Watching movies on TV schedules

Some of my most favourite movies in my teenage years, were caught late night on terrestrial TV schedules. When channel hoping between the five UK channels, it was often that I would stumble upon an interesting film with no knowledge of what it was. This was especially difficult with BBC channels as they never go to an advert break, thereby not showing the title of the film when coming back to the feature after the advert break.

Probably the strongest example for me was the wonderful Battle Royale, that I accidentally started watching on Channel 4, many years ago, after watching a Hollywood film on the same channel. I didn't know what the film was called until I looked at the TV listings the day after. Battle Royale also marked my first venture into South-East Asian cinema. I enjoyed thinking of what I would do in the same situation, especially if I was just given the saucepan lid.

I also watched Pulp Fiction for the first time on BBC uninterrupted, being considerably late to the party to watch the film. I remember being audibly astonished when I realised that the cafe that Jules and Vincent was in at the end of film, was the same time and cafe that Pumpkin and Honey Bunny were in at the start of the film.

In regard to Pulp Fiction, here is a wonderful way to waste a good chunk of your afternoon: Pulp Fiction edited in chronological order, beginning with Christopher Walken and his watch:

TV was always best, when I was younger, at showing horror movies that I might have missed or not been aware about. Watching the Scream trilogy in consecutive weekends on channel 5 was a particular highlight and channel 4's banned season, where they played formerly banned 'video nasties' such as Evil Dead.

When I was just entering my teenage years, other films I stumbled upon were Eyes Wide Shut and Sex and Lucia but that is a whole different type of blog...

What films have you accidentally discovered on TV and now treasure? Let's share some prattle down below.

Tom climbs tall building IV

Saw the first showing of Tom climbs tall building IV (Mission difficult but they still do it (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol)) at the BFI IMAX near Waterloo, on Wednesday. It also, as I'm sure you are aware, unless you only read my blog for film news, which you really should by the way, had 'The Dark Knight Rises' 6 minute prologue attached to the front of the feature.

The undoubted 'highpoint' was Tom Cruise's ascent of Burj Khalifa building in Dubai, a whopping 2,723 ft tall. A breathtaking, practical stunt and made all the more impressive with IMAXs giant screen increasing the feeling of vertigo. It even felt to me, that Brad Bird, the director, dolly zoomed when going across Burj Khalifa or maybe it was just the feeling that the building was fucking massive anyway.

The gadgets and technology, as per usual, were marvellous and ridiculous in equal wonderful measure. They ranged from an illusion creating iPad and sticky traction gloves.

A thing that stood out though, in the opening sequence of a Russian prison outbreak, that the first inmate to be freed by Simon Pegg's character, looked suspiciously familiar:

I genuinely thought, for a second, that it was Peter Serafinowicz and Butterfield in deep, deep cover in a Hollywood movie.

Tom climbs tall building IV also brought back one of the greatest sights in action cinema: the Tom Cruise run.

His run is just so incredibly efficient, it seems like Tom is always able to get from A to B in the most efficient time possible, without even being the fastest. I would love to know how he was at running at school. It is measured and controlled, the complete opposite of Harrison Ford and Indiana Jones, constantly scrambling.

The film is quite heavy-handed in ramming home it's central theme of teamwork. It even concludes with the whole team sitting down and discussing teamwork in a nice little 'circle time'. In addition, although funny in places, the film is a bit too comic in tone, it seems to think that Simon Pegg's operative, Benji is God's gift to comedy.

It also lacks a good, strong villain, Michael Nyqvist, given very little to work with. He only really becomes effective in his final scene, showing how strongly he is willing to follow his convictions.

Overall though, the film is a good, fun popcorn film, weaker than Mission Impossible 3 but better than Mission Impossible 2.

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A quick comment on the Dark Knight Rises prologue. I almost completely understood Bane's voice, only misunderstanding his last words before the plane is dropped. I really liked his voice as you could hear the intelligence behind it and it reminded me of a Moriarty like quality. In regards to understanding Bane throughout the whole duration of the film, it obviously remains to be seen. In my opinion, most of Nolan's films have always had quite a difficult indecipherable quality to it's sound mix. I remember having difficultly in hearing some parts of Inception's dialogue last year, for instance.

