hash tag
Books, not bombs
Interesting film for seeing the attitudes of the day and a true story about doing right regardless of cost.
Did it have a happy ending or a tragic one?
Top Black and White British Films
- Thread starter ska invita
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Interesting film for seeing the attitudes of the day and a true story about doing right regardless of cost.
Did it have a happy ending or a tragic one?
hash tag
Books, not bombs
Just watching this now. A magnificent young Alec Guinness.
krtek a houby
Merry Xmas!
Suppose technically, it's British but we enjoyed Odd Man Out with James Mason as an IRA hero on the run after a botched liberation of capital.
Marvellous and occasionally odd, this feels like a dry run for The Third Man. Both directed by Carol Reed.
Excellent support from William Hartnell, Robert Newton and Cyril Cusack. (Cusack's also grand in another 'RA film Shake Hands with the Devil.)
Marvellous and occasionally odd, this feels like a dry run for The Third Man. Both directed by Carol Reed.
Excellent support from William Hartnell, Robert Newton and Cyril Cusack. (Cusack's also grand in another 'RA film Shake Hands with the Devil.)
surreybrowncap
“Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand"
Wilfred Brambell made his first film appearance in this.
Uncredited as a passenger on the tram heading to the Falls Road.....
And while much of it was filmed in Belfast, some scenes were filmed in Hackney/Islington.
surreybrowncap
“Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand"
Idris2002
canadian girlfriend
Because the crucial scene where it appears involved smashing it up.
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
a right reserved solely for the actual IRA
Idris2002
canadian girlfriend
Saints preserve us.
surreybrowncap
“Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand"
Nah - glasses get broken but the pub is not actually damaged…..
ska invita
back on the other side
Good list here from Scorsese
BFI Southbank home
Home Seasons Martin Scorsese Selects Hidden Gems of British Cinema
Martin Scorsese Selects Hidden Gems of British Cinema
Looking beyond the established classics, Martin Scorsese hand-picks a selection of his personal favourites from the history of British cinema.
‘For me, British cinema was formative. The best British cinema is always a source – you are challenged and you are inspired’
Martin Scorsese
During the early days of the Covid lockdown, uncertain of when life would return to normal, I retreated into film. I explored a list of international films recommended by Martin Scorsese, and the journey was so impactful that I wrote to thank him. Almost as an afterthought, I asked about his favourite British films from his formative years, specifically titles outside the established canon of Hitchcock, Lean, and Powell and Pressburger. Scorsese, known for his broad and inclusive taste, has championed genre films such as the Hammer Horror series, often dismissed by serious critics and filmmakers, so I was keen to see what he would pick. A few weeks later, he surprised me with a list of 50 cherished British films. I had seen less than half, so I eagerly dove into the remainder. The joy of discovering these classic films, hidden gems, and unheralded treasures was thrilling. It’s an absolute pleasure to programme some of this list for BFI audiences. Enjoy this journey into the heart of British film, curated by one of cinema’s greatest champions.
Introduction by Edgar Wright
Film notes by BFI National Archive curators James Bell and Josephine Botting.
With thanks to
Martin Scorsese and Edgar Wright.
Season programme
Shooting Stars
This accomplished silent British feature combines fast-paced comedy with heart-rending tragedy in its tale of intrigue at a film studio.
Read more
Brief Ecstasy
A married woman battles with her lust for another man in this intense drama.
Read more
Went the Day Well? (on Nitrate) + intro by James Bell, Senior Curator, BFI National Archive
Cavalcanti’s brilliant and often brutal thriller about a rural English village’s fightback against Nazi fifth columnists.
Read more
The Man in Grey
This period melodrama of passion and jealousy set Margaret Lockwood on the path to being Britain’s ‘wicked lady’.
Read more
This Happy Breed
Lean’s affecting Technicolor domestic drama charting the ups and downs of a south London family through the interwar years.
Read more
The Seventh Veil
A young pianist battles her strict guardian to find happiness but must overcome the emotional disturbance that threatens her career.
Read more
Green for Danger
A priceless performance by Alastair Sim is just one of the delights in Launder and Gilliat’s hugely entertaining wartime whodunnit.
Read more
It Always Rains on Sunday
The past returns to disrupt the life of an East End housewife in Robert Hamer’s powerful drama, starring Googie Withers.
