Chapter 1
The Start of the Journey
1931
ROSEHALL
THE HAUNTED ROOM
TALES OF ADVENTURE
1932
VISIONS OF ELI
1932-1933
CINEMATIC ESCAPE
1934
THE ABANDONED COTTAGE
LITERARY ENCOUNTER
THE DERELICT MILL
1939
J. M. DENT
1932/1933
9/10
YEARS
CINEMATIC ESCAPE
Following the untimely death of his father,
the distraction offered by cinema is taken
at every opportunity.
“The number of 1932 and 1933 films that we saw is quite astonishing...”
Underwood’s local cinema, The Broadway, Letchworth Garden City (where he was born).
The first film he sees is a Sherlock Holmes story: The Speckled Band.
Sherlock Holmes in The Speckled Band (1931)
“I can remember to this day the enormous impression it made on me as we entered the dimly lit theatre,
walked down the red carpet,
and were shown to our red velvet seats…”
“There in front of us were the flickering, fascinating…”
“…black-and-white moving pictures...”
“I would walk miles to catch a Karloff film…”
