Powell and Pressburger

[ChristineCB]

Thanks for the artwork - as always. I love being able to get a Zoomed-In image as well. I use these on backups of my DVDs.

[woofer3]

Bit of a provocative title. It's not that I dislike Powell and Pressburger, but of the bits and bobs I've seen, I've just never got into them.



I've seen Black Narcissus, and started The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, but after the very enjoyable prologue, I just lost interest.



However, I have the box set (9 films from HMV), and am determined to persevere. What is it that draws you to P&P?



Not trying to be contentious; would just like to hear what others have to say.

I don't know really. I love - A matter of Life and Death, and have recently bought it on dvd. I just like everything about it, the story, the music score by Allan Gray, the black and white scenes in heaven. It may be an idea to watch it using headphones as this will eliminate any distractions as distractions are the last thing you need with films like this. just a thought.



I couldn't get on with Colonal Blimp either. Anyway best of luck with your box set.

[orpheum]

I actually had the luck to meet Michael Powell.He was working for Frixos Constantine at the time on the English edition of "Pavlova".We were having lunch in an Italian restaurant in Wardour Street.I rather got the impression that he was rather down on his luck at the time.He seemed to be more of a gofer than anything else.I felt rather sad.After all his career was virtually ended by Peeping Tom when Hitch was lauded to the skies when he brought out Psycho at the same time.Anyway my couple of hours with Michael Powell is an abiding memory

[ChristineCB]

I wonder if Dave's had any other opinions on this subject? I've never seen PEEPING TOM but added that to my list of orders after giving up on finding a Region-1 of MATTER LIFE DEATH.

[Steve Crook]

I wonder if Dave's had any other opinions on this subject? I've never seen PEEPING TOM but added that to my list of orders after giving up on finding a Region-1 of MATTER LIFE DEATH.

The region 1 DVD of AMOLAD is still being talked about as "coming sometime". There is a Region 2 DVD available if you can play them. Of course, as soon as you buy that, the Region 1 DVD with all the wonderful extras will probably be announced

Or you could get it on NTSC video. Although the American videos are titled Stairway to Heaven they are all the full film, not the cut version that was originally shown in the States.



Peeping Tom is still well worth seeing. Although it's not exactly easy viewing. It's not a horror film or even a real shocker when compared to what's been released since 1960. It just has a strange way of making you feel very uncomfortable. But it's well worth seeing



Steve

[Steve Crook]

I actually had the luck to meet Michael Powell.He was working for Frixos Constantine at the time on the English edition of "Pavlova".We were having lunch in an Italian restaurant in Wardour Street.I rather got the impression that he was rather down on his luck at the time.He seemed to be more of a gofer than anything else.I felt rather sad.After all his career was virtually ended by Peeping Tom when Hitch was lauded to the skies when he brought out Psycho at the same time.Anyway my couple of hours with Michael Powell is an abiding memory

Lucky you. Although that was towards the end of a very sad time for Micky when he was all but forgotten by most people in the film world. Frixos was (and still is) a very nice man who helped Micky out by giving him jobs like the one on Pavlova. Frixos also backed Return to the Edge of the World and put up a lot of money for Powell's version of The Tempest which would probably have been wonderful, but they couldn't complete the funding.

Others have said that at that time, although his career looked dead in the water, he was still very supportive of young film-makers and anyone interested in films.

Things were beginning to pick up when you met him. Scorsese had tracked him down (he was in Pavlova) and would soon invite him to the States where he found all the young "film brats" who had studied and admired his films.



Steve

[David M.]

Some of my favourite P&P movies, just class.

[ChristineCB]

..of course, as soon as you buy that, the Region 1 DVD with all the wonderful extras will probably be announced

Yes, hence my not-always-perfect patience! "If And When" those Region-1 Extras appear, perhaps there will be more postage in the name of trades...

[theuofc]

Some of my favourite P&P movies, just class.

Thank you, David McC.

More wonderful PnP posters. Gorgeous.



Barbara

[nobby56]

Firstly, I'd like to say hello, this is my first posting, and it is a pleasure to see such a well run and informative forum.



