Christmas Films (worth watching)

[everso]

Dec 19, 2011 16:56:26 GMT trubble said:

A couple of us, feeling not unpoorly, and perhaps verging on a little sorry for ourselves, and perhaps resorting to a stiff drink to forget the day, accidentally watched this absolute gem of a crap film.

In fact, it may be the worst film ever made.

An evil gun slingling midget (sic) terrorises a midget town (called Tiny Town), starring an all-midget (sic) cast. If you are not already condemning this film to the bargain basement of hell then I presume you are doing as I did for the fist 10 minutes: staring mouth agog. And then shrieking with laughter, not necessarily for the right reasons.

I don't advise anyone to watch it. Truly I don't.

Except if you've had a few spliffs.



It's the miniature horses that started me off.

- about 5mins in, the cowboys round up a calf. A fcuking calf!
- 7.15-7.35 ish; horse riding skillz fail

It's a kind of 'Bugsy Malone Goes West' - in a strange, Wizard of Oz way.

[trubble]

Yes, Alph, yes. But first we must distract Everso. You look for Steve McQueen pics and I shall start a thread about Christmas at Downton. Hurry, now, hurry. Before she cottons on.

[trubble]

It's a kind of 'Bugsy Malone Goes West' - in a strange, Wizard of Oz way.

What a perfect description.

Only you forgot the acid trip.

Somewhere about the 17 0r 19 minute mark is a scene in a barber shop that makes no sense whatsoever. A strange edit suddenly includes a black kid and a penguin, each slotted in like subliminal advertising. This is never explained and we never see either again.

[rjpageuk]

I have already managed to see Elf this year. For some reason despite the film being completely stupid I cant help but be drawn in to watching it all after it being on 5 mins.

The other film I am forced to watch at Xmas is Jingle all the Way. For some reason Karens kids have decided thats the ultimate Christmas film

[trubble]

Dec 20, 2011 12:22:16 GMT rjpageuk said:

I have already managed to see Elf this year. For some reason despite the film being completely stupid I cant help but be drawn in to watching it all after it being on 5 mins.

Yes, that's it! It's one of those type of films. Lethal.

I think the magic ingredient is Bob Newhart. He is one of the funniest people. His shows from the 60s 70s 80s (??) are classics. The Driving Instructor anyone? This is all from memory of my grandpa's tape collection so I might have the name wrong.

He used to have a show on TV too. He does the best 'lost for words' faces.

The other film I am forced to watch at Xmas is Jingle all the Way. For some reason Karens kids have decided thats the ultimate Christmas film

;D

Kids (not talking about age of, talking about the next generation)are great. They do the most stupidest of things and have the most stupidest of ideas. Parenting is the most bizarre experience anyone could ever have. (Notwithstanding the watching of Terror in Tiny Town).

[everso]

Dec 20, 2011 11:36:29 GMT trubble said:

It's a kind of 'Bugsy Malone Goes West' - in a strange, Wizard of Oz way.

What a perfect description.

Only you forgot the acid trip.

Somewhere about the 17 0r 19 minute mark is a scene in a barber shop that makes no sense whatsoever. A strange edit suddenly includes a black kid and a penguin, each slotted in like subliminal advertising. This is never explained and we never see either again.

The daft thing is that everything's to scale so you wouldn't know these people were midgets anyway.

[aubrey]

BBC2 has a season of Film Noir at something like 1.30 every morning over xmas. There are 4 Fritz Lang films in it, and some others. Not sure when it starts, though. In fact I don't know at all.

[trubble]

Thanks, Aubrey. I would have missed that. I saw that The Big Heat was on last night but I missed it. Didn't realise it was a season.

So, I'm a gangster's girl. I've had it rich and I've had it poor. Believe me, rich is better!

>Here's the listings<

Tonight is:

The Secret Beyond the Door

Tuesday 20 December (1 am, BBC2)

This 1948 pyschological drama is a modern updating of the Bluebeard fairytale. The film stars Joan Bennett as a wealthy woman who suspects her new husband (Michael Redgrave) plans to kill her. This weird and wonderful movie is definitely not your run-of-the-mill thriller, filled with murder, jealousy, hallucination and mental disorder. It’s also set in a mansion of rooms that are replicas of famous murder sites and mistily photographed in black and white by the great Stanley Cortez.

[trubble]

As a series of pictures, lovely, exquisitely dark, art. As a story, ok. Superb examples of melodramatic acting & completely nutbag lines.

She (upon the post marital discovery that he has a 12 year old son): ''Why?! Why??! Why didn't you tell me you'd been married before -- whhhyyy?"

