I'll look out for that, loads of these from a more innocent seeming time to relax with sometimes. Sparrows Can't Sing is often on written by nine other than Blakey / Stephen Lewis. Wilfred Brambell was a whiskey drinking, Scottish postman in this one today!

Last edited by An Unseen Scene (2022-03-05 14:30:21)

As well as the period feel it is fun for me watching the old output of the British film and TV industry because, with most studios being in the W or NW of London, much of the location filming was done around the area where we live. Take a Girl Like You, adapted from a Kingsley Amis novel, stars Oliver Reed, Hayley Mills, Noel Harrison and other notables of the time. Dreadful film, but interesting to me as it was almost entirely shot around Staines and Windsor. The websites reelstreets.com and imdb.com are good for identifying film locations.

Another one shot locally to me, the TV sci-fi series ‘UFO’; chiefly of personal interest as the lead actor Ed Bishop was married to one of my mother’s friends. Again it is completely naff and cheesy by todays standards,but interesting to see the 1970 take on what the future would look like. Stylish cordless  telephones are featured but you can see they are painted pieces of wood when you notice the paint has worn off on the corners. Modernist buildings are used in location shoots to try to create a futuristic atmosphere, but this fails badly as its often just a local office block. Most of the characters smoke with the more sophisticated ones using devices that foresaw ‘vaping’.

^ It’s not listed in Bray Studios output, it’s hard to say as there were so many studios in the area and still are. As you probably know Bray studios is where the Hammer horrors were shot, they’ve recently started making films there again.

There is a fair bit to dislike about those old British films. Exaggerated accents and class stereotypes.

The Sandwich Man, which I still recommend, is absolutely full of the unattractive racial attitudes of the day. Indian snake charmers etc.

Although I enjoy watching them for the scenery and locations, it’s very difficult not to flinch when a West Indian bus driver is introduced and you just know he’s going to be called Chalky.

Can I do you now Sir?

Ventriloquists on the radio.

Didn't Clement & La Frenais base Porridge on Two Way Stretch ? A great film BTW.

Recently watched Up the Junction which must have been on TPTV,some shots near the end of the Brentford I grew up in, ( coming out of the old police station ), Denis Waterman wore a few nice bd’s in the film, ( they look like USA shirts not, say Ben Sherman), and of course Adrienne Posta was in the film, ( note for RobbieB),
As an aside has anyone seen the photo of the guy standing outside 46 Chiltern St on the JS FB page today ?, don’t they’ll ask him to model any of their clobber....

I always loved Up The Junction. Great London market scenes. And Suzy Kendall pre haircut is pretty good viewing.

Reminds me a lot of Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush. Although that one looks a lot more dated due to it relying more on a swirly swingin’ sixties vibe. Think Adrienne Posta was in both? Mulberry Bush featured the then up and coming Barry (Mind Your Language) Evans. Who slid into a pretty tragic life and end (worth a look if you don’t know).

Both films had pretty good soundtrack LPs too. UTJ Manfred Mann and MB Spencer Davies Group/Traffic.

Not sure Robbie, could have been some ‘slightly ‘ out of shape chap just sheltering from the elements in their doorway...

A bouncer maybe ; )

I saw a few minutes of ITV's new 'The Ipcress File' adaptation last night. It was alright, pretty much what you'd expect. I didn't bother to stick with it, it felt a bit flat but was trying hard.

Last edited by An Unseen Scene (2022-03-07 03:14:44)

I stuck with it. It was just about okay.

Seems to be just part of the trend of trading on the the good name of something established and well respected, and bringing it up to date for a modern Sunday night tv audience. They've been doing it in films for years after all.

I was pleased that they'd at least kept fairly close to the pace of the original. I did fear that they'd slip into car chases and gunfights. Jury's still out though.

The problem with Michael Caine is he ended up saying yes to everything. De Niro's the same.

I saw an interview with Caine where he was challenged on it. His response was that his job was acting and if someone wanted to pay him to be in a terrible movie, he didn't have a problem with it.

A lot of those sixties films are looking more and more dated and tired as time and tech move on.