THE WAGES OF FEAR
1952
***
A group of men have to transport a truck full of unstable chemicals across the desert.
Carefully assembled suspenser with excellent atmosphere and characterisation, it paints a grim picture of human nature.
Dir: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Stars: Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Folco Lulli
THE WAITERS
1969
0
Two useless waiters spoil a middle-class dinner party.
Hugely disappointing short: it’s not funny, it’s tedious, irritating and stupid, and even the camerawork is second-rate. Certainly not an obscure gem or anything like as pleasing as the star’s television show.
Dir: Jan Darnley-Smith
Stars: Benny Hill, David Battley, Arthur Hewlett, Pamela Cundell
WAITING…
2005
*
One day at a restaurant with severely dysfunctional staff.
For anyone who’s worked at one, this is a movie to see. Others may either enjoy the occasionally perceptive observations or find much of its humour too crude.
Dir: Rob McKittrick
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Anna Faris, Justin Long, Luis Guzman
WAKE WOOD
2011
*
A couple whose daughter has died are given the chance of spending a final three days with her.
Not exactly what you’d call a film for couples to snuggle up with, thanks to its dead child storyline and close-ups of animals being cut open – in fact, a glum and unsettling experience generally: those who can handle its twisted nature may appreciate its originality and strangeness, plus its morbidly fitting denouement. Not a loveable film, but there are a thousand worse modern-day low-budget horrors.
Dir: David Keating
Stars: Eva Birthistle, Aidan Gillen, Timothy Spall
WALK THE LINE
2005
**
The life of country singer Johnny Cash, concentrating on the time he spent chasing his future wife, June Carter.
A biopic that stays firmly in PG13 territory when it could have told its tale in more full-blooded fashion with an R; the chief assets of the film are the two leads and their ability to sing Cash's songs with verisimilitude and gusto - other than that it's not remarkable, and viewers in the future may wonder why it garnered quite so much praise.
Dir: James Mangold
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Patrick, Ginnifer Goodwin
WALKABOUT
1971
**
A girl and her younger brother get stranded in the Australian outback.
Beautifully shot but rather dislikeable and alienating mystical drama that makes its obscure points over too long a running time.
Dir: Nicholas Roeg
Stars: Jenny Agutter, Luc Roeg, David Gumpilil
THE WALKING DEAD
1936
*
A doctor brings an executed criminal back to life.
Shadowy horror, not unpredictable, with Karloff largely soporific.
Dir: Michael Curtiz
Stars: Boris Karloff, Ricardo Cortez, Edmund Gwenn
WALL STREET
1989
**
A ruthless corporate trader takes a young stockbroker under his wing.
Powerful satire on ’80s materialism, with a barnstorming performance from Douglas. As good as it is, it’s possible that those who understand its intricacies may not go along with its damning attitude.
Dir: Oliver Stone
Stars: Charlie Sheen, Michael Douglas, Martin Sheen, Daryl Hannah, Terence Stamp, Sean Young, Hal Holbrook
WALLACE & GROMIT IN THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT
2005
**
An enormous carrot-devouring rabbit threatens Wallace and Gromit's neighbourhood.
Wittily scripted animation that manages to be technically excellent without losing its rustic, old-English charm.
Dir: Steve Box, Nick Park
Voices: Peter Sallis, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Peter Kay, Liz Smith
WALL-E
2008
*
In the far future, a waste-collecting robot inadvertently becomes the saviour of mankind.
This immensely popular Pixar cartoon is, in its look and feel, quite different to any other film: the desolate planet Earth and the hi-tech spaceship environment are fantastically realised and the narrative takes risks, especially to begin with. The action ranges from the thoughtful and philosophical to the cute and bustling, and all it lacks is a sympathetic human element – it doesn’t quite feel like a wholly satisfying entertainment despite lots of neat ideas and its obvious technical proficiency.
Dir: Andrew Stanton
Voices: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, Sigourney Weaver
WAL-MART: THE HIGH COST OF A LOW PRICE
2005
*
Documentary about the alleged misdemeanours of huge US shopping chain Wal-Mart.
Effectively 90 minutes of people complaining, this diatribe doth protesteth too much, and really goes off the sensible scale in the sections on parking lot crime, female workers and foreign labour usage. Sloppy and slanted.
Dir: Robert Greenwald
WALTER AND JUNE
1983 (TV)
*
A mentally retarded man falls in love.
A sequel to Walter, an emotional TV movie about the mistreatment of handicapped people. This is equally tough but important viewing that is carried by its remarkable lead performance.
Dir: Stephen Frears
Stars: Ian McKellen, Sarah Miles, Jim Broadbent
WALTZ OF THE TOREADORS
1962
*
An old general can't keep away from the ladies.
Quite an interesting drama with some dark shades; the bucolic, heavenly setting doesn't seem quite appropriate.
Dir: John Guillermin
Stars: Peter Sellers, Dany Robin, Margaret Leighton, Cyril Cusack, John Le Mesurier
WALTZ WITH BASHIR
2008
*
An ex soldier tries to recall details of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict he fought in back in 1982.
A worthy and original piece of filmmaking that combines fine animation with oral remembrances of wartime horrors; the plot is necessarily not a ‘proper’ plot and the film, predictably, offers little in the way of comfort – and is also a trifle difficult to empathise with - but technically it is a skilled achievement and was lauded as such.
Dir: Ali Folman
Voices: Ron Ben-Yishai, Ronny Dayag, Ali Folman
WALTZES FROM VIENNA
1933
0
Johann Strauss the Younger attempts to keep composing while working in a bakery.
The director’s self-confessed ‘lowest ebb’ is just that, a flimsy, cheap and stiff picture with barely a Hitchcockian touch in it, clearly made to pass the time. For the viewer it fails to pass the time in any enjoyable sense and seems a lot longer than it is.
Dir: Alfred Hitchcock
Stars: Esmond Knight, Jessie Matthews, Edmund Gwenn, Fay Compton
THE WAR OF THE ROSES
1988
*
A couple have a tumultuous relationship resulting in divorce.
Black-as-ink comedy painting an extremely bleak picture of marriage; the violence of the protagonists is weirdly entrancing.
Dir: Danny DeVito
Stars: Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
1952
**
Earth is attacked by alien invaders.
Vibrant and colourful sci-fi that is considerably more entertaining than Spielberg's version.
Dir: Byron Haskin
Stars: Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, Les Tremayne
WAR OF THE WORLDS
2005
0
Big budget remake that tediously goes nowhere, providing only endless bad vibes, a bickering family and anonymous monsters.
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Tim Robbins, Justin Chatwin
WARGAMES
1983
*
A teenager hacks into government computers and almost starts World War 3.
A movie which amusingly combined two different strands of '80s living, that of the nuclear threat and the growth in home computers; for that it's affectionately remembered and as a slice of drama it just about still stands up.
Dir: John Badham
Stars: Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, Dabney Coleman
WARLOCK
1988
*
A warlock is chased from the 16th century to the present day.
Imaginative, enthusiastic fantasy.
Dir: Steve Miner
Stars: Julian Sands, Lori Singer, Richard E Grant
WARLORDS OF ATLANTIS
1978
0
A professor and crew search for the lost world of Atlantis.
Another lost world matinee for the kids, one that offers even less substantial fare than before.
Dir: Kevin Connor
Stars: Doug McClure, Peter Gilmore, Shane Rimmer, Daniel Massey, Cyd Charisse
WARP SPEED
1981 (TV)
0
A space crew mysteriously disappears.
Cheap sci-fi, stolid on the whole, with flashes of weirdness.
Dir: Allan Sandler
Stars: David Chandler, Camille Mitchell, Adam West
THE WARRIOR AND THE SORCERESS
1984
0
A sword-wielding warrior battles evil on an alien planet.
Trashy sword and sorcery remake of Yojimbo which doesn't skimp on the topless women (including one with four breasts).
Dir: John C Broderick
Stars: David Carradine, Luke Askew, Maria Socas
WARRIOR QUEEN
1986
0
The last, sordid days of Pompeii.
Contemptible rubbish with virtually no plot, dialogue, acting or direction, only stock footage and primitive action. Amazingly bad.
Dir: Chuck Vincent
Stars: Sybil Danning, Donald Pleasence, Rick Hill
THE WARRIORS
1979
*
A gang is framed for the killing of a man who is trying to unite different gangs.
Action picture which has already dated badly; the warriors look about as scary as wet kippers.
