Newman and Forbes (with some lovely howlers!).

All this plus the great film itself - always well worth watching.

rgds
Rob

Moor Larkin

The remade 'dawn of the Dead' was on this week too and I noticed that whereas in the 80's original everyone in the Mall 'pulled together', in the remake they were all at loggerheads with each other.......... something in the modern mind-set perhaps.

It was particularly silly in 28 Days, given that the starvation process was noted within the plot. The predicament was only going to be a short term one. I thought they might have made more of how the balance of power would shift back to the sane as the mad people faded away...... And what about the sub-plot that the British Isles were quarantined by the rest of the world?

[code]http://www.flickr.com/photos/29487363@N02/sets/72157606700675506/code]

Steve Crook

Beauty is more than skin deep.
I've just watched an old favourite on Channel 5. The Slipper and the Rose (1976) starring Gemma Craven as Cinderella in an extended retelling of the Cinderella story directed by Bryan Forbes. Gemma is not exactly a classic beauty. Pretty enough, but not who you might think of as the most beautiful person to play the role. But this was a musical version and she is a wonderful singer, well known in the musical theatre - I saw her as Nellie Forbush in the revival of South Pacific.
The rest of the cast was similarly not the people you might have though of as first choice for the roles - but it works, and works very well.

Richard Chamberlain was a bit too old for the Prince, and a bit of a clod-hopper in some of the more athletic dances he had to perform. But he was certainly charming as the Prince.
The supporting cast added a wonderful light touch. Michael Hordern as the King, Edith Evans as the Dowager Queen, Mararet Lockwood as the wicked stepmother and Kenneth More as the Lord Chamberlain.
And Annette Crosby was a sheer delight as the over-worked Fairy Godmother.

The extended storyline added quite a bit of drama.
The Oscar nominated original songs by the Sherman brothers were romantic, poignant, dramatic, just right.
The design was opulent and the cinematography was stunning, even if they did over-use the soft focus of Gemma a few times.

But all in all it was a wonderful experience. Just the job for a hopeless old romantic like me

Steve

Phil Turner

I also love The Slipper and the Rose, and feel that it is very underrated. The 'Radio Times' gives it a 2-star rating which is most unfair. It's a lavish production with good songs and winning performances. Another feather in Bryan Forbes' cap.

Regards
Phil Turner

Steve Crook

I've been meaning to note this one here for a few days. I got the new DVD of Carve Her Name with Pride, released by Network and available from Sendit.com. It's long been a favourite film of mine and this DVD has a commentary track by Virginia McKenna and editor John Shirley. Some interesting comments and revelations from Virginia. John didn't seem to know much about the story behind the film at all.

Virginia has long been a supporter of the Violette Szabo museum in Cartref, Wormelow, Hertfordshire. I was at the opening, acting as driver for Tania Szabo. After the ceremony itself, Tania and Virginia were very helpful, chatting to and signing autographs for everyone that wanted them. But I was even more impressed by the presence of Leo Marks, the code-master who wrote the famous code poem "The Life That I Have".

The DVD is very good quality and the commentary is generally very good. My only complaint was that Virginia was chatting about something else over one of my favourite parts - when Violette's father (Jack Warner) discovers what she's been doing.

Steve