Disco Dales Jockstrap 1,960 Posted March 20, 2020 (edited) Hello all! One of my great passions is films and so I thought I'd share my knowledge of some of my favorites with you to give you some quality movies to watch during the coming days and weeks when we are going to be stuck at home. Please add your own classics to this thread so hopefully this will become a bit of a resource to see us through these difficult times a little easier. 🙂 Stalag 17 - WW2 POW camp movie. Not well known but a great watch. Funny and serious at the same time. Yojimbo - the film they remade in the west as 'A Fistful of Dollars'. Pleaseeeee don't be put off by the subtitles; its a really great film. Badass lone Samurai cleans up town: https://archive.org/details/Yojimbo_201703 Enjoy! OTBC Edited March 20, 2020 by Disco Dales Jockstrap Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Indy 3,499 Posted March 20, 2020 Funny enough we were just talking about the books we read for O levels, back in my day I chose Fahrenheit 451 and Across the barricades. Now down loaded both to read again. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Disco Dales Jockstrap 1,960 Posted March 20, 2020 2 minutes ago, Indy said: Funny enough we were just talking about the books we read for O levels, back in my day I chose Fahrenheit 451 and Across the barricades. Now down loaded both to read again. Changed the thread title to include books as well! OTBC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Indy 3,499 Posted March 20, 2020 Our talk about films promoted it, looked through dvd draw no Once Upon A Time.....so looked online came across Fahrenheit 451 and started talking with the better half about o level books! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TIL 1010 5,303 Posted March 20, 2020 If only Peter The Deleter brought back the original Brexit thread to read from start to finish that would take care of any self isolation period. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Disco Dales Jockstrap 1,960 Posted March 20, 2020 31 minutes ago, Indy said: Our talk about films promoted it, looked through dvd draw no Once Upon A Time.....so looked online came across Fahrenheit 451 and started talking with the better half about o level books! It's only SD quality I'm afraid but it's better than nothing! OTBC 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pockthorpe 636 Posted March 20, 2020 (edited) 👍👍 DDJ . Going to be needing stuff like this . One of my favourite classics is David Lean’s version of Great Expectations. With Norfolk boy John Mills . Two films I’ve really really enjoyed I the past year are Three Billboards Outside Ebbing , Missouri and Bad Times at the El Royale . Both absolute crackers . If you want a series , then End of the F*****g World ! is one of the best I’ve seen for a long long time . Edited March 21, 2020 by Pockthorpe 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Van wink 2,994 Posted March 20, 2020 Marcella.....Netflix....brilliant 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill 1,788 Posted March 20, 2020 If you didn't see this the first time watch from 18m.15 secs to get an idea https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUMBJ86QsgY 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kick it off 2,062 Posted March 20, 2020 Books: The Beach Blood River Catcher in the Rye Movies: Hotel Rwanda Philomena If you're in the mood to have your whole world view blown apart by the most bizarre and messed up story in history - try abducted in plain sight on Netflix. Madness. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Angry 2,094 Posted March 21, 2020 I’ve read this book a few times-did it for my English O-Level: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hansterbubble 55 Posted March 21, 2020 I guess that I must prefer a good read to a good film, as I can think of lots of books to recommend but have drawn a complete blank on the films. Here’s a few of my favourites books from the last year or two. Dissolution by CJ Sansom - it’s the first in a series of crime novels based in Tudor England. Zoo Station by David Downing - again it’s the first of a series of novels based in war torn Berlin Fatherland by Robert Harris - set in a world where Hitler won the war Winter Men by Jesper Bugge Kold - explores the effect of WW2 on two German brothers. this one is a bit dark but really got under my skin Any of the Sharpe novels by Bernard Cornwell - I read these in my teens and have started re-reading them and can’t put them down Any of Iain M Banks Culture Sci-Fi novels. Not a genre that I like usually but these are excellent, Excession and Consider Phlebas are particularly good Headlong by Michael Frayn - hilarious farce about a long lost Bruegel painting, really made me laugh Holes by Louis Sachar - aimed at young adults and a bit strange but really drew me in and kept my attention from start to end The Cyclist Who Went Out In The Cold by Tim Moore - Tim Moore is brilliantly funny and in this adventure he cycles from Finland to the Black Sea on a small wheeled East German shopping bike. What could go wrong! Actually any of his books a worth a read A World Of My Own by Robin Knox Johnson - I was genuinely impressed by his account of his solo non stop circumnavigation Rough Ride by Paul Kimmage - an old favourite, warts and all tale of the professional cycling scene from the late 1980s The Jeeves and Wooster books and or Empress of Blandings by PG Wodehouse - not to be read on the train though as laughing out loud constantly gets you funny looks! The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood - the book club at work took this one on and I remembered reading it at college 30 odd years ago and it leaving quite an impression and it was definitely worth re-reading. Really interested to know what others have enjoyed. