deep end (1970) - jerzy skolimowski

This film should have been just up my street (old git that l am).
Deep End features a young and attractive (even in a yellow raincoat) Jane Asher,  a cameo by Diana Dors, music by Cat Stevens and Can (billed as 'The Can' in the opening credits),  and it is set in 1970's London (and features some nudity by Asher!).
The trouble is,  it is crap.  Poorly acted,  with unbelievable scenes,  bad dubbing,  and boring.
A young lad gets a job at a swimming pool,  where he meets (and falls in love with) an older assistant (Asher).  Instead of slapping him because he was an annoying little twat,  she toys with his emotions,  and he ends up accidentally killing her.  By then, l was just bored and annoyed (a lethal mixture).
This film was thought to be lost at one time,  and, although l am up for seeing period pieces from that era,  it wouldn't have been a great loss.
The best bit for me (apart from seeing Asher naked),  was 'Mother Sky' by Can being played while the young lad bought hotdogs.  That's how bad this film is,  and not in a 'so bad it's good' kind of way either.
It was just bad.

toolde pip

the boris's bike protest

Much as l approve of the Boris bike scheme, (actually Barclay's bicycle hire) this sabotage and protest idea is excellent. The stickers could have been a slightly lighter blue, but that's just me. I'n  a fussy bastard.

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some london scans

It was all go - food and drinks all the way (but not in that order).

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todd snider at the borderline

The reason for going to London - Todd Snider at The Borderline on Wednesday night (22nd Feb).

Sweet.

More London stuff and tales later.

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you will meet a tall dark stranger (2010) - woody allen

One of the recent Woody Allen films set in London, albeit an upmarket, clean and interesting version of The Smoke that has avoided me most of the times l have visited it.
You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger deals with faith bringing consolation and hope, even if it is false faith, and may also prove to be wrong. There are various break ups, and the difficulties of trying to find new relationships, which can be problematic if a partner is still in love with his dead wife (as one example).
It's not too taxing, and certainly not too intellectual, even for a Woody Allen film, but it is outrageously middle class, and exists in a world where just about everyone is an artist, writer, gallery owner, talented musician, book store owner, or work for the foreign office.
Jealous?
Me?
Of course I am - l'm a bitter working class Scouser, who's had it hard (phnaar).
Still enjoyed it though.

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outrageously large 3d painting at canary wharf

Just brilliant!

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pictures of london during summer 1976

This all looks as though the pictures could have been taken in the 1960's (or even the 1950's), it looks so long ago. More pictures are here.

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scenes of a sexual nature (2006) - ed blum

Scenes of a Sexual Nature has some vaguely interlocking stories of people out for the day on Hampstead Heath and it features lots of stars from the UK (Ewen McGregor, Catherine Tate, Andrew Lincoln etc). It's pretty easy going, and whimsical in places, but it also has you trying to anticipate what is going on in a scene, or what the outcome of some encounters will be. Pretty well done, and so much better than other British (so called) comedy-dramas with local stars in (I'm talking about you - Richard Curtis!!), although it was still outrageously middle class. Tom Hardy was my favourite character, pestering girls and generally acting wacky. Don't know why l should relate to that though. It's also another role where McGregor plays a gay man (I've just watched him in I Love You Phillip Morris). This is getting to be waaaaay to regular an occurrence, for both him and me. I think l need a lie down.

toodle pip

to sir with love - (1967) james clavell

E.R Braithwaite himself, who the film is based on

Although it looks as though it was filmed in a completely different age, To Sir With Love is still an excellent and compelling movie, dealing with a new black teachers experiences with a tough (and mainly white) East End classroom. It is based on the semi autobiographical novel by E.R Braithwaite, and Sidney Poitier (who plays the teacher, Mr Mark Thakeray) gives a superb (and mainly restrained) performance. The children are cynical and distrusting of authority, but Sir manages to win them over by treating them as adults, while also managing to avoid the dangers posed by love struck Pamela Dare (played by Judy Geeson). Lulu is a pupil, and also gets to sing, and although it is more prominent in the book, another new teacher Gillian Blanchard (Suzy Kendall) also falls for him. In the end, he has to decide whether to take an engineering job, or stay on as a teacher with the next lot of kids. Guess what he does.....

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