The Telephone Exchange (1982)

A wonderful educational film (made by British Telecommunications) showing how telephone exchanges work and how they connect one telephone to another when you make a call. From the earliest mechanical switches to the latest (well in 1982 anyway) microchip technology. The film does a good job at explaining the basics at how these systems work and why they are needed.

It reminds me when my Dad took me to his work at a telephone exchange in the late 1970s, big rooms full of switches and wires. It's probably all replaced by a single box on the wall now.

The Saint's Vacation (1941)

The Saint goes on a romp across Europe (suspiciously un-war torn) in pursuit of a mysterious box.

The Saint (Hugh Sinclair) and Monty (Arthur Macrae) go to Switzerland on holiday, pursued by the reporter Mary (Sally Gray) who is desperate for a story. 

However, his holibobs are soon cut short by the appearance of a strange box which various people including The Saint's arch-enemy Hauser (Cecil Parker). The box, when finally opened, reveals that it holds a music box. The Saint thinks this is the key to a secret code, of great value...

This is a typically fast moving B-movie of the period, played light and fast though unexpectedly dark at times (with a number of pointless deaths and a bit of torture). The film is a reasonable watch though not executed very well at times.

Electric Dreams (1984)

One of the most 80s films ever, a complete nostalgia fest of 80s pop and 80s computers.

Miles (Lenny von Dohlen) is an architect who is struggling to get anyone to buy into his big idea. He buys a computer to help him with his life. His computer gets ever more wrapped up into his life and begins to overheat, in a panic he pours champagne over the computer... this turns it sentient (of course!)

The computer calls itself Edgar (voiced by Bud Cort) and enters a love triangle with Miles and his neighbour Madeline (Virginia Madsen). When Edgar involves himself too much in Miles' life, Miles tries to turn Edgar off but this proves to be easier said than done...

This is a fun film which makes heavy use of the look and feel of contemporary pop videos (and including some actual MVs too). Its light and fluffy but has plenty of heart. The music is fantastic of course.

The Sign of Four (1932)

An early Sherlock Holmes talkie. In what is billed as Holmes' greatest case he has to save a young woman from an escaped murderer who is after treasure.

Years before in a prison in the tropics, Small (Graham Soutten) makes a deal with two of the prison officers. He will tell them where his stashed treasure is in return for their help in escaping. The officers Sholto (Miles Malleson) and Morstan (Edgar Norfolk) find the treasure but then Sholto kills Morstan and returns to England keeping all of the loot for himself!

Now in the present, Sholto is living comfortably off the proceeds of the treasure but hears that Small has escaped. Sholto dies of shock when he sees Small, before that he admits his dark secret to his sons and tells them that Morstan has a daughter (Isla Bevan). The sons, being weak willed, tell Small about the daughter who finds herself in peril. She turns to the famous Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Wontner) and Dr Watson (Ian Hunter) for help.

This is a fine film that stays truer to the Arthur Conan Doyle idea of Holmes than some later adaptations being more restrained and thoughtful. Although the early talkie can be a bit hard to follow at times the story is portrayed very well and quite atmospheric. 

The Saint's Girl Friday (1953)

The Saint returns in a rather murky tale of illegal gambling, seedy clubs and revenge.

The Saint Simon Templar (Louis Hayward) returns to England after a call for help from his socialite friend, before he can arrive she has died in a "car accident" (assisted by being chased by hoodlums). 

The Saint knew his friend had a gambling habit and was probably in debt, he begins his investigation then in the underground gambling scene (gambling being illegal in the UK at the time) in 1950s London. His investigation leads him to the brutal River Gang who seem to be behind his friend's death and much more besides...

This is a decent film, rather grubby and hard for a British film of the period. It also is an interesting view of England still recovering from the war. The plot can be a bit slow at times though. See Diana Dors in an early role.

Bulldog Jack (1935)

A fast paced and humorous crime romp in the Bulldog Drummond series, even if Drummond himself doesn't appear much in it.

While on his way to London to meet with a mysterious lady, Bulldog Drummond (Atholl Fleming) is injured in a car crash after unscrupulous criminals tamper with his car. He enlists the help of the guy whom he crashed into, Jack (Jack Hulbert), to impersonate him and listen to what the woman who is waiting for Drummond has to say. Jack relishes the chance for some excitement, well until there actually is some excitement then he isn't that keen... 

