Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
What Next? (1974)
Director: Peter Smith
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Presumably it was the plot of this Children's Film Foundation adventure that led one American critic to call it the teenies' Chinatown: blustering right-wing property developer of eminent respectability (Cossins) is uncovered by three kids as the man behind the Great Plane Robbery. Rather, we're back in the world of the Dandy and Beano, where a hit on the head means a sudden acquisition of prophetic powers, where kids become super-sleuths moving through a world of half-disguised names (Pentonmarsh Prison, Whittlewoods Pools) and get their picture on the front page of the local paper. What's more, the kids actually look as though they were thought up by a DC Thompson artist. The film develops a refreshingly conspiratorial attitude to grown-ups, and a healthy irreverence towards figures of authority. Just the right amount of laughs and a scary sequence in the Ghost Train for kids. Excellent use of London locations, natural performances, and enough wit for attendant adults.Author:
Cast & crew
Director: Peter Smith
Producer: Carole K Smith
Cast: Peter Robinson, Perry Benson, Lynne White, James Cossins, Laurence Carter, Jerold Wells, Derek Deadman full cast
Genre(s): Children's
Duration: 56 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Time Out's 101 Films of the Decade
Ten years, thousands of movies and millions of dollars in international box office, and it all boils down to this
Martin Provost discusses 'Séraphine'
Trevor Johnston talks to the director of 'Séraphine' about bringing a little known French painter back to life
Our verdict on Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones
Peter Jackson ends a triumphant decade with a sentimental misfire with this lush Alice Sebold adaptation
On the set of Ken Loach's 'Route Irish'
Dave Calhoun meets Ken Loach on the set of his forthcoming Iraq war movie
Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'
Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him
Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?
How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains
Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'
We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon
A gateway to all things 'New Moon'
In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.
The films that deserve a TV spin-off
With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations












What do you think?
Post your review now