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Non Piss-Poor British Films

Started by Rizla, August 14, 2018, 12:01:46 AM

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Bronzy


Brundle-Fly

Quote from: Sin Agog on August 15, 2018, 12:04:39 AM
Whistle And I'll Come to You and The Innocents are two more Brit horrors that overload on atmosphere.  Talking of whistling, Whistle Down the Wind.

! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I91gVdG2_Q

Ouch, you just reminded me. Last week I was chatting in a bar with this film critic and informed him one of the scariest films I ever watched as a kid was Whistle Down The Wind when I meant Whistle And I'll Come To You.

Whistle Down The Wind could have been a great horror classic if Alan Bates's escaped convict character told the children he was Satan instead of Jesus, perhaps?

Sin Agog

Quote from: Brundle-Fly on August 15, 2018, 02:26:00 PM
Ouch, you just reminded me. Last week I was chatting in a bar with this film critic and informed him one of the scariest films I ever watched as a kid was Whistle Down The Wind when I meant Whistle And I'll Come To You.

Whistle Down The Wind could have been a great horror classic if Alan Bates's escaped convict character told the children he was Satan instead of Jesus, perhaps?

Haha, the only reason why I mentioned Whistle Down the Wind was because I initally wrote: "The Innocents and Whistle Down the Wind," before correcting it, then thinking, wait...I love that bloody movie as well!  Did that film critic catch your mistake?  Bet he didn't.

I know I've mentioned it before, but the BFI Flipside series has tons of forgotten classics worthy of featuring in this thread.  Think Herostratus may be my favourite, but there are loads more keepers in here: https://letterboxd.com/lemoncurry/list/the-complete-bfi-flipside/

Norton Canes

Quote from: St_Eddie on August 14, 2018, 08:34:44 PM
Anything and everything by Mike Leigh.  Naked is probably my favourite, closely followed by Happy-Go-Lucky

Agreed. Life Is Sweet is my favourite.

pigamus

Does anybody else like Career Girls? I must be the only one.

St_Eddie

Quote from: pigamus on August 17, 2018, 11:55:45 PM
Does anybody else like Career Girls? I must be the only one.

I thought that I heard an old lady mention it, when I was in the hairdressers one time but to be honest, she may have been asking for 'austere curls'.

New Jack

Quote from: St_Eddie on August 14, 2018, 08:34:44 PM
Anything and everything by Mike Leigh.  Naked is probably my favourite, closely followed by Happy-Go-Lucky.

I want a crossover sequel to both! A shared universe! Fucking hell, imagine.

It's funny seeing the kind of people online who hate Happy Go Lucky. They sound like such cunts. Eddie Marsan does a superb turn as well.

Naked is one of those films I watched in my 20s and has resonated ever since.

They're not perfect. In HGL the love interest is a bit bland and perfunctory although how they meet really fleshes Poppy out dealing with something horrible, I've seen people slate the tramp scene but I've done things exactly like that (though I'm not a lady, it didn't strike me as particularly impossible). Landlord in Naked also strikes me as a bit pointless. But I just love Johnny, and the loons he meets, and the philosophy he recycles.

Superb films though. Leigh is ace. Nice fucking interesting doses of reality, that's what they give me.

#37
Ignore this space.

St_Eddie

#38
Quote from: New Jack on August 18, 2018, 12:22:07 AM
It's funny seeing the kind of people online who hate Happy Go Lucky. They sound like such cunts.

There's a great quote from Mike Leigh that I'm having trouble finding now but he said something along the lines of "a lot of people watch the film and have a real problem with Poppy.  They hate her and her outlook on life.  As far as I'm concerned, they're the ones with the problem".

It's absolutely true.  Anyone who hates Poppy and her approach to and outlook on life, is likely an absolute arsehole, in my opinion.  The world would be an infinitely better place, with more people like her.

Quote from: New Jack on August 18, 2018, 12:22:07 AMNaked is one of those films I watched in my 20s and has resonated ever since.

Yes, it hits uncomfortably close to home at times but then again, a great deal of Mike Leigh's films do.

Quote from: New Jack on August 18, 2018, 12:22:07 AM...I've seen people slate the tramp scene but I've done things exactly like that (though I'm not a lady, it didn't strike me as particularly impossible).

Who the fuck complains about that scene?!  Poppy is exactly the sort of person whom would do such a thing.  She sees the best in people and always assumes that people's motivations are as innocent as her own and then suddenly, she has a moment of realisation that she could potentially be in a very dangerous situation.  The clue's in the title of the film!  Honestly.

Like yourself (and Poppy), I've done things like that too, many times over.  Part of me knows that I need to stop being so trusting of others, for my own safety but the other part of me thinks 'why should I automatically assume the worst in people?  What kind of way is that to live and more importantly, what kind of a way is that to treat other people?'.  If I end up dying, after being stabbed in a dark alley by some stranger I've lent an ear to and opened my heart to, then so be it.  At least I didn't live my life, treating those around me with wary contempt.

Quote from: goinggoinggone on August 18, 2018, 12:29:14 AM
Ignore this space.