His adventures, along with Algy (Claude Hulbert), take him into a plot by Morelle (Ralph Richardson) to copy stolen jewels after kidnapping the grandfather of Ann (Fay Wray). After much flapping about and sometimes aimless escapades everyone finds themselves on board a stolen tube train being driven at speed seemingly to it's doom!

It is all played very light, unfortunately this can make the film a bit unbearable at times as it approaches (and roars past) self-parody. However, the film flies along at such a speed that dull or awkward bits do not last very long. A fun fact with this film is that the villain (Richardson) actually plays Bulldog Drummond in the previous year's The Return of Bulldog Drummond! Algy is played by Jack's real-life brother. 

The view of the 1930s London Underground is very interesting, including scenes from the (then) recently closed British Museum station.

What a Carve Up! (1961)

A highly enjoyable comedy crime drama, at times it verges on Carry On territory but thats no bad thing.

Ernie (Kenneth Connor) is told his rich uncle has died by a somewhat sinister solicitor (Donald Pleasance). Ernie heads off to his uncle's country pile with his mate Syd (Sid James), a lonely looking house in the moors. Ernie's fellow family members are a motley crew of weirdos. Then the deaths start happening...

Ernie, Syd and the rest, including the uncle's former nurse (Shirley Eaton) scramble to try and work out what is going on in the strange house and stop the murderer. However, they need to identify who it is first. Surely it must be one of the family members present or is it, in this house riddled with secret doors and passageways...

This is a fine film, most of the time it isn't laugh out loud funny rather than humorous and inventive but it does have it's slapstick and ridiculous moments especially with Connor and James. It has plenty of twists too, it works as a dark house crime drama as well.

The Boys in Blue (1983)

The comedy duo star as a couple of police officers, it certainly is a crime scene.

Sgt. Cannon (Tommy Cannon) and PC Ball (Bobby Ball) are a couple of bumbling police officers who comprise "The Force" in a sleepy village. There is little crime in their village, and so the police big wigs (Eric Sykes and Jack Douglas) are looking to close down the station. Cannon and Ball decide they need some crime to justify their continued employment and so plot to steal the painting of a local businessman (Roy Kinnear). But real art thieves are hiding out in the village...

Now, i did enjoy the comedy of Cannon and Ball on TV but this big screen outing really is wretched stuff. Cannon and Ball's comedy simply did not work in this situation and it destroys the film, despite the excellent supporting cast which also includes Jon Pertwee and Arthur English. Even a whole host of solid film comedy veterans can't compensate for the failure of the stars and the rather average execution and storyline. It really is a shame.

Please Sir! (1971)

Feature length spin-off versions of popular sit-coms were common in the 1970s and can be a mixed bag, Please Sir! just about manages to get away with it.

Hedges (John Alderton) is the idealistic teacher of class 5C who are basically a teenager (although they all look about 25 of course) version of the Bash Street Kids. His class complain that they have never been taken away to a camp holiday like the other classes so Hedges manages to persuade the headmaster (Erik Chitty) and other senior staff to take class 5C to a rural camp, which doesn't half resemble a prison camp...

Class 5C soon get up to no good involving nearby gypsies and posh children from another school. Hedges is also pursued by a flight attendant (Jill Kerman) and his colleague (Patsy Rowlands)...

This isn't a bad film though the comedy is often a bit corny. Taking the TV cast away on holiday was one of the usual ways to extend a TV show into a movie and it works pretty well in this case.

The 23 (1979)

Two cockney criminals (Tommy Godfrey and George Sweeney) break into an office to break into the safe, but this isn't a blag from the Sweeney, this is a promotional film from the General Post Office for it's fancy new Number 23 teleprinter! George becomes obsessed with the machine while his old man works on the safe and helpfully reads out from the manual all of the swish new features. This is great fun, how a promotional film should be done. I certainly want to buy a 23 after seeing this, though i guess eBay will be required these days...

What Waits Below (1984)

A surprisingly good adventure deep underground.

