Reel Britannia
A very British podcast about very British films with an occasional hint of professionalism.
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Episode 157 - McVicar (1980)
09/04/2024
Episode 157 - McVicar (1980)
Reel Britannia - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism This week, an episode that has been eleven years in the making. At last, our dear friend Maurice, host of See Hear and Love That Album joins Scott and Steven via Skype from Melbourne Also joining us are Scott's co hosts from The Stinking Pause podcast, Paul and Charlie A word of warning, Scott has manged to bleep out most of the profanity... but this episode is still a little bit sweary! McVicar (1980) John McVicar (Roger Daltrey) is an English career criminal locked up with all the other lifers in the dreaded E Wing of Durham Prison. Between riots and constant prison guard brutality, McVicar and fellow inmate Walter Probyn (Adam Faith) gradually dig a tunnel that enables their escape. Once on the outside, McVicar does his best to lie low and re-enter the lives of his wife (Cheryl Campbell) and infant son, despite the fact that police have labeled him "Public Enemy Number One." "I suppose you think you got the better of us there. But just remember, kidder, you're in for ten years." "Yeah, that's right, Mr. Pendel. But you're in for life, ain't yer?" This and previous episodes can be found everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Why not take a listen to Maurice's podcasts at: and Thanks for listening Scott and Steven
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Episode 156 - Hammer Britannia 015 - The Damned (1962)
08/26/2024
Episode 156 - Hammer Britannia 015 - The Damned (1962)
Reel Britannia - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism This week...more from the great Hammer studios as we continue our Hammer horror retrospective The Damned (1962) The brutality of modern society is fast encroaching on the picturesque seaside town of Weymouth. American tourist Simon Wells (Macdonald Carey) is looking for a relaxing holiday but he is mugged by the psychopatic King (Oliver Reed) and his gang of thugs. Wells escapes with King's sister, Joanie (Shirley Anne Field), and they stumble upon a sinister establishment where nine ice-cold children are being subjected to a horrifying experiment. The shadowy authorities in control of the base will stop at nothing to safeguard their secret, but it is the mysterious children who will doom them all... "I'm strange, all right! I'll show you just how strange I am!" You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod email: [email protected] #podcast #britmovie #reelbritannia #hammerhorror Thanks for listening Scott, Steven and Mark
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Episode 155 - The Small World of Sammy Lee (1963)
08/18/2024
Episode 155 - The Small World of Sammy Lee (1963)
Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British movies ...with just a hint of professionalism. Back to the seedy side of sixties Soho this week featuring a powerful performance from Anthony Newley This week, Scott and Steven are joined by Anthony, the host of the Film Gold podcast The Small World of Sammy Lee (1963) The Small World of Sammy Lee is a 1963 British crime drama film directed by Ken Hughes. The story unfolds in the seedy underbelly of London's Soho district, focusing on the life of Sammy Lee, a strip club compere and hustler who finds himself in dire straits. Sammy Lee, played by Anthony Newley, is a charismatic but desperate man. He owes £300 to a local bookie named Connor and has only five hours to pay off his debt. If he fails, the consequences will be severe, as Connor’s enforcers are known for their ruthless methods. The film begins with Sammy receiving a phone call informing him that his time is running out, setting off a frantic race against the clock. As Sammy scrambles to gather the money, the film provides a vivid portrayal of his world. Soho is depicted as a place filled with strip clubs, gambling dens, and shady characters. Sammy’s interactions with the various inhabitants of this world reveal much about his character and the precarious life he leads. Throughout the day, Sammy employs a series of hustles to raise the funds. He borrows from friends, pleads with acquaintances, and even resorts to stealing. One of the significant characters he turns to is his brother Lou, who runs a delicatessen. Lou, portrayed by Warren Mitchell, is initially reluctant to help due to Sammy’s repeated failures and irresponsible behavior. However, the bond of family eventually prevails, and Lou reluctantly provides some money, though it’s not enough to cover the debt. Parallel to Sammy's frantic efforts, the film explores the impact of his lifestyle on others, particularly Patsy, a young woman who is infatuated with him. Patsy, played by Julia Foster, arrives in Soho from the countryside, naively hoping to start a new life with Sammy. Her innocence and genuine affection for Sammy contrast sharply with the gritty reality of his world. Sammy, though fond of her, is too entangled in his own troubles to reciprocate her feelings fully. As the deadline approaches, Sammy’s situation becomes increasingly desperate. His attempts to hustle money from various sources lead to a series of tense and dramatic encounters. The film’s climax occurs in the strip club where Sammy works. In a last-ditch effort, Sammy bets the money he has managed to gather on a high-stakes poker game, hoping to win enough to pay off his debt. However, luck is not on his side, and