 2001: A Space Odyssey 1968  G, 139 min.
Genre: Action / Adventure / Sci-Fi
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Keir Dullea, William Sylvester, Gary Lockwood, Daniel Richter, Douglas Rain, Leonard Rossiter, Margaret Tyzack, Robert Beatty, Sean Sullivan, Frank Miller, Bill Weston, Ed Bishop, Alan Gifford, Ann Gillis
The story begins millions of years ago during a crisis on Earth when starving apes, seeking water rights, could only shake their arms at the Others across the stream. Then, one day, a mysterious monolith appeared to probe and direct their brains. Over time, the apes learned that they could change their world through the use of tools, which provided means to obtain food. Skip ahead to the year 2001: apes have evolved into humans, tools into weapons, and Earth is again in crisis. Overpopulation has caused another food shortage, nuclear megatonnage threatens the entire surface of the planet, and, once again, a mysterious monolith has been discovered–this time on the moon. And now, mysterious radio signals from Jupiter are aimed at Earth. A space shuttle is sent to Jupiter to investigate. The genius of this film is the awe it inspires in us as the music sets the tone. Johann Strauss' "Blue Danube," for example, accompanies the docking of the space ship. The pace of both docking and ballet are deliberately slow–a perfect match. While the film does not provide a clear narrative, Arthur C. Clarke's novel does. In this case, reading the book before viewing the movie increases one's understanding. The film received an Oscar for Best Special Effects; three other nominations were received, including Best Director.
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Appointment in London 1953  N/R, 96 min.
Genre: Adventure
Director: Philip Leacock
Cast: Dirk Bogarde, Ian Hunter, Dinah Sheridan, Bill Kerr, Bryan Forbes, William Sylvester, Anne Leon, Walter Fitzgerald, Terence Longdon
This is a very good story of a British bomber squadron on raids from their home in England during World War II. Nearing retirement after many dangerous missions, Wing Commander Tim Mason (Dirk Bogarde) starts showing the strain.
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Devil Doll 1964  N/R, 80 min.
Genre: Horror / Thriller
Director: Lindsay Shonteff, Sidney J. Furie
Cast: Bryant Haliday, William Sylvester, Yvonne Romain, Sandra Dorne, Karel Stepanek, Nora Nicholson, Francis De Wolff, Philip Ray, David Charlesworth, Alan Gifford, Guy Deghy, Ray Landor
The Great Vorelli (Bryant Haliday) is a successful ventriloquist and hypnotist whose act includes a unique dummy. When a journalist (William Sylvester) sets out to uncover the duo's past, the truth comes out that Vorelli had killed his partner some years earlier and transferred the partner's mind to the dummy. Now he intends to add a female dummy: the journalist's girlfriend (Yvonne Romain). Interesting.
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Devils of Darkness 1965  N/R, 88 min.
Genre: Horror
Director: Lance Comfort
Cast: William Sylvester, Hubert Noel, Tracy Reed, Carol Gray, Diana Decker, Rona Anderson, Peter Illing, Gerard Heinz, Brian Oulton, Walter Brown, Eddie Byrne, Victor Brooks, Marie Burke, Avril Angers, Geoffrey Kenion
English gentleman Paul Baxter (William Sylvester) heads to Brittany for a little rest and relaxation. But that doesn't happen because he comes across a satanic cult, led by dapper Frenchman Arman (Hubert Noel), a vampire. The cult requires human sacrifices, and after two tourists are killed and another woman, Karin (Tracy Reed), is kidnapped by the cult, Baxter takes matters into his own hands. He exposes the monster Arman and frees Karin. Then, Arman wanders through a cemetery and trips on a cross that kills him.
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Give Us This Day 1949 N/R, 120 min.
Genre: Drama
aka: Salt to the Devil
Christ in Concrete
Director: Edward Dmytryk
Cast: Sam Wanamaker, Lea Padovani, Kathleen Ryan, Charles Goldner, Bonar Colleano, William Sylvester, George Pastell, Philo Hauser, Sid James, Karel Stepanek, Rosalie Crutchley, Robert Rietty
Set in New York City (though shot in England since Director Dmytryk was blacklisted in the U.S.), this is the powerful story of an Italian immigrant family–and immigrants in general–who struggled to survive during the Great Depression. Geremio (Sam Wanamaker) made enough to save for a new house for him and his wife, but lost his job during the Depression. He finally found another job, though he had to work in an unsafe environment. Tragedy follows.
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A Stranger Came Home 1954 N/R, 75 min.
Genre: Mystery
aka: The Unholy Four
Director: Terence Fisher
Cast: Paulette Goddard, William Sylvester, Patrick Holt, Paul Carpenter, Jeremy Hawk, Russell Napier, Alvys Mahen, Kay Callard, Kim Mills, David King-Wood
During a fishing trip with his three friends, Philip Vickers (William Sylvester) is hit on the head and left for dead. Three years later, Philip comes home–an amnesiac. On the night of his return, one of the friends is murdered, and circumstantial evidence points to Philip.
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| 1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
2. Appointment in London (1953)
3. Devil Doll (1964)
4. Devils of Darkness (1965)
5. Give Us This Day (1949)
aka: Salt to the Devil
aka: Christ in Concrete
6. A Stranger Came Home (1954)
aka: The Unholy Four
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