Watched last night

[foha80]

(theuofc @ Apr 11 2006, 11:27 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'> I watched several episodes of MI5 last night, mainly to see an adult Jenny Agutter. She and some of the guest actors were quite good, the main cast okay. The main thing blocking my becoming immersed in the series was a sacrifice of character development and plot for constant camera movement, constant change in action, constant shifting from character to character to simulate the supposed real-life fast action of MI5, much of it becoming smoke and mirrors. Even the menu is gimmicky. Click this, click that on the desk being invaded. How wearisome, when all I wanted to do was "Play" the thing, not deal with a video game effect before it even began. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbdown.gif[/img] Not enough screen time for Jenny, a talented actress who is given too little to do--well, yes, one good scene in the episodes (no, not the funny sex one) and too much focus on angsting girlfriends of covert MI5 men and "emotion-charged" scenes between girlfriend and MI5 boyfriend. Who cares! Focus on the characters driving the main plot and stay with them more than two minutes, please. All that movement, all that sound and fury signifying what? Game, Set, Match and Tinker, Tailor, Spy prove quite well that subtlety and stillness on camera are indeed very effective in spy/action dramas. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img] [/b]

I believe it is called Spooks on this side,I think they were trying to perpetuate the stupid myth that Americans have trouble with irony.I agree the menu is unbelievably annoying and it has the same MTV direction that the blighted the recent Bleak House and its the very same direction that will date it in ten years time.
Its watchable but it isn't tinker tailor.

[DB7]

The Bespoke Overcoat (courtesy of Mr Smudge)

Haunting short film directed by Jack Clayton in which the ghost of wronged clerk Alfie Bass returns from the grave to collect a desired overcoat.

[smudge]

(DB7 @ Apr 11 2006, 08:55 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'> The Bespoke Overcoat (courtesy of Mr Smudge) Haunting short film directed by Jack Clayton in which the ghost of wronged clerk Alfie Bass returns from the grave to collect a desired overcoat. [/b]

A lovely film. I only wish the print they transmitted hadn't been so wobbly. A wonderful fairytale of the faith. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/happy.gif[/img]

SMUDGE

[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/vampire.gif[/img]

[Third Man]

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold.

I've noticed a few threads lately talking about Tinker, Tailor... so I decided to revisit this film version of the Le Carre novel and thought it was still very good.

One thing I did not quite get or is it supposed to be ambiguous, why was the girl shot at the end? Anyone have any ideas.

[theuofc]

(foha80 @ Apr 11 2006, 02:00 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'> I believe it is called Spooks on this side,I think they were trying to perpetuate the stupid myth that Americans have trouble with irony.I agree the menu is unbelievably annoying and it has the same MTV direction that the blighted the recent Bleak House and its the very same direction that will date it in ten years time. Its watchable but it isn't tinker tailor. [/b]

I'm so glad to hear you say this, Terry. I thought I was getting to be a cranky old one wanting all films to be like "the good old days" or to follow certain patterns of development, although I actually don't. I love your "MTV direction" comment! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img]

Barbara

[Rob Compton]

(theuofc @ Apr 11 2006, 10:57 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'> I'm so glad to hear you say this, Terry. I thought I was getting to be a cranky old one wanting all films to be like "the good old days" : Barbara [/b]

Barbara - I would have thought you are about as far removed from being a "cranky old one" as it's possible to get!!

with best wishes
Rob [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img]

[theuofc]

(Rob Compton @ Apr 12 2006, 06:50 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'> Barbara - I would have thought you are about as far removed from being a "cranky old one" as it's possible to get!! with best wishes Rob [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img] [/b]

Rob,

Well, I know for sure you're a dear! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img] Thanks for the kind words.

Very best,

Barbara

[Harbottle]

Charlotte Gray (2001) A well acted and photographed picture I thought but somehow the story did not grab me and I found the ending both rushed and unconvincing. The lovely Ms Blanchett is excellent as is Michael Gambon, but the story of CG going to occupied Vichy controlled France during WW2 after her RAF boyfriend is shot down, and then her trying to locate him while she worked with the French Resistance seemed too far fetched for words.