he loses the game, sealing his fate. The final scenes of the film are poignant and impactful. As the clock ticks down, Connor’s enforcers arrive to collect the debt. Sammy’s frantic energy gives way to a sense of resignation and defeat. The enforcers take Sammy away, leaving his fate ambiguous but undoubtedly grim. The Small World of Sammy Lee is a compelling character study and a vivid depiction of the darker side of 1960s London. The film’s strength lies in its atmosphere, the complexity of its protagonist, and the tense, fast-paced narrative that keeps the audience engaged from start to finish. Through Sammy Lee’s story, the film explores themes of desperation, survival, and the human cost of a life lived on the margins of society. "Soho's not a place, it's a state of mind. It's where you end up when you've got nowhere else to go." This and previous episodes can be found everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Glass Onion: On John Lennon Life And Life Only Film Gold Thanks for listening Scott and Steven
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Episode 154 - Sitting Target (1972)
08/11/2024
Episode 154 - Sitting Target (1972)
Reel Britannia podcast - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism. Scott and Steven are joined this week by their dear friend Mark, host of The Good, The Bad and The Odd podcast, to discuss an overlooked movie from 1972 starring Oliver Reed, Edward Woodward, Ian McShane, Frank Finlay, Freddie Jones and Jill St John. Revenge, car chases, prison escapes...what more you could ask for? Sitting Target (1972) A killer has one more victim on his hit list – his faithless wife! Oliver Reed snarls and seethes his way through a brute-force 70’s crime thriller in the tradition of Get Carter. Douglas Hickox, who would go on to helm such memorable films as Theatre of Blood and Zulu Dawn, brings his filmmaking intensity to a story of revenge set in a London as bleak and brooding as the prison from which convicted killer Harry Lomart (Reed) and his fellow inmate (Ian McShane) escape. Once free, Harry sets out to exterminate his seductive wife (Jill St. John), who carries another man’s child. Armed with a handgun, fueled by rage, Harry draws closer to his sitting target. Also closing in: a police inspector (Edward Woodward), who’s determined to protect the hunted woman. Reed and McShane – one grim, one voluble, and both steeped in violence -- make an intimidating tough-guy team. "Bastard must be made out of concrete!" You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod email: #britmovie #reelbritannia #oliverreed #ianmcshane #edwardwoodward #frankfinlay #jillstjohn #sittingtarget #1972 #movie #podcast Thanks for listening! Scott and Steven
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Episode 153 - Up In The World (1956)
08/07/2024
Episode 153 - Up In The World (1956)
Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British movies ...with just a hint of professionalism. Back to 1956 this week and some classic comedy featuring Norman Wisdom Up In The World (1956) Norman is a window cleaner who has to clean a manor house with hundreds of windows. He is distracted by the son of the house who persuades him to go into town. When some villains try and kidnap the young heir Norman fights them off but the heir has banged his head and can’t remember Norman’s heroic stand Norman: "I'm Norman. The new window cleaner." Maj. Willoughby: "You should have been here at 9 o'clock this morning!" Norman: "Why? What happened?" You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod email: [email protected] #britmovie #reelbritannia #normanwisdom #1956 #movie #podcast Thanks for listening! Scott and Steven
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Episode 152 - Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
08/03/2024
Episode 152 - Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British movies ...with just a hint of professionalism. Classic kitchen sink drama this week featuring a powerful performance from Albert Finney This week, Scott and Steven are joined by Anthony, the host of the Film Gold podcast Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960) Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, released in 1960, still remains one of the finest of the Angry Young Men movies that emanated from England in the late 1950s and ’60s. In his first starring role, Albert Finney played a charismatic man who seems destined to follow in his parents’ and grandparents’ footsteps by pursuing a mundane, working-class lifestyle. Employed as a lathe operator in a Midlands factory, Finney’s Arthur Seaton lives for the weekend, when he drinks and womanizes to excess. However, when he has an affair with a coworker’s wife, he finds himself facing decisions he never expected to have to make. Saturday Night and Sunday Morning was based on the first novel by British author Alan Sillitoe, who wrote the screenplay. He based the grim but compelling story line on his own experiences working in a factory and used the plot as a plea for the younger generation of Brits to break the bonds that restricted them to predictable and unfulfilling lives. An accomplished stage actor, Finney earned international acclaim for his powerful performance. "Don't let the bastards grind you down!" Production notes and credits Studio: Continental Distributing Director: Karel Reisz Producer: Tony Richardson Writer: Allan Sillitoe Music: John Dankworth Running time: 89 minutes Cast Albert Finney (Arthur Seaton) Shirley Anne Field (Doreen) Rachel Roberts (Brenda) Hylda Baker (Aunt Ada) Norman Rossington (Bert) This and previous episodes can be found everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Glass Onion: On John Lennon Life And Life Only Film Gold Thanks for listening Scott and Steven
