Reviews

Warsaw, December 1942. When a prostitute is savagely murdered, German Intelligence Officer Major Grau is called to investigate. An eyewitness who caught a glimpse of the perpetrator through a crack in a door, reveals that the killer wore grey trousers with a red stripe down the side - the uniform of a Wehrmact General. Grau quickly narrows the suspects down to three men whose whereabouts on the night in question cannot be accounted for.

Having been aware of this film for many years, I finally managed to catch a rare screening of it last night on British TV. Part of my curiosity to see it was due to the sheer weight of the cast:- Omar Sharif as Major Grau, Peter O'Toole, Donald Pleasence and Charles Gray as the Generals, plus Christopher Plummer, Tom Courtenay, Philip Noiret, Gordon Jackson, John Gregson, Harry Andrews, Nigel Stock and Patrick Allen - phew! The film itself starts quite promisingly as a murder mystery and maintains the interest while based in Warsaw. It features an impressive sequence involving the flushing out of Polish Resistance fighters in the city. An interesting side-note at this point is that the armour used here appeared to be either real Tiger tanks, or pretty good replicas. This attention to detail was quite unusual for a film made in 1966. Usually, contemporary armour was used in war films of this vintage - I'm thinking particularly of 'Battle Of The Bulge', 'The Bridge At Remagen' and even 'Patton'.

However, once the scene shifts to Paris in the summer of 1944, the film starts to lose focus, meandering off on sub-plots about the Hitler assassination conspiracy and Tom Courtenay's character's love life. For long stretches Omar Sharif disappears altogether and the momentum is lost. Another distraction is the way the film jumps forward at intervals to the '60's, where we find Philip Noiret's Policeman interviewing some of the secondary characters in an attempt to solve the mystery. But by this point the killer's identity has become all too clear.

The film is by no means a total waste. It is in part an interesting study of German senior officers. The acting is good throughout, and to see stalwarts of British war films like Harry Andrews and John Gregson playing Germans is both curious and original. The script is literate, production design handsome, and the 1.78:1 presentation on ITV3 gave a tantalising glimpse of how good Henri Decae's photography would look in it's full 2.35:1 Panavision frame. But overall I was left feeling that with tighter handling regarding the killer's identity, and more emphasis on the central plot, the film could have been a far more satisfying whole.

In the late 18th century Caribbean a group of pirates led by Capt.Vallo become embroiled in the revolutionary activities of some islanders against the King.

That's about all the plot that you need to know, for this film doesn't concern itself with historical accuracy or the like. What it does is to place it's tongue firmly in it's cheek and take the audience on a thrilling romp in the best swashbuckling style.

Burt Lancaster plays Vallo with real gusto and exuberance, ideally suited to the all action role. He did all his own stunts, being paired on screen with his one time trapeze partner Nick Cravat as his mute sidekick. In these days of CGI overkill it's refreshing to see smartly choreographed action set pieces with real people performing breathtaking feats of agility. The support cast is filled with familiar faces from the period all giving good value in their respective roles.

The whole enterprise is lavishly mounted and shot in glorious vivid Technicolor. This was possibly one of the last of this type before Cinemascope and widescreen in general became the norm. As mentioned previously, accuracy isn't an issue here. In the finale we encounter prototypes of Gatlin guns, tanks and flamethrowers among other things!

I hadn't seen this since childhood, so I took the opportunity of catching it on the BBC at the weekend. With 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' still relatively fresh in my mind, it seemed appropriate to revisit this old classic. I'm happy to say that it's lost none of its appeal, quite the opposite in fact. Rollicking good fun - recommended.

When young nobleman Robin of Locksley returns home from the crusades, he finds that his father has been killed and his land stolen by the Sheriff of Nottingham. He takes refuge in Sherwood forest, where he joins up with a group of bandits. Gradually he melds them into a cohesive unit and together they attempt to overthrow the Sheriff, who plans to marry Maid Marion (King Richard the Lionheart's cousin), and thereby claim the throne of England for himself during the King's absence.

