 |
| Spartacus |
Spartacus, 3.10pm, ITV4, Monday, August 29
Sword and sandals epics don't come much more stylish than this tale of slave revolt in Rome from Stanley Kubrick. And heroes don't get much more iconic than Kirk Douglas' Thracian slave with a passion for freedom, with the declaration: "I'm Spartacus!" still holding cultural weight 60 years on. It's not just Douglas who holds the attention, there's plenty of depth in the cast, from Peter Ustinov, who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for turn as gladiator dealer Bataitus (Douglas missed out on a nomination), to Charles Laughton and Laurence Olivier as scheming senators and Jean Simmons as the love interest. The gladiatorial scenes are where the film really grabs the attention, however, still gripping despite the passage of time and shot with verve by Russell Metty, who also won a cinematography Oscar for his efforts.
The Queen, 8pm, ITV, Tuesday, August 30
Helen Mirren deservedly took home an Oscar for her portrayal of Britain's longest serving monarch. Although royal drama has come much more to the forefront since with The Crown, Stephen Frears and Peter Morgan's drama was unusual at the time in digging down into the human, less ceremonial side of things. Set in the wake of the death of Princess Diana - the 25th anniversary of which is no doubt the reason for this film to be back in the schedules - it heads to Balmoral, where Queen Elizabeth is trying to simultaneously navigate her family's grief while still commanding more public affairs of state. Beyond Mirren's excellent embodiment, Michael Sheen is also excellent as Tony Blair.
78/52, 10.50pm, BBC4, Thursday, September 1
There's nothing director Alexandre O Philippe likes than a deep dive into a subject, with his latest Lynch/Oz considering the work of the Blue Velvet filmmaker and other films including Memory: The Origins Of Alien. This is, arguably, his most laser focused film as he concentrates on the shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. It's amazing how easily consideration of this three-minute groundbreaker fills a documentary length film as a vast array of contributors consider everything from the scene's technical prowess to emotional and lasting impact.
Birds Of Passage, 1.10am, Channel 4, Thursday, September 1
Don't be put off by the two-hour slot of this Colombian film, the viewing time is put to good use by Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra as they craft a gripping, decades-spanning crime clan epic packed with Shakespearean themes but also encompassing themes that have never been more relevant, including capitalism and colonialism. The film charts one indigenous family's baby steps into the drugs trade before watching the decline of the clan as honour falls victim to profit. Beautifully shot (by Gallego) this marries its drug war themes to an ethnographic lament in beguiling fashion.
12 Angry Men, 2.55pm, Film4, Friday, September 2
A bit of a perennial favourite of this column, I make no apology for its inclusion again, since it bears up so well to a rewatch. This classic court drama is largely set, not in the courtroom itself, but in the claustrophobic stew of the jury room, where the men of the title are debating whether to give a man on trial the death penalty "on the hottest day of the year". Originally made as a live television drama, it was beefed up three years later by screenwriter Reginald Rose and shot with intensity by Sidney Lumet as we watch the characters sweat and shuffle their allegiances as their prejudices also begin to leak out. The cast is a who's who of the Hollywood greats at the time, including Henry Fonda, whose Juror No 8 is unwilling to jump to a decision, to Lee J Cobb and a very young Jack Klugman in one of his early film roles. This gripping film doesn't just interrogate the jury's motives but our assumptions too.
Pete's Dragon, 2.25pm, BBC1, Saturday, September 3
David Lowery cut his teeth on the US indie circuit with films including St Nick and Sundance breakout hit Ain't Them Bodies Saints before heading to the House of Mouse for this reimagining of the children's story about a boy and a dragon. The result shucks off a lot of the candy coated sentiment of the Seventies original, with its animated dragon, in favour of a more earthy consideration of the friendship that springs up between an orphan and his mythical pal. The writer/director draws on the natural world to imbue his film with a sense of adventure and finds interesting but child-accessible things to say about the nature of friendship and loyalty in its quieter moments.
The Incredibles, 3.50pm, BBC1, Sunday, September 4
It seems incredible to me that this is the first time this animation has made it into this column - but better late than never. Pixar has, arguably, been over-thinking things lately with the likes of Lightyear but this family-based slice of super-hero fun is spot on. Litigation has left a family of superheroes, The Parrs, lying low but they soon discover, when you're super, that's not easy. As notable for its domestic observations as its super stuff, Brad Bird's film is packed with glorious characterisation and humour as well as, as you would expect from Pixar, looking absolutely terrific.
This week's short selection is The Many Sad Fates Of Mr. Toledano, about New York photographer Phil Toledano, who acquired a sharp fear of his own mortality and began to create pictures imaginging how his life might end.
The Many Sad Fates of Mr. Toledano from The New York Times on Vimeo.