Very apt username.

Very ironic considering you went on to reply to me in the other thread that I confused this with.

chveik

Quote from: pigamus on August 17, 2018, 11:55:45 PM
Does anybody else like Career Girls? I must be the only one.

Sure, it's really good.

Phil_A

Quote from: New Jack on August 18, 2018, 12:22:07 AM
I want a crossover sequel to both! A shared universe! Fucking hell, imagine.

It's funny seeing the kind of people online who hate Happy Go Lucky. They sound like such cunts. Eddie Marsan does a superb turn as well.

Naked is one of those films I watched in my 20s and has resonated ever since.

They're not perfect. In HGL the love interest is a bit bland and perfunctory although how they meet really fleshes Poppy out dealing with something horrible, I've seen people slate the tramp scene but I've done things exactly like that (though I'm not a lady, it didn't strike me as particularly impossible). Landlord in Naked also strikes me as a bit pointless. But I just love Johnny, and the loons he meets, and the philosophy he recycles.

Superb films though. Leigh is ace. Nice fucking interesting doses of reality, that's what they give me.

Always amuses me that the next time Thewlis and Bremner acted together was 24 years later, in Wonder Woman of all things. Couldn't be further from Naked, really.

St_Eddie

Quote from: goinggoinggone on August 18, 2018, 01:49:00 AM
Very ironic considering you went on to reply to me in the other thread that I confused this with.

Ha!  I'm continually getting the two threads confused with each other as well.

Sin Agog

Quote from: Phil_A on August 18, 2018, 11:04:13 AM
Always amuses me that the next time Thewlis and Bremner acted together was 24 years later, in Wonder Woman of all things. Couldn't be further from Naked, really.

I don't know, drop the shield and remove about twelve grams of spandex and you're pretty close.

New Jack

#44
Quote from: St_Eddie on August 18, 2018, 12:43:03 AM
There's a great quote from Mike Leigh that I'm having trouble finding now but he said something along the lines of "a lot of people watch the film and have a real problem with Poppy.  They hate her and her outlook on life.  As far as I'm concerned, they're the ones with the problem".

I totally get that. She's a mirror. I think it's people who don't get Leigh, or even know him, too. Because you can't claim he's a director who shies away from anything, even misery if you want to be a bit gauche about it: part of why I love his films is reading into why, and how, and I wouldn't peg Happy Go Lucky as a moral film per se, but there's certainly worse examples you could use if you need something like that. Which I did when I found it!

Quote
Who the fuck complains about that scene?!  Poppy is exactly the sort of person whom would do such a thing.  She sees the best in people and always assumes that people's motivations are as innocent as her own and then suddenly, she has a moment of realisation that she could potentially be in a very dangerous situation.  The clue's in the title of the film!  Honestly.

I've heard serious dismissal on those grounds, but right now I'm chuckling at the low hanging fruit of Amazon one star reviews, they're 21% of the overall votes!

"We wanted a 'feel good' film we could all watch, it started off ok but the constant cheerfulness in the face of adversity and sheer banality was a bit irritating and one by one everyone lost interest so we didn't watch it to the end"

"I have no idea what anyone can find funny in this movie. The characters are unbelievable and unbelievably irritating. They make you cringe rather than laugh. There is nothing to learn from this movie apart from the introduction to the art of flamenco dancing, which was the only scene that i enjoyed in the entire film. Please don't waste your money on this film."

They get better, and worse. Ironically it creases me up, it's just so funny when people miss the point.

QuoteLike yourself (and Poppy), I've done things like that too, many times over.  Part of me knows that I need to stop being so trusting of others, for my own safety but the other part of me thinks 'why should I automatically assume the worst in people?  What kind of way is that to live and more importantly, what kind of a way is that to treat other people?'.  If I end up dying, after being stabbed in a dark alley by some stranger I've lent an ear to and opened my heart to, then so be it.  At least I didn't live my life, treating those around me with wary contempt.

Good on you! I should have met doom many a time. I should have been mugged or stabbed or something by now, but no, nothing to report. Hanging out on drugs, walking through notorious areas at 4am, not worrying. I'm the Poppy in my life. I might have a chip on my shoulder, but one thing I found about Happy Go Lucky it was the yang to Naked's yin. Both realistic, both tug at experiences I think are rare but almost universal, in some odd way.

Mike Leigh makes great films for understanding life. Maybe if you're obsessed with 'sticking a film on' for 'entertainment' you end up, well, leaving one star reviews on Amazon...!

Quote from: Phil_A on August 18, 2018, 11:04:13 AM
Always amuses me that the next time Thewlis and Bremner acted together was 24 years later, in Wonder Woman of all things. Couldn't be further from Naked, really.

Ace! Always glad when Thewlis turns up in something paying well. Haven't seen that yet. I suppose Wonder Woman doesn't walk around at night haranguing strangers with philosophical quips. Then again, Marvel films are a bit like that...

Sally Hawkins seems to be doing alright...!  Eddie Marsan, another one from Leigh's work I'm always overjoyed to see in something bigger. Deadpool 2!

