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Your Favourite British Films Name your favourite British film or make a case for an underrated classic.


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Old 02-10-2005, 10:56 PM
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Chilling performance from Richard Burton. Great heart-pumping score and some excellent support.

Still makes me jump when his eyes open at the end. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/shocking.gif[/img]

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Old 03-10-2005, 09:15 AM
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Couldn't agree more. I first saw it on TV sometime in the mid-80s - I'm too young to have seen it at the cinema - and it made a big impression on me. Actually, I know quite a few people of my age group who had a similar experience. Funny that these days a lot of people remember it but it doesn't get the same adulatory attention as, say, The Omen.

A lot of memorable stuff, and some great performances from the likes of Burton and Michael Hordern. The spectacular destruction of Westminster Abbey looks notably convincing.

Particularly shocking is the plane crashing into the tower block. Can't see that getting a showing on TV before a few more years have passed...
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Old 13-10-2005, 11:13 AM
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Great film especially as it is UK production and interesting casting of the French policeman - looking at his CV, this was perhaps his only English speaking film.
An odd appearance of Jeremy Brett as well, playing a foppish boyfriend of Dickie Burton's wife. He makes a really camp gesture when introduced to Burtons character which always makes me laugh!
Great scene of the church falling down although you can see a bell bounce off a priest!
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Old 22-11-2005, 11:34 PM
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I agree with all the above.
I remember seeing it at the cinema and it scared the bejasus out of me!
I seem to remember that there were some lovely scenes between Burton and his wife that were almost worthy of "who's afraid of virginia woolfe"

Scary indeed!
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Old 23-11-2005, 01:41 PM
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Superb film, superb cast, superb dialogue. Richard Burton, aka 'The Burt' as we know him round ur way, was a force to be reckoned with. There are some wits who believe this is the worst thing he ever did (obviously they haven't seen DIVORCE HIS DIVORCE HERS, or elese they'd be retracting that statement) and who don't think he should have ever done horror. From his performances in this, in ABSOLUTION and EQUUS, I think he excelled in it.

And if anyone has a copy of either BLUEBEARD, HAMMERSMITH IS OUT or DR FAUSTUS, please do let me know.

Fellow board newbie Mark Lewis and myself will be watching this over the Chrimble period, prseuming his missus lets him out for long enough (joke) [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif[/img]

"Whatever happened to Fay Wray?"
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Old 18-01-2006, 06:31 PM
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Medusa Touch - loved it. Has anyone read the novel by Peter Van Greenaway - the original hardback has a cover illustration of a jumbo jet crashing into a skyscraper.

Burton's film career is very under-rated. Has anyone seen his portrayal of Tito in The Battle Of Sutjeska? Does a copy of The Voyage (with Sofia Loren) actually exist?

Jack - I have copies of Bluebeard, Hammersmith and Fautus if you're interested. You should catch Staircase too.
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Old 18-01-2006, 06:33 PM
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Quote:
(Captain Casper @ Oct 2 2005, 10:56 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>Still makes me jump when his eyes open at the end.[/b]
Ohmigod, yes!!
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Old 26-01-2006, 10:23 PM
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Excellent film. Chilling at times. I found the animosity between John Morlar and his wife manifested in some quite amusing dialogue:

"I have a penchant for speaking the truth, it tends to leave a nasty stench in her nostils."

And one of the lines that always stuck with me was when Morlar gave an example of how he saw human nature being inherantly evil:

"We discover what powers the sun and we make bombs with it."

One more thing, I didn't see anyone in this thread mention the elegant Lee Remick as Dr. Zonfeld.
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Old 23-02-2006, 11:24 PM
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Quote:
(U.V.RAY @ Jan 26 2006, 10:23 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
One more thing, I didn't see anyone in this thread mention the elegant Lee Remick as Dr. Zonfeld.
[/b]
Yep, a nicely understated perfomance from Remick. The French casting was a master-stroke IMO.
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Old 20-03-2006, 05:05 PM
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Quote:
(Captain Casper @ Oct 2 2005, 10:56 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Chilling performance from Richard Burton. Great heart-pumping score and some excellent support.

Still makes me jump when his eyes open at the end. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/shocking.gif[/img]
[/b]
I agree entirely. Especially about the score. It was written by a Welshman called Michael J Lewis. His most famous film is probably The Medusa Touch although his best - in my opinion - is 92 In The Shade.

Tell you what, though - Richard Burton was a damn fine actor!! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img]
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Old 27-04-2006, 04:00 PM
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I can remember the plane crashing into the tower block but that's it. Must try and get hold of a copy and watch it.
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Old 11-07-2006, 09:09 PM
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Is this out on dvd? I am ashamed to say I haven't seen it yet. I did see Faustus on video, but that was probably over 10 years ago.
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Old 11-07-2006, 09:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Poirot
Is this out on dvd? I am ashamed to say I haven't seen it yet. I did see Faustus on video, but that was probably over 10 years ago.
Coming soon:
http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/10939...h/Product.html
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Old 04-08-2006, 01:37 PM
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Michael J Lewis did some good scores in the 70's. I loved the one he did for Theatre of Blood and 11 Harrowhouse
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