This Week's MOVIEDROME
Your guide to everything you should be watching this week... Saturday NOW, VOYAGER (1944) 12.45, BBC2 Classic tear jerker staring Bette Davis as the shy ugly duckling, derided by her parents, who develops into a confident women of the world when she receives treatment from kindly psychologist Claude Rains. Remembered for its famously romantic cigarette sharing scene between Davis and Paul Henreid. DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971) 13.00, ITV1 With its glamorous Las Vegas backdrop and sultry title score by Shirley Bassey this is certainly one of the more glitzier Bond outings for the returning Sean Connery, (after former Marlboro man George Lazenby decided that once was quite enough after OHMSS). British actor Charles Gray brings a touch of feline class to the (multi-cast) returning role of long-standing adversary Blofeld . FILM 2007 WITH JONATHAN ROSS (repeat) 14.40 Includes a review for the up and coming Robert Zemeckis film Beowulf. LEGEND (1985) 15.10, BBC2 The special effects may now look a bit tired but this mystical fantasy adventure from visionary director Ridley Scott, (staring a ridiculously young Tom Cruise) is a nostalgic gem. Tim Curry hams it up as the almighty Lord of Darkness. THE NAKED SPUR (1953) 15.40, FIVE Anthony Mann's third western collaboration with James Stewart probably remains the most epically successful. Stewart plays a greed-ridden bounty hunter on a quest to capture outlaw Robert Ryan, with a little help from elder cowboy Millard Mitchell. Also stars a young Janet Leigh. BLACK NARCISSUS (1946) 17.00, FILM4 Nuns in the Himalayas get a little hot under their collars when they come into contact with an impressionable government agent. The rousing temperatures and rugged physical landscape, in conjunction with the new male presence cause a decadent and sexual psychological awakening in the nuns. THE CULTURE SHOW 19.00, BBC2 Tim Samuels critiques Beowulf, Robert Zemeckis' new 'performance-capture' fantasy that will be also screened in 3D format at IMAX cinemas. DOWNFALL (2004) 21.00, C4 The Invasion director Oliver Hitschbiegel ensures a taunt and telling adaptation of the Joachim Fests book Inside Hitlers Bunker: The Last Days of the Third Reich. Bruno Ganz is scarily real as the notorious Nazi leader. BOTTLE ROCKET (1996) 21.00, FIVE US Wes Anderson's directorial debut is a typically imaginative, quirky and offbeat affair about three friends who team up to undertake the fantasy of a major heist. Anderson regulars Owen and Luke Wilson star. DONNIE DARKO (2001) 21.30, BBC2 While we still await the eagerly anticipated release of Richard Kelly's potentially mangled Southland Tales, BBC2 air his highly imaginative, surreal and entertaining debut about a troubled teenager's visions of a bunny rabbit which lead him to commit a series of crimes in nostalgic 80s suburbia. PARKINSON 22.30, ITV1 The chatshow legend speaks to James Bond actor Daniel Craig about his role as the famous spy in addition to forth coming film The Golden Compass. THE MACHINIST (2004) 23.00, FILM4 Christian Bale famously shed 63 pounds to play insomniac lathe operator Trevor Reznick in this twisty noir. Rather like Memento it is a matter of piecing together the parts of an elaborate puzzle that could hold some haunting truths. Also staring a scene stealing Michael Ironside, who finally gets back into something worth while. To give away anymore would be sacrilege. JEAN DE FLORETTE (1986) 01.00, FILM4 Gerard Depardieu stars as the unwelcome new resident in a rural French village who has inherited a property adjoining an old man and his only remaining relative. However they seek to cause misery for their new neighbour. RIPLEY'S GAME (2002) 01.40, C4 John Malkovich fills the shoes of an older and wiser incarnation of the conniving social climber who now entertains an idyllic existence in the Veneto with his harpsichord-playing girlfriend. That is until Ray Winstone's old adversary pays him a visit to taunt and blackmail him into undertaking another fiendish crime involving terminally ill family man Dougray Scott. Sunday A PASSAGE TO INDIA (1984) 14.00, FIVE David Lean's last stab at epic cinema is a flawed masterpiece, but burns with a typically classy infrastructure of cultural conflicts and colonial subjugation in the beautifully captured sun-baked locale of British-ruled India. MATILDA (1996) 17.00, FIVE Danny Devito stars and directs this neat little adaptation of Roald Dahl's acclaimed fable about a smart and gifted little girl with special powers, but terrible parents. A sweet little treat with a perfectly cast Mara Wilson in the title role. 21 GRAMS (2003) 21.00, C4 Argue if you will but this is the film that should have bagged Sean Pean that Oscar, playing a critically ill mathematician in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's brooding follow up to Mexican hit Amores Perros. A horrific accident extraordinarily brings together the aforementioned mathematician, a grieving mother and an ex-con who has changed his ways. Also staring Naomi Watts and Benicio Del Toro. SPIDER-MAN (2002) 21.00, FIVE First outing for the super hero, as played by former indie-star Tobey Maguire is a slight however thrilling affair that also ideally casts Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin. GLADIATOR (2000) 21.00, FILM4 In time for the release of American Gangster this was Ridley Scott's last great major hit and marks both his first collaboration with Russell Crowe as the titular vengeful fighter and the revival of the sword n' sandals epic. Expectional