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Post by london777 on May 28, 2017 20:48:45 GMT
The purpose of this thread is to stimulate a discussion of British films and hopefully encourage members to watch some with which they are not already familiar.
Choose five from my suggestions and/or suggest your own titles in the thread. "Si Dios quiere" (as they say here on Devil's Island) I will later add films from British directors whose surnames begin with K to Z.
Who qualifies as "British"? There is an easy rule to decide. They are British if I say so. So no Charlie Chaplin (born and lived in England up to the age of 17) who made all his major films in the USA.
I could have claimed Stanley Kubrick, who moved to England to make Lolita in 1961, and rarely left his home, let alone the country, for the next forty years until his death. (I always thought it was ironic that he moved to England to film Nabokov's love letter to the USA, and stayed, whereas a comparable genius, Hitchcock, moved to the US to make that most English of stories, Rebecca, and stayed.) And Kubrick's films became more "European" from the time of the move. But Kubrick's films are well enough known not to need a plug in this thread.
With Hitchcock, I include only those films he made when he was a British citizen (up to 1955).
Please pick your five favorites from my list and mention any serious omissions in the thread. Remember, only directors whose surnames end in A to J.
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Post by movielover on May 28, 2017 20:56:56 GMT
Life of Brian
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Post by london777 on May 28, 2017 21:03:30 GMT
I see someone has already voted for Zulu (1964). Cy Endfield was an American, of course, but as he was driven out of the US by political persecution and found a welcome in the UK I felt entitled to claim him. I do not know if he ever renounced his US citizenship.
He was the subject of one of my greatest embarrassments (which I only now reveal to the world). He used to patronize the bookshop where I worked. For some reason I confused him with James Clavell (author of TaiPan, etc) and we had a silly conversation. He walked out shaking his head. Could have been enough to drive him back to the States. And this was long before I became senile.
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Post by london777 on May 28, 2017 21:13:47 GMT
Not represented: Michael Anderson Started well with Private Angelo (1949) and The House of the Arrow (1953) and followed this with the solid The Dam Busters (1955). Like so many British directors he moved to Hollywood and lost his way, but late in his career he made one film that still has a following, Logan's Run (1976).
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Post by london777 on May 28, 2017 21:23:38 GMT
Not represented: Michael Apted Best known for his TV "Up" documentary series, following the life of the same group of subjects who are interviewed every seven years. He was only the assistant director for the seven-year-olds but has been in the chair ever since (14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, and 56).
His best film is Coal Miner's Daughter (1980), biopic of Loretta Lynn. If he seems an odd choice of director, he was chosen as having no pre-conceived ideas about hillybillies that an American director might have.
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Post by london777 on May 28, 2017 21:27:04 GMT
Not represented: Leslie Arliss A no more than competent director, but notable for having discovered James Mason and elevating him to transatlantic stardom in a series of costume dramas, of which The Wicked Lady (1945) is the best.
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Post by london777 on May 28, 2017 22:12:24 GMT
Oops!
I have somehow omitted Bryan Forbes. His Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964) should definitely have been a poll option. (I don't think I can add an option to a poll once posted?)
He was on a great streak at the start of his directorial career. Other good films were: -- Whistle Down the Wind (1961) -- The L-Shaped Room (1962) -- The Whisperers (1967) -- King Rat (1965) which was everything Stalag 17 should have been, but wasn't.
He lost his way as a director after that, although he did direct one very famous, if mediocre, movie: The Stepford Wives (1975).
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Post by london777 on May 28, 2017 22:28:17 GMT
Not represented: Richard Attenborough I have deliberately omitted from the poll the works of perhaps the most famous and influential figure in British cinema after Hitchcock. He directed 12 films, of which the first 9 are all worth watching. But I cannot honestly say that any one of them ranks among my favorite movies. Maybe it is something to do with trying to please everyone or being careful not to offend anyone. Useful skills for someone who was a national cultural monument, but I like film-makers who take a risk or two. Still, these are good films: -- A Bridge Too Far (1977) -- Gandhi (1982) -- Cry Freedom (1987) -- Chaplin (1992)
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Post by london777 on May 28, 2017 22:48:04 GMT
Not represented: Compton Bennett Like so many here, his career started well then petered out after he moved to the US. His best films are: -- The Seventh Veil (1945) - a load of pseudo-psychological hokum (all the rage at the time) that was a massive hit for the studio and for James Mason in particular. It was a particular bête noire of my father, a very down-to-earth type, who abhorred psychology/psychiatry (all the same thing to him) and loathed James Mason, who always seemed to be on the brink of a supercilious sneer. -- The Years Between (1946) -- So Little Time (1952) -- Daybreak (1948) This is in the Public Domain and available as a free download. Give it a try!
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Post by london777 on May 28, 2017 23:02:10 GMT
Not represented: Kenneth Branagh Branagh's main contribution as a director is filming his way through Bill Shakespeare's back catalog, and some of them are superb. But I have found his films from modern stories less impressive. Let's see how Murder on the Orient Express turns out.
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Post by london777 on May 29, 2017 0:30:14 GMT
Not represented: Stephen Daldry I do not know what to say about this guy. He gets showered with honors for his theater, TV and film work. His first three movies got Best Picture Oscar nominations. Has that ever happened before or since? But apart from The Reader (2008), which I quite liked, he just does not do stuff I am interested in. Little boys? The Royal Family? Menopausal women? No thanks.
