13 - 19 JAN 2024

Lost films and lost television: I ponder – quite often, and ruefully – what might re-appear. I have a copy of the 1926 film Bardelys the Magnificent (largely extant but with some still photos employed to bridge gaps). A precious minute or so of Theda Bara’s Cleopatra (1917) has been found. In May 2023, BFI Southbank programmed the half-hour Emergency – Ward 9 (BBC 1966), written by Dennis Potter and thought missing until a copy was found in 2011. Talking Pictures is good at giving us an opportunity to view similar fare. On Saturday at 7.20pm, it is showing an episode of the legendary Dixon of Dock Green. The series ran for 20 years and 400 plus episodes from 1955 and the majority of them have been lost. Amazingly, five from series 2 have survived and this episode is one of them.
DECISION TO LEAVE (2022) Saturday 13 January 9.00-11.10pm BBC 4    P             
The action unfolds in Busan (without zombies though): a young detective’s murder case seems to be progressing well – until he begins to fall in love with the victim’s wife. As it is of South Korean vintage, we know what to expect – it is well photographed, well acted and has action scenes put over with considerable élan.
FRENCH EXIT (2020) Monday 15 January 9.00-11.15pm Film Four    P             
A modest comeback for Michelle Pfeiffer – she plays a New Yorker, with financial problems, who moves to Paris with her son. It is a pleasant enough comedy drama with a committed performance from Ms Pfeiffer.
CAPTIVE STATE (2019) Tuesday 16 January 9.00-11.20pm Great Movies (Ch 34)    P             
Captive State tries very hard to have a different take on the ‘aliens have invaded’ drama although it doesn’t come close to the inventiveness of 2010’s Attack the Block. (Not that Lyme citizens were bothered – this sleeper-hit had a Sunday-night audience of four, if I remember correctly!) Anyway, the action here takes place in Chicago and the aliens are in control – but not everyone wants them to be, of course.
BEATRIZ AT DINNER (2017) Tuesday 16 January 11.15pm-12.30am BBC 2             
Beatriz has a short running time reminiscent of the likes of Duck Soup in the 1930s. It couldn’t possibly be in the same class, of course; nevertheless, Salma Hayek v John Lithgow – Salma is a Mexican therapist stranded at an exclusive dinner party – should be very entertaining! It is on late, but there is always the BBC’s catch-up service.
THE BLUE LAMP (1949) Friday 19 January 5.10-6.55pm Film Four             
PC George Dixon’s first appearance on screen was in this semi-classic. Dirk Bogarde plays the young hoodlum who panics and kills a policeman – and it launched what was to be a stellar career for the young actor. Two Ton Tessie O’Shea (remember her?) also puts in an appearance.