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[crashryan]

Haven't watched any of these yet, but two titles caught my eye. Scattergood Baines was a series character in The Saturday Evening Post; I ran across him while researching Post illustrators. Jim Hanvey was another magazine character, I'm not sure which magazine. When I was in high school I read a detective-story anthology that contained a Hanvey story alongside other better-known characters. I had no idea either of them had been adapted for movies.

[The Australian Panther]

Found this channel which has [all?] the Animated Blake and Mortimer series in English.
Blake and Mortimer
https://www.youtube.com/@BlakeandMortimerEnglish

Confession. I prefer these to the books, which I find far too wordy.

Also,

BOB Morane - also in english. The art is very stylistic and cartoony but I quite like it, much to my surprise.
https://www.youtube.com/@bobmoraneenglishofficial901

And if you look at the bottom of that page,

You will find,

Valerian & Laureline, Lucky Luke, Corto Maltese and a few more. 

enjoy!

[crashryan]

When I was zapped by Covid some weeks ago I watched a movie suggested by our own Paw Broon, Cash on Demand. It's a 1961 crime suspense film and it's great. Peter Cushing stars as the manager of a small local bank who learns his family has been taken hostage by a gang demanding his help in looting the bank. It's a compact little gem that held my interest throughout. The film was adapted from a stage play. It has a certain theatrical feel in that it's dialogue-driven and the action is limited to a small area. This proves to be an asset rather than a liability. The claustrophobic atmosphere heightens the tension.

The film is on YouTube. The version I watched ran a hour and 20 minutes. I noticed another YouTube print runs just over an hour. I gather this one is the 1963 re-release which cut scenes involving Cushing's relationship to his staff. I'd go for the original version. Thanks for the referral, Paw.

[profh0011]

I just watched RUN SILENT RUN DEEP for I believe only the 2nd time.  War films are not really my thing, although "submarine" films as a sub-genre do often hold my interest.  Anyway, this is one DAMNED GOOD movie!!!  Great, gripping, suspenseful story, terrific characters, fabulous cast (including Jack Warden, H.M. Wynant, Don Rickles, Ken Lynch, in addition to Clark Gable & Burt Lancaster), terrific miniature work-- the whole shebang.

This was often mistakenly referenced as the main source of the STAR TREK episode "Balance Of Terror".  That actually was a remake of THE ENEMY BELOW, with Curt Jurgens as a sympathetic German u-boat commander.  However, I noted that at least 4 different STAR TREK stories borrowed from this single film!

"Balance Of Terror" -- the scene where both subs turn off their motors and hover in silence

"The Doomsday Machine" -- where Burt Lancaster accuses Clark Gable of violating direct Navy orders to avenge "A DEAD CREW"!

STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE -- One man PULLS RANK to take over a ship already assigned to another Captain, while insisting that man stay onboard as his exec, despite the resentment among the crew it will cause.  This is the main part of the Gable-Lancaster film, and was done at least 100 times better in the original film than it was in the 1979 abortion.

STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN -- the scene where the 2 subs PASS by each other closely just missing hitting each other.

Thsi first half of the film, Gable pushes the crew to drill and drill to get their torpedo timing down.  Then, just about at the halfway point, he blows up a Japanese destroyer in a "bow shot"-- head-on-- an almost-impossible-to-make shot that is usually only done in moments of desperation.  Once this is accomplished, calmly, methodically, that's when Gable announces he's violating Navy orders to take the sub into an area that no less than 4 US subs have been destroyed in under a year.

The whole time, he's planning to take out a certain Japanese destroyer.  It's only AFTER he succeeds-- that they suddenly realize, it was actually ANOTHER submarine that destroyed all 4 US subs!

Anyone who's never seen this, I give it my highest reccomendation.

[paw broon]

Re. Star Trek. I invested in the 1st season of Star Trek Prodigy and I'm enjoying it. Even better is the Janeway hologram as mentor.
The new series of Vera is on now with David Leon returning, now an inspector.  I know some of you weren't taken with Vera, but we think it's been good, well done, tv with a lot of police procedural to keep us happy.
Crash thoroughly enjoyed the British B&W film, Cash on Demand - Peter Cushing, Andre Morell.  It's here:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l7kFdkOW-8
Also, if you haven't seen it, High Treason is excellent.  This is a poorer copy but it doesn't have the Amersoft mark like the better version. Andre Morell again:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFU9iPQHOKA

[crashryan]

I second Paw's suggestion to watch High Treason. It concerns the good guys uncovering and derailing a huge terrorist plot. As an early Cold War paranoia film it sports some stereotype bad guys (especially the effete intellectuals praising unlistenable modern music). Communism is never mentioned but there's no doubt who the enemy is. Despite this the film is so well written, acted, and shot that it grabs you and doesn't let go. There's a terrific action finale at the Battersea Power Station. I loved it.

