Question:
Anyone else think that the British film industry is a load of ********?
I don't own a single film which could even be remotely classed as a British Made Film and really can't for the life of me think of any that I would like.
My work colleagues have recommended a couple such as Snatch or Quadrophenia (sp?) but they just don't do anything for me.
Is there a MUST SEE British film? Ever?
Depends.
I assume you mean current - then that's a toughy.
It'll save lots of responses offering Brighton Rock, Third Man etc.
:(
How do you know that you dont enjoy British Films if you have never watched one??
:confused:
How about the Full Monty or Brassed Off? I thought they were good fun to watch...
Perhaps you should try and watch one of these...
Top 100 British Films (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/455170.stm)
Ive seen quite a few of those and think they might just change your mind...
You havnt watched a Monty Python Film??!?!
It's impossible to answer this because the original question is much too vague - there are countless superb British films I could recommend, but unless I have a slightly more specific idea of what your tastes are like there's not a great deal of point!
But speaking as someone who's researching British films for a living at the moment and watching them by the bucketload... do I sound suicidally depressed? :D
Some of my faves
Get Carter (The original)
Kes
If...
The Third Man
Alfie
Mona Lisa
I must say that I have seen a few (namely Four Weddings, Full Monty, Notting Hill etc ) but have come away just not wanting to add them to my DVD collection (300+ films). :(
Do the James Bond films count as British - cos I have a couple of the Brosnans. :D
Originally posted by Detritus
How about the Full Monty or Brassed Off? I thought they were good fun to watch...
Perhaps you should try and watch one of these...
Top 100 British Films (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/455170.stm)
You havnt watched a Monty Python Film??!?!
Thanks for that list. Had a look and NONE even remotely appeal enough to me to want to go and get them on DVD!!:eek:
Monty Python? They are OK and I *was* tempted to get Holy Grail and LOB but alas I thought better of it.
What sort of films do you usually watch then?
I can't believe we've managed to get so far through a British film thread without anyone mentioning Holiday on the Buses.
Originally posted by Detritus
How about the Full Monty or Brassed Off? I thought they were good fun to watch...
Perhaps you should try and watch one of these...
Top 100 British Films (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/455170.stm)
There's only one Carry On film in that list :shocker:
Originally posted by Ono
Thanks for that list. Had a look and NONE even remotely appeal enough to me to want to go and get them on DVD!!:eek:
Not even The Wicker Man, The 39 Steps, Brazil...? :eek:
~~stu
I'd like to add
The Ruling Class
Gosford Park
Lawrence of Arabia
Withnail & I
They are all class British Films that I have enjoyed.
Paul.
I watched the 39 Steps a very long time ago...when i was a kid (and didnt like b&w films)...and was glued to it!!
Come on Ono open your mind!!
How about The English Patient? That was a superb film! I bought that on DVD. 9 Academy Awards! Best Picture being one of them...
Edit: Gosford Park was great too!
What I'd like to know is - how would you define a "British" film? I see that The English Patient appears on that top 100 list - but while it did have a lot of British talent involved, it was made by Miramax. I think the same would apply to Shakespeare in Love as well.
On a similar note I noticed Harry Potter somehow managed to be nominated for the "Best British Film" award at the BAFTAs - but it was made by Warner. (I wonder if a British production company could have coughed up the $130m budget, along with at least a couple of hundred million for the next two...)
:confused:
Originally posted by Detritus
What sort of films do you usually watch then?
Allsorts.
Blockbusters, Sci-Fi, American comedies, Cartoons, Hong Kong films, Korean films, some mainstream, some not.
Not really into old films though. The only B&W film I would consider owning is Some Like It Hot.
Just to give an example, my last few DVD purchases:
Pulp Fiction SE
Jackie Brown SE
Reservoir Dogs SE
Wasabi (R3)
My Sassy Girl DC
My Sassy Girl HK R3 :D
Blade 2
Chasing Amy CE
Usual Suspects SE
We Were Soldiers
BttF Trilogy
Some Kind of Wonderful
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
The Royal Tennenbaums CE
Nowt from the BFI there.
