What have I missed most during lockdown? Breakfasts on Sunday at Cafe Rouge. The steam room and sauna at my club, which remained shut even after the gym and pool reopened. Museums and galleries. And the recliner seats at my local cinema. Odeon are reopening on 17th May, and are flogging a special deal. Their Limitless all-you-can-watch tickets are £9.99 per month for three months. I’m a little bit tempted, but I suspect the recliner seats are excluded. Which is a deal killer for me.
True, there’ll not be a great many new blockbusters to fill the screens. But there are still a bunch of old blockbusters that would make a trip to the cinema worthwhile. Movies I either missed on the big screen or, as is more often the case, movies that were before my time. Which ones? Ok, as you asked, here’s ten.
I’ve got a few classics at home ready to watch on my television which I’d prefer to see at the cinema. Lawrence of Arabia, Silence of the Lambs, Terminator, Apocalypse Now and Alien. Some of these have new directors cuts to show. I’ve never watched a western, but have been told if I only ever watch one it should be The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. I could probably convince Mrs P to go see Forrest Gump.
And both the Exotic Marigold Hotel, the Painted Veil and the Beach would help quench my thirst for travel, for a few hours at least. I’ve long loved the Beach for reasons which remain a mystery even to myself. Perhaps I have an attachment to it as it came out just as I was embarking on my backpacking adventures.
That’s my ten. If my options are as limitless as Odeon thinks they should be, what movie should be my number eleven? I’m open to suggestions.
The Mexile 
How about “Heat and Dust”, it’s a Merchant and Ivory historical drama from 1983 or “Diva” from 1982 a film by Jean-Jacques Beineix, it’s a quirky black comedy.
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Good call. I suspect the Odeon probably won’t pick this up. But I think I’ll have a go at finding a copy…
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The Good, bad and ugly movie is art. A little cheesy in places but it has that three levels of interest, a story, a morality tale and just loads of well done sets for the history inclined. It was shot in Spain, is my understanding .
Another Western that I like is ,”Once upon a time in the west ‘ Henry Fonda plays a great great wicked man. The sets are well done.
And of course from your bailiwick, the best movie ever, ” Clockwork Orange” A film for the ages,
And if you are willing to sit a series: Deadwood from the HBO firm, has some of the best sets of any film work.
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Intriguing you’d go for Clockwork Orange. I bought it on DVD, shipped from the US in the late 90s when I got online. I’m pretty certain I bought from Amazon. You couldn’t buy it in the UK. It had that cult status you only get when something is banned – I was earlier than most in getting online and had shelled out for a multi-region DVD player, so I was pretty much the only person I knew who owned it. I’m not sure I’d call it the best movie I’ve ever seen, but there are caveats to my opinion that are best left unwritten. Maybe now is the time to give it another go. I generally like Kubrick’s stuff.
If we’re talking made for TV stuff, then Top Gear Specials / Grand Tour episodes would be worth watching on the big screen. The cinematography of both shows has always been top notch.
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Rome from HBO was pretty fine. The scene where Polo is to be killed in the ring is a fine bit of choreography and of course the sets were bank busters.
What I like about Clockwork is the story it tells of human nature and how good intentions are a minefield. It is all over the top, most good film is.
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