A Bout de Souffle 1960
Starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and shot by Jean Luc Goddard
A.I. Artificial Intelligence 2001
Starring Haley Joel Osmet and shot by Stephen Speilberg
Abbott & Costello
Seen a few on TV as a child. Don’t recall any from the titles and have no desire
to revisit them to find out.
The Abominable Snowman 1957
Probably on telly one sad Saturday afternoon as a child in the 1960s.
About a Boy 2002
On DVD a couple of times. From Nick Hornby’s book. With Hugh Grant.
Abraham Lincoln 1930
Again, on telly one wet afternoon as a child or since.
The Absent-Minded Professor 1961
Saw the original after the remake – prefer the original with Fred MacMurray.
They are so alike the remake could have been shot frame for frame.
Absolute Beginners 1986
Julien Temple gets lost up his arse again.
The Abyss 1989
I liked it. James Cameron pulling out the stops. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
being allowed to drown then brought back to life by Ed Harris.
The Accompanist 1992
Typically self-indulgent French tripe with Richard Bohringer the appeal let down
by his unphotogenic daughter Romane. Saw it in Paris when I was living there.
Ace Ventura, Pet Detective 1994/1995
I hated Jim Carey in this so much that I couldn’t watch more than ten minutes –
the kids love it though.
Adam’s Rib 1949
Spencer Tracey and Katherine Hepburn. Only seen on TV, but a pleasure to see
these two performing off each other.
The Addams Family 1991 & 1993
Family fun, though I can never get excited about Anjelica Houston compared to
the TV Morticia.
The Admiral Crichton 1957
Only caught on TV in 2006. Blunt, clichéd … but it had Kenneth More and there
is a hint of what love (and sex) across the class boundaries could bring.
Adventures of Baron Munchausen 1989
Can Terry Gilliam ever do wrong? Not in my book. Fun to see Uma Thurman in here,
Robin Williams too.
The Adventures of Pinocchio 1996
I love this live action film. Martin Landau is perfect, John Sessions too …
and Rachel Portman’s music is lovely. My kind of film. (Jim Henson’s Creature
Workshop) Directed by Steve Barron.
The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert 1994
I love the simplicity of a road-movie. They set off, the travel, they make it
somewhere.
The Adventures of Robin Hood 1938
Has anyone ever done it better? Errol Flynn vs Basil Rathbone. A gem.
The African Queen 1951
Such fun with Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. Easy to watch over and over
– each time it repeats on TV. Directed by John Huston.
‘A splendidly successful mixture of comedy, character and adventure.’
The interplay of the mismatched Charly and Rose is perfect.
After Hours 1985
I gave up writing ‘Skip’ on hearing about this – a late night in a Soho office
ending in a night in a skip (and worse).
Agatha 1979
I found it intriguing and still like to watch it.
Starring Vanessa Redgrave with Dustin Hoffman turning in a likeable role.
Agent Cody Banks 2003
Age 6 and 8 the kids loved this – two years later they’re happy with James Bond.
As Haliwell says, ‘given that Bond films are aimed at teen audience, is there
room for a teen version.’ Have they made the same mistake with Alex Rider in
Stormbreaker.
The Agony and the Ecstasy 1965
How did these things get made and how come they retain their appeal. Charlton
Heston and Rex Harrison.
Aguirre, Wrath of God 1972
Werner Herzog directs Klaus Kinski – the wild eyed father of the girl I drooled
over as a teen. Must see.
Air America 1990
Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jnr. Fine for TV. Shame Robert Downey couldn’t have
held it together to make other films with Mel Gibson.
Air Force One 1997
Implausible hogwash that audiences love to see!
Airport 1970
Sees the serious and the comical. Great to see an idea be taken seriously then
lampooned.
Aladdin 1992
With Robin Williams voicing the Genie.
Perfect Disney animation.
The Alamo 1960
My brother and I enjoyed it as boys when we saw it on TV some time in the late
1960s. Too partisan and right wing for today’s tastes and John Wayne is a parody
of himself.
Alexander 2004
Oliver Stone gets it wrong with the ridiculous casting and accents of Colin
Farrel, Val Kilmer and Angelina Jolie.
Alfie 1996
It made Michael Caine. Need to see it again. Such a simple, timeless message for
young men. Like Henry V Part I. Have your fun, then mend your ways.
Alfie Darling 1975
Might I have seen this on TV in the late 70s. Sounds tragically familiar and
I’ve seen Alan Price in a film somewhere.