:confused:
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Life of Brian
Sexy Beast
Crying Game
Trainspotting
Brazil
Rude Boy
The Man Who Fell to Earth
Monsoon Wedding
Quatermass and the Pit/Quatermass 2
The Rutles
Shallow Grave
Topsy Turvy
Walkabout
Yellow Submarine
etc etc etc.
If you can't find anything in the above list that you like, then I am afraid that you have no soul ;)
regards, Tim...
Originally posted by Tim Fleming
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Life of Brian
Trainspotting
Shallow Grave
The ones I have seen out of that list.
Owned Trainspotting on VHS (cos I didn't see it at the cinema) and sold it almost immediately to a work colleague. Like Kelly MacDonald in it though :norty:
...so no black-and-white movies then (does that include the Coen brothers' "The Man Who Wasn't There"?)...
...since British movies in general are not your 'thing' you would definitely not want to watch David Lean's "The Bridge On The River Kwai" either, nor any Powell & Pressburger films, Lean's "Great Expectations" or "Oliver Twist", pre-war Hitchcocks, any of the 'official' James Bond movies, Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" or "2001 - A Space Odyssey"...
...your loss, not mine!...
. . . :o . . .
Originally posted by Hendrik
...your loss, not mine!...
I couldn't agree more - if you really can't see <U>anything</U> on a pretty impressive list that you think you might even vaguely like, there's not much point even trying to come up with any more suggestions!
After all, if you're going to rubbish them instantly without giving them a fair hearing, why should we waste our time? And just why are you so certain that you wouldn't like, say, <I>Kind Hearts and Coronets</I> (one of the funniest black comedies I've ever seen - and, incidentally, one of the all-time classic serial killer films) without actually sampling some of it and seeing what the fuss is about?
Ono you seem to be wallowing in your philistinism and you really sealed my opinion of your tastes when you broadened your hate list to black and white movies and "old movies" per se. Should we applaud your inability to see no further back than the last 15-20 years or pity your cinematic myopia? The latter I think.
Gregory's Girl is my fave, I could watch that film anytime
Oops forgot about A Night to Remember - the best Titanic film :)
Paul.
Dog Soldiers :clap:
Gary A
What about The Long Good Friday? Its got one of the best endings ever.
Originally posted by Ono
Allsorts.
Blockbusters, Sci-Fi, American comedies, Cartoons, Hong Kong films, Korean films, some mainstream, some not.
Not really into old films though. The only B&W film I would consider owning is Some Like It Hot.
Just to give an example, my last few DVD purchases:
Pulp Fiction SE
Jackie Brown SE
Reservoir Dogs SE
Wasabi (R3)
My Sassy Girl DC
My Sassy Girl HK R3 :D
Blade 2
Chasing Amy CE
Usual Suspects SE
We Were Soldiers
BttF Trilogy
Some Kind of Wonderful
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
The Royal Tennenbaums CE
Nowt from the BFI there.
:confused:
Can't believe you like that lot and yet don't like Trainspotting! :confused:.
:D
P.S. Do you dislike any film at all made in Britain?...
Star Wars series (except Episode II :(), the Indian Jones series, and a huge list of American produced sci-fi that was shot in the UK with UK talent behind the scenes.
:oh-hum: I think you should treat yourself to a dose of Ken Loach. That'll sort you out... :shocker:... err well, maybe not :nuts:
There's also 'The Ladykillers' or, as already mentioned 'Dog Soldiers' plus too many to mention.
Check out 'Love honour and Obey', fantastic.
Only joking, have a look at 'Sexy Beast', you may enjoy that.
How can you own Blade II which in my opinion is a load of Sh17...
And yet you will not even consider buying a single one of the great films listed above??? The mind Boggles!!
I enjoyed Dog Soldiers...was better than I expected...I thought is was going to be another stupid american werewolf film and nearly didnt go and see it
I think these are good
The Long Good Friday
Get Carter
Trainspotting
Originally posted by GrossePointeJack
The Ladykillers
The Ladykillers is really special to me - I love this film :D
Originally posted by GAmbrose
Dog Soldiers :clap:
Gary A
:rocker:
Other top British movies IMO
The Long Good Friday
Dracula: Prince Of Darkness
When Saturday Comes
Maybe Baby
Rouge Trader
Mad Cows
Gregory's Girl
The Commitments
Who Dares Wins
Titles that should also be on the list (and are long over due for R2 release)
The Curse Of Frankenstein
The Curse Of The Werewolf
(Horror Of) Dracula
McVicar
The Sweeney
The Sweeny2
On The Buses
Mutiny On The Buses:lol:
Of that top 100 list I reckon I've only seen about 10... :( But there are a few that I'd like to see if I get a chance - such as Lawrence of Arabia, Don't Look Now, The Crying Game, Gandhi and The Killing Fields. I don't think I'd buy any of those however, I'll just wait for them to be on TV. :p (Although I'm not sure about seeing Lawrence of Arabia in a hack-and-scam version...)
