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taffy_turner
I'm not so fussed on the current American Films, especially the remakes and part 2, 3, 4 etc type dross!
Reviews
Driving Ambition (1984)
Typical 1980's TV Series, But Still Worth A Watch
The 1980's isn't a favourite decade for me (or the UK for that matter), but this TV series was a break from the norm which was endless brain dead soap opera's.
Okay the premise of a bored house wife spending thousands to get her battered but loved Mini converted into a racing car with winning potential is just a bit unlikely. Especially when it means she sells virtually all the families possessions and runs the risk of getting into terrible debt.
Then there's the set backs like the fact the Mini gets stolen and damaged, so much of the work and expense was for nothing. But against all the odds she's still intent on living her dream and doesn't give up.
Driving Ambition was spread over 8 episodes and originally shown between 3/3/84 - 21/4/84. But it did get repeated at least once around 1992 on the Sky Satellite channel 'UKGold'.
It's still an enjoyable series, even if Nicky Henson looks horrendous as the token Mr Big of the racing world. Which is something he fails to pull off and he just looks like an appalling yuppie with no dress sense at all instead (to think he's ashamed of himself in the 1972 classic British 'B' movie 'Pychomania'. God knows what he'd think of himself if he ever gets to see this series again).
Anyway apart from the 1980's naffness (which isn't seen too much on screen), this was probably one of the best TV series of the 1980's and on the whole the actors did a fine job. Especially Gavin Richards who played the ex-racing driver and racing car builder 'Ken Lark', who after a brief successful racing career of his own had turned cynical and quite unpleasant to the outside world. But he came good in the end and helped the housewife live her dream.
The only major gripe I have (if you can call it that) is the fact that for the last episode they gave the whole show away by giving it the title "A Class Of Their Own".
So if you like watching a bit of motor racing, someone battling against the odds or are just a Mini enthusiast, then this series will certainly appeal to you.
The cast list on this website isn't very accurate (to say the least), so check this title out on the BFI (British Film Industry) site which is far more accurate and provides greater cast detail.
Vive le sport (1969)
A Rare Swinging Sixties Mini British Classic
If you love films featuring classic Mini Cooper action, pretty girls and great scenery then you're sure to love this short British film.
There's not a word spoken throughout the film though, but that doesn't detract from the fun element and the excellent camera work.
It's an easy story to follow anyway and what could appear to be sinister at first, what with lots of dodgy men chasing the 2 girls in the Mini Cooper, actually turns out be far more bizarre instead. Especially since this film was made some 40 years ago.
I don't think Europe has looked so attractive and they've captured a fair amount of it, whilst somehow managing to condense what could be a full feature length film into 25 minutes.
I believe the time has come for an official DVD release of this film, especially since it's celebrating it's 40th anniversary this year and the original Mini is celebrating it's 50th.
Straight on Till Morning (1972)
British Classic
I hadn't seen this movie for decades because it hasn't been shown on terrestrial TV for years, but I decided to buy the Region 1 DVD release (there's no official Region 2 UK release as yet) and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Well it's difficult to dislike Rita Tushingham in any film, but it's directed in such a great style by the late/great Peter Collinson (director of The Italian Job (1969)fame), with a bleak beginning that could only be Britian of the 1960's/1970's and with a real snap shot of how things were in London back then.
This is a very different type of film from Hammer, when compared to their usual offerings and must have been truly shocking back then with it's level of cruelty, but it's a classic movie you simply have to own and the fact it's unavailable in the UK (the very place it was made & with an all British cast) is scandalous.
I Start Counting (1970)
A late Sixties Treat!
I first saw this movie when I was 14 back in the summer of 1982 and after recently tracking down a copy from a collector, I still found much to enjoy today too. In fact i've been keeping my eye open for a reshowing of this film ever since as we didn't get our first video recorder until late 1982 and so I was unable to record it off air, but sadly so far it hasn't been reshown!
