Recommended Television Programmes

[Serial_Apologist]

Just started on London Live: All Night Long, featuring, among others, Dave Brubeck and Charles Mingus. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Ni...ng_(1962_film)

Worth watching for the 1962 decor, the period dress codes, the Anglo-American slang adaptations, and the music, but not much else! Oh and for Patrick McGoohan's drums playing right at the end!

There's a story about Charles Mingus coming from appearing in that film. Several years on, he is said to have turned up to play at Ronnie Scott's, walked on stage brandishing a letter at the audience with words to the effect that "I just got this tax demand from your queen", and then proceeded to bash hell out of his double bass! Whether or not the instrument survived the attack was not mentioned.

[Bryn]

Worth watching for the 1962 decor, the period dress codes, the Anglo-American slang adaptations, and the music, but not much else! Oh and for Patrick McGoohan's drums playing right at the end!

There's a story about Charles Mingus coming from appearing in that film. Several years on, he is said to have turned up to play at Ronnie Scott's, walked on stage brandishing a letter at the audience with words to the effect that "I just got this tax demand from your queen", and then proceeded to bash hell out of his double bass! Whether or not the instrument survived the attack was not mentioned.

A very fair assessment, I's say.

[muzzer]

London Live throws up some really odd and rare films and series, but it seems hard to set a series link for some reason. Talking Pictures TV also great, am enjoying Secret Army. Had forgotten how much of a childhood crush I had on Natalie.

[johncorrigan]

London Live throws up some really odd and rare films and series, but it seems hard to set a series link for some reason. Talking Pictures TV also great, am enjoying Secret Army. Had forgotten how much of a childhood crush I had on Natalie.

I chanced on the first ever episode of 'The Champions' on Talking Pictures TV the other night. I had never really understood the premise of this programme. I always remember it being a bit fakey and I didn't like the main guy, Stuart Damon. I know that it contains some elements that might be considered inappropriate these days, but I found it unbelievably sexist, the way they talked to Alexandra Bastedo - quite cringe-worthy. Quite funny however was Felix Aylmer as some kind of long-haired ethereal Tibetan monk who gives them super powers, and Bert Kwouk playing the baddie, a racially stereotyped Chinese Major. Quite liked the theme tune, mind you. Don't think I'll be turning up for more.

[Keraulophone]

Chanced upon this 2017 release (BBC2, Tuesday night) and couldn't take my eyes off it. Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread is graced by the final movie appearance of Daniel Day-Lewis, playing a celebrated dress designer in a beautifully realised tale of haute couture in London in the 1950s.
Highly recommended.

27 more days to watch on iPlayer:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qrz4

Official trailer: https://youtu.be/xNsiQMeSvMk

[Belgrove]

Chanced upon this 2017 release (BBC2, Tuesday night) and couldn't take my eyes off it. Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread is graced by the final movie appearance of Daniel Day-Lewis, playing a celebrated dress designer in a beautifully realised tale of haute couture in London in the 1950s…

This was discussed and recommended by some of us on the Film thread. It is one of the finest films made this century. I think it’s stature will grow with the passing years, rather like Vertigo. It definitely has Hitchcockian resonances. It repays repeated viewings to reveal its layers, and has a sublime score (I congratulated someone playing Jonny Greenwood’s evocative theme tune on one of the honky-tonk pianos at St Pancras Station, he seemed surprised I recognised it!).

[Keraulophone]

This was discussed and recommended by some of us on the Film thread. It is one of the finest films made this century.

Thank you, I eventually found your #376.

I didn't get any of Nick's Mahler, but agree with Conchis (banned?!) about the ending: "her marriage to Woodock seemed to be utterly sterile and artificial - based on her need to be needed and his to be 'looked after' by a nurturing female ... the final fifteen minutes or so felt a little contrived, as if the director/writer didn't know how to bring the film to a conclusion, given that there could be no question of a straightforward 'happy ending' ".

Despite this, I loved the film and will certainly watch it again before the time limit on iPlayer is up.

I hadn't realised that the director coped without his usual cinematographer - none is credited. This explains how Anderson did it: https://youtu.be/8dmxrBwbseI
.

[kernelbogey]

This [Phantom Thread] was discussed and recommended by some of us on the Film thread. It is one of the finest films made this century. I think it’s stature will grow with the passing years, rather like Vertigo. It definitely has Hitchcockian resonances. It repays repeated viewings to reveal its layers, and has a sublime score (I congratulated someone playing Jonny Greenwood’s evocative theme tune on one of the honky-tonk pianos at St Pancras Station, he seemed surprised I recognised it!).

I watched this last night in response to this and related posts here; I had a strong negative reaction to it, probably at some personal level. I'd be interested in a link to the discussion on the film thread, which I could not find. I may then have more to say about my reaction.

[Belgrove]

I watched this last night in response to this and related posts here; I had a strong negative reaction to it, probably at some personal level. I'd be interested in a link to the discussion on the film thread, which I could not find. I may then have more to say about my reaction.

Here, and subsequent posts:

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?7170-Films-you-ve-seen-lately&p=662978#post662978

I’m interested to learn of your reaction to it kernelbogey.

[johncorrigan]

Watched a couple of episodes of ITV's remake of 'The Ipcress File' with Joe Cole as Harry Palmer. I enjoyed it very much - looked good and some fine performances including the excellent Tom Hollander as spy master. I'll certainly be watching more of this.

[kernelbogey]

Here, and subsequent posts:

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?7170-Films-you-ve-seen-lately&p=662978#post662978

I’m interested to learn of your reaction to it kernelbogey.

Many thanks for the link: I'll need to keep thinking about my reaction.

[kernelbogey]

Here, and subsequent posts:

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?7170-Films-you-ve-seen-lately&p=662978#post662978

I’m interested to learn of your reaction to it kernelbogey.

i took an intense dislike to the lead character immediately - I found the Breakfast scenes painful to watch - and this blinded me to the merits of the film, which in an objective way I could see. (I remember having something of a similar reaction to There Will Be Blood.) Something very personal was triggered and I feel that I can't write usefully about the film.

[Belgrove]

i took an intense dislike to the lead character immediately - I found the Breakfast scenes painful to watch - and this blinded me to the merits of the film, which in an objective way I could see. (I remember having something of a similar reaction to There Will Be Blood.) Something very personal was triggered and I feel that I can't write usefully about the film.

Perhaps an obliging host can transfer the posts here to ‘Phantom Thread’ to the film thread, where the discussion of this film originated and can continue? Feel free to delete this post if you do so.

[johncorrigan]

Mrs C and I have been struggling a bit to find TV that we both fancy watching - we did enjoy 'Ipcress File', and she's watched a couple of thigs she fancied - we abandoned 'Chloe' and 'Split'. However, last night we decided to have a try at 'Life After Life' on BBC2 - I'm not sure I completely understand it, but we're both really enjoying the look and the acting and the strange ideas. Only a four-parter, so we're only halfway through.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0bqjrnm

[Nick Armstrong]

Mrs C and I have been struggling a bit to find TV that we both fancy watching - we did enjoy 'Ipcress File', and she's watched a couple of thigs she fancied - we abandoned 'Chloe' and 'Split'. However, last night we decided to have a try at 'Life After Life' on BBC2 - I'm not sure I completely understand it, but we're both really enjoying the look and the acting and the strange ideas. Only a four-parter, so we're only halfway through.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0bqjrnm

Yes, the version of Ipcress File on ITV was surprisingly well done.

Currently entirely watching Netflix & Amazon Prime for drama series - nothing’s on ‘series record’ on terrestrial tv