And I see everyone's ignored my question about what makes a film "British." Never mind. :(
(And just to add to my first post - I see Hendrik cites 2001 as being a British film. Assuming that is the case, I'd question the validity of a "Top 100 British Films" list which has Four Weddings as high as no 23, yet neglects to include 2001.)
Originally posted by sampath
What I'd like to know is - how would you define a "British" film? I see that The English Patient appears on that top 100 list - but while it did have a lot of British talent involved, it was made by Miramax. I think the same would apply to Shakespeare in Love as well.
On a similar note I noticed Harry Potter somehow managed to be nominated for the "Best British Film" award at the BAFTAs - but it was made by Warner. (I wonder if a British production company could have coughed up the $130m budget, along with at least a couple of hundred million for the next two...)
:confused:
I have to spend much of my working life at the moment wrestling with this question, as every time you come up with what looks like a workable definition, a film will come along and move the goalposts!
The Government has changed its own definition numerous times over the past century - for various tax-related reasons, it's very useful to be able to register a film as being British, but in order to get the necessary certificate, your film has to meet certain criteria. Before about 1999, this was based on a complex formula to do with the nationality of the financiers and key creative personnel, but since then it's been simplified to a definition whereby at least 70% of the film's budget has to be spent on British goods and services, regardless of what the source of that money was.
As a result, films like <I>Sense and Sensibility</I> and <I>Shakespeare in Love</I>, which probably wouldn't have qualified as British under the previous guidelines, now comfortably do - rightly, I think, as they're overwhelmingly dominated by one nationality, regardless of the odd American co-star or Taiwanese director. Similarly, <I>The English Patient</I>, although more internationalist in outlook, is clearly more British than anything else in terms of cultural content.
The new definition also gets round the problem whereby people like Ken Loach are heavily funded from non-British sources, but it would clearly be ludicrous to describe, say, <I>My Name Is Joe</I> as anything other than British (even though it's technically Anglo-German-French-Spanish-Italian!). And it would be equally ludicrous to call <I>Superman</I> British - even though it technically is, as its producers managed to meet the criteria at the time in order to qualify for tax benefits!
So whatever the definition, you have to approach these things on a case-by-case basis and rely heavily on common sense.
Originally posted by Michael Brooke
So whatever the definition, you have to approach these things on a case-by-case basis and rely heavily on common sense.
Yeah I think that's right, at least from a film fan's point of view, whatever the definition is for tax purposes etc. For instance I suspect many American films filmed in the UK could be labelled British if one simply applies the 70% rule you mention. It wouldn't surprise me if a film like Full Metal Jacket, which was filmed in the UK, spent more than 70% of it's budget on UK goods and services. But I'd contend that it is clearly an American film (made by Warner, with an American director and writer, plus most of the main cast was American as well) - despite Hendrik's claims. ;)
you really should try some of the ealing comedys i know they are black and white but they are wonderful to watch,and what about some of the sherlock holmes film`s starring basil rathbone,i could also suggest,ice cold in alex,the hill,maybe rent some to give you a taste of great british cinema not just war films but great films to suit all taste`s.
:clap: :clap: :clap:
Originally posted by sampath
(...I see Hendrik cites 2001 as being a British film. Assuming that is the case, I'd question the validity of a "Top 100 British Films" list which has Four Weddings as high as no 23, yet neglects to include 2001.)
...I go by Halliwell's - which also lists e.g. Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" (Columbia), Kubrick's "Lolita" (MGM) and "Dr Strangelove; or, How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (Columbia) and "The Shining" Warner) as being of "GB" origin...
...ditto for e.g. J. Lee Thompson's "The Guns of Navarone" (Columbia), Laurence Olivier's "The Prince and the Showgirl" (Warner), Lean's "Ryan's Daughter" (MGM)...
