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Post by geometryman on Oct 24, 2019 17:31:10 GMT
I'd be curious to know why US troops and not Australian or New Zealand troops. The Aussies in particular had a pretty substantial force on the ground. Over 50,000 troops I believe. I think because they would have been a lot better appreciated by American troops than by their own countrymen. "At the time, aboriginal people were just gaining basic civil rights, like voting and being counted as Australian citizens. The girls faced intense racism at home, but they took their act all the way to Vietnam to entertain American troops." (quote from this interview with the screenwriter: www.npr.org/2013/03/23/175035616/maori-mentored-soul-singing-mom-inspired-the-sapphires ). Only a tiny minority of the Aussie forces in Vietnam (like 1%) were Aboriginal. |
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Post by yankee on Oct 24, 2019 17:40:56 GMT
Thank you so much for the explanation! I had no idea.
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Post by yankee on Oct 24, 2019 17:51:03 GMT
I don't know that I have ever seen an Australian film about the experiences of their boys in Vietnam. They suffered quite a few losses and many of their vets likely experienced a lot of the same PTSD as the American troops did. I am sure there are stories worth telling.
This film you recommended - thank you by the way - may be the first I have heard of that touches on it at all.
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Post by profbooboo on Nov 2, 2019 20:20:00 GMT
Election
BBC2 at 11:25pm tonight
It stars Matthew Broderick at a teacher and Reece Witherspoon as an over ambitious student who's running for school election. Shes already president of various school clubs and Broderick decides to scupper her chance of winning.
Really good film.
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Post by yankee on Nov 2, 2019 23:42:16 GMT
I enjoyed it as well. Very good black comedy. And the Reese Witherspoon character being so goody two shoes yet having an affair with one of her teachers. He would not only have been sacked but likely in jail for sex with a minor!  |
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Post by profbooboo on Nov 27, 2019 21:03:11 GMT
No Love For Johnnie.
Talking Pictures
10pm - 27th Nov
Great film. Stars Peter Finch as Johnnie.
Johnnie Byrne, a cynical and burnt-out Yorkshire Labour MP, whose career has seemingly stalled due to his ostensibly leftist leanings, is re-elected with the victorious Labour Party after a General Election. Bitter not to receive an invitation to join the Government, his left-wing wife leaves him, and he accepts an invitation to lead a conspiratorial group of MPs working against the centrist government. Mary, the single woman upstairs, adores him but they never quite become a couple. Johnnie falls in love with a 20-year-old student/model Pauline, and misses making an important speech against the Government's militaristic plans because he is in bed with her. His conspirators turn against him and cause his local party to attempt to deselect him. He narrowly escapes a vote of no-confidence in his constituency, and goes in search of Pauline who has ended their relationship, still in love, but knowing it is not the right relationship for her. He goes back home, to find his wife who wants to try again, and she gives him her phone number. The Prime Minister offers him a post, and reveals that the reason Johnnie was not offered one before was due to his wife's communist connections. Johnnie tears up the paper with his wife's phone number and embraces his role in government.
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Post by yankee on Dec 3, 2019 18:43:15 GMT
"JFK"
I have seen this film many times but every time I do I pick up something new.
Oliver Stone loves a good conspiracy and "oh my" there must be at least 30 different conspiracy theories about the assassination put forth in this film.
But just the sheer amount of A-list actors and actresses in this film, many with just short cameos like Walter Matthau, Jack Lemon, Ed Asner, John Candy, Kevin Bacon. Bryan Doyle Murray is terrific in a brief role as Jack Ruby.
The completely over-the-top but brilliant performances by Tommy Lee Jones as Clay Shaw and Joe Pesci as David Ferrie.
Gary Oldman is superb as Lee Harvey Oswald.
Kevin Costner was quite good as Jim Garrison and to his credit seems quite happy to let the other actors steal most scenes from him. Sissy Spacek is wasted a bit as his wife. Not much for her to do in that role but look frustrated that Garrison is never home.
It is a very long film but it is so interesting that the time flies by. In the end, the viewer is none-the-wiser about what happened that November day in 1963, but darn certain that what the Warren Commission concluded is a load of codswallop.
One of my favorite lines from the film is right after Joe Pesci as David Ferrie is being questioned about his whereabouts on the day of the assassination and rambles of this completely scatter-brained and wildly ridiculous story that kept changing directions every few words.
Jim Garrison: "I'm sorry David but we are going to have to detain you."
David Ferrie: "What? Why?"
Jim Garrison: "I simply don't believe your story."
David Ferrie (looking genuinely shocked): "Really?!?...Which part?" 
