Inside Cinema - Shorts - 11 to 20

 

I posted about the first ten of the 96 ten minute short features on the BBC iPlayer's Inside Cinema on 7th February 2024. Here are the next ten.

Jessica King introduces Episode 11 Space Dads. When the episode is headed by Ad Astra and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, you know the search for astronauts and their children in movies is stretching things too far. I just didn't get why Solaris and Armageddon were included.

Episode 12 is The Wilhelm Scream narrated by Ali Plumb. Another weird idea, all about that sound effect, the high pitched wail that they found in some films. Apparently it all started in 1951's Distant Drums where Shad Wooley ("a voice extra") had his scream recorded and used many times in Westerns  to come. We also hear it in 1954's Them and all the Indiana Jones movies.

Episode 13 is all Trixie Mattel, she introduces Trixie Mattel's Guide to Drag Cinema. So we see Cabaret from 1972 and of course Priscilla, Queen of the Desert from 1994 and The Rocky Horror Picture Show from 1975. "But everything comes back to Paris is Burning darling". 

Something more to my liking was Episode 14's Two Wheeled Terrors. Michael Leader narrates from Charles Newland's script. Some iconic clips of bikers such as those from Laurence of Arabia from 1962, A Matter of Life and Death from 1946, and The Great Escape  (obviously). We see more of The Wild One (1953) with a young Marlon Brando and 1969's Easy Rider. Some others I did not recognise, although more familiar was Quadrophenia from 1979. Then something about kids on bikes such as E.T. from 1982. 

How strange that next up in Episode 15 was Busby Berkeley Land introduced by Robin Baker. In 1993 he (Busby Berkeley) made 42nd Street, Footlight Parade and Gold Diggers of 1933. All in one year! Cinema was transformed with these huge spectacular routines. If you like that sort of thing. The "topshots" (those filmed from above looking down) became a BB trademark. If only he had colour. 

The funniest episode was Guy Lodge's Episode 16 Cosy Cinema. Cosy as in jumpers. "There's something comforting about a man in a jumper". There are so many and the clips went so fast. Until here is Michael Douglas in Basic Instinct. We even see Locke (how was one of my favourites edging into this collection?) He is in his car in that chunky knitwear. Did he change before he left site? Then Ben Wishaw as Q in a James Bond movie. in a huge jumper. 

Episode 17 was titled Horror Homes and introduced by Mike Munger. It starts with lots of interior shots. "It's important to create a friendly atmosphere". Yes, before all the scares start. Get Out from 2017 features. TV's are always frightening. Then "lets take a look upstairs". Let's not. Oh, but those lovely sumptuous carpets. DON'T GO IN THE BEDROOM! Or the bathroom with it's stand up shower. Even a locked door will not stop an axe. And what are you doing going in the attic? Just stop before we get to the basement. 

Thank goodness next up is Episode's 18's  Disney Divas, care of Rhianna Dhillon. We see some early animation, Snow White etc. But what is this drag queen in 1989's The Little Mermaid. OK, we do get Sleeping Beauty and 101 Dalmatians. 

But we are back to scary stuff in Episode 19 with Steph Watts narrating Childhood Nightmares. It starts with Watership Down that should never be shown to young children, "it is completely traumatising". And what is this incinerator doing in 2010's Toy Story 3. Then 2001's Spirited Away is full of monsters. Pinocchio from 1940 is always scary. And Inside Out from 2015 is a disaster movie! Coraline (2009) has a nightmare climax. and 1984's The Never Ending Story "is terrifying". Who knew there were so many.

The last of these ten is Episode 20's Forever Young with Ali Plumb. We see a thirty six year old Arnie in 1984's The Terminator, and then his CGI re-creation in 2015's Terminator Genisys when the actor was sixty seven! In 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen actually look scary as their early created selves. Even more dramatic was the aging up and down of Brad Pitt in 2008's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. There are lots of Marvel films where similar ageing's are commonplace. But not for me.