The Edinburgh Fringe goes to the movies.

THERE was a time when the theatre looked down on cinema. Now it seems it can’t get enough of it. The Fringe is littered with acts that pay tribute to the influence of film.

Westerns may be dead at the box office but they are kept alive in "They Shoot Cowboys...Don’t They?" It’s a lively look at the history of the old west on celluloid, packed with information and entertainment. John Wayne, Alan Ladd, Clint Eastwood and even Doris Day make appearances. But sometimes less is more. I don’t really need to know who did the stunts in 1930’s Westerns even if the cast clearly enjoyed telling me.

Charlie Chaplin remains omnipotent. I still don’t see the attraction. Buster Keaton was always funnier. With a couple of his shorts showing this year everyone seems to be coming round to my way of thinking. Amongst the Chaplin related shows is "The Secret Life of Charlie Chaplin".

It tells the story of his second marriage. Chaplin’s autobiography devoted less than two lines to his wife Lillita McMurray and so this play is little more than conjecture. Was Chaplin threatened with a statutory rape charge if he didn’t marry her? Did he have an affair with her mother before they met? Who knows? The one thing which is spot on is George Dillon’s performance as Chaplin. There’s the rage and arrogance of a superstar as well as the weakness and vanity.

After receiving the superstar treatment on screen the sinking of the Titanic is retold at the Fringe by three French clowns in L’Embarquement. They use a combination of mime and film to depict the infamous voyage. After the heavy handed blockbuster version this production displays moments of genius. The mighty iceberg is played by some people in pointy hats. Thankfully the real tragedy of the movie, Celine Dion’s singing, is not represented.

Sketch shows are packed with film references. Some of the best come in "Navelgazing". They investigate how Martin Scorsese’s work might have been different if he had been from the north of England. They also provide a stunning parody of ex-Edinburgh Film Festival supremo turned TV presenter Mark Cousins.

Jon Reed’s "8 and a half mm" is a stand up show featuring redubbed cinema ads as well as Jon’s home movies. His spoof of classic soccer movie "Escape to Victory" is astonishing. And it doesn’t half baffle people who don’t remember the original -- Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine and Pele play football against the Nazi’s. Ring any bells?.

Strangest of all is the production of My Fair Lady. Given that Fringe shows can be of variable quality why declare “Winner of 8 Academy Awards” in your ads? It just made me realise that for the price of a ticket I could buy the Oscar winning version on video.

David Lee