Read more
Hue and Cry
Teenage gang the ‘Blood and Thunder Boys’ comb post-war London to foil a criminal gang in this lively Ealing comedy.
Read more
Hue and Cry + intro by Josephine Botting, Curator, BFI National Archive
Teenage gang the ‘Blood and Thunder Boys’ comb post-war London to foil a criminal gang in this lively Ealing comedy.
Read more
Uncle Silas
Jean Simmons plays a plucky orphan in peril in this moody Gothic drama.
Read more
Terence Fisher Double Bill: To the Public Danger + Stolen Face
Two atmospheric, noir-influenced thrillers by the future master of Hammer horror, Terence Fisher.
Read more
Mandy
In this moving drama, a mother seeking help for her Deaf daughter falls for the man who comes to her aid.
Read more
Yield to the Night
Diana Dors gives the performance of her career in one of the most powerful British features of the 1950s.
Read more
The Flesh and the Fiends
A seedy British horror flick starring Peter Cushing as a scientist who consorts with the infamous Victorian grave robbers.
Read more
The Damned
Losey’s unsettling collision of the teenage exploitation flick and paranoid science fiction.
Read more
Station Six Sahara
Equal parts Jean-Pierre Melville, Luis Buñuel and Roman Polanski, Holt’s exploration of the tensions among the all-male crew at a remote oil station is both provocative and brilliantly tense.
Read more
The Mind Benders
Dirk Bogarde undergoes sensory-deprivation experiments, with grave consequences, in Basil Dearden’s Cold War-era thriller.
Read more
The Pumpkin Eater
Anne Bancroft and Peter Finch excel as a married couple in trouble in Jack Clayton’s incisive drama.
Read more
Guns at Batasi
Richard Attenborough is unforgettable as a Blimpish Sergeant Major holding off a siege amid a military coup in post-colonial East Africa.
Read more
Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde
Stevenson’s classic Victorian novel is given a gender-bending twist in this lavish Hammer horror.
Read more
Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde + intro by Sam Clemens, son of Brian Clemens
Stevenson’s classic Victorian novel is given a gender-bending twist in this lavish Hammer horror.
Read more
The Legend of Hell House
Roddy McDowell and Pamela Franklin head the cast in John Hough’s eerie, classic haunted-house tale, written by Richard Matheson.
Read more
Seniors
Seniors’ paid matinee: Yield to the Night + intro
Diana Dors gives the performance of her career in one of the most powerful British features of the 1950s.
BFI Southbank home
Home Seasons Martin Scorsese Selects Hidden Gems of British Cinema
Martin Scorsese Selects Hidden Gems of British Cinema
Looking beyond the established classics, Martin Scorsese hand-picks a selection of his personal favourites from the history of British cinema.
‘For me, British cinema was formative. The best British cinema is always a source – you are challenged and you are inspired’
Martin Scorsese
During the early days of the Covid lockdown, uncertain of when life would return to normal, I retreated into film. I explored a list of international films recommended by Martin Scorsese, and the journey was so impactful that I wrote to thank him. Almost as an afterthought, I asked about his favourite British films from his formative years, specifically titles outside the established canon of Hitchcock, Lean, and Powell and Pressburger. Scorsese, known for his broad and inclusive taste, has championed genre films such as the Hammer Horror series, often dismissed by serious critics and filmmakers, so I was keen to see what he would pick. A few weeks later, he surprised me with a list of 50 cherished British films. I had seen less than half, so I eagerly dove into the remainder. The joy of discovering these classic films, hidden gems, and unheralded treasures was thrilling. It’s an absolute pleasure to programme some of this list for BFI audiences. Enjoy this journey into the heart of British film, curated by one of cinema’s greatest champions.
Introduction by Edgar Wright
Film notes by BFI National Archive curators James Bell and Josephine Botting.
With thanks to
Martin Scorsese and Edgar Wright.
Season programme
Shooting Stars
This accomplished silent British feature combines fast-paced comedy with heart-rending tragedy in its tale of intrigue at a film studio.
Read more
Brief Ecstasy
A married woman battles with her lust for another man in this intense drama.
Read more
Went the Day Well? (on Nitrate) + intro by James Bell, Senior Curator, BFI National Archive
Cavalcanti’s brilliant and often brutal thriller about a rural English village’s fightback against Nazi fifth columnists.
