Desert Island DVDs

When it comes to films, I enjoy those that give me an escape from the diet of bad news that seems to be everywhere at the moment. I also enjoy the films that take me back to being a child again. I decided to think of this as a desert island challenge. If I was on my own on a desert island, which films could I rewatch time after time? You won’t find any crime stories, although you will find a couple of scary films that give me a change of pace and subject matter. They are in date order to make the list easier to work with. For each film I will include a very brief synopsis and the reason why I have chosen it. By the way, if you asked me again in a week’s time the list could vary but I think at least half of them are set in stone.

My Ten Desert Island Discs

1. Dead of Night (1945) This incredible portmanteau horror film is the story of Walter Craig, an architect who arrives at a cottage in Kent. Upon entering a room with a collection of people he tells them that he has seen them all before in a dream. The film uses this as the framing for five stories of the supernatural, my favourite of which is the first one. Walter Craig is played by my favourite ‘obscure’ actor Mervyn Johns, father of Glynis, who was perhaps one of the finest character actors ever. His performances in Went The Day Well, Day of the Triffids and as Bob Cratchit in Scrooge are all worth watching.
2. The Bishop’s Wife (1947) A brilliant Christmas fantasy with a star powered central pairing of David Niven as Bishop Henry Brougham and Cary Grant as the Angel Dudley. For more details see my post here It is a Christmas classic that I think is better than It’s A Wonderful Life!
3. The Sound of Music (1965) The classic musical with every song a winner and a practically perfect central performance by Julie Andrews. I have always loved watching it and will do so again before our trip to Salzburg in November where I want to see as many of the original locations as possible. Edelweiss is my favourite song from any musical.
4. The Aristocats (1970) I had to have a classic Disney and this is the one I have chosen. A film I remember seeing at the cinema and listening to songs from on one of my favourite albums It is perhaps the epitome of the 60s output and despite certain elements that may not have aged well, it’s an absolute joy.
5. Melody (1971) This is a film I am completely evangelical about. It is the most perfect evocation of first love ever put on screen and was a huge influence on many film makers. Wes Anderson has said that Moonrise Kingdom is based on Melody. Mark Lester is typically appealing, Jack Wild is typically cheeky, but debutante Tracy Hyde just steals the film in her role as Melody Perkins. The London setting is absolutely fantastic as a social and historical time capsule. The Bee Gees soundtrack is brilliant and features one of my all time favourite songs, First of May. Find it, see it and thank me for the recommendation afterwards!
6. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) A classic family film with a brilliant central performance from Gene Wilder and a factory built of Pure Imagination. However, for my younger self, my love for this film stemmed from the character Veruca Salt. This selfish, greedy, controlling character was played by the lovely Julie Dawn Cole, who I had a huge crush on from the moment I saw her. Over 50 years after the film I finally got to meet my boyhood crush and she was even lovelier than I could have imagined.
7. The Wicker Man (1973) This is probably the greatest British horror film ever made. With Christopher Lee at his hypnotic best and Edward Woodward matching him with acerbic asides and moral certainty, this was never going to be a bad film. However, it’s the ending that makes it one of the best films of the era. I won’t spoil it of course, but I had real trouble sleeping the night I first saw it.
8. A Christmas Carol (1984) I have to take a version of Ebenezer Scrooge to the island and the central performance that comes closest to the book is in this film. American great George C Scott gives Scrooge a reality that he has never otherwise had on film, or arguably in the book. The flesh and blood businessman could come from any time up to and including ours. He is not as horrible at the start and less unhinged at the end. All in all, a perfect portrayal.
9. Love Actually (2003) My favourite film, one I have seen every year since 2004 and can remember whole sections of. It’s appeal has never dimmed and it has become part of our family Christmas. Rather like the Dickens’ Christmas Festival, it can’t be Christmas unless we have seen this film. My favourite story is the gorgeous first love of Sam for the apparently unattainable Joanna. I don’t care whether it’s divisive, I will watch it every Christmas and love it every Christmas, actually!
10. Inside Out (2015) Pixar’s finest film in my opinion. The way that the emotions are portrayed inside Riley’s head and the effect they have on her behaviour towards herself and others, is presented with real heart and subtlety. It is the perfect family film, appealing to adults, teenagers and children in very different ways, and I will always find myself becoming emotional at the end.