Movie review thread...
-
@Victor-Meldrew said in Movie review thread...:
@Tim said in Movie review thread...:
The BFI recently restored a "lost" British thriller that has a cult reputation. It was financed by the Coal Pension Board, and shot on 35 mm film for international TV and limited theatrical release, but only played at film festivals and sporadically on TV. There was a dodgy VHS release for a short time.
The film is The Appointment (1980, 1981, or 1982, depending on the source), stars Edward Woodward, and is kind of like a very British cross between Don't Look Now and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.
It is also excellent, and is a chilling atmospheric thriller, with some wonderful set pieces.
4.5/5, despite being sourced from a 1" broadcast tape.
The vanishing British horror: unearthing The Appointment
The Wicker Man star Edward Woodward headlines this story of strange psychic forces from the start of the video nasty era. But since its release, The Appointment has been extremely difficult to see.
Apparently it's available to stream from Apple and Amazon in the UK.
Just watched. Stunning. If ever a film deserved the title "lost masterpiece", this is it. And you have to wonder just how films like this actually get lost.
Brilliant directing, simple but breath-taking effects, clever editing and the music by Trevor Jones is superb. Doesn't keep you on the edge of your seat, but the way the atmosphere & mood builds is fantastic.
5/5
Should have remained 'lost'
90 mins of my life I'm never getting back
Woodward was the least wooden thing about it
Was it about incest?
-
@MiketheSnow said in Movie review thread...:
Should have remained 'lost'
90 mins of my life I'm never getting back
Woodward was the least wooden thing about itDon't hold back, Mike....
Was it about incest?
Answers below
##spoiler
I hadn't really thought about that. It could be if you see it that way, I guess. I saw it as about the strength of emotion in a single-child family and the child having psychic powers she used to destroy people - whether deliberately or not.
##endspoilerIn many ways the acting was secondary to the mood the film was generating. Simple story but the way the film was constructed, written and edited was astonishingly good - and makes you think.
-
@Victor-Meldrew said in Movie review thread...:
@MiketheSnow said in Movie review thread...:
Should have remained 'lost'
90 mins of my life I'm never getting back
Woodward was the least wooden thing about itDon't hold back, Mike....
Was it about incest?
Answers below
##spoiler
I hadn't really thought about that. It could be if you see it that way, I guess. I saw it as about the strength of emotion in a single-child family and the child having psychic powers she used to destroy people - whether deliberately or not.
##endspoilerIn many ways the acting was secondary to the mood the film was generating. Simple story but the way the film was constructed, written and edited was astonishingly good - and makes you think.
My take
##spoiler
Woodward diddled her, hence the trepidation about the door handleThe dogs (spirits) took the girl away to protect her from Woodward
Story was being retold in mixed up timeline, so missing girl & daughter were one and the same
Dogs (spirits) who saved her then did Woodward in as revenge
##endspoiler -
@MiketheSnow said in Movie review thread...:
@Victor-Meldrew said in Movie review thread...:
@MiketheSnow said in Movie review thread...:
Should have remained 'lost'
90 mins of my life I'm never getting back
Woodward was the least wooden thing about itDon't hold back, Mike....
Was it about incest?
Answers below
##spoiler
I hadn't really thought about that. It could be if you see it that way, I guess. I saw it as about the strength of emotion in a single-child family and the child having psychic powers she used to destroy people - whether deliberately or not.
##endspoilerIn many ways the acting was secondary to the mood the film was generating. Simple story but the way the film was constructed, written and edited was astonishingly good - and makes you think.
My take
##spoiler
Woodward diddled her, hence the trepidation about the door handleThe dogs (spirits) took the girl away to protect her from Woodward
Story was being retold in mixed up timeline, so missing girl & daughter were one and the same
Dogs (spirits) who saved her then did Woodward in as revenge
##endspoilerGood take - I hadn't really thought of it that way. The reason I liked the film (aside from the high production values) was not only was it enjoyable, but had many interpretations rather than have it spoon-fed to you. IMHO, you can have just too many Spidermen-type movies.
-
@Victor-Meldrew said in Movie review thread...:
@MiketheSnow said in Movie review thread...:
@Victor-Meldrew said in Movie review thread...:
@MiketheSnow said in Movie review thread...:
Should have remained 'lost'
90 mins of my life I'm never getting back
Woodward was the least wooden thing about itDon't hold back, Mike....
Was it about incest?
Answers below
##spoiler
I hadn't really thought about that. It could be if you see it that way, I guess. I saw it as about the strength of emotion in a single-child family and the child having psychic powers she used to destroy people - whether deliberately or not.
##endspoilerIn many ways the acting was secondary to the mood the film was generating. Simple story but the way the film was constructed, written and edited was astonishingly good - and makes you think.
My take
##spoiler
Woodward diddled her, hence the trepidation about the door handleThe dogs (spirits) took the girl away to protect her from Woodward
Story was being retold in mixed up timeline, so missing girl & daughter were one and the same
Dogs (spirits) who saved her then did Woodward in as revenge
##endspoilerGood take - I hadn't really thought of it that way. The reason I liked the film (aside from the high production values) was not only was it enjoyable, but had many interpretations rather than have it spoon-fed to you. IMHO, you can have just too many Spidermen-type movies.
