THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1939)

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES is a wonderful, light mystery film. It is full of atmosphere; Victorian England, fog, the moor, an old family estate with a terrible curse. It was so good, it spawned another thirteen films, none of which were as good as this initial outing.

KING KONG (1933)

KING KONG is great escapist entertainment. Though it looks crude to us today, I never cease to be impressed by the amount of detail that went into the production; especially the background designs used in the jungle sequences.

BRIEF ENCOUNTER (1945)

To modern audiences, BRIEF ENCOUNTER may seem a bit too understated. And that is exactly why it is so good. David Lean, yet again, gives us another masterpiece. Two people meet in the railway station, and fall in love; but both are already married. Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto creates the mood for this film that defines the term 'bittersweet'.

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (1945)

Rene Clair was a master filmmaker. Critic James Agee complained that Clair opted for the humourous angle. I think it was just right. A better Sunday afternoon film was never made. The cast includes Roland young, Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Huston, Dame Judith Anderson, and C. Aubrey Smith! If that isn't enough, let me say that Richard Haydn, who played Thomas Rogers is an absolute delight. The best Agatha Christie adaptation, bar none, IMO.

THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL (1934)

With Leslie Howard in the title role, Merle Oberon, Raymond Massey and Nigel Bruce ... all in fine form; THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL is a cut above most adventure tales.

"They seek him here, they seek him there.
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere.
Is he in heaven or is he in hell?
That demned elusive Pimpernel."

THRONE OF BLOOD (1957)

Akira Kurosawa's version of "Macbeth"; THRONE OF BLOOD is surely the best adaptation. I would place this film just behind RASHOMON (1950) in my pantheon of Kurosawa favourites. Toshiro Mifune gives his usual brilliant performance, but it is Isuzu Yamada who is the most memorable. The star of the show, however, is the mood ... which stays with you throughout the film, starting with our chilling encounter with the witch.

THE KILLERS (1946)

THE KILLERS contains my favourite noir visuals. Cinematographer Woody Bredell and director Robert Siodmak combine their talents to create, IMO, some of the most interesting scenes, and the lighting is impeccable. The story is loosely based on an Ernest Hemingway short story. When one finds out that John Huston was an uncredited screenwriter...; in light of the film's quality, we are not surprised.