Following on from the 2020 thread , what were your favourite films you watched for the first time in 2021?
Personally I didn't watch as many films this year as last year due to a number of factors but I still got through a fair few. A mix of new, first time views along with some old, comforting favourites that were rewatched during the year. Guidelines are the same as last year if you would like to share your list:
Choose 10 films only and rank them in order of preference. Films can be any format, not just Laserdisc. So feel free to include VHD, Betamax, Hi8, cinema screenings, courtroom trial pastel sketches and so on. Films can be from any year, not just 2021. It must be a film you watched for the first time in 2021, not a re-watch. If you're including Sky Riders in your top 10 you may only include it if you watched it on a Sunday afternoon. Watching it at any other time or day of the week is unacceptable and thus your selection will be deemed null and void. Bonus points if you watched it while doing the ironing and/or worrying about going to work/school on Monday morning.
https://i.postimg.cc/PxzyPXCB/top2021.png
My top 10 films (in order) that I watched for the first time ever in 2021 (rewatches are not eligible) are as follows:
Rear Window :arrow: The star film for 2021 for me. I watched this via the lovely 4K Ultra HD disc for the first time ever and was gripped from start to finish. A wonderful piece of genius film-making. :clap:
The New Centurions :arrow: The Indicator Blu Ray is what you need for this. The extras are superb but the film itself? Oh boy oh boy! That ending just punched me in the gut so hard and left an impression on me. The scene with the mother and baby living in pure squalor too was so well done. This almost beat Rear Window to the top spot for me. Virtually nothing in it between Rear Window and this, I just had to choose a winner. If you watch this film, please, go in blind and with zero expectations to get the best out of it.
Cinema Paradiso :arrow: Another film I wish that I hadn't left for so long to see. I watched the 4K Ultra HD disc and was left utterly besotted with this film. It's every bit as good as everyone who has seen it says it is. One of the genuine cinema masterpieces. Don't die without having watched this film.
Death Line :arrow: A film I caught by pure chance, even by waving away the horrendous USA title 'Raw Meat' and equally p**s poor trailer. Ignore absolutely all of it and just go in to it cold and prepare yourself for an utter masterpiece. Get the UK Network Blu Ray or the Blue Underground release in the USA to see this film at it's absolute best. So good I bought the soundtrack. Wait a minute, what soundtrack? Oh there is one. Even if it's a disc with only two songs on it. The main theme and then the incidental music hooks. The theme music alone makes it worth tracking down. An almost faultless film and a genuine, enjoyable surprise viewing.
The Internecine Project :arrow: This film I stumbled upon by pure chance. It was so good I went out and bought the soundtrack on vinyl. Forget the dreadful title (which I still choose to call The Inverse Telecine Project). This is an absolute MONSTER of a film. Exceeded all expectations and another one of those pure stumbles that turned out to be one of the best films I've ever seen.
The Thing :arrow: Kind of wish I'd waited just a little longer to catch this film for the first time in 4K. It didn't matter though, the Blu Ray was more than enough. Another in the long line of 'why did I wait this long to finally watch this?' films in the pile. That soundtrack too, oh my days!
Light The Fuse... Sartana Is Coming :arrow: Not as good as Sartana's Here Trade Your Pistol For A Coffin! which I watched at the end of last year, but still way up there. It's chock full of gunslinging goodness except this time the madness isn't dialled up to 11, it's dialled up to about 327! That shootout at the end!? Oh my word it's whopper!! :clap: Just buy the Arrow Blu box set if you haven't already.
Phantasm :arrow: Another film that I didn't have much hope for but genuinely took me by surprise in how good it actually is. This is a film that despite it's lowish budget, is so well put together and has that absolutely epic soundtrack too. A real gem in the Phantasm Blu box set for sure. The films do get sillier as the series goes on though. That reminds me, I've still to watch Phantasm IV and V.