I watched this for the first time over the Easter weekend. I never had any great desire to see it on its theatrical release, and the only time that I attempted to watch it on television I gave up about half an hour in as it was so dark and murky. That was about 10 years ago, so when a friend at work offered to lend me the new DVD I gratefully accepted. To see it in digitally remastered form on 32" of flatscreen, and hooked up to a meaty amp/surround system was like watching a different film. While still dark by design and slightly gloomy in tone, overall I found it most enjoyable. Kevin Costner is fine as Robin, if a little bland, and Alan Rickman does his best pantomime villain as the Sheriff. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is a fiesty Marion and best of all is Morgan Freeman as Robin's Moorish friend Azeem, proving once again that he's one of the finest screen actors of recent years. The production is lavish, and the set pieces are thrilling and well executed. The pace and script is rather leisurely (although this version contains 12 minutes of extra footage mainly dealing with the Sheriff), but that serves to highlight the action. Finally, Michael Kamen provides a rousing score as a backdrop.

As a side note, I found the sense of geography rather amusing. Robin lands at the White Cliffs of Dover, declares that they will celebrate with his father that night (nearly 200 miles away), then sets off via Hadrian's wall in Northumbria! However, this film isn't intended as a serious historical document and such inaccuracies are easy to forgive. It's an old fashioned romp with some '90's trimmings, and viewed as such is very entertaining.

An heiress is murdered while honeymooning on a Nile cruise. Fortunately, the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is holidaying on the same paddle steamer, and begins an investigation. However, it would seem that all of the other passengers on board have clear motives for committing the murder.

This was the second of Agatha Christie's novels featuring Hercule Poirot to be filmed, after the success of 'Murder On The Orient Express' a few years earlier. The great Peter Ustinov, who so recently passed away, took on the role this time, and injected it with his own droll humour. Indeed the whole film seems rather tongue in cheek, with the all star cast having fun with their roles. Bette Davis, Maggie Smith and Jack Warden all enjoyably ham it up, but Angela Lansbury manages to outdo them all with a delightfully over the top performance as the perpetually drunk author of erotic novels. David Niven, ever the archetypal British gent, proves a good foil as Poirot's partner in the investigation.

Where the film really scores is in the locations and photography. Egypt proves a stately backdrop to proceedings and veteran Cinematographer Jack Cardiff makes the most of it. The 1930's setting also gives an air of genteel opulence to the surroundings. While the film couldn't claim to be a classic tension filled mystery, it is a pleasant, laid back and enjoyable entertainment, that's clever enough to keep you guessing until the end.

During World War Two the Germans build a new prison camp, Stalag Luft III, for the express purpose of housing many of their most troublesome captured Allied airmen. However, all this serves to do is to pool the resources of some of the most ingenious escape artists in captivity and fill them with a resolve to engineer a mass breakout from the camp.

Based largely on real events, this film has assumed classic status over the years and its easy to understand why. Quite simply, it excells in many departments. Director John Sturges was at the height of his creative powers and he keeps a firm grip on the proceedings. Although the film runs close to three hours it never feels sluggish, while at the same time winding up the tension gradually and developing the characters. The production design is first rate, to the point where Donald Pleasance (who had been a P.O.W.) felt quite intimidated by the vast set on his arrival. Daniel Fapp's beautiful photography shows this and the picturesque German locations off to full effect. Put these virtues together with a good script, inspired casting and a classic score by Elmer Bernstein, and you have an object lesson in how to create an intelligent and exciting big budget adventure film.

On the subject of the cast; Much is made of Steve McQueen's role. While I am a huge McQueen fan, I feel that some of the other performances are equal to, if not better than his. Richard Attenborough, James Garner, Donald Pleasance, Charles Bronson and Gordon Jackson are all excellent. Good too are James Coburn, James Donald, David McCallum and Hannes Messemer as the sympathetic Commandant.

This is one of those films that I can happily watch time and time again. In September of this year a new print was screened at the NFT in London as part of an 'Attenborough at 80' season. It was a pleasure to see this on the big screen at last. For the most part the print was in very good condition. The DVD was one of the first that I ever bought some three and a half years ago, and I watched its inevitable Christmas screening on BBC2 last night. I just never tire of it. In these days of brainless, poorly executed action fodder, its a joy to behold something that hits its targets so precisely.

