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Tess Of The D'Urbervilles [1998]

starring: Justine Waddell, Jason Flemyng, Oliver Milburn, John McEnery, Lesley Dunlop
directed by: Ian Sharp

February 19, 2007
A wonderful adaptation of the original novel. The sets are authentic and the characters are well-done. There were some differences between the this film version and the book, of course; it would be almost impossible to have a perfect match to a novel that is so subtle and heart wrenching; but this version comes very close.

Highly recommended.

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Mrs Caldicot's Cabbage War [2003]

starring: Pauline Collins, Peter Capaldi, Anna Wilson-Jones, Gwenllian Davies, Sheila Reid
directed by: Ian Sharp

January 26, 2004
I first heard of this film a few years ago, when during the seasonal holidays, it was put on television. Although it was not Christmasy in the slightest, it most certainly was a heart warming, fussy film. After her finest hour of heroine, Shirley Valintine, Pauline Collins returns, as an OAP, who is unfairly placed in an poorly run nursing home, by her manipulative son and social climbing wife. The film is all very tame-don't expect all the signs of a Tarintino, but this film is just marvellous. Poignant, humerous, happy, sad, warm...whatever you want to call this film, all you need to know, it is an appropriate and highly entertaining, Watch it!

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Who Dares Wins [1982]

starring: Lewis Collins; Judy Davis; Richard Widmark; Edward Woodward; Robert Webber; Tony Doyle; John Duttine; Kenneth Griffith; Rosalind Lloyd; Ingrid Pitt; Norman Rodway; Maurice Roëves; Bob Sherman; Albert Fortell; Mark Ryan
directed by: Ian Sharp

January 06, 2003
This is actually a pretty bad film. The ideology is not as perverse as in those films Collins made later. However, my main misgivings about the film are that it is implausible and quite frankly boring for a long time. The whole concept of an ex-SAS man joining terrorists for no particular reason isn't very convincing and you can't help wondering why a group of highly organized terrorists (who later become pretty clueless) fall for it. The film starts with a pretty powerful scene but then meanders for quite a long time building up towards the great finale. Overall, I think Who dares wins could have been an interesting 45 minutes episode of The Professionals but the story doesn't carry a feature film. Although reasonably successful at the time this film ... Read More:

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Tess Of The D'Urbervilles [1998]

starring: Justine Waddell, Jason Flemyng, Oliver Milburn, John McEnery, Lesley Dunlop
directed by: Ian Sharp

May 12, 2003
This video had been knocking around my local charity shop for a while, and I'd been vaguely debating whether or not to buy it. It was only £2 but I was just so tired of hammy, thespy, unsubtle adaptations of beloved books, which reduce sub-plots and characters to tokens and use completely rewritten, overly 21st century dialogue. I love the novel Tess of the D'Urbervilles, and I didn't want to see it ruined.

Just five minutes in, as soon as Justine Waddell appeared on screen, I knew this adaptation was going to do the book justice. Justine Waddell is exactly how I had pictured Tess and at the beginning exuded the simple but dignified country girl sweetness of Tess (also, she is absolutely beautiful in a natural way, just like Tess. The camera loves ... Read More:

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Minder - Series 1 - Part 2 Of 4 [1979]

starring: Jonty Stephens, Michael Troughton, Patrick Malahide, Emma Cunningham, Stephen Tompkinson
directed by: Ian Sharp

June 04, 2001
In A TETHERED GOAT...Terry is assigned to be a bodyguard for an Arab banker, who is nervous that he insists on Terry carrying a gun.
THE BOUNTY HUNTER...When a young widow is conned out of all her savings, Arthur sends Terry off to reclaim the money.
ACES HIGH AND SOMETIMES VERY LOW...The chips are down for Arthur's friend Maurice, when the professional gambler is barred from the casinos and mugged of all his winnings. Terry's job is to mind Maurice while he recoups his losses.

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Split Second

starring: Rutger Hauer, Kim Cattrall, Neil Duncan, Michael J. Pollard, Alun Armstrong
directed by: Tony Maylam, Ian Sharp

January 25, 2006
A truly dire film which only serves to illustrate how willing Rutger was to squander the chances afforded him after Blade Runner. Save for one electrifying scene in an abandoned Tube carriage (you might think that sequence was directed by an entirely different person to the rest of the film - I couldn't possibly comment) the remainder of this abortion is unmitigated and derivative trash.

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Tess Of The D'Urbervilles [1998]

starring: Justine Waddell, Jason Flemyng, Oliver Milburn, John McEnery, Lesley Dunlop
directed by: Ian Sharp

May 12, 2003
This video had been knocking around my local charity shop for a while, and I'd been vaguely debating whether or not to buy it. It was only £2 but I was just so tired of hammy, thespy, unsubtle adaptations of beloved books, which reduce sub-plots and characters to tokens and use completely rewritten, overly 21st century dialogue. I love the novel Tess of the D'Urbervilles, and I didn't want to see it ruined.

Just five minutes in, as soon as Justine Waddell appeared on screen, I knew this adaptation was going to do the book justice. Justine Waddell is exactly how I had pictured Tess and at the beginning exuded the simple but dignified country girl sweetness of Tess (also, she is absolutely beautiful in a natural way, just like Tess. The camera loves her). She proves ... Read More:

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Robin Of Sherwood: Series 1 - Robin Hood and the Sorcerer Parts 1 & 2 [1983]

starring: Ray Winstone, Michael Praed, Clive Mantle
directed by: Ian Sharp

January 15, 2007
This series was one of the best interpretations of the Robin Hood legend. It combined the spiritual influence of Herne the Hunter with the daily lives of Sherwood's outlaws.The weapons were authentic and there was plenty of woodland and plenty of archery. The programmes featured many well known actors in guest roles and regulars like Michael Praed as Robin (later to be replaced by Jason Connery) Clive Mantle as Little John and Ray Winstone as Will Scarlet. Judi Trott was an excellent Marian.These first two episodes feature Michael Praed as Robin and introduce us to the main characters. Robin and Marian meet for the first time and the guest spot is taken by Anthony Valentine. The soundtrack by Clannad is entirely appropiate and the whole thing added up to valued hour of weekly escapism every Saturday ... Read More:

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Minder - Series 2 - Part 2 Of 4 - Episodes 4 - 6 [1979]

starring: Jonty Stephens, Michael Troughton, Patrick Malahide, Emma Cunningham, Stephen Tompkinson
directed by: Ian Sharp

October 15, 2001
This series was one of the best interpretations of the Robin Hood legend. It combined the spiritual influence of Herne the Hunter with the daily lives of Sherwood's outlaws.The weapons were authentic and there was plenty of woodland and plenty of archery. The programmes featured many well known actors in guest roles and regulars like Michael Praed as Robin (later to be replaced by Jason Connery) Clive Mantle as Little John and Ray Winstone as Will Scarlet. Judi Trott was an excellent Marian.These first two episodes feature Michael Praed as Robin and introduce us to the main characters. Robin and Marian meet for the first time and the guest spot is taken by Anthony Valentine. The soundtrack by Clannad is entirely appropiate and the whole thing added up to valued hour of weekly escapism every Saturday ... Read More:

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RPM [2000]

starring: David Arquette, Famke Janssen
directed by: Ian Sharp

July 12, 2004
the film is really good and the huge variety cars in it are great as well as the chases. The storyline is quite good, but its a bit farfetched, so you have to take it in its stride as what it is, not the possibility of it happening, as some bits are pretty ridiculous. If you overlook the unrealisticness its a good film, but if you get irritated by unrealistic films then dont watch it.