1 - 7 JULY 2023

It’s that time of year again – the Wimbledon tennis championships start on Monday. This could mean that the weather will break finally, in which case you might welcome a film or two (even if you have to record them). Then again, what is a film? Movies for television have been made since the mid-1960s (American of course), but how about something like Endeavour? Whilst they are presented within a series format, each episode stands alone and the budget, running time, and style are cinema standard. I recall, too, that the series pilot for Columbo (Ransom for A Dead Man) was given a UK cinema release in the early 1970s. For sure, I log the Swedish ‘series’ Beck as films – and a run of four new ones starts Saturday evening. Give me some Scandi-noir and I am very happy!
UNDERWORLD USA (1961) Saturday 1 July 9.30-11.25pm TP (Channel 82)         
Tonight’s TP debut helped greatly to establish Cliff Robertson as an actor to watch and he maintained his trajectory for about a dozen years. Here, he’s seeking revenge on the gangsters who murdered his father (a very common plot device in 1930s B-westerns). Sam Fuller, much loved by French critics, was a cult director par excellence; his war films and thrillers always packed one hell of a punch. 
PLAYGROUND (2021) Tuesday 4 July 2.20-3.50am Film Four    P         
Time for another confession: occasionally, I am reminded of a film that we should have booked, but we decided it would have unbalanced the season (or something). This unassuming Belgian drama, mostly viewed through the eyes of a 7-year-old girl who realises her older brother is being bullied, is a cracker!  
SPRINGSTEEN AND I (2013) Friday 7 July 1.00-2.30am Sky Arts (Channel 11)             
The Boss hasn’t played as many UK dates as usual on his current tour, but the Hyde Park gigs are this weekend; hence Sky Arts giving this fascinating documentary another outing. Its cleverness lies in letting fans discuss their love for the man and his music and this reflects the uncanny one-to-one bond he establishes with each fan or member of an audience. You don’t have to be a fan to find it rewarding viewing but, speaking for myself, it is ’48 years burnin’ down the road’ and thank you, Bruce!