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Friday 19 December 2014

Movies on TV This Christmas - bah humbug!

Although I threatened previously to stop doing this, it has unfortunately become traditional for me to comment on the film choices on British television each festive season. Long gone are the days when I would await the fortnightly Christmas edition of the Radio Times with bated breath. Now one's sources of film viewing are so broad via satellite, streaming, and the internet generally, to say nothing about actually visiting ones local cinema, that it is becoming impossible for the television schedulers to offer us much in the way of 'treats'. I doubt that many are looking forward to the umpteenth showings of the popular animations of the last fifteen years -- but perhaps it keeps the kiddies quiet.

Of the 34 film premieres on Freeview over the next fourteen days (yes, I did count them), there are only five movies that I have not already seen. I suppose I should count my small blessings. This is omitting FilmFour (which has all of two premiere showings -- neither to write home about.) Once one has deleted the made-for-television Christmas flicks and the really dire children's fodder, one is left with 21 'real' films which this scribe has previously viewed -- and since these 21 include three of the highest-grossing films ever ("Skyfall", "Avengers Assemble", and "The Dark Knight") I would surmise that plenty of others have also seen a fair number of then. The premieres include the classic Disney animations "Cinderella" (1950) and "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" (1960) which may be their first showings on the box, but hardly 'new' to most of us.

As always the premieres are heavy on animation -- not much else on Christmas Day, the best of these being "Puss in Boots" and "Pirates in an Adventure with Scientists". There are some real 'turkeys' among the remaining 'live action' movies like "John Carter" and "Wanderlust", but the recommendable ones include "Gran Torino" (from back in 2008), "Men in Black 3" (this series is always fun), and "The Help" (a remarkably clever film). There's not much else to tempt the discerning adult.

Of course there is the usual sprinkling of 'classic' charmers (what the Radio Times euphemistically call 'another chance to see') like "Casablanca", "It's a Wonderful Life", "The Wizard of Oz", "Kind Hearts and Coronets" and "Singin' in the Rain" -- but we seem to get the same selection every year. What about less-known 'oldies' and non-English language premieres and 'classics' -- there is nary a one in the schedules.

In case you want to know, the five premieres that PPP has not seen and which she will therefore definitely schedule (you all know I'm a completist!) are "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen", "Hunky Dory", "The Raven", "The Look of Love", and "Quartet".  All of these were previously shown on Sky Box Office, only to fall between the cracks, never shown on Sky Premiere, and left to surface on terrestrial TV in very due course, leaving literally dozens of movies which appear to have disappeared completely. I should add that none of the five, except possibly "Quartet" are films which get me the least bit excited. Meanwhile Sky will be screening both "Frozen" and "The Lego Movie" (neither of which I've seen) -- two more kiddie flicks for the child in all of us.

While I'm having my usual Christmas moan, I should add that there is also a dearth of film-related other programming. The usual' let's make a stupid list' compilations are all repeats and the only two new bios are Darcey Burrell on Audrey Hepburn and a documentary on Julie Walters. Yawn, yawn, yawn...

I would hate to leave my readers with any damper on their seasonal spirits, so let me wish you all a joyful holiday season and a productive and peaceful New Year. I'll be back in 2015, hopefully with renewed enthusiasms.

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