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Episode 151 - Hammer Britannia 014 - The Phantom of the Opera (1962)
07/31/2024
Episode 151 - Hammer Britannia 014 - The Phantom of the Opera (1962)
Reel Britannia - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism This week...more from the great Hammer studios as we continue our Hammer horror retrospective The Phantom of the Opera (1962) Composer Lord Ambrose D'Arcy (Michael Gough) and his backer, Harry Hunter (Edward De Souza), struggle to find a replacement for the female lead in their new opera after she quits in the wake of a gruesome murder. When a new prospect, the nubile Christine Charles (Heather Sears), disappears, Harry cautiously investigates. Meanwhile, a mysterious masked man (Herbert Lom) who is eerily familiar with the opera holds Christine captive and offers to groom her to play the part. "I caught a couple o' beauties tonight. Fat. Like young puppies they are." You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod email: [email protected] #podcast #britmovie #reelbritannia #hammerhorror Thanks for listening Scott, Steven and Mark
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Episode 150 - The Nanny (1965)
07/24/2024
Episode 150 - The Nanny (1965)
Reel Britannia podcast - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism. Scott and Steven are joined this week by Antony, host of Film Gold, Glass Onion : On John Lennon, and Life and Life Only to discuss one of the great movies from the legendary Hammer studios for our 150th episode. The Nanny (1965) A nanny (Bette Davis) is hired to look after a ten-year-old who has just returned from a mental institution. The boy's mother has just been poisoned and he believes the nanny is to blame. When his aunt arrives and hears the boy's accusations she sides with the nanny, claiming the boy is making it all up. "That's what I'm here for, to look after all of you." This and previous episodes can be found everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rb_podcast Glass Onion: On John Lennon Life And Life Only Film Gold Thanks for listening Scott and Steven
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Episode 149 - The Constant Husband (1955)
07/07/2024
Episode 149 - The Constant Husband (1955)
Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British movies ...with just a hint of professionalism. Back to 1955 this week and a classic starring Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall The Constant Husband (1955) Charles Hathaway (Sir Rex Harrison) wakes up in West Wales with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. With the help of a Cardiff specialist, he traces his life back to his gorgeous wife and their large London house, so all seems well with the world. But more detective work starts to uncover an alarming chain of further stunning wives and a way of going on that the new Charles finds pretty unacceptable. "Let me put the issue simply before you. The question really is whether you now say you now believe you were, when you committed these crimes, the man you were before you became the man you say you are now. Is that quite clear?" You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod email: [email protected] #britmovie #reelbritannia #1955 #rexharrison #movie #podcast Thanks for listening! Scott and Steven
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Episode 148 - Hammer Britannia 013 - The Curse Of The Werewolf (1961)
06/11/2024
Episode 148 - Hammer Britannia 013 - The Curse Of The Werewolf (1961)
Reel Britannia - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism This week...more from the great Hammer studios as we continue our Hammer horror retrospective The Curse Of The Werewolf (1961) A man with brutal and macabre origins, Leon Corledo (Oliver Reed) was raised in the home of Don Alfredo Corledo (Clifford Evans), his kind and loving adopted father. When he leaves Don Alfredo to find work, Leon discovers that he has increasingly violent urges. Although these tendencies are calmed by Leon's love for the beautiful Christina (Catherine Feller), he ultimately cannot contain his curse and transforms into a werewolf, terrorizing the Spanish countryside. "Father, the bullet. Pepe the watchman has a silver bullet. Get it and use it. Use it on me, father! You must use it -- do you hear? You must use it! You must!" You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod email: [email protected] #podcast #britmovie #reelbritannia #hammerhorror Thanks for listening Scott, Steven and Mark
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Episode 147 - Brighton Rock (1948)
05/29/2024
Episode 147 - Brighton Rock (1948)
Reel Britannia podcast - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism. Scott and Steven are joined this week by Antony, host of Film Gold, Glass Onion : On John Lennon, and Life and Life Only to discuss one of the greatest British movies of all time. Brighton Rock (1948) Pinkie's a small-town hood who's trying to carve out a place for his gang in the Brighton rackets. When he murders a journalist he believes was responsible for the death of a fellow gang-member, Ida Arnold, who was with the man just before he died, sets out to find the truth. "You asked me to make a record of me voice. Well, here it is. What you want me to say is, 'I love you.' Here's the truth. I hate you, you little slut. You make me sick." This and previous episodes can be found everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rb_podcast Glass Onion: On John Lennon Life And Life Only Film Gold Thanks for listening Scott and Steven