...and, of course (or, at least, probably!) "Four Weddings..." cost a great deal less money to make than "2001..." and brought in a great deal more money/profit... which, on the most basic level, is what making movies is all about... ;)
. . . :D . . .
Originally posted by blackslayer
you really should try some of the ealing comedys i know they are black and white but they are wonderful to watch,
<I>The Ladykillers</I> is in colour - and frankly, if you don't find that funny, you're probably dead.
and what about some of the sherlock holmes film`s starring basil rathbone,i could also suggest,ice cold in alex,the hill,maybe rent some to
What, the ones made in Hollywood by Universal Pictures? :D
Originally posted by Hendrik
...I go by Halliwell's
Pfft, Halliwell's Schmaliwell's. :p I go by the IMDB! (which, incidentally, lists 2001 as being UK/USA, which doesn't help. But in that case I figure it's 90% USA and 10% UK ;) )
Originally posted by sampath
Pfft, Halliwell's Schmaliwell's. :p I go by the IMDB! (which, incidentally, lists 2001 as being UK/USA, which doesn't help. But in that case I figure it's 90% USA and 10% UK ;) )
I'd love to know how you worked that one out, since it has a British co-writer, overwhelmingly British crew (including both cinematographers) and two of the relatively tiny handful of speaking parts are played by British actors (Leonard Rossiter and Margaret Tyzack) - quite apart from it being made pretty much entirely in Britain, barring the odd background plate (shot in Africa by Britons).
I'd say the proportions are much closer to 50:50, if not actually biased in Britain's favour - and it's certainly regarded as a British film by a great many normally reliable sources (I've just checked the BFI's SIFT database as well).
The Ladykillers isn't in colour at all, at least it wasn't when i saw it.
Talking of 'Gregory's Girl', if 'Local Hero' qualifies as British (2 US leads) then that would be a good one if you are looking for something 'uniquely' British.
Originally posted by Michael Brooke
quite apart from it being made pretty much entirely in Britain, barring the odd background plate (shot in Africa by Britons).
Oh... a quick check reveals that you are (not surprisingly) right - I stand corrected. :o
it's certainly regarded as a British film by a great many normally reliable sources (I've just checked the BFI's SIFT database as well).
So surely it should belong in any "Top 100 British Films" list? But I guess some people would rather find Hugh Grant hilarious and dismiss 2001 as boring. So I'd just like to go on record saying that 2001 is possibly my favourite "British" film and would love to add it to my collection (which so far remains free of British films as far as I can tell - unless Alien counts as being British, which it might) - I just need to find it cheap enough. :\
thanks for the correction:o :o :o :o :o :o
Originally posted by GrossePointeJack
The Ladykillers isn't in colour at all, at least it wasn't when i saw it.
It is!
Originally posted by GrossePointeJack
The Ladykillers isn't in colour at all, at least it wasn't when i saw it.
I'll think you'll find you are mistaken there old chap. It is most definitely in colour.
Andrew
Originally posted by GrossePointeJack
The Ladykillers isn't in colour at all, at least it wasn't when i saw it.
Oh dearie me.... :lol:
Four possible explanations:
1) Black-and-white telly;
2) Black-and-white print (unlikely, but not impossible - Rank once sent me a black-and-white print of <I>Black Narcissus</I>, which was somewhat startling!);
3) Tragic temporary loss of colour vision;
4) Fatal combination of faulty memory and overconfidence.
"...Fatal combination of faulty memory and overconfidence."
...exactly that!...
. . . :D . . .
Another great Ealing film ... Dead of Night - we always kick Halloween off with this one.
Italian Job, great film and a good DVD.
Well I had a most enjoyable afternoon off ill from work , which gave me the chance to start watching a couple of films from my Ealing Comedies boxset which turned up the other day , Kind Hearts and Coronets has to be in my top 5 films , I love it even tho it is in black and white :oh-hum: and I think I'll sticking on The LadyKillers in a little while :thumbs:
After that little ramble back to the point of the thread what difference does it make if a film its British , Black and White , Colour , Old or New as long as its good , well written and acted and directed well :)
I don't own a single film which could even be remotely classed as a British Made Film and really can't for the life of me think of any that I would like.