Read more
The Man in Grey
This period melodrama of passion and jealousy set Margaret Lockwood on the path to being Britain’s ‘wicked lady’.
Read more
This Happy Breed
Lean’s affecting Technicolor domestic drama charting the ups and downs of a south London family through the interwar years.
Read more
The Seventh Veil
A young pianist battles her strict guardian to find happiness but must overcome the emotional disturbance that threatens her career.
Read more
Green for Danger
A priceless performance by Alastair Sim is just one of the delights in Launder and Gilliat’s hugely entertaining wartime whodunnit.
Read more
It Always Rains on Sunday
The past returns to disrupt the life of an East End housewife in Robert Hamer’s powerful drama, starring Googie Withers.
Read more
Hue and Cry
Teenage gang the ‘Blood and Thunder Boys’ comb post-war London to foil a criminal gang in this lively Ealing comedy.
Read more
Hue and Cry + intro by Josephine Botting, Curator, BFI National Archive
Teenage gang the ‘Blood and Thunder Boys’ comb post-war London to foil a criminal gang in this lively Ealing comedy.
Read more
Uncle Silas
Jean Simmons plays a plucky orphan in peril in this moody Gothic drama.
Read more
Terence Fisher Double Bill: To the Public Danger + Stolen Face
Two atmospheric, noir-influenced thrillers by the future master of Hammer horror, Terence Fisher.
Read more
Mandy
In this moving drama, a mother seeking help for her Deaf daughter falls for the man who comes to her aid.
Read more
Yield to the Night
Diana Dors gives the performance of her career in one of the most powerful British features of the 1950s.
Read more
The Flesh and the Fiends
A seedy British horror flick starring Peter Cushing as a scientist who consorts with the infamous Victorian grave robbers.
Read more
The Damned
Losey’s unsettling collision of the teenage exploitation flick and paranoid science fiction.
Read more
Station Six Sahara
Equal parts Jean-Pierre Melville, Luis Buñuel and Roman Polanski, Holt’s exploration of the tensions among the all-male crew at a remote oil station is both provocative and brilliantly tense.
Read more
The Mind Benders
Dirk Bogarde undergoes sensory-deprivation experiments, with grave consequences, in Basil Dearden’s Cold War-era thriller.
Read more
The Pumpkin Eater
Anne Bancroft and Peter Finch excel as a married couple in trouble in Jack Clayton’s incisive drama.
Read more
Guns at Batasi
Richard Attenborough is unforgettable as a Blimpish Sergeant Major holding off a siege amid a military coup in post-colonial East Africa.
Read more
Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde
Stevenson’s classic Victorian novel is given a gender-bending twist in this lavish Hammer horror.
Read more
Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde + intro by Sam Clemens, son of Brian Clemens
Stevenson’s classic Victorian novel is given a gender-bending twist in this lavish Hammer horror.
Read more
The Legend of Hell House
Roddy McDowell and Pamela Franklin head the cast in John Hough’s eerie, classic haunted-house tale, written by Richard Matheson.
Read more
Seniors
Seniors’ paid matinee: Yield to the Night + intro
Diana Dors gives the performance of her career in one of the most powerful British features of the 1950s.
hash tag
Books, not bombs
I only know about half of those.
blossie33
trailer trash
I've seen a few of the films on TV over the years.
Yield to the Night was loosely based on the Ruth Ellis case (last woman to be hung for murder in England) - a very good performance from Diana Dors who was usually only cast as a glam blonde.
I do love Marty, he is so knowledgeable about films, he has such a wide and eclectic taste and he's very complementary about other film directors.
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Lurdan
old wave
Scorsese's full list of 50 is here
The 50 British films that inspired a young Martin Scorsese - The Guardian
Of the selection above of the ones which the BFI are screening I think I've seen them all except Shooting Stars and Brief Ecstasy, and Terence Fisher's 'To The Public Danger', which as a 40 minute support feature is fairly rare. However I see it's on YouTube so I can remedy that
Brief Ecstasy sounded quite interesting so I looked it up online. It was on one of those Ealing Rarities DVDs. As I looked at the titles of the other films included a couple of them seemed familiar and very slowly it dawned on me that I'd actually bought the DVD when it came out
The 50 British films that inspired a young Martin Scorsese - The Guardian
Of the selection above of the ones which the BFI are screening I think I've seen them all except Shooting Stars and Brief Ecstasy, and Terence Fisher's 'To The Public Danger', which as a 40 minute support feature is fairly rare. However I see it's on YouTube so I can remedy that
Brief Ecstasy sounded quite interesting so I looked it up online. It was on one of those Ealing Rarities DVDs. As I looked at the titles of the other films included a couple of them seemed familiar and very slowly it dawned on me that I'd actually bought the DVD when it came out
Wkdloz
Member
Ice Cold In Alex - one of my favourites.
