The British are coming!

[litlover12]

I've decided I want to start watching more classic British films. A lot more. Every time I catch one on TCM or wherever (Kind Hearts and Coronets, So Long at the Fair, The Third Man, Stage Fright, Night Train to Munich, etc., etc.), seems like I end up being absolutely crazy about it. And their actors are splendid -- Alastair Sim (a.k.a. Awesome Dude), Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood, Dirk Bogarde, Dorothy Tutin, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway . . . I don't think I've seen one yet that I didn't like. Obviously we had some pretty magnificent stars on this side of the pond in the good old days, but it's kind of cool that there's this whole other pool of talent that I've only just begun to explore.

Plus, Audrey Hepburn had bit parts in a few British films before she hit it big over here, so it's always fun to be on the lookout for her!

I've found the BFI's list of the top 100 British films, which I plan to use as a guide of sorts. I say "of sorts" because I have no intention of following it slavishly. I won't watch animal movies, and I won't watch anything overly violent or sexual (here's looking at you, James Bond) or anything that would scare the daylights out of me (forget it, Don't Look Now), or anything that looks too boring. (I haven't made up my mind yet whether Lawrence of Arabia will make the cut. Every scene I've ever seen from it so far has bored me silly.) Plus there are films that aren't on the list that I want to see. But it looks like a pretty good place to start.

I shall keep you all posted on any particularly interesting viewing experiences -- assuming you want to be kept posted, that is! :-) And I'd be grateful for recommendations from anyone who has some!

Comments

[impulsereader.livejournal.com]

Fabulous. I'm looking forward to reading your reactions. I thought about you when Reese was informed that he was a fan of Hitchcock films this week. :-) I have that issue up in a tab awaiting my attention.

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I liked that. :-) Clever move on Finch's part -- so many people are fond of Hitchcock films!

[middlegirl.livejournal.com]

Have you seen "Anne of the Thousand Days"? It stars Richard Burton as Henry VIII and Genevieve Bujold as Anne Boleyn and focuses on pretty much the whole of their relationship. It romanticizes some parts and glosses over others, but they weren't going for 100% accuracy. It was my favorite telling of Anne's story until "The Tudors."

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

Only snippets of it. I do want to see the whole thing, so thank you for reminding me! Tudor history plus Richard Burton = must see, as far as I'm concerned. :-)

[digne.livejournal.com]

I loved that film! I saw it years and years ago though.

[digne.livejournal.com]

That BFI list is kind of strange. Not the order I would go at all. I'd never heard of The Third Man. I'd have put Lawrence of Arabia at No 1. You must watch the whole thing. It's stunning.

I'd love to hear your comments as you go through the list. There may be things I'll want to see if you like them.

It's also funny to see the crossover on that list with the AFI list. Both include The Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFI%27s_100_Years...100_Movies


p.s.: Don't Look Now -- Yet another example of Hitchcock going fanboy on Daphne Du Maurier (Rebecca, The Birds and Jamaica Inn).

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

Oh, you should see "The Third Man"! It is just marvelous. With quite possibly the weirdest soundtrack of all time . . . but it's just weird enough to work. :-)

"Don't Look Now" isn't Hitchcock, although that brings up an interesting thought -- what would it have been like if Hitch HAD made it? Far different from the version that actually did get made, I imagine. (From all the descriptions I've heard, the film is so freaky and horrific that it'd scar me for life!)

[digne.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I get all of du Maurier's short stories mixed up.

[nuranar.livejournal.com]

Oh, gosh, don't miss Lawrence. It's not something that breaks up in bits well, but the whole thing is amazing.

(And yes, The Third Man is terrific.)

I've seen a few others of these, and they were all terrific. The 39 Steps, Bridge on the River Kwai, Zulu, Chariots of Fire, The Lady Vanishes... I'd add The Battle of Britain as well, personally.

[rachkmc.livejournal.com]

i love love love lawrence of arabia!!! don't watch brief encounter. that movie sets me in all states of depression.