When ex-agent Harry Palmer recieves a mysterious request to deliver a flask to Finland in return for a fee, Col. Ross forcibly re-employs him with British Intelligence. Palmer is ordered to proceed to Finland with the flask (which contains deadly nerve gas), in an attempt to infiltrate the organisation of Texan oil billionaire Gen. Midwinter, who is believed to be behind an anti-Soviet plot of some kind.

The third and final of the Harry Palmer films (if you don't count the two woeful straight to cable efforts of the mid-nineties) is generally considered to be the weakest. The strength of both 'The Ipcress File' and 'Funeral In Berlin' was that they were the complete antithesis of the Bond films, portraying the spying game as mundane, shadowy and unglamorous. However, with 'Billion Dollar Brain' maverick director Ken Russell presents the audience with an outlandish plot and large futuristic sets, which seem at odds with the style of its predecessors. The result is that the film appears to be aping Bond, and as such the character of Palmer is less effective.

Despite these shortcomings there are pleasures to be had. Michael Caine once again displays wit and charm as Palmer, Guy Doleman is his usual droll self as Ross and Oskar Homolka makes a very welcome return as Col. Stok. Ed Begley gives his all as the lunatic Midwinter, Karl Malden provides reliable support as an old aquaintence of Palmer, and the tragic Francois Dorleac lends an exotic mystery to her character. The snowbound Finnish locations are beautifully filmed and the production design by Bond man Syd Cain is very stylish.

Ultimately the film is let down by rather wild and undisciplined direction and a cartoonish finale. It's a shame that 'Billion Dollar Brain' strayed so far from the template of the previous films, but its by no means all bad, and can be reasonably entertaining if you're in the right mood.

In the spring of 1944 an RAF Mosquito Squadron are ordered to attack a German rocket fuel plant in Norway. The mission involves flying up a heavily defended fjord and bombing a cliff overhang in an attempt to bury the factory, which is built into the rock.

I bought this on DVD in a '3 for £20' offer, as I had fond memories of it from childhood, and it had been around 20 years since I last remember seeing it. I have to say that it's not nearly as good as I remembered it to be. The plot is full of cliches and there's the inevitable love interest for the lead. That said, there are points to recommend it. Cliff Robertson gives another reliable performance as the Wing Commander in charge of the squadron, and there are equally dependable turns from Harry Andrews and Donald Houston. The numerous flying sequences with the Mosquito Bombers are expertly filmed, and it's a real bonus to finally see the film in its correct 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The special effects aren't bad for 1964, and Ron Goodwin's famous score underpins the whole venture.

The main problem that I have with the film is that it borrows heavily from 'The Dam Busters' in terms of plot, without ever scaling the heights (no pun intended) of that classic. It may have lush Panavision photography, better effects etc., but lacks the nail biting tension and expertly constructed drama of its predecessor. However, it's perfectly acceptable entertainment, if somewhat abrupt at the end.

After the successful rescue of Mussolini by German Paratroopers, Col.Max Radl is asked to prepare a feasibility study on an attempt to kidnap Winston Churchill. At first this seems a preposterous idea, until a message arrives from an agent in Britain which reports that Churchill will spend a weekend in the picturesque Norfolk village of Studley Constable, which is only a few miles from a deserted stretch of coastline. A plan is formulated to drop Col.Kurt Steiner and his highly experienced unit into Norfolk to carry out the mission, aided by IRA man Liam Devlin and respected local figure Joanna Grey, who is a German agent and the source of the original message.

This film has been a personal favourite of mine since I first saw it on its TV premiere around 1979, aged 12. It is of course the screen adaptation of Jack Higgins bestseller. I must admit to never having read the book, so I can't testify how closely the film follows it. Produced by ITC in 1976, it boasts an impressive cast in Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland, Robert Duvall, Donald Pleasance and a pre-JR Larry Hagman. Veteran Hollywood Director John Sturges was at the helm - the man responsible for 'Bad Day At Black Rock', 'The Magnificent Seven' and 'The Great Escape' to name just three. The production values and technical credits are uniformally good.

