Hugh-14 Reviews

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

First half only is any good

[6/10 · 10 December 2001]

Having been fairly but not overly impressed with all 3 books when I read them in the early 1970's, I was indeed looking forward to the first filmed installment.

I have to admit that although the film is very impressive on a technical level, much of this film is very tedious and certainly after 2 hours I was very very bored with the repetitiveness of the confounded story. Certainly whatever it was that compelled me all those years ago with the books is not there with this film and I could not wait for the thing to end. To coin the great Alfred Hitchcock's words "it's lacking humour" and I came away wanting real entertainment. Sorry!

The Sixth Sense (1999)

seriously and tiresomely dull - Overrated!

[1/10 · 5 November 1999]

Being involved in the industry and having read so much about this film for several months, I have to say that it is a great disappointment. Bruce Willis was badly miscast. With so many close-ups the part needed an actor with a greater range who can convey tension subtly and convincingly and not the one dimensional comic book action hero looks with the acting ability of a turnip. Bruce Willis trying ever so hard to be restrained is like torture to watch. Even the much-hyped ending is not so difficult to predict. Too many sub-plots with the dead people cropping up here and there with little point except to try and scare the audience - a hand shooting out from under a table - is all old hat. Stephen King fans will be underwhelmed, and as Hitchcock might have said, it is too slow and lacks humour. Seriously Dull!

Dangerous Beauty (1998)

A lost gem

[10/10 · 26 May 1999]

Being involved in the film industry and invited to many previews, it becomes increasingly rare feeling great when sitting through the majority of films. The Honest Courtesan is a film I loved from beginning to end, and one of the film world's great mysteries for me will always be, why did this film fail? Was it the title? Dangerous Beauty in the US - fairly crass! A Destiny of her own in Aus - Too feminist, arty? The Honest Courtesan in Europe - The original title, better but too many people have trouble with 'Courtesan' in the title! I am sure the film will have more success on video, but with the wonderful 'Scope cinematography, the film is ravishingly beautiful on the Cinema screen. I guess if as theory has it, the title is everything then 'Shakespeare in Love' is certainly a more punchy title but not, in my view, a better film!

The Happiest Days of Your Life (1950)

80 mins of absolute joy

[10/10 · 14 April 1999]

From the golden period of British films, this has my vote for one of the funniest of all time. Screened yesterday at my Film Society to a rapturous audience, I was astonished at how well the comedy has lasted (made in 1950!). It is really down to the expert timing and inimitable playing from two of the finest actors Britain has produced: Margaret Rutherford and Alastair Sim. Adapted from a play by John Dighton, this farce is briskly handled by director Frank Launder. The plot is simple: A ministry mistake billets a girls' school on a boys' school. I will always laugh when I think of this film.

The Queen of Spades (1949)

A Classic from the golden age of British Cinema

[9/10 · 12 April 1999]

Why is it that this classic film is not available on any format anywhere? I have to make do with a now very old and worn videotape copy from when this great film was last shown on TV about 8 years ago. A gripping and atmospheric film with excellent performances from Anton Walbrook and Edith Evans, this film is up there with The Third Man as one of the best British films ever made. The real mystery is why has the industry neglected this gem? Score: 10/10

The Red Shoes (1948)

P&P's Masterpiece

[10/10 · 12 April 1999]

I have seen this film about 30 times in 30 years and for me this film will always be special. Astonishingly, my wife, who is a Ballet Teacher, doesn't care at all for this film finding it too 'affected'. Perhaps as I am not involved with ballet at a professional level is a reason why I can enjoy this vibrant, colourful fantasy so much, but then our ballet friends adore the film, so who knows why this film affects some so profoundly (Spielberg&Scorsese!!) and not others. Anton Walbrook's authoritative performance is so memorable and Moira Shearer dances beautifully. Perhaps because the film is so highly charged with passion and emotion it will never please everyone, but I feel this is one of the great achievements of British Cinema and a film so rich and inspirational you will never wish to forget it.