Wolf (Robert Powell) is recruited by the US Army to help them establish a special radio transmitter deep underground in a system of caves. However, the transmitter mysteriously vanishes and Wolf leads a team of soldiers and scientists (including Anne Heywood and Timothy Bottoms) to find out what is going on. 

Deep underground things start to go pear shaped fast. They encounter a mysterious race of Lemurians deep in the cave system. The Lemurians have lived underground for millennia and have a special reason to want the transmitter...

This is a good mysterious world and underground adventure. There maybe arn't that many thrills but the creepy atmosphere and odd happenings deep below certainly give plenty of chills.

Venetian Bird (1952)

A grimy and Noir-ish crime drama set in glamorous Venice's seedy under belly.

Private detective Mercer (Richard Todd) has come to Vice to locate a former resistance fighter on behalf of an insurance company. However, locating this man is proving difficult especially as his informant is soon found dead! Mercer thinks the man is linked to a gallery where Adriana (Eva Bartok) works and lives. Despite news that the man he is seeking died in the war, Mercer is sure he is still alive though this puts him at odds with a tough gang who have a dark plan of their own...

An enjoyable film is fairly static at times but the portrayal of the grimy life of Mercer (which the limited budget probably helped with) works really well, the final chase on the roof tops is thrilling though. Look out for Sid James giving possibly the worst impression of an Italian hardman ever!

The Echo Murders (1945)

A rip roaring Sexton Blake adventure, don't expect half measures!

An explosion at a mine causes the owner (Julien Mitchell) to sack the manager (Dennis Price), his daughter's (Pamela Stirling) beau. The owner is being blackmailed by his secretary. The owner is murdered, suspicion falls on the ex-manager but Sexton Blake (David Farrar) is called in to investigate. He begins to unravel a complicated plot which eventually leads to Nazi fifth columnists in their underground lair.

This isn't a subtle film but Sexton Blake adventures were very much Boy's Own adventures which were all about daring do and death defying action rather than careful investigation. There is probably a little too much adventure packed into this film, at times it is hard to follow what is going on though it all leads up to the expected final battle. It is nonsense of course but i loved it, Sexton Blake adventures were my great-grandfather's favourite so i guess it's in the blood!

Spectre (1977)

A superbly campy Satanic horror romp by Gene Roddenberry. 

Criminologist and occult expert Sebastian (Robert Culp) and his friend Dr Hamilton (Gig Young) are hired by the rich Cyon family in England to investigate if Sir Geoffrey (James Villiers) has been possessed by demonic forces! Even before Sebastian leaves his home he is attacked by a demon, his flight over to the UK nearly crashes, this indicates that something is amiss!

Sir Geoffrey is sceptical about this though his sister Anitra (Ann Bell) and brother Mitri (John Hurt) are keen for Sebastian and Hamilton to continue. They discover an underground temple dedicated to the demon Asmodeus, later they also witness an energetic ritual. The true identity of the demon is quite a surprise...

This is a fun film though not without some flaws though this did start life as a TV pilot and was made into a feature film (with extra pagan nudity natch). 

Spaceways (1953)

This may appear at first glance to be an early 1950s science fiction film but really it is quite a good murder mystery!

Tensions are high at a top secret and high security British research base as Britain attempts to be the first to send a rocket into orbit in efforts led by Dr Mitchell (Howard Duff). However, there are other tensions too as Mitchell's wife Vanessa (Cecile Chevreau) dislikes the restricted life on base and is having an affair with Dr Crenshaw (Andrew Osborn). Vanessa and Crenshaw go missing on the day of a new rocket test, the rocket failing to reach the correct orbit for some reason.

Ministry investigator Dr Smith (Alan Wheatley) comes in looking into why the two disappeared. He knows of the affair and logically deduces that Mitchell killed the pair and then stuffed their bodies into the rocket which is now in orbit! Mitchell volunteers to pilot another rocket into space to prove his innocence but Smith has a new lead and the pair might not be dead after all...

If you wanted a 1950s science fiction film you might find this a bit limited (though there are some orbital thrills at the end) but the crime investigation part of the film is pretty good and makes the film a perfectly reasonable watch.

Escape from El Diablo (1983)

A terrible film really though a useful guide at what not to do when you visit a rough bar next to a brutal Mexican prison.