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Post by beverley61 on Dec 8, 2019 19:11:42 GMT
I went to see Knives Out, a jolly romp of a murder mystery. Well done by the entire ensemble and worthy of an afternoon at the cinema.
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Post by Netz on Dec 15, 2019 9:03:53 GMT
I don't think I've ever seen it, but 'Scrooge - A Christmas Carol ' is being shown on Channel 5 next Saturday (21/12) at 3.10pm. It's the Alastair Sim version, so it's bound to be good.  |
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Post by profbooboo on Dec 16, 2019 22:46:47 GMT
Tge Alastair Sim version is very good. The Muppet Christmas Carol is another good version. Comic with lots to look out for in the background like the Micklewhites shop and the narration by Gonzo it great. I always get something in my eye when they sing at the end.😢
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Post by profbooboo on Dec 16, 2019 22:50:40 GMT
Georgy Girl, Talking Pictures at 11:45pm
Stars Lynn Redgrave, Alan Bates, James Mason and Charlotte Rampling. What a line up.
It's a great film.
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Post by yankee on Dec 17, 2019 15:15:36 GMT
It IS a great film and its funny to think what body type was considered "overweight" in 1966. In today's culture Georgy would be considered quite average.
Its also interesting to see the attitudes of people in the mid-60s about random affairs, getting pregnant, having an abortion, getting married and divorced on a whim, getting pregnant again, putting the baby up for adoption, not because you don't have the means to care for it, but because you decided you are bored with the idea and have no interest in being a parent.
I reckon a lot of that was played up as almost caricature for the film but still interesting to see what was selling in terms of character development at the time.
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Post by profbooboo on Dec 17, 2019 16:38:21 GMT
The main problem I have with James Mason films is they've been ruined by Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan. This always pops into my head... Talking Pictures is my go to channel now. It used to be Challenge, but I have Talking Pictures on in the background now while I'm on the computer. Because I've watched almost every Bogarde film (two I can't get) I've watched quite a lot of other actors who were in films with him. John Mills was in The Singer Not The Song and The Gentle Gunman and I've watched him in The Green Cockatoo, Cottage To Let, Town On Trial, The Family Way, Dunkirk, Ice Cold in Alex, Morning Departure (sad ending) and a few others...ooh, Tunes Of Glory with Alec Guinness, blimey that's good. Morning Departure has Richard Attenborough (who was in Boys in Brown with Bogarde) and I've watched a few of his films including Trial and Error, The Angry Silence, brilliant film, co-starring Michael Craig (was in Campbells Kingdom and Modesty Blaise) I've ended up watching a fair few of his. (Life For Ruth, A Pair Of Briefs, Eyewitness, Payroll etc) I'm currently going through Dennis Price (Victim) and Donald Sindens (Doctor In The House and Simba) back catalogue. Kind Hearts and Coronets with Price is soooo good, I'm planning on watching it Christmas day. Also Murder without Crime, I adore. "I've hated you Stephen, hated you...stuffing yourself with Champagne and cavier. Well it's downright unbearable when ones damned hungry". I'm hoping to get biographies about both before Christmas, come on Postie! Some upcoming Talking Pictures movie reccomendations. Wednesday 18th Dec @9am The Long MemoryJohn Mills plays a man released after years in prison and tried to get revenge against the people who lied in court and sent him to prison. Wednesday 18th Dec @6:05pm Ladies Who DoPeggy Mount, Robert Morley, Harry G Corbett star in this comedy. Thursday 19th Dec @2:15am Mix Me A PersonStars Donald Sinden and Adam Faith. I'm looking forward to this as I haven't seen it yet. Thursday 19th Dec @10pm Billy LiarStars Tom Courtenay who lives in his own world of Ambrosia. Friday 20th Dec Vicious CircleStars John Mills who is framed for murder went a girl is found dead in his flat. Friday 20th Dec @7:10pm Mr Denning Drives NorthJohn Mills accidentally kills his daughter's horrible boyfriend and then tried to cover it up. if I remember they seem to get away with it. I don't remember it ending with them in handcuffs. Saturday 21st Dec @4:15am Never Let GoStars Adam Faith and Peter Sellers who plays a garage owned who sends people out to steal cars to order. One man can't afford to be taken advantage of and decided to fight back. Very good film and Sellers in a serious role, and quite vicious. |
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Post by profbooboo on Dec 26, 2019 21:45:29 GMT
The Entertainer is on BBC2 tonight at 00:45 (well technically tomorrow 27th at 00:45am)
Stars Laurence Olivier, Joan Plowright, Brenda de Banzie and Alan Bates and Albert Finney in their early film roles.
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Post by Miranda on Dec 26, 2019 22:00:46 GMT
Is Talking Pictures available as an app?
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Anymore to come?