[DB7]

Escape by Night (1953)

John Gilling directed/written London crime drama. Crime reporter Bonar Colleano shadows crook Sid James and chronicles life on the run. As with The Yellow Balloon, Andrew Ray once again features as the naive kid used by the two men to pass messages to the outside world whilst they're holed-up in a disused theatre. Like The Yellow Balloon, it's an engaging film with good use of London locations.

[Ascoyne D'Ascoyne]

Earlier today actually, "Dr Who and the Daleks"
I was delighted to see that the Daleks had been down to their local "Cheap Jack's" and bought themselves three lava lamps in order to give a futuristic touch to their pad.
For cheapness of effect this can only have been exceeded by some of the films of Ed Wood or an episode of "The Tomorrow People" I once endured in which the monsters consisted of a pack of inflated balloons!

[arty-dave]

(Jeff @ Apr 13 2006, 02:44 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'> monsters consisted of a pack of inflated balloons! [/b]

bit like Peter Gabriel's Slipperman cossie...

[Harbottle]

Edgar Wallace Mystery - Ricochet (1963) Excellent thriller, which kept me gripped to the end with an especially fine performance by Richard Leech as a particularly nasty piece of work. Terrific cast too with Patrick Magee, Maxine Audley and Dudley Foster [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/clapping.gif[/img]

[Steve Crook]

Four Powell & Pressburger films released on DVD by L'Institut Lumière in Lyon.
49th Parallel, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes.
Two DVDs in the box for each film. The first contains the film, with the original soundtrack (so mainly in English), and introduction by Bertrand Tavernier with original trailers and an additional introduction by Martin Scorsese on some of them.
The second DVD has Thelma Schoonmaker talking about life with Michael Powell, Bertrand Tavernier talking about P&P, their films and the effects and influences of the films as well as other documentaries about each film.
Some of the documentaries are in French, but where they are they have English subtitles and all the parts in English have French subtitles.
Plus a 40+ page booklet in French with lots of pictures for each film.

The films themselves are very good quality, the best prints available. And, unlike the recent Granada release they've corrected the "Blue out" mistake that is in many prints.

A lovely addition to the collection.

Steve

[theuofc]

(Steve Crook @ Apr 14 2006, 03:15 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'> Four Powell & Pressburger films released on DVD by L'Institut Lumière in Lyon. 49th Parallel, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes. Two DVDs in the box for each film. The first contains the film, with the original soundtrack (so mainly in English), and introduction by Bertrand Tavernier with original trailers and an additional introduction by Martin Scorsese on some of them. The second DVD has Thelma Schoonmaker talking about life with Michael Powell, Bertrand Tavernier talking about P&P ... Steve [/b]

You must have had a grand time, Steve. I have the films, but I want this Lumière set for the extras, particularly Thelma S-Powell, Scorsese, and Bertrand Tavernier who, along with the former two, is very articulate. Judging by Tavernier's excellent commentary on the Dirk Bogarde "Daddy Nostalgie" DVD, his more extensive comments on the PnP DVD set are a must-hear. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img]

Barbara

[Steve Crook]

(theuofc @ Apr 14 2006, 11:19 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'> You must have had a grand time, Steve. I have the films, but I want this Lumière set for the extras, particularly Thelma S-Powell, Scorsese, and Bertrand Tavernier who, along with the former two, is very articulate. Judging by Tavernier's excellent commentary on the Dirk Bogarde "Daddy Nostalgie" DVD, his more extensive comments on the PnP DVD set are a must-hear. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img] Barbara [/b]

Bertrand is very good on them. In the documentary on each disk he talks a lot about each film and its influences and effects as well as some extra information about the people involved. He speaks in French of course, but with subtitles in English.

He also does an introduction to each film on the first disk of each set. That's really him reading out a script prepared by the lovely Natacha.

Steve