Loving films

    A few months ago I took out a subscription to Lovefilm, and it's been money well spent as every week a film I've requested pops through the door, and we settle down to a pleasant evening's viewing.

    We've chosen a lot of old films so far, some we've seen before, others which are new to us, and most have been excellent entertainment. Among the classics we've had are Rebecca, Roman Holiday, Guess who's coming to dinner, North by Nothwest, with the only 'dud' so far being The Big Sleep which I couldn't follow at all and found utterly boring (I don't think I shall ever be a Bogart fan). There have been newer films too such as The King's Speech (marvellous), and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (Ewan McGregor is very good as Fred, and although the plot differs from that of the book, Paul Torday told me he is happy with it), and the excellent Girl with a Pearl Earring.

    Last night's film was Hitchcock's Spellbound starring Gregory Peck and Ingrid Bergman, a piece which must have been advanced for its era in its employment of psychoanalysis to solve a crime and determine an amnesiac's true identity - it even features a dream sequence designed by Salvador Dali.

    Back to more recent times and television films, and with Lewis apparently now over for good (shame!) and Endeavour having reached the end of the current series, I've discovered we can continue our regular intake of Oxford crime as all the Inspector Morse episodes are available at Lovefilm and we can watch them again in order.

Comments

[Juxtabook]

I too love my Lovefilm fix. Wonderful for foreign films too - have you ever seen Cinema Paradiso? Lovely, lovely film.

It is however owner by Amazon - what isn't - though it wasn't when I started with them.

[Cornflower]

Yes, we have our own copy of Cinema Paradiso - super film - likewise Il Postino. I must think of more foreign ones to add to my list, though.

[Georgina]

Poor old Bogart. Didn't you like The African Queen? Dated of course, but a great favourite. Hepburn is wonderful in it.

[Cornflower]

Haven't seen that for years but I remember that it is good, and I do like Katherine Hepburn. (HB isn't bad in Casablanca, but I'm still not struck by him!)

[Dark Puss]

You've probably got some of these on your list (and I haven't checked their availability) but here are a few foreign language films I recommend to you (you've probably watched many of these already):

House of Angels
Die Marquise von O
The Seventh Seal
Fanny & Alexander
Metropolis
Ran
The Three Colours Trilogy
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

La Grande Illusion
Raise the Red Lantern
House of Flying Daggers

[Cornflower]

Excellent! Many thanks, DP - always glad of a good recommendation.

[Mr Cornflower]

Two wonderful lines in Spellbound, both delivered in the fruity Central European accent of Oscar nominated Michael Chekhov, remonstrating with Ingrid Bergman:
"ze usual female contradictions!"
"zis vay science goes backwards!"
A chap who shares his house with three lovely but strong-willed women (Cornflower and our two daughters - and even the dogs are female) needs such quips for self-protection.

[Wordtapestry.wordpress.com]

I seem to have lost my earlier reply. Please delete this if it's a repeat:
Wings of Desire
My Life as a Dog

Both were amazing.

[Cornflower]

Many thanks for those - duly noted.

[Erika]

This must be the British equivalent of Netflix--which we have been in thrall to for three years or so. We have enjoyed many of the old films we saw years ago and have also watched serials for the first time, sans the advertisements.

It can be fun to watch changed attitudes. "Brief Encounter" had me in tears as a teenager. Now I just find the man a skunk and the woman ridiculous.

Dark Puss recommends several of my firm favorites--why does this frighten me?

[Cornflower]

Ah, Brief Encounter - it will be fun to watch that again (it was the subject of a very funny spoof by the wonderful comedienne Victoria Wood a while ago).

[Dark Puss]

Dear Erika how can you be frightened of our interests in common? If you work it out do tell me!

I only watched all of Brief Encounter fairly recently (in last decade) and I think your description of your later appreciation of the film coincides with mine. There are lots of old films that I find still strongly resonate with me, but that certainly wasn't one of them.

[Erika]

For Dark Puss: Not meant to hurt your feelings. I see you as having a razor-sharp mind where mine is hopelessly woolly!

[Dark Puss]

Feelings unscathed I can reassure you Erika. You overstimate my mental capability and I am certain you underestimate your own.