Brit Flicks

Has to be one of my favourites. Burton's performance is just amazing.

A fine piece of British social realism. Rita Tushingham puts in a brilliant performance.

A masterpiece from Powell and Pressburger.
The Technicolour is just beautiful, the colours are just so powerful, especially in the scene with Kathleen Byron putting on the lipstick. The scenery is also beautiful, looking like a painting at times. In fact the whole film was shot in Britian, so the scenery are just enlarged black and white photographs painted over.
Now, onto the acting. Deborah Kerr is brilliant as the Sister Superior who is struggling with her past and is also trying keep together the small order of nuns. A young Jean Simmons is also great in what is an almost mute role. But the person who really steals the show for me is Kathleen Byron as the crazy Sister Ruth. The climax of the film where Sister Ruth finally flips and lets the tension get to her is a worthy performance.
This is a brilliant, beautiful piece of British cinema.

One of my favourites. Has some great comic moments as well as being one of the best known of the "kitchen sink dramas". The story revolves around Billy who does nothing but daydream and let his imagination run wild. Its through his wild imagination that Billy has managed to find himself engaged to not one but 3 girlfriends. It may seem that Billy is uncaring towards his family and 3 girlfriends but it becomes clear that Billy?s wild imagination and habit of lying is his way of escaping the humdrum life of 1960s Northern England. Also a great performance by Julie Christie in her first major film role.

A classic kitchen sink drama, though not as well known as similar films of the period.
The Leather Boys tells the story of two people who marry too young, and discoverer they don't really know each other.
As the couple begin to drift apart, Reggie turns to his pal and begins to find out who he really is.
Features great acting from the 3 leads (Campbell, Tushingham and Sutton), and was ahead of it's time due to the fact it features homosexuality.
Overall if you like films from this period this is a must see.

"Viddy well, little brother. Viddy well."

A subtle and atmospheric horror movie. Brilliantly shot, infact it's the combination of the photography and the minimal soundtrack which makes this film all the more creepy

" We've gone on holiday by mistake"

Probably the best British comedy ever.

The link between the "Kitchen Sink Dramas" and the "Swinging London" movies.
Anyone interested in the sixties will love this.
The Georgy of the title is an overweight, plain girl played greatly by Lynn Redgrave who somehow becomes torn between her roomates lover and the advances of an older man (James Mason).
This charming and funny film is defiantly worth a look.

One of the best British movies of recent years. Brilliant performances from both Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench.

Classic. A stunning film which to this day is still powerful. Malcolm McDowell gives a great performance in what was his first major role. Love the jumps from colour to black and white, even if it was down to budget!

Powell and Pressburger do it again. A beautiful film shot in technicolor about a woman forced to chose between her two loves, her husband and the ballet. The 15 minute dance sequence is glorious.

A great horror film with a bizarre twist at the end.

Six years after directing the brilliantly eerie "The Innocents" Jack Clayton directed the equally eerie "Our Mother's House".
Seven children hide the death of their religious obsessed Mother and bury her in the garden in order not to be sent to the orphanage. For awhile they manage by themselves and go about their lives as if their Mother were still alive. They create a shrine for her in the back garden and everyday have "Mother Time" which consists of seances where it seems the mother talks to her children through one of the daughters. This changes when the children's father returns. For a short time a few of the children are convinced by him until secrets are revealed and we have a dramatic ending.
The main stars of "Our Mother's House" are the excellent cast of children. These include a few familar faces, including Pamela Franklin from "The Innocents" and Mark Lester star of "Oliver", and a few not so familar. Each of the children have their own unique character traits which makes it even more special. The adult actors are also impressive. Dirk Bogarde does a brilliant job as their selfish Cockney father and Yootha Joyce, who is best known for UK sitcoms in the 1970's, is also great.
You could dispute whether this is actually a horror film but it certainly is very creepy and atmospheric. The cineamatography and score only add to the uneasy feel.
Finally I just want to say why is this not avaliable on DVD or VHS, it is simpling begging for a proper release! If you do have the time please vote for it to be released on the TCM site.
A unique, creepy, dreadfully underated British classic. If you ever get the chance to see this rare gem then do.

Why has it taken my so long to see this gem?

I was pleasantly surprised by this. Great acting throughout and nicely shot. Love the soundtrack too!

Charming film with a good soundtrack (provided by The Mindbenders and Lulu). Great peformance by Sidney Poitier.

And another thing, look out for Reardon Street (if your a Morrissey fan you will know what I'm talking about)

Brilliant film.

A classic of the British New Wave genre. A truly great film not to be missed.

Anyone interested in British punk should watch this. Jubilee features some of the leader figures of British Punk including Adam Ant, Jordan, Little Nell, Toyah Wilcox, Wayne County, Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Slits. Bizarre, violent and weird Jubilee takes Queen Elizabeth 1st and transports her to 1978 Britain where we meet all the strange characters of the scene. Defiantly not one for everyone, you'll ethier love it or hate it, but if you are interested in Punk or obscure art movies then you have to see this.

A classic romance starring Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh.
Roy and Myra meet during an air raid. They agree to marry after he comes back from the front, but when Roy is mistaken for dead Myra has to turn to prostitution to survive.
Overall a very good film although one thing did annoy me, it's set during WW1 yet the characters have 1940s clothes and hairstyles!

Really great film from Ken Loach, "gritty Northern drama"

Brilliant!

