Alfred Hitchcock remains one of the most iconic of film directors and it will be interesting to see if Vertigo still tops the Sight & Sound poll, conducted every 10 years, in 2022. Sky Arts has also been showing his 1950s TV series, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and many of the episodes still hold up well.
THE 39 STEPS (1935) Saturday 8 October 1.15-2.40pm BBC 2       
Still the best adaptation of John Buchan’s novel; it stars the impeccable teaming of Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll. It is also Hitchcock’s best British film.
THE LADY VANISHES (1938) Saturday 8 October 2.40-4.10pm BBC 2     
Despite some ridiculous model work at the beginning, this – mostly – train-set thriller, with Michael Redgrave and Margaret Lockwood, is essential viewing.
STALAG 17 (1953) Thursday 13 October 12.35-2.55pm Film 4     
We began the current season by drawing everyone’s attention to the superb performance given by Anthony Hopkins in The Father. Most people would struggle to name William Holden’s Oscar-winning role; it was in this prison camp drama. Equally, most of wouldn’t think of Billy Wilder as the director, although his satirical and comic jibes are present and correct. 

It should not surprise us that films from our questionnaires, as in the first listed, continue to be premiered. The old five-year release window has dropped (usually) to two or three. 
QUEEN & SLIM (2020) Sunday 2 October 10.45pm-12.50am BBC 2    P   
I think members would have enjoyed this well-paced drama, had it made the final list. Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith are lovers-on-the run after an encounter with a racist white cop. There is a second showing Wednesday, 10pm on BBC 3. 
THE SWORDSMAN (2020) Thursday 6 October 11.40pm-1.45am Film 4    P 
Part of Film 4’s Korean season, The Swordsman riffs on the legendary Japanese Zatôichi films (the main series, centring on a blind avenger, ran from 1962 to 1989). It isn’t quite the same quality of drama (although the fight scenes are very good); you might like to give it a look-see, though.
WAVES (2019) Friday 7 October 9.00-11.10pm BBC 3    P 
This tells the story of a black teenager who has to re-assess his future after an injury. It is a tough hitter (literally, as his character is a promising wrestler), and not one that we considered, so perhaps now is a good time

This is another good week for films that are new to network TV. 
THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO (2019) Sunday 25 September 10.00-11.55pm BBC 2    P   
Achieving a happy balance between reality and one’s right to dream, this was an impressive debut from director Joe Talbot
RAMS (2020) Tuesday 27 September 9.00-11.20pm Film 4    P 
Well I never – an Australian (!) remake of the 2015 Icelandic comedy that members rated at 72.72%. A Sam Neill performance is always worth catching.
HARRIET (2019) Wednesday 28 September 10.40pm-1.20am BBC 1    P 
Another film, worthy of consideration, that didn’t quite make one of our final programmes. Cynthia Erivo is very good as Harriet Tubman who, having escaped slavery herself, then helped others to do the same. 
HOUSE OF THE GORGON (2019) Friday 30 September 10.40pm-12.20am TP (Ch 82)    P 
Alas, we must not expect it to be a good film, but the idea intrigues – evil is at work and three Hammer leading ladies (Veronica Carlson, Caroline Munro and Martine Beswick) are on hand to witness it. The sort of retrospective casting that Burt Kennedy used in Once Upon a Texas Train and which can be pleasurable and nostalgic at the same time.