As to the film itself, it remains an entertaining romp. Your interest is held throughout, and you find yourself half wanting the Germans to get away with it, as Michael Caine and his men are such decent chaps. Donald Sutherland is full of Irish charm as Devlin, Larry Hagman is intentionally funny as the incompetent Col.Clarence T.Pitts, Robert Duvall is convincing and sympathetic as Radl, and Donald Pleasance quite chilling as Himmler. Good though the film is, it might have been better. In his autobiography, Michael Caine talks about the fact that after shooting had wrapped, Sturges headed back to California and never returned for any of the editing or post production. Caine felt let down by this, for as he correctly states, a Director can do some of his most important work at this stage. However, he also remembers the shooting of the film as a very pleasurable experience. At that time he lived at Windsor, and much of the filming was done nearby on the beautiful Mapledurham Estate, during the longest, hottest summer that most of us remember.

I paid a visit to Mapledurham recently, during the fine summer that we've just enjoyed. It's instantly recognisible - the watermill, the church, the manor house, Joanna Grey's cottage - all as they appear in the film and well worth a visit. It always amuses me that the events are supposed to take place in November - a truly miserable month here - and yet its clearly mid-summer on screen.

I have one major gripe. Not with the film itself, but its availability on DVD. The UK version is to be avoided like the plague. Cursed with being distributed here by Carlton, its in 1.33:1 and worse is missing some 12 minutes of footage. The US version is at least in 2.35:1, but is still missing 3 to 4 minutes of the film. Thank heavens that I still have my complete version recorded from the BBC some 12 years ago, before they decided to cut some brief moments of violence. Its really annoying when a good film that did reasonable business at the box office gets such shoddy treatment on DVD. There really is no excuse for it.

When all is said and done, this is a good entertaining yarn and an intriguing idea (even if it does have echoes of 'Went The Day Well'). Maybe not a classic, but always good fun, professionally mounted and with some lovely locations. Give it a try if you haven't already seen it, just avoid that Region 2 DVD!

SAS Captain Peter Skellen goes undercover to infiltrate The People's Lobby, a group of radicals who have aligned themselves to the CND movement. They plan to gain access to the US Embassy in London and hold the Ambassador and his guests hostage, while making outrageous demands of the British Government.

I'll keep this relatively short as the previous reviewer accurately nailed this film to the floor. I saw it on its theatrical release when I was 15, and didn't think it was particularly good then. I sat up watching a late night screening on the BBC at the weekend, as it had been some years since I had last seen it. It was as bad as I remembered it to be. A combination of a poor screenplay, bad acting, equally poor direction and woolly headed politics all serve to leave us with a disjointed mess. As the previous reviewer stated, the one saving grace is the cinematography. However, this alone cannot compensate for the overall shortcomings of the film.

I noticed that the film came from the same production team that gave us 'The Wild Geese'. While that film stretched credibility in terms of the age of the protagonists, it crucially didn't take itself too seriously, and was professionally handled. 'Who Dares Wins' by comparison is a charmless shambles.

A gang of criminals hijack a Norwegian supply vessel for two North Sea oil rigs. After attaching limpet mines to both rigs, they demand a huge ransom from the British Government. The insurers - Lloyds of London - call in the eccentric Rufus Excalibur Ffolkes and his highly trained team to bring an end to the situation.

First off, this is not a great film and makes no pretension to be one. It is however quite enjoyable on its level, which is that of a fairly straightforward and formulaic thriller with some dashes of humour. Roger Moore gives a pleasing performance as the woman hating, arrogant and irascible Ffolkes, who is the complete antithesis of his version of Bond. Much of the gentle humour of the film arises from his constant put downs to all around him. Anthony Perkins is the head of the gang, and plays him with typical cold blooded menace. Also James Mason turns in a nice portrayal of an exasperated Admiral.

Director Andrew V.McLaglen keeps things moving along, and the setting is at least a bit different from the usual scenarios. The finale does seem something of a let down after the build up, but it doesn't ruin the film.

