Films you've seen lately

[Petrushka]

A Frederick Forsyth spy story I’d never encountered before:

The Fourth Protocol

Surprised it’s not better known... to me, anyway: not as classic as Day of the Jackal, but better than The Odessa File (which I think are his two best-known).

Good stuff, a young pre-Bond Pierce Brosnan as a crack Soviet agent on a mission in the UK, and Michael Caine as the British agent pitted against him. Fun to see Ian Richardson on classic ‘secret service chief’ form.

Interesting scene filmed during a concert in the Barbican Hall (Sibelius violin concerto, with Vengerov (?)), the posters visible in the foyer for the ‘Mahler, Vienna and the Twentieth Century’ festival dating filming to 1985 (fond memories of many visits to concerts in that series).

The film was on Talking Pictures TV a week or two ago and will doubtless pop up again. Definitely worth a couple of hours’ winter viewing.

I read the book when it first came out but have never seen the film. I'll look out for the Barbican scene as I, too, attended a few of those Mahler concerts.

Incidentally, I was in London in May 2012 when they were filming 'I Give It a Year' in Charing Cross Road. On another occasion, the British Medical Association building near Tavistock Square was mocked up as the US Embassy for filming while I was there but I never discovered what film it was.

Anyone else wandered on to a film shoot without at first realising it?

[johncorrigan]

In 1979, before he made 'Gregory's Girl' and 'Local Hero', Bill Forsyth worked with a bunch of young Glasgow folk to create 'That Sinking Feeling' about a hapless gang of youths who come up with an idea to steal a quantity of kitchen sinks. The film was set in the streets of Glasgow and Forsyth made it with virtually no budget. I hadn't seen it in years. It was on the BBC Scotland Channel last night. I'd forgotten how funny it is.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000q17w

[gurnemanz]

Watched Asif Kapadia's Oscar-winning Maradona film on Channel Four last night. (Change of programme I'm glad I spotted, but still available to download). Fascinating footage, some rather depressing. I read the comment that if he had chosen to play for Juventus rather than Napoli he would still be alive. Later apologised for and irrelevant but possibly not without a grain of truth.

[richardfinegold]

Anyone else wandered on to a film shoot without at first realising it?[/QUOTE]

Several times in Chicago, particularly on Sunday mornings. Usually these films don’t come out until a few years later and if we see them it provokes a fleeting recognition of a day when we had to take a detour when meeting people for brunch or whatever we were up to on a Sunday morning.
We live seven miles due west of the loop near an elevated train line. There is an abandoned candy factory about midway in that was used for filming one of the Batman movies (The Dark Knight). For weeks one could see the bustling about from the train.
I had a Piano teacher whose house exterior was used as the family home for the movie Ferris Bueler’s Day Off. When they were approached by the production company they were thrilled, and no doubt enticed by the money offered (this occurred before I took my lessons there). They wound up regretting it as the production went on months longer than promised, their yard was taken up with equipment, portable toilets, etc.
A few weeks ago someone left a flier in our door stating that our home had been scouted by a production company, we might be lucky enough to be chosen, blah, blah. My wife was excited but remembering my teacher’s tales I immediately ripped it up.

[gradus]

The actual Tony Hancock in that characterisation, I thought, or pretty close.

My reaction too.

[Serial_Apologist]

The Monsieur Hulot film "Mon Oncle" (1955) - still hilarious, even though I've watched it many many times.

[johncorrigan]

The Monsieur Hulot film "Mon Oncle" (1955) - still hilarious, even though I've watched it many many times.

Always a joy, S_A.

[Bryn]

The Monsieur Hulot film "Mon Oncle" (1955) - still hilarious, even though I've watched it many many times.

The Blu-ray Tati boxed set is a real treasure. I hate to think what they might charge for it now. I paid £35.20 (including p&p) 5 years ago.

[Serial_Apologist]

The Blu-ray Tati boxed set is a real treasure. I hate to think what they might charge for it now. I paid £35.20 (including p&p) 5 years ago.

Pfff!!!!!

Just as well I videotaped it off the telly, way back when, then.

[Bryn]

Pfff!!!!!

Just as well I videotaped it off the telly, way back when, then.

Not it but them. Basically every film he directed, beautifully restored, with 3 versions of Jour de fête, 2 of Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot, 2 of Mon Oncle, and 1 each of Playtime. Trafic and Parade, 7 early shorts, plus a host of bonus items and a 48 page highly illustrated booklet.

[Dave2002]

The film Balloon, which is currently on BBC Four, is worth watching - https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcfour

We saw it some while ago, while it was still possible to go to a cinema - but it's quite good, and based to a degree on real events.

[Serial_Apologist]

Not it but them. Basically every film he directed, beautifully restored, with 3 versions of Jour de fête, 2 of Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot, 2 of Mon Oncle, and 1 each of Playtime. Trafic and Parade, 7 early shorts, plus a host of bonus items and a 48 page highly illustrated booklet.

Oh... right.

[Serial_Apologist]

The film Balloon, which is currently on BBC Four, is worth watching - https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcfour

We saw it some while ago, while it was still possible to go to a cinema - but it's quite good, and based to a degree on real events.

Well talk of coincidences! I just happened to be watching the French film "Le Ballon Rouge" (1956) earlier tonight.

[gurnemanz]

I recently found a useful link to keep an eye on what Film Four is showing:

https://www.tvguide.co.uk/mobile/channellisting.asp?ch=145#452100084

[Bryn]

I recently found a useful link to keep an eye on what Film Four is showing:

https://www.tvguide.co.uk/mobile/cha...=145#452100084

Thanks for that. Very useful. I now know there are no films on Film Four in the near future that I want to watch (again).