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Stars: Penny Irving, Robert Tayman, Barbara Markham, Patrick Barr, Ray Brooks, Sheila Keith, Dorothy Gordon, Ann Michelle, Ivor Salter | Written by Pete Walker, David McGillivray | Directed by Pete Walker

Directed by Pete Walker, House of Whipcord is an unsettling yet engaging example of British exploitation cinema, blending horror and social commentary into a dark and disturbing narrative. It’s a film that’s both of its time and oddly timeless, as it critiques moral authoritarianism through the lens of a sadistic prison system masquerading as a reformatory for wayward young women.

Plot Overview

The story centres around a young French model, Anne-Marie (Penny Irving), who, after a string of rebellious behavior, is lured into a twisted correctional institution by her seemingly charming new boyfriend, Mark E. Desade (played with eerie charm by Robert Tayman). The institution is run by Mark’s fanatical mother, Mrs. Wakehurst (Barbara Markham), and her sadistic staff,...

Despite initial success, Growing Pains experienced a decline in viewership by the '90s and added Leonardo DiCaprio to the cast in hopes of attracting a younger demographic. Tracey Gold, who played Carol Seaver, struggled with anorexia while on the show and faced insensitive jokes about her weight, leading to a decline in her mental and physical health. Kirk Cameron, who played Mike Seaver, became a born-again Christian and made script demands to align with his personal values, causing tension on set and alienating his co-stars.

The classic ‘80s sitcom Growing Pains was a popular show that centered on the Seaver family as they attempted to raise their rambunctious kids. The series featured a dynamic cast including Robin Thicke, Joanna Kerns, and Kirk Cameron and was a ratings hit for ABC upon its 1986 premiere, swiftly establishing itself as one of television’s most wholesome and good-natured sitcoms.

Despite experiencing initial success,...

Haven’t yet seen all the best old-school vintage naval combat epics? This color & ‘scope thriller has a terrific cast of Brit stars and up-n-comers, can boast excellent visuals and is historically accurate. Alec Guinness captains a ship during the Napoleonic Wars, and finds his duty complicated by a psychopathic top officer (Dirk Bogarde) who usurps authority and sees the crew as fresh meat for his sadistic ideas about discipline. All the tech and art credits are top-tier, plus we get nice supporting perfs from the likes of Anthony Quayle, Nigel Stock, Maurice Denham, Victor Maddern, Tom Bell, and Murray Melvin.

Damn the Defiant!

Blu-ray

Viavision [Imprint] 136

1962 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 101 min. / Street Date June 29, 2022 / H.M.S. Defiant / Available from Viavision / Australian 34.95 / and Amazon US / 34.95

Starring: Alec Guinness, Dirk Bogarde, Maurice Denham, Nigel Stock, Richard Carpenter, Peter Gill, David Robinson, Robin Stewart, Ray Brooks, Peter Greenspan, Anthony Quayle, Tom Bell,...

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“The Fine Art Of Seduction?”

By Raymond Benson

The winner of the Palme d’Or at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival was a thoroughly “mod,” Swinging London-set comedy directed by rising star filmmaker Richard Lester, who was just coming off the huge success of helming the Beatles in A Hard Day’s Night.

The Knack is directed in the same style as Hard Day’s, which borrowed heavily from the signature traits of the French New Wave—radical editing and jump cuts, handheld camerawork, on the street cinema verité, breaking the fourth wall, intentionally arty shots, and a relatively low budget… plus Lester’s trademark absurdist humor, surrealism, and a wacky British sensibility that he had exhibited ever since working with Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan on such fare as The Running, Jumping and Standing Still Film (1959).

Adapted by Charles Wood from a stage play by Ann Jellicoe,...

Well, alrighty then. 

Shooter Season 3 Episode 11 put to rest Bob Lee avenging his father's death with the unceremonious death (by suicide) of Ray Brooks. 

That leaves the remaining episodes of the series focusing on the prevention of this Atlas terrorist attack and Julie channeling her inner Marine and keeping her family safe from Atlas or Red Bama, or whomever. 

