60 Songs: BBC Two at 60

 

With BBC Two turning sixty this week, they put together sixty songs from their archives. I recorded the whole four hour show. This meant I could just watch those songs that were of any interest to me. Such as that half way through from Dusty Springfield in January 1973 when she sang You Don't Have To Say You Love Me. The photo is actually from that performance. And what a singer she was. Next came Adele from November 2010 but whose vocal is nowhere near as good as Dusty. 

In no particular order, these were my highlights. The Rolling Stones at Glastonbury in 2013 featuring an extra slim Mick, Simple Minds with Don't You Forget About Me on the Old Grey Whistle Test, a very young Van Morrison with a 1970's Brown Eyed Girl, Chuck Berry's Roll Over Beethoven from a concert in 1972, (reminding me of seeing him live at the Odeon Hammersmith in May 1964), the superb Tina Turner in February 1984 and, would you believe, a young Taylor Swift from 2009's "Children in Need". Now I had never heard one of her songs so this was from fifteen years ago when, singing Love Story,  her country influences showed through. Back then, if I had known, I might have become a Swiftie. On YouTube's EAS Channel.

Then on to a young Billy Joel, Blondie from 1979, my very first song from Radiohead, headlining at 1997's Glastonbury with Street Spirit (Fade Out), U2's Pride (In the Name of Love) from 2011 at Glastonbury, Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline from 1971, Losing My Religion by REM on "Later....with Jools Holland" October 2003,  The Bee Gees from September 1998, David Bowie at Glastonbury in June 2000 singing Heroes (not a patch on his performance at Live Aid) and last of all, of course, Paul McCartney with Get Back on "Later...etc" in 2013.  A shame Jools is no Billy Preston from the much better Savile Row rooftop performance. 

Seize Them!, Back To Black and Civil War

 

Three completely different films starting with a historical comedy. Seize Them! is reasonably funny but far too much swearing. Is that supposed to make us laugh? Everything is all very silly. The cast at least look as if they are having fun. Aimee Lou Wood as Queen Dagan was fine and her stage acting credentials showed through, despite the uneven script by Andy Riley. Along for the ride are Nick Frost as Babik and Lolly Adefope (one of our favourites from Ghosts and also starring in Wicked Little Letters) as Shulmay. There are the odd familiar faces such as Jason Burnett as Thane Tostig (known in our house as DCI Wilkes in Agatha Raisin). Director Curtis Vowell has taken us on a road trip (or should that be cart track) along some lovely locations in Wales including Raglan Castle. So it did look good.

I did not find Back To Black an easy watch. Amy Winehouse is not a person you could warm to. Highly strung, over confident, fragile and at the same time quite naïve and childish. Wow! However, I was reminded about her love of jazz from Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington to Sarah Vaughn. The latter who I saw at The Odeon Hammersmith with Count Basie. Amy was not only a terrific singer but she wrote her songs from the heart. Not like those others who just sang standards. So Amy was definitely a one off. Fortunately the movie puts the music first. It's where Amy is at her happiest. So there are lots of songs and not all were Amy's. What she could have done when she matured is anyone's guess. 

She meets Blake Fielder-Civil (Jack O'Connell) and their relationship is basically her downfall if not his fault. She was very much against drugs before they met. But he drags her in. And he is charismatic character as when he dances to The Shangri-La's  Leader of the Pack on the juke box in the pub when they first meet. But I found the story quite uneven. Director Sam Taylor-Johnson was, perhaps, not the best choice. We see too much of the paparazzi in the second half and the staging of when she won her Grammy was too much. The cinematography by Polly Morgan was excellent as were the costumes and design. Marisa Abela is fine as Amy, but head and shoulders above the rest of the cast are Eddie Marsan as Amy's father and Leslie Manville as her Nan. Both were excellent. 

Oh Alex, what have you done? This is the writer for 28 Days Later, Sunshine, 28 Weeks Later and Never Let Me Go, and the writer and director for Ex Machina and Men. So what is he doing with this mess. A pretty stupid plot where we never learn one thing about what started the conflict. We are plunged right from the start into something very unpleasant. All to show this is a (story) about war photographers and correspondents. But they have nothing interesting to say, just there as excuse to watch the violence. So the dialogue is rubbish and the predictable road movie has the predictable set pieces. All with gratuitous violence and wooden characters. Garland was the only reason why I went to see this miserable excuse for a blockbuster movie which someone said "impressive acting and cinematography cannot make up for the lack of a compelling story beyond the words in the title". I guess this is what happens when a respected writer and director is given too high a budget to make an action film. Fortunately there was no extra cost for the IMAX screening as we were on an April freebie.  

Sight and Sound Weekly Film Bulletin

 

As a subscriber to the BFI's Sight and Sound Magazine, I receive by email their weekly film bulletin. This week there was an article called "From the Archive: Laughing Matters". It is all about the writer and director (and stand-up comic) Elaine May who was 92 on Sunday. 

