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PhilAP
Reviews
Snow (1963)
A magical film!
Geoffrey Jones approached Edgar Anstey with this project. Edgar took a day and Mr Jones then filmed it. He spent ages cutting it to a specially recorded version of Sandy Nelson's "Let There Be Drums" (or was it "Teen Beat"?).
The result was a classic dated only by it's ephemeral images, not its style.
Many years ago John Huntley was to show it at Guildford Civic Hall - but was sent the Canadian Film Board's excellent short also entitled "Snow" instead.
Geoffrey Jones made 2 other films for BTF, "Rail" and "Locomotion", but only the first was also nominated for an Oscar. Two out of three ain't bad!
The Ladykillers (2004)
Why did they bother?
The original film was made, deliberately, as a dated farce.
The new version was not.
I understand the desire to remake this film but, in my opinion, they got it wrong. The sexual swearing (and I'm no prude!) is out-of-place in what is a genteel story of robbery and attempted murder. The generally well-populated location is out-of-place in a story that relies on a degree on loneliness. The highly gregarious heroine is out-of-place in a story about a woman living alone with only a few friends.
Generously I gave it 2, both for effort. I gave it none for achievement.
Beyond the Sea (2004)
Spacey's tribute
This is Kevin Spacey's tribute to Bonny Darin.
It honours them both.
The film is superb.
It does not pretend to be unremittingly accurate, "true to life". It shows Darin's life as Darin himself might have seen it. He would certainly have approved of the film - maybe his shade does.
Surely no other actor/director/writer/producer could have done such justice to such an amazing story. Spacey sings and dances with an exuberance that is infectious. People who've never heard of Darin should be beguiled by the film and learn more. And they will.
See it!
Smokescreen (1964)
Great workmanlike entertainment
Peter Vaughan, a wonderful actor, is the rather slimy insurance investigator investigating a claim in coastal Sussex.
And this unlikely hero succeeds where the Police have failed!
Made on a tiny budget, this film proves that enormous budgets are not always necessary to make good cinema.
Truly a minimalist marvel.
Terminus (1961)
I Knew Waterloo Then.
I can't honestly vote for this film, but not because I don't like it. I do.
Because I knew some of those responsible it would be wrong to award "Terminus" maximum marks though I would.
John Schlesinger made "Terminus" for BTF and was given a virtually free hand. All the characters were real people and the only contrived situation was the "little boy lost". He was a relative. He wasn't acting which, while a little cruel, was great film-making.
The lad had a hell of a treat later!
The Waterloo shown was real when "Terminus" was made which is why so much seems dated now. The "bag-lady" refused the amateur payment Equity had negotiated. When she died the film crew made sure she had a decent funeral. That was all they could do.
The film was ground-breaking in it's way. Ciné Vérité was never the same again.
Oh, Mr. Porter! (1937)
Fast laughter on a slow train to nowhere!
Despite it's faults (Buggleskelly was a derelict station near Basingstoke) this is still one of the funniest films ever made. The plot is non-stop hilarity with no time for anything serious at all and no time to miss it either. Probably the best Will Hay film. Need I say more?