Take Your Earmuffs out, It's a Johnathan Ross-Free Zone, it's Film...with Barry Norman

Barry Normans Films of the 80s part 1



UK TV Nostalgia on Youtube's first foray into film via Barry Norman's Film (followed by whatever year it is, be it '89 or '90). This is an end of decade special, featuring Norman's critique on what he believes to be the Top Ten movies of the 1980s. So it's a 5 part feast of fine film quality and cinematography. I'm not going to give anything away, but you can bet actors like Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman will feature. Norman presents the show in comfy looking pink V-collar jumper, in his usual soothing vocal tones. This was broadcasted on the last week of the decade, now over 20 years ago. Makes you feel old.

The full title of the show is "The Film Programme", as to describe the show as a whole. It began in 1971 with a range of TV presenters including Barry Norman, hence "Film '71". "Thinking Man's Crumpet" Joan Bakewell, also presented in the early days of the show. However, Norman became the full-time host from 1974, onwards to his retirement from the show in 1998. Since then, the programme has been presented by Johnathan Ross, who, alright, is a more calmed down version of what he is on his chat show, and is fanatical about film himself. He is set to quit the BBC this year (2010) and, the most likely replacement I think is Mark Kermode, who already does similar material on BBC2's "The Culture Show".

Barry Norman transferred to Sky and had a brief film review show on one the Sky Movies channels. I recall it being a rather muted affair, as Sky wouldn't want to curse their own products to hell and back. Norman still appears on TV as a "talking head" for movie chart shows, like the 100 best *insert genre* movies ever, ever. Has appeared on recent daytime chat shows like ITV's "Loose Women" and BBC's "The ONE Show".