Indeliblelink
\......👁&👁......./
It was based on a book by Joan Henry, which came out before Ruth Ellis shot her lover.
You're right about it being a fantastic performance from Dors.
petee
no gods, no malarkey
Ice Cold In Alex - one of my favourites.
i own Sapphire but haven't watched it yet.
The Long Good Friday is coming out in September a new Criterion Collection dvd, and i'm tempted. https://www.criterion.com/films/559-the-long-good-friday
otherwise, i hadn't even heard of the rest of them!
Indeliblelink
\......👁&👁......./
Make Mine Mink (1960) - Enjoyable comedy about a group of mink coat thieves. With Terry Thomas, Hattie Jacques,
ska invita
back on the other side
Gave this a try... didn't make it to the final heist before fallng asleep... But first time I've seen a film with Terry Thomas.... Recognise his face but don't think I've ever actually seen him in action...
Spymaster
Plastic Paddy
There are some absolute classics on there.
If you haven’t seen 12 Angry Men, and The 39 Steps, you really should.
petee
no gods, no malarkey
whoops i must have missed those. i've seen the first and own the second. The 39 Steps is great.
Ice Cold In Alex is on my list; it's more or less unknown over here.
blossie33
trailer trash
Terry Thomas was very funny, he was usually typecast as characters described in Wiki ...
Andrew Spicer, writing for the British Film Institute, called him "the definitive postwar cad or rotter".[125] Terry-Thomas himself agreed with the view he presented, writing in the 1980s that "T-T with his permanent air of caddish disdain ... bounder ... aristocratic rogue ... upper-class English twit ... genuine English eccentric ... one of the last real gentlemen ... wet, genteel Englishman ... high-bred idiot ... cheeky blighter ... camel-haired cad ... amiable buffoon ... pompous Englishman ... twentieth-century dandy ... stinker ... king of the cads ... All those descriptions added up to my image as Terry-Thomas".[237]
felixthecat
are we there yet?
As a pointless aside - did you know that when a ligament tear causes a gap between two bones in the wrist to show on xray it's known as a Terry Thomas sign.
I've had to explain this to many a youngster...
en.m.wikipedia.org
I've had to explain this to many a youngster...
Terry-Thomas sign - Wikipedia
blossie33
trailer trash
No, I hadn't heard that
I have a gap between my front teeth - it's supposed to be lucky!
DaveCinzano
WATCH OUT, GEORGE, HE'S GOT A SCREWDRIVER!
Whilst looking for French films recently, I came across this starring T-T:
Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At! (1966) ⭐ 7.9 | Adventure, Comedy, War
2h 12m | PG
www.imdb.com
Apparently it was the most successful French film until 2008!
Derek S-H
Klaatu. Barada. Nikto.
Cracking Thread and I'm glad it's still running 8 years' later!
Like many of you, I own the classics like "The 39 Steps" (in all its various iterations), "Dead Of Night" and the unsurpassable "Brief Encounter." I'm also a huge fan of Talking Pictures TV and especially love the warnings prior to the screenings!
Thanks to just idly watching the channel, I picked up these two really rather good British films:
59 minutes in total and it just rattles along!
Set in my hometown of Brighton so I am obviously biased! Jack Warner is in great form, the shots of 60's Brighton are hugely evocative and I liked the film so much, I bought it on Blu-Ray import.
Like many of you, I own the classics like "The 39 Steps" (in all its various iterations), "Dead Of Night" and the unsurpassable "Brief Encounter." I'm also a huge fan of Talking Pictures TV and especially love the warnings prior to the screenings!
Thanks to just idly watching the channel, I picked up these two really rather good British films:
59 minutes in total and it just rattles along!
Set in my hometown of Brighton so I am obviously biased! Jack Warner is in great form, the shots of 60's Brighton are hugely evocative and I liked the film so much, I bought it on Blu-Ray import.