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Episode 146 - Tiger Bay (1959)
05/19/2024
Episode 146 - Tiger Bay (1959)
Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British movies ...with just a hint of professionalism. Back to 1959 this week and a classic starring Horst Buchholz and John and Hayley Mills Tiger Bay (1959) Rough-and-tumble street urchin Gillie (Hayley Mills) witnesses the brutal killing of a young woman at the hands of visiting Polish sailor Korchinsky (Horst Buchholz). Instead of reporting the crime to the authorities, Gillie merely pockets a prize for herself -- Korchinsky's shiny black revolver -- and flees the scene. When Welsh Detective Graham (John Mills) discovers that Gillie has the murder weapon, the fiery young girl weaves a web of lies to throw him off course. "It'll be all right, he says. A fat lot of good the police are. We've got one in the house and a murder's done right under his nose and now here's a child whose got hold of a gun and they don't even know where she is!" You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod email: [email protected] #britmovie #reelbritannia #tigerbay #johnmills #hayleymills #movie #podcast Thanks for listening! Scott and Steven
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Episode 145 - Hammer Britannia 012 - The Two Faces Of Dr Jeckyll (1960)
03/23/2024
Episode 145 - Hammer Britannia 012 - The Two Faces Of Dr Jeckyll (1960)
Reel Britannia - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism This week...more from the great Hammer studios as we continue our Hammer horror retrospective The Two Faces Of Dr Jeckyll (1960) Dr. Henry Jekyll is a dull, bookish scientist who spends more time with his lab animals testing theories of alternate personalities than with his beautiful, young wife. Kitty Jekyll has given up trying to find any passion in her distant, preoccupied husband and is involved in an affair with one of Jekyll's old 'friends,' Paul Allen, a weak slacker and wastrel who relies on Jekyll to pay his numerous gambling debts. After experimenting on himself, the bearded, tweedy Jekyll transforms himself into the young, dynamic, and self-confidant Edward Hyde. In his new character he befriends Allen, who has no idea that this clean-cut, handsome playboy prone to outbursts of violence is really Jekyll. As Hyde, he encourages Allen to introduce him to the dark underbelly of London's night life including opium dens and sex clubs, where he begins an affair with the sensual courtesan Maria, an exotic dancer and snake charmer. When he tries to seduce Allen's mistress, in reality his own wife, he is frustrated to find she prefers her decadent lover to him. "London and I are virgins to one another." You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod email: [email protected] #podcast #britmovie #reelbritannia #hammerhorror Thanks for listening Scott, Steven and Mark
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Episode 144 - Local Hero (1983)
03/16/2024
Episode 144 - Local Hero (1983)
Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British movies ...with just a hint of professionalism. Classic eighties comedy this week from the superb Bill Forsyth Local Hero (1983) Up-and-coming Houston oil executive "Mac" MacIntyre (Peter Riegert) gets more than he bargained for when a seemingly simple business trip to Scotland changes his outlook on life. Sent by his colourful boss (Burt Lancaster) to the small village of Ferness, Mac is looking to quickly buy out the townspeople so his company can build a new refinery. But after a taste of country life Mac begins to question whether he is on the right side of this transaction. "Keep watching the sky, MacIntyre." You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod email: [email protected] #britmovie #reelbritannia #localhero #burtlancaster #billforsyth #movie #podcast Thanks for listening! Scott and Steven
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Episode 143 - Villain (1971)
02/24/2024
Episode 143 - Villain (1971)
Reel Britannia podcast - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism. Scott and Steven are joined this week by Antony, host of Film Gold, Glass Onion : On John Lennon, and Life and Life Only to discuss something of a departure for Richard Burton. Villain (1971) Hailing from East London, Vic Dakin dotes on his aged and largely bedridden mother. He is also the leader of a criminal gang whose proceeds are largely from the regular collection of "protection money" from their victims. Vic often uses brutal violence against enemies as well as "friends" to prove a point, the violence in and of itself which he seems to relish. While not a regular means to money, Vic decides that his gang will work on a tip to rob a factory payroll, which, somewhat against his wants, will entail working with fellow criminal Frank Fletcher, who understands such a job better than Vic or anyone on his team. Making the job more complex at this time are: the police being after Vic for the vicious attack on one of Vic's associates who acted as a police snitch; and Vic's association with Wolfie Lissner, who procures sexual services for a number of people, including some fairly high profile ones, and who often acts as Vic's "on demand" sexual partner. "Frank, Frank. We're the boys, aren't we? Aren't we the boys. Always have been, ever since we were kids. Hardly got off our mother's tit when we had 'em quaking down in Hackney." This and previous episodes can be found everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rb_podcast Glass Onion: On John Lennon Life And Life Only Film Gold Thanks for listening Scott and Steven