[The Australian Panther]

Some Vintage Bulldog Drummond

Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police (1939) JOHN HOWARD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV3hRroG4DE

Bulldog Drummond Escapes | THRILLER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3Z_NSg0NCo
[Ray Milland]

Bulldog Drummond's Revenge (1937) JOHN HOWARD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfhh0f3sGms

Bulldog Drummond Comes Back (1937) | Full Movie | John Barrymore | John Howard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pQfG_gKUaM

Bulldog Drummond's Bride (1939) JOHN HOWARD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SANFRsJJr30

Bulldog Drummond in Africa (1938) JOHN HOWARD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4wLJQkoG_4

[Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back 1947
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8XG_Gj0iGo

Bulldog Drummond 1929
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6nyHEZaxn4

And a horse of a different colour,
Calling Paul Temple
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfQzoFoxcjA

Watching the last one now, enjoy!

[crashryan]

I've never been a big Bulldog Drummond fan, save for this earliest (sound) version. It's remarkable how much still holds up, especially for a 1929 talkie. Visually it's a treat thanks to some budding A-list talent. Greg Toland on cinematography, William Cameron Menzies on art direction, and Frank & Viola Lawrence on editing give the production a gloss missing from so many early sound films. The direction by F Richard Jones keeps the camera moving and once again helps the movie look more like a mid-1930s production. Unfortunately this was Jones' last feature. He died the following year of TB.

The acting is the weak link that shouts "Early talkie." Not the indomitable Ronald Coleman. Only his second talkie, but he already has the style and easy assurance of a Golden Age pro. He makes the film. It's downhill from there, I'm afraid. Joan Bennett, still a kid, is whiny and stiff. Montague Love (Peterson) and Lilyan Tashman (Irma) are acceptable. Claud Allister, as Drummond's pal Algy, is absolutely insufferable. If they'd cut his endless unfunny comedy bits the movie would have been tighter and no one would have missed him. But even his overacted Upperclass English Ass routine pales before Lawrence Grant as evil scientist Dr Lakington. He chews the scenery (as well as his fake side whiskers) so strenuously that we'd think he's supposed to be a parody of movie mad scientists--except that talkies hadn't been around long enough to establish the cliche.

The story is full of illogical choices by the characters but then so was the book. Fortunately the adaptation drops the vigilante-thug-with-gang business that made the print Drummond unpleasant. Coleman gets to be both adventurous and charming. He does show his ruthless side once when he strangles one of the villains to death. However the victim is Dr Lakington, and I suspect much of the audience breathed a silent "thank you" for his demise.

[bowers]

 Bulldog Drummond  films may not be my favorite, but they are a good way to pass a lazy afternoon, especially when the alternative is going outside to shovel snow! I also remember seeing a video of a "Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Presents" featuring Bulldog, but I don't remember much about it.
Currently watching "Monsieur Spade", with Clive Owen doing his best to channel Bogey. The premise is that Sam leaves San Francisco and retires to a quiet life (?) in France. Not sure if Owen can pull it off, but he's giving it a damn good try! The wife and I quite enjoyed the first episode. Cheers, bowers

[The Australian Panther]

Finally found a vintage Arsene Lupin movie.
Not bad either.
Enter Arsene Lupin 1944 Charles Korvin & Ella Raines
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFqmykBHieI

enjoy!

[The Australian Panther]

For all you Edgar Wallace fans. I knew there are a few out there.
Just found out that there was a British series of
The Mind Of JG Reeder full series
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhWFiqhcramCeaXPbaci4-Lhlc8zA8a_Y

If this is the full series, there were only 8 episodes. That's how many are here.
Didn't know it existed. Have just watched episode #1 and I think I have read the short story it was based on, because it seemed familiar.

Enjoy!   

[paw broon]

Good find and there is a film also but I'll need to look it up.  Something like, Mr Reeder in Room 13? 
Yes, that's it.

[paw broon]

It's here:-
https://archive.org/details/mr.-reeder-in-room-13-1938

[The Australian Panther]

Paw, thanks for that Link. The film's not bad but Reeder is off-screen for most of it.
But that link also has two other movies, 'The flying squad' and 'The Ringer'

Thanks again!   

[paw broon]

Both are good films.  I have them on dvd as we're fans of old British b&w thrillers.

[The Australian Panther]

The Ringer.
This is a revelation. You think you know actors because you assume they are the characters they are most associated with but you forget they are actors and when you see them portray completely different characters you are shocked.
This version is an excellent print - from a DVD collection.
Cast
Herbert Lom - best known from the Pink Panther films. Quite a different character here.
William Hartnell - watching this it becomes clear that his Dr Who was as much an actor's creation as Patrick Troghton's was. Respect.
A very young Denholm Elliiot.
The now obscure actress,  Greta Gynt - as the Ringer's wife. Serious Femme Fatale portrayal. 
Which is interesting as she was apparently quoted as saying

"I'm utterly bored with this femme fatale business." (1955) 

But what I really want to know is, " What the hell is that Sports car she drives to the Police Station, and where can I get one?" 
Donald Wolfit - I swear that Peter Falk must have seen Donald Wolfit's portrayal of Dr. Lomond here before he came up with the character of Colombo. 
A superb script brings out the best in actors - if the director lets them. They get that here.
Great stuff. Recommended.