support comes in the form of the now, late great British thespians Richard Harris, David Hemmings and Oliver Reed (who famously died during filming), along with the younger likes of Joaquin Phoenix as the evil emperor Commodus and Connie Nielsen as Lucilla. THE RUSSIA HOUSE (1990) 22.00, VIRGIN1 Good old Sean Connery stars alongside the gorgeous Michelle Pfeiffer in this intelligent political thriller. Connery plays a British publisher who is sent a manuscript which was written by a known soviet scientist. This unwittingly draws both of them into a web of deadly political intrigue. PALINDROMES (2004) 23.55, FILM4 Todd Solondzs typically controversial fantasy drama about a 13 year old who yearns desperately to become a mum but finds her plans destroyed by her sensible parents. She decides to run away to conceive but finds herself turning into all sorts of various incarnations of women of varying ages and sizes, while experiencing their fallibilities along the way. Mind-boggling but engaging. Monday PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK (1975) 14.40, FILM4 Haunting Australian drama (allegedly based on a true story) about a group of college students and a teacher who strangely disappear whilst on a field trip in Hanging Rock. Director Peter Weir establishes an eerily ominous atmosphere from the start and the film will leave you with the jitters long after those closing credits. FIGHT CLUB (1999) 22.05, MORE4 You know the drill: Edward Norton plays an office employee who, upon meeting an impressionable young soap salesman Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), discovers a porthole to fuel his aggression through the seedy underworld of a boxing club. FALLING DOWN (1993) 22.30, ITV4 An unrecognizable Michael Douglas stars as the ordinary man at war with everyday in Joel Schumachers thought provoking backlash at consumerist culture. THE BEACH (2000) 23.40, ITV1 Danny Boyles box office flop has aged pretty well despite the elongated running time. Obviously not the successful page to screen adaptation everyone hoped for, but a intriguing diversion into surreal endeavours nevertheless. This sees DiCaprios young backpacker fleeing himself from mainstream society by traveling to Asia where he discovers a map to a paradise island. ZATOICHI (2003) 00.10, C4 Kurosawaian drama about a blind master swordsman who comes under threat by notorious samurai who have taken over a small town. This may have a slow build up but its emotional uplifting and pays in dividends with the high-octane fight sequences. Tuesday FILM 2007 WITH JONATHAN ROSS 23.25, BBC1 Mr Ross reviews Sleuth, a crime drama remake staring a returning Michael Caine and Jude Law (in his old role) and Werner Herzog's new feature Rescue Dawn,which stars Chrisitian Bale. DEAD RINGERS (1988) 23.55, BBC1 David Cronenbergs deeply disturbing and clinical psychological drama about twin gynecologists, (both brilliantly realised by Jeremy Irons), who embark in an affair with an aging actress who is seeking fertility treatment. This is arguably the directors finest work, with an extremely hard-hitting climax. Wednesday THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY (1979) 23.20, FILM4 With the unwelcome remake in sight feast your eyes on the nerve wracking classy original, with Bob Hoskins as the prosperous London based gangster whose latest venture and very reputation are under threat by a mysterious syndicate. Also staring Helen Mirren and look out for a whole host of British tv drama character actors in minor roles. Thursday THE TALENTED MY RIPLEY (1999) 21.00, FILM4 Matt Damon stars as the rising opportunist with homosexual and psychotic tendencies let loose in a beautifully lensed sun-drenched Italy. He takes it on himself to befriend the son of a rich shipbuilder (introducing Jude Law) and take over his idyllic playboy cultural lifestyle, in this gripping thriller that also stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as a rememberably obnoxious cultural toff. THE MACHINIST (2004) 23.40, FILM4 See Saturday at 23.00 BADLANDS (1973) 23.35, ITV3 Terrance Malick doesnt often direct but when he does its the kind of absorbing and powerful dramas that leave a lasting impression. This crime road drama stars an impossibly young Martin Sheen, who along with Sissy Spacek play outlaws on the run from the law after a murderous spree. This was inspired by a real life 1958 Midwestern killing spree. Astonishingly cinematic 70s classic. Friday MY COUSIN VINNY (1992) 21.00, FILM4 Whatever happened to Joe Pesci? Hes hilarious here as the mishap inexperienced lawyer, who defends his young nephew (former Karate Kid Ralph Macchi), who is accused of murder in a small town. Marisa Tomei famously won an Oscar for her performance as Pesci's tart-with-a-heart girlfriend. FRIDAY NIGHT WITH JONATHAN ROSS 22.35, BBC1 Interviews with Daniel Craig about being Bond and his new role in fantasy adventure The Golden Compass. COPYCAT (1995) 23.35, BBC1 Claustrophobic Hitchcockian serial killer thriller staring Sigourney Weaver as the agoraphobic psychologist who helps out Holly Hunter and Dermot Mulroney to catch the titular murderer, who targets young women to kill in the style of various infamous serial killers. BLOW OUT (1981) 23.35, FILM4 Brian De Palma was never better than when he attempted to pay homage to Antonionis cult classic Blow Up in this particularly stylish and technically flamboyant conspiracy thriller. Staring John Travolta as a cinematic soundman who stumbles upon a possible assassination attempt involving a political frontrunner.