Nigel and Wayne conclude lockdown film club (hopefully) by watching the skies
True-believer (Wayne) and an agnostic (Nigel) discuss the Kubrick classic.
Nigel introduces one of the 90s most acclaimed films. Does that mean Wayne will like it? Let’s find out…
All the details you need to join our third lockdown Zoom quiz.
Yep, it’s another Powell and Pressburger movie…
Nigel loves the nautical epic. But is it Wayne’s tot of rum?
Wayne enthuses about another Woody Allen film.
Nigel and Wayne start the year with Preston Sturges’ screwball classic
Nigel and Wayne join forces on Zoom to introduce their festive streaming picks.
Nigel introduces the cult movie about a Japanese woman’s search for the buried treasure from Fargo
“Allen has the uncanny knack of magnifying our most unguarded, embarrassing, selfish and just plain silly moments into a blossoming garden of neuroses and phobias. ”
Our Film Club at Home chain continues with a LOVE TRIANGLE! link from Francois Truffaut’s Last Metro to vintage “early funny” Woody Allen. Adapted from his hit Broadway play, Play It Again, Sam, stars Woody Allen as Allan Felix: a recently divorced film critic so obsessed with the movies that he turns to an imaginary Humphrey Bogart for relationship advice. As farcical date follows farcical date, Allan finds himself falling in love with the wife of his best friend - Diane Keaton and Tony Roberts, respectively, making the first of their numerous on-screen appearances with Allen. For sheer LAFFS! Play It Again, Sam is hard to beat sez we. For a bit more info and all that cal, watch Wayne’s introduction below - in which he misremembers the name of the last film he chose for the Film Club at Home (that difficult to remember title, Birdman), forgets to say what this week film is actually about and - perhaps most unforgivably - neglects to sign off with ‘viddy well’… Boy oh boy, are we missing the Lord Palmerston…
We’d love to hear what you think of Plat It Again, Sam once you’ve seen it. Leave a comment here, send us an email, Tweet us @tpfilmclub or post on our Facebook or Instagram pages.
Where can you stream Play It Again, Sam?
You can rent Play It Again, Sam from Amazon, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes.
Normally at this time of year we’d be inviting you to the Tufnell Park Film Club Autumn Film Quiz at The Lord Palmerston. Sadly, it looks like it’ll be a while before we’ll be doing that again, but! after the ROARING (ahem - Ed) success of our first Zoom quiz back in May we thought we’d give it another go.
Important stuff
The quiz will take place on Sunday 25 October at 7.30pm (UK time). It’s entirely FREE to join and anyone, anywhere in the world is welcome to take part - whether you’re a fully paid-up film club member or just an interested bod.
If you’d like to participate, please either reply to one of our newsletters or email us here by lunchtime on Friday 23 October. We will then send you a link and password to join the Zoom call. If you would like to take part remotely as a team with family/friends/casual acquaintances/ex-lovers/film nerd ringers/etc please also let us know who your teammates are so we put you together in a Zoom ‘breakout room’.
What was that about teams? Also: breakout rooms??!! What gives?
That’s right. We’re going to be using Zoom breakout rooms, so if you want to take part as team you’ll be able to chat away with your team mates in order to confer on those all important answers.
I see. But do I have to be in a team?
Of course not! Playing solo is absolutely fine. We’re also happy to create some ad hoc teams on the night if you want to play with others.
Will there be prizes?
Last time we managed to drop off a jar of Barry Norman’s Pickled Onions on the winners’ doorstep. If the victors live locally we’ll try to do the same again.
Call that a prize???
Listen, pal, this is C19 Brexit Britain 2020. Ya getcha kicks where ya can.
I see. One more question…
Nigel introduces Francois Truffaut’s WWII drama starring Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu.
“Birdman is everything you want movies to be: vital, challenging, intellectually alive, visually stunning, emotionally affecting.”
Our first choice in our new chain is an avian link from Alan Parker’s Birdy to Alejandro Iñárritu 2015 multiple Oscar-winner.
Michael Keaton plays a faded Hollywood actor best known for playing the superhero "Birdman", as he struggles to mount a Broadway adaptation of a short story by Raymond Carver. The brilliant supporting cast includes Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan, Emma Stone, and Naomi Watts. It’s rare that Wayne whole-heartedly enjoys a recentish film, so watch his introduction below to hear him enthuse…
We’d love to hear what you think of Birdman once you’ve seen it. Leave a comment here, send us an email, Tweet us @tpfilmclub or post on our Facebook or Instagram pages.
Related links
‘What We Talk About When We Talk About Love’ - the Raymond Carver referenced in the film
Where can you watch Birdman?
Birdman is streaming on Netflix. You can also rent it from Amazon, Apple iTunes, Google Play, Sky Store and YouTube.
Nigel introduces this overlooked gem in tribute to Alan Parker.
Nigel introduces the adventure classic in tribute to Olivia de Havilland
“One of the best jazz films ever made, this succeeds by melding French sensibilities about atmosphere with American sensibilities about the music.”
Bertrand Tavernier's 1986 film ‘Round Midnight sees real-life jazz legend Dexter Gordon play an ex-pat saxophonist in 1950s Paris. Inspired by a number of famed musicians, including Bud Powell, Lester Young and Gordon himself, ‘Round Midnight is that rare thing - a good film about jazz.
Watch Wayne’s introduction below to find out which other great musicians (and even a noted film director) appear in the film.
We’d love to hear what you think of ‘Round Midnight once you’ve seen it. Leave a comment here, send us an email, Tweet us @tpfilmclub or post on our Facebook or Instagram pages.
Where can you watch Round Midnight?
You can rent ‘Round Midnight for £2.49 from a fairy obscure streaming service called Chilli. As well as a website they also have Google and Apple apps. The DVD is also very easy to find on eBay and Amazon. If you’re struggling to watch it let us know (taps nose) and we can get a copy for you.
“A Fistful of Dollars has a cult, comic-book intensity. It is the punk rock of westerns.”
In tribute to Ennio Morricone 1928 - 2020
A Fistful of Dollars was the first collaboration between Sergio Leone, Ennio Morricone and Clint Eastwood. Inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo, Eastwood’s laconic wandering gunfighter plays two rival families against each other in a town torn apart by greed, pride, and revenge.
Watch Nigel’s introduction below where he talks more about how Morricone and Leone worked together.
We’d love to hear what you think of A Fistful of Dollars once you’ve seen it. Leave a comment here, send us an email, Tweet us @tpfilmclub or post on our Facebook or Instagram pages.
Related links
Ennio Morricone & Peter Tevis ‘Pastures of Plenty’ - sound familiar?
Where can you watch A Fistful of Dollars?
You can rent the film on Amazon and Apple iTunes. It’s also available to buy on Google Play and YouTube
Nigel introduces the Steve Martin comedy, in tribute to Carl Reiner
Wayne introduces Sidney Lumet’s heist classic starring Al Pacino and John Cazale.