I hadn't seen this for a few years, so I enjoyed watching it again last week when it got a screening on TV. I recorded it and watched it a couple of days later while laid low with the 'flu. Its tongue in cheek nature cheered me up, and surely that's the whole point of these types of films.

In the 1920's several international characters gather to compete in the gruelling Monte Carlo Rally. Some will employ fair means or foul to ensure victory.

This film was a follow up of sorts to 1965's 'Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines', although it also bares similarities to 'The Great Race'(in which Tony Curtis once again starred). Sadly it is not in the same class as either. It lacks the coherence, wit and spectacle of 'Flying Machines', despite Ken Annakin being at the helm once more. In fairness to him the main problem is the screenplay - its simply not that funny. This causes an over reliance on the visual gags, and here again the film falls short. The effects aren't terribly special even for 1969. Some of the characters are also downright irritating - I'm thinking particularly of the Italians - bulging eyed, flailing armed, noisy oafs.

There are some compensations however. Dear old Terry-Thomas and Eric Sykes repeat their double act from the previous film to some effect, and Susan Hampshire is every inch the English Rose. But its Peter Cook and Dudley Moore who steal the show as a British Army Officer/Inventor and his Batman respectively. They have all the best lines and manage to deliver them in a typically deadpan and upper class manner. Example:- As their car hurtles down a snowy hillside out of control, and having tried every concievable method of stopping it to no avail, Cook calmly announces "This simply won't do at all!" Priceless.

Not a total disaster then, but considering the talent involved, with better writing and more careful work all round it could have been, and indeed should have been, so much better.

In 1901 English amateur yachtsman Arthur Davies is exploring a chain of islands off the German coast, attempting to update navigation charts for the area in which treacherous sandbanks abound. He becomes suspicious of a mysterious German called Dollmann, who apparently is running a salvage operation on one of the islands, and does not welcome Davies' interest in his activities. Davies summons the help of his friend Charles Carruthers, who works in the Foreign Office, to get to the bottom of the curious goings on.

This is an admirable attempt to film Erskine Childers classic novel. It manages to combine the laid back feel of amateur yachting with an intriguing mystery. Simon McCorkindale and Michael York blend together very well as the two English gentlemen turned amateur sleuths. They are complimented by the excellent and much missed Alan Badel as the sinister Dollmann, and Jenny Agutter as his daughter Clara. Much of the film's appeal is due to the exquisite cinematography of veteran Christopher Challis. He manages to evoke a strong sense of time and place with good location work, and is helped in this by solid production design and an enchanting musical score. My only real criticism is that sometimes the suspense sequences could have been more tightly constructed without compromising the genteel atmosphere of the piece.

It would be nice to see this appear on DVD at sometime in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio to really appreciate the photography (BBC2 do at least broadcast it in 1.78:1). However, the film was produced by Rank, and I fear that Carlton will hold the distribution rights. Anyone who has ever purchased one of their DVDs will attest to the utter contempt that they appear to have for the format. Films are usually released in 1.33:1 full frame no matter what their original ratio, and in the case of 'The Eagle Has Landed' there are also some 12 minutes of the film missing! With these points in mind it doesn't bode well. If you haven't seen 'The Riddle Of The Sands' try and catch it next time round on TV. You may be pleasantly surprised by it.

London criminal Charlie Croker inherits an ingeneous plan to steal $4 million in gold from an armoured convoy in Turin by creating a giant traffic jam.

This is a film that I never tire of watching. It was one of the first that I posted a review for some 12 months ago, and since then I've bought the DVD when it came out, and was lucky enough to catch a rare screening at the local multiplex a few months ago. It was transmitted a few nights ago on the BBC once again, and I still couldn't resist its charm. The film's pulling power is due to a number of factors:- 1.Good economical direction from Peter Collinson which keeps everything moving along briskly. 2.A breezy, witty script that raises some laughs. 3.Perfect casting in Michael Caine, Noel Coward, Benny Hill, Irene Handl, Raf Vallone and Tony Beckley. 4.Beautiful Italian locations, gorgeously photographed, and 5.The amazing stunt driving through the streets of Turin.