Be Somebody...Or Be Somebody's Fool! :arrow: Not really a feature length title but it's my list so nerr! Mr. T goes for broke with a gripping, cinematic, psychedelic hypertrip of self-help lessons that will last you a lifetime! Mr. T is the man and I pity the fool who disagrees!
Execution Squad :arrow: A blind buy that turned out to be a real gem. I bought this on Blu from Germany under the title Das Syndikat. It's very much a police procedure film, though one that doesn't quite show you it's full hand until the river card is drawn and you are treated to that magnificent end sequence. A real quality piece of film. Also I couldn't have a favourite films of the year list without at least ONE 1970's Italian crime film in it.
Honourable Mentions
This trio narrowly missed out on a place in the top 10, but are still worth mentioning I think. :thumbup:
Death Promise What happens when you mix rent control, landlords and kung fu in to one film? You get Death Promise! A tenants delight, a landlords worst nightmare! This is film is so utterly ruthless in it's magnificence that you would be doing yourself a HUGE disservice if you never watch it. Get it watched today!
The Case Of The Scorpion's Tail A giallo that does seem to be built in kit form so you can just about anticipate the ending, which does let it down a bit. Regardless, this is a really well made and genuinely interesting film that just about keeps you guessing until the end.
Wilt Like Death Line, you'll want the Network Blu Ray disc for this great little UK film. Another that's always hung around me over the years but I never bother to watch....until now. So glad I did as it's excellent!
Luca Absolutely gorgeous animation on display here and a lovely little story too. Sort of but actually nothing at all like Splash/Pinocchio? Other comparitors fail me presently, sorry.
Sneakers Recall seeing trailer for this in the cinema way back when it was first released. Always wanted to see it and finally did thanks to Film Stories putting this out on Blu Ray. It wasn't quite as good as I hoped it would be but it's definitely not a mediocre film by any stretch.
Double Target People get killed faster and more frequently in this film than Jerome Powell can keep printing Dollars. The body count in this film is so far off the scale I tried to make a graph for it but my handheld clicker counter couldn't keep up with it! (See below the body count per minute in Double Target compared to a not at all unequal Rambo: First Blood)
Not seen it yet but it's been on my pile for a good while. I'd like to get his sequel to Blade Runner watched first though. As an aside the same applies to Matrix 4.
Oh blimey I would hope folks here don't use my thoughts on films as a barometer to watch something! :crazy: I hope you enjoy Cinema Paradiso, just go in with a clear mind and expect absolutely nothing at all, see how it goes.
I just like to scrawl some verbal diarrhea in the hope someone just thinks a film sounds interesting enough to watch but not have any expectations for it. Also I hope it can get someone, anyone, to just try a film that they may never have dreamed in a million years of watching. It's fun to keep trying new things than watching the same old stuff.
Arnold said it best in Hercules In New York (I still want the dubbed version by the way). :thumbup:
Seriously. There are no more words. This film looks absolutely EPIC.
Why aren't film trailers made like this any more? I don't even care if the film itself is crap. I've watched the trailer at least a dozen times already today.
Turn up the volume to MAXIMUM and just enjoy. :thumbup:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0eFDJ8UztI
If I saw that playing in a cinema I think I'd break down in tears of utter joy while searching my pockets for any spare change and begging the person in the box office on my knees, pleading to prebook a seat for the first showing.
More trailers need to be made that sell a film as well as this one does. It has absolutely EVERYTHING you could ever want from a film trailer. It's tremendous. Magnificent. I need that film as quickly as possible.
Another on my list, unfortunately I will be getting a DVD if I can find for a cheaper price as I don't need another format to collect.
But see that there are 2 versions on DVD, one is a 2009 2 disc set and the other is my guess a new Australian DVD so it should come up cheap. Love the explosions of the crouching body near the end.
That watch pile is increasing! :lol:
I would go for the Umbrella DVD over the 2009 Code Red DVD.
One, because it's a totally new print with new extras as well as the 2009 ones. Second, the 2009 DVD appears to be very expensive, over $100+.