Dir: Walter Hill
Stars: Michael Beck, James Remar, Dorsey Wright
THE WASP WOMAN
1959
0
The head of a cosmetics company takes a serum from wasps to counter ageing, but it turns her into a bloodthirsty monster.
Most of this clinker’s action is people talking in offices, and most of it is padding: when the wasp woman finally emerges later on it’s something of a relief, but she looks laughable, despite being mainly shot in the dark. As ever with Corman, not quite as thrilling as the poster suggests.
Dir: Roger Corman
Stars: Susan Cabot, Fred Eisley, Barboura Morris
WATCH IT, SAILOR!
1961
0
A sailor about to marry his bride has problems with his mother-in-law.
Grim and angry farce that can’t escape its stage origins and merely consists of lots of stupid people shouting at each other; a dated and barely watchable film from the director of the chilling Village Of The Damned (qv).
Dir: Wolf Rilla
Stars: Marjorie Rhodes, Dennis Price, John Meillon, Graham Stark, Irene Handl, Liz Fraser, Vera Day, Frankie Howerd
WATCH YOUR STERN
1960
*
A naval captain goes to extreme lengths to hoodwink his superior.
Considering the splendid cast, this is a slightly disappointing farce that for the most part is confined to a small cabin on a ship, although it does build up a reasonable head of comic steam after a sluggish start.
Dir: Gerald Thomas
Stars: Kenneth Connor, Eric Barker, Leslie Phillips, Joan Sims, Hattie Jacques, Sidney James, Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes, David Lodge
THE WATCHER
2000
*
A detective is plagued by a serial killer whom he is unable to catch.
Thriller that's a bit soggy at both ends but has an exciting hunt for an intended victim half way through.
Dir: Joe Charbanic
Stars: James Spader, Keanu Reeves, Marisa Tomei, Ernie Hudson
THE WATCHER IN THE WOODS
1980
0
A family move into a country house and experience occult goings on.
Disney's attempt at a horror film simply doesn't work; the makers couldn't stop fiddling with it even after it was released.
Dir: John Hough
Stars: Bette Davis, Lynn-Holly Johnson, Kyle Richards, Ian Bannen
WATCHMEN
2009
*
In an alternate 1985, a group of superheroes reform after one of their number is murdered.
An indulgent mess, the product of a director who either doesn’t have the courage or the skill to do his own adaptation of the graphic novel; there are many good things in it, but they are buried deep in its immense length.
Dir: Zack Snyder
Stars: Jackie Earle Haley, Billy Crudup, Malin Akerman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Matthew Goode, Patrick Wilson
WATER
1985
*
A quiet Caribbean island is thrown into chaos when a source of natural mineral water is discovered there.
Hard working satirical comedy with a reliable cast.
Dir: Dick Clement
Stars: Michael Caine, Valerie Perrine, Brenda Vaccaro, Leonard Rossiter, Billy Connolly
WATERSHIP DOWN
1978
*
A pack of rabbits face many hazards after fleeing their warren.
As an animated movie judged by itself: not bad at all – a compelling story that tweaks the emotions. As an adaptation of one of the great works of children’s fiction, not so good: much of the material is excised (leaving a much more lightweight yarn), the rabbits are difficult to tell apart and the animation is rudimentary. Still, children clearly enjoy it, as evidenced by its numerous television appearances, although it is highly unsuitable for very young ones.
Dir: Martin Rosen
Voices: John Hurt, Richard Briers, Ralph Richardson, Zero Mostel, Simon Cadell, Roy Kinnear, Denholm Elliott, Hannah Gordon, Michael Horden, Joss Ackland
WAXWORK
1989
0
A wax museum owner uses his horror exhibits to unleash terror.
Cornball shocker which ends in an appropriately crazy, free-for-all fight.
Dir: Anthony Hickox
Stars: Zach Galligan, Patrick Macnee, David Warner, Miles O'Keeffe
THE WAY OF THE DRAGON
1973
**
A martial arts expert protects his relatives in Italy from a gang who are wrecking their restaurant trade.
Inspired vehicle for the awesome star here near his peak, this is a simple, powerful and brutally exciting thriller; the final showdown with Chuck Norris is perhaps the best martial arts fight ever put on screen.
Dir: Bruce Lee
Stars: Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Nora Miao
WAY OUT WEST
1937
****
Stan and Ollie head West to deliver a deed to young lady, but get the wrong one.
Laurel and Hardy's finest hour has little bits of everything that made them the world's most loved clowns: there's charming song and dance numbers, Ollie flirting with the ladies, Finlayson's stupendous double-takes, Stan's uncontrollable hysterics, surreal gags, running gags, brilliant dialogue and more. Not a single second is wasted.
Dir: James W Horne
Stars: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson, Sharon Lynn
THE WAY TO THE STARS
1945
***
Life at a bomber base during the Battle of Britain.
A remarkable if tragic period of history valuably transcribed, the film’s candid wit and understated tragedy and romance make it a very special experience, one to be treasured.
Dir: Anthony Asquith
Stars: Michael Redgrave, John Mills, Rosamund John, Stanley Holloway, Felix Aylmer, Basil Radford, Trevor Howard, Jean Simmons
WAYNE’S WORLD
1992
*
Two friends promote their public-access TV show.
At the time it seemed like a cinematic breath of fresh air, a Hellzapoppin for the '90s, but this zany comedy has not worn especially well thanks to a slew of similar productions.
Dir: Penelope Spheeris
Stars: Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Rob Lowe, Tia Carrere
WE FAW DOWN
1928
0
Stan and Ollie escape their wives to go to a poker game.
Not one of their most likeable shorts (the absence of dialogue doesn’t help), with routines that were more successfully incorporated into later features (like Sons Of The Desert and Blockheads).
Dir: Leo McCarey
Stars: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Vivien Oakland, Bess Flowers
THE WEATHER MAN
2005
**
A weather forecaster has problems with his ex wife, his dying father and members of the public throwing food at him in the street.
Pleasingly different, downbeat drama that's generally compelling and has quirky asides.
Dir: Gore Verbinski
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Michael Caine, Hope Davis
WEEKEND AT BERNIE’S
1989
*
Two friends have to pretend that their dead employer is still alive.
Frenzied comedy in bright settings that is good for a laugh.
Dir: Ted Kotcheff
Stars: Andrew McCarthy, Jonathan Silverman, Catherine Mary Stewart, Terry Kiser
WEIRD SCIENCE
1985
0
Two sex-hungry teenagers create what they think is the perfect woman.
Smutty, unsubtle and laboured comedy for teenagers only.
Dir: John Hughes
Stars: Anthony Michael Hall, Kelly LeBrock, Bill Paxton, Robert Downey Jr
WELCOME ABOARD TOXIC AIRLINES
2007
0
Documentary which alleges that passengers’ health is being put at risk by airlines, due to unfiltered air in the cabins.
A worthy low budget documentary that makes its sole point in its first minute and expands upon it for a further 90; occasionally you want to shout ‘Okay, we believe you - move on!’ Some unnatural interviewees and a less than sonorous narrator also diminish the impact, and a good 20 minutes could have been excised.
Dir: Tristan Loraine
WELCOME TO BLOOD CITY
1977
*
A group of people find themselves as slaves in a Wild West town with no knowledge of how they got there.
Confusing but painless sci-fi that's similar to both Westworld and The Prisoner episode Living In Harmony.
Dir: Peter Sasdy
Stars: Jack Palance, Keir Dullea, Samantha Eggar, Barry Morse
WENT THE DAY WELL?
1943
***
An English village is occupied by Nazi soldiers.
Engaging slice of propaganda; the first half is delightfully suspenseful, the second a great boy's own game of soldiers.
Dir: Alberto Cavalcanti
Stars: Leslie Banks, C V France, Frank Lawton, Thora Hird
THE WEREWOLF AND THE YETI
1975
0
While searching for the Yeti in the Himalayas, an explorer turns into a werewolf.
Dull and directionless horror with a few unintentional laughs, including the brief climactic clash between the titular characters (who look almost identical); one of the infamous Naschy’s many cheesy film outings and an official nasty in Britain – perhaps the censors should be thanked for helping people avoid so much dross.
Dir: Miguel Igleslias
Stars: Paul Naschy, Grace Mills, Silvia Solar
WEREWOLF OF LONDON
1935
*
A botanical doctor gets rather hairy after being bitten in the jungle.