My work colleagues have recommended a couple such as Snatch or Quadrophenia (sp?) but they just don't do anything for me.
Is there a MUST SEE British film? Ever?
Answers:
Depends.
I assume you mean current - then that's a toughy.
It'll save lots of responses offering Brighton Rock, Third Man etc.
:(
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How do you know that you dont enjoy British Films if you have never watched one??
:confused:
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How about the Full Monty or Brassed Off? I thought they were good fun to watch...
Perhaps you should try and watch one of these...
Top 100 British Films (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/455170.stm)
Ive seen quite a few of those and think they might just change your mind...
You havnt watched a Monty Python Film??!?!
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It's impossible to answer this because the original question is much too vague - there are countless superb British films I could recommend, but unless I have a slightly more specific idea of what your tastes are like there's not a great deal of point!
But speaking as someone who's researching British films for a living at the moment and watching them by the bucketload... do I sound suicidally depressed? :D
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Some of my faves
Get Carter (The original)
Kes
If...
The Third Man
Alfie
Mona Lisa
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I must say that I have seen a few (namely Four Weddings, Full Monty, Notting Hill etc ) but have come away just not wanting to add them to my DVD collection (300+ films). :(
Do the James Bond films count as British - cos I have a couple of the Brosnans. :D
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Originally posted by Detritus
How about the Full Monty or Brassed Off? I thought they were good fun to watch...
Perhaps you should try and watch one of these...
Top 100 British Films (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/455170.stm)
You havnt watched a Monty Python Film??!?!
Thanks for that list. Had a look and NONE even remotely appeal enough to me to want to go and get them on DVD!!:eek:
Monty Python? They are OK and I *was* tempted to get Holy Grail and LOB but alas I thought better of it.
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What sort of films do you usually watch then?
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I can't believe we've managed to get so far through a British film thread without anyone mentioning Holiday on the Buses.
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Originally posted by Detritus
How about the Full Monty or Brassed Off? I thought they were good fun to watch...
Perhaps you should try and watch one of these...
Top 100 British Films (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/455170.stm)
There's only one Carry On film in that list :shocker:
Answers:
Originally posted by Ono
Thanks for that list. Had a look and NONE even remotely appeal enough to me to want to go and get them on DVD!!:eek:
Not even The Wicker Man, The 39 Steps, Brazil...? :eek:
~~stu
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I'd like to add
The Ruling Class
Gosford Park
Lawrence of Arabia
Withnail & I
They are all class British Films that I have enjoyed.
Paul.
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I watched the 39 Steps a very long time ago...when i was a kid (and didnt like b&w films)...and was glued to it!!
Come on Ono open your mind!!
How about The English Patient? That was a superb film! I bought that on DVD. 9 Academy Awards! Best Picture being one of them...
Edit: Gosford Park was great too!
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What I'd like to know is - how would you define a "British" film? I see that The English Patient appears on that top 100 list - but while it did have a lot of British talent involved, it was made by Miramax. I think the same would apply to Shakespeare in Love as well.
On a similar note I noticed Harry Potter somehow managed to be nominated for the "Best British Film" award at the BAFTAs - but it was made by Warner. (I wonder if a British production company could have coughed up the $130m budget, along with at least a couple of hundred million for the next two...)
:confused:
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Originally posted by Detritus
What sort of films do you usually watch then?
Allsorts.
Blockbusters, Sci-Fi, American comedies, Cartoons, Hong Kong films, Korean films, some mainstream, some not.
Not really into old films though. The only B&W film I would consider owning is Some Like It Hot.
Just to give an example, my last few DVD purchases:
Pulp Fiction SE
Jackie Brown SE
Reservoir Dogs SE
Wasabi (R3)
My Sassy Girl DC
My Sassy Girl HK R3 :D
Blade 2
Chasing Amy CE
Usual Suspects SE
We Were Soldiers
BttF Trilogy
Some Kind of Wonderful
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
The Royal Tennenbaums CE
Nowt from the BFI there.
:confused:
Answers:
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Life of Brian
Sexy Beast
Crying Game
Trainspotting
Brazil
Rude Boy
The Man Who Fell to Earth
Monsoon Wedding
Quatermass and the Pit/Quatermass 2
The Rutles
Shallow Grave
Topsy Turvy
Walkabout
Yellow Submarine
etc etc etc.
