Biggles

My Grandad used to read the books as a child and my Mum introduced them to me, so its inevitable that i'd watch this film as a child needless to say me and my Mum love it !!

The film strays "slightly" away from the books World War 1 setting, (only in the eighties would they have made it into a time travel story) but the characters are faithful to the originals written in the books.

The films plot is a bit silly, but its lots of fun without been stupid and it makes me feel better every time i watch it.

I just hope my "time twin" is someone as cool as Captain James 'Biggles' Bigglesworth ;)

While browsing through a second-hand shop, I came across a video I had not seen since my primary school days. Biggles: The Movie.

I had won the book of the film at school and had rented the vid from the local shop after becoming obsessed with the book. It all came flooding back to me, what a piece of film history I had rediscovered! Wow, at just £3 (UKP), I had found the bargain of a lifetime!! Possibly the best film ever about a time-travelling, fictional WWI airman I have ever seen! What, it's the only one? Oh never mind, it's still part of my childhood

Which does not really work. I remember Biggles being heavily marketed in comics like The Eagle and The Transformers back in 1986. I don't remember watching in the cinema but I caught it on TV or VHS a few years later. I think I might have a sticker album as well.

As a straightforward WW1 action flick (or maybe even taking a cue from Aces High or Dawn Patrol) Biggles might have worked. Authentic locations, good combat scenes, a mysterious but plausible secret weapon, his cast of ever reliable 'chums'. We even have an arch nemesis in the shape of Erich von Stalhein, while the fair Maria (of Allo Allo fame) provides an intriguing love interest / spy angle - something that was rarely considered in the original books (which I have not read).

Unfortunately, all of this was sidelined in a rather silly (to my eyes now!) time travel plot used solely to drag in a clutch of clichéd Americans and comedy Eighties set pieces - all of which have dated badly indeed. If Neil Dickson is an effective Biggles, and Peter Cushing shines as a dignified Colonel Raymond, then Alex Hyde - White reacts to the action and bedlam with all the emotion of racing result.

But I'm not going to be too harsh here. There's lots of fun to be had, just as there was all those years ago. Just switch your brain off, accept the implausibility and chocks away!!

Attractive and fun movie about time travels with frantic action, thrills , humor and spectacular scenes. A bold idea decently adapted in its execution but with a lousy musical score . It deals with a young businessman: Alex Hyde-White from present-day NYC is suddenly transferred into 1917 WWI .There he takes the identity of a spy and befriends a 1917 WWI flying ace : the husky Neal Dickson who has a genteel streak that conceals the viciousness required in war . The posh executive lnexplicably finds himself aboard a fighter plane over Europe.

This is an amusing film with emotion, breathtaking scenes, dogfighting , wooden but likeable interpretation and a lot of twists and turns . The much-loved WWI heroics of Biggles , the pilot from Captain WE Johns series of books are updated to 1986 Manhattan via a time travel gimmick, being prior adapted in a long TV series .Time-travel fantasy in which an ingenious executive is transported to Europe WWI and suffering several adventures , risks and dangers. The time-travelling American young is played by the sympathetic Alex Hyde White as a naive executive and his buddy is Neal Dickson as Biggles who is the best thing in a passable film that hardly plays fair with buffs of the original . Support cast is frankly well such as Fiona Hutchinson, Marcus Gilbert , William Hootkins and special mention for the great Peter Cushing in his last acting , playing an important secret agent whose headquarter is in the Tower Bridge .The big drawback is the horrible soundtrack by Stanislas composed by synthesizer , it ruins the film. It packs a colorful and evocative cinematography .

The motion pictures was professionally directed by John Hough including some flaws and gaps. Hough is a fine craftsman who has a long, uneven and eclectic career directing all kinds of genres . As he made terror movies: Hell's gate, Howling 4, American Gothic, Incubus , Legend of Hell house, Twins of evil ; Adventures: Treasure island, Escape to Witch Mountain, Return from Witch Mountain, Black arrow , The watcher in the woods, Dirty Mary crazy Larry ; Romantic drama: Duel of hearts , The lady and the highwayman, The dying truth ; Western : Triumphs of a man called Horse; Suspense: Eye witness and WWII : Brass target.

In answer to the insistently-asked question in the theme tune - yes, i do indeed want to be a hero, as evidenced in my bravery in admitting that this is, and long has been, a favourite film of mine.

This is a one of those films many people refer to as a "guilty pleasure", well - i feel no guilt or shame in declaring my love for this movie. It's simply brilliant fun. Great action adventure larks, with likable characters, a neat time-travel plot, a groovy '80s theme tune, and an appearance by genre legend Peter Cushing (in his final screen performance). Honestly, what more do you need? Oh, you need more, do you? OK, then: Francesca Gonshaw, the really cute barmaid from early seasons of 'Allo 'Allo, as a Belgian resistance fighter (i swear, if she's said "Listen very carefully, i shall say zis only once" in that accent, my mind - and indeed my pants - may have exploded). Also, for all of us watching Doctor Who in the mid to late '80s, roles for both James Saxon and Marcus Gilbert. How'd'ya like them apples?

Absolutely sublime nostalgic fun. To be watched with a few ales, alongside "The Living Daylights" or "Young Sherlock Holmes and the Pyramid of Fear". Bliss!