In the second part of David Puttnam's Century of Cinema, broadcast on BBC Radio 2 tonight, DP and I look at the filmmakers.The series originally aired in 1999 to celebrate the first 100 years of cinema and in this episode we talked to the people who make the movies: writers, directors, composers and producers.
Among those featured in the programme are writer/director Woody Allen, writer Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill), producer Charles Gordon (Die Hard, Waterworld), directors Stephen Spielberg, Fred Zinnerman (From Here to Eternity, A Man for All Seasons) and Robert Wise (The Sound of Music, The Day the Earth Stood Still) and, from archive, Alfred Hitchcock and Frank Capra.
You can hear David Puttnam's Century of Cinema - 'Reel 2: Right Directions' - on BBC Radio 2 at 10:30, and, if you miss the transmission this evening, it can be heard again for seven days via the BBC iPlayer.
And, until the transmission of tonight's episode, you've still a few hours left to catch 'Reel 1: Star Billing'.
6 comments:
Another fascinating programme, Brian.
There was a mention of how so many minutes of filming get to so few seconds of projection. It made me wonder how many hours of interviewing become so few minutes of broadcast. It's a very upbeat programme - you sound as though you are really enjoying the experience of presenting/chatting.
I'm looking forward to reading your volume(s) of memoirs: you must have some fascinating stories of the people you've met ...
Good question, Sheila, I dread to think!
I'm glad I sounded like I was enjoying it, because, yes, I did enjoy it! I loved my work!
As for the memoirs... Well, yes, I've met a great many fascinating people, but today you need to be a name to sell a book like that and whilst I have a name, I am really not a name...
Another wonderful episode! Again, I’ve listened to it twice now. It was really interesting to hear Lord Puttnam’s opinions of Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick.
Listening to Orson Welles I was waiting for him to mention the great Gregg Toland by name. I’m glad you picked up on that. And had the interview with Robert Wise. The breakfast scenes in Citizen Kane brilliantly show a marriage in decline and his editing is simply superb. No wonder world-class editors went on to become great directors like Robert Wise and Sir David Lean.
If I have one serious issue with the series it’s that the clips chosen make me want to did out the films and watch them again and right now I don’t have the time for that. Still, I’m looking forward to next week.
Don't worry, Brian. we're just back from the Met Police exhibition of forgeries and frauds at the V&A. While we were there, we worked out a foolproof Cunning Plan which will turn you into a name. I won't tell you about it here, too many people reading your blog ...
DERAP: What we do at Christmas and birthdays
GOOD DOG - Glad you liked part - sorry reel - two! I honestly think if everything about Citizen Kane was rightly credited to those truly responsible, we'd have to somewhat redefine our Wellsian devotion!
Many apologies for making you re-watch a load of old movies!
SHEILA - OK, just so long as it doesn't involve too long a custodial sentence...
It's a terrible imposition having to go back and watch old movies. (Rather than "old" I think we should actually label them "good" or "excellent" movies because, quite frankly, they are timeless).
It was the Robert Shaw speech in reel two that did it. So I watched Jaws to hear it again and was thinking about following it with Robin and Marian but then I saw the time.
Can't wait to hear what next week is going to 'force' me to see!
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