I own a bunch of DVDs, bought in charity shops, that I have never got round to watching. Well, life is short and who knows how long it lasts (it’s later than you think etc etc), so I am going to watch and review (briefly) the lot. No idea how long this will take, because, well, this morning I bought “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and Sally Potter’s “The Party” for a quid in toto. Zeno’s movie watching, innit?
Michael Caine stars as “Harry Palmer” – an insolent and insubordinate – but competent, sergeant in the army. He likes “birds” (it’s the sixties) and cooking. Taken off a boring surveillance gig he quickly gets mixed up in a “somebody is stealing British scientists” conspiracy. It’s all extremely well done, acting, (Gordon Jackson pre: The Great Escape and then the Professionals), with steam-trains (!), belief in the efficacy of ‘brain-washing’, and nice gibes about the class system etc.
Based on Len Deighton’s thriller, there were two sequels – Funeral in Berlin and The Billion Dollar Brain – which I’d also like to watch.
See also – Doctor Who and the Time Warrior, The Parallax View, the Manchurian Candidate.
How did I miss this? Very (I mean VERY) loosely based on PD James Children of Men (they lift one observation into dialogue) it’s a corker. Beginning on November 16 2027, it’s been 18 years since any woman anywhere gave birth. Everywhere is chaos (briefly alluded to) but Britain Soldiers On – as a fascist shithole. Clive Owen plays a cynical/world-weary flunky at the Ministry of Energy (think Winston Smith at MiniTru) who is almost blown up by a terrorist bomb (or is it the Government – bombing London for the shiggles and pinning the blame on his opponents). Shortly after he is kidnapped by an old flame, a luminous Julianne Moore, who is offering money to help a refugee get to the coast.
Everything about this is brilliant – the script, the cast, the cinematography, the sly touches (Picasso and Pink Floyd), the bleakness, the plausible bravery, cowardice and venality.
Michael Caine shines as a Steve Bell/John Lennon figure.
I do wish I had seen this at the cinema when it came out – what wasn’t I thinking???
marchudson.net 
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