Mike Leigh parts lead to mainstream success, clearly.

Emma Raducanu

I've been watching a fair bit of Mike Leigh recently (mainly his cock and balls) and must admit Life is Sweet is superb. Absolutely loved it; can't believe it took me so long to see it especially when I've such a love in for all things Ken Loach. I've loved KL's lesser known films for ages; raining stones, the angels share etc. Kings among men these lads.

lebowskibukowski

I loved The Young Poisoners Handbook and Let Him Have It when they both came out but haven't seen either since so no idea if they have stood the test of time. Same with Boston Kickout, thinking about it.

St_Eddie

Quote from: New Jack on August 18, 2018, 03:56:33 PM
...I might have a chip on my shoulder, but one thing I found about Happy Go Lucky it was the yang to Naked's yin. Both realistic, both tug at experiences I think are rare but almost universal, in some odd way.

Mike Leigh makes great films for understanding life. Maybe if you're obsessed with 'sticking a film on' for 'entertainment' you end up, well, leaving one star reviews on Amazon...!

I think that you're onto something there.

MortSahlFan

"The Caretaker" w/ Robert Shaw

"Peeping Tom" is another really good one.

chveik

Terence Fisher films
The Servant
Accident
The Duellists
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover

St_Eddie

Quote from: chveik on August 21, 2018, 08:59:02 PM
Terence Fisher films
The Servant
Accident
The Duellists
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover and The Duellists are bloody marvelous films.  Two of my favourites, in fact.  Both films feature horrendous bastards, which unlike in real life, is always a pleasure to see in film.

mothman

Love The Duellists. I almost want to say they don't make them like that anymore, but in truth it feels like there are a handful of well-meaning period pieces turned out every year; none of them are quite like this though.

St_Eddie

Quote from: mothman on August 21, 2018, 10:26:34 PM
Love The Duellists. I almost want to say they don't make them like that anymore, but in truth it feels like there are a handful of well-meaning period pieces turned out every year; none of them are quite like this though.

Well, Ridley Scott certainly doesn't make them like that anymore.  More's the pity.

BeardFaceMan

Twin Town. Yeah, I said it. Not sure how a sequel is going to work though.

itsfredtitmus

Naked is heavily overestimated imo, especially in comparison to the almost never-ending amount of great largely unseen BBC films by Leigh that you get on the BBC boxset. Ray Carney is a nut but he has a smart quip about Naked being a possibly lesser capital-L Leigh film because it would be Scorsese's (or Haneke's, I forget) favourite film by him

If you like Naked, track down Alan Clarke's essential Road from 1987 which sees a fasting David Thewlis playing a similar character to the one in Naked

Emma Raducanu

Watched I, Daniel Blake again yesterday. Just another excellent piece of Ken loach film making. Who is the next Ken loach? I always feel his films carry an important message and I worry who is going to continue on from him. Even just the first scene in the job center is infuriating, soul destroying and yet still manages to be funny.

greenman

Quote from: mothman on August 21, 2018, 10:26:34 PM
Love The Duellists. I almost want to say they don't make them like that anymore, but in truth it feels like there are a handful of well-meaning period pieces turned out every year; none of them are quite like this though.

It does seem though that the idea of really pushing the boat out ala The Duelist, Barry Lydon or Andrei Rublev with period cinema seems to have died out(at least in the west), its shifted more to as you say well meaning, Merchant Ivory style cinema. Maybe its the success of the latter kind of cinema detracting from the genres credibility somewhat or perhaps how much of a test of a directors visual ability it can be?

I'v never seen anything else by Greenaway but Cook, Theif, etc, certainly tempting with the quality of that film but the other stuff seemed more pushed towards more overt modern art of the style I don't have much palate for, anything people would recommend?

Sebastian Cobb

Quote from: DolphinFace on August 28, 2018, 05:34:37 PM
Watched I, Daniel Blake again yesterday. Just another excellent piece of Ken loach film making. Who is the next Ken loach? I always feel his films carry an important message and I worry who is going to continue on from him. Even just the first scene in the job center is infuriating, soul destroying and yet still manages to be funny.

Paddy Consadine I reckon. Both Tyrannosaur and Journeyman have a Loachian gritty bleakness to them. Not as political, granted.

MattD

Quote from: Sebastian Cobb on August 14, 2018, 11:03:01 AM
That Sinking Feeling

A trio of Bill Forsyth films could go here. That Sinking Feeling, Gregory's Girl and in my opinion the greatest British film ever made, Local Hero.

Ken Loach is up there (with Mike Leigh a distant third), but Forsyth for these three films alone is a bonafide genius and takes number one spot.

a duncandisorderly

Quote from: MattD on August 31, 2018, 01:30:38 AM
A trio of Bill Forsyth films could go here. That Sinking Feeling, Gregory's Girl and in my opinion the greatest British film ever made, Local Hero.

Ken Loach is up there (with Mike Leigh a distant third), but Forsyth for these three films alone is a bonafide genius and takes number one spot.

"comfort & joy" was excellent too.