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Episode 142 - Absolute Beginners (1986)
02/19/2024
Episode 142 - Absolute Beginners (1986)
Reel Britannia - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism This week, Scott and Steven are joined by Mark from The Good The Bad and The Odd podcast to chat about, not Hammer horror this time, but Julien Temple's musical from 1986 starring Patsy Kensit and David Bowie Absolute Beginners (1986) A musical adaptation of Colin MacInnes' novel about life in late 1950s London. Nineteen-year-old photographer Colin is hopelessly in love with model Crepe Suzette, but her relationships are strictly connected with her progress in the fashion world. So Colin gets involved with a pop promoter and tries to crack the big time. Meanwhile, racial tension is brewing in Colin's Notting Hill housing estate... You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod email: [email protected] #podcast #britmovie #reelbritannia #davidbowie Thanks for listening Scott, Steven and Mark
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Episode 141 - Hammer Britannia 011 - Brides of Dracula (1960)
01/31/2024
Episode 141 - Hammer Britannia 011 - Brides of Dracula (1960)
Reel Britannia - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism This week...more from the great Hammer studios as we continue our Hammer horror retrospective Brides of Dracula (1960) Classic horror starring Peter Cushing. A young teacher on her way to a position in Transylvania helps a young man escape the shackles his mother has put on him. In doing so she innocently unleashes the horrors of the undead once again on the populace, including those at her school for ladies. Luckily for some, Dr Van Helsing (Cushing) is already on his way. You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod email: [email protected] #podcast #britmovie #reelbritannia #hammerhorror Thanks for listening Scott, Steven and Mark
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Episode 140 - Reach For The Sky (1956)
01/21/2024
Episode 140 - Reach For The Sky (1956)
Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British movies ...with just a hint of professionalism. Classic wartime drama from the 50s this week with Kenneth More in the story of a true British hero. Reach For The Sky (1956) Biopic of famed British World War II flyer Sir Douglas Bader. He joined the RAF in 1928 and easily took to flying, perhaps too easily as his commanders are concerned at the risks he takes with his aircraft. After a nasty crash in 1931, he loses both of his legs above the knee. After a long convalescence and learning to walk again with artificial legs, he returns to flying school where he again passes. The RAF forcibly retires him due to his presumed disability. With the onset of World War II, Bader is re-instated and given command of a fighter squadron. He survives the Battle of Britain but is shot down over enemy territory in 1941 losing one of his artificial legs. He was a POW and the RAF even sent a new leg to replace the one he lost. Known as a problem prisoner because of his numerous attempts to escape, he was transferred to Colditz for much of his time until the war's end. Equipment Officer: I'm sorry, the book says I must wait three months before I can initiate the procedure for hastening new issue. : Fine! We'll send Goring a telegram, and ask him not to come over for *three months*! You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod email: [email protected] #britmovie #reelbritannia #kennethmore #reachforthesky #lewisgilbert #movie #podcast Thanks for listening! Scott and Steven
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Episode 138 - Hammer Britannia 010 - The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959)
01/09/2024
Episode 138 - Hammer Britannia 010 - The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959)
Reel Britannia - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism. The latest episode in our Hammer horror retrospective The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959) His terrifying secret, his hideous obsession made him... The Man Who Could Cheat Death Director Terence Fisher (The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula, The Hound of the Baskervilles) transformed the fate of Hammer Pictures with his vibrant and explicit series of gothic horror films, which would become the studio's signature style for nearly two decades. Fisher continued his winning streak for the studio with this tale of scientific debauchery, which remains one of Hammer Films finest achievements. Doctor and amateur sculptor Georges Bonnet (Anton Diffring Circus of Horrors, Fahrenheit 451) has discovered a murderous method of maintaining his youth, once every ten years he murders a young woman and removes her parathyroid glands to replace his own. But after 104 years, he's run into some problems. His collaborator is now too old to perform the surgical procedure, and a detective is on his case. In desperation Bonnet blackmails another surgeon (Christopher Lee) into performing the procedure by threatening the life of Janine Dubois (Hazel Court), a woman who both men desire. With cinematography by Jack Asher (whose Bava-esque use of colours lend the film an almost dreamlike quality) and set-design by Bernard Robinson who could miraculously produce lavish and expensive looking sets on a tight budget, EReel Britannia is proud to present The Man Who Could Cheat Death. You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod email: [email protected] #podcast #britmovie #reelbritannia #hammerhorror Thanks for listening Scott, Steven and Mark
