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| Kind Hearts And Coronets Photo: Studiocanal |
The Super, 12:50am, Legend, Monday, September 19
Being a cop is one of those things you can stop getting paid for but which it’s rather harder to leave behind. Phil )Patrick John Flueger) has no sooner moved into a new apartment block than he finds himself investigating a number of alleged disappearances amongst its residents, on top of which he’s trying to cope as a single dad with a rebellious teenage daughter and a younger girl who is mysteriously drawn to the basement, where she keeps company with creepy janitor Walter (Val Kilmer, not unimpressive in an attempted comeback role). Familiar horror tropes play out in unexpected ways in a film which reminds us that when we’re asking questions, we should start by examining ourselves.
Once Upon A Time ... In Hollywood, 9pm, Film4, Tuesday, September 20
Quentin Tarantino is in his element as he delivers an alternative history of Hollywood which nevertheless cuts close to the bone in places, following faded TV star Rick (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his unlikely stunt double Cliff (Brad Pitt) as they attempt to navigate a rapidly changing industry whose Golden Age is in decline. Margot Robbie shines as Sharon Tate, capturing the unfortunate actress’ vivacity and curious naivety in a way which it’s hard to imagine any other actor doing, and there are also great supporting turns from Daniel Day Lewis and Al Pacino. That it’s overlong and overindulgent should go without saying, but even so, there’s a good deal for fans to enjoy.
Summer Of Sam, 9pm, Great Movies, Wednesday, September 21
The great Spike Lee is on top form with another film about killings which takes a very different approach. Ostensibly about the serial killer Son of Sam who stalked New York City during the long, hot summer of 1977, its real focus is on the social impact of the media sensation surrounding him, as it follows a group of friends which is gradually torn apart by prejudice and suspicion. These are the dying days of disco; punk is struggling to be born, and everywhere there are signs of decay as the city begins to reckon with a legacy of neglect. John Leguizamo and Mira Sorvino play the cool couple who suddenly find themselves adrift and there’s a great early performance from Adrien Brody as the misfit who finds himself in danger.
Daleks’ Invasion Earth: 2150 AD, 6:20pm, Talking Pictures TV, Thursday, September 22
Peter Cushing enjoyed a range of classic roles over the course of his career, so it seems only fitting that he should have had a stab at playing everyone’s favourite time lord. This is his second opportunity to do so, after 1965’s Doctor Who And The Daleks, and it sees Roberta Tovey return as his granddaughter, Susan. Together they find themselves stranded in a ruined London, where Bernard Cribbins’ baffled Cockney copper explains that daleks have taken over. What’s more, as they soon discover, those daleks have a fiendish plan to blow up the planet’s core so that they can transform it into a giant spaceship and go careering around the galaxy invading other places. The Nazi allegory isn’t exactly subtle and there are some scary moments for younger viewers, but it’s a great adventure and of course we know that the Doctor will save the day.
Kind Hearts And Coronets, 3:40pm, Talking Pictures TV, Friday, September 23
How might a man without means improve his lot? This was a question frequently addressed in Ealing comedies, and the solutions offered were not always what might be considered legitimate. Louis (Dennis Price) is not considered legitimate either – he was disowned and disinherited by the wealthy D’Ascoyne family before he was even born, due to disapproval of his beloved mother’s working class status, so after her death he determines that he is going to set things right and make his way to the dukedom by the simple expedient of killing everybody in the line of succession ahead of him. Most of them are played by Alec Guinness. Not a word is wasted in Robert Hamer and John Dighton’s deliciously witty script, and this is a treat from start to finish.
Madagascar, 5:45pm, ITV2, Saturday, September 24
When a loyal lion, giraffe and hippo try to rescue their zebra pal after a mid life crisis prompts him to make an ill-advised break from the Central Park zoo they call home, they inadvertently touch the conscience of keepers who decide that they would be better off in their natural habitat. That none of them has the least idea how to survive there is only one of their problems, with psychotic penguins hijacking their boat and scary predators creeping around the desert island where they wash up. Simple but very personable – much like its characters – this film has become a perennial children’s favourite, with plenty of fun to balance out the scares, not to mention some truly terrible jokes.
The Post, 6:45pm, Film4, Sunday, September 25
Meryl Streep shines as the sheltered society widow turned accidental newspaper owner who is faced with a history-making dilemma in Steven Spielberg’s finely tuned contribution to the ranks of great Watergate films. There’s also a superb turn from Tom Hanks, but it’s really writer’s Liz Hannah and Josh Singer’s astute understanding of the ins and outs of journalism which holds the whole thing together. The story explores how the Washington Post – then just a humble local rag with no great ambitions – took on the corruption of the Nixon administration where others had not dared. The tremendous gravity of the matter is handled through quiet, gently unfolding interpersonal drama, and is all the more powerful as a result.