No, I knew nothing about her. There is a link to the Sight and Sound Archive in October 2018 where a biography includes her work with Mike Nichols. Elaine received Oscar nominations for her screenplays for 1978's Heaven Can Wait and 1998's Primary Colours. Her script doctoring apparently saved Reds from 1981 and the following year's Tootsie.  

This week there is also a link to "The Magnificent '74: The Conversation" where Jessica Kiang looks back fifty years to American cinema's banner year. Then the director Paul Duane picks his top ten best films. The Watchlist talks about what to see this week including Daisy Ridley in Sometimes I Think About Dying, on at Cineworld now. "This Week's Classic Cover" is from March 2000 with Al Pacino but there is nothing interesting in Editor's Choice. Enough to keep me going to the next publication of Sight and Sound.   

A Walk up the Ridgeway from Wendover

 

On Sunday I was out in the hills for the first time this year. Apart that is for the paths in Wendover Woods. Yesterday I started at the sign for The Ridgway on Wendover High Street and soon was through the outskirts of the village and beginning the gradual slope up to Boswells Farm. In the fields on both sides of the track were lots of newly born lambs with their mothers. My phone is not great for photos, but here they are.

Just past the farm the track turns into a footpath that makes it way to the top of the ridge. All the way up the hill the beech trees were just coming into leaf.

Then along the ridge at the top, the bluebells were out in force.

Eventually the path crosses a road and I'm into Wendover Woods. The path leads eventually to the cafe and car park. Joining lots of visitors the main route reaches a steep downhill path with a handrail for the last section. The paths were still muddy in places but there were enough dry edges not to be any problem. Looking forward to another of my circular walks in the hills.

The Garden in April

 

Apart from the forget-me-nots, there is not a lot of colour in the garden at this time of year. Except, that is for the blossom. Above is the maypole cherry that has been at it's best this month. 

The dwarf crab apple is now recovering from the major prune a year ago.

Here it is towards the end of April with the Weigelia below just coming into flower.

The Clematis Montana is not as good as previous years, but I did cut it back last year when it collapsed in the wind.

I thought I had lost all the snake head fritillary, but this white one has survived.

All the daffodils are over, except for these late narcissus.

The forget-me-nots have spread all over the wildflower and long borders. I have to keep them trimmed around the edge of the lawn.

Last week I completed the jet washing to the side and rear paving. They do look a lot better. I like the pink and blue which still look good even though they were installed 25 years ago.

The side patio showing it's age.

The Hosta Fire and Ice are growing at last.

This was how much I had to brush afterwards, just in one corner.

A single iris flower in a pot at the back. Maybe more to come.

These are the laurels that flowered at the beginning of the month and are the same today.

I seemed to have lost all my Penstemon, so I have filled a gap in the main border with a new one. It is called "Pensham Arctic Fox" and yes, it is white.

The Tulips Spring Green are still doing well at the end of the month.

I think this new plant is a Hydrangea that was given to Alison for her help as a volunteer. 

And finally the lawn. With Green Thumb long gone, I have just spread the  Pro-Kleen Grass Green Lawn Fertilizer which should last three months. Looking better already.

World War 2 and Cinema on Sky Arts - Episode 2 - The World Is Now At War

 

After the first episode in this series, we are now into the 1940's with the Battle of Britain and The Blitz. Derek Malcolm tells us his story of being evacuated as a boy. Ian Nathan introduces the programme from the Imperial War Museum at Duxford.  First up is Angels One Five from 1952. Simon Heffer tells us this is a rare film from those early days of the war. Later came Battle of Britain from 1969 with an all star international cast. Then comes a strange choice. Malta Story from 1953 stars Jack Hawkins about how the island was protected.

AMERICA ENTERS THE WAR

That fateful day 7th December 1941 when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbour. From Here To Eternity in 1953 starred Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr and newcomers Donna Reed and Frank Sinatra. Those last two both won supporting Oscars. Bonnie Greer said it was a great film, mainly showing the build up to that day.

A sudden turn to Alan Turing and the codebreakers at Bletchley Park. The Imitation Game from 2014 starred Benedict Cumberbatch and was about breaking the Enigma code. The first major film to tell the story of the genius who was Alan Turing. Then another turn to spies in Europe in the shape of Odette from 1950 starring Trevor Howard and Anna Neagle and also 1958's Carve Her Name With Pride with Virginia McKenna. Simon was very impressed with the latter. 

THE WAR IN AFRICA

We are in 1942 and the Western Desert Campaign in North Africa. Sea Of Sand from 1958 starred James Mason and Richard Attenborough. The same year saw Ice Cold In Alex with John Mills, Anthony Quinn and  Sylvia Simms. An ambulance crew in a road movie or, should I say, Sahara Desert movie. More familiar to me came 1953's The Cruel Sea with the impressive (Derek Malcolm says) Jack Hawkins. It is set on ships in the Atlantic fighting U-Boats. Then onto the Pacific and Run Silent, Run Deep from 1958. Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster are on a submarine. Bonnie Greer tells us this was the first film she saw at the cinema. 