Anyway for a start this movie was made in 1969 and is very contemporary too so there's lots of images from that time making this a neat little snap-shot of how Britain used to be, with old houses being cleared to make way for shiny modernist high-rise flats on large estates with shopping precincts and groovy record shops playing Jimi Hendrix tracks (which I love along with all the music played). Then the main star of the show is a teenage Jenny Agutter, clearly showing how talented she is even at such a young age playing the part of the main character Wynne. I now have a daughter myself whose around that age and watching Jenny act and behave is like a mirror image of my own daughter.
Others who have left reviews here have made mistakes and it was definitely her older step brother who Wynne thought was the killer and the creepy bus conductor was played by Simon Ward.
This movie needs to be commercially released soon as it's a British Classic, Jenny Agutter is awesome and I agree that the theme tune is fantastic too!
The Cement Garden (1993)
Haunting, Hypnotic And Surreal, A Real British Classic!
This amazing ground breaking film is based on Ian McEwan's award winning novel about four children (2 who are in their late teen's) who after the death of their mother fear foster homes and separation and as such keep the death a secret and withdraw into their own shadowy world and whilst that novel is an excellent read, this film offers so much, much more...
For a start it features excellent actors including Sinead Cusack who expertly plays the mother, but the real stars of this film are the children: Jack, Julie, Sue and Tom with Jack played by Andrew Robertson and Julie played by Charlotte Gainsbourg both being the main focus of the film and who are both incredibly photogenic and simply steal the show proving what fantastically accomplished young actors they really are.
Then there's the films musical score which is absolutely astounding, it's haunting for the best part of the film and tears at your heartstrings at times but it simply oozes atmosphere throughout and just adds to the overall surreal effect of this movie and is the best orchestrated score I have ever heard.
Then there's the film itself, which will be familiar if you've read the book, it's commonly thought to be set during the long hot summer of 1976, hottest summer on record being mentioned during the course of the movie but the fashions/styles are more of a 1960's/1970's pastiche. But this is of course a movie for adults and justifies it's 18 rating as it does contain a few shock moments, most notably the ending which although breaks a taboo is handled quite beautifully. Nevertheless there is so many visual treats shown throughout this movie, from the dark atmospheric reaction close ups on Jack's face which are accompanied by that heart string tearing music, to Jack's surreal seaside past dreams/flash-back sequences and not to mention the mothers death, which is upsetting enough to see and feel the youngsters loss, but when Jack and Julie have to move her body it's hard to keep a dry eye at the sight of Jack's despair and as always the movie score builds to see that. There's also the excellent camera work used to highlight the urban ruin that is their home/surroundings and the long shots of the children (notably Jack) walking to and from school are awe inspiring. OK I could go on but that would be a spoiler and you need to watch this movie to really appreciate it anyway.
So overall this movie does much more than bring Ian McEwan's novel to the screen and although it has some uncomfortable to watch scenes it is on the whole a very beautiful film which has the effect of growing on you and becomes more enjoyable with each viewing, something you can't say for many films made nowadays. It also truly deserves to be given the label of British Classic as it's been made with such care and to such a high standard with the excellent actors, the astounding musical score, the awe inspiring camera-work and of course the award winning story itself, I really can't praise it highly enough.
The only disappointing aspect of this release by Cinema Club is the lack of extras offered, it would have been nice to have a commentary from the main cast as would seeing them reunited to offer their views and memories of the movie. A feature on the making of the movie would have been great, perhaps showing the location used in London and how it appears today and a music only option highlighting the awe inspiring orchestrated musical score would have been a treat too. There's also a rumour that a large scene was deleted from the movie, so having the option to view that would have been nice. Then there's the picture quality, which is of a good standard even when viewed on a large wide-screen TV although it does appear slightly grainy if viewed close up so I doubt it got much of a digital re-mastered makeover and the soundtrack is also good here offered in Dolby Digital Stereo but it would have been so much better if it was in 5.1. OK maybe I'm nitpicking and a second disc full of extras might be a pipe dream but that would have been excellent all the same and who knows maybe one day that will happen.
In any case for now it's an absolute treat that Cinema Club has made this movie available on DVD and so don't just take my word for it, buy it and let it attack your senses too, you won't be disappointed and if you don't feel touched by the visuals and music of this powerful drama then your not human.