B to J
Agent Triple P has a lot of DVDs. Not as many as Agent DVD, needless to say, who has so many that he has had to throw away all the boxes and just keep the discs in huge albums. Still, although we have no idea quite how many we have, it is somewhere between 800 and 1000. The problem is that we don't get to watch them that much (as we are usually too busy blogging or flying around the world).
Lately, however we have made an effort to catch up, as we estimate that we have probably only watched a quarter of our DVDs. The real problem is TV series; as we have about 90 series we haven't watched and some of them contain 20 episodes or more. Given that we only manage to watch one TV show a night, maybe two on a weekend night, it is going to take some time to catch up; especially as we continue to buy them faster than we watch them!
One thing we haven't been doing is watching that many films over the last couple of years but since Christmas we have made a concerted effort to attack the unwatched DVD film pile (actually three shelving units).
Triple P went out for dinner with Agent DVD before we both set off on our Asian travels and he asked us what films we had watched lately. Of course, as is the way with these things, Triple P's mind had gone completely blank (or maybe that was the wine). Anyway, given that we are an inveterate list compiler we decided to note down what films we have watched so next time he asks he can just look it up. We don't intend to write reviews of them as other people do that much better than Triple P but we might just note down the odd point about them.
Friday night is probably as good a time as any to start. We will probably put a cumulative list in the sidebar somewhere.
This week we have watched three films:
Local Hero (1983)
The story
Bill Forsyth's charming comedy about an American oil company representative trying to buy a remote Scottish village so they can demolish it and build an oil refinery. Quite magical in places and rather old fashioned even at the time. It's like an old Ealing comedy from the fifties.
Seen it before..?
We first saw this at the local cinema when it first came out with our girlfriend at the time, V. Her cousin is in it! Hadn't seen it since.
Any good?
The film has worn very well and we found it thoroughly enjoyable.
Notable for...
An engaging score by Mark Knopfler and an appearance by Burt Lancaster, of all people, amongst all the Scottish character actors.
Any good girlies?
Jenny Seagrove as a swimsuit/wetsuit wearing marine biologist engenders understandable feelings of lust from some of the male charaters.
Vampire Circus (1972)
The story..
Evil vampire count is staked by villagers whose children he has been stealing. Gets message to his cousin, who works in a circus, to wreak revenge and bring him back to life.
Seen it before?
Although we enjoy the wonderful low budget thrills of Hammer Films somehow we had missed this one so it was a first time viewing.
Any good?
Really one of the most effective late Hammer Films with a good story, unusual set up with the circus, lots of gory deaths and some nudity.
Notable for...
A great role for the fiery Adrienne Corri. Some appearances by actors who would go on to bigger and better things including Lynne Frederick (married Peter Sellers), Anthony Higgins (as Anthony Corlan) (star of The Draghtsman's Contract and Young Sherlock Holmes and the Pyramid of Fear), Lalla Ward (went on to be a Dr Who companion), Domini Blythe (moved to Canada and became one of their top Shakespearean actresses), Robin Sachs (recurring role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and appearances in many US TV series) and Dave Prowse (Darth Vader in Star Wars).
Grrrowl!
Any good girlies?
Quite a few, actually. Lynne Frederick looks edible. Domini Blythe spends much of her time naked. Triple P's vote goes, though, to Serena who plays a tiger striped acrobat who performs a very erotic dance with her partner Milovan. Somewhere we have a pictorial of the two of them from a mens' magazine at the time. We must look it out.
The Exterminating Angels (Les Anges Exterminateurs) (2006)
The story...
Arty film director tries to recruit attractive young ladies to masturbate and have sex with each other for his camera. Two supernatural "angels" try to direct the course of events. A sort of French Sex, Lies and Videotape.
Seen it before?
No, but we enjoyed director Jean-Claude Brisseau's previous film Choses Secrètes (Secret Things) (2002).
Any good?
Not nearly as good as Choses Secrètes and the supernatural element seems out of place with the documentary style of the rest of the film. Not one likeable character either. It's all very French.
Notable for...
Really quite a lot of beautifully lit female masturbation and lesbian sex.
Any good girlies?
Well, all of them really and many of them take off all their clothes to reveal unbelievably toned bodies. Although we have to say we were very taken with the leading lady's little black dress in the controversial restaurant scene.
So that's all for this week and as we decide what we are going to watch at the last minute, we have no idea what it will be this coming week.