Cary Grant starred in Destination Tokyo from 1943. Many would say that the greatest war film of all time was 1953's The Bridge on the River Kwai. Alec Guinness gives "one of his best performances" and the rest of the cast was excellent.  One of the great films about prison camps in World War 11. For 1953's  Stalag 17, William Holden won the Oscar. Billy Wilder directed. Then in 1963 came the blockbuster that was The Great Escape. Another all star cast headed by Steve McQueen. 

THE TURNING OF THE TIDE

I was ten when we went to see The Dam Busters in 1955. Richard Todd starred in a film where many crew from bomber command were lost. Overall, this service lost 55,000 lives during the war. The Dirty Dozen from 1967 was directed by Robert Aldrich. Again an all star cast playing prisoners who were given the chance to go behind enemy lines. The siege of Stalingrad has been brought to the screen many times. Enemy At The Gates from 2001 is quite familiar, but not the German movie Stalingrad from 1993 which showed the destruction of their own army. From the Eastern Front came Sam Peckinpah's 1977 film Cross of Iron starring Lee Marvin. It actually showed the fighting from the view of German soldiers so very unusual for an American film. But Ian Nathan called it "classic Peckinpah".  

Sight and Sound Magazine - May 2024

 

On the front cover is Hamaguchi Ryusuke, whose film Drive My Car was one of the best last year. See post 22nd December 2023.

The Editorial concerns that fictional character Tom Ripley. I would not have been interested in the Netflix version with Andrew Scott, but much more so for Mike Williams' discussion about Wim Wenders' The American Friend. 

Opening Scenes is all about the controversy surrounding Jonathon Glazer's acceptance speech at the Oscars.

Editor's Choice concerns a retrospective of the films of Chantal Akerman whose film Jeanne Dielman, 23 Commerce Quay, 1080 Brussels is many critics favourite film. But a three hour twenty one minute tedious documentary drama is not on my list to see. More interesting would be the BFI Southbank Events surrounding Lindsay Anderson  in "Dark British Cinema".

Preview discusses a new film Eno about Brian Eno's "musical" life. Not a review of this film, more the background to it's making. Seems a complicated movie about a complex individual conceiving "ambient" music.  I only know Eno from Roxy Music when he played synthesizer. 

Report looks at the Argentine film industry and the cutbacks by new President Javier Milei.

The Ballot Of .... looks at the favourite films of Spanish director Pablo Berger that include Hannah and Her Sisters.

The Long Take this month features Pamela Hutchinson talking about swearing in movies, including films such as the recent  Wicked Little Letters, The Ghost and Mrs Muir (1947), Atonement ("one misplaced four letter word"), The King's Speech and of course Hugh Grants expletive ridden opening to Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Flick Lit has Nicole Flattery comparing Don DeLillo's essay about the Kennedy assassination with Oliver Stone's JFK.  She asks is DeLillo's 1988 novel Libra "time for it's adaptation?". 

TV Eye: Andrew Male on why Three Body Problem is so much better than post Game of Thrones series such as Shogun. It sounds wonderful, and so does the trailer. Shame that it's on Netflix so I will just have to wait.

"A Crack Where The Light Gets In" is the title of the headline piece about Hamaguchi Ryusuke. Eleven pages in all about his career with Adrian Martin reflecting on his early movies and influences. There is then an interview at the end about his latest film. I liked the snapshots of his eighteen films which include documentaries. Drive My Car was his "biggest international success". His Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy is on my list to see. However his new film Evil Does Not Exist may not be so good. 

"The Dark Side Of The Tune" has five pages about Mika Levi, the "composer" for The Zone of Interest. More sound than music, she (sorry, "they") first worked with Jonathon Glazer on Under The Skin which I saw at the cinema. See my post of 31st March 2014, a very weird film. 

Skipping a couple of articles we arrive at the film reviews. That for Dune Part 2 seemed a little late, The Trouble with Jessica has been and gone in a week, Rose Glass's Love Lies Bleeding looks interesting. Monkey Man is too violent for me and the rest are mainly European films that will be hard to find. 

There were then quite a few pieces that were of no interest to me, nothing in DVD and Blue Ray reviews, or in Wider Screen, or in Books or Endings. From The Archive, however, is a 1973 interview with the director Richard Lester (The Beatles' films A Hard Day's Night and Help came about when John Lennon liked his The Running, Jumping and Standing Still film from 1959) and others including the three movies of The Musketeers, How I Won The War (1967), A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum (the 1966 Buster Keaton movie) and The Knack And How To Get It that won the 1965 Palme D'Or. Lester was actually born in Philadelphia but stayed in the UK. He won the BAFTA Fellowship in 2012 and is now 92! But best of all was from his 1968 film Petulia as we got a full page photo of Julie Christie.