150 quid is great value for a Blu Ray deck that is both R0 thru R8 and A, B and C. :thumbup: I had to buy a special remote control for my player in order to get region free DVD playback. I then bought the modchip for Blu A, B and C a lot later on and that wasn't exactly cheap (and a real pain in the arse to solder in too, it took a few attempts to get right and at the risk of bricking my player too). Well worth it though in the long run, no fear that a disc won't work or worse.
@rein-o if you can, spring for the Blu but if not then the Umbrella 2021 DVD will do the job too. I wouldn't bother with the Code Red release, especially for the money being asked for it. Their OOP DVD's seem to be a real pain to find at reasonable prices. The Last Chase (another Code Red title), for example, was a nightmare to find at a sensible price (let alone to find one for sale and the pot luck chance the disc for sale is the replaced disc and not the recalled one with sync issues).
Oh that's interesting, I've not read up a great deal on the PQ differences between the Grindhouse, Shameless and Arrow releases. The one thing that struck me was that the Shameless release is the only one with all of the different possible opening sequences, and that they are branchable on the disc too which is a nice bonus.
I didn't mind the soundtrack so much but I don't think it comes anywhere near (and keeping it within the Fulci filmography realm) something like Zombi, which is such an iconic work both then and today. The audio track though is just so poor, I don't know how it was deemed to be acceptable in the QA phase before going to the pressing plant. Is the audio as bad on the other releases?
Agreed, the ending is so bleak. I loved the film for that. I liked the way that the gate to Hell played tricks on them. That once they crossed the bridge in the basement and ended up in Hell, they both knew they were done for and that they had no chance of survival. It was a good way to end it I think. Better than a more formulaic ending, that would have made the film feel pretty flat.
The gore was so well done, even a bit obvious by today's standards. Some of the kills were real squirm in your chair moments! :lol:
The very first thing I was looking for (genuinely) was to see if the package would have the LED a la the initial CD release of Pulse. I didn't think they'd do it, given the slumping sales of physical media. The fact the LED is present, and with a replaceable battery, sold it to me. Don't care for the rest as I have the PAL Laserdisc and I bet you 7p that the re-edit will be a dogs dinner and met with pure furore and rage from Floyd fans. Unless it's some sort of limited edition (isn't everything these days), then it might have to wait a bit as I'm keen to get the Only Fools & Horses 80's Specials Blu Ray box set first.
Alternatively while I wait I could make my own with a breadboard, a 9v battery and an LED I suppose... :think:
TL;DR - I did something and then other some other things happened.
So last night I knocked on my Panasonic UB40 UB-820 to watch a disc. It comes up with a notification that a v1.69 firmware update is available.
My player was on v1.60 but is also running custom firmware due to the modchip I installed. Anyway, I checked the modchip documentation and it says doing a network update is fine, just don't update manually via USB as it will disable all the lovely work the modchip does for you and you'll need to reinstall it.
Anyway, I forget if I mentioned it before but I bought the SDBD's of Steven Spielberg's Above Average Entertaining Stories from Turbine in Germany. The aul UB-820 wouldn't play them correctly. It just played audio but no picture. Which is odd as Cyber City Oedo 808 (remember that anime with the awesome dub noone else likes and UK-only whopper soundtrack? :thumbup: ) is an SDBD and encoded similarly to the Steven Spielberg's These Are Alright Actually, Stories discs. Cyber City discs play just fine, so I contacted Turbine and ended up in a conversation with one of their folks who authors Turbine discs. He was stumped as to why the discs didn't work and ended up refunding me. He said it's possibly the player at fault but contacting Panasonic would likely not be worth it as they probably wouldn't fix it based off of one person mentioning it. This all happened around 6 months ago maybe, I forget.
Well it turns out that the v1.69 firmware has fixed the issue! I can now play both SDBD's of Steven Speilberg's Reasonably Entertaining Yet Utterly Far Fetched Stories in all their 4:3 'HD' goodness! No idea if Panasonic were aware of the issue in their own tests or customer feedback, but I'm not complaining.
