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Friday, June 1, 2007
Great Britain has films to savor … but beware the haggis
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dear Mr. Smithee
Longtime reader; first-time writer. I recently watched “Asylum” on cable. It was, in my estimation, a finely crafted and acted film that I had previously never heard of. Hence my question: Can you provide a short list of other little-publicized British-type movies that I might enjoy in a similar fashion?
CHRIS PURDY, Canton
Ay Up, My Friend,
Longtime writer; longer-time film devotee. As you know, I see hundreds of movies a year. “Asylum” just doesn’t happen to have been one of them.
But I do know a thing or two about British films.
Thing one: British movies are better than British food.
Thing two: British romantic comedies are especially bad. (You know —- Julia Roberts standing there and with a straight face saying gargantuan gunk like, “I’m just a girl standing in front of a guy asking him to love me.”)
I have heard wonderful things about “Red Road,” the drama that’s expected to start playing Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema on June 8. Written and directed by Andrea Arnold, “Red Road” involves characters conceived by —- and this is important here —- Anders Thomas Jensen.
Jensen may be Danish instead of English, but he’s one of the best screenwriters on the planet (the Danish films “After the Wedding,” “The Green Butchers,” “Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself,” “Open Hearts,” “Flickering Lights” and the Dogma films “The King Is Alive” and “Mifune”).
But we were talking about British films, weren’t we?
Here are a few from the past dozen years or so:
Good Brit films you probably heard about: “Vera Drake,” “Notes on a Scandal,” “Dirty Pretty Things,” “Billy Elliot,” “Topsy-Turvy” and especially “Richard III.”
Good Brit films you might not know: “Hilary and Jackie,” “Naked,” “Secrets and Lies” and “Sexy Beast.”
Good Brit films you probably missed and need to see: “Dead Man’s Shoes,” “My Summer of Love,” “Dear Frankie,” “Millions,” “An Ideal Husband,” “Wondrous Oblivion,” “Ratcatcher” and “Touching the Void.”
If you’re like me, all that should keep you occupied for at least a day or two.
ALAN
P.S. You get “Topsy-Turvy” opera glasses and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
Dear Mr. Smithee,
In response to your recent reader question about how Lana Turner looked in person, my grandfather has some interesting insight.
Here’s his tale: “During World War II, I was in the service and went in the Biltmore Hotel in L.A. I walked in to find this gorgeous woman sitting at a bar with two high-ranking naval officers.
“Being only 19 at the time and not an autograph hound, all I could do is stand and stare at this immensely beautiful woman. She was not only stunning, but breathtaking.
“Sixty-four years later, I am still gawking at her beauty.”
ZACH CARVER (grandson)
BILL MCGREE (grandfather)
Dayton, Ohio
Dear It Always Takes a Village,
Let’s take a moment to relish Bill’s words. “Not only stunning,” he says, “but breathtaking.”
Sounds like Lana’s only real competitor these days would be Halle Berry.
ALAN
P.S. You get “Pirates of the Caribbean” collectible art for you and a “Flags of Our Fathers” DVD for gramps. And you both get “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirts.
Dear Mr. Smithee,
Last Friday’s AJC listed in the Freeze Frame column the Sir Alec Guinness movie “Little Dorrit.” My wife and I are Charles Dickens fans and would like to see the 1988 version. The reviews on it are very positive.
Where, oh where, can it be found on DVD? I searched but found nothing.
Is “Little Dorrit” available on DVD or is the paper jerking us around about a movie that can’t be watched?
CASEY MUSSELMAN, Kennesaw
Dear Tiny Tim,
You can find “Little Dorrit” only on VHS. Try Amazon.com.
ALAN
P.S. You get a “Shrek” Pez dispenser and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. SMITHEE?
**E-mail him at alansmithee@ajc.com or go to accessAtlanta.com and click on Movies. Please include your name, city and daytime phone number. Mr. Smithee can’t reply to every request, but inquiries chosen for publication will receive movie-related prizes.
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