If you haven't seen it in its full 2.35:1 aspect ratio on DVD or on the big screen you're really missing out. Also, the DVD contains a lengthy and fascinating documentary on the making of the film. Over the years it has been elevated to classic status here in the UK, and its easy to see why. Quite simply, its good natured harmless fun that's guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.

The story of British Navy Destroyer HMS Torrin, told in flashback by the surviving crew members as they await rescue in the Mediterranean, the ship having been sunk during a battle.

This film was something of a tour-de-force for Noel Coward, as he produced, wrote and co-directed it (with a young David Lean). Considering its age, the film stands up quite well today. It obviously seems dated in some respects - the dialogue is quite clipped and stilted at times - but is saved by professional work all round and a clutch of strong performances, namely by Noel Coward himself, John Mills and Bernard Miles. Its also notable for the screen debut of Richard Attenborough (it was screened over the holiday weekend as part of a celebration of his upcoming 80th Birthday).

While some may find it presenting an overly romanticised view of the Royal Navy at war, it should be remembered that at the time it was made, in 1942, victory over Germany was still far from certain. With that in mind, it surely must have achieved its aim of boosting the morale of those who saw it. Over 60 years on it remains good solid entertainment and an intriguing glimpse into the mindset of the day.

In German occupied Norway during 1942, a group of Norwegian Resistance fighters joined by an initially reluctant Professor of Physics from Oslo University, attempt to destroy a German Heavy Water plant in Telemark, which is vital to the Third Reich's development of Atomic weapons.

What should be a tense and thrilling tale based on a true story is merely watchable. While it maintains your interest, it never grips. This must be down to the Director, Anthony Mann. Perhaps he had become too used to working on three hour epics (El Cid, Fall Of The Roman Empire), and he simply couldn't inject the necessary pace or urgency into a two hour adventure story. The cast are all fine, headed by Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris, more troubling is the overall look of the film. Despite extensive and commendable use of the actual locations, its rather unattractively photographed. This is quite surprising considering that Robert Krasker had done such sterling work on Mann's earlier epics. Also, the use of some black and white stock footage of planes is jarring and cheap looking.

This is a good story, worth telling. But as a wartime adventure film it pales in comparison to 'The Guns Of Navarone' or 'Where Eagles Dare', even though both of those stories were entirely fictional.

Veteran small time crook Charley Varrick and his gang rob a small bank in the south west. Expecting modest takings, Charley is shocked to discover that the haul is $750,000. The catch is that the money belongs to the Mafia, who are soon on the trail of the robbers. Charley must devise a scheme to escape with his life, and hopefully the money as well.

This is a very pleasing piece of work all round. Directed with customery efficiency and style by Don Siegel, it twists and turns, always keeping you interested. Its helped by good casting. The ever watchable Walter Matthau effortlessly slips into the role of Varrick, Joe Don Baker is quite chilling as the ruthless hitman with impeccable manners and John Vernon extracts some sympathy as the Banker/Mafia man trying to smooth everything over. Add some pleasant locations and an intelligent script and the result is a very satisfying, if different '70s crime thriller.

As I watched this again last night on BBC1, I remembered that on its previous screening it was preceeded by an introduction by Mark Kermode. In it he commented on the fact that Matthau hated the film. After a second viewing I still can't imagine why.

A mild mannered American Mathematition and his English wife move into her remote Cornish farmhouse where she grew up. The locals resent his presence and the fact that he has married one of 'their girls'. While driving home one foggy night, the couple hit a local retarded man who has accidentally suffocated a girl from the village. Not aware of this, they take him to the farmhouse for help. Before long the local roughnecks are laying seige to the house, demanding that the couple turn the man over to them for 'questioning' about the girl's dissappearance. The American refuses, knowing what will happen if he hands over the suspect, and the situation descends into all out violence.

I watched this last night as it had its UK television premiere on Channel Four. Along with 'A Clockwork Orange' it was banned for many years here, only seeing the light of day on DVD late last year. The previous evening Channel Four screened an excellent documentary on the troubled history of the film, presented by Film Critic Mark Kermode. My appetite duly whetted, I sat down expecting either a masterpiece or a total letdown.