A group of young Americans, tired of getting into fights they somehow win in California, instead decide to head over the border to a notorious bar. Daniel (Jimmy McNichol) and Pauli (Timothy Van Patten) arrive in town, already heading into trouble, given dire warnings by the sinister looking Patrick Mower and a fight with a prison guard. 

Despite this the two lads are happy to stay, ending up in a brawl after stealing Mower's (who turns out to be a senior guard at the prison) girlfriend. Naturally Pauli ends up stuck in prison, Daniel hunted by the guards (though at the same time as Mower is trying to extort money from him which obviously makes sense)...

Yes the film makes no sense what so ever. The sheer stupidity of the mains makes it hard to care about them. They are the kind of idiots who would fire guns at a nuclear reactor for the laughs. The early 1980s cheese factor may entertain you some what but the film can't really be recommended.

Touch and Die (1992)

A complicated if not very exciting thriller.

Frank Magenta (Martin Sheen) is a investigative reporter who is looking into the candidacy of presidential hopeful Scanzano (David Birney). Scanzano is doing well in the polls but is running out of money. 

Magenta discovers that stolen plutonium is being used to raise funds for the campaign, a deadly conspiracy which leaves a trail of dead bodies behind (some due to radiation poisoning and other quicker methods). Magenta and his family including his daughter Emma (Renée Estevez) are also in the firing line...

This is a long drawn out TV movie and could have done with some editing. The story is fine and certainly well travelled taking in Rome, Paris, NY and ..er.. Africa. The story is interesting but too long winded to maintain much level of excitement. 

Dr. Morelle (1949)

If you can get past the rather condescending lead then this is a good crime mystery.

The niece of Kimber (Phillip Leaver), a wheel chair bound and irritable old man who lives in a country mansion, is sole heir to a fortune. However, Cynthia (Jean Lodge) is more interested in her beau Peter (Peter Lorimer), of whom Kimber disapproves. Cynthia vanishes without a trace, leaving Kimber the beneficiary. Cynthia's school friend Miss Frayle (Julia Lang), who works for the detective Dr Morelle (Valentine Dyall), decides to go looking for Cynthia herself and takes up a job at Kimber's house. She discovers some mysterious and potentially deadly goings on and calls in Dr Morelle...

This isn't that bad a film though can drag a bit at times. Dr Morelle treats Miss Frayle rather terribly which makes it hard to warm to his character. The twists at the end are good, but getting there can take some work. Dr Morelle was a long running character in BBC radio dramas though only made it to the silver screen this one time.

1984 (1984)

A superb adaptation of the George Orwell classic tale.

It is 1984 and the world is now a dark dystopia of authoritarian rule by Big Brother, who uses disinformation and lies to control the population (with brutal security forces as well if all else fails). Winston Smith (John Hurt) is a low-level party operative whose job is to literally rewrite history to present the reality Big Brother wants, and to be happily consumed by the brain washed population. Smith however, is not a true believer and writes subversive thoughts in his diary.

He meets and falls in love with Julia (Suzanna Hamilton), another party operative who also wants something more than Big Brother will allow. They begin a secret (and illegal) love affair. Winston is contacted by a higher up party official (Richard Burton) who appears to be part of an underground movement. However, once again all is not what it seems and the secret double life of Smith and Julia soon comes crashing down...

The world building here is top notch, the world of Big Brother is dark and terrifying (especially the torture scenes) and also a warning to us all. A very good film. This was Richard Burton's final film before his death.

North Sea Hijack (1980)

The tension builds and builds in this slightly eccentric action tale.

Criminals led by Kramer (Anthony Perkins) seize an oil rig tender in the North Sea and hook up explosives to two rigs, they want millions in cash or there is going to be a rather large explosion. Admiral Brinsden (James Mason) is to negotiate with the criminals, though his assistant ffolkes (Roger Moore) is really an expert in anti-terrorist operations at sea and his team are planning an attack...

The film has a great set-up though you have to wait a long time for the big action set-piece (which probably isn't that big after all). It is worth the wait though as the tension is built up very well thoughout. Ffolkes character is superbly odd (and very unlike Moore's Bond in many ways) and adds a great deal of interest to this otherwise fairly straight forward tale.