smudge

Despite the godforsaken hour it was a welcome return to British TV for this one ; yes, it does still jar to have the US credits but I have to admit that after years of my ancient VHS this was a delight to see again. Almost like a whole new film.

You can bet now that it will be on every 12 - 18 months for the next few years :

Smudge

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

mel walton

Watched last night: 'Brief Encounter'; one of the all time great ones beautifully done, subtle, poignant with great direction (David Lean) and an award deserving performance by Celia Johnson. Done in back and white (made in the forties) a blessing because color would have spoiled the mood.

Lord Brett

I missed it! Made the classic error of mistaking 03.30 Sunday for 03.30 Monday. I'm not too worried, as the Beeb invariably repeat films within six months.

What was the print quality like? Standards are definately slipping in this department - I caught a bit of Orson Welles' The Stranger the other night and it was horrible smearly and blurry.

stevie boy

and what about the comic turns of Joyce carey/Margaret barton at the tea counter and of course the great Stanley Holloway.

mel walton

Stevie,
Yes. All in all a perfect movie. Have seen it a dozen times, worth watching again and again

ChristineCB

Mel, we watched this too, and that wierd little BIG SHOT (a Bogart movie I'd never seen before). BRIEF ENCOUNTER is a favorite because it's got all these non-leads who star in a great story, well-acted, well-written - not a weak lot in there.

Films like that make me wonder if we don't over-analyze the worthiness of star-power. Nowadays, since no film 'has legs' more than 2-3 weeks at the most,a Brief Encounter can only exist on the indie circuit but, 50 years later, it's as good today as it ever was.

mel walton

Hi Chris.
Amen. We watched that 'Big Shot' too (we both went to sleep). As the fella said, 'You win some, you lose some' Didn't David Lean do a really good job with 'Brief Encounter? And wasn't Celia Johnson great? Best wishes for the little one.

ChristineCB

Steve Crook was discussing Jack Cardiff's role in AMOLAD, how the lack of color cameras caused its initial delay and replacement with B&W cameras and I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING.

BRIEF ENCOUNTER vs I KNOW's cinematography is interesting. In one, the gentleness of black and while aids BRIEF'S story so much. The street lights, the shadows - those great scenes are essentially shadows and light anyway.

I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING's B&W is sometimes helpful for the dark forbidding weather, or the claustophobic rooms - she can go from room to room, but nowhere is closer to where she thinks she wants to be - all the colors are the same. And even the sea is nothing but black and ferocious.

Yet, it too tends to gray things and tone them down for the sweetest scenes.

I could not imagine either of these films in color, and hope no one pulls out their crayons and tries.

mel walton

Yes Chris; the street lights, the shadows, the MOOD. You put it well.

George Fry

And don't forget the ever wonderful Irene Handel in "Encounter".
George.

mel walton

Your mention of Irene Handl reminded me that 'Weekend With Lulu' is on tv tomorrow morning, THANKS. I didn't kniow who she was but looked it up and found that she played in that three piece orchestra; then realized i'd seen her several times. She goes pretty far back, I saw 'Get Cracki n' with George Formby, during the war.

ChristineCB

It's one of the rare examples where filmmakers seemed to find great character and supporting actors, threw them in with a great script and gave us a memorable film. The film's almost 60 years old now, and I have little doubt that it will charm new audiences at 80, 90 and a 100.

DB7

Sunshine

Boyle this time turns his ever-changing mood to the sci-fi genre and Sunshine is a brave if flawed attempt. The film is essentially in two parts, the first half takes it's inspiration from 2001 and contains round characters going about their business (to reignite the Sun) in a professional manner. The story changes gear into Event Horizon territory when the crew of Icarus II discover the earlier mission ship Icarus I and change course to investigate. Sadly from this point is becomes somewhat cliched as it poses the usual moral dilemmas triggered by unforeseen circumstances and some crew members crack under the tension. Can't help but feel Garland and Boyle sold out to make the film appeal to a young market.

ChristineCB

(Even if your answer spoils it for everyone else, could you answer this one for me:) Does anyone flop themselves onto the mess-table and have a creature explode from within, frightening poor Angela Cartwright? Or maybe Tom Scare-it?

That's all I want to know.

That scene, and Gregory Peck's "lost hand" in ROMAN HOLIDAY have received Top Votes in the new Oscar Category, "Tricks Pulled On Some Cast Members That Were Included In Theatrical Cuts".

George Fry

Hi Mel. Thanks for correcting my spelling. Of course it is Handl. I always loved her cameos, a very funny lady. If I remember correctly her big performance, out of many, was as Morgan's mother, an avid communist lady, in "Morgan". In "Encounter her big moment was when she rose on the cinema organ after her appearance in the tea shop quartet.
George.