For the record I watched one episode last night. It was about a magician who finds a deck of cards that revive his career,but all is not well for long... It was an amazing story. I was entertained. I love firmware updates that actually fix things. I love my Panasonic UB-820. :thumbup:
Cracked open the Female Prisoner 701 Blu Ray box from Arrow yesterday evening and settled down for the first of four films, Female Prisoner 701: Scorpion, which was made in 1972 and, to put it bluntly, was f'ing excellent .
As a film it doesn't offer a great deal in terms of the actual plot. Woman gets catastrophically taken for a fool by a bent copper and his boss. Woman seeks revenge. That's it in a nutshell. However the true beauty of the film is comprised from many factors, mostly around how it was put together and how the sum of all it's parts are executed.
For a directorial debut this is some effort. Made in 1972 at times it feels like it is a film that is light years ahead of it's time. There's the Argento-esque lighting, the wild use of camera angles (similar in style to the Sister Street Fighter films) and the minimal yet raw and savage soundtrack that rubs caustically against the viewer throughout the film to great effect. The majority of the cast aren't up to much in terms of dazzling acting skills, and some of the fights are pretty poorly choreographed and executed. That's not to discredit the wonderful Meiko Kaji, our main lady, who puts in an epic performance as the battered, bruised and tormented Nami Matsushima. Kaji is one tough cookie and I absolutely would not like to spill her pint in the pub, she'd absolutely BATTER you! :shock:
This isn't (at least in my opinion) one of those 'Women In Prison' films that were made prominent by the likes of Jess Franco et al. It doesn't go down the sleazy route despite the amount of skin on show throughout the film's fairly swift 87 minutes or so. The nudity and the exploitative angle the film takes, I think, serves a purpose to backup the rage, anger, humiliation and torment being felt by our heroine. I mean, if you want to tug your choskers and knock out a litre of trouser custard you'd get more value from the 10 minute freeview's on satellite telly or ring Babestation if you're that desperate. This isn't that kind of a film.
At times the film felt almost comic book-like in it's style and execution. There's a fantastic flashback scene near the beginning as we see Nami falling in love only for the scene to switch to her boyfriend conspiring with his boss to frame her, the whole time with the previous scene in the front of the picture. Colours and use of shadows reminded me a lot of some moments from Kill Bill Volume 1, which ironically I had literally just been watching the Japanese DVD of that I bought recently (just to check out the full colour sequence missing from all other releases).
Make no mistake, this is a proper film and a whopper directorial debut. From what I've read, the second film is even better than the first so I cannot wait to get stuck in to that fairly soon. If you are keen to watch these films, definitely get the Blu Ray box as it's got a great picture and the mono soundtrack sounds superb too. Just don't watch these films with yer nan! :lol:
There's this guy I stumbled upon today who has some really interesting Laserdisc projects cooking away.
First a program to control Laserdisc players with Python. He's also working on a frame by frame capture program to capture Laserdiscs. One other project is a great Apple II game that was based on the Rollercoaster Discovision Laserdisc, which he is reprogramming.
Interesting stuff so thought to share. I hope he continues to develop the capture program at least, as well as his other projects. Great to see continued innovation around LD!
Hard to add pics, have to take them with my phone then resize then upload....
Got a lot of 8 R2 Only Fools and Horses DVDs really cheap, will give them a go and see if they are fun, if not they ended up being about 2 bucks each.
Excellent work! :thumbup:
Only thing is you need to check which DVD's you have. All of them are cut to ribbons, some only a little bit, others are absolutely shredded to pieces. The only true uncut editions are a series of VHS releases that came with a partwork magazine years ago, and the original broadcasts. You can get moody copies but those partwork VHS tapes are a proper rarity because it's the only true way to get the episodes uncut commercially, outside of the broadcast recordings.
Even the new blu ray set of 80's Christmas Specials is still shredded in places, though the exact cuts are outined in the accompanying booklet. It's on my wishlist, just waiting on a bit of a price drop as 40 quid is a bit urgent.
