Terence at the BFI, The Servant Blu-ray, Dirk's rolls ...

The British Film Institute turns its attention to Terence Stamp in May, with an interview and retrospective of his films, again - not that many, and not including my cult favourite MODESTY BLAISE, but it looks like Stamp had a hand in choosing the films, and he probably doesn't rate it that highly, he is on record as being dismissive of Vitti, and it was not a leading role for him really. At the time though (1966) we liked the look of his Willie Garvin (right) .....

 

They are also showing: BILLY BUDD, FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD, THE COLLECTOR, POOR COW, TOBY DAMMIT (Stamp label for review) with HU-MAN, THEOREM, SUPERMAN II, THE HIT, THE LIMEY, PRINCE OF SHADOWS, BOWFINGER, PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT and the recent SONG FOR MARION. So no TERM OF TRIAL or that very rare western BLUE from '66 ?

Terry has also been in the news as he has written a follow-up to THE LIMEY which he has called WATERLOO SUNSET and he wishes to team up again with Julie Christie for it, it would be their first teaming since the Schlesinger FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD in 1967 - as per my recent post on Stamp he has now come to accept that the Kink's perennial song "Waterloo Sunset" is indeed about him and Julie - so they could be back on screen together again 40+ years later? Well, maybe better late than never ... more on Waterloo below ...

Losey's THE SERVANT, as per recent posts on it below, and seeing the special screening 2 weeks ago with Fox, Miles and Craig in attendance, is now out on Blu-Ray in a deliciously designed pack, with a terrific article by critic Peter Bradshaw comparing it to Antonioni and Polanski, and it has bonus extras on Losey and Pinter, including interviews with Fox, Miles and Craig; and it is  getting lots of interesting reviews: 
Harold Pinter's vicious dissection of class, sex and power still unnerves 50 years on. James Fox is exquisitely louche as the aristocratic Tony who requires a manservant to tend to his needs and Chelsea home. Enter, darkly, Dirk Bogarde's impenetrable parasitic Hugo who very quickly takes control of Tony's feckless world. This subversive 1963 satire remains disturbing and powerful. (The Independent).

or this from a terrific site - http://nothingiswrittenfilm.blogspot.co.uk/

The Servant begs for analysis, but its caustic view of humanity is plainly evident. Tony seems a likeable dimwit at first, nursing dreams of a business deal in Brazil, but his engrained snobbery marks him as both narcissistic and naive - fair game for the vicious Hugo, more appealing than the likeable but plain Susan. Hugo and Vera are a perverse embodiment of the new generation, using raw sexuality to destroy the accepted order, bringing Tony down and loving it. Losey and Pinter make Hugo not so much an avenging lower class angel as a moral vampire, spreading decadence and decay wherever he goes.   The re-discovery of the year then.

Dirk Bogarde was in the Sunday papers too - his Rolls Royce, a Silver Cloud which he bought in 1964, has been found after being hidden away for years in some garage. It has been spruced up and sold - for £25,000 - to its sixth owner, a "businessman in Chelsford, Essex" - Dirk would have been amused at that! How very YELLOW ROLLS ROYCE ! 

It will be next week when I actually watch the SERVANT blu-ray, when my new Sony Blu-ray multi-region dvd player arrives. This is my first real Blu-ray - others I have are dual format packs, as I kept off getting Blu-Ray till now, I don't intend to re-buy all my favourites again for a third time though, after vhs and dvd versions !  - though I would certainly want BLOW-UP, MODESTY BLAISE, WHATS NEW PUSSYCAT, A KIND OF LOVING, DARLING, ACCIDENT, THE PASSENGER, 2001, BARRY LYNDON and any Antonioni's.  BILLY LIAR arrives in May, and then those epics ...