When I'm in the mood I write brief thoughts on films in notebooks which then get transferred to my bag where they get forgotten. Well, I dug them out and I'm going to transcribe and tidy up those thoughts because I'm sure it'll be worth it...maybe.

Underground (1929)

I loved this. It became one of my favourite films straight away. I think it's fabulous that I can get to my forties and still find previously unknown films to love.

I'm a fool for London locations (which explains why the first few minutes of The Bourne Ultimatum set in Waterloo Station are riveting and the less of film less so, so much less that I turned it off) and London locations that include the Underground are like catnip to me. However, as the Bourne film demonstrated, interesting locations aren't enough if you aren't engaged by other aspects of the film and this was full of fascinating stuff such as a love quadrangle, a hungry boy in a park, and the best shot in cinema ever: the most amazing crane shot that moves up from a woman running alongside a power station and swings out to the front. I can't find it on YouTube so you'll have to make do with this chase:

More thoughts: I loved the performances; the humour; the thrills (see the above chase); more amazing camerawork; the good use of borrowings from German cinema; the social commentary; recognisable people (as in flawed, funny, sly, shy, assertive) and rounded characters e.g. the villain isn't just deceitful, manipulative and arrogant, he is also amusing, thoughtful and hard-working; the clever editing; the use of mirrors, etc, etc. Maybe the live score intoxicated me but I immediately adored this film and can't wait for its release on DVD.