I did strongly consider a high end deck but for what I want to achieve, e.g. get my tapes backed up to my NAS and also play a film or two the old fashioned way occasionally, I don't think it warrants spending a bunch.
It's a bit of a minefield out there too it seems. Prices are crazy and there's the whole reliability issue, truthful sellers and so on. I don't fancy parting with 100's for a lovely high end device only for it to fill it's pants a week after I get it. If a VHS player dies then it's pretty much fit for the scrap heap. I felt like absolute crap throwing my Sony SVO in to the WEEE skip this week. I did try to repair it but it was beyond hope and just had to be junked.
Just need something that will work for a bit, get my stuff done and not give me a Connery when it inevitably pops it's clogs in about a month from now. If I've spent a pittance, happy days, I'll buy another when an SVHS deck owned by a vicar who only used it to record episodes of Song Of Praise on a Sunday night, specifically when Harry Secombe was on it, appears on G₹€€D₿A¥. A bargain at €900 plus shipping. :thumbup:
I don't see this one as a requirement on the critical path ;-)
Julien
Hmm... :think:
What about if I wanted to plug my FM Towns Car Marty in to my Austin Montego and daisy chain it to a Pioneer Laseractive and a DVDO in the boot of my car so I could plays FM Towns and Laseractive games on the go? I'd want an HDMI automotive connector then! :mrgreen:
a special mention should go out to Michael Jayston, who eagle-eyed viewers may know (ok maybe just me then) as Raquel Turner's dad, James, from Season 8 Episode 3 of Only Fools And Horses!
Just putting this up as a reminder to rein-o now he has gotten hold of a stack of Only Fools & Horses DVD's.
Look out for Michael in Season 8, Episode 3 'Time On Our Hands'! And also, when you do watch that episode, remember the piece I said about the Sidney Potter episode? That was from Season 1 Episode 1 'Big Brother'. Just keep in the back of your mind what I said about a massive clue for the entire show, from S1 E1 to S8 E3 is buried in that Sidney Potter clip I posted.
I actually forgot about this film, while it looks cool I did watch part on youtube but won't spend money on it. Unfortunately I don't have season 8, I have 1-5 I believe and Christmas specials.
Watched season 1 and when I get time will be watching other seasons and specials etc.
On another note, I'm sure I can google it but if you guys know why, why are these seasons done in 6 or 7 episodes unlike the US?
Ah here, you didn't watch The Inverse Telecine Project (and it's sequel The Inverse Telecine Project II: The 3:2 Pulldown ) in glorious YouTube Potatovision® did you? James Coburn will be turning in his grave!! :shock:
Regarding Only Fools and Horses, it's fairly normal for UK television series to span 6 or 7 episodes over the more well-known 13 or 24 or so episodes that make a season (another excellent UK show Not Going Out is one that springs to mind). I'm not sure of the thinking behind it though, someone with better knowledge than I may be able to help. I think shorter runs are more for mini series with hour long episodes. In the case of OFAH, the show was only granted a short run for the first season on the proviso from the BBC that if the show was a success, they would be granted more episodes.
In reality the first season nearly ended with the show being cancelled as it was screened at a silly time of night and wasn't marketed properly. The BBC wanted it cancelled, and it would have been had the controller of the network not stepped in and spared it. The second season didn't fare much better but numbers did creep up.
Eventually the BBC put faith behind the show and it would eventually go on to be one of the greatest TV shows the BBC ever made. It's won endless awards, the cast are more than household names and it's been consistently voted the greatest British comedy series of all time (spanning awards across decades so the show strikes a chord with several generations, young and old).
The later series became Christmas specials only, hence there being 2 or 3 episodes per season. This was due to a number of factors. I think by season 9 the show did begin to overstay it's welcome a little. However it really is down to the genius of John Sullivan that the show wrapped up so nicely despite issues beyond his control (e.g. cast members passing away in real life). When you take a step back and really analyse the writing of the show, it really is a work of rare comedy genius. In analysis of OFAH it's the type of show that hits the jackpot once in a generation but lasts forever. Seinfeld perhaps being a USA example? OFAH is a stellar show. Endlessly quotable with a rake of scenes you can instantly think up on the spot that made you laugh watching it.
