21 August 2011

what are you watching? suggestions?


.
late to the party, but making up for lost time-I've lately discovered movies.
No-I cut my teeth on the old ones-when black and white held no mystery. I remember watching Rebecca at a tender age-and still it's one of  my favorite films.



I am hunkering down for the dog days of summer & streaming movies from netflix... I'm watching as many movies as I can find made in England prior to World War II and during it- or about the times-but it must be made in the UK. I am immersed in the era at the moment-as my thoughts in writing this summer attest.

I would love suggestions-
Do know I have seen every Merchant Ivory film-from first to last.

Here are a few I've watched recently in this genre or made about the era- Blanche Fury, Hungry Hill, Unfaithfully Yours, Blithe Spirit (one of my favorites for ages), Cottage to Let, English Without Tears, The Life & Death of Colonel Blimp, Coming Home, A Private Function-

Masterpiece Theatre offers countless of the ilk- So I have many of those in Queue- if I've not seen them already. I think I have seen all of the movies Vivien Leigh ever was in-Waterloo Bridge, St Martin's Lane,etc. 
Who has seen Masterpiece Theatre's   Portrait of a Marriage-Vita Sackville West's tumultuous affair with novelist Violet Keppel?

29 comments:

  1. I have not seen portrait of a Marriage, would love to. Right now I am into finding any Hitchcock movies I have not seen, there surely can't be many!


    xoxo
    Karena

    Art by Karena

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  2. We are all of a tender age in seeing 'Rebecca' - "I'm asking you to marry me, you little fool," catches us all off-guard, and always will.

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  3. "Zen," if you missed it when it recently aired on Masterpiece/Mystery!
    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/zen/index.html

    "Zen" has complex stories, interesting characters, and mostly good acting. But even if that was not the case, the shows would still be a pleasure because of the wonderful filming of Roman interiors, Rome, and the nearby countryside. The three shows are just gorgeous.

    Promo from the PBS web site:

    What does an honest cop do when his bosses are on the side of the lawbreakers? Outwitting prosecutors, politicians, mobsters and run-of-the-mill kidnappers and killers, Detective Aurelio Zen brings justice to modern-day Italy, whether the authorities want it or not, on Zen, a trio of spellbinding cases based on the bestselling novels of by British crime writer Michael Dibdin, airing on Masterpiece July 17-31, 2011.

    Rufus Sewell (Middlemarch) stars as Zen, a Roman police detective hailing from Venice, where "Zen" is a local shortening of the name Zeno. Separated from his wife and living with his mother, he is too frazzled by his job to think about romance. That is, until he meets Tania Moretti (Caterina Murino), his chief's new secretary.

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  4. I love several of the films you list. I am currently in a Peter Falk - John Cassavetes mood. This afternoon, after I totter home from using internet at a coffee shop, I'll play "A Woman Under the Influence" w/Gena Rowlands. It's a good break, taking a little tour through the 70s. Also, so much resonates because of the upheaval, economic, political, & cultural during that time. I can't say they are good memories, but they bring up important issues that remain with us.

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  5. I will have to get my thinking cap on, I did watch a gem of a film the other day that I had not seen before; 'The Girl with Green eyes' adapted by Edna O'Brien from one of her novels.

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  6. I just watched Enchanted April the other night after not seeing it for 16 years. Still a lovely film. Though set in Italy, many of the scenes take place in London.

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  7. Austen's "Persuasion" with Sally Hawkins (before she won her Oscar)....ohhh and I have the re-worked "Enchanted April"...lovely...k

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  8. Did you see the "Rebecca" remake? Much longer, I like the original best.

    He covers many films across many genres, but this may help: www.youtube.com/user/STEVEHAYESTOQ

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  9. Mrs Miniver springs to mind with Greer Garson. Just as WWII begins or about to.

    Happy viewing...

    Helen

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  10. Holy cow! An entire universe I have missed entirely!

    Yikes! I just joined Netflix......(is that the way to see them)

    I will follow your suggestions just like a disciple!

    (I have a really dumb story about netflix I will share later.....I am too embarrassed now)

    P

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  11. You can always resort to Hitchcock's "The Lady Vanishes" from 1938.
    You might also like Orson Welles. Although NOT British, his black and white films are visual works of art. Watch "Touch of Evil" and notice the first shot goes on and on with the camera moving with the car the whole time. No cuts! You'll be amazed at the characters in this film, Marlene Dietrich has a great cameo.

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  12. dearest little augury

    we solicited a few suggestions for our enforced confinement post-surgery that you might enjoy - especially as this list comes from "abroad" (France)

    http://teamgloria.com/2011/07/25/to-catch-a-thief-and-other-movies-moments-a-la-post-surgery/

    we also love anything with Penelope Keith (The Good Life and To The Manor Born - although a little dated and worrying in some of the attitudes towards non-Brits - still delicious television) and Joanna Lumley (New Avengers, AbFab) and of course anything by Noel Coward - we see you enjoyed Blithe Spirit too.

    what a delightful request. enjoyed thinking about it.

    all the best from team gloria.