The first and not so famous werewolf movie; some decent suspenseful sequences but too much jokey dialogue.
Dir: Stuart Walker
Stars: Henry Hull, Warner Oland, Valerie Hobson
THE WEREWOLF OF WASHINGTON
1973
*
A reporter close to the President is bitten by a werewolf.
Politicalised horror that hits a few targets.
Dir: Milton Moses Ginsberg
Stars: Dean Stockwell, Katalin Kallay, Henry Ferrentino
WEREWOLF WOMAN
1976
0
A woman becomes a nymphomaniac werewolf.
Confused Italian horror of no worth.
Dir: Rino Di Silvestro
Stars: Annik Borel, Howard Ross
WES CRAVEN'S NEW NIGHTMARE
1994
0
Freddy Krueger, upset at being killed off in the Nightmare movies, goes after the cast and crew.
What could have been a wildly imaginative shocker is just another bland, stupid and over-excited teenage flick.
Dir: Wes Craven
Stars: Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund, Wes Craven, John Saxon
WEST END JUNGLE
1961
*
Fictionalised incidents designed to illustrate how widespread prostitution was in London.
Endearing curio which has gained enormous nostalgia value and now seems like a comforting place to escape to; it is actually pretty well shot, generally brisk and although the narration is stern and moralising it’s very perceptive in its descriptions of both the vice trade and human nature.
Dir: Arnold L Miller
Narrator: David Gell
WEST SIDE STORY
1961
**
Two youngsters from rival street gangs fall in love with each other.
Away from its adoring fans, the following criticisms could be levelled at this big budget musical: violence is trivialised, the fights verge on being unintentionally funny, there’s only a couple of great tunes and it’s a long, boring movie. But you’d probably be complaining to deaf ears.
Dir: Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise
Stars: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno
WESTWORLD
1973
***
The realistic robots at an adult amusement park go berserk and start attacking customers.
First-rate mix of sci-fi and western-style thrills that's adeptly handled and highly enjoyable; Brynner as the killer who won't give up gives the film true class and several enduring images.
Dir: Michael Crichton
Stars: Yul Brynner, Richard Benjamin, James Brolin, Dick Van Patten
Sequel: Futureworld (qv)
WHAT?
1972
0
A sexy young girl causes mayhem at the house she goes to stay at.
Polanski's little seen black comedy is a dull, overlong, misfiring picture that isn't saved by its attractive setting and lead actress.
Dir: Roman Polanski
Stars: Marcello Mastroianni, Sydne Rome, Hugh Griffith, Roman Polanski
WHAT A CARVE UP!
1961
0
To claim an inheritance, a man must spend a night in a haunted house.
Creaky comedy which trots out every old dark house trick in the book.
Dir: Pat Jackson
Stars: Kenneth Connor, Sid James, Shirley Eaton, Donald Pleasence, Dennis Price, Michael Gough
WHAT A WHOPPER
1961
0
A writer fakes photos of the Loch Ness Monster in order to sell his book.
Mild comedy with interesting credits, including Terry Nation as writer and a cast full of familiar British comedic faces; it's a pleasant romp and little else, with a final frame that you can't help but grin at.
Dir: Gilbert Gunn
Stars: Adam Faith, Carole Lesley, Sidney James, Clive Dunn, Wilfrid Brambell, Terry Scott, Spike Milligan
WHAT BECAME OF JACK AND JILL?
1971
*
A man and woman covet an elderly lady for her money.
Moderate, confined suspenser with a silly conclusion.
Dir: Bill Bain
Stars: Vanessa Howard, Mona Washbourne, Paul Nicholas
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO A NAKED LADY?
1970
0
Candid Camera-style documentary assessing how people react to public nudity, and also interviewing them about sexual matters.
Not a funny film, or an especially compulsive one, but one with a wee bit of social value. Trouble is you can see this sort of thing done much better on television nowadays, and those looking for wall-to-wall sexiness and nudity will be disappointed.
Dir: Allen Funt
WHAT LIES BENEATH
2000
*
The wife of a professor investigates the death of one of his students.
Thriller with a big enough red herring to serve for Sunday lunch, it moves slowly while being all too frequently punctuated by sudden jolts, then offers a familiar climax.
Dir: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: Harrison Ford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Diana Scarwid, Joe Morton
WHAT THE SWEDISH BUTLER SAW
1975
0
A Victorian gentleman keeps a lithe young maid his prisoner.
Low budget Scandinavian sauce-fest with marginally more intelligence than some.
Dir: Vernon P Becker
Stars: Ole Soltoft, Sue Longhurst, Diana Dors
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO AUNT ALICE?
1969
*
An elderly woman goes to work for a widow who may know what happened to her missing friend.
Baby Jane-type melodramatics, competently done all round.
Dir: Lee H Katzin
Stars: Geraldine Page, Ruth Gordon, Rosemary Forsyth
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?
1962
***
Two ageing actresses live in loathing and seclusion in a decaying Hollywood mansion.
Seminal horror drama that even had its title much imitated; effectively an extension of Sunset Boulevard, it remains startling viewing thanks to the way the ageing stars go at each other in a way not seen before.
Dir: Robert Aldrich
Stars: Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Victor Buono, Anna Lee
WHATEVER WORKS
2009
*
A misanthropic retired scientist has his life changed when he meets a 21-year-old Southern girl.
Another slightly stale Allen movie but one which eventually satisfactorily coalesces in the fashion of a Shakespearean comedy; there is wit and there is warmth, and the director’s agreeably secular outlook, but David is perhaps even less likeable than he’s meant to be and the philosophising is not especially fresh (the script had been around for 30 years). It’s unlikely to win Woody many new fans but may pacify some of those who’ve become unpleasantly critical of him in recent years.
Dir: Woody Allen
Stars: Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson, Ed Begley Jr, Michael McKean
WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE
1969
0
A middle-aged banker gets drawn into hippy culture.
The awful title song isn't a good omen, and this curio does turn out to be an embarrassing and naff sex comedy featuring a very uncomfortable star.
Dir: Menahem Golan
Stars: Norman Wisdom, Sally Geeson, Sarah Atkinson, David Lodge
WHAT’S NEW PUSSYCAT?
1965
0
A womaniser seeks the help of a doctor who also has a big thing for the opposite sex.
Unfocused and unattractive comedy which gave little indication of Allen's talents (he also scripted this mess).
Dir: Clive Donner
Stars: Peter Sellers, Peter O'Toole, Woody Allen, Ursula Andress, Capucine
WHAT’S UP, DOC?
1972
***
A music researcher's life is thrown into chaos when he meets a wild young woman at a convention.
Superlative screwball comedy (Remember them?, as the tagline went) whose dizzying succession of incident and cast of richly comic characters ensures that this is an enormously pleasurable and uproarious ride. Small details are perfectly judged and the setting feels open and inviting.
Dir: Peter Bogdanovich
Stars: Ryan O'Neal, Barbra Streisand, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars, Austin Pendleton, Liam Dunn
WHAT’S UP NURSE!
1977
0
An accident-prone doctor has amorous adventures.
Woeful British sex comedy with the usual ingredients (familiar faces, bad jokes, bare girls), its essentially old fashioned nature is confirmed by the closing wedding scenes.
Dir: Derek Ford
Stars: Nicholas Field, Felicity Devonshire, John Le Mesurier, Graham Stark, Peter Butterworth, Jack Douglas, Andrew Sachs
WHAT’S UP SUPERDOC!
1978
0
A doctor is in demand for his super-sperm.
Appalling rubbish, even worse than its predecessor - in fact, probably worse than the vast majority of films ever made.
Dir: Derek Ford
Stars: Christopher Mitchell, Harry H Corbett, Bill Pertwee, Julia Goodman
WHAT’S UP TIGER LILLY?
1966
0
A Japanese spy film with new dubbed-on commentary by Woody Allen. The story now has agents searching for an egg salad recipe.
A clever and original idea but it goes on for far too long and becomes boring.
Dir: Woody Allen/Senkichi Taniguchi
Stars: Woody Allen/Tatsuya Mihashi, Akiko Wakabayashi
WHEELS ON MEALS
1984
0
Two brothers who own a mobile restaurant help a detective friend find a female pickpocket.
Mugging comedy set in Barcelona, excessively stupid and infantile.
Dir: Sammo Hung Kam-Bo
Stars: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Lola Forner
WHEN COMEDY WAS KING
1959
***
Compilation of high quality silent comedy, including Laurel and Hardy in Big Business.