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Episode 139 - Train of Events (1949)
11/02/2023
Episode 139 - Train of Events (1949)
Reel Britannia podcast - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism. Scott and Steven are joined this week by Anthony, host of Film Gold, Glass Onion : On John Lennon, and Life and Life Only to discuss Train of Events (1949) The portmanteau film “Train of Events” brings together the many talents of Ealing Studios to present four stories linked by a train bound for Liverpool. This Ealing anthology weaves drama and comedy amongst the stories documenting various train passengers, all leading up to an incident to change their lives. Starring Jack Hawkins, Gladys Henson, Leslie Phillips, Joan Dowling, Valerie Hobson, Laurence Payne, John Gregson, and introducing Peter Finch in his first British film (having emigrated from Australia). the film’s segments were directed by Ealing luminaries Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden, & Sidney Cole. “Train of Events” opened at the Gaumont Haymarket cinema in Lonodn on the 18th of August 1949. "Well, don't overwhelm me ducks. I dunno as my poor old ticker'll stand it." This and previous episodes can be found everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rb_podcast Glass Onion: On John Lennon Life And Life Only Film Gold Thanks for listening Scott and Steven
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Episode 137 - The Entertainer (1960)
05/29/2023
Episode 137 - The Entertainer (1960)
Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British movies ...with just a hint of professionalism. Classic kitchen sink drama this week from John Osborne and Tony Richardson featuring an all-star British cast headed by Laurence Olivier The Entertainer (1960) London schoolteacher Jean Rice (Joan Plowright) returns to her seaside resort hometown at a time of personal crisis. Her father, Archie (Laurence Olivier), is a star on the music hall circuit, but, in the television age, that old-fashioned entertainment is dying out. His second wife, Phoebe (Brenda De Banzie), is openly contemptuous of her husband's many affairs, and his son, Mick (Albert Finney), is a soldier fighting in the Suez. Despite Archie's unflagging optimism, tragic events unfold. “You were a pretty little thing. Not that looks are important - not even for a woman. You don't look at the mantelpiece when you poke the fire. “ You can find this and all our previous episodes at: Amazon Music Apple Podcasts Libsyn Player FM Podtail Owltail ListenNotes Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Join us over at our Facebook Group ….we’d love to chat with you email: [email protected] #britmovie #reelbritannia #theentertainer Thanks for listening! Scott and Steven
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Episode 136 - Frenzy (1972)
05/08/2023
Episode 136 - Frenzy (1972)
Reel Britannia podcast - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism. Scott and Steven are joined this week by Anthony, host of Film Gold, Glass Onion : On John Lennon, and Life and Life Only to discuss Alfred Hitchcock's penultimate movie. Frenzy (1972) In London, a serial killer is raping women and then strangling them with a necktie. When the reckless and low-class with a bad temper bartender Richard Blaney is fired from the pub Global Public House by the manager Felix Forsythe, he decides to visit his ex-wife Brenda, who owns a successful marriage agency. Her secretary Miss Barling overhears an argument of the couple, and Brenda invites Richard to have dinner with her in a fancy restaurant. Then she put some money in his overcoat and does not tell him to avoid his embarrassment with the situation. Meanwhile, Richard's friend Bob Rusk visits Brenda in her office, rapes her, and kills her with his necktie. When Richard finds the money in his pocket, he visits Brenda, but finds the agency closed. Then he goes with his girlfriend Babs Milligan to an expensive hotel. Miss Barling sees Richard leaving the building and finds her boss strangled. She calls New Scotland Yard and Richard becomes the prime suspect. When Bob kills Babs, he frames Richard, who is arrested and sentenced to life. But Chief Inspector Oxford, who was in charge of the investigation is not absolutely sure that Richard is the serial killer. " Do I look like a sex murderer to you? Can you imagine me creeping around London, strangling all those women with ties? That's ridiculous... For a start, I only own two.." This and previous episodes can be found everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rb_podcast Glass Onion: On John Lennon Life And Life Only Film Gold Thanks for listening Scott and Steven
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Episode 135 - Genevieve (1953)
04/30/2023
Episode 135 - Genevieve (1953)
Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British movies ...with just a hint of professionalism. Classic comedy from the 50s this week with Kenneth More, Kay Kendall, John Gregson and Dinah Sheridan and a very famous automobile. Genevieve (1953) In this upbeat British comedy, two friends enter an antique car rally. Alan McKim (John Gregson) drives his beloved 1904 automobile, named Genevieve, while Ambrose Claverhouse (Kenneth More) takes his vintage Spyker car. Alan and Ambrose bring their wives (Dinah Sheridan, Kay Kendall) along for the wild ride from London to Brighton, and the trek soon turns fiercely competitive, each driver devising clever ways to sabotage the other in hopes of winning the race. Rosalind: “Ambrose only seems to think about two things. That silly old car - and the other thing.” Wendy: “What other thing?...Oh...my husband only thinks about the car.” You can find this and all our previous episodes at: Amazon Music Apple Podcasts Libsyn Player FM Podtail Owltail ListenNotes Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Join us over at our Facebook Group ….we’d love to chat with you email: [email protected] #britmovie #reelbritannia #ritasueandbobtoo Thanks for listening! Scott and Steven
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Episode 134 - The Mummy (1959)
04/23/2023
Episode 134 - The Mummy (1959)
Reel Britannia - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism. The latest episode in our Hammer horror retrospective The Mummy (1959) Terence Fisher directs this cult Hammer horror starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. Intrepid archaeologist Stephen Banning (Felix Aylmer) and his son John (Cushing) are so determined to locate the resting place of Princess Ananka, an ancient Egyptian high priestess, that they ignore the warnings of locals regarding a curse placed on the tomb. The trio have cause to regret their arrogance when back in England they are tracked down by Kharis (Lee), a mummy who has been brought back to life to avenge the desecration of the tomb. Having watched his father and uncle succumb to Kharis, John realises that he will almost certainly be the next target. However, he hasn't counted on his wife Isobel (Yvonne Furneaux)'s uncanny resemblance to Princess Ananka, which threatens to confuse the vengeful mummy... " Seems I've spent the better part of my life amongst the dead.” You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Join us over at our Facebook Group ….we’d love to chat with you email: [email protected] #podcast #britmovie #reelbritannia #hammerhorror #themummy Thanks for listening Scott, Steven and Mark
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Episode 133 - Night of the Demon (1957)
04/16/2023
Episode 133 - Night of the Demon (1957)
Reel Britannia - a very British podcast about very British movies - with just a hint of professionalism. A very special episode this week with a very special friend. Scott and Steven are joined by their dear friend Adam Roche, host of the Secret History of Hollywood, Attaboy Clarence and The Labours of Hercule podcasts. An invite stretching back about five years ago has resulted in an episode recorded way back last year, just before Christmas, and finally seeing the light of day...anyone would think we really didn't want him on the show! But, of course, we did and we spent a most enjoyable Sunday morning chatting and having a really good laugh as we duscussed a movie very close to Adam's heart. Night of the Demon (1957) American psychologist John Holden (Dana Andrews) arrives in England to discover that his colleague, Henry Harrington (Maurice Denham), has suddenly died following his efforts to discredit notorious occultist Julian Karswell (Niall MacGinnis). The cynical Holden dismisses Karswell's warnings as supernatural nonsense, even when he and Harrington's niece, Joanna (Peggy Cummins), are confronted by a series of bizarre and inexplicable events. Holden discovers that Karswell has slipped him a parchment featuring ancient runic symbols a sign that, like Harrington before him, he has been marked for imminent destruction by a fire-breathing demon. As the night of his threatened demise draws nearer, the fearful Holden begins to suspect that Karswell has been telling the truth all along... "It's in the trees...it's coming!" You can find this and all our previous episodes at: Amazon Music Apple Podcasts Libsyn Player FM Podtail Owltail ListenNotes Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Join us over at our Facebook Group ….we’d love to chat with you email: [email protected] #britmovie #reelbritannia #nightofthedemon Thanks for listening Scott, Steven and Adam
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Episode 132 - Rita Sue and Bob Too (1987)
04/02/2023
Episode 132 - Rita Sue and Bob Too (1987)
Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British movies ...with just a hint of professionalism. Classic comedy from the 80s this week as Siobhan Finneran stars in this darkly funny drama set in Thatcher's Britain. Rita Sue and Bob Too (1987) Following an acclaimed career in hard-hitting TV drama, director Alan Clarke achieved a cinema hit with his much-loved comedy. Bradford teenagers Rita and Sue regularly babysit for successful couple Bob and Michelle, whose comfortable suburban lifestyle contrasts with their own bleak existence. One evening when Bob is taking them home, he suggests a detour to the moors. Impressed by his flashy car and worldly ways the girls are smooth-talked into a three-way sexual relationship that becomes very much part of their lives. At first it's a bit of a laugh but people are quick to point the finger and the affair is soon out in the open. The screenplay was adapted from a series of acclaimed plays by Andrea Dunbar, which were based on her own upbringing on Bradford's Buttershaw estate. The contrast of bawdy laughs with astute social comment results in one of the more memorable and enduring British films from the period. "Oh no, I'll have to wear a bra. When I'm dancing all the fellas'll be watching me tits wobblin' up and down - I can't do with that." You can find this and all our previous episodes at: Amazon Music Apple Podcasts Libsyn Player FM Podtail Owltail ListenNotes Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Join us over at our Facebook Group ….we’d love to chat with you email: [email protected] #britmovie #reelbritannia #ritasueandbobtoo Thanks for listening Scott, Steven and Anthony