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dylanisabaddog 6,197 Posted March 21, 2020 (edited) Hansterbubble if you enjoyed the Tim Moore one try French Revolutions which is his attempt at the Tour de France. The best sports book I've read is Seabiscuit which won the Whitbread award. Also made into a good film but the book is better. I'm not a horse racing person but loved both. If you like travel books all the Bill Bryson ones are excellent and I recently read The Shipping Forecast by Charlie Connolly which is a very amusing tour story Edited March 21, 2020 by dylanisabaddog 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Indy 3,499 Posted March 21, 2020 For personal reads the late great james Herbert, the dark and magic cottage were two good reads. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aggy 944 Posted March 21, 2020 Some good shouts @Hansterbubble . Have you read Tombstone by CJ Sansom? I’ve read most of the other Matthew Shardlake (Dissolution) series but not the most recent . I also just finished yesterday The Second Sleep by Robert Harris which was an interesting idea but not his best. His Cicero trilogy are some of my favourite books. If you’re into Bernard Cornwell, you might also want to watch The Last Kingdom (based on a Cornwell series but I haven’t read the books). I think it’s now on Netflix and the next series is out at the end of April. Similar to Rome and The Tudors, but marginally more “realistic” (although artistic liberties are still of course taken). A good watch though. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hansterbubble 55 Posted March 21, 2020 3 hours ago, dylanisabaddog said: Hansterbubble if you enjoyed the Tim Moore one try French Revolutions which is his attempt at the Tour de France. The best sports book I've read is Seabiscuit which won the Whitbread award. Also made into a good film but the book is better. I'm not a horse racing person but loved both. If you like travel books all the Bill Bryson ones are excellent and I recently read The Shipping Forecast by Charlie Connolly which is a very amusing tour story I read that many years ago Dylan and it is brilliant especially if you are a cyclist. He has also done a similar one where he does the Giro on a vintage bike. The Mark Beaumont Man who cycled the .... books are really good and I saw him at a book tour and he is a genuinely nice bloke. 14 minutes ago, Aggy said: Some good shouts @Hansterbubble . Have you read Tombstone by CJ Sansom? I’ve read most of the other Matthew Shardlake (Dissolution) series but not the most recent . I also just finished yesterday The Second Sleep by Robert Harris which was an interesting idea but not his best. His Cicero trilogy are some of my favourite books. If you’re into Bernard Cornwell, you might also want to watch The Last Kingdom (based on a Cornwell series but I haven’t read the books). I think it’s now on Netflix and the next series is out at the end of April. Similar to Rome and The Tudors, but marginally more “realistic” (although artistic liberties are still of course taken). A good watch though. I’ve got Tomblands sitting on my bedside table. It is set in Norfolk so should be especially good! I’ve read some of Samson’s other nobels, Winter in Madrid and Dominion but they didn’t grab me in the same way as the Shardlake series. I will read Seabiscuit, it definitely fits my reading pattern although I know nothing about horse racing I’ve got the Last Kingdom series but haven’t read them yet. I saw some of the tv adaptation and as you say it was very good. Conn Igguldsen (spelling?) Emperor series about Julius Caesar we’re pretty good if you like those sort of reads. Indy mentioned James Herbert, I loved those when I was a teenager along with Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I saw they’d made a film of the Gunslinger/ DarkTower books (Stephen King) with Iris Elba. I’d recommend those although the first book, The Gunslinger, is a bit odd. Apparently King was trying to write a straight western, but it kept sliding off into the dark side. It’s only short and worth sticking with as the rest of the series is really good. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aggy 944 Posted March 21, 2020 Yes Tomblands not Stone! I read the Dark Tower books years ago and have to say I found it all a bit strange. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Juggler 7 Posted March 21, 2020 Tombland is the best of the Shardlake novels so far. Set in Norfolk during Kett’s rebellion. Well worth a read. 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dylanisabaddog 6,197 Posted March 21, 2020 4 minutes ago, Hansterbubble said: I read that many years ago Dylan and it is brilliant especially if you are a cyclist. He has also done a similar one where he does the Giro on a vintage bike. The Mark Beaumont Man who cycled the .... books are really good and I saw him at a book tour and he is a genuinely nice bloke. I’ve got Tomblands sitting on my bedside table. It is set in Norfolk so should be especially good! I’ve read some of Samson’s other nobels, Winter in Madrid and Dominion but they didn’t grab me in the same way as the Shardlake series. I will read Seabiscuit, it definitely fits my reading pattern although I know nothing about horse racing I’ve got the Last Kingdom series but haven’t read them yet. I saw some of the tv adaptation and as you say it was very good. Conn Igguldsen (spelling?) Emperor series about Julius Caesar we’re pretty good if you like those sort of reads. Indy mentioned James Herbert, I loved those when I was a teenager along with Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I saw they’d made a film of the Gunslinger/ DarkTower books (Stephen King) with Iris Elba. I’d recommend those although the first book, The Gunslinger, is a bit odd. Apparently King was trying to write a straight western, but it kept sliding off into the dark side. It’s only short and worth sticking with as the rest of the series is really good. Seabiscuit is a little more than a story about a racehorse. It is entirely factual but is also a fascinating insight into American society at that time and a story of 3 men down on their luck who are brought together by a horse. I have a DVD of the film which has some fascinating extras. The races were all a matter of record so needed to be reproduced exactly. The director tried to give instructions to the professional jockeys he had employed. They soon got fed up with him, read the results and reproduced the races perfectly. It's easy said one of them, we do it every day.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