A valuable and joyous work in which the commentary hammers home the debt we owe to the performers.
Dir: Robert Youngson
Stars: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harry Langdon, Charley Chase, Fatty Arbuckle, Snub Pollard, Ben Turpin, Edgar Kennedy
WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH
1969
0
A blonde tribeswoman encounters difficulties with dinosaurs and rival tribes.
Silly prehistoric antics in which the dialogue only consists of grunts and unfamiliar words; it’s film 'muzak' for the majority of its running time – and what’s funny is that they decided not to do the film in English in a vague effort to be ‘authentic’, when dinosaurs and people, who were separated by 65 million years, share the screen. It is always going to be difficult to engage a modern audience without proper dialogue, even if you have decent dino-effects and pneumatic cavewoman who forever look like they’re going to pop out of their stone-age bras.
Dir: Val Guest
Stars: Victoria Vetri, Robin Hawdon, Patrick Allen
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
1988
***
A man and a woman manage to maintain a relationship where they are just good friends.
Delightfully perceptive comic drama, like a warmer Woody Allen film.
Dir: Rob Reiner
Stars: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby
WHEN SATURDAY COMES
1995
*
A brewery worker eventually realises his dream of playing for Sheffield United.
Entirely predictable and clichéd old-fashioned drama; but since the makers know this and don’t care, why should we?
Dir: Maria Giese
Stars: Sean Bean, Emily Lloyd, Pete Postlethwaite, Craig Kelly
WHEN STRANGERS MARRY
1944
**
A woman begins to suspect her husband is a murderer.
Fast moving mystery which still holds the attention.
Dir: William Castle
Stars: Dean Jagger, Kim Hunter, Robert Mitchum
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS
1987
**
An elderly couple get on with life after a nuclear attack.
Misleadingly cosy cartoon that becomes incredibly bleak; very well done but the message is overstated and the couple do appear rather too ignorant.
Dir: Jimmy T Murakami
Voices: Peggy Ashcroft, John Mills
WHEN TIME RAN OUT
1980
0
An active volcano threatens a holiday resort.
The fag end of the disaster movie cycle, one that borrows much, including incidents and dialogue, from those that had gone before.
Dir: James Goldstone
Stars: Paul Newman, Jacqueline Bisset, William Holden, Edward Albert, Red Buttons, Barbara Carrera, Burgess Meredith, Ernest Borgnine
WHEN WE WERE KINGS
1997
***
Documentary about Ali's 'Rumble In The Jungle' against Foreman.
A film which catches the flavour and drama of the event marvellously.
Dir: Leon Gast
Stars: Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Don King, James Brown
WHEN WILL I BE LOVED
2004
0
A young woman uses men for her own ends.
Obtuse talk piece, thought-provoking at best, cold and irrelevant at worst. The loud classical score is irritating.
Dir: James Toback
Stars: Neve Campbell, Fred Weller, Ashley Shelton, James Toback
WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE
1951
0
A planet flies towards Earth on collision course.
Insipid acting and scripting almost kills this sci-fi drama but the climactic special effects are suitably convincing, and turned up in other apocalyptic movies.
Dir: Rudolph Mate
Stars: Richard Derr, Barbara Rush, Peter Hansen
WHERE DOES IT HURT?
1971
0
A corrupt hospital chief tries to get insurance money out of his patients.
Sluggish, unlikeable comedy that represented a low for the star.
Dir: Rodney Amateau
Stars: Peter Sellers, Jo Ann Pflug, Harold Gould
WHERE EAGLES DARE
1969
***
Allies stage a raid on a castle where the Nazis are holding an American general prisoner.
Gripping and actionful war movie, the prototype of many others.
Dir: Brian G Hutton
Stars: Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood, Mary Ure, Patrick Wymark, Michael Horden, Donald Houston, Anton Diffring, Derren Nesbitt
WHERE THE BULLETS FLY
1966
0
Secret agent Charles Vine hunts down a special nuclear formula.
Dullish James Bond spoof with too much chat.
Dir: John Gilling
Stars: Tom Adams, Dawn Addams, Tim Barrett, Michael Ripper, Sid James
WHERE THERE’S A WILL
1936
*
An incompetent solicitor unwittingly becomes party to a bank robbery.
The star is slightly limited in this comedy which lacks the thrills of much of his later work.
Dir: William Beaudine
Stars: Will Hay, Graham Moffatt, H F Maltby
WHERE’S THAT FIRE?
1940
*
A hopeless fire brigade struggle to put out fires...
Not one of the greatest comedies from these three stars, with an overly hectic plot, but still very funny in places.
Dir: Marcel Varnel
Stars: Will Hay, Moore Marriott, Graham Moffatt, Charles Hawtrey
THE WHIP HAND
1951
*
A reporter stumbles on a town with a secret.
A small town with a guilty secret, here adapted to the then current phenomenon of McCarthyism; cheaply done but a minor pleasure.
Dir: William Cameron Menzies
Stars: Elliott Reid, Carla Balenda, Raymond Burr
WHIPPED
2000
*
Three egotistical men start dating the same hot woman.
Opinion could go two ways on this comedy: it's either sharp, witty, fast moving and funny, or obnoxious, misogynistic, crude and unoriginal. Twentysomething men may be more likely to think the former.
Dir: Peter M Cohen
Stars: Amanda Peet, Brian Van Holt, Judah Domke
WHIRLPOOL
1970
0
A model visits the isolated country house of an odd, possibly murderous, couple.
The director’s first film sets the tone for his future ones: sleaze in rural settings. Overall this is thin gruel but quite enticing in its slow, strange way.
Dir: Joseph Larraz
Stars: Karl Lanchbury, Vivian Neves, Pia Andersson
WHISKY GALORE
1948
***
A tiny Scottish island is in luck when a ship's cargo of fifty thousand whisky bottles washes up ashore.
Quintessential Ealing comedy that displays all that was good about that studio.
Dir: Alexander Mackendrick
Stars: Basil Radford, Catherine Lacey, Bruce Seton, Joan Greenwood, Jean Cadell, Gordon Jackson, James Robertson Justice
WHISPERING GHOSTS
1942
0
An actor who plays a detective tries to solve a real mystery.
Inexpensive comedy mostly set on a ship; the majority of the characters are now extremely dated.
Dir: Alfred L Werker
Stars: Milton Berle, Brenda Joyce, John Carradine, Willie Best
WHISPERS
1989
0
A woman is plagued by a psychopath.
This cut-price thriller had ‘straight to video’ written all over it, which is exactly what happened. The female star’s brief vogue as a leading lady was mysterious indeed.
Dir: Douglas Jackson
Stars: Victoria Tennant, Jean LeClerc, Chris Sarandon
WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND
1961
*
Lancashire schoolchildren discover a criminal hiding in their father's barn and assume him to be Jesus.
Curious little allegory affectionately remembered by many: viewed now it can be interpreted in different ways, although the most realistic interpretation is surely that children are easily deluded and there is nothing quite so delusional as religious faith. Perhaps because of this it fails to be as affecting as one might hope, with even Bates' performance appearing distinctly understated, but its naturalistic feel and raw location shooting give it a rare, salty atmosphere.
Dir: Bryan Forbes
Stars: Hayley Mills, Alan Bates, Bernard Lee, Norman Bird
THE WHITE BUFFALO
1977
0
Wild Bill Hickok obsessively hunts a large white buffalo.
Empty mystic western with clumsy attempts at symbolism and an absurd looking monster.
Dir: J Lee Thompson
Stars: Charles Bronson, Jack Warden, Clint Walker, Kim Novak, John Carradine
WHITE CARGO
1973
0
A daydreamer happens upon women being kidnapped and shipped to the Far East.
Feeble mini-budgeter with a script dragged in by the cat; a victim of all kinds of production difficulties (it was originally written for The Goodies), it mysteriously turns up on television more than any other ’70s British sex comedy.
Dir: Ray Selfe
Stars: David Jason, Hugh Lloyd, Dave Prowse, Sue Bond
WHITE DOG
1982
*
A dog is trained to attack black people.
Unusual, low key drama that sometimes resembles an animal behaviour film but also serves up some nicely crafted suspense.
Dir: Samuel Fuller
Stars: Kirsty McNichol, Christa Lang, Vernon Weddle
WHITE MISCHIEF
1987
*
In colonial Kenya, a woman is unfaithful to her rich, older husband.
