adeUK

A mainstay of my teen years were late night screenings of British horror. I managed to see most, but some have taken a while to catch up with me. One such example is The Witches from 1966.

It had so much going for it: Joan Fontaine was fab, even more so Kay Walsh. The atmosphere was well-constructed (if reminiscent of City of the Dead); the music evocative and the sets not-your-typical-60s-Hammer.

Then it all went pear-shaped. I don't remember ever seeing a film that blew it all, wholesale, in the last ten minutes. Joan Fontaine (sorry, Academy Award-winning actress Joan Fontaine) rolling around in the mud; Kay Walsh singing a cod Latin black mass while wearing an elaborate table setting on her head; the supporting cast dancing away like a very ugly precursor of Pan's People in the ruins of a church. What was going on?? It was written by Nigel Kneale, presumably after a dabble with some magic mushrooms!

I've never come across a film which has not just changed stream in mid flow but jumped out of the river and run starkers down the High Street. Any other candidates?

ChristineCB

Oooh... good one!

For me, SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS

Sullivan's Travels (1941)

where it's a slapstick comedy in the first third, romantic-comedy travelling film in the middle third, then is dumped into a murder-and-prison-time film.

Like Marty Feldman once said, "It could be worse - it could be raining."

Carmel

I found this film exactley the same The Witches it was great until the end it kept you gripped until near the end then what a let down.

ChristineCB

I think just about all of my End Of The World-type films start off promising and most don't last to the halfway point before sputtering downhill to their unimaginative ending of human character studies (yawn - more asteroids! more action!!). If only Godzilla's foot would stomp Bambi or something... oh wait... that's been done, too.

I have to admit the pterydactyls flying off at the end of one of the Jurassic Park films seemed promising.

mel walton

Chris,
In re 'Sullivan's Travels' ( a really great film), I think, Preston Sturges did that in most of his movies. First half lots of laughs, then a somber interlude, then a try at an hilarious finish. Ex; 'The Miracle of Morgan's Creek', 'Christmas in July', 'Hail the Conquering Hero'. It's a good format and, I guess, lots of directors have used
it but Sturges was a genius, and did it just right. all the best, mel

ChristineCB

I'm unfamiliar with CHRISTMAS IN JULY. While HAIL and MORGAN'S has some twists with a few moral issues - especially in those years - none are quite as stark or dark as Joel faces in SULLIVAN'S.

Back to the great title, I know I'll run across some of the other "It was all going so well..." films but their names continue to elude me. I'm still upset with Pen for costing me that fiver over his degree of daftness. WHY do I ever bet against him?!!

Steve Crook

There are quite a few where "It was all going so well ..." but then the opening credits finished

Steve

kelp

Sorry to use the QUOTE, but this appertains to Joan Fontaine. She used to write often to my son (who lives in Modesto, Ca) and he would send her birthday cards and Christmas cards, she even sent him a lot of signed lobby cards. Then, she suddenly stopped last year. He has written to her home as was the usual thing, but heard nothing. She is quite elderly now, but is still alive; perhaps she just gave up. Just thought this may be of interest.
kelp.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR...YOU MAY GET IT!

adeUK

Joan Fontaine is ninety this year, all being well. Older sister and fellow Best Actress Oscar-winner Olivia De Havilland was ninety last year. They haven't spoken to one another for decades. They obviously don't believe in water under the bridge.