If you can't find anything in the above list that you like, then I am afraid that you have no soul ;)
regards, Tim...
Answers:
Originally posted by Tim Fleming
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Life of Brian
Trainspotting
Shallow Grave
The ones I have seen out of that list.
Owned Trainspotting on VHS (cos I didn't see it at the cinema) and sold it almost immediately to a work colleague. Like Kelly MacDonald in it though :norty:
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...so no black-and-white movies then (does that include the Coen brothers' "The Man Who Wasn't There"?)...
...since British movies in general are not your 'thing' you would definitely not want to watch David Lean's "The Bridge On The River Kwai" either, nor any Powell & Pressburger films, Lean's "Great Expectations" or "Oliver Twist", pre-war Hitchcocks, any of the 'official' James Bond movies, Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" or "2001 - A Space Odyssey"...
...your loss, not mine!...
. . . :o . . .
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Originally posted by Hendrik
...your loss, not mine!...
I couldn't agree more - if you really can't see <U>anything</U> on a pretty impressive list that you think you might even vaguely like, there's not much point even trying to come up with any more suggestions!
After all, if you're going to rubbish them instantly without giving them a fair hearing, why should we waste our time? And just why are you so certain that you wouldn't like, say, <I>Kind Hearts and Coronets</I> (one of the funniest black comedies I've ever seen - and, incidentally, one of the all-time classic serial killer films) without actually sampling some of it and seeing what the fuss is about?
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Ono you seem to be wallowing in your philistinism and you really sealed my opinion of your tastes when you broadened your hate list to black and white movies and "old movies" per se. Should we applaud your inability to see no further back than the last 15-20 years or pity your cinematic myopia? The latter I think.
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Gregory's Girl is my fave, I could watch that film anytime
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Oops forgot about A Night to Remember - the best Titanic film :)
Paul.
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Dog Soldiers :clap:
Gary A
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What about The Long Good Friday? Its got one of the best endings ever.
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Originally posted by Ono
Allsorts.
Blockbusters, Sci-Fi, American comedies, Cartoons, Hong Kong films, Korean films, some mainstream, some not.
Not really into old films though. The only B&W film I would consider owning is Some Like It Hot.
Just to give an example, my last few DVD purchases:
Pulp Fiction SE
Jackie Brown SE
Reservoir Dogs SE
Wasabi (R3)
My Sassy Girl DC
My Sassy Girl HK R3 :D
Blade 2
Chasing Amy CE
Usual Suspects SE
We Were Soldiers
BttF Trilogy
Some Kind of Wonderful
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
The Royal Tennenbaums CE
Nowt from the BFI there.
:confused:
Can't believe you like that lot and yet don't like Trainspotting! :confused:.
:D
P.S. Do you dislike any film at all made in Britain?...
Star Wars series (except Episode II :(), the Indian Jones series, and a huge list of American produced sci-fi that was shot in the UK with UK talent behind the scenes.
:oh-hum: I think you should treat yourself to a dose of Ken Loach. That'll sort you out... :shocker:... err well, maybe not :nuts:
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There's also 'The Ladykillers' or, as already mentioned 'Dog Soldiers' plus too many to mention.
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Check out 'Love honour and Obey', fantastic.
Only joking, have a look at 'Sexy Beast', you may enjoy that.
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How can you own Blade II which in my opinion is a load of Sh17...
And yet you will not even consider buying a single one of the great films listed above??? The mind Boggles!!
I enjoyed Dog Soldiers...was better than I expected...I thought is was going to be another stupid american werewolf film and nearly didnt go and see it
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I think these are good
The Long Good Friday
Get Carter
Trainspotting
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Originally posted by GrossePointeJack
The Ladykillers
The Ladykillers is really special to me - I love this film :D
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Originally posted by GAmbrose
Dog Soldiers :clap:
Gary A
:rocker:
Other top British movies IMO
The Long Good Friday
Dracula: Prince Of Darkness
When Saturday Comes
Maybe Baby
Rouge Trader
Mad Cows
Gregory's Girl
The Commitments
Who Dares Wins
Titles that should also be on the list (and are long over due for R2 release)
The Curse Of Frankenstein
The Curse Of The Werewolf
(Horror Of) Dracula
McVicar
The Sweeney
The Sweeny2
On The Buses
Mutiny On The Buses:lol:
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Of that top 100 list I reckon I've only seen about 10... :( But there are a few that I'd like to see if I get a chance - such as Lawrence of Arabia, Don't Look Now, The Crying Game, Gandhi and The Killing Fields. I don't think I'd buy any of those however, I'll just wait for them to be on TV. :p (Although I'm not sure about seeing Lawrence of Arabia in a hack-and-scam version...)
