Now Screening - What Are You Watching Right Now?

[Macca]

That would explain it. Some great locations in that film, authentic 'Seventies New York. They must have used hidden cameras for some of the shots.

[struth]

Tonight a great ensemble of British wartime talent are going to give me "Went the Day Well" (1942) directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, who would later give us that lovely horror, Dead of Night. Stars Mervyn Johns, Thora Hird, Pat Hayes, Elizabeth Allen and Leslie Banks to name but a few.

The title includes the John Edmonds line, Went the day well? We died and never knew. But, well or ill, Freedom, we died for you. Its the story of English village of Bramley End, and its attack by German fifth columnist soldiers in a sneak attack. The Locals give 'em hell of course, in this fabulous propaganda film.
Its reputation has grown over the years and it has been noted that by opening and closing in a predicted future where not only had the war been won but a (fictitious) full-scale German invasion of Britain defeated, and by presenting a scenario where all echelons of British society unite for the common good for example when the lady of the manor sacrifices herself without hesitation to save the village children.

In July 2010, StudioCanal and the British Film Institute National Archive released a restoration of the Went the Day Well to significant critical acclaim. Tom Huddleston of Time Out (London) termed it "jawdroppingly subversive. Cavalcanti establishes, with loving care and the occasional wry wink, the ultimate bucolic English scene, then takes an almost sadistic delight in tearing it to bloody shreds in an orgy of shockingly blunt, matter-of-fact violence." When the restored film opened at Film Forum in New York City in 2011, A.O. Scott of The New York Times called it "undeservedly forgotten... Home-front propaganda has rarely seemed so cut throat or so cunning."
One of the top 100 war films of all time, this film, from the story by Graham Greene, was partially copied by Jak Higgins in the Eagle Has Landed.

one "Sober" note....When the man running the pub in the village where the film was being shot discovered that he had used up his alcohol ration on the film crew, he was so distraught he committed suicide.

[Macca]

Good film. It was also the basis for the film version of Dad's Army.

[Spectral Morn]

Babylon 5 - A Call to Arms. (Watch HD now)

Excellent film that sets up the sadly short run series Crusade. Crusade was cancelled half way through the first series - just as it got going. Ancient allies of The Shadows - the Drakh - begin attacking and destroying worlds with Earth on the list. Two new prototype Earth vessels Excalibur and Victory combining Earth, Vorlon and Mimbari technology are all that stand between Earth and the Drakh.

Call to Arms is an excellent space opera, with excellent space battles and impossible odds of winning as the Drakh have a massive advantage with a Shadow planet killer in their arsenal of ships. Several interesting characters are introduced including a return to the series of the Techno Mages.

A Call to Arms is brave in that Earth doesn't win this conflict - watch to find out how they loose.

Co starring Tony Todd


Regards Neil

[struth]

Good film. It was also the basis for the film version of Dad's Army.

Yes, I guess it was...never thought of that

[struth]

Babylon 5 - A Call to Arms. (Watch HD now)

Excellent film that sets up the sadly short run series Crusade. Crusade was cancelled half way through the first series - just as it got going. Ancient allies of The Shadows - the Drakh - begin attacking and destroying worlds with Earth on the list. Two new prototype Earth vessels Excalibur and Victory combining Earth, Vorlon and Mimbari technology are all that stand between Earth and the Drakh.

Call to Arms is an excellent space opera, with excellent space battles and impossible odds of winning as the Drakh have a massive advantage with a Shadow planet killer in their arsenal of ships. Several interesting characters are introduced including a return to the series of the Techno Mages.

A Call to Arms is brave in that Earth doesn't win this conflict - watch to find out how they loose.

Co starring Tony Todd


Regards Neil

The boy has not started watching B5 yet, as he is still wading through The witch thing, Charmed...he loves that. He's looking forward to it though.

[struth]

Tonight Ronald Neame directs the film of James Kennaway's novel and screenplay "Tunes of Glory" (1960)starring Alec Guinness and John Mills. Shot at Shepperton Studios in London, and on location around but not in Stirling Castle asthe original cooperation was withdrawn after the commanding officer saw the cover of the paperback book (the big Jessie).

James Kennaway, who adapted the screenplay from his novel, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, but lost to Elmer Gantry. It also received numerous BAFTA nominations, including Best Film, Best British Film, Best British Screenplay and Best Actor nominations for both Guinness and Mills.

The film was the official British entry at the 1960 Venice Film Festival, and John Mills won the Best Actor award there.That same year the film was named "Best Foreign Film" by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. It was also the first role for Susannah York who plays Big Morag

Although the name of the Highland regiment portrayed is never mentioned, the screenwriter served in the Gordon Highlanders. However, the same regimental tartan (designed for this film) and bonnet badges were worn by the Highland regiment in Carry On Up the Khyber (1968), so the regiment in Tunes of Glory may well be the "3rd Foot & Mouth."

In one of the venomous exchanges between the Scots pipe-major Duncan Macrae (nice to hear the lamenting voice of Duncan) and the English RSM (Percy Herbert), the former advises the latter to go and watch his television set, adding, "Muffin the Mule is on at four o'clock". This refers to a famous British children's program of the early 1950s, which was presented by Annette Mills - the sister of John Mills, who plays the colonel of the regiment in this film.

A real bad piece of work is Guinness's role and although initially one feels sympathy for him, it does turn to poor old Mills as he is basically destroyed by Jock Sinclair.(well he didnae win the DSO and MM to be pushed about by guy who does not like bawdy highland dancing. ..one of my favourite films of type, and not untypical of military life at the time.

[Macca]

Not seen that film in years but I remember it as being awesome.

[struth]

Not seen that film in years but I remember it as being awesome.

It was very good. First time for a few years now myself. Top marks from me.


now tonight I'm watching the docu drama "The Great Indian Wars" made in 1991 and written by Marlene Carabello who was a consultant on a few other such projects. Narrated by the oft TV series writer Jack Hanrahan with scenes from Lloyd Bridges and Jim Davis (uncredited of course), this is a much better program than it was given credit for.

Now, as you know All White Men are Devils and speak with forked tongue so lets go kill'em

[Roy S]

Sky Arts 1 HD - Janis Joplin & Big Brother - 900 Nights

Rip Torn narrates a profile of 1960s San Francisco rock band Big Brother and the Holding Company, who rose to fame as the backing group for rebellious soul singer Janis Joplin. Guitarists Sam Andrew and James Gurley, bassist Peter Albin and drummer Dave Getz reflect on the history of their band and reveal how Joplin at first fitted into their style of music, then changed it, before finally growing out of it