An interesting, sometimes spicy tale lifted by a fine cast but dragged down by overlong court scenes.
Dir: Michael Radford
Stars: Greta Scacchi, Charles Dance, Joss Ackland, Sarah Miles, Geraldine Chaplin, John Hurt, Trevor Howard, Hugh Grant
WHITE ZOMBIE
1932
**
A young man uses witchcraft to try and get his girlfriend back, but it goes horribly wrong.
The first zombie film is an atmospheric artefact that still impresses visually if not script-wise. Playing like the highly theatrical early cinema production it is, it’s slow, simple and creaky, and likely only suitable for old movie fans, but retains a warped air of strangeness that makes it tolerable.
Dir: Victor Halperin
Stars: Bela Lugosi, Madge Bellamy, Joseph Cawthron, Robert Frazer
WHO?
1974
*
A scientist disappears but reappears later with a different face.
Mildly intriguing sci-fi spy drama that suffered limited distribution.
Dir: Jack Gold
Stars: Elliott Gould, Trevor Howard, Joseph Bova
WHO CAN KILL A CHILD?
1976
**
An English couple visit a Spanish island which has been completely taken over by children.
When it begins with seven minutes of credits featuring archival footage from atrocities against mankind, especially children, you know this is something a bit different: as it is, the deserted setting and nature gone crazy idea (a la Hitchcock’s The Birds) are familiar enough but it does deliver plenty of jolts and unusual thrills in the form of the battle between the man and the children. The sunny setting is a plus too, but the story is a little stretched out.
Dir: Narciso Ibáñez Serrador
Stars: Lewis Fiander, Prunella Ransome
WHO DARES WINS
1982
0
An SAS commando foils a radical terrorist group.
Blood and thunder that's difficult to take seriously.
Dir: Ian Sharp
Stars: Lewis Collins, Judy Davis, Ingrid Pitt, Richard Widmark, Edward Woodward, Kenneth Griffith
WHO DONE IT?
1956
0
A buffoon becomes a private detective and happens upon a dastardly plan by East European scientists.
Ealing’s last film, and Benny Hill’s first, is a tiresome, incredulous comedy that tries too hard to be hysterical and ends up very flat.
Dir: Basil Dearden
Stars: Benny Hill, Belinda Lee, David Kossoff, Ernest Thesiger
WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT
1988
***
A detective helps out a cartoon rabbit who has been accused of murder.
When this first came out it was a marvel - audiences had never seen its like before, an ingenious and freewheeling mixing of animation and live action, with attitude. Viewed now, after special effects have moved forward considerably, it seems far less effective but still retains a cheeky charm.
Dir: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Cassidy, Charles Fleischer
WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR?
2006
*
Documentary focusing on General Motors’ decision to stop production of their electric car.
A sort of low calorie Michael Moore, this makes its thin and rather arid subject matter reasonably intriguing, although it’s roughly as convincing as the titular automobile is.
Dir: Chris Paine
Narrator: Martin Sheen
WHO SAW HER DIE?
1972
0
After his daughter is murdered, a father attempts to find the killer.
Sloppy giallo which looks – and sounds – good but is saddled with a vacant script and cardboard characters.
Dir: Aldo Lado
Stars: George Lazenby, Anita Strindberg, Adolfo Celi, Peter Chatel
WHO SLEW AUNTIE ROO?
1971
0
A mad old woman lures unsuspecting women to her mansion.
Slim, genteel horror that’s as mild as a sea breeze.
Dir: Curtis Harrington
Stars: Shelley Winters, Mark Lester, Ralph Richardson, Lionel Jeffries, Hugh Griffith
WHOOPS APOCALYPSE
1987
*
When a small British colony is invaded by its communist neighbour, a chain of events is set in motion that may lead to World War 3.
Patchy film version of a zany TV comedy, a bit of a mish-mash of comic styles.
Dir: Tom Bussmann
Stars: Loretta Swit, Peter Cook, Rik Mayall, Ian Richardson, Herbert Lom, Shane Rimmer
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
1966
*
An alcoholic couple quarrel when guests come over.
Deeply dislikeable drama that presents two obnoxious, maladroit characters and two simpering, irritating ones, all of whom should be confined to a madhouse; the incessant, weird, tedious rows drill into the brain like a thousand episodes of EastEnders watched at once and surely only an audience of actors could get something out of it. But it ushered in a new era of cinematic permissiveness, so that’s alright then.
Dir: Mike Nichols
Stars: Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, George Segal, Sandy Dennis
WHOSE CHILD AM I?
1975
*
A couple struggle to conceive.
Curious, moderately straight-laced drama with many sketchily developed sub-plots, it at times resembles a daytime soap opera with some nudity thrown in. Not exactly sophisticated, but not too painful either.
Dir: Gerry O'Hara
Stars: Kate O'Mara, Paul Freeman, Edward Judd
WHY GIRLS LOVE SAILORS
1927
0
An unfaithful sea captain gets his comeuppance.
An early joint screen venture for Stan and Ollie, with Ollie particularly far-removed from his usual genial character and Stan spending most of the time in drag. To be brutally honest, there’s now not a single thing to laugh at in it.
Dir: Fred Guiol
Stars: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Anita Garvin, Viola Richard
WHY MAN CREATES
1968
*
Animation detailing man's evolution.
Fondly remembered by a certain age group of American high schoolers, this short now appears rather frazzled and downright strange.
Dir: Elaine Bass, Saul Bass
WHY WORRY?
1923
**
A rich businessman attempts to find peace in the Tropics but instead finds himself caught up in a revolution.
Frequently delightful vehicle for the enormously talented star.
Dir: Fred C Newmeyer, Sam Taylor
Stars: Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston, John Aasen
THE WICKED LADY
1983
0
An aristocratic woman turns to robbery for thrills.
Sexed up remake of the 1945 corset-buster that's heavily reliant on the star cast.
Dir: Michael Winner
Stars: Faye Dunaway, Alan Bates, John Gielgud, Denholm Elliott, Prunella Scales, Oliver Tobias, Glynis Barber, Joan Hickson
WICKED STEPMOTHER
1989
0
A woman discovers that her father has married a strange old woman.
Whimsical fantasy which reminds one of those jaded Disney kids' films from the '70s. The exit of Bette Davis half way through is jarring and cringe-worthy (Davis quit the movie and died months afterwards).
Dir: Larry Cohen
Stars: Bette Davis, Barbara Carrera, Colleen Camp, Lionel Stander
THE WICKER MAN
1973
****
A God-fearing detective visits a remote Scottish island to investigate the disappearance of a schoolgirl.
Wholly effective horror that's like no other; bracingly original and constantly surprising, it benefits from raw location shooting and Woodward's magnificent performance as the policeman who maintains his unbending beliefs to the end. It exists in several slightly different versions.
Dir: Robin Hardy
Stars: Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland, Ingrid Pitt
WICKER PARK
2004
*
An advertising executive becomes obsessed with a woman he spots in a café.
Curious, choppy romantic thriller in which the flashbacks in the latter half of the film demonstrate that the first hour wasn't as deeply uninteresting as we thought at the time.
Dir: Paul McGuigan
Stars: Josh Hartnett, Rose Byrne, Matthew Lillard, Diane Kruger
WIDE SARGASSO SEA
1991
*
In 1840s Jamaica, a female landowner marries an Englishman to avoid losing her property.
Reasonably faithful, somewhat plodding adaptation of an innovative novel that was a prequel to Jane Eyre; the emphasis here is on the eroticism.
Dir: John Duigan
Stars: Karina Lombard, Nathaniel Parker, Rachel Ward, Michael York
THE WIFE SWAPPERS
1969
0
Suburban couples spice their love lives up.
Now an obscure artefact, once a wildly popular and infamous blue movie, this hysterical gem is most likely to crack modern viewers up with its moralising narration.
Dir: Derek Ford
Stars: James Donnelly, Larry Taylor, Valerie St John
WILD AT HEART
1990
**
Two young lovers go on the run from the girl's murderous mother.
Strange mixture of sex, violence and talking which manages to be something original.
Dir: David Lynch
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, Willem Dafoe, Crispin Glover, Diane Ladd
THE WILD BUNCH
1969
**
An aging group of outlaws look for one last big score.
Laconic, nihilistic western that intermittently bursts into violent life.
Dir: Sam Peckinpah
Stars: William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond O'Brien, Warren Oates, Ben Johnson
WILD COUNTRY
2005
0
Youths on a camping trip are menaced by a vicious monster.
