Corrie Film Club is having its Christmas special on Sunday 12th December.
The evening begins at 7.00pm with the, now traditional, annual showing of 20 minute short comedy starring Freddie Frinton as butler in Dinner for One. This will be followed by supper at 7.30 and then a showing at 8.00 of The Singing Ringing Tree.
Dinner for One (Director Heinz Dunkhause, 1963. Germany. 18 mins Cert U)
An older Lady is having a birthday again and has invited four guests: Sir Toby, Lord Pommeroy, Admiral von Schneider and Mr. Winterbotton. The only problem is that the four have passed away long ago, and so the butler has to step in and help drinking all the sherry, wine and champagne served with the birthday dinner.
The Singing Ringing Tree (Germany 1957 Franchesco Stefani .71 minutes Cert. U)
Based on a tale from the Brothers Grimm, this is a delightful fairy tale with the first Communist princess, a bizarre fish and the most sinister dwarf in dwarfdom!
The story is a variant on Beauty and the Beast, and offers moral lessons about not being arrogant and cruel — but, somehow, what all viewers remember is the sheer malevolence of the Wicked Dwarf (Richard Krüger, earning screen immortality with a single role).
Besides the scare stuff, the film has a magic moment that’ll melt the heart of even the most jaded old cynic as the tree finally rings and sings — which we have been told it will only do if the princess realises she truly loves the bear/prince.
A film that became a cult in the 60s. Just right for us at Christmas.
Featured image shows a scene from the Singing Ringing Tree