king canary 8,946 Posted March 21, 2020 Finally ploughing through the Dragon Tattoo series of books, nothing special but generally a good distraction. For films, I really enjoyed Booksmart on Amazon Prime. Described as a female Superbad but I dont think that does it justice. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dylanisabaddog 6,197 Posted March 21, 2020 4 minutes ago, king canary said: Finally ploughing through the Dragon Tattoo series of books, nothing special but generally a good distraction. For films, I really enjoyed Booksmart on Amazon Prime. Described as a female Superbad but I dont think that does it justice. I quite enjoyed those but don't bother with the fourth one which was written by someone else after the author of the first three died Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FenwayFrank 2,718 Posted March 21, 2020 For anyone that likes their music I've read Johnny Marr and Tim Burgess and Joe Jackson’s autobiographies and enjoyed both of them. Cyclist David Millar’s books are good too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gromitt 15 Posted March 21, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Juggler said: Tombland is the best of the Shardlake novels so far. Set in Norfolk during Kett’s rebellion. Well worth a read. 👍fully agree, whole series worth a read. Also, Wilbur Smith Courtney &Ballantyne series although a recent one Golden Lion with co-writer Giles Kristian really disappointed with ending seeming like was writing away and suddenly told to wrap it up quickly. Other Wilburs enjoyable as well, only one above has disappointed. Robert Ludlum, especially Bourne trilogy, films do not touch the depth and intricacy of the books. Robyn Young 2 x trilogies around Robert the Bruce and Templars Terry Hayes I am pilgrim James Swallow Nomad Exile Ghost Edited March 21, 2020 by Gromitt Auto text Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kick it off 2,062 Posted March 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Aggy said: If you’re into Bernard Cornwell, you might also want to watch The Last Kingdom (based on a Cornwell series but I haven’t read the books). I think it’s now on Netflix and the next series is out at the end of April. Similar to Rome and The Tudors, but marginally more “realistic” (although artistic liberties are still of course taken). A good watch though. I found the Bernard Cornwell books a bit heavy going and confusing, but The Last Kingdom is a great shout. I'll also throw in Black Sails - it's set during the age of piracy and mixes historical fact and fiction (similar to Last Kingdom)... the premise of a show about pirates sounds a bit childish, but it really is anything but. It's one of the best, and most under-rated series of recent years - 4 seasons which I think are on Netflix at the moment. Some of the acting is a bit ropey in parts but the storylines carry it.... Special mention for Toby Stephens and Zach Mcgowan for really bringing their characters to life spectacularly well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aggy 944 Posted March 21, 2020 2 minutes ago, kick it off said: I found the Bernard Cornwell books a bit heavy going and confusing, but The Last Kingdom is a great shout. I'll also throw in Black Sails - it's set during the age of piracy and mixes historical fact and fiction (similar to Last Kingdom)... the premise of a show about pirates sounds a bit childish, but it really is anything but. It's one of the best, and most under-rated series of recent years - 4 seasons which I think are on Netflix at the moment. Some of the acting is a bit ropey in parts but the storylines carry it.... Special mention for Toby Stephens and Zach Mcgowan for really bringing their characters to life spectacularly well. Just looked up Black Sails and it’s supposed to be a prequel to Treasure Island, which I re-read maybe six months ago and remembered how good that was. I’ll give it a watch! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Making Plans 957 Posted March 21, 2020 (edited) One you all know and is always worth another read. Second one is a fascinating book about Barney Curely and horse race gambling Third is the story of a journalist who became a caddie on the European Tour Edited March 21, 2020 by Making Plans 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Making Plans 957 Posted March 21, 2020 A great War film especially if you can get hold of the 5 hour version 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Juggler 7 Posted March 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Gromitt said: 👍fully agree, whole series worth a read. Didn’t we used to have a poster called ‘Jack Barak’, presumably named after one of the characters in the Shardlake books? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Disco Dales Jockstrap 1,960 Posted March 21, 2020 42 minutes ago, Making Plans said: A great War film especially if you can get hold of the 5 hour version THERE'S A FIVE HOUR VERSION??!!?? Well that's one day sorted... OTBC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Disco Dales Jockstrap 1,960 Posted March 21, 2020 For those who enjoy comedy westerns, you can't go wrong with this three: They Call Me Trinity Trinity Is Still My Name My Name Is Nobody There seems to be a shed load of western films on YouTube available in HD for free. Lap them up! OTBC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