There are two Mvp's of this hour, but sadly, our boy Bob Lee isn't one of them. Bob Lee is that friend that your parents warned you about, and while I love the guy with my whole heart, he was nothing but a nuisance the entire hour. 

It wasn't even worth it in the end when after all this angst  Brooks shot himself. 

No, the MVPs of the hour go to Nadine and Harris. They had their hands full attempting to monitor and rein in Bob Lee like two parents dealing with an insubordinate child.

After an hour that felt like filler, Shooter returned with a pulse-pounding hour that moved the storyline forward and brought us one step closer towards a highly-anticipated showdown. 

There was little to dislike about Shooter Season 3 Episode 10. The weakest part of the hour was Julie, and not because she was particularly bad or anything like that. More on that later though.

One of the best parts of the hour was the possibility of Isaac and Bob Lee being real friends again or at least both of them letting go of the past.

I didn't realize how much I wanted that to happen, but Isaac worked his way up to being one of the best characters of the season. Congratulations, my guy. You started at the bottom, and now you're here.

The shift in Bob Lee and Isaac's relationship this season has been remarkable.

Isaac, for all of his murderous ways,...

Meet Rita Tushingham, the cutest comic (and dramatic) actress of swinging London. This '60s masterpiece applies director Richard Lester's talent for comedy to a new kind of quirky, youthful sex farce. Shy boy Michael Crawford takes lessons on how to dominate women from Ray Brooks, when all he has to do to win cute Rita Tushingham is be himself. With a glorious music score by John Barry. The style is everything; the movie was extremely influential. The Knack... and how to get it Blu-ray Kl Studio Classics 1965 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 84 min. / Street Date January 12, 2015 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95 Starring Rita Tushingham, Ray Brooks, Michael Crawford, Donal Donnelly, Jane Birkin, Jacqueline Bisset, Charlotte Rampling. Cinematography David Watkin Production Designer Assheton Gorton Film Editor Antony Gibbs Original Music John Barry Written by Charles Wood from the play by Ann Jellicoe Produced by Oscar Lewenstein Directed by Richard Lester

Reviewed...

By Howard Hughes

(The following review is of the UK release of the film on Region 2 format.)

In Roy Ward Baker’s 1960s comedy-drama Two Left Feet, Michael Crawford plays Alan Crabbe, a clumsy and unlucky-in-love 19-year-old who begins dating ‘Eileen, the Teacup Queen’, a waitress at his local cafe. She lives in Camden Town and there are rumours that she’s married, but that doesn’t seem to alter her behavior. Alan and Eileen travel into London’s ‘Floride Club’, where the Storyville Jazzmen play trad for the groovers and shakers. Eileen turns out to be a ‘right little madam’, who is really just stringing Alan along. She’s the kind of girl who only dates to get into places and then starts chatting to randoms once inside. She takes up with ruffian Ronnie, while Alan meets a nice girl, Beth Crowley. But Eileen holds a strange hold over...

(John Krish, 1959-77; BFI, 15)

John Krish entered the cinema as a teenager early in the second world war, working for the Crown Film Unit (on Harry Watt's Target for Tonight and Humphrey Jennings's Listen to Britain) and the Army Film Unit (as an editor on Carol Reed and Garson Kanin's The True Glory), before joining British Transport Films. It was with the latter group that he made his classic The Elephant Will Never Forget (1953), a beautiful movie about London's last tram journey. It was shown in a much acclaimed quartet of his pictures that travelled the country in 2010, and was included, along with his infinitely moving I Think They Call Him John (1964), in Shadows of Progress, the BFI's four-disc survey of postwar British documentary.

Now, in Krish's 90th year, the BFI help clinch his reputation as one of Britain's most distinctive and distinguished documentarians with a compilation of his work,...

We continue our unabashed appreciation of some of the highlights of composer John Barry’s early movie career beyond the remit of the Bond franchise...

In the second part of our look at John Barry's extraordinary back catalogue of movie scores, we concentrate on a few more of the films from the mid- to late sixties. This was the beginning of a phase of phenomenal output, as well as experimentation, signposting his continuing diversity of technique and his burgeoning sense of style. Following on from the success of Zulu, his was a reputation that was quickly gaining momentum and garnering feverish accolades.

