Dame Starry

Although I am not a great lover of the horror genre, I recently acquired a special edition 2-DVD copy of The City Of The Dead remastered and complete – which I watched yesterday.
I always think that horror works better in B&W and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Excellent acting from everybody but for me Ann Beach, who played a mute servant girl, stole the film. She didn’t have any lines but, with such an expressive face, she didn’t need them.
Even better was the second DVD with interviews filmed in 2001 with the stars, Christopher Lee and Venetia Stevenson, and the director, who you may have heard of: John Llewellyn Moxey.

DS x.

MovieLover12

Last night I watched Alfred Hitchcocks The Lady Vanishes starring Margaret Lockwood. A fantastic mystery thriller!!

Joe Fraguela

Last evening I decided I would have another 1966 night.

Starting off with Episode 3 of Dr Who – The War Machines, first broadcasted on 2 July1966. William Hartnell plays the 1st Doctor with his assistant Dodo played by Jackie Lane.

This is also the first story to star future assistants Polly played by Anneke Wills and Ben played by Michael Craze.

Ben having been trapped in the Warehouse finds Polly working in the Warehouse and has been hypnotized by WOTAN, they are preparing for the take over by the War Machines the following day. Polly allows Ben to escape and he rushes back to the Doctor and Sir Charles Sumner to tell them of the take over. Sir Charles Sumner rings to speak to the Prime Minister, whilst the Doctor and Ben make their way to the Warehouse in Covent Garden. The army attack the warehouse, but cannot stop the war machine, the soldiers retreat from the area, however, the Doctor steps forward and stands his ground as the machine approaches.

Another excellent episode from the William Hartnell era, very enjoyable indeed.

Following on was an episode from Dangerman entitled Not So Jolly Roger broadcasted on 7th April 1966. Patrick McGoohan plays Secret Agent John Drake.

Guests appearing in this episode include Patsy Ann Noble, Wilfrid Lawson, Lisa Daniely, Edwin Richfield, Jon Rollason, Andrew Faulds and Christopher Sandford.

An agent working for a pirate radio station suspects that they are broadcasting secret messages, but is killed before he can verify his theory. John Drake takes his place and must discover the truth while making sure he doesn;t meet the same fate as his predecessor.

The last black & white episode of Dangerman, the majority of this episode was filmed at sea on Radio 390 Pirate Radio Station at Red Sands Fort off the Thames Estuary. Some excellent music used for this episode and of course Patsy Ann Noble who plays fellow DJ Susie Wade, her record He Who Rides A Tiger which was released as a single on Polydor in 1966 is heard at the beginning and end of this episode.

Another entertaining episode from the cult TV show.

Following on, as there are limited televised recordings of music from 1966, I decided to dig out some 45's from my collection. The songs playing on the turntable were:-

Patsy Ann Noble - He Who Rides A Tiger (Polydor label); Bobby Darin - If I Were a Carpenter (Atlantic label); Paul Dean - She Can Build a Mountain (Reaction label); The Eyes - The Immediate Pleasure (Mercury label); Billy Fury - Don't Let a little pride stand in your way (Decca label); Wayne Fontana - Pamela Pamela (Fontana label); Johnny Devlin - Hung on You (CBS label); The Cymerons - I Can See You (Polydor label); Los Bravos - Going Nowhere (Decca label); Guy Darrell - I've Been Hurt (CBS label); The Easybeats - Friday on my Mind (United Artists label); Geneveve - Nothing in this World (CBS label); Martha Reeves & The Vandellers - I'm ready for love (Tamla Motown label); The Fortunes - This Golden Ring (Decca label); Finders Keepers - Light (CBS label); Stevie Kimble - All the time in the world (Decca label); Cream - I Feel Free (Reaction label); The Dixie Cups - What Kind of Fool (HMV label); Falling Leaves - Beggar's Parade (Decca label); The Loving Kind - Accidental Love (Piccadilly label); Manchester's Playboys - I Feel Good (Fontana label);David Garrick - Dear Mrs Applebee (Piccadilly label); Lovin' Spoonful - Summer in The City (Kama Sutra label); Spencer Davis Group - Somebody Help Me (Fontana label); Left Banke - Pretty Ballerina (Philips label); The Hollies - I Can't Let Go (Parlophone label); Neil Landon - Waiting Here for Someone (Decca label); Bob Lind - Elusive Butterfly (Fontana label); Gene Latter - Something Inside of me died (CBS label); Lee Dorsey - Holy Cow (Stateside label) and Astrud Gilberto - Who Needs Forever as featured in the film The Deadly Affair (Verve label)

Following on and rather aptly from the last tune, I watched The Deadly Affair directed by Sidney Lumet and starring James Mason, Simone Signoret, Maximillian Schell, Harriett Andersson, Harry Andrews, Max Adrian, Roy Kinnear, Kenneth Haigh, Robert Flemyng, Lynn Redgrave, Corin Redgrave, Leslie Sands and Günter Meisner.

