Now Screening - What Are You Watching Right Now?

[Barry]

More matinees; War time now with The Guns Of Navarone, 1961. directed by J. Lee Thompson, and stars Gregory Peck, David Niven and Anthony Quinn, along with Stanley Baker and Anthony Quayle. James Robertson Justice has a part too and also narrates the opening sequence.



This did well at box office making a not inconsiderable $18m profit. It won an Academy Award for Special Effects..

The score was composed by Dimitri Tiomkin

I can remember my father taking me to see it at the cinema when I was about 11 or 12. Think it was classified as 'A', which meant you had to be an adult or accompanied by an adult to see it.

I now have it on DVD.

The sequel: 'Force 10 from Navarone' was IMO rubbish.

[Macca]

I think the sequel is a lot better than the first one.

[Barry]

I think the sequel is a lot better than the first one.

[Macca]

The first one is slow and talky, there's virtually no action, the plot is linear and the special effects are dismal. Only the good cast saves it.

The second has much higher production values, a good plot with twists and turns and a lot more action, and the cast is just as good. It's not a great film even so but I still watch it when it comes on the telly.

[Marco]

Del wanted to watch this because it's 'princessy' and will put her in the mood for Christmas [which she LOVES]:



Not my thing, but she was rather 'insistent'

Marco.

[Macca]

Quantum of Solace (2008)



Never got round to seeing this one, can't beleive it is 12 years old.

Never been much for the Craig Bonds really. They've not done a good Bond since 'Moonraker', although I'll give 'The World Is Not Enough' a pass as it is half decent.

People say the Craig Bonds are gritty and more real-world like the books or like the early Connery films. No. Read the books again. They're ludicrous. And so are the early Connery films, maybe with the exception of 'From Russia With Love' which is only semi-ludicrous. Bond is Bond because it is at least semi ludicrous and sometimes utterly ludicrous.

You kill the fat, you kill the burger.

Plus never thought Judy Dench was a good idea as 'M'. Doesn't work. On the plus side for Daniel Craig, not a lot of lines to learn. he speaks about 20 times in the whole film, and they're not long speeches either. Nobody gets any more characterisation than is absolutely necessary, so there's no emotional involvement generated.

This film only bears the franchise mark in effect. It could be anyone just going round chasing people and killing people. This time in either very slick surroundings or some Disneyfied version of Haiti. Add this to the whole look of the film and it sort of resembles the orientation video at a Four Seasons.

As usual these days the action is all fast cut but in this case it is so fast cut you just can't tell what is happening. You wonder if these young directors have ever even heard of Leone or Kubrick let alone watched any of their films.

But this is worse than usual. It's like the director wants to fast forward through the action scenes, just get them out of the way. He tries some arty crap too. That pisses me off, If I want arty crap I'll watch arty crap. I'm watching a Bond film because I want to see a Bond film.

Regarding the fast cutting, compare some of the fight scenes in this to the fight scene in 'Never Say Never Again' where Connery has to fight Bomber off of 'Auf Weidershen Pet' in the health club storeroom. Every move perfectly choreographed, all done live, you can see exactly what is happening and so the tension is raised. It almost looks like it could be a real fight. Back then Bond was a tough bloke but he wasn't Bruce Lee. You believed he could lose a fight. Nowadays it's just chop chop chop and that's it, and on he goes. Classic fight scenes are a big part of what makes Bond Bond. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater. again.

Anyway, this is why I'll probably never watch this again whereas I've watched 'The Spy Who Loved Me' about 20 times and will certainly watch it again. This gets my lowest rating which is 'Don't Bother'.

[Barry]

I think I've seen all the Bond films, and the only one I like is 'From Russia with Love'.

Frankly the franchise ran out of steam long ago. I couldn't care less that the latest Bond screening is delayed due to lockdown.

[struth]

I think I've seen all the Bond films, and the only one I like is 'From Russia with Love'.

Frankly the franchise ran out of steam long ago. I couldn't care less that the latest Bond screening is delayed due to lockdown.

wasnt big on bond either.. early ones were initially different but not so good i'd watch again.

anyway a bit of jeeves and wooster series 3 for now before a film

[struth]

Sunday film is a Peter Sellers comedy from 1960; Two-Way Stretch. Sellers is aided and abetted by Wilfrid Hyde-White, Lionel Jeffries and Bernard Cribbins, with Maurice Denham, Irene Handl, Liz Fraser, Beryl Reid and David Lodge.



It was the 4th highest ranked film of the year.

[walpurgis]

Sunday film is a Peter Sellers comedy from 1960; Two-Way Stretch. Sellers is aided and abetted by Wilfrid Hyde-White, Lionel Jeffries and Bernard Cribbins, with Maurice Denham, Irene Handl, Liz Fraser, Beryl Reid and David Lodge.

One of my favourites. Lionel Jeffries was having a lot of fun playing the evil Crout!