batman

I watched 'The Web With Four Spiders', an excellent episode of MIAS with nice performances from Ray McNally and Simon Oates. Richard Bradford gives one of his best performances of the series in this one. Top stuff.

Also on view .... The Share Out, a rather dull 'Edgar Wallace' entry with a 'twist' you can see coming a mile off. Disappointing to say the least.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

dpgmel

Watched another excellent little British B movie, courtesy of a kind forum member, Terry Bishop's " Life in Danger " starring the ever excellent Derren Nesbitt as a suspected escapee from a secure mental hospital.

Cannot recommend too highly and with a neat twist ( well I didn't see it coming ! )

batman

Flat Two - another 'Edgar Wallace' job. Better than the last one I watched but still not top notch 'Wallace'. Another very predictable 'twist' ruined an otherwise effective little thriller. Good performances though from Bernard Archard and Charles Lloyd Pack.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

Amethyst_Isle

Watched The Peacemaker with Kidman/Clooney.

It was nice of the BBC to screen it all the way through at the correct OAR of 2.35.1 ,the only other time a 2.35.1 film was screened on BBC was Tom Horn so way back.

There's a lot of dignity in that, isn't there? Going out like a raspberry ripple.

Harbottle

I didn't either! Excellent film. I watched Derren myself last night in Strongroom, also thanks to a forum member

Strongroom (1962) DVD-R. Derren Nesbitt up to no good again in this rather good second feature, Director Vernon Sewell keeps the tension going nicely and also the feeling of claustrophobia with Bank Manager Colin Gordon and his secretary Ann Lynn's plight.

The Man in the Road (1957) DVD-R. In truth a somewhat improbable story, but it is well played especially by Derek Farr and it managed to hold my interest at least.

Interrupted Journey (1949) DVD-R. Excellent thriller starring Richard Todd and Valerie Hobson, plus Tom Walls as a dogged Railways Investigator on the trail of the person who pulled the communication cord on a train shortly before a fatal accident. A few nice twists and a neat ending make this well worth seeking out.

batman

Edge of Eternity - a pretty good 50s action thriller with Cornel Wilde investigating three murders in a small town near The Grand Canyon. Lots of widescreen technicolor excitement raise this one out of the rut as does the direction of Don Siegel. Jack Elam is good in a supporting role.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

dpgmel

Watched Peter Maxwell's " Serena " starring the ever lovely Honor Blackman and the ever reliable Patrick Holt in a tale of murder and missing persons.

Very enjoyable even if uou can predict the outcome from quite a long way off

Chevyman

TV for me

"God on trial"

A compelling, moving, atmospheric and, at times, stark work (which reminded me in places, of "One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich")

The time sequencing added to the grim element

As expected, Anthony Sher delivered right on target.
Jack Shepherd, who I admire greatly, was superb and well cast.
Eddie Marsan never fails to deliver
Lorcan Cranitch as the 'Blockaltester' was so convicing.
Stephen Dillane gave a very sensitive performance.

It's difficult to stop at just those five. The entire Auschwitz cast just gelled.

The set, the costumes, the make up were spot on.

Thanks to the production team, and thanks to the BBC for investing in homegrown drama.

"One appears to have dropped one's monocle in the soufflee"

Why not visit the Festive Fayre section?

lupinpooter

This was the best TV drama I've seen in a long time, and very much a TV play in the tradition of the best stuff of the 60s and 70s, in that it was all about the writing and the intensity of the performances (which I thought were uniformly brilliant).

The last TV drama I saw that really impressed me was Longford, but that was much more a film than a play. God on Trial was so good that I am left more frustrated than ever that the BBC does not make more stuff like this (actually it's an independent production, so the BBC didn't actually make it, but, well, you know what I mean), but at the same time very happy that it was made and broadcast at all.

Superb

stevie boy

Also with an early role from Fred Elliot

Multi-Region

Watched STATION WEST on BBC2, yesterday.
A mixture of Film-Noir and Western/a Film-Noir in Western-setting. Dick Powell was, like in 'Murder, My Sweet, a private-eye and Jane Greer was, like in 'Out of the Past', the femme-fatale.
I dislike singing in movies, however I liked the singing of Burl Ives ('The Big Country', 'Day of the Outlaw'). He had a great voice, like the recenly died Don Lafontaine.
Nice story, nice filmed.
Unfortunately, the film had a lot of drop-outs, still looking for a decent DVD-transfer.
(Disappointing DVD transfer from France: Station West with Dick Powell and Jane Greer .)
My rating IMDB 8/10.

"I was born when you kissed me and I died when you left me. I lived a few weeks, when you loved me."

Multi-Region

This morning a parcel from DVDPacific arrived, with the MOONTIDE (1942) and ROAD HOUSE (1948) DVD's too. Both Film-Noirs with Ida Lupino.
The impatient me watched both films this afternoon and evening. Wow... Ida Lupino acts great and is stunning in both Film-Noirs!

MOONTIDE with great performances of Jean Gabin ('Port of Shadows'), Claude Rains ('Casablanca') and Ida Lupino.
Jean saves the prostitute Ida from suicide and falls in love with her. Jean's (homosexual) 'pal' Tiny is jealous and tries to get rid of Ida, even with raping. The showdown (Jean vs Tiny) was censored by the Hays Code, however the re-written ending is acceptable.
My rating IMDB 7.5/10.
DVDreview: Link 1.

In ROAD HOUSE Ida is a very independent woman. She's a former singer from Chicago and is hired by the road house owner Richard Widmark. The road house is in a small town. Ida falls in love with the manager Richard Conte and Widmark is very jealous. He becomes more and more a psycho (like Tommy Udo in 'Kiss me Deadly' and in 'Night & the City').
Like in 'Dead Reckoning', a lot of smoking in this movie by the way.
IMDB 8/10.
DVDreview: Link 2.

Both DVD's have a lot of intreresting extra's, like great pics of Ida Lupino; very recommended.

"I was born when you kissed me and I died when you left me. I lived a few weeks, when you loved me."

jch

I watched "A Weekend With Lulu" last night. This hilarious film from the early 60's stars Leslie Phillips and Bob Monkhouse, and the wonderful Irene Handl. Had never seen it before, was a real treat. It was about a man who rents a caravan to go to the seaside for the weekend, but doesn't realise his girlfriend's mother is coming with them. Not only that, they don't reach the sea, but end up in France.

batman

4 episodes of series 2 of the brilliant The Vice, followed by an excellent low budget 70s US heist film called Day of the Wolves.

In DOTW 7 men, all dressed identically and known only by numbers take over a small Arizona town so that they can rob the banks and all the shops in 3 hours. Ex-sherrif Richard Egan is the only man who can stop them! Great stuff, with minimal dialogue and maximum excitement, a superb example of what can be achieved for next to nothing. The film also features excellent location photography and a good rock music score ... highly recommended!

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

Chevyman

Dog Soldiers

Arrived on Monday as part of a boxed set ordered from play . com, the other films are The Descent and 28Days Later..............not bad for 7.99 delivered

Really enjoyed it. Mrs Chevy jumped at one sequence and the cats hid

A number of fine performances from the cast.

One of the special features, about the making of the film, was very well put together.

Another one for repeat viewing

"One appears to have dropped one's monocle in the soufflee"

Why not visit the Festive Fayre section?