Ultra low budget horror, just over an hour long, that fails to be of any interest despite hard work all around; the plot is overly familiar and the youths ghastly.
Dir: Craig Strachan
Stars: Samantha Shields, Martin Compston, Peter Capaldi
WILD MAN BLUES
1998
*
Documentary about Woody Allen on tour with his jazz band.
Easy-going documentary with a few hilarious and fascinating moments, but not quite enough of them. And dare we say that there’s too much jazz in it...
Dir: Barbara Kopple
Stars: Woody Allen, Soon-Yi Previn
THE WILD ONE
1954
**
Motorcycle gangs terrorise a small town.
Puzzlingly banned in Britain for 12 years - because the establishment do win in it - this is an important and occasionally exciting film which gave Brando one of his earliest iconic performances.
Dir: Laszlo Benedek
Stars: Marlon Brando, Mary Murphy, Robert Keith, Lee Marvin
WILD ORCHID
1990
0
A female lawyer and a millionaire have a passionate affair.
Vacuous drama that offers little other than glossy sex.
Dir: Zalman King
Stars: Mickey Rourke, Carre Otis, Jacqueline Bisset, Bruce Greenwood
WILD POSES
1933
0
An ‘Our Gang’ short, in which Spanky’s parents take him to get his portrait taken.
One idea stretched thinly, but there are amusing moments and a very brief cameo from Laurel and Hardy, looking like they did in 1930’s Brats (qv). For someone coming fresh to Our Gang, it’s a slightly odd experience.
Dir: Robert F McGowan
Stars: George McGarland, Franklin Pangborn, Gay Seabrook, Emerson Treacy, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy
WILD STRAWBERRIES
1957
***
An old man taking a road trip to collect an award thinks back over his life.
Bergman's oft returned to theme, the weariness of existence, is here given one of his most accessible frameworks, with proper pacing and everything.
Dir: Ingmar Bergman
Stars: Victor Sjostrom, Ingrid Thulin, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Bib Andersson
THE WILD WILD WEST REVISITED
1979 (TV)
0
Secret agents investigate when it looks like heads of state have been replaced by replicas.
Reprisal of the popular TV series, surprisingly tolerable considering its demented storyline.
Dir: Burt Kennedy
Stars: Robert Conrad, Ross Martin, Paul Williams
THE WILD WOMEN OF WONGO
1958
0
A tribe of women come to realise there is a male tribe on the other side of their island.
Hilarious but rather boring farrago, utterly incompetent on every level.
Dir: James L Wolcott
Stars: Jean Hawkshaw, Mary Ann Webb, Cande Gerrard
THE WILDCATS OF ST TRINIAN’S
1980
0
The naughty schoolgirls go on strike.
Odd tail end of the [pretty poor] series, not remarkable except for the fact that it's surprisingly sexy, often resembling a soft core sex comedy.
Dir: Frank Launder
Stars: Sheila Hancock, Michael Horden, Thorley Walters, Rodney Bewes, Luan Peters
WILL ANY GENTLEMAN...?
1953
0
A mild bank clerk’s life spirals into chaos after he is hypnotised on stage.
Frantic rushing about in a colourful suburbia: it rarely clicks as well as it no doubt did on stage and the high-spirited cast struggle to keep it from being underwhelming.
Dir: Michael Anderson
Stars: George Cole, Jon Pertwee, Sidney James, Joan Sims, William Hartnell, Veronica Hurst
WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER?
1957
*
An ad man has to pretend to be in love with a dizzy blonde actress to save his career.
Frantic satire on TV advertising which doesn't come off despite some nice ideas.
Dir: Frank Tashlin
Stars: Tony Randall, Jayne Mansfield, Joan Blondell
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S ROMEO + JULIET
1996
**
Two young lovers fall for each other despite their warring families.
One of the boldest and brassiest Shakespeare adaptations, made with a lot of energy and visual panache.
Dir: Baz Luhrmann
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, John Leguizamo, Pete Postlethwaite, Brian Dennehy
WILLOW
1988
*
A dwarf must protect a special baby from an evil queen.
Every fantastical character you could think of, including a talking goat, is thrown into this action-packed brew which, while no classic, is a fun ride.
Dir: Ron Howard
Stars: Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Jean Marsh, Pat Roach, Patricia Hayes
WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
1971
***
A young lad wins a trip to a magical confectionary factory.
Memorable version of Roald Dahl's book that captures the macabre humour of the original and conjures up some magical moments and enduring images.
Dir: Mel Stuart
Stars: Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson, Peter Ostrum, Roy Kinnear
WILT
1989
**
A teacher is suspected of killing his wife, whom he hates.
A successful transfer of Tom Sharpe to the big screen, and a fresh and funny vehicle for two excellent television comedians.
Dir: Michael Tuchner
Stars: Griff Rhys Jones, Mel Smith, Alison Steadman, Diana Quick
WINDBAG THE SAILOR
1936
*
An incompetent sea captain is put in charge of an unseaworthy vessel.
True to type Hay vehicle - the occasional corniness and stiltedness just help to enhance enjoyment.
Dir: William Beaudine
Stars: Will Hay, Moore Marriott, Graham Moffatt, Gina Malo
THE WINDOW
1949
**
A boy with a reputation for telling tall tales witnesses a murder.
Small-scale, punchy thriller, probably the best of many similar films it inspired.
Dir: Ted Tetzlaff
Stars: Bobby Driscoll, Barbara Hale, Arthur Kennedy, Ruth Roman, Paul Stewart
A WINDOW IN LONDON
1939
0
A man witnesses a murder through the windows of a passing train.
Don't let the attractive synopsis entice you into seeing this limp, very minor thriller in which the incident is forgotten about five minutes after it has occurred.
Dir: Herbert Mason
Stars: Michael Redgrave, Sally Gray, Paul Lukas
WINGS
1927
*
Two friends join the Air Force to fight in the Great War.
The first winner of the Best Picture Oscar probably wasn’t the best film of its year (Sunrise and The Jazz Singer each have a good claim to that title), and it proves a little arduous to view for its entire running time now, but there is cinematic ambition on show and the aerial sequences are genuinely impressive – even if screen cards frequently interject to explain what’s going on.
Dir: William Wellman
Stars: Charles Buddy Rogers, Clara Bow, Richard Arlen, Gary Cooper
WINGS OF DESIRE
1987
*
An angel looking down on Berlin falls in love with a trapeze artist.
Virtually plotless oddity that quickly descends into unwatchableness.
Dir: Wim Wenders
Stars: Bruno Ganz, Solveig Dommartin, Peter Falk
WIRED
1989
0
The ghost of John Belushi looks back on his turbulent life.
Unusually done fantasia on the life of the not terribly sympathetic comedian; it doesn't really work but some of the scenes of drug abuse are horribly fascinating.
Dir: Larry Peerce
Stars: Michael Chiklis, Ray Sharkey, J T Walsh
WISHBABY
2007
0
A schoolgirl makes a doll that appears to grant wishes, especially malevolent ones.
Very low budget horror moderately well done on its own terms, although it’s difficult to guess who might take pleasure in it aside from people who know the cast or crew. It plays like a gritty urban drama with supernatural asides.
Dir: Stephen W Parsons
Stars: Tiana Benjamin, Doc Brown, Fenella Fielding
THE WITCH WHO CAME FROM THE SEA
1976
0
A woman with a disturbed childhood carries out violent acts on unsuspecting men.
Weird but not wonderful psychological drama with a super-strange lead character who spouts a lot of dull dialogue; the enterprise has a small amount of worth but the one-toneness of the content and the director’s doziness are deleterious.
Dir: Matt Cimber
Stars: Millie Perkins, Lonny Chapman, Vanessa Brown
WITCHCRAFT
1964
0
A witch is revived by workmen digging up a graveyard.
Simplistic and largely atmosphere-free horror nonsense with several scenes that go on considerably longer than they need to – they could have boiled the movie down to 15 minutes, which is more than the length of time Chaney has on screen.
Dir: Don Sharp
Stars: Jack Hedley, Lon Chaney Jr, Marie Ney, Jill Dixon
WITCHCRAFT
1988
0
A young mother suspects that her husband is a Satanist who wants her baby.
Incompetent Rosemary's Baby rip-off with lots of attempted suspense build-ups which go nowhere.
