I thought a thread alerting forum members to upcoming films of interest showing on television (and TV shows I guess) might be welcome since there have been discussions about train films here before. With so many channels and streaming options it's easy to overlook something so a heads up might be helpful. I'll start the ball rolling with this: The Flying Scotsman (1929) will be on Talking Pictures TV (British Freeview channel 82) at 15:10, Thursday 06, April. One of the first, if not the first, British talkies interesting for Ray Milland's first starring role and Moore Marriot who would go on to be much better known as Will Hay's hirsuite sidekick. It is interesting rather than good... it's certainly not a good film- it has a daft story and little technical fidelity. Nigel Gresley took such a dim view of the film's lax attitude to safety (the heroine clambers along the moving train in one sequence which could not have been faked) and ignorance of fail safe systems that the LNER turned down all further opportunities for film production on its lines. It does boast some fine photography and, of course, the eponymous A1 Class (as she was) locomotive which gives the human cast an object lesson in screen presence.
British members might like to know that Tony Scott's last film Unstoppable will be showing on ITV at 10:45 this evening (Monday 31 August). It is a fictionalized account of a runaway train incident in the USA. As is typical with Scott plausibility does not get in the way of the fun and the dialogue makes one wonder if the script ever got past the first draft but it is well made and passes the time.
Those in the UK might like to know that the classic GPO Film Unit documentary Night Mail (1936) will be showing on Talking Pictures TV (Freeview channel 82) at 18:35, Sunday 20th of August. Not sure if there's any interest in this thread. If not then so be it- anyone thinks it useful though some feedback would be helpful.
I've only just discovered the thread. Although the information is now past. If gives me some ideas for things to search for in the back catalogues of streaming services.
Apart from the first post it doesn't seem to have had any reaction and no-one else has chipped in (I usually only find out what's on when I look through the Radio Times the night before which would make it pretty limited if I was the only contributor) so I guess this thread not that welcome after all. Oh well- it was a thought.