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Post by petrolino on May 29, 2017 0:30:53 GMT
Not represented:Michael AptedBest known for his TV "Up" documentary series, following the life of the same group of subjects who are interviewed every seven years. He was only the assistant director for the seven-year-olds but has been in the chair ever since (14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, and 56). His best film is Coal Miner's Daughter (1980), biopic of Loretta Lynn. If he seems an odd choice of director, he was chosen as having no pre-conceived ideas about hillybillies that an American director might have. I like 'Blink' (1993) and 'Nell' (1994). I used to have a massive poster of 'Critical Condition' (1987) on my bedroom wall growing up (big Richard Pryor fan but not his finest hour lol).
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Post by petrolino on May 29, 2017 0:32:26 GMT
Oops! I have somehow omitted Bryan Forbes. His Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964) should definitely have been a poll option. (I don't think I can add an option to a poll once posted?) He was on a great streak at the start of his directorial career. Other good films were: -- Whistle Down the Wind (1961) -- The L-Shaped Room (1962) -- The Whisperers (1967) -- King Rat (1965) which was everything Stalag 17 should have been, but wasn't. He lost his way as a director after that, although he did direct one very famous, if mediocre, movie: The Stepford Wives (1975). A fine director, fur sure. I like 'Whistle Down The Wind', 'Seance On A Wet Afternoon' and 'The Stepford Wives' (1975).
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Post by london777 on May 29, 2017 0:37:42 GMT
Not represented: Bill Forsyth Attracted attention with Gregory's Girl (1980) and followed up with Local Hero (1983). I liked these films but they are very gentle and lightweight. Not inspired to see his later stuff.
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Post by OldAussie on May 29, 2017 1:35:18 GMT
I would have voted King Rat had it been an option. Went for
A Night to Remember Point Blank Zulu The Cruel Sea Rebecca
But I think the next list will blow this lot away - David Lean and Carol Reed, for starters, will dominate.
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Post by manfromplanetx on May 29, 2017 3:16:08 GMT
Peter Greenaway The Draughtsman's Contract (1982) A Zed & Two Noughts (1985) The Belly of an Architect (1987) Drowning by Numbers (1988) The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989) Nightwatching (2007)
Clive Brook has only one Directing Credit but it is a standout British Classic, On Approval he also wrote the screenplay adapting from the play by Frederick Lonsdale and also starred alongside Beatrice Lillie, Googie Withers and Roland Culver.
My favourite... Jack Clayton is The Pumpkin Eater (1964) Anthony Asquith, The Importance of Being Earnest (1952)
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Post by london777 on May 29, 2017 4:30:28 GMT
Peter Greenaway The Draughtsman's Contract (1982) A Zed & Two Noughts (1985) The Belly of an Architect (1987) Drowning by Numbers (1988) The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989) Nightwatching (2007) Clive Brook has only one Directing Credit but it is a standout British Classic, On Approval he also wrote the screenplay adapting from the play by Frederick Lonsdale and also starred alongside Beatrice Lillie, Googie Withers and Roland Culver. My favourite... Jack Clayton is The Pumpkin Eater (1964) Anthony Asquith, The Importance of Being Earnest (1952) The Clive Brook film is a new one to me. I shall look out for it. Exactly the sort of contribution I was looking for when I started this thread. Thanks. I am sorry the criteria prevent you from chipping in with your usual quota of masterpieces from Montenegro or Rwanda. I meant to include The Draughtsman"s Contract as a token Greenaway. If we are to take the path less traveled with Derek Jarman, it is only fair to include a Greenaway.
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Post by manfromplanetx on May 29, 2017 7:35:37 GMT
" I am sorry the criteria prevent you from chipping in with your usual quota of masterpieces from Montenegro or Rwanda. " Thanks my friend had a good laugh, love your sense of humour Surprised you have not seen On Approval a must see! We also love to watch British films here at our place down in OZ, and enjoy many of the little B films from the late 40s and 50s, great entertaining short mid week night watches that we don't have to read or concentrate too much on ! So many B directors who had prolific careers among their varied outputs, some excellent films to discover... Ken Annakin ... Nor the Moon by Night (1958) Daniel Birt ...The Interrupted Journey (1949) John Gilling ... The Voice of Merrill (1952) Ken Hughes ... Wide Boy (1952) Lawrence Huntington ... The Upturned Glass (1947)
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Post by pimpinainteasy on May 29, 2017 11:30:04 GMT
you forgot ALEXANDER MACKENDRICK - he made THE LADYKILLERS and THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT. though he was born in the US. and did make many films over there.
edit: oops. just realized this was a thread for directors with surnames from A to J.
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Post by london777 on May 29, 2017 11:40:20 GMT
We also love to watch British films here at our place down in OZ, and enjoy many of the little B films from the late 40s and 50s, great entertaining short mid week night watches that we don't have to read or concentrate too much on ! So many B directors who had prolific careers among their varied outputs, some excellent films to discover... Daniel Birt ...The Interrupted Journey (1949) Lawrence Huntington ... The Upturned Glass (1947) I watched The Interrupted Journey and The Upturned Glass recently. Both are in the Public Domain and available as free downloads. They both are a bit disjointed which, whether through intention or through limitations of production time and budget, give them an intriguing dreamlike quality. The Mason film is a real oddity. Some of what you saw as B pictures were main releases in the UK. Not only "not seen" but "never heard of". Now you are being insulting. I expect you to expend the same concentration on our feisty little post-war noirs as you would on your latest proud discovery of an Uzbek movie about lesbian amputees.
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