O.K., to the thread itself, I can only comment on the level of someone who is purely a viewer, not being involved in the business in any way, the appeal of P&P lies with the ability to tell a story, through character development. I think the word may be, charming.

The addition of high standard of production technique, is the icing on the cake.



I love the films, there are still great gaps in my knowledge of all the films though, not having seen all of their work.

[Steve Crook]

Firstly, I'd like to say hello, this is my first posting, and it is a pleasure to see such a well run and informative forum.



O.K., to the thread itself, I can only comment on the level of someone who is purely a viewer, not being involved in the business in any way, the appeal of P&P lies with the ability to tell a story, through character development. I think the word may be, charming.

The addition of high standard of production technique, is the icing on the cake.



I love the films, there are still great gaps in my knowledge of all the films though, not having seen all of their work.

Welcome to the Britmovie forum Nobby,

If you want to fill any of those gaps in your knowledge the PaPAS web site might be able to help. The P&P email group can almost certainly help with any questions about the films or the people involved.



Steve

[nobby56]

Thanks Steve, that's much appreciated. I feel like a kid in a sweet shop at the moment, so much to choose from.



I'll definitely check both those sites.



Again. thank you.

[ChristineCB]

Steve, do all of the P&P films have a certain feel or a linkage to them? Is it a timing or the use of camera, lighting, dialog styles?



You've listed some favorites and less-favorites. Are there any 'plain' films from them, ones that you tend to forget or dismiss? Maybe it's the film or two that you've watched the least often?

[Nick Dando]

The Small Back Room is one of the forgotten ones, as is Gone to Earth, and the Elusive Pimpernel. I'd probably class Ill Met by Moonlight, One of Our Aircraft is Missing, Contraband and the Spy in Black in the same bracket.



These are the ones that are overlooked as they are in monochrome, or have been interefered with by outsiders.



What are your nominations, Steve?



Nick

[ChristineCB]

Excellent! Thanks. We've got Contraband arriving any day now (it's arriving with the new Prisoner Of Zenda set) and I'm looking forward to that.

[vaggmk1938]

I think one of the figures dancing on the Beach at the party is Robert Helpmann. I have checked IMDb and he does not appear in the credits. He was in Australia during the making of this movie, and as he was such a P & P favorite, I thought it might be possible.



I finally made a screen grab with the help of a hacker's page, but do not know how to send it up as I do not have a website and my Foxfire brower only accepts URL's--I use a Mac and do not have Snapz Pro X.



Is there any way to send an image from my computer?

[Steve Crook]

I think one of the figures dancing on the Beach at the party is Robert Helpmann. I have checked IMDb and he does not appear in the credits. He was in Australia during the making of this movie, and as he was such a P & P favorite, I thought it might be possible.



I finally made a screen grab with the help of a hacker's page, but do not know how to send it up as I do not have a website and my Foxfire brower only accepts URL's--I use a Mac and do not have Snapz Pro X.



Is there any way to send an image from my computer?

You can upload it to a free image sharing site like PhotoBucket and then put it in a message by clicking on the icon when you write the message.



Steve

[ChristineCB]

We'll have to see what we can do about extracts...

I would never want to jeopardize the valuable resources with illegal file-sharing. Hopefully, there are sufficient storage locations so that these great files are backed-up for a more certain data-retrieval project, if necessary.



After all, poor Ady and his lost photos are a good lesson for me.



("Not that I'm suggesting anything, hrumph, hrumph...")

[Steve Crook]

I would never want to jeopardize the valuable resources with illegal file-sharing. Hopefully, there are sufficient storage locations so that these great files are backed-up for a more certain data-retrieval project, if necessary.



After all, poor Ady and his lost photos are a good lesson for me.



("Not that I'm suggesting anything, hrumph, hrumph...")

I have a very good relationship with Thelma Schoonmaker and many of the surviving "Archers" or their family and I definitely wouldn't want to jeopardise that



Steve

[JamesM]

During my research this week, I discovered that Kenneth Rick (b.1914, 2nd asst director on Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes) passed away in 2004.