A British agent, Charles Dobbs played by James Mason, sets out to uncover the hidden facts behind a British government employee's suicide. A superior spy/thriller film, one of the best ever made. Some excellent acting and good use of London locations.

Rounding off 1966 night was Blow Up directed by Michelangelo Antonioni and starring David Hemmings, Vanessa Redgrave, Sarah Miles, John Castle, Peter Bowles, Tsai Chin, Verushka, Jane Birkin, Gillian Hills, The Yardbirds, Susan Broderick, Harry Hutchinson and Ronan O'Casey.

A successful mod photographer, Thomas played by David Hemmings accidentally captures on film what appears to be a murder. The fact that he has photographed a murder does not occur to him until he studies and then blows up his negatives, uncovering details, blowing up smaller and smaller elements, and finally putting the puzzle together.

A quintessential iconic swinging 60's film some excellent photography and very good use of London locations.

All in all a very enjoyable night's viewing.

Chevyman

Janacek's Sinfonietta from the Proms followed by The Dam Busters(DVD) and an episode of Wycliffe(recorded)

An enjoyable evening

A Happy and Healthy New Year to all

"Don't tread on Greta Garbo, as you walk down the boulevard?"

batman

The Great Silence - IMHO the best Spaghetti Western. Directed by Sergio Corbucci and starring the great Klaus Kinski in a snowbound story of bounty hunters and the man hired to get rid of them. Great atmospheric cinematography, a better than average script and the most depressing end to a western you will ever see. Ennio Morricone's score is IMHO again his very best. Highly recommended.

After this I watched a couple of episodes of The Adventurer and MOTD.

Jingle bells Batman smells ... I heard that at school Daddy.

BAT QUIZ 16 HAS JUST BEEN POSTED IN THE COMPETITION THREAD - 06/01/09

moonfleet

I saw it a long time ago, it's a very good one, with also the great Jean Louis Trintignant in tittle role....

"Very difficult !" "Craazy!"

smudge

MAN OF THE MOMENT -

On finding my Norman Wisdom films on a bottom shelf, I decided to give one a spin. So here's Norman cast adrift in the world of international diplomacy. As ever there are pratfalls aplenty, two or three songs, and a lightly tangled love interest.

At the denouement a breakneck chase round a TV studio gives us chance to see some of the popular stars of the time as Philip Harbin loses his souffle several times over, the lovely Lana Morris disturbs the Grove Family and the crooks almost get arrested by Sir Bruce Seton as Fabian of the Yard.

A fairly average entry in Sir Norman's canon, but free of the sentimentality of many of his hits...

Smudge

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

dpgmel

Watched Thorold Dickinson's almost forgotten thriller The Secret People, featuring amongst other Audrey Hepburn, Sidney Tafler, Athene Seyler etc.

A very dark tale of political refugees in England in the 1930's.

Thorold Dickinson also co-wrote the screenplay and the film features Bob Monkhouse as a hairdresser ! although I must confess I missed him !

batman

Robots - a CGI animated kids film about ... er, robots! Very funny with lots of stuff for both kids and adults to enjoy.

Jingle bells Batman smells ... I heard that at school Daddy.

BAT QUIZ 16 HAS JUST BEEN POSTED IN THE COMPETITION THREAD - 06/01/09

Harbottle

The Reckoning (1969) DVD-R. Curious film which sees successful Surrey businessman Nicol Williamson return to Liverpool after his Irish father is attacked by ‘Anglo-Saxon’ Teddy boys. Rather wearisome as Williamson is both unpleasant in his private and business life, and his work shy father ‘full of songs’ has a deep seated hatred of the English. So it was rather hard to have any sympathy with the ‘hero’ whatsoever.

MovieLover12

I watched Race with the Devil(1975). Its about 2 men and 2 woman who are menaced by cult psychos after the 2 men witness a satanic sacrifice. Very Good!!

cally

Watched Edmund T Grevilles 1960 movie 'Beat Girl' with Gillian Hills who must rank as one of the most glamorous creatures ever. A Sleezy British movie with a great cast (Christopher Lee, David Farrar, a young Oliver Reed and Adam Faith) set in the crazy days of basement strip-joints, soda pop and coffee bars. The John Barry 7 supply a great, groovy soundtrack. From an uncut print, broadcast on BBC2 years ago.

Far out daddy-o!

Steve Crook

Britain From Above

Second episode of this amazing series. An hour on BBC1 about the whole country followed by half an hour on BBC2 focussing on one area.

This week they were looking at the balance between town and country and how much (or how little) of it is in any way natural. People have been changing, manipulating and controlling the landscape for many thousands of years.

Steve

Chevyman

"Let him have it"(Recorded)
Stirling cast and, for me, very moving

A Happy and Healthy New Year to all

"Don't tread on Greta Garbo, as you walk down the boulevard?"

lupinpooter

A fascinating programme from beginning to end: even better than last week's opener