Who screened the first talkie in Cheltenham?

By Film Cheltenham TeamNovember 27, 2021 Odds and ends Leave a comment

by John Elliott. First published in Cheltenham Local History Society Journal in 2013. I had always believed and, indeed, have quoted in talks I have given that the first screening of a talkie in Cheltenham was that of Ronald Colman in Bulldog Drummond at the Theatre and Opera House. The Gloucestershire Echo of October 1,… [continues]

Films around Cheltenham from 27/11/21

By John MorrishNovember 27, 2021November 27, 2021 Films around Cheltenham, Uncategorized 1 Comment

The Cineworlds A lot of very familiar stuff at the Cineworlds this week: The House of Gucci, Encanto, King Richard, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Eternals, etc, etc. There are a couple of ‘Unlimited’ exclusive screenings of Boxing Day, which is a post-Christmas mid-Atlantic romcom with a largely black cast, directed by Ami Ameen, whose trans-Atlantic acting and… [continues]

Freeview films 27/11/21 to 3/12/21

By Film Cheltenham TeamNovember 26, 2021November 27, 2021 Freeview highlights 2 Comments

World Cinema Saturday (27/11) 21:30 BBC4 Stieg Larssons Millenium Episode 2 (2010). According to the BBC’s website, this is the conclusion of The Girl Who Played With Fire, reviewed last week. According to the Radio Times, it’s the first part. I wish these people would get their… [continues]

Blue Velvet (1986)

By Film Cheltenham TeamNovember 26, 2021 Films of the Week Leave a comment

Blue Velvet, which is on Sunday at 23:15 on Film4, is David Lynch’s early, eerie masterpiece. It is the story of a young man (Kyle McLachlan, who was later to appear in Twin Peaks) who becomes obsessed with a nightclub singer (Isabella Rossellini), who is herself in the grip of a gang of criminals who have kidnapped… [continues]

Fire Will Come (2019)

By John MorrishNovember 20, 2021November 20, 2021 Films of the Week, Uncategorized Leave a comment

In Fire Will Come (2019). Amador, a convicted arsonist returns to his remote village to look after his ageing mother, Benedicta, braving the suspicion of his former neighbours. Both leading roles, and most of the other parts, are played by non-professional actors. Amador (Amador Arias) was (and probably still is) a forester, and this is… [continues]

Films around Cheltenham from 20/11/21

By John MorrishNovember 19, 2021November 20, 2021 Films around Cheltenham 1 Comment

The Cineworlds Nothing much new at Cineworld Cheltenham in the early part of the week. Two children’s animations on Sunday: Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds and Tom & Jerry: The Movie. I’ve only seen the trailers, but I wasn’t impressed. Thefirst one clearly thinks a farting horse is a guaranteed laugh-riot. The second demonstrates the… [continues]

Freeview films 20/11/21 to 26/11/21

By Film Cheltenham TeamNovember 19, 2021November 20, 2021 Freeview highlights Leave a comment

World Cinema Saturday (20/11) 21:30 BBC4 Stieg Larssons Millenium Episode 2 (2010). The second half of the screen version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, in which Mikael Blomkvist, ejected from his journalist role as a result of a court… [continues]

Films around Cheltenham from 13/11/21

By Film Cheltenham TeamNovember 13, 2021November 19, 2021 Films around Cheltenham Leave a comment

The Cineworlds New this week at the Cineworlds is Cry Macho, which sees Clint Eastwood getting back in front of the camera at the age of 91, playing a clapped-out rodeo rider who his hired to go to Mexico and bring back an old boss’s teenage son. Along the way, ‘the world-weary horseman finds unexpected… [continues]

Freeview films 13/11/21 to 19/11/21

By Film Cheltenham TeamNovember 12, 2021November 12, 2021 Freeview highlights Leave a comment

World Cinema Saturday (13/11) 21:30 BBC4 Stieg Larsson’s Millenium Episode 1 (2010). This is the start of a repackaging of the original series of three films made from Larsson’s series of novels, Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire and… [continues]

Charulata

By John MorrishNovember 12, 2021November 12, 2021 Films of the Week Leave a comment

There is no doubt about my Film of the Week. Not only is Satyajit Ray’s Charulata (1964) profoundly beautiful, it also happens to be hard to find at at a time when cinematic art has become a commodity to pile high and sell cheap. It’s on Channel Four on Friday (19/11) at 03:00. Set your… [continues]