Dir: Rob Spera
Stars: Anat Topol, Gary Sloan, Mary Shelley
WITCHCRAFT II: THE TEMPTRESS
1989
0
A witch tries to turn a teenager to Satan.
Truly terrible horror, utterly abysmal in every respect.
Dir: Mark Woods
Stars: Charles Solomon, Delia Sheppard, David Homb
THE WITCHES
1966
0
A woman takes a job as a teacher in a small English village which appears to be home to a coven of witches.
Sluggish chiller with a stupid climax.
Dir: Cyril Frankel
Stars: Joan Fontaine, Kay Walsh, Alec McCowen, Leonard Rossiter
THE WITCHES
1990
*
A young boy stumbles into a witches convention.
An interesting combination, Roeg and Roald Dahl, create a quirky and imaginative junior horror film: perhaps one for the children before they graduate on to the real, gory thing.
Dir: Nicolas Roeg
Stars: Anjelica Huston, Mai Zetterling, Jane Horrocks, Rowan Atkinson
THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK
1987
**
Three single women wish for a horny devil and have their wish granted.
Fresh and literate comedy exhibiting an air of freedom.
Dir: George Miller
Stars: Jack Nicholson, Cher, Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer
WITCHFINDER GENERAL
1968
***
During the English Civil War, witchfinder Matthew Hopkins travels the country persecuting women he believes are impure.
One of Britain's more unique horror films, a brooding tale of sadism shot in front of gorgeous East Anglian scenery. Perhaps a little stodgy dramatically at times, it is nevertheless raw and atmospheric, remarkably capturing the feel of the period, and offers a performance from Price that is among his best and most restrained.
Dir: Michael Reeves
Stars: Vincent Price, Ian Ogilvy, Rupert Davies, Patrick Wymark, Hilary Dwyer, Wilfrid Brambell, Nicky Henson
THE WITCHMAKER
1969
0
An elderly witch hunts beautiful young women to rejuvenate herself.
Low budget horror from the swamps of Louisiana that would have benefited from more flesh and blood - perhaps they should have waited a year or two for more freedom.
Dir: William O Brown
Stars: Anthony Eisley, Thordis Brandt, Alvy Moore
WITH LOVE AND HISSES
1927
0
Soldiers in training get involved in various scrapes, including losing their clothes.
Notable only for being an early example of the three stars interacting, this is a loose, plotless short with a few mildly risqué gags; you wouldn’t care to watch it twice.
Dir: Fred Guiol
Stars: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson
WITHNAIL AND I
1987
***
At the end of the 1960s, two boozers head to the Lake District for some relaxation.
Much mentioned and eminently quotable but rather slow comic drama in which the thinness of the plot becomes evident after the pair head to the Lakes. There's much to enjoy, including the ripe performances and recreation of a magic period, but it's not quite the movie it might have been.
Dir: Bruce Robinson
Stars: Richard E Grant, Paul McGann, Richard Griffiths, Ralph Brown, Michael Elphick
WITHOUT A CLUE
1988
**
Sherlock Holmes is a drunken fool and it is Dr Watson who is the real detective genius.
A pleasant evening's entertainment: like a Holmes mystery with the added bonus of several belly laughs. The joke goes on a little long but most of the performances have the requisite lightness of touch, particularly Caine’s.
Dir: Thom Eberhardt
Stars: Michael Caine, Ben Kingsley, Jeffrey Jones, Lysette Anthony, Nigel Davenport
WITNESS
1985
***
A policeman goes to Amish country to protect a boy who has seen a murder.
Nicely mounted thriller on a familiar theme but with a few new twists, including the depiction of the Amish way of life which, if anything, is overly sympathetic.
Dir: Peter Weir
Stars: Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, Lukas Haas, Danny Glover
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION
1957
***
A man goes on trial for the murder of a rich widow, and there are a few shocks in store.
Rarely bettered courtroom drama that combines sophisticated wit, a surprise-filled script and Laughton's juicy performance as the eccentric lawyer.
Dir: Billy Wilder
Stars: Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Elsa Lanchester
THE WIZARD OF OZ
1939
***
Farm girl Dorothy is swept away to a magical land where she embarks on a journey to find a wizard at the end of a yellow brick road.
Outstanding fantasy that has retained its freshness thanks to the cast's enthusiasm, the glorious art direction and the mellifluous tunes. A few things that might strike the modern viewer: the stagey, pantomime-like feel, the often immobile camera, the scary bits that are still sure to imprint themselves on young minds.
Dir: Victor Fleming
Stars: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton
WMD: WEAPONS OF MASS DECEPTION
2004
*
Documentary examining the perceived right-wing bias of the American media in their coverage of the second war against Iraq.
Breathless polemic that makes some salient points but is as relentless and noisy as a dentist's drill.
Dir: Danny Schechter
WOLF CREEK
2005
***
Three backpackers meet with trouble in the Australian Outback.
Classy thriller which avoids the obvious and convincingly creates the feeling that the characters are all alone in their terrifying situation; it also features one of the most despicably evil villains seen on the screen in recent years.
Dir: Greg McLean
Stars: John Jarratt, Cassandra Magrath, Kestie Morassi, Nathan Phillips
THE WOLF MAN
1940
***
A man is bitten by a werewolf and unfortunately becomes one himself.
Although perhaps narrowly lacking the raw qualities of Universal's Dracula and Frankenstein interpretations, this entertaining horror offers much that's good, including a really top drawer cast.
Dir: George Waggner
Stars: Lon Chaney Jr, Claude Rains, Bela Lugosi, Ralph Bellamy, Patric Knowles, Evelyn Ankers, Warren Williams, Maria Ouspenskaya
WOLFEN
1981
*
A New York cop investigates a series of violent slayings.
Boringly 'realistic' shocker which over-uses its best idea, that of subjective views through the creature's eyes.
Dir: Michael Wadleigh
Stars: Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Edward James Olmos
THE WOLVES OF WILLOUGHBY CHASE
1988
*
In an old Victorian house, two girls are persecuted by an evil governess.
Old fashioned junior adventure which may keep youngsters quiet.
Dir: Stuart Orme
Stars: Stephanie Beacham, Mel Smith, Emily Hudson, Richard O'Brien, Jane Horrocks
THE WOMAN IN BLACK
1989 (TV)
*
A young solicitor in a seaside town keeps seeing a mysterious woman in black.
Cold, restrained chiller with effective moments.
Dir: Herbert Wise
Stars: Adrian Rawlins, Bernard Hepton, David Daker
THE WOMAN IN GREEN
1945
*
Sherlock Holmes has a case involving hypnotists, a mysterious woman and Professor Moriarty.
The plot may be faintly absurd but the multi-faceted mystery moves at a fair pace and allows both Watson his comic bumbling about hypnotism and Holmes a suspenseful climactic near-demise atop a precarious ledge.
Dir: Roy William Neill
Stars: Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Hillary Brooke, Henry Daniell
THE WOMAN IN RED
1984
*
A middle-aged man becomes infatuated with a younger woman in a silk red dress.
Simple comedy, palatable apart from the hideous song I Just Called To Say I Love You.
Dir: Gene Wilder
Stars: Gene Wilder, Kelly LeBrock, Charles Grodin, Joseph Bologna
THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW
1944
***
A man becomes obsessed with the picture of a woman he sees.
Excellent thriller with absorbing plot development.
Dir: Fritz Lang
Stars: Edward G Robinson, Joan Bennett, Raymond Massey
WOMAN ON TOP
2000
0
A beautiful cook moves from Brazil to San Francisco and gets her own TV show.
Feather-light whimsy, not easy to connect with or care about; it lacks original ideas and a basic point.
Dir: Fina Torres
Stars: Penelope Cruz, Murilo Benicio, Harold Perrneau
WOMAN TIMES SEVEN
1967
0
Seven tales of adultery: Funeral Procession, Amateur Night, Super Simone, At The Opera, The Suicides, Snow and Two Against One.
Unwatchable portmanteau which allows the female star to act her very weirdest.
Dir: Vittorio De Sica
Stars: Shirley MacLaine, Peter Sellers, Lex Barker, Robert Morley, Patrick Wymark, Adrienne Corri, Alan Arkin, Michael Caine, Anita Ekberg
WOMANEATER
1958
0
A mad doctor feeds women to a monster plant he acquired in the Amazon.
Anaemic horror of limited value. There are, however, some nice location shots of night-time central London.
Dir: Charles Saunders
Stars: George Coulouris, Vera Day, Robert MacKenzie
WOMEN BEHIND BARS
1975
0
A woman is thrown into prison for killing her robber boyfriend.
