0:00:00.311,0:00:02.978 (ambient music) 0:00:04.200,0:00:07.700 (peppy orchestral music) 0:00:14.380,0:00:16.240 - [Colin] Would you[br]say that your technique 0:00:16.240,0:00:20.580 has changed essentially, say, since 1932? 0:00:20.580,0:00:22.060 - I don't think so, no. 0:00:22.060,0:00:26.840 I think, you know, the cobbler[br]should stick to his last. 0:00:26.840,0:00:29.200 Know your own limitations. 0:00:29.200,0:00:30.940 I've become a specialist. 0:00:30.940,0:00:33.100 People expect it, you know. 0:00:33.100,0:00:37.800 If I did a story or, say,[br]a musical about Cinderella, 0:00:37.800,0:00:40.620 they would be waiting[br]for the body to turn up. 0:00:40.620,0:00:42.260 If my name were on the picture. 0:00:42.260,0:00:45.440 You know the audiences are[br]still looking for the body. 0:00:45.440,0:00:48.640 (Colin laughs) 0:00:48.640,0:00:50.460 (spooky orchestral music) 0:00:50.460,0:00:54.291 - [Colin] Most of your films[br]have had a sort of strong dose 0:00:54.300,0:00:56.760 of peril in them for the characters. 0:00:56.760,0:00:58.780 Why have you made this[br]your speciality right 0:00:58.780,0:01:00.380 from the very beginning,[br]I believe, isn't it? 0:01:00.380,0:01:01.680 - I think it's probably 0:01:01.680,0:01:05.160 because I'm very nervous fellow, you know. 0:01:05.160,0:01:07.620 We all have fear, you know, 0:01:07.620,0:01:11.920 in us and we like to enjoy a vicarious, 0:01:11.920,0:01:16.060 shall we say, toe in the water of fear. 0:01:16.100,0:01:20.740 I think audiences like to[br]feel a little touch of fear. 0:01:20.740,0:01:24.180 After all they go on a[br]roller coaster and scream. 0:01:24.180,0:01:26.700 They are very near the dangerous point. 0:01:26.705,0:01:29.710 If a roller coaster didn't[br]take that curve so easily 0:01:29.710,0:01:33.580 and went right over the top[br]that would be the end of that. 0:01:33.580,0:01:37.555 You know I once made the[br]error of putting suspense 0:01:37.555,0:01:40.257 into a picture and not relieving it. 0:01:40.257,0:01:43.987 I did a picture called Saboteur, Sabotage, 0:01:43.987,0:01:47.125 I beg your pardon, and I had[br]a small boy carrying a bomb 0:01:47.125,0:01:48.483 across London. 0:01:48.483,0:01:51.179 I built up the time element[br]of when the bomb was 0:01:51.179,0:01:54.834 to go off and I even went[br]past the time when the bomb 0:01:54.834,0:01:56.307 should go off. 0:01:56.307,0:01:58.340 Eventually I let the[br]bomb go off two minutes 0:01:58.340,0:02:01.205 after it should've gone[br]off and blew the boy 0:02:01.205,0:02:03.268 and everybody else to bits, 0:02:03.268,0:02:06.499 and this was a horrifying[br]experience especially 0:02:06.499,0:02:07.697 for women in the audience. 0:02:07.697,0:02:10.246 I was never forgiven for it. 0:02:10.246,0:02:12.800 - [Colin] You mentioned[br]the relieving the suspense 0:02:12.800,0:02:15.680 and I think one of the marks of your films 0:02:15.682,0:02:19.705 is the wry touches of humor[br]that you inject to relieve the-- 0:02:19.705,0:02:22.809 - Well, yes, I believe, you[br]know, after all there's humor 0:02:22.809,0:02:24.070 in a graveyard. 0:02:24.070,0:02:25.289 Why not? 0:02:25.289,0:02:28.085 Which reminds me of a story, I think it 0:02:28.085,0:02:30.915 was a famous comedian, Harry Tate, 0:02:30.915,0:02:35.103 English comedian died,[br]and was being buried. 0:02:35.103,0:02:38.995 At the graveside were[br]all his fellow comedians, 0:02:38.995,0:02:43.758 including one very old[br]man named Charles Coburn. 0:02:43.758,0:02:47.447 A rather brash young[br]comedian, just as the coffin 0:02:47.447,0:02:50.746 was being lowered into the[br]grave, leaned over to him 0:02:50.746,0:02:53.685 and said, how old are you Charlie? 0:02:53.685,0:02:57.958 And this old, old comedian[br]said, oh, he said, I'm 89. 0:02:57.958,0:03:00.825 The young one said, hardly[br]seems worthwhile going home, 0:03:00.825,0:03:02.080 does it? 0:03:02.080,0:03:04.620 (Colin and Alfred laughing) 0:03:04.620,0:03:07.953 I think the British have a sense of humor, 0:03:07.953,0:03:10.245 especially about the macabre. 0:03:10.245,0:03:14.432 I think a lot of people, you[br]know, object to playing around 0:03:14.432,0:03:16.464 with bodies and so forth. 0:03:16.464,0:03:19.860 But actually I don't think[br]it really matters, you know, 0:03:19.860,0:03:23.620 and sometimes people can't[br]help, especially certain types 0:03:23.620,0:03:26.260 of English people, can't[br]help but make a joke. 0:03:26.260,0:03:29.180 Whether it's for their own relief or what. 0:03:29.180,0:03:33.300 I remember at a fairground[br]once outside London 0:03:33.307,0:03:37.716 there was a sideshow going[br]on in a tent where a man 0:03:37.716,0:03:41.413 was biting the heads from live rats, 0:03:41.413,0:03:44.168 and there were two women,[br]blousy sort of women 0:03:44.168,0:03:47.000 at the back of the tent,[br]watching this scene 0:03:47.000,0:03:51.520 with fascination but with[br]clenched teeth and horror. 0:03:51.520,0:03:53.820 But one of them couldn't help make a joke, 0:03:53.820,0:03:55.600 she had to call out, she said, 0:03:55.600,0:03:57.737 don't you want any bread with it? 0:03:57.737,0:04:00.371 (Colin laughing) 0:04:00.371,0:04:02.048 - [Colin] You haven't put[br]that in any of your films yet? 0:04:02.048,0:04:04.420 - Not yet, no, there's room for it. 0:04:04.420,0:04:05.640 (Colin laughing) 0:04:05.640,0:04:09.360 (suspenseful orchestral music) 0:04:11.728,0:04:13.932 - [Colin] How many films[br]in all have you made sir? 0:04:13.932,0:04:17.162 - [Alfred] I wouldn't[br]know, maybe 40 or 50. 0:04:17.162,0:04:18.523 I never look back. 0:04:18.523,0:04:20.851 You know I think it's[br]a mistake to look back, 0:04:20.851,0:04:23.380 you always have to look[br]forward otherwise you're liable 0:04:23.380,0:04:24.874 to get old get fashioned or something. 0:04:24.874,0:04:26.041 - [Colin] Yes.