Movies

David Lean, Mike Leigh, Terry Gilliam, Stephen Frears , Terrance Davies, Ken Loach, Danny Boyle

Withnail and I at 30:  10 reasons why Bruce Robinson’s caper is the greatest British comedy of all time

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Withnail and I is a melancholic masterpiece and one of the funniest British films ever made.

Withnail and I is a melancholic masterpiece and one of the funniest British films ever made. For its one-liners alone Bruce Robinson’s sweary caper is rightly regarded as a classic: “We’ve gone on holiday by mistake”. “Don’t threaten me with a dead fish”. “We want the finest wines available to humanity, we want them here and we want them now”. These droll zingers are fired off at such a clip, multiple viewings are required to savour them in their full glory. [ . . . ]

Full Story at: Withnail and I at 30:  10 reasons why Bruce Robinson’s caper is the greatest British comedy of all time

The Essential British Films

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By Tom Jolliffe

Any film student worth their salt will tell you that absolutely essential viewing is Withnail & I. When I started at University studying film about 100 years ago give or take (actually it was 14 years ago) I hadn’t seen Withnail. Within two weeks of starting it became apparent that I had not actually lived, and thus needed to see it immediately. I watched it, I like it but upon that first viewing it didn’t quite inseminate me fully with its genius. The second time I got it. The third, fourth and beyond, the film just got better and better.

This is a film that represents Britain at its cinematic finest. Firstly it beautifully captures the [ . . . ]

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Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez scene from Brassed Off

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One of Johnny Foreigner”s favorite British films of the ’90s was Mark Herman’s Brassed Off – 1996 British-American comedy-drama film written and directed by Mark Herman and starring Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald and Ewan McGregor. These’s so much to love about the movie, including the brass band music, but especially the performance by one of the greatest British actors of all time – Pete Postlethwaite as the bandleader/miner “Danny.” If you’ve never seen this movie, grab it from Netflix or Amazon.

The film is about the troubles faced by a colliery brass band, following the closure of their pit. The soundtrack for the film was provided by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, and the plot is based on Grimethorpe’s own struggles against pit closures. It is generally very positively received for its role in promoting brass bands and their music. Parts of the film make reference to the huge increase in suicides that resulted from the end of the coal industry in Britain, and the struggle to retain hope in the circumstances. [Wikipedia]

Brendan Gleeson: ‘My guiltiest pleasure? Fridge-foraging before bed’

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The actor on the disappointment of puberty, tickling and why a bidet would change his life

Born in Dublin, Brendan Gleeson, 61, worked as a teacher and was a part-time stage actor until, at 34, he appeared in Mel Gibson’s Braveheart. His subsequent work includes Gangs Of New York, three Harry Potter films, In Bruges, Calvary and Suffragette; his latest film, Assassin’s Creed, is released tomorrow. He lives in Ireland and is married with four sons.

When were you happiest?
It’s ongoing.

What is your greatest fear?
War.

Which living person do you most admire?
My wife.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Self-hatred.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Sleeveenism: a self-serving sliminess.

What was your most embarrassing moment?
Advising the girlfriend of a former friend not to make up with him because he was a shit. They are still together. [ . . .  ]

Read Full Interview: Brendan Gleeson: ‘My guiltiest pleasure? Fridge-foraging before bed’ | Life and style | The Guardian