Hands Up! Episode 1
Animated Teletext! This is a brilliantly obscure upload -probably one of the best finds on this blog so far- I have found of many episodes, from a Channel 4 educational show called "Hands Up!", which gives a really good diagnosis of the basic sign language for the deaf. It's blocky graphics galore! Al 10 episodes of the series is on Youtube.
The show was produced by Intelfax, I've never seen anything like it. The usual animation you would get on a normal teletext, would be flashing still images, as well as pressing the "reveal" button on you're remote control, to unveil an appearing and disappearing graphic. Brilliant!
Showing posts with label Arts and Culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arts and Culture. Show all posts
Saturday, 20 March 2010
Sunday, 28 February 2010
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".
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".
Thursday, 18 February 2010
The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread for Teaching Drama in the UK...
Three Looms Waiting Part 1
A memorable episode of the long-running arts and culture programme "Omnibus" (1967-2003), about a teacher. Just a teacher? Not just any teacher, this was someone who helped evolve drastically the way of teaching children drama. It was about the teacher becoming more harmonious with the children, and not be stooped on a higher platform, trying to think of acting like a theatrical director. Instead a more involving and a lack of hierachy, would help children be enthused to act, to act as another person in a more natural process. This process even had a name, it was called "Mantle of the Expert".
This teacher's name was Dorothy Heathcote, a former Mill worker (the clue's in the video title) from West Yorkshire. As she reiterated dreams of to be an actress, the mill boss, Charlie Fletcher exclaimed "that if it didn't work out there would always be three looms waiting for her at his mill." Hence the title. Although a talented actress, she was turned down for not having the right look. For Dorothy, fair to say she wasn't a pretty girl, was plucked out of nowhere to become a drama teacher, in a career change, in 1951. At first, her style of teaching was looked down on, but she then became raved about in her teaching success, spanning into a fan base outwith her local school, and other amenities she used to teach, such as village halls in Yorkshire, and the Bradford Civic Playhouse.
This episode is an celebration of her work, who was now a university lecturer, split into 8 parts on Youtube. Dorothy Heathcote is still alive to this day, in her 80s now.
A memorable episode of the long-running arts and culture programme "Omnibus" (1967-2003), about a teacher. Just a teacher? Not just any teacher, this was someone who helped evolve drastically the way of teaching children drama. It was about the teacher becoming more harmonious with the children, and not be stooped on a higher platform, trying to think of acting like a theatrical director. Instead a more involving and a lack of hierachy, would help children be enthused to act, to act as another person in a more natural process. This process even had a name, it was called "Mantle of the Expert".
This teacher's name was Dorothy Heathcote, a former Mill worker (the clue's in the video title) from West Yorkshire. As she reiterated dreams of to be an actress, the mill boss, Charlie Fletcher exclaimed "that if it didn't work out there would always be three looms waiting for her at his mill." Hence the title. Although a talented actress, she was turned down for not having the right look. For Dorothy, fair to say she wasn't a pretty girl, was plucked out of nowhere to become a drama teacher, in a career change, in 1951. At first, her style of teaching was looked down on, but she then became raved about in her teaching success, spanning into a fan base outwith her local school, and other amenities she used to teach, such as village halls in Yorkshire, and the Bradford Civic Playhouse.
This episode is an celebration of her work, who was now a university lecturer, split into 8 parts on Youtube. Dorothy Heathcote is still alive to this day, in her 80s now.
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Marking the End of ITV's "The South Bank Show"...
The Making of Sgt Pepper (Part 1)
To commemorate the ending of a great cultural and artistic documentative TV icon "The South Bank Show", here we see a classic full episode on Youtube, from 1992, showing us how "The Beatles" historic album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was produced, in itself commemorating it's 25th Anniversary. We are welcomed at first by that engraved-in-legend theme song of the show, a myriad of classical violins, punchy guitar, jazzy piano chords, the flute and 70's synth. Presented by Melvyn Bragg.
To commemorate the ending of a great cultural and artistic documentative TV icon "The South Bank Show", here we see a classic full episode on Youtube, from 1992, showing us how "The Beatles" historic album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was produced, in itself commemorating it's 25th Anniversary. We are welcomed at first by that engraved-in-legend theme song of the show, a myriad of classical violins, punchy guitar, jazzy piano chords, the flute and 70's synth. Presented by Melvyn Bragg.
This episodes shows archive clips from the scene of "Swinging Britain" in the late-60's, along with fresh interviews with the likes of The Beatles record producer George Martin, the 3 surviving Beatles members Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. John Lennon was assassinated back in 1980. The episode highlight how the influence of drugs like LSD were an influence on the album itself. This led to a psychedelic rock feel to the album.
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was released in 1967, The Beatles eighth album, which become one of their best and one of the most iconic albums in music history. The LP cover envisaged "The Fab Four" in the legendary pompous and regal brightly coloured buttoned uniforms, in front of a large gallery of famous faces from down the decades including the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Laurel and Hardy. The unique preposition for this album, were The Beatles became this fictional or alter-ego band, with the same name as the album title, changing their image and growing moustaches and longer hair. It contains classic hit songs like "With a Little Help from My Friends", "When I'm Sixty-Four" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". You can't knock it, can you?
The last episode of "The South Bank Show" was screened on the 28th December 2009. The last South Bank Awards Show was shown only 2 days ago, with many of the star-studded audience pouring scorn over ITV's decision to axe the Arts and culture programme. The programme ends for "good, good" after a series of "Revisited" episodes in Spring 2010.