Moulin Rouge (1952)

John Huston's Greatest

[10/10 · 10 April 1999]

This haunting and most beautiful of films is certainly John Huston's most underrated work. Having seen the film many years ago, I was astonished at how well the film has stood the test of time. The opening 20 minute Can-Can sequence is wonderfully vibrant and colourful and brilliantly captures the atmosphere, thus setting the tone for the great drama to follow. This story of the dwarfish artist Toulouse Lautrec is based on a novel by Pierre La Mure and set in 19th Century Montmartre. Jose Ferrer performs one of the greatest roles in cinema so convincingly and poignantly I was completely enthralled by this most moving of biopics. Colette Marchand as the prostitute is outstanding and Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing impress in small roles. Cinematography by Oswald Morris is some of the finest ever and brilliantly captures the atmosphere and the music by Georges Auric will have you whistling for weeks. This masterpiece should be reissued on the Big Screen and I would urge everyone who loves classic cinema to see it. Score: 10/10

The Great Escape (1963)

The greatest piece of Escapism Cinema has to offer!

[10/10 · 6 April 1999]

I first enjoyed this classic war film in 1970 aged 11 when it was screened in 16mm at my all boys Boarding school. We had film shows once every 2 weeks and the most popular were always of the patriotic kind like Zulu or The Guns of Navarone but when The Great Escape came along I was hooked and the entire school was in uproar and cheering when Steve Mcqueen hurls his motorbike over the barbed wire ( The single most memorable and exciting scene from any film ever!!). Being involved in the film industry I was very excited back in 1995 as part of the VE day celebrations to give a special screening of The Great Escape at a Big Screen Cinema and have as a special guest speaker a former prisoner at Stalag Luft 111 in 1943 and involved in the actual escape plans, Mr Alan E. Bryatt. As a piece of entertainment he agreed that the film was excellent and in many ways quite accurate (although the actual escape took place in snowbound conditions!) The Great Escape has been enormously influential to filmakers everywhere and I believe that many scenes and characters from this film will be etched in the minds of filmlovers forever!

Moulin Rouge (1952)

John Huston's Greatest!

[10/10 · 31 March 1999]

This most beautiful and moving of films still haunts me seeing it again after several years. Jose Ferrers' finest performance (on screen anyway) and brilliant use of colour from a true artist Cinematographer, Oswald Morris, who was robbed at the Academy Awards in 1952 by not winning! A truly great film in every respect and although a fictional account of the dwarfish artist Toulouse Lautrec, which biopic isn't? In my view this is John Hustons' most underrated work and should stand alongside The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and The African Queen as his greatest. Heaven knows what Buz Luhmann is going to churn out with his planned remake!

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

I was 5 in 1964 when I first enjoyed this masterpiece!

[10/10 · 29 March 1999]

The combination of images,dialogue,music,acting from this, the finest film ever made, have been etched in my brain since I was 5 years old when my parents took me to the Metropole Cinema (70ft Wide Screen!)in London. Because of this film I fell in love with films and the Cinema and I now work in the industry. In 1994, my wife arranged a special screening of this great film in 70mm (of course) at the National Film Theatre in London and invited 30 friends along, for me it was one of the most exciting events of my life. One 'friend' however commented that it was too long and boring in places, so I asked him which was his favourite film and he enthused that 'Quadraphenia' is the greatest film ever made 'nuff said!

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

On 16mm at my sister's birthday party in 1963

[10/10 · 29 March 1999]

My introduction to this truly great film was in 1963 aged 4, when my father hired the 16mm print to show on his 16mm projector at my sisters' 8th birthday party. A girl at the party, Caroline Theobald, screamed in terror so violently when the wicked witch appeared that my father had to stop the projector and the parents had to be called! My older brother and my 2 sisters only saw the entire film the next day! I have now seen the film about 30 times and for me it is the greatest of all family films!