Watched Schindlers List on Channel 5 the other night. It is one of the greatest movies ever made, if you have a soul you cannot fail to be moved. Whatever you may feel about Israel and the Palestinian question today the world in the late thirties and through the forties was something very different. A vast and sinister conflict its hard, even for the generation after to imagine.
I sometimes think the human species has more in common with Lemmings than any other animal. We seem, yet again to be becoming more insular and some of the world's current politicians are manipulating our worries and fears the way someone else once did.
The tragedy of Poland and Polish Jews of the massacres and ghettos and extermination camps is, even now unbelievable, not that I'm in any way a holocaust denier. The story if Schindler is so well told that the film is a true masterpiece, the stronger the story, and this is an incredible story, in many ways the greater the risk to the film maker.
The reason I felt moved to blog though was that Channel 5 treated the movie with respect, they're a commercial channel but advertising breaks were few, short and far between, protecting as far as a commercial station can the art and the experience.
Well done Channel 5 great example.
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Wednesday 31 August 2016
Friday 19 August 2016
About Time
Watched the movie 'About Time' on Film 4 last night. I've been trying to avoid commercial TV as much as possible, there are just too many ads these days and some I find patronising, others offensive, certain brands blacklisted as a result.
However, Film 4 has a tolerable amount of advertising and shows some good movies. In 'About Time' Bill Nighy plays Bill Nighy, diffident and charming and everyone else acts their socks off. OK it's not the world's greatest movie, but it's entertaining and it makes you feel good and it even has a message.
Written, as well as directed by Richard Curtis, who I met once when I was working as an extra, I'm forced to wonder if he's not the current Charles Dickens. Different times and different methods of communication and entertainment, but you'd have to say he's a great observer of human nature, and the message about looking at things positively, seeing the good and making the most of your life is unarguably right - but it's not rammed down your throat.
Hell, I'd even watch it again; it took me a moment or two to recognise Servilia from HBO's Rome and where I'd seen some of the other lead actors before, great performances. I'm not criticising Bill Nighy though, he was perfect for that role and if some actors reprise themselves, Hugh Grant is another, no problem if the casting is right, better them than Costner as Robin Hood.
Now for my ad - well, we all have to make a living, here is one of my gift shops.
However, Film 4 has a tolerable amount of advertising and shows some good movies. In 'About Time' Bill Nighy plays Bill Nighy, diffident and charming and everyone else acts their socks off. OK it's not the world's greatest movie, but it's entertaining and it makes you feel good and it even has a message.
Written, as well as directed by Richard Curtis, who I met once when I was working as an extra, I'm forced to wonder if he's not the current Charles Dickens. Different times and different methods of communication and entertainment, but you'd have to say he's a great observer of human nature, and the message about looking at things positively, seeing the good and making the most of your life is unarguably right - but it's not rammed down your throat.
Hell, I'd even watch it again; it took me a moment or two to recognise Servilia from HBO's Rome and where I'd seen some of the other lead actors before, great performances. I'm not criticising Bill Nighy though, he was perfect for that role and if some actors reprise themselves, Hugh Grant is another, no problem if the casting is right, better them than Costner as Robin Hood.
Now for my ad - well, we all have to make a living, here is one of my gift shops.
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