George Cromack

Writing & Teaching: Scripts, Long & Short Fiction, Film & T.V Studies, Talks, Film Intros, Q&A Chair, Researching Folk Horror...

[George Cromack @MadBasil]

ONLINE FILM COURSES for Summer Term - Mon & Tues afternoons each course running for 5 weeks - April/May/June
5 Gems of Classic Hollywood
5 Classic Screwball Comedies
5 Wonders of Italian Cinema
5 Wonders of 21st Cent International Cinema - [email protected]

[DepressedBergman @DannyDrinksWine]

Ian Fleming initially wanted Alfred Hitchcock to direct the first James Bond movie. It didn't materialise. Cary Grant was also approached to play the character but it didn't work out as he committed to do only one movie.

The helicopter scene in "From Russia with Love" (1963) was Terrence Young's idea and is a homage to the scene in Hitchcock's "North by Northwest" (1959).

During the filming of this scene, a camera operator's leg was hit by the blades of the helicopter that came in too low and he had to have his foot amputated. Sean Connery too came close to death when an inexperienced pilot flew a little too close, endangering his life.

(Sources:

1. "Revealed: The secret telegram that shows Ian Fleming wanted Alfred Hitchcock to direct the first Bond film", Graham Smith, Daily Mail, 2012.

2. "How Cary Grant nearly made Global James Bond Day an American affair", Amanda Holpuch, The Guardian, 2012.

3. "REVISITED: the ‘banned’ FRWL commentary", The Spy Command, 2014.

4. "Production Notes - From Russia With Love", MI6)

[archivetvmusings @archivetvmus71]

Play For Today - The Fishing Party (1st June 1972). After a rough evening's fishing out at sea, the following morning Art (Brian Glover) has his heart set on a slap-up breakfast of kippers. Alas ...

[archivetvmusings @archivetvmus71]

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Speckled Band (29th May 1984). Helen Stoner (Rosalyn Landor) consults Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

[George Cromack @MadBasil]

@WaltonBob @thesjt Glad - you liked it - something different.

[Robert Walton @WaltonBob]

Hilarious banter over a convenience store counter @thesjt tonight in the Moviedrome screening of Kevin Smith’s 1994 well observed & philosophical comedy, Clerks. with wry social observation. Bravo @MadBasil for curating & presenting such monthly film treats here in Scarborough.

[George Cromack @MadBasil]

Kevin Smith's cult slacker comedy - Clerks (1994) - is the next Moviedrome Screening (Friday) @thesjt #scarborough - https://t.co/cihVzui11f

[All The Right Movies @ATRightMovies]

CHRISTOPHER LEE talking about his role as Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man.

[Mark Braxton 💙 @BraxM]

Doctor Who (The Movie) at 30...
Sylvester McCoy on his time in the Tardis. In the new @RadioTimes – on sale today. #DoctorWho

[George Cromack @MadBasil]

Clerks (1994) is the next Moviedrome screening @thesjt #scarborough at the end of the month (yes, like buses - miss April so you get two in May... https://t.co/Q0ul4yG87M

[George Cromack @MadBasil]

Clerks (1994) is the next Moviedrome screening @thesjt #scarborough at the end of the month (yes, like buses - miss April so you get two in May... https://t.co/Q0ul4yG87M

[Talking Pictures TV @TalkingPicsTV]

Count Drago invites unassuming guests to his castle. Little do they know he mummifies animals... and humans!
#ChristopherLee stars in CASTLE OF THE LIVING DEAD (1964) 11:55pm with #DonaldSutherland horror #TPTVsubtitles

[Robert Walton @WaltonBob]

Tonight’s Moviedrome screening in Scarborough of Sunset Boulevard (1950), documented timeless exploitation. Intense acting by silent screen goddess Gloria Swanson had an air of the ridiculous & with dark satire on vanity, amorality & self-delusion made it iconic. Bravo @MadBasil.

[𝔰𝔢𝔩𝔢𝔠𝔱𝔬𝔯 @SelectedCinema]

Brazil. 1985 / Terry Gilliam

[DepressedBergman @DannyDrinksWine]

Bob Odenkirk on Franc Roddam's 'Quadrophenia' (1979):

"'Quadrophenia' (1979) is a movie that used all that French filmmaking coming out of the New Wave, but it’s a British film. Using the music of 'The Who' to tell the story of a youth who is rebelling, but he doesn’t know what he’s rebelling against. And it’s kind of got just an incredible vibe."

("Bob Odenkirk’s Closet Picks", Criterion, 2026)

[Scarred for Life @ScarredForLife2]

Children's eco-folk horror serial RAVEN (1977), written by Children of the Stones' Trevor Ray and Jeremy Burnham. Phil Daniels plays a borstal boy (and reincarnation of King Arthur) who fights to stop nuclear waste from being dumped on the site of an ancient cave system...

[George Cromack @MadBasil]

Sunset Boulevard (1950) is next week's (May 1st) Moviedrome Screening @thesjt #scarborough - https://t.co/y62TDXpnxT

[George Cromack @MadBasil]

Sunset Boulevard (1950) is next week's (May 1st) Moviedrome Screening @thesjt #scarborough - https://t.co/y62TDXpnxT

[George Cromack @MadBasil]

Dementia Friendly intro duties for this one tomorrow - chocks away old boy https://t.co/T8w6RexOFE

[Did You See? @TvDidYouSee]

#OnThisDay 15 April 1988
#TerryWogan begins WOGAN with a tribute to #KennethWilliams, whose death had been announced earlier that day.

[cinesthetic. @TheCinesthetic]

Bride of Frankenstein (1935) takes what the first film softened and leans back into the darker core, especially through Henry and Pretorius, finally letting Victor feel like the real monster, even with the Hays Code holding it back.