Some believe cinema production in 1950s Britain passed the nation by. Apart from a few Ealing comedies is there anything else worth seeing? Anthony Nield thinks there is…

Ten film versions of Charles Dickens’ classic tale A Christmas Carol? Surely not? But there is. More than 10 in fact. Rory Fish sorts the good from the bad

Not before or since has the British film industry produced such timeless and brilliant films. The 1940s weren’t just a golden era for Hollywood, there were riches to be found in British film too.

Hammer is remembered today for its horror films, which is to be expected since the genre produced their most iconic films and characters, but is did start out making dramas and comedies, and also period-action films. Horror movies didn’t even register as half their output. As a matter of fact, only 1/8th of Hammer films were horror, and one of their most famous and appreciated films was the comedy On The Buses. So why is Hammer so synonymous with the horror film, and more importantly, such gothic horror characters like Frankenstein, Dracula and Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde?

Stalag 17 arrived only a couple of years after writer-director Billy Wilder saw his social commentary Ace In The Hole receive a muted reception from critics and filmgoers alike. It was a daring project to undertake – the remnants of world war were still very evident in 1953, and the setting for a comedic drama in a German prison camp could easily be misconstrued as insensitive or even naive. But Stalag 17 is neither. Wilder, who was deeply affected by the war sees these American prisoners in a unique and entertaining light – as racketeers and petty mischiefs.

The allure of the single location film
Films set in a single location (or predominantly in a single location) have always fascinated me. Perhaps it’s their theatre roots, as many single-location films derive from the work of playwrights. The consequence of that is strong characterisation, an emphasis on good acting, and tight control of plot that usually takes place over a few hours.
Another reason I am a fan of single location (and indeed single day films or those set over a short prescribed period of time) derives from my distaste …

There’s another side to a Christmas sat in front of the telly. The Dark Side. Pitch black film noir, offbeat comedy, sadistic horror. Killer snowmen, drunk Santa’s, capitalist in-fighting, sex fetishes and rampant orgies, terrorists, lunatics, Christmas tree robbers, murderers hiding in the attic, marriage breakdowns and the curse of the mother-in-law. No songs in sight, no talking animals (do Gremlins count?), and maybe no happy ending. There is another way to enjoy the holidays. This is the top 10 alternative Christmas films list.

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10. Mark Lee (AKA Mark Gor)
Played by Chow Yun-Fat
Gangster Mark sports a duster, Alain Delon sunglasses and constantly chews a toothpick – and it’s a well known fact it doesn’t get any cooler than that (in fact, Quentin Tarantino reportedly copied the look and sported it for months after watching the movie). Mark isn’t just the epitome of cool though – he is a hitman of considerable skill and flair, and you cross him at …