Welles on the BBC November 2005

[tadao]

Just a quick "heads up" to UK based Wellesnetters that there'll be a couple of Welles-related programmes on the free BBC digital TV station, BBC FOUR next week (October 29th-November 4th 2005).

THE CINEMA SHOW: LOST DECADE SPECIAL
BBC Four

Stuart Maconie kicks off a new series with a special edition focusing on postwar British film to coincide with the Lost Decade season. In particular, Maconie examines the work of the director Carol Reed, whose films include such classics as The Third Man and Odd Man Out. Guy Hamilton, who worked with Reed and later directed Goldfinger, is interviewed, and there is also a feature on Anna Neagle.

This was already shown last Friday, and I didn't get a chance to see it, but it's scheduled for repeats at 23.55 GMT on Sunday October 30th; 01.00 GMT on Tuesday November 1st (late Monday evening); 19.30 GMT on Friday November 4th; and 03.00 GMT on Saturday November 5th.


Of much more direct interest is an edition of 'Days that Shook the World'. This edition of the drama-documentary reconstruction show is devoted to Welles' 'War of the Worlds' broadcast. The programme deals with significant events in social and political history, retold through narration and filmed reconstructions. Its faux-archive footage and dramatisations aren't normally to my taste, but the 20th century editions are at least less jarring than the ones that use grainy phoney film in editions about the Pompeii volcano or the like. It'll most likely also feature real film clips of the press conference etc.

This one airs on November 3rd, at 21.30 GMT; and on November 4th at 01.00 and 03.30 (signed in BSL for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers). (An edition on the fake "Hitler diaries" is also running in the same slot, each programme is 30min.)


Not Welles-related, but there's also "Shepperton Babylon" on late British silents/early talkies, their stars, and scandals. This is on Monday October 31st at 23.00 GMT.


Probably all three worth a look, hope some of you can catch them.

[tadao]

The Welles Days That Shook The World is running again on BBC Four, tonight (November 9th 2005) at 7pm and 1am (GMT). This is the last time it's scheduled in the short-term, although it's sure to run on BBC2 in the near future.

It's certainly worth a look to those who can get the station. Having seen it, there's very little there that Welles devotees won't already know, although the presentation of a listener's suicide attempt is sort of shocking as it's a bit unexpected in the programme; and I hadn't heard the recording of the Hitler speech where he mentions the Martians before.