Nevertheless, without obviously seeing the whole of the film, some have jumped to conclusions with Bane's voice in the film - with funny results.

What did you think of the prologue? Type some buttons down below and we will have a friendly chit-chat

Horrifically effective scene in average horror movie shocker

I was stumbling upon some horror movie scenes upon Youtube and fell upon this extremely effective scene from extremely average Poltergeist 2, from 1986, starring Craig T.Nelson and JoBeth Williams. It's chilling, disgusting and bloody weird.

The....thing-ma-bob that comes out of his mouth was designed by no other than HR Giger, designer of the Aliens from the Alien movies.

I'm sorry if I ruined your dinner.

The Jerk: completely irrelevant and silly 32 years on

Finally, finally got around to seeing the wonderful 'The Jerk' last week, having had it as a DVD for quite a while now, having found it in one of the wonderful CEX stores. With unfortunately only being weened on a diet of 90s to 00s Steve Martin movies, from the Father of the Bride movies to Cheaper by the Dozen series, I have never really experienced any of his films or stand-up that led to him being described as the funniest man on earth.

Steve Martin and his frequent collaborator, Carl Reiner, made a series of silly, crude comedies long before the wave of successful 90s Farrelly movies, such as Dumb and Dumber.  The Jerk had great recommendations from many luminaries from across film:

"The Jerk...is by turns funny, vulgar and backhandingly clever." Janet Maslin, New York Times

"An artless, non-stop barrage of off-the-wall situations..." Variety

"The Jerk is one of the funniest films ever...FACT!!" Uncle Alan, Last Reel Reveal's Uncle

See even my uncle says its good! Armed with this knowledge I popped in the DVD and watched one of the most consistently funny comedies I have seen for a long time. Here is 5 key reasons why you should be watching it right now (but not right now, read my blog instead!).

Bernadette Peters: weapon of mass sweetness destruction

Although, The Jerk is well known for its ridiculousness and silly humour, it also has quite a touching central love story within the layers of cat juggling and needing pointless items. This is exemplified best in this scene where Steve Martin's character, Navin Johnson, sings with Bernadette's character Marie, whilst on a date together. The song they sing is 'Tonight you belong to me' an apparently hit song from the 1950s and the two turn a potentially cringey scene into a sweet, moving one. Also, at 4:34, when Navin gets up, you can hear a small crunching sound where he steps on the ukulele. He also mentions his special purpose, which neatly brings us to our next point.

Navin's special purpose

Navin has a special purpose and wishes to share his special purpose which as much people as possible. His mum, when he was kid, tells him that a part of him has a special purpose that he will find when he gets older. Navin enjoys using his special purpose and writes about it in detail in a letter addressed to his family. His grandma then proceeds to read it out. Cue hilarity. 

It rightly points out the hate that some people have for cans

This is an important subject that the film touches on, as most mainstream media are unaware of the malevolent activity that some parts of society participate against the humble can. Navin, working at his first job as a petrol station, comes under fire from an assailant, played by M.Emmet Walsh, who picked his name at random from the phone book, his name only recently being added. You have got to think that the sniper's aim must be terrible to miss him quite so many times. 

Freshest wine

One of my favourite scenes in the film was where Navin and Marie go to a fancy restaurant and Navin thinks he knows about food. He sends back the snails and the wine and utters my favourite set of lines in the whole film: '...no more 1966. Lets splurge! Bring us some fresh wine! The freshest you've got - this year! No more of this old stuff'. 

The great ugliness in Mexico

How can I discuss The Jerk without mentioning it's most famous scene, it is as important to mention as the great ugliness that is happening in Mexico at this very moment. Easily, the most bizarre scene in the movie, a man in a Mexican bar appears to juggle three kittens. The footage is shown by a Mexican priest to Navin, hoping to gain some sort of support or help to stop this occurring any further in his country. I must warn you, you must have a strong stomach to watch this clip.

The Jerk is simply, in my opinion, one of the greatest film comedies ever. You can watch it now. I've finished.

P.S Steve Martin also has embraced twitter, consistently twitting among the funniest twits every day. Follow him