The result lay somewhere between the two. The film builds slowly and menacingly, before finally exploding into violence near the end. However, so accustomed have we become to graphic on screen violence that its effect is lessened compared to what it would have been 32 years ago. The transformation of Dustin Hoffmann's character remains interesting nevertheless. The real problem with the film is of course the attitude to Susan George's character. From the outset Peckinpah depicts her as a tease and a flirt, so by the time we get to the double rape we are almost supposed to think 'she was asking for it'. This is compounded by her reaction to the first rape. These are dangerous messages for filmmakers to send out to society and one must question Peckinpah's agenda here.

At his best (The Wild Bunch, Cross Of Iron) Sam Peckinpah was a truly gifted Director. 'Straw Dogs' is no classic but it remains interesting and challenging. I'm glad I took the time to see it and I would probably watch it again. However, it can be an unsettling veiwing experience, but perhaps that was the point, that violence is distressing and ugly.

A light aircraft which is ferrying oil workers to Benghazi is forced to crash land in the desert during a sandstorm. The group organise themselves to await rescue but as the days pass they become increasingly aware that rescue is unlikely. A German passenger called Dorfmann formulates a plan to reconstruct the damaged aircraft into a smaller plane, and the others, while dubious about the chances of success, agree to try out his idea.

It had been close to 20 years since I saw this last, so when I noticed that it was on television last weekend I decided to have another look at it. I had forgotten just how many famous actors were in the cast. They are all very good but James Stewart (as the pilot), Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Ian Bannen and Hardy Kruger (as Dorfmann) really stand out. Robert Aldrich's direction keeps the tension building throughout, as the men become more desperate and tempers start to fray.

I am glad that I rediscovered this classic suspense thriller. Its easy to see why it was such a favourite on television around Christmas time when I was young. Sadly, they really don't make films like this anymore.

Chicago,1930. Treasury Agent Elliot Ness forms a small team of uncorruptable or 'untouchable' officers to combat Al Capone's criminal activities.

This film was a huge hit in its day and is notable for several things. It made a star of Kevin Costner, won Sean Connery an Academy Award and raised the screen profile of Andy Garcia. In itself it is very stylishly mounted and directed by Brian De Palma, is well acted all round and keeps moving well enough to hold the attention. While it pays homage to a bygone era of film it contains the modern trimmings of bloody violence and bad language (though neither are excessive).

It perhaps is not quite the classic that some would have us believe, but it is rollicking entertainment while it is on, and lingers in the mind afterwards.

A US Destroyer plays a deadly game of cat and mouse with a German U-Boat in the South Atlantic during World War Two.

Despite this film getting fairly regular screenings on UK TV over the years, I saw it for the first time in its entirity over the weekend. Considering the era in which it was made, I was pleasantly surprised by its straightforward story and solid production. Rather than have some superfluous romantic sub-plot dragging it down, it instead concentrates on the professionalism of those involved on both sides. Robert Mitchum and Curt Jurgens portray the opposing Captains impressively as men who take no pleasure in the prospect of killing, but carry out their jobs to the best of their considerable abilities. The supporting cast include Theodore Bikel, David Hedison and a very young looking Doug McClure.

A combination of good technical credits, sure handed direction, good acting and a sympathetic depiction of the German crew ensure that the film holds up very well today. It may not be 'Das Boot' but its certainly entertaining.

Two Viking half brothers (who are unaware that they are related) fight over Welsh Princess Morgana, who has been captured during a raid in England while en-route to marry the King of Northumbria.

A handsomely mounted historical epic in the old tradition. However, a great deal of effort was made to achieve accuracy in terms of clothes, villages, ships, weapons etc. The stunning Norwegian locations add to the authenticity, and are breathtakingly photographed in Technirama by master cinematographer Jack Cardiff.

Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis and Ernest Borgnine all give strong performances, although the characters are hard to like. The level of brutality is quite surprising for a film made in 1958, and the overall atmosphere is one of harshness.

While the film is perhaps not quite in the league of 'Spartacus' or 'El Cid' in terms of epic status, it is admirably authentic, unsentimental and vigorous.