Without a doubt
Acting was too wooden for me
-
@MiketheSnow said in Movie review thread...:
Pixie
4 Ritchie’s out of 5 Tarrantino’s
Off that stellar recommendation, I watched this...
Pixie
A B-grade attempt to make an oIrish Guy-Ritchie/Q-Tarantino rip-off
- Enjoyable
- Not anywhere near the heights of either
- Not anywhere near the depths of either
- Titwatch: zero
- Just a bland mixture of Emerald-Isle/Ritchie/Tarantino
- I'm sure there were some gaping plot-holes I noticed, but forgot under the influence, but anyway... that's not the point of a movie like this
- attempted style over substance, but... the style was... there, just not quite where it was trying to be
3 wannabe-Ritchies out of 5 wannabe-Tarantinos
-
-
@MiketheSnow said in Movie review thread...:
@Victor-Meldrew said in Movie review thread...:
@MiketheSnow said in Movie review thread...:
@Victor-Meldrew said in Movie review thread...:
@MiketheSnow said in Movie review thread...:
Should have remained 'lost'
90 mins of my life I'm never getting back
Woodward was the least wooden thing about itDon't hold back, Mike....
Was it about incest?
Answers below
##spoiler
I hadn't really thought about that. It could be if you see it that way, I guess. I saw it as about the strength of emotion in a single-child family and the child having psychic powers she used to destroy people - whether deliberately or not.
##endspoilerIn many ways the acting was secondary to the mood the film was generating. Simple story but the way the film was constructed, written and edited was astonishingly good - and makes you think.
My take
##spoiler
Woodward diddled her, hence the trepidation about the door handleThe dogs (spirits) took the girl away to protect her from Woodward
Story was being retold in mixed up timeline, so missing girl & daughter were one and the same
Dogs (spirits) who saved her then did Woodward in as revenge
##endspoilerGood take - I hadn't really thought of it that way. The reason I liked the film (aside from the high production values) was not only was it enjoyable, but had many interpretations rather than have it spoon-fed to you. IMHO, you can have just too many Spidermen-type movies.
Without a doubt
Acting was too wooden for me
That’s why I never liked Stingray or Thunderbirds on TV.
-
High Ground. An Aussie flick about post WW1 outback relations centering on a bungled raid on an Aborigine family and the fallout therefrom. There’s an element of white guys bad (except for the main man of course) and black guys good. I wouldn’t care to comment on the accuracy of the portrayal of what went on in those times but it was an atmospheric film and kept my interest to the end.
4 head shots out of 5 spearings.
-
Halloween watch: The Stone Tape (1972)
Written by Nigel Kneale (google him), a TV film produced for the BBC as a traditional Christmas ghost story. A mix of sci-fi and ghost story with great atmosphere and sense of dread which builds towards something genuinely disturbing. Def. one for @Tim to consider putting on his watch list.
4 Ghosts in the Machine out of 5 Ghosts in the Attic.
-
@Victor-Meldrew Cheers, will check it out.
-
Free Solo. That guy has balls. My muscles ache at the local climbing wall. Climbing up a sheer cliff race without any rope. Crazy.
-
-
@MN5 said in Movie review thread...:
The Stranger
Very well acted, kinda interesting but ultimately WAY too boring.
2 undercover cops out of 5 beard and ponytail combos
You got through the whole thing? I stopped after ~20mins. Too slow, too boring and the cinematography shat me.
-
@antipodean said in Movie review thread...:
@MN5 said in Movie review thread...:
The Stranger
Very well acted, kinda interesting but ultimately WAY too boring.
2 undercover cops out of 5 beard and ponytail combos
You got through the whole thing? I stopped after ~20mins. Too slow, too boring and the cinematography shat me.
It was one of those slow burners where you hoped it was gonna get awesome but never did.
If only I knew…..
Joel Egerton is a very good actor though. Kinda reminded me of Christian Bale in the Machinest ie a terrific performance in a shite movie. Perhaps there is a thread in that.
-
See How They Run (2022)
Comedy whodunnit set in the '50's around the staging of Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap. Came with good reviews and a good cast, had some good moments but overall was seriously disappointing. David Oyelowo was bloody awful to the point of being cringe-worthy.
3 Miss Marple's out of 5 Doctor Watson's
-
@Victor-Meldrew said in Movie review thread...:
had some good moments but overall was seriously disappointing.
You gave it a high rating for a disappointing film - I felt the same but with a lower rating.
Didn't have a problem with Oyelowo.
-
@Nepia said in Movie review thread...:
@Victor-Meldrew said in Movie review thread...:
had some good moments but overall was seriously disappointing.
You gave it a high rating for a disappointing film - I felt the same but with a lower rating.
I'm a generous bloke....
Didn't have a problem with Oyelowo.
He's one of my favourite actors and one of the reasons I was looking forward to the film - he was the most disappointing thing for me.
The Appointment (1982) ⭐ 6.2 | Horror
