ChristineCB

Nor I, and the few reviews I've heard of it (from 20-somethings at the video-store), they report that customers have uniformly hated it. But once I let them see the original version, some did "waste their time" seeing the new one, and STILL hated it. "Even more," one fellow said.

Another clerk said, "I could mash my thumb in the car door and spend 2 hours enduring that pain, and it would be a better use of my time."

That, I think, is a rather strong "Negative" therefore.

stevie boy

What a great little picture and some great locations. Acting top notch and all in all an enjoyable experience.

Aaryk Noctivagus

I just watched 'Amazing Grace'... the recent Michael Apted movie. What a glorious movie. I felt that it bowed a little too much to common trends of style in British movies... half expecting Hugh Grant to pop up somewhere... the early part played a little as though it was made by somebody who would have preferred to be writing a Brit Rom Com... however, it was very very well done... and if the screenwriter or whosoever would have preferred to have been working on a Rom Com, they certainly did not short change the movie they were actually working on.

The latter half felt a little more like a historical movie... which, I felt, settled better with the movie at hand.

However, please know that this is a very good movie and that I totally enjoyed it... even if there was something a little uneasy in the style of the first half (which I have tried to discribe above).

Another triumph from the great Michael Apted

smudge

Not last night, but recently caught up with THE STARS LOOK DOWN, courtesy of the BBC2 season. I did find myself caught up in the film quite quickly. Good performances from Redgrave and Edward Rigby as the father and son pair in this mining town saga.

The post-disaster scenes down the pit were particularly well played and directed - notice the quiet way the other first young lad's death was handled; marvellous. Margaret Lockwood was very good as the selfish spouse, although I felt Emlyn Williams' spiv character was perhaps drawn a little too broadly.

One flaw, I thought, was that we rather skimmed over the transition of Redgrave's character from the 'hope of the town' to the fallen minor schoolmaster.

Something that struck me was that both leads and the director were on loan from Gainsborough Films (1928) Ltd. Anybody know why Gainsborough didn't just make this film itself ?

SMUDGE

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

Moor Larkin

Saw 'This Sporting Life' for the first time on an All-Nighter as part of my insomnia-inducing British Film Forever season..........

What a great film...... but also strange in many ways...... I might have to read up on it a bit and see what 'interpretations' have been put on it.

Part of me was screaming for the frigid widow to wake up at the end and smile sweetly, if weakly, at the distraught rugby-brute............... but instead blood dribbled out of her mouth as she haemmoraged to death without waking..........

God those Brit-film makers were 'ard bastuds...........

I'm so glad they could do things like that though, back in the days when people just went to the pictures, regardless. You'd never get away with it now - with focus groups and stuff........

In the short run, I was just delighted to enjoy Richard Harris' performance. Rachel Roberts got it spot on but my personal joy was seeing William Hartnell and Arthur Lowe. Arthur's "Look at my teeth" scene had me cracking up.... .

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

Phil Turner

What struck me most about this fine film, was Colin Campbell's terrific performance which seemed so natural and convincing. Apparently, it was his first film role, after a few appearances on TV.

Regards
Phil Turner

ChristineCB

We're starting the Britaan Death March for our summer film festival. We just finished BRIEF ENCOUNTER for perhaps only my 4th time on the big-screen, and nearby eateries were filled with its reviews afterwards. "What was the best element-?" always gets tables full of people talking.

We took a break tonight and saw the most excellent Japanese KWAIDAN for my first time. A 4-story film of samurai and spirits, spooky and thrilling, and completely above any of my expectations.

Tomorrow, we're heading into THIRD MAN and FALLEN IDOL, then that LARRY OF ARABIA film - unfortunately, it won't be podcast in a 1-inch screen format. We'll have to be satisfied with the 70mm screen this time.

Then, we head into the final 12 days with a few giggles because of RUNAWAY BUS, SMALLEST SHOW ON EARTH, I'M ALL RIGHT JACK, MIRANDA, PASSPORT TO PIMLICO and the good version of THE LADY KILLERS. I've never seen RUNAWAY BUS.

After that, no big-screen Brit films for almost 6 weeks when Margaret's MURDER films arrive.

smudge

I'm sure you'll enjoy RUNAWAY BUS immensely Christine. Hope it's a decent print, unlike the recent DVD.

Must see if I can convince Mrs. Smudge to emigrate - what are property prices like down your way ?

SMUDGE

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

clitheroekid

A diverting little film entitled Nearly A Nasty Accident, starring Kenneth Connor & Jimmy Edwards. Connor plays an incredibly accident-prone airforce cadet.

ChristineCB

One of this morning's early radio talk shows brought up FALLEN IDOL and what it meant to one of the hosts, and he's encouraging folks to see it tonight or tomorrow night. Then he added that he shouldn't have to educate anyone into the need of seeing THIRD MAN or LAWRENCE - "If you've ever liked any movie and haven't seen these, then you will kick yourself for missing them until now."

This, from our early morning Sports Talk shows. Oh well... I never expected to sit in an empty theatre there anyway... no draping my legs across empty chairs... time to wear the day-glo boots and stick them out in the aisle!

As for print-quality... we've got some pretty awful prints at time, but if they don't break, that's good enough. And if they do break but can be fixed, that's OK, too, but I think the cost of new prints must be low enough - or it should be - so that breakage is a thing of the past.

The last film-break I saw was, uh, the first FANTASTIC FOUR movie, and we all cheered. They finally turned the house-lights up, and after 5-6 minutes, it went dark and the film came back on. Many of us boo'd - I still think it was a better film broken than when playing.

Lord Brett

It's still better than the sequel. What a waste of time!

ChristineCB

(I have HUGE and serious negativities surrounding the casting of Sue Storm - she's supposed to be the mature older sister of Johnny Storm, and instead, we've got a floppy-breasted cleavaged-up tart whose puffed-up lips and nose are about one step away from W. C. Fields... without ANY of his talent whatsoever. One more cheeseburger, and she's got cottage-cheese everywhere. This was NEVER the Sue Storm character - never ever. The casting for this role is idiotic.)

smudge

Wish you'd stop sitting on the fence and just say what you mean Christine dear...


Smudge

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

ChristineCB

Yes, Smudge, leave it to you to point out the obvious - how indifference is my sole goal in life.



(To be honest, I tell my hubby I do prefer him in the French Upstairs' Maid costume rather than the dungeon's Iron Maiden, although he's usually lost consciousness by the time I stop spinning the wheel... men-! I keep shouting, "A lot of those body parts will heal!")

Lord Brett

I'm afraid Jessica Alba's non-acting also ruined the Dark Angel tv series for me. It could have been a good show, but the great big blank at the centre was a real problem I just couldn't get over. An odd comparison to occur to me, but late thirties Garbo is miles sexier than Alba, no matter how small a bikini JA wears!