Capital Celluloid - Day 81: Wednesday Mar 23, 2011

Melody (Hussein, 1971): Roxy Bar & Screen, 128-132 Borough High Street, London SE1 1LB, 7.30pm

When I wrote about film clubs here in London for the Guardian one I highlighted in particular was FilmBar70 run by Justine Harries at the Roxy Bar & Screen in Borough High Street.

Tonight's FilmBar70 screening is just the sort of presentation that the film clubs in the capital excel at. You can guarantee the accompanying shorts, adverts and music will all link to the film being shown and create what was described to me as a "bespoke night."

Harries showed the perfect example of a film club find, the obscure, late-60s curio The Ballad of Tam Lin, in the summer last year. It was the only film directed by actor Roddy McDowall and the movie Sight & Sound magazine coincidentally chose to launch their Lost & Found series of forgotten masterpieces after Harries had announced the screening.

Tonight Harries is showing a most intriguing film in the shape of Melody, an early 70s movie featuring Jack Wild and Mark Lester of Oliver fame. It's a romantic fantasy seen through the eyes of the teenagers involved and has become a cult hit following initial box office failure when released in Britain under the title S.W.A.L.K. You can find out more about the film here.

Here is the trailer.

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