Posts
I've missed several weeks for three main reasons - laziness, lack of motivation and being legitimately busy, but I am back for this week's Thursday Movie Picks about Trains. Please visit http://wanderingthroughtheshelves.blogspot.co.uk/
Three films by Alfred Hitchcock spring to mind when I think about films set on trains, these are North by Northwest, Strangers on a Train, and The Lady Vanishes. You've probably seen the first two so that's why I went for what was to be Hitchcock's last British film before he moved to the United States to make movies for Hollywood. It's a good, early Hitchcock film, full of suspense and mystery though it takes forever to actually get going.
The idea for these week's theme was John Hitchcock (who hates Bond and everything to do with it) so I apologise to John in advance for this next pick. The second Bond film of the official franchise, From Russia With Love, is one of the best, if not the best of the franchise. It's better made than Dr No and less politically incorrect and questionable in its sexual politics than Goldfinger, and it also features one the finest directed fight sequences set aboard a train.
_poster.jpg)
Set in the London Underground, this tense Christopher Smith horror film utilises its setting rather well. See also Deathline (aka Raw Meat).
I haven't seen any of these, but I've been in a horror mood lately so I threw Creep in my Netflix queue. Glad you're back this week! I actually went through the entire list ahead of time and just scheduled posts. I'm actually completely stumped on a week that's yet to come.
ReplyDeleteWell it is nearly October and that means Halloween, guess everyone's entitled to one good scare.
DeleteI put From Russia With Love too! That's crazy. Thanks also for recommending Creep, which I've never even heard of.
ReplyDeleteIt's a little known British horror, didn't really make much waves outside the UK.
DeleteI've only seen From Russia. Need to see The Lady Vanishes. Never heard of Creep, but that sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteIt's not vital Hitchcock but it's worth seeing.
DeleteI picked The Lady Vanishes for the same reason-hahahaaa. Great minds! I actually love James Bond(I know that will kill John) and this film is excellent with Robert Shaw as the baddie. I have not seen the last one and it sounds disturbing so i doubt I will see it since I have nightmares even about Ultraman
ReplyDeletePoor John. I understand why he hates it, and in part I do agree with him that the franchise had flaws, but I push it aside somewhat as simply being a product of its time.
DeleteI've never heard of your third pic and it doesn't really sound like my cup of tea but the other two are terrific films. I chose the remake of Lady Vanishes but just to warn people off from ever watching that disaster of a film.
ReplyDeleteHaha. I haven't seen the remake. I've seen Flightplan (which is a sort of remake) which I liked.
DeleteThe remake is from the 70's and directed by Peter Bogdanovich plus has Angela Lansbury as Miss Froy so I thought going in that it while it might not be perfect or equal to the first it would at least be passable. I was so very wrong!! Instead of Michael Redgrave and Margaret Lockwood this has Elliott Gould and Cybill Shepard, I like both of those performers in other things but they are so very badly miscast in this that along with Bogdanovich's wrongheaded direction they ruin the picture. Lansbury is customarily fine but she's not in the picture long enough to save it. DO NOT waste your time watching it.
DeleteHaha. I'll most certainly avoid it!
DeleteCybill Shepard is one of those names I keep forgetting, and every time I google her I remember who she is.
I like THE LADY VANISHES and FLIGHTPLAN (the 2nd remake), but I didn't like the 1st and 3rd remake. I prefer DR. NO over FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. I hated CREEP.
ReplyDeleteI like Flightplan as well, fun film.
DeleteThe Lady Appears in more lists - this is great to see. Great British film. Recently saw it and loved it.
ReplyDeleteHaha. I picked it expecting it appear less than North by Northwest and Strangers on a Train. I was wrong.
DeleteNice pick w/ From Russia With Love, one of the best fight scenes in a Bond film I reckon. I also remember the make out scene in NBNW :P
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree, superb fight scene. Robert Shaw was such a brilliant villain.
DeleteFor some reason, I just can't remember From Russia with Love that well. Need to re-watch. I've seen The Lady Vanishes pop up a couple times today. Need to check that one out.
ReplyDeleteYou must! It's one of the best Bond films.
DeleteI have to revisit From Russia With Love. I remember enjoying it better than Dr. No, but I don't remember much from it. I still have to see The Lady Vanishes, quite a popular pick this week.
ReplyDeleteYes. I picked it because I'd thought everyone else would go for North by Northwest or Strangers on a Train.
DeleteLOL at the shout out to John!
ReplyDeleteHaha. Got to get James Bond's biggest fan in their somewhere!
DeleteYay for the Hitchcock of course.
ReplyDelete