And I see everyone's ignored my question about what makes a film "British." Never mind. :(
(And just to add to my first post - I see Hendrik cites 2001 as being a British film. Assuming that is the case, I'd question the validity of a "Top 100 British Films" list which has Four Weddings as high as no 23, yet neglects to include 2001.)
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Originally posted by sampath
What I'd like to know is - how would you define a "British" film? I see that The English Patient appears on that top 100 list - but while it did have a lot of British talent involved, it was made by Miramax. I think the same would apply to Shakespeare in Love as well.
On a similar note I noticed Harry Potter somehow managed to be nominated for the "Best British Film" award at the BAFTAs - but it was made by Warner. (I wonder if a British production company could have coughed up the $130m budget, along with at least a couple of hundred million for the next two...)
:confused:
I have to spend much of my working life at the moment wrestling with this question, as every time you come up with what looks like a workable definition, a film will come along and move the goalposts!
The Government has changed its own definition numerous times over the past century - for various tax-related reasons, it's very useful to be able to register a film as being British, but in order to get the necessary certificate, your film has to meet certain criteria. Before about 1999, this was based on a complex formula to do with the nationality of the financiers and key creative personnel, but since then it's been simplified to a definition whereby at least 70% of the film's budget has to be spent on British goods and services, regardless of what the source of that money was.
As a result, films like <I>Sense and Sensibility</I> and <I>Shakespeare in Love</I>, which probably wouldn't have qualified as British under the previous guidelines, now comfortably do - rightly, I think, as they're overwhelmingly dominated by one nationality, regardless of the odd American co-star or Taiwanese director. Similarly, <I>The English Patient</I>, although more internationalist in outlook, is clearly more British than anything else in terms of cultural content.
The new definition also gets round the problem whereby people like Ken Loach are heavily funded from non-British sources, but it would clearly be ludicrous to describe, say, <I>My Name Is Joe</I> as anything other than British (even though it's technically Anglo-German-French-Spanish-Italian!). And it would be equally ludicrous to call <I>Superman</I> British - even though it technically is, as its producers managed to meet the criteria at the time in order to qualify for tax benefits!
So whatever the definition, you have to approach these things on a case-by-case basis and rely heavily on common sense.
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Originally posted by Michael Brooke
So whatever the definition, you have to approach these things on a case-by-case basis and rely heavily on common sense.
Yeah I think that's right, at least from a film fan's point of view, whatever the definition is for tax purposes etc. For instance I suspect many American films filmed in the UK could be labelled British if one simply applies the 70% rule you mention. It wouldn't surprise me if a film like Full Metal Jacket, which was filmed in the UK, spent more than 70% of it's budget on UK goods and services. But I'd contend that it is clearly an American film (made by Warner, with an American director and writer, plus most of the main cast was American as well) - despite Hendrik's claims. ;)
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you really should try some of the ealing comedys i know they are black and white but they are wonderful to watch,and what about some of the sherlock holmes film`s starring basil rathbone,i could also suggest,ice cold in alex,the hill,maybe rent some to give you a taste of great british cinema not just war films but great films to suit all taste`s.
:clap: :clap: :clap:
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Originally posted by sampath
(...I see Hendrik cites 2001 as being a British film. Assuming that is the case, I'd question the validity of a "Top 100 British Films" list which has Four Weddings as high as no 23, yet neglects to include 2001.)
...I go by Halliwell's - which also lists e.g. Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" (Columbia), Kubrick's "Lolita" (MGM) and "Dr Strangelove; or, How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (Columbia) and "The Shining" Warner) as being of "GB" origin...