And to think that it was very nearly cancelled too! :lol:
Aside for rein-o: Note that when you get to Season 4, Grandad is replaced by Uncle Albert (played by Buster Merryfield). This happened due to Lennard Pearce, who played Grandad, passing away in real life back in 1984. The first episode of Season 4 was changed to an emergency episode (iirc) called Many Happy Returns in which David Jason's character Del Boy is asked by the girl in the local shop if Grandad is ok in hospital. Of course Lennard Pearce was in hospital in real life at the time and would soon pass away alas. That gave time to get the next show ready which was centred around Grandad's funeral and the introduction of Uncle Albert to the cast.
Personally I preferred Uncle Albert over the years, though the Grandad episodes do have their own charm too. IT'S BLOODY POTTER I'M TELLIN YA! STUFF YER EMPEROR BURGER!!!! :lol:
Yeah I did read a little on the show and figured about grandad, he is brilliant in his own way. Love his dead stare sometimes and the burger is just great LOL
Glad to read you are enjoying the show. I think unlike shows like Fawlty Towers, Ab Fab and so on, it's a much more niche show and the jokes and slang language may go over a lot of non-UK/Ireland heads.
You got me looking up a bit more around Lennard Pearce there and I didn't realise the Season 4 episode 'Hole In One', where Uncle Albert accidentally-on-purpose falls down the cellar stairs at the Nags Head, was already in production with Grandad having filmed some exterior shots. Those were later re-shot with Buster Merryfield as Uncle Albert and the episode was re-instated to season 4. I'd love to know if those scenes that Lennard Pearce shot exist anywhere. They might turn up in the BBC archives like a bunch of items and footage they found recently that was collated and used on the new Blu Ray box set (that I still must buy soon!).
EDIT: I just found this photograph of Grandad in the exterior shots for Hole In One. I imagine this was literally days before his death. That's the first time I've ever seen that photo. Didn't even know anything surrounding that episode before the re-shoots actually existed. No sign of the actual footage though. It was definitely recorded but is still under lock and key apparently. Again, probably hopefully it's in the BBC archives somewhere.
EDIT 2: And another one I've never seen. This one is reportedly the very last photo before his passing. From what I can make of the photo in comparison to the Buster Merryfield episode that aired, this would be the end scene after the trio exit the court building.
I agree, but Coppola hates the TV cuts so I'm not surprised by their exclusion.
The Saga and Epic editions? Ah here those were brilliant. Well, the Saga was, as that doesn't include part 3! Or is it the Epic? I keep forgetting which is which. I loved the extra footage. Especially the bit where Vito kills the bloke dressed like The Man From Del Monte!
The only downside with the Epic and Saga box sets is that the Italian language scenes are not subtitled in English (or the language of your choice of course).
I've seen the films more times than I've had hot dinners so am not too fussed about the lack of English subtitles. I guess if this UHD set had the Saga or Epic as branchable that would make the Laserdisc sets redundant. Part III has two cuts on one UHD disc which are branchable in this set so I don't think it would have been outside the realms of possibility to do it in this box set.
The price is bothering me for the deluxe set. I would hold out for a price drop but there is no indicator to say how limited this set is. Is it one run and done? I'm sitting an exam on Monday. If I pass I might pre order it as a treat for the hard work the past few months. Might go see Part I in the cinema too if it comes round my way.
Aside, I found this great featurette that explains how The Godfather I and II negatives were very nearly lost forever! A great watch, take a look. Incredible to think we nearly lost the original negatives to two of the greatest films ever made! Yes, two. Part III can jog on! :D
One other thing about the video below, it talks, albeit very briefly, about the film on CED and Laserdisc!
Thanks list
