STAR LETTER
In your feature about the greatest movie endings ever [TF 329] you forgot to include one of the best of all time. I am, of course, talking about Cats. “What?!” I hear you cry. Yes, it is one of the greatest endings ever simply because it happens. Can you imagine if it didn’t? TOM, VIA EMAIL
C’mon, hasn’t there already been enough criticism of Total Film’s official Worst Movie Of All Time (see issue 302)? No, you’re right, there hasn’t. Yes, seeing those credits finally, finally roll made us feel like a pet moggy being awarded the keys to the aviary at London Zoo. Tom and everyone with a letter printed here will receive a copy of Fall, available on digital 14 November and on BD and DVD 28 November via Signature Entertainment. Didn’t send an address? Email it! It’s high time!
GAME OF THE NAME
You asked if anyone has a movie-based game they play. Being an insomniac, I have several that occupy me while waiting (often in vain) for sleep to come. My favourite is to go through the alphabet naming actors who have the same initial for first name and surname: Armand Assante, Brigitte Bardot, Charlie Chaplin, Doris Day, etc. I do get stuck on a couple of letters – QQ or XX, anyone? DAVID WARD, NORFOLK
@nealeevans1 [on Harrison Ford joining the MCU]
“Would’ve preferred a few more films like The Mosquito Coast, but there you go…”
For some reason our minds went straight to Covid-era meme artist Quentin Quarantino – not strictly speaking a movie star, but the stillchucklesome name might make your wait for slumber a little more entertaining. Or we could splice Queen Latifah and Dennis Quaid (then picture them in imaginary disaster musical, The Hairspray After Tomorrow).
ON A SCROLL
Does anyone else in TF Land enjoy firing up Netflix (other streaming platforms are available), selecting a category (eg. Action) and then scrolling right to see how many movies you have seen in one continuous chain? On swiping through the Horror section and reaching 25 consecutive films watched, broken only by 3 From Hell (as yet unviewed but swiftly added to My List), I realised I needed to get out of the house more. So I grabbed my coat and went to the cinema. Once a movie freak, always a movie freak, I guess…
PHIL SLOAN, BEXLEY
Your dedication to the cause is admirable, Phil. You’ve now got us compulsively scrolling and ticking off titles and questioning the viewing habits that led to us being recommended Johnny English Reborn as a ‘top pick’.
GOLD OPEN
Is there any company intro out there better than the Marvel Studios one? Regardless of what you think of the movies (I love them), surely everyone can agree that intro – with its logo featuring loads of characters, along with the thundering music – is a powerful opening that really gets you excited for what’s to come.
HOWARD MAXIMOFF, BOTLEY
Props to composer Michael Giacchino, and props to the editors/FX artists assigned with updating it each time
to include fresh spoilers from other MCU titles. We’re always on the lookout for a sneaky secret message among the snippets of text: ‘“MOON” KNIGHT LOL’; ‘Stick the kettle on, Kev’; ‘Don’t watch Morbius’.
DEVIL YOU KNOW
I recently had the pleasure of meeting the actress Eileen Dietz, who played two roles in The Exorcist: the demon who possesses Regan (performing the scenes that were too violent or disturbing for Linda Blair to do), and the infamous Face Of Death aka Pazuzu aka Captain Howdy. Such a fantastic lady to speak to about her career and I even managed to get her to sign a picture for your magazine. Hope you like!
MARK DABBS, WALSALL
We like, we like. Thanks to you and Eileen for the photo. It’s amazing what the mailbag can throw up, so to speak. And who’d have thought Satan himself would be a fan of Total Film? Has us picturing a re-edit of the film where there’s a flash-cut to that face beaming like a lighthouse as the latest subscriber edition lands on the doormat.
CRAW POINT
Having just seen Where The Crawdads Sing, I dived back into my TF collection to re-read the review. I checked the last five issues, the list of reviewed films, the reviews pages one by one… Is it possible this film slipped through your usually comprehensive net? As a heads up, there’s a film called Avatar: The Way Of Water coming out in December…
ALAN MILLER, VIA EMAIL
Ah, that’ll be the one we have 14 PAGES OF EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE ON (starting p32), you cheeky whatsit. Sorry you went on a wild Crawdads chase. Alas, the film was screened too late for us to include in a timely issue, so it was a case of Where The Review’s Binned. But here’s an exclusive precis of our unsung critique: “tepid”.
GO WESTERN
I was thrilled to see Back To The Future Part II get a mention in your Greatest Endings list. To this day I still get a shiver when the guy from Western Union asks “Are you Marty McFly?” It blew my mind in 1989, as nobody knew Marty by that name in 1955. In what is generally perceived as quite a fun but flawed film, that ending was brilliant.
DOM HOLDER, NOTTINGHAM
Yes. And for our money, Doc Brown’s reaction to Marty’s return is the best falling-over moment of 1989. Come at us, Del-Boy-through-the-bar fans!
David Bosley
[on Halloween Ends’ ending]
“They should have brought back Busta Rhymes to finish [Michael] off one more time.”