The director may count this among one of his best films, but apart from Romay’s nakedness it has little to recommend it – dramatically it’s completely lackadaisical and the camerawork is as shonky as Franco’s always is.
Dir: Jess Franco
Stars: Lina Romay, Martine Stedil, Nathalie Chape
WOMEN IN LOVE
1969
***
The love lives of two couples in the early 1900s.
Ken Russell’s best film is a D H Lawrence adaptation that skilfully captures both the outlandish spirit of the book and the time period it is set in.
Dir: Ken Russell
Stars: Alan Bates, Oliver Reed, Glenda Jackson, Jennie Linden, Eleanor Bron, Michael Gough
WONDER MAN
1945
*
A man comes back as a ghost to solve a murder.
Bright comedy with impressive special effects.
Dir: H Bruce Humberstone
Stars: Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Otto Kruger, Huntz Hall
WONDERLAND
2000
***
Love lives of Londoners at the end of the 20th century.
Naturalistic drama that's partly uplifting and partly depressing but has much to commend it including excellent performances, unusual photography and sharp scripting.
Dir: Michael Winterbottom
Stars: Gina McKee, Ian Hart, Shirley Henderson, John Simm
THE WOODEN HORSE
1950
**
British POWs attempt to escape from Nazi Germany.
Brisk, efficient war drama with suspenseful sequences.
Dir: Jack Lee
Stars: Leo Genn, David Tomlinson, Anthony Steel, Peter Finch
WOODSTOCK
1970
**
Chronicle of the 1969 music festival.
A mammoth documentary that was a technical triumph; the musical performances are variable but the film also candidly captures funny and quirky asides.
Dir: Michael Wadleigh
Stars: The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Ten Years After, Joe Cocker, Canned Heat
WORK IS A FOUR LETTER WORD
1967
0
A bored worker brightens his existence up by growing hallucinogenic plants.
Dreamy, camp comedy that isn’t as funny as it thinks.
Dir: Peter Hall
Stars: David Warner, Cilla Black, David Waller
WORKING GIRL
1988
*
A secretary pretends she is her boss.
Old fashioned comedy made with a light touch.
Dir: Mike Nichols
Stars: Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver, Melanie Griffith, Alec Baldwin, Joan Cusack
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP
1982
**
A writer struggles while his friend has a sex change.
Unusual and intelligent drama mixing dark humour and tragedy; its quirks include John Lithgow as a woman.
Dir: George Roy Hill
Stars: Robin Williams, Mary Beth Hurt, Glenn Close, John Lithgow, Hume Cronyn
THE WORLD IS FULL OF MARRIED MEN
1979
0
A businessman who has affairs gets his comeuppance when his wife is also unfaithful.
Utter garbage which makes The Bitch look like a classic; the 'pop star' scenes are particularly laughable.
Dir: Robert Young
Stars: Anthony Franciosa, Carroll Baker, Paul Nicholas, Gareth Hunt
THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
1999
*
James Bond battles a terrorist who cannot feel pain.
The formula as before with a few minor tweaks; Carlyle is disappointingly bland, Richards looks better than she acts, Brosnan is fine, and the opening sequence may well be the highlight of the movie.
Dir: Michael Apted
Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau, Robert Carlyle, Denise Richards, Robbie Coltrane, Judi Dench, Desmond Llewelyn, John Cleese
THE WORLD OF ABBOTT AND COSTELLO
1965
*
Compilation of clips from 19 Abbott and Costello movies.
Considering these comedians were less than terrific, this is surprisingly untaxing viewing, certainly preferable to sitting through most of the features on show here.
Dir: Sidney Miller
Narrator: Jack E Leonard. Stars: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello
THE WORLD OF APU
1959
**
A jobless ex-student gets a big surprise when he attends a wedding.
The final part of Ray’s Apu trilogy is a gently affecting tale of muted love and loss, made with enormous care – he is certainly among India’s best ever directors (not that there’s a lot of competition). Note how critics rarely draw attention to the film’s illustration of this culture’s disdain for women’s choices.
Dir: Satyajit Ray
Stars: Soumitra Chatterjee, Sharmila Tagore, Alok Chakravarty
THE WORLD OF HENRY ORIENT
1964
*
Two teenagers become obsessed with a concert pianist.
Odd little drama, difficult to categorise but certainly sweet enough to look at and listen to.
Dir: George Roy Hill
Stars: Peter Sellers, Paula Prentiss, Angela Lansbury, Tom Bosley
THE WORLD TEN TIMES OVER
1963
*
A busy day in the life of two nightclub hostesses in London.
Downbeat drama with flashes of style, given life by extensive location shooting, including the seamy Soho streets (always nice to see in a Sixties drama). The two female leads are mildly irritating, although Sim’s portrayal has some meat on it and Hartnell could still turn in a strong performance at this point.
Dir: Wolf Rilla
Stars: Sylvia Sim, June Ritchie, William Hartnell, Edward Judd
THE WORLD’S GREATEST ATHLETE
1973
0
A coach discovers an incredible white runner in Africa.
Simple-minded kids’ comedy which doesn't stray far from the Seventies Disney formula.
Dir: Robert Scheerer
Stars: Tim Conway, Jan-Michael Vincent, John Amos
THE WRAITH
1987
0
A boy returns from the dead as a vengeful biker.
A mix of horror, car races and pop music, and full of plot holes and idiotic characters.
Dir: Mike Marvin
Stars: Charlie Sheen, Nick Cassavetes, Sherilyn Fenn, Randy Quaid
THE WRECKING CREW
1968
0
Secret agent Matt Helm goes after stolen gold.
Last of these slightly crummy James Bond imitations.
Dir: Phil Karlson
Stars: Dean Martin, Elke Sommer, Sharon Tate, Nigel Green
THE WRESTLER
2008
***
A wrestler struggles to cope with life after a heart attack.
Shot in documentary style, this raw drama asks what we do to fill the hours of life when our dreams have failed, and Rourke’s deeply sympathetic performance could not be more suitable for its vibe. A compelling film that plays even better in the memory.
Dir: Darren Aronofsky
Stars: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Mark Margolis
WRONG AGAIN
1929
*
Stan and Ollie deliver a horse named Blue Boy rather than a painting named Blue Boy to a mansion.
Rather obvious short which has its moments but probably worked better in the sound version, which no longer survives.
Dir: Leo McCarey
Stars: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charlie Hall
THE WRONG ARM OF THE LAW
1962
**
Police and crooks join forces to stop a new gang who don't play by the rules.
Winning comedy of the old school, full of lovely performances, it culminates in a splendid free-for-all chase.
Dir: Cliff Owen
Stars: Peter Sellers, Lionel Jeffries, Bernard Cribbins, Nanette Newman, Bill Kerr, John Le Mesurier
THE WRONG BOX
1966
*
In Victorian London, a fortune will go to the brother who lives longest.
Handsome period comedy with a welcome cavalcade of stars and some genuinely funny tomfoolery.
Dir: Bryan Forbes
Stars: John Mills, Ralph Richardson, Michael Caine, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Nanette Newman, Tony Hancock, Peter Sellers, Thorley Walters, Irene Handl
THE WRONG MAN
1957
***
The true story of a man whose life and marriage is ruined after being mistaken for a criminal.
Not one of Hitch's most commercially successful pictures (it was far too downbeat to be so), but a great one nonetheless, an absorbing and immaculately detailed true life tale concerning the delicacy of normal existence.
Dir: Alfred Hitchcock
Stars: Henry Fonda, Vera Miles, Anthony Quayle, Harold J Stone
WUTHERING HEIGHTS
1939
***
In 19th century Yorkshire, a farmer's daughter has a passionate relationship with a 'wild' man of the moors.
Hollywoodised adaptation of Bronte which ignores the second half of the novel (sensibly, some might say). The result is a tale that seems a wee bit thin, but on the whole it’s a well cast treat for romantics, one of the most successful movies of its day.
Dir: William Wyler
Stars: Merle Oberon, Laurence Olivier, David Niven, Flora Robson, Donald Crisp, Leo G Carroll
WUTHERING HEIGHTS
1970
*
Decent adaptation which also cuts out post-Heathcliff events, which makes it tighter if incomplete.
Dir: Robert Fuest
Stars: Timothy Dalton, Anna Calder-Marshall, Harry Andrews, Pamela Brown