June 6th,1944. The Allied invasion of northern Europe begins along the Normandy coastline. In the early hours of the morning thousands of British and American paratroopers are dropped inland to secure strategic objectives, to be followed at dawn by the main assault force consisting of Americans (Utah and Omaha beaches), British (Gold and Sword beaches), Canadians (Juno beach) and French (attached to the British at Sword). By nightfall it is hoped that the troops will be moving off the beaches and linking up with the Airborne forces inland.

This multi-faceted account of the D-Day landings was a mammoth undertaking in its day. Adapted for the screen by Cornelius Ryan from his book of the same name, it is a very detailed look at the events of that momentous day in history. Every angle is covered, from the commanders, planners and soldiers to the French underground, civilians and the German defenders. The cast list reads like a who's who of international cinema at the time, to the point where this can detract from the drama of the events at times. Nevertheless, the sheer scale of the production is staggering in its scope, most of it filmed on the actual battle sites where possible. In terms of cost, this would surely be impossible to film these days.

There are a couple of drawbacks, however. Some of the dialogue leans toward the corny at times, especially by todays standards. Also, since the release of 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'Band Of Brothers' the landings on Omaha beach and the parachute drop sequences look tame and rather antiseptic. This isn't a criticism of the production, so much as a comment on how the film is starting to show its age.

On the plus side there are some very well executed sequences. The scaling of the cliffs at Point du Hoc by the US Rangers is one, and the storming of the town of Ouistreham by French commandos is another. This is probably the most breathtaking scene in the entire film, as an airborne camera tracks the commandos through the streets and ends up circling a German machine gun nest on top of the casino building.

The film needs to be viewed in its original widescreen aspect ratio to fully appreciate its epic scale. The DVD print is a beautifully clean transfer in the original black & white. I, and I suspect many others, got quite a shock a couple of years back when I tuned in to watch it on TV, to find it has been digitally colourised. In truth this version looks quite good, but it's not available on DVD.

Despite showing its age a little, 'The Longest Day' remains one of the great World War Two films, and is still the definitive cinematic account of D-Day.

On a mission in North Korea, James Bond is betrayed, captured, tortured, and eventually released after several months in a prisoner exchange. M suspects that he may have talked, and suspends him from duty. Bond decides to track down the real traitor in an attempt to clear his name.

Where to begin? As a longtime Bond fan and proud owner of all the previous films on DVD, I duly visited the local multiplex several weeks ago to catch the much heralded 20th instalment of the series. I did so with a little trepidation as there were already some very negative comments appearing on this site. That combined with the fact that I was less than overwhelmed by TWINE made me a little cautious. However, I entered the cinema with an open mind and hoped to be entertained.

The first turn off was the truly awful title 'song'. A plink-plonk electronic mess, totally out of place in a Bond film. Nevertheless, the first hour progresses fairly evenly, culminating with a stylishly executed sword fight and a quick jaunt to Cuba, which introduces us to Halle Berry's character, Jinx. From there on, sadly, the film disintegrates completely. The script degenerates into smutty one liners that the 'Carry On's' would have been embarrassed to use. The plot resolves itself into one outlandish chase after another, to the point where I had lost all interest by the time of the 'cars on the frozen lake' sequence. The stunts are never more than adequate, and the CGI sequences (the first time they've been used in a Bond film) are jaw-dropping in their ineptitude. As for the cast, they are hamstrung by the turkey of a script. Pierce Brosnan makes a good Bond and deserves better than this, and poor Halle Berry seems all at sea in her role. Regarding the director, if he wants to play around with quirky camera tricks then he should go and work on a sequel to 'The Matrix'.

I am quite willing to accept that the Bond films must change to keep up with the times, but this witless farrago goes beyond the pale. Bond films have a certain look, feel, style and glamour that set them apart. 'Die Another Day' is just another brainless Hollywood action film, and as such is easily the worst of the series. What Ian Fleming and Cubby Broccoli would have made of this is anybody's guess. If the producers and writers can't come up with something better, they might as well retire Bond for good. Needless to say, 'Die Another Day' won't be joining the other 19 films in my DVD collection.