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Episode 131 - Hammer Britannia 008 - The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1959)
01/29/2023
Episode 131 - Hammer Britannia 008 - The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1959)
Reel Britannia - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism. The latest episode in our Hammer horror retrospective The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1959) Returning to his family's manor house on the lonely moors after his father dies under mysterious circumstances, Sir Henry Baskerville is confronted with the mystery of the supernatural hound that supposedly takes revenge upon the Baskerville family. The famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr. Watson are brought in to investigate "Elementary, my dear Watson. Tarantulas are not from South Africa." You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Join us over at our Facebook Group ….we’d love to chat with you email: [email protected] #podcast #britmovie #reelbritannia #hammerhorror #frankenstein Thanks for listening Scott, Steven and Mark
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Episode 130 - Hammer Britannia 007 - The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)
12/13/2022
Episode 130 - Hammer Britannia 007 - The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)
Reel Britannia - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism. The latest episode in our Hammer horror retrospective - and the return of the Baron.... The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) Having escaped death by the guillotine, Dr. Frankenstein relocates to Carlsbruck. There, as Dr. Victor Stein, he successfully establishes himself as a physician with a large practice and a hospital for the poor. After three years however he is recognized by Dr. Hans Kleve but rather than expose him, the young doctor wants to join him in his research. Frankenstein has resumed his experiments and is on the verge of re-animating a body he has constructed using the brain of Fritz, the deformed assistant who helped him escape from his death sentence. The operation goes quite well and Fritz is quite pleased with his new body. An encounter with a drunken hospital attendant however sends him on the run. As his mind and his body deteriorates, he publicly reveals the good Doctor's true identity. "Hello my lovelies. How about a piece of sugar? Hmm?" You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Join us over at our Facebook Group ….we’d love to chat with you email: [email protected] #podcast #britmovie #reelbritannia #hammerhorror #frankenstein Thanks for listening Scott, Steven and Mark
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Episode 129 - The Long Arm (1956)
11/14/2022
Episode 129 - The Long Arm (1956)
Reel Britannia - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism. The Long Arm (1956) After an elusive burglar robs a safe and leaves innocent victims in his wake, police edetective Tom Halliday (Jack Hawkins) is on the case, meticulously following up every possible lead. Halliday leaves his desk behind and enlists the help of not only his assistant, but people outside the police force, including fingerprint and safe-building experts. Though his wife, Mary (Dorothy Alison), doesn't approve of his job and worries for his safety, he won't rest until the perppetrator is behind bars. You can find this and all our previous episodes everywhere you download your podcasts Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod email: #podcast #britmovie #reelbritannia #jackhawkins Thanks for listening Scott and Steven
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Episode 128 - Mona Lisa (1986)
10/29/2022
Episode 128 - Mona Lisa (1986)
Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British movies ...with just a hint of professionalism. A special episode this week where Scott is joined by his fellow co hosts of the Stinking Pause podcast, Paul and Charlie to chat about rabbits, rough Soho strip joints and Mr Robbie Coltrane (this episode was recorded a few weeks before his recent passing) Mona Lisa (1986) “After getting out of prison, George (Bob Hoskins) looks for a job, but his time in prison has reduced his stature in the criminal underworld. The only job he can find is to be a driver for beautiful, high-priced call girl Simone (Cathy Tyson), with whom he forms an at first grudging, and then a real, affection. But Simone's playing a dangerous game, and when George agrees to help her, they both end up in deep trouble with Mortwell (Sir Michael Caine), the local kingpin.” “Being cheap is one thing. Looking cheap is another. That really takes talent.” You can find this and all our previous episodes at: Amazon Music Apple Podcasts Libsyn Player FM Podtail Owltail ListenNotes Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Join us over at our Facebook Group ….we’d love to chat with you email: [email protected] #monalisa #bobhoskins #britmovie #reelbritannia #michaelcaine #robbiecoltrane Thanks for listening Scott, Paul and Charlie
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