Monday, 18 January 2010
Gibberish Talkers Over-taken by the Lord of Gibberish Oliver Reed
Oliver Reed - After Dark original TV clip. Part 1
Ah, a classic, classic moment and episode from the very acquired taste that was "After Dark" on Channel 4. The infamous, drunken Oliver Reed, confusing and bemusing a gang of well-seasoned intellectuals discussing on the subject of "Do Men Have To Be Violent?". Can't understand a thing, but still entertaining. From 1991, funnily enough, the same year the TV series finished, the main controversy of this episode was Reed fondling and rolling on top of feminist Kate Millett, as well as swearing at various moments. Transmission of the episode stopped, as it was live TV. This is the sort of edgy stuff, Channel 4 should be doing again, drunken Oli Reed or none. Arts and culture back on live TV!
"After Dark" ran from 1987-1991, but has been revived several times as one-off's and then another series on the BBC in 2003, still courting controversy. It's always shown late-night, and it's hard to believe this type of programming was allowed to run for 3-4 hours on a Saturday night.
For most of this first initial run on Channel 4, from one end of the spectrum you had highly intellectual banter on Four, and then you had almost the polar opposite of "Hitman and Her" on ITV. I like both shows, so maybe that just says I have intelligence to "switch on" to the discussions at "After Dark" in halves, quarters, or fifths, but be eased in by the non-thinking "Hitman and Her"!
Ah, a classic, classic moment and episode from the very acquired taste that was "After Dark" on Channel 4. The infamous, drunken Oliver Reed, confusing and bemusing a gang of well-seasoned intellectuals discussing on the subject of "Do Men Have To Be Violent?". Can't understand a thing, but still entertaining. From 1991, funnily enough, the same year the TV series finished, the main controversy of this episode was Reed fondling and rolling on top of feminist Kate Millett, as well as swearing at various moments. Transmission of the episode stopped, as it was live TV. This is the sort of edgy stuff, Channel 4 should be doing again, drunken Oli Reed or none. Arts and culture back on live TV!
"After Dark" ran from 1987-1991, but has been revived several times as one-off's and then another series on the BBC in 2003, still courting controversy. It's always shown late-night, and it's hard to believe this type of programming was allowed to run for 3-4 hours on a Saturday night.
For most of this first initial run on Channel 4, from one end of the spectrum you had highly intellectual banter on Four, and then you had almost the polar opposite of "Hitman and Her" on ITV. I like both shows, so maybe that just says I have intelligence to "switch on" to the discussions at "After Dark" in halves, quarters, or fifths, but be eased in by the non-thinking "Hitman and Her"!
Monday, 28 December 2009
Club X on Channel 4 - Drag Queen Discusses Victorian Items, Dogs and Bobbing Head to Keyboard Maestro
Regina Fong on Club X Part 1
The title strikes you as weird? Yes, and telling from the number of views of this clip, the largely forgotten 90-minute, late-night "Club X" an infamous arts/music live TV for the "yoof" of the late-80's. Regina Fong is the Drag Queen in question, in this section of the show, in which she is allied with a chubby ally named Fou Fou L. Hunter I believe, who we see at the end of this part. It all feels rather random.
The show was a pre-cursor to Channel 4's, modern, tacky but edgy "The Word" in 1990, and a successor to show's like "Network 7", in which the absolutely "charming" Janet Street-Porter, came to the public eye. Martina Attille, Murray Boland & Joel Colman presented the show, along with TV critic Victor Lewis-Smith as the light relief.
"Club X" was trashed, because of the direction and amateurish feel of the show. The magazine-format focused on certain low-brow art projects like body painting. It was accused of dumbing down the Arts, and it only lasted for 5 months in 1989.
With hindsight, with practically little Arts or Culture shows on mainstream TV, you can say at least they made an effort, however bad it was. Give me this over T4 anyday! However, seriously, on mainstream TV there's only really the BBC's "The Culture Show" for the youth, and ITV's soon-to-be-ending "South Bank Show". That isn't alot, but there is "Sky Arts", and BBC Four, I guess.
Regina Fong, real name Reg Bundy, was a theatrical actor and dancer, well known for his drag routine, beginning the character in 1985, and was a regular host for the London Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival. Reg died of cancer in 2003.
The title strikes you as weird? Yes, and telling from the number of views of this clip, the largely forgotten 90-minute, late-night "Club X" an infamous arts/music live TV for the "yoof" of the late-80's. Regina Fong is the Drag Queen in question, in this section of the show, in which she is allied with a chubby ally named Fou Fou L. Hunter I believe, who we see at the end of this part. It all feels rather random.
The show was a pre-cursor to Channel 4's, modern, tacky but edgy "The Word" in 1990, and a successor to show's like "Network 7", in which the absolutely "charming" Janet Street-Porter, came to the public eye. Martina Attille, Murray Boland & Joel Colman presented the show, along with TV critic Victor Lewis-Smith as the light relief.
"Club X" was trashed, because of the direction and amateurish feel of the show. The magazine-format focused on certain low-brow art projects like body painting. It was accused of dumbing down the Arts, and it only lasted for 5 months in 1989.
With hindsight, with practically little Arts or Culture shows on mainstream TV, you can say at least they made an effort, however bad it was. Give me this over T4 anyday! However, seriously, on mainstream TV there's only really the BBC's "The Culture Show" for the youth, and ITV's soon-to-be-ending "South Bank Show". That isn't alot, but there is "Sky Arts", and BBC Four, I guess.
Regina Fong, real name Reg Bundy, was a theatrical actor and dancer, well known for his drag routine, beginning the character in 1985, and was a regular host for the London Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival. Reg died of cancer in 2003.
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