Wyre Forest u3a Film February 2014 ROAD MOVIES SEASON After 4 excellent French films we now embark on a season of road movies, which involves making trips across 4 countries: USA, Russia, Argentina & Germany. There are literally 100s of road movies which makes choosing only 4 quite a task. What is a road movie anyway? Many films include a journey but does that make it a road movie? What if a journey is made partly on water? How about space travel – does that count? If you want more on road movies check out this comprehensive website This month Page 2: Film Reviews Great Films 1: Mary Poppins Page 3: What’s on TV & local cinemas Page 4: Film programme 2013-14 If the winter turns cold, David Lynch’s true tale of lawnmower across 3 states to see his estranged brother should warm you up. This is not a typical Lynch movie – no sadistic violence, sex, weird characters or surrealistic episodes. Slow paced and This month’s film – u3a NEW SERIES This newsletter includes what could be the first of a new series, called GREAT FILMS. The chosen film this time is Mary Poppins. Is there a film which you really like and want to share your love of the film with others? If so, then send me your thoughts straight away. It could be fascinating and
Transcript
Wyre Forest u3a Film
February 2014
ROAD MOVIES SEASONAfter 4 excellent French films we now embark on a season of road movies, which involves making trips across 4 countries: USA, Russia, Argentina & Germany.There are literally 100s of road movies which makes choosing only 4 quite a task. What is a road movie anyway? Many films include a journey but does that make it a road movie? What if a journey is made partly on water? How about space travel – does that count? If you want more on road movies check out this comprehensive website compiled by the University of California, Berkeley.
Tony
This month
Page 2: Film ReviewsGreat Films 1: Mary Poppins
Page 3: What’s on TV & local cinemas
Page 4: Film programme 2013-14
If the winter turns cold, David Lynch’s true tale of a man embarking on a lengthy trip on a lawnmower across 3 states to see his estranged brother should warm you up.
This is not a typical Lynch movie – no sadistic violence, sex, weird characters or surrealistic episodes. Slow paced and touching, it stars Cissy Spacek and the wonderful Richard Farnsworth in his last film.
Page 1Film reviews
This month’s film – u3aNEW SERIES
This newsletter includes what could be the first of a new series, called GREAT FILMS. The chosen film this time is Mary Poppins.Is there a film which you really like and want to share your love of the film with others? If so, then send me your thoughts straight away. It could be fascinating and surprising to see which films appeal to people and what it is that makes them so special.
MARY POPPINS (Director Robert Stevenson 1964)The film looks expensive with lavish sets and costumes and includes some striking visual effects, like the scene where they enter into Bert’s chalk drawing. Here Disney uses animation to increase the sense of fantasy in a lengthy episode including horses leaping from a carousel. Vivid colours are used throughout the film to heighten the sense of fantasy. Although the whole film has a studio-bound feel, it still succeeds remarkably in evoking the spirit of the city of London, by using spectacular and beautifully designed sets, Julie Andrews is ideally cast in the part of a firm but warm hearted nanny and she sings wonderfully, supported by other top notch actors: a brilliant David Tomlinson, a passionate Glynis Johns and an unstable Ed Wynn(Uncle Albert). A perky Dick van Dyke acts and dances well; a pity that he is best remembered for his unique take on a Cockney accent. If you listen carefully you can clearly hear the results of having hired an Irish voice coach!All the best musicals have at least 1 or 2 truly memorable songs but this one has many more, and of varied character. In contrast to the upbeat Jolly Holiday, Supercalifrag..........., and A Spoonful of Sugar there are the more melancholy numbers like Feed the Birds or Chim Chim Cheree. The cheery final number, Let’s go fly a kite, makes the perfect finish. The only number which seems below par is the militaristic and tuneless Step in Time, but even that is redeemed by the lovely special effects of the chimney scene with the magical smoke staircase.There are many reasons why Mary Poppins rates high on my film list but what makes it a great film for me is that it has a superb transformation scene - the one where George Banks tells his employers what he thinks of getting the sack, then leaves the bank a new man. This technique of characters being transformed, often by their interactions with extra-terrestrial beings, has of course been used in other films: think of Scrooge or It’s a Wonderful Life. In those films the lead characters were transformed by spirits or angels; in Mary Poppins, George Banks is saved from a life of clinical rigidity by a being who floats in from the sky and who returns there when the wind changes direction. So what word best describes Mary Poppins? She is clearly an angel.
Page 3
GREAT FILMS 1
FILM PROGRAMME 2013-2014
THE MOTHER(Roger Mitchell – UK 2003)Surely this cannot be true? A young man attracted to an older woman? Stereotypes are turned on their head by the excellent Anne Reid in this gentle tale which explores family relationships.
BBC2 SUN FEB10 0005-0150
35 SHOTS OF RUM(Clair Denis 2008)Slow moving and and sympathetic portrait of life in a Paris suburb inhabited by African immigrants. At its core is a study of the father-daughter relationship. A tribute to great Japanese director Ozu. I saw it when it was released and loved it - my wife found it boring!
FILM4 FRI FEB 14 0100-0325
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS (Coen Bros – USA 2013) Oscar Isaac shines as aspiring but disaster-prone folksinger in 1960s New York. This original but rather melancholy story is lightened by humour and loads of folk music. Won Grand Prix at Cannes 2013.
MAC BIRMINGHAM 14-20 FEBARTRIX BROMSGROVE 3-14 MAR
12 YEARS A SLAVE (Steve McQueen USA 2013) Much lauded film, based on a shocking true story of a free black man abducted and sold into slavery. A brutal but moving story.
WORCESTER VUE CINEMA FEB 4 - 13MAC BIRMINGHAM FEB 1 – FEB 9
What’s on TV
French Thriller SeasonOct 9 2013 Rififi (Jules Dassin1955Nov 13 2013 Le Boucher (Claude Chabrol 1970) Dec 11 2013 Caché(Michael Haneke 2005)
French ComedyJan 8 2014 Les Vacances de M. Hulot (Jacques Tati 1953)
Road Movies SeasonFeb 12 2014 The Straight Story (David Lynch 1999)
A surprisingly direct and warm hearted film from this unpredictable director, a tale of a man setting off on a long trip on a lawnmower to see his estraged brother.
Mar 12 2014 The Return (Andrey Zvyagintsev 2005)In this mysterious tale a man returns home to begin a journey with his 2 sons. But for what reason? Winner of Golden Globe and Golden Lion awards.
Apr 9 2014 Las Acacias (Pablo Giorgelli 2011)A lonely driver taking timber from Paraguay to Buenos Aires is asked to give a lift to a young mother.
May 14 2014 Alice in the Cities (Wim Wenders 1974)A less well-known gem from Road Movies master, Wim Wenders. A photographer drifts through life but events force him to find some focus.
Jun 11 2014 To be decided
Programme above subject to change, as new films are often suggested by members of the Film Group.
The film sessions run on the 2nd Wednesday of each month(Oct-Jun) from 1.15 - 4.00pm. Tea/coffee served 1.15. Film starts 1.30pm in Wribbenhall Community Centre, Shaw Hedge Rd, Bewdley.
Contact Tony Flynn(Group Leader) 01299 401158 or [email protected] if you have any suggestions about films you would like included or if you have any articles/reviews for the newsletter.