Stylish, contemporary and full of energy, Barry played as hard as he worked, and this musical period took place in a blur of fast living and nights at the Pickwick Club with the likes of Michael Caine and Terence Stamp, sampling the delights of the sixties at...

Doctor Who Almost People. co. BBC

Every Friday, get 2 for 1 movie tickets when you use your Visa Signature card.

N Conrad

The second installment of Matthew Graham’s two parter got off to a promising start as we were introduced to the doppleganger of the Doctor. The two Doctors (unbeknown to Amy Pond) switched shoes and conducted an improptu experiment to see whether everyone else would be able to tell the real Timelord from the fake. No one could. Meanwhile, Casualty 1909 star Sarah Smart went on the rampage as the deranged doppleganger Jennifer and caused her real self to be killed much to the chagrin of her unwitting accomplice, Rory. Meanwhile all of the other dopplegangers and humans gradually started to make friends although Marshall Lancester had a disappointingly small role both as a human and a ganger. The real Steve was killed but the ganger Jimmy decided to...

Nicola Stapleton returns to Eastenders.

We almost went 24 hours without an Eastenders cast anouncement but the drought is well and truly over now as we can reveal that Nicola Stapleton is to return to the show. Bryan Kirkwood has recruited her to resume her role as Many Salter. No word on whether her one-time love interest Sean Maguire is interested in returning to the show. She is the latest recruit as Kirkwood tries to re-shape a show that suffered in the wake of a series of cast departures earlier in the year. Other new recruits include Danielle Harold, David Essex, Polly Perkins and Anne Mitchell. they have big boots to fill since Barbara Windsor and Samantha Womack were last seen heading in the opposite direction.

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Ray Brooks Interview...

Dervla Kirwan In ITV's Injustice

In Rome James Purefoy was part of the triumvirate that seized control of the ancient empire after the death of Caesar. In ITV’s Injustice James Purefoy is part of a new triumvirate. A triumvirate of three great and very different actors who are all playing realistic and complex characters.

In episode one we learned about Purefoy’s character William Travers. In episode two of Injustice we were introduced to Nathaniel Parker’s Newell, a seemingly naive guy who is being set up for murder. Meanwhile, we got to see much more of Charlie Creed Miles’ DS Wenborn who is an odiferous little man. Somehow, though we know very little of the circumstances of his crime, I found myself rooting for the murderer Travers rather than for the cop who can bring him to justice.

Dervla Kirwan as Mrs Travers continues to do her level best to change the world,...

Cinematographer who honed his style on Ken Loach's innovative TV dramas

The cinematographer Tony Imi, who has died aged 72, was instrumental in pioneering a new style of filming television drama in the 1960s, before he moved on to feature films. Few could forget the misfortunes that befell a homeless young couple and their children in Cathy Come Home, a programme that shocked the nation and was instrumental in the formation of the charity Shelter.

Imi's handheld camera, on the move and close up to the action, made the story chillingly real, in the vein of a current affairs programme, rather than fiction. Cathy Come Home, screened as part of the groundbreaking Wednesday Play series by the BBC in 1966, proved that TV drama could be relevant to the lives of people in Britain.

The director, Ken Loach, was in the early days of establishing his method of social-realist film-making – shooting...

Former EastEnders star Ray Brooks has admitted that he did not enjoy his time on the soap. Brooks joined the show in 2005 as Joe Macer but filmed his final scenes in 2006. Speaking to The People, he explained that he had been looking forward to being part of the soap. "The cast greeted me with tremendous enthusiasm and I thought it was going to be glorious," he said. "But gradually all that subsided as they got back into the old routine and I quickly noticed how tired everyone looked." Brooks complained that the show had "shabby sets and poor scripts" and criticised the (more)...

A key piece of casting to the 1966 Doctor Who movie Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D was young British character actor Ray Brooks who played David Campbell in the movie - and the actor is releasing his autobiography. Having also appeared in EastEnders from 2005-2007 as well as countless other roles including the voice of 1970s cartoon character Mr Benn and various advisers, Ray Brooks has had a long and fascinating career, and his diaries dip into a wealth of stories. Ray to take dips into...