This really is a very underrated film. Anne Bancroft puts in a great performance as the three times married mother of 6 who is slowly being driven mad by her current husband's unfaithfulness. The scene where she breaks down in the middle of Harrods is particulary powerful.

Powerful performances by both Richard Harris and Rachel Roberts.

Ok, this is very silly and wacky yet I found myself really liking it!
This is a great satire on Swinging 60s London. Lynn Redgrave and Rita Tushingham play two girls from the North of England determined to make it big in swinging London. What follows is a series of crazy situations as the unlikely pair do find fame only to realize it's not really worth it.
This film is so kitsch, with songs to match ("I can't sing but I'm young!"). If you love 60s style then your bound to like this, but this is not one to be taken seriously and overall is just a fun piece of nostalgia.

Brilliant film by Hitchcock. Only slightly disappointing part was the ending.

Bleak, depressing, gritty but still bloody good.

A worthy follow up to If....
Mick Travis is now a coffee salesman, travelling across 70s Britain and encountering many strange characters.
Malcolm McDowell is excellent as well as the rest of the cast which features a wealth of British talent.

Ledic was a small Czech mining village which the Nazis invaded. "Silent Village" is a tribute to the people of Ledic. Half documentary, half re-enactment, "Silent Village" takes the events from Ledic and shows what would happen if the same happened in the small Welsh mining village of Cwmgiedd.
The film shows life before and during the Nazi take over. At first we just see everyday life such as, the men at work mining, the women shopping and the children at school. But once the Nazis arrive everything changes. A car with a loud speaker on top drives round the village shouting out the orders, "Achtung, Achtung!" , and the consequences of anybody who will not obey these orders.
We soon see a group of miners plotting against this new regime only to be caught and shot. A second attempt is successful, but again the villagers responsible are dealt with. Eventually the Nazis burn down the village and decide the fate of the people.
A short put powerful film and a reminder of the horrors of war.

They don't make films like this anymore. David Niven is the fighter pilot who falls in love with Kim Hunter in his final few minutes, yet his angel of death misses him so he appeals for his chance to live.
Earth is portrayed in rich technicolour while the afterlife is monochrome. A beautiful, ahead of it's time fantasy by Powell & Pressburger. A must see.

"Almost a love story"

Freddie Clegg (Stamp) is a inept young man who doesn't fit in anywhere, Miranda Grey (Eggar) is the beautiful girl who he becomes obsessed with and kidnaps.
The Collector is great film which was pretty ahead of it's time really. The two central charaters put in great performances and play of each other perfectly. Defiantly one to track down.

Of all the Humphrey Jennings films I've seen so far this one may well be my favourite. "A Diary For Timothy" traces the final days of the War. This is told through the form of a visual diary for the newly born Timothy James Jenkins. Like the earlier "Words For Battle" we have a fine British actor of the day as the voiceover, this time being Michael Redgrave. Redgrave tells of the final days of the war through the eyes of ordinary people such as the miner, the train driver and the injured airmen. We are shown how as the war is drawing to a close things are getting back to normal, mines and barbed wire can be removed from the beaches, the home guard is no longer needed and blackout regulations no longer need to be so strict.
At the end of the film we told that even though the war is over there will still be problems ahead for the young Timothy. This really is a great snapshot of Britain at the time and again leaves you thinking. Highly recommended if you get the chance to see it.

Don't let the title fool you, this is not a horror, but a brilliant British thriller involving a medium who along with her push-over husband kidnap a young girl just to gain celebrity.
The acting of Kim Stanley and Richard Attenborough is probably the best thing in the film. Stanley was nominated for an Oscar for her performance and should of won.
A creepy, suspense thriller which is defiantly recommended.

Terence Davies's autobiographical film of working-class life in 1940s/50s Liverpool.
A brilliant, emotional and powerful film full of great acting. The story is told through memories and switches between childhood and adulthood.
Unique and highly recommended.

Deals brilliantly with the delicate issue of back street abortion.

Imelda Staunton's performance deserved the oscar.

"The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there"

Incredibly moving and real piece of cinema. One of the best British films of the 90s.

Three extraordinary tales charting the life of a homosexual man. The first segment is "Children". We are introduced to Robert Tucker at his school, which for him is a violent enviroment. We find out his home life is not much better. In the second segment, "Madonna and Child", Robert is now a middle aged man. Still living with his now elderly mother and working in an office he has to deal with his longing for love. The final segment, "Death and Transfiguration", sees Robert as an elderly man on his deathbed reflecting his life.
The Terence Davies Trilogy is very bleak and depressing, not only due to the subject matter but the B&W photography and the Liverpool surroundings. Yet despite it is an unsung British classic.

An excellent portrayal by Deneuve of a young woman slowing slipping into madness.

A cult classic. Still very weird and creepy even today.

"Are you a Mod or a Rocker?"
"Actually I'm a Mocker"

Even if you are not a fan of The Beatles this is a highly enjoyable film. John, Paul, George and Ringo provide their own unique brand of comedy plus some classic early Beatles tunes.

I enjoyed this film. The character Alfie was a bit of a bastard towards his women (always refering to them as "it")but Michael Caine bought a certain charm to the character making him more likeable. This is meant to be a comedy but there were some pretty grim scenes (mainly the illegal abortion scen...(read more)e). Shelley Winters also put in a good performance who in the end gave Alfie a taste of his own medicine.
In all a good film showing another side of 60s London, but nowadays is slightly dated.

A little predictable at times yet there are some great moments in this film.