Konga (1961) - British B-movie monster flick heads to DVD via Network

King Kong has a lot to answer for. Like Konga for example, a 1960s b-movie, which just happens to be getting a reissue from Network.

Roman Polanski's Repulsion (1965) at the Manchester Cornerhouse

We featured it on here some years back, but if you want to see Roman Polanski's Repulsion in all its glory, you can later this month at Manchester's Cornerhouse.

Peter Cook season at the BFI in March

Starting in March is a Peter Cook season at the BFI, featuring a couple of cracking movies, as well as some TV highlights.

A Taste of Honey screening and Q&A at the Cornerhouse in Manchester

Yesterday, we were incredibly sad to hear of the death of Shelagh Delaney, who died of cancer, aged 71. She was and is a northern icon, star and inspiration for The Smiths and noted playwright, writing the classic A Taste of Honey when she was just 19. If you've never seen it, there's a special screening of the movie at Manchester's Cornerhouse on Wednesday 30th November.

Swinging London flick Haunted House of Horror (1969) gets a DVD reissue

A movie we've raved about in the past gets a new DVD reissue courtesy of Odeon - Haunted House of Horror.

Kids TV swings once more with the reissue of The Tyrant King (1968)

I'll be honest, this is a new one to me, but after reading the write-up, I'm desperate to see The Tyrant King, which is being issued on DVD for the first time by Network.

Blu-ray review: Regan - the original pilot for The Sweeney (1974)

Remember Armchair Cinema? No, me neither. I'm sure it was a pretty good series, but even if it wasn't, it spawned one classic episode and one classic TV series which is still on the box right now, The Sweeney. That episode was called Regan and it's just been issued by Network on Blu-ray for the very first time.

DVD Review: What's Good For The Goose (1969)

When it comes to Norman Wisdom, you expect pretty much all of his output to involve a jaunty flat cap and a cry of 'Mr Grimsdale!' Not a mid-life crisis, a bunch of hippies and the Pretty Things. Which is what you actually get with What's Good For The Goose.

Blu-ray review: More (1969)

I've always been slightly fascinated with More. The first time I saw it was on late night Channel 4, its mix of Pink Floyd, 60s hippiedom and stunning Ibiza landscapes being the perfect post-club comedown. Now its here via the BFI on Blu-ray, Does it still cut it?

Norman Wisdom's psych-tastic What's Good For The Goose (1969) gets a DVD release

After a seriously long wait, there is now a confirmed UK DVD release for 1960s psychedelic classic What's Good For The Goose.

Odeon is releasing the film Norman Wisdom perhaps didn't want to talk up in his later life, the tale of a middle-aged banker called Timothy Bartlett. He's suffering from a mid-life crisis and during a banking conference in Southport, hooks up with the local hipsters, starting a relationship with teenager Nikki (Sally Geeson) as well as taking in The Pretty Things at the local psych hangout.

It's a film you have to see to believe. Odeon is releasing it on 26th September with trailers and a booklet, with a pre-order price of £9.70 on Amazon. See over the page for one of those Pretty Things club scenes that perhaps have kept the movie so notorious.

Find out more about the DVD at the Amazon website

Newly-restored Kes (1969) is back on the big screen

Some classic Ken Loach is heading back to the big screen - Kes - which originally dates back to 1969.

Over 40 years on and the movie has had a complete restoration, hitting the cinemas as part of the BFI celebration for the director's 75 birthday. More on that here.

So far, screenings have been confirmed as:
London BFI Southbank: Fri 9 - Fri 23 Sep 2011
Dublin Irish Film Institute: Fri 9 - Thu 15 Sep 2011
HMV Curzon Wimbledon: Sat 10 - Sun 11 Sep 2011

More are likely to be added. Check this site for additional screenings. If you've never had the pleasure of this tale of a boy, a bird and Barnsley, see the trailer over the page.

Tommy screening plus Ken Russell Q&A at the BFI - plus a whole weekend of cool Vintage movies

As part of the Vintage event taking at the Embankment in London over 29th, 30th and 31st July, there's a programme of rather cool movies screenings by the BFI, headed up by Ken Russell himself.

The headline act is, as we type (although not 100 per cent confirmed), Ken Russell presenting a screening of his 1975 adaptation of Tommy at the BFI. Not only that, the screening on Sunday 31st July will also feature a Q&A with the eccentric director too, right after the big screen showing.

If that's not enough, other movies are showing too, the likes of The Party's Over, The Damned, The Lavender Hill mob and so on. Full details over the page.

BFI website

DVD Review: Black Joy (1977)

I'd ever heard of Black Joy before the advance notice came through from Odeon, but I'm certainly glad I made the effort to secure a copy.

It's an obscure movie, but with some familiar faces - Norman Beaton and Floella Benjamin for example - featuring in this play-turned-film that endeavours to show the gritty streets of mid-70s Brixton through the eyes of someone alien to it, Guyanan immigrant Ben, played by Trevor Thomas.

Cult clip: Deep End (1970) trailer

Following on from our recent review, check out this newly-restored trailer for the (newly-restored) big screen version of Deep End from 1970. Check out the BFI site for details of screenings in May.

 

Review: Deep End (1970)

Creeping about the West End in search of film obscurities being something of a hobby of mine, your pal Scenester fair leapt out of his office at 5.30 one chilly Monday evening, throwing his coat on as he did, to make his way once more to BFI Stephen Street, for a screening of Deep End, a forgotten gem from 1970. I confess to not having heard of this film before, although I am at a loss to say why, in view of the gritty subject matter, year of production, authentic London locations and strong cast.

The list of films dealing with society's changing sexual mores, young and older people and their contrasting attitudes to sex is a particularly lengthy one, but I can safely say that this one is a real oddity, even by the standards of the time.