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  13. We are film addicts over here. In Englad we saw Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen "Hawkings",it was Amazing also" the Hour", and "I Capture the Castle" with Romola Garai.
    Anything by Michael Powel and Emeric Pressburger: You listed "The Life & Death of Colonel Blimp", "A matter of Life and Death"(visionary art direction), "The Red Shoes", "Black Narcissus"," I know Where I'm Going"...

    Any thing by Fritz Lang: "Metropolis", "Woman in the Window".
    Otto Preminger,s "Laura"
    For a good laugh
    Danny Kay,s "The Court Jester"

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  14. Karena- will let you know about it, I have Hitchcock on dvd a series-and love all his movies.

    Jemimagold-of course Love Gosford Park, and have recently read a couple of Julian Fellows novels-he of the wildly successful Downton Abbey!

    Laurent- oh Lord yes! I was scared of Mrs Danvers-one of those performances and characters that could be studied time and again-She is hypnotic.

    KO-I missed that one-though I love Rufus Sewell!

    Giulia- I think Gena Rowlands is one of those overlooked tour de force actresses.

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  15. Dash-do get back to me-I have added The Girl with the Green Eyes to my queue

    Daniel- I saw Enchanted April when it was at the theatre, and again on vhs-I have it to see again in the queue. The book is wonderful!

    Kathy- I did see it! and love Enchanted April

    Arabella-I did see the PBS version of Rebecca-I have to say the original is one of my all time favorites, I think seeing it at an early age- took its "toll" on my indelibly!

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  16. Arabella-thanks for that youtube video too!

    Helen- Mrs Miniver is wonderful.

    Penelope- yes!

    Allyson- I love all the Hitchcock movies- esp."The Lady Vanishes" and Orson Welles. I have made a study of his direction and performances.

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  17. Team Gloria- I look forward to that LIST. Noel Coward in anything!

    Debra- I saw Benedict Cumberbatch in the new Sherlock Holmes series- and I thought it was wonderful- had not expected too, I am a SH fan! "I Capture the Castle"was wonderful too-
    "Black Narcissus" is one of those films I use to insist on my overnight guests watching-DK was stunning-the entire movie unforgettable
    "A matter of Life and Death"(visionary art direction), Laura- again. What it boils down to is these old movies are etched in my movie memory.

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  18. In my 20's when I had my first apartment-going on to live happily alone for over 20 years-Movies on VHS and later dvd-and of course the now changed AMC- were my late night viewing I have seen so many and still have all the VHS tapes I collected- many not released on dvd- someday as they come out on DVD they will be replaced, could not give them up. pgt

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  19. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Know_Where_I'm_Going!
    I Know where I am Going...that was mentioned earlier...but I highly recommend it. It is a favorite of mine! and I am in good company:

    "I reached the point of thinking there were no more masterpieces to discover, until I saw I Know Where I'm Going!" - Martin Scorsese

    The film critic Barry Norman included it among his 100 greatest films of all time.

    Gaye, this has fabulous scenery, real atmosphere, a romance, Wendy Hiller, great interior shots, fabulous cast. A MUST see.
    Warmly, Philip

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  20. Wow! Getting so many recommendations from the comments.
    Yes, I did see Portrait of a Marriage, but as usual it was not as good as the book. Still worth the view.
    Netflix is fabulous. Cannot imagine a hot summer or cold winter without my videos. Guess what I like best is it's MY choice.

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  21. Presently watching Berkeley Square, another BBC series, enjoying it.

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  22. Ok Patricia, here are a few more goodies, that I have seen and recommend, you have probably seen some of these;

    This Happy Breed
    Brief Encounter
    Kipps
    I Know Where I am Going
    Kind Hearts and Coronets
    One of our Aircraft is Missing
    Odette
    Victim
    The Servant
    Whistle down The wind

    Those should keep you occupied for a while!

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  23. Back again, I am sure you will have seen most of these but I recommended some films here:
    http://thefrenchsampler.blogspot.com/2010/06/eight-films-for-rainy-weekend-part-ii.html

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  24. Planned to suggest I Know Where I'm Going, but Mr Philip Bewley beat
    me to it. It's a charmer.
    Have you seen Last Holiday (1949) with the young Alec Guinness? Superb.
    And then there is Noel Coward's pycho-drama, The Astonished Heart, which although faintly ludicrous is filled with atmosphere of the period
    (again, 1949) and Margaret Leighton looks ravishing in costumes by
    Molyneux.

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  25. I just love Vita Sackville-West. I have collected her books for years. Portrait of a Marriage was wonderful thanks to the great Janet McTeer. I think she is one of the most underrated actresses out there.

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  26. Sandra- I love all the BBC's series-I have to stop myself from watching something every night at this point.

    Dash- a wonderful list! and I can not wait to add some of these.thanks.

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  27. Debra, Philip, and dear Mr. Worthington-I watched I Know Where I'm Going last night-and it was a joy. Wendy Hiller! Don't we all feel the struggle-the mystic of Scotland was all there too. I suggest this to the entire clan gathered here .

    Toby-I have not seen the Last Holiday-it is going on the list, as in the Astonished Heart.

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  28. Lucindaville- good to hear it, Janet McTeer is terrific-I am partial to most any of the British actresses over those here-but then I may be partial to all things British anyway. pgt

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