...ditto for e.g. J. Lee Thompson's "The Guns of Navarone" (Columbia), Laurence Olivier's "The Prince and the Showgirl" (Warner), Lean's "Ryan's Daughter" (MGM)...
...and, of course (or, at least, probably!) "Four Weddings..." cost a great deal less money to make than "2001..." and brought in a great deal more money/profit... which, on the most basic level, is what making movies is all about... ;)
. . . :D . . .
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Originally posted by blackslayer
you really should try some of the ealing comedys i know they are black and white but they are wonderful to watch,
<I>The Ladykillers</I> is in colour - and frankly, if you don't find that funny, you're probably dead.
and what about some of the sherlock holmes film`s starring basil rathbone,i could also suggest,ice cold in alex,the hill,maybe rent some to
What, the ones made in Hollywood by Universal Pictures? :D
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Originally posted by Hendrik
...I go by Halliwell's
Pfft, Halliwell's Schmaliwell's. :p I go by the IMDB! (which, incidentally, lists 2001 as being UK/USA, which doesn't help. But in that case I figure it's 90% USA and 10% UK ;) )
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Originally posted by sampath
Pfft, Halliwell's Schmaliwell's. :p I go by the IMDB! (which, incidentally, lists 2001 as being UK/USA, which doesn't help. But in that case I figure it's 90% USA and 10% UK ;) )
I'd love to know how you worked that one out, since it has a British co-writer, overwhelmingly British crew (including both cinematographers) and two of the relatively tiny handful of speaking parts are played by British actors (Leonard Rossiter and Margaret Tyzack) - quite apart from it being made pretty much entirely in Britain, barring the odd background plate (shot in Africa by Britons).
I'd say the proportions are much closer to 50:50, if not actually biased in Britain's favour - and it's certainly regarded as a British film by a great many normally reliable sources (I've just checked the BFI's SIFT database as well).
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The Ladykillers isn't in colour at all, at least it wasn't when i saw it.
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Talking of 'Gregory's Girl', if 'Local Hero' qualifies as British (2 US leads) then that would be a good one if you are looking for something 'uniquely' British.
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Originally posted by Michael Brooke
quite apart from it being made pretty much entirely in Britain, barring the odd background plate (shot in Africa by Britons).
Oh... a quick check reveals that you are (not surprisingly) right - I stand corrected. :o
it's certainly regarded as a British film by a great many normally reliable sources (I've just checked the BFI's SIFT database as well).
So surely it should belong in any "Top 100 British Films" list? But I guess some people would rather find Hugh Grant hilarious and dismiss 2001 as boring. So I'd just like to go on record saying that 2001 is possibly my favourite "British" film and would love to add it to my collection (which so far remains free of British films as far as I can tell - unless Alien counts as being British, which it might) - I just need to find it cheap enough. :\
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thanks for the correction:o :o :o :o :o :o
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Originally posted by GrossePointeJack
The Ladykillers isn't in colour at all, at least it wasn't when i saw it.
It is!
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Originally posted by GrossePointeJack
The Ladykillers isn't in colour at all, at least it wasn't when i saw it.
I'll think you'll find you are mistaken there old chap. It is most definitely in colour.
Andrew
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Originally posted by GrossePointeJack
The Ladykillers isn't in colour at all, at least it wasn't when i saw it.
Oh dearie me.... :lol:
Four possible explanations:
1) Black-and-white telly;
2) Black-and-white print (unlikely, but not impossible - Rank once sent me a black-and-white print of <I>Black Narcissus</I>, which was somewhat startling!);
3) Tragic temporary loss of colour vision;
4) Fatal combination of faulty memory and overconfidence.
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"...Fatal combination of faulty memory and overconfidence."
...exactly that!...
. . . :D . . .
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Another great Ealing film ... Dead of Night - we always kick Halloween off with this one.
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Italian Job, great film and a good DVD.
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Well I had a most enjoyable afternoon off ill from work , which gave me the chance to start watching a couple of films from my Ealing Comedies boxset which turned up the other day , Kind Hearts and Coronets has to be in my top 5 films , I love it even tho it is in black and white :oh-hum: and I think I'll sticking on The LadyKillers in a little while :thumbs:
After that little ramble back to the point of the thread what difference does it make if a film its British , Black and White , Colour , Old or New as long as its good , well written and acted and directed well :)
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