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves 1944
Keeps coming back on TV and you want it to have big names like Errol Flynn.
Alice in Wonderland 1951
Disney classic
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland 1972
I may have looked across the sitting room once or twice and seen this. I still
am in love with a version that came out on Vinyl in the early 60s which starred
Bruce Forsyth as the March Hare.
Alien 1979
Hard to beat this Ridley Scott Classic, a director worse work I admire (for the
most part).
Alien Nation 1988
So that was Terrence Stamp again. I admire his work, and have his cook book too.
Alien Resurrection 1997
I loved Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s work having seen so much of it when living in
Paris. I think Winona Ryder and some of the French cast do a great job too.
Alien 3
I didn’t like this. Too much of a stage play. Interesting to read about David
Fincher’s later adventures with Hollywood in ‘What Just Happened’ by Art Linson.
Aliens 1986
James Cameron’s one. Frightening.
Alive 1992
The book is more gruesome.
All Creatures Great and Small 1974
With Simon Ward. The only film I saw at the Sedbergh Picture House and probably
one of the last to be shown before it shut down.
All Quiet on the Western Front 1930
My late grandfather’s favourite film – he was a machine gunner through the
battles of the Somme, Arras and Paschendale.
All the President’s Men 1976
That long ago! I only saw it when it came to TV in 2006. Worth staying up for.
Almost Famous 2000
Amadeus 1984
Classic
American Beauty 1999
Kevin Spacey lusting after Annette Benning. It must be a mid-life crisis thing.
It took $277m on a $15m budget.
American Graffiti 1973
George Lucas
American Pie 1999
Teen perfect. Girls are hip to sex. They were in the late 70s and early 80s too.
An American Werewolf in London 1981
Seemed right at the time.
Amistad 1997
And God Created Woman 1957
You want to have sex with Bridget Bardot
Andre 1994
Six year olds love it. I quite liked it too.
Androcles and the Lion 1952
Certain to have caught this one Saturday afternoon on BBC2 in the early 70s. All
these things seemed to include Jean Simmons as the female interest.
Angel Heart 1987
Compelling, though I hate horror. Some scenes are the stuff of nightmares. Worth
it for the sex scenes with Lisa Bonet, the thought of Charlotte Rampling’s heart
being cut out and Robert De Niro peeling an egg as if he were skinning a dead
baby.
Angela’s Ashes 1999
Another Alan Parker, though I can’t say I enjoyed it – I didn’t.
Anna Karenina 1948
With Vivienne Leigh – saw it as a child.
Anne of the Thousand Days 1969
Richard Burton and Genevieve Byjold. Did we go as a family to see this kind of
thing at the Odeon, Newcastle?
Annie 1982
The critics pan it, the kids love it. Could have been made 20 years earlier.
John Huston gave it that feel (David Lean would have done no better or worse).
Another 48 Hours 1984
Eddie Murphy again. Fine at the time.
Another Country 1984
Got Oxford Contemporary Rupert Wainwright a part and Matthew Faulk was an extra.
I don’t know where I was! Alex Ogilvie put it on stage with Andrew Sullivan in
the lead.
Another Fine Mess 1930
These Laurel & Hardy films were staple Saturday morning padding on BBC 1 in the
60s/70s.
Another Time, Another Place 1983
Michael Radford made for TV (C4)
Antz 1998
The Apartment 1960
Billy Wilder Classic with the adorable Shirley MacLaine and spot on Jack Lemmon.
Apocalypse Now 1979
Apollo 13 1995
Arachnophobia 1990
The Aristocrats 1970
Classic Disney
Armageddon 1998
Asteroid trouble with Bruce Willis.
Around the World in Eighty Days
A David Niven Christmas Day classic from the 1960s.
Arsenic and Old Lace 1944
The kind of thing we got on a 16mm projector at Mowden, in our dressing gowns,
in great discomfort, once a term.
Arthur 1981
Drunks are never funny.
As Good as it Gets 1997
Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt
Assault on Precinct 13
John Carpenter classic. Relentless and memorable – like a recurring nightmare.
At the Earth’s Core 1976
Twaddle that feels it was made at least a decade earlier. All such films
distinguishable by the presence of Doug McClure and Peter Cushing.
Austin Power in Goldmember 2002
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery 1997
Austin Powers: The Spy who Shagged me. 1992.
The Aviator 2004
Martin Scorsese deserved the Oscar for this, as did Leonardo di Caprio.
Awakenings 1990
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