He (casually): "Oh my dear, I just presumed you noticed it on the paperwork when we went to get the marriage licence. I thought you were being tactful when you never mentioned it."

[trubble]

Scarlet Street

Wedneday 21 December (1.10am, BBC2)

• 1945 film noir
  
• based on the French novel La Chienne by Georges de La Fouchardière
  
• seedy thriller
  
• Edward G Robinson as the meek cashier
  
• Joan Bennett as the trollop
  
• reviewed as "amazingly intense"
  

[aubrey]

I forgot last night, dammit.

[trubble]

The little I saw of Scarlet Street didn't look much cop. I don't regret missing it.

Tonight's main feature:

While The City Sleeps

@ the slightly earlier time of 12.40 am.





Based around the Lipstick murders and the newspaper hacks trying to break the story.

Hard to tell if it's worth watching or not. Described as old-fashioned suspense. Could mean anything. Newspaper hacks are always good for a laugh but Vincent Price is putting me off.



By now, I am just looking forward to

"Beyond a Reasonable Doubt"

Christmas Day (1.55am, BBC2)

Pete says: Lang’s last Hollywood film, this twisty 1956 thriller has improved with age. Dana Andrews is well cast as a novelist aiming to prove the law an ass, a role originally intended for Joseph Cotten. But Joan Fontaine seems a little long in the tooth as his fiancée, a part that called for more sparkle. Steve McQueen is supposed to have a tiny role somewhere in this, though you may have to look hard to find him.




I'll be looking.

[everso]

Dec 22, 2011 18:21:32 GMT trubble said:

The little I saw of Scarlet Street didn't look much cop. I don't regret missing it.

Tonight's main feature:

While The City Sleeps

@ the slightly earlier time of 12.40 am.





Based around the Lipstick murders and the newspaper hacks trying to break the story.

Hard to tell if it's worth watching or not. Described as old-fashioned suspense. Could mean anything. Newspaper hacks are always good for a laugh but Vincent Price is putting me off.



By now, I am just looking forward to

"Beyond a Reasonable Doubt"

Christmas Day (1.55am, BBC2)

Pete says: Lang’s last Hollywood film, this twisty 1956 thriller has improved with age. Dana Andrews is well cast as a novelist aiming to prove the law an ass, a role originally intended for Joseph Cotten. But Joan Fontaine seems a little long in the tooth as his fiancée, a part that called for more sparkle. Steve McQueen is supposed to have a tiny role somewhere in this, though you may have to look hard to find him.




I'll be looking.

Anything with Steve in is worth a watch.

[trubble]

;D

[aubrey]

Dana Andrews is good as well:

[Alpha Hooligan]

Watched "The Wild Geese" and "The Most Dangerous Game" last night.






AH

[trubble]

The Wild Geese is sort of Christmassy, I'll give you that one. I watched The Queen. It was just as irritating as the last time I watched it.

Halfway through A Reasonable Doubt. Best of the lot so far.

[Alpha Hooligan]

Well I have to say that the Christmas tele was particularly shite this year...not one good film shown so far.

Thank god for DVD/BD players and the ability to loot stuff for free off the interwires!

Will be watching "Metropolis" (looted) & some of my new "Poirot" DVD's (pressie) tonight.


AH

[Weyland]

Dec 28, 2011 14:05:21 GMT Alpha Hooligan said:

Well I have to say that the Christmas tele was particularly shite this year...not one good film shown so far.

Thank god for DVD/BD players and the ability to loot stuff for free off the interwires!

Will be watching "Metropolis" (looted) & some of my new "Poirot" DVD's (pressie) tonight.

AH

You're right, Alph. Wall-to-wall shite on TV.

Got the whole of DS-9 on DVD last year. No DVDs this year.

But I watched the Bill Bailey boxed set I got for my son. Life-threateningly hilarious. Here's a typical clip . . .

~

I've been playing that Prometheus trailer audio you posted on full volume, with surround-sound including subwoofer. Terrified everyone within range, including the local traffic and livestock. Expecting a call from the RSPCA. Thank you, thank you.

Weyland Yutani
Chairman, CEO, and Commanding General. Not to mention Grand Syndic.

[Alpha Hooligan]

"Dandelion Mind" was on a few nights ago, and I watched another of his live shows earlier on in the year, very funny (and musically talented) chap.

Does the box set have his old TV series on it? (called "is it bill bailey?"), that was also excellent and well worth tracking down if you haven't seen it. Loved him in "Black Books" as well.

P.S. You are most welcome! ;D


AH