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

[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.