Glitterball

I remember this film only vaguely, but it's with an eye of yearning. I don't wish to see it again, because I'm sure I'll be disappointed and angry at my memory for deluding me. But with a retrospective eye it was a thoroughly enjoyable children's sci-fi flick. Alien creatures (that look suspiciously like pinballs) come to earth and all hell breaks loose! I especially remember the way these little creatures ran amok at the supermarket!

Two lads (one a lonely RAF brat) encounter a very small, spherical alien stranded on Earth and help him return him home with 5p crisps and 500 000 volts of electricity. They become the good pals as well.

Good to see these charming, modest British made films being shown in the satellite / cable channels. Or released on DVD. A few familiar faces are there - notably Ron Pember, Derek Deadman and Linda 'Birds of a Fevtha' Robson - which only adds to the experience.

And who at that age didn't want to have a cool gang hut, tree house or den like that to hang around in?!

Holy Mary Mother of Gadd. This film simply has to be the most crunching Children's Film Foundation title since Billy And His Magic Pond. I literally weeped with joy after watching this film.

Glitterball is now commonly regarded as the "best film of all time" by Ben Baker of "Taxi for Baker" fame. Other greats to endorse this cinematic genius include Jason Bunyan and "Paul" from Australian soap Neighbours.

Made 5 years before ET this is the quintessential alien film with each one of the 56minutes causing mind-bending pleasure only compared to "Dream Baby" by The Glitter Band.

Join me in this celebration of children's cinema and raise your glasses.

COUGARS

This was the sort of film that us kids used to watch at Saturday Morning Pictures but by the time this film was made, I was long out of short trousers and making my own home.

Watching this film now, this reminds me of that other scared alien film ET, although this was made a few years before Mr Spielberg - and one would imagine with a much smaller budget. The pace of this film though does not allow any weepiness and there is not a wasted minute in this Boys Own style adventure. The fairly short film is about a small scared alien, in the form of a small ball, befriended by two boys who help it in trying to find its way back to its mothership. On the way there is the unscrupulous (and hapless) local crook and the authorities trying to track it down.

A couple of familiar faces from the past crop up - Ron Pember as the crook and Derek Deadman as the ice cream van driver. There is also an uncredited appearance by Linda Robson as the cashier. Special mention must be made of the special effects, especially in the supermarket and taken all round, the film is an entertaining hour of family viewing.

Very impressive special effects for the time especially when the ball is eating, a lot of time must have gone into it. As mentioned by another it's much better than E. T. but that's not a difficult task. There's a lot of brand names visible throughout this film so possibly a product placement deal had been agreed to.