More about films on Radio 4
12:28, Tuesday, 17 February 2009
...and I should have added we are also running a series on Oscar winning films called And The Academy Award Goes To... presented by Paul Gambaccini, and produced by Paul Kobrak and Sara Jane Hall, on Saturdays at 10.30 - the biggest feature slot of the week.
The aim is to exploit the heightened interest in film at this time of the year - when we get the weepy speeches, the , the and then the . This is the second series. Last year the films featured were: Lawrence of Arabia, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, The Silence of the Lambs, The English Patient, and this year: The Godfather parts 1 & 2, Shakespeare in Love and Crash and the final one coming up on Saturday: West Side Story
The programmes examine the films - but not in the way The Film Programme would. They home in on the political and cultural context which might have influenced the judges' verdicts - suggesting that, on occasion, the Oscars outcome might not be a matter of cinematic quality - but more a reflection of a political zeitgeist.
Last week's programme - about the win for Crash over Brokeback Mountain - one of the best in either series. Paul's conclusion about the confusion of merit and subject matter convinced me.
Listen to the Crash edition of And the Academy Award Goes to... here (until Saturday 21st February).
Comment number 1.
At 17th Feb 2009, lordBeddGelert wrote:Now here's an idea, and as a special deal, I won't even charge you...
Replace the rather snooty Sue McGregor with Francine Stock on 'A Good Read' and bring in Mark Kermode to do the 'Film Programme'.
Mind you, I'm not sure listening to the likes of me for opinions on Radio 4, when many many of your listeners only use the internet when they have to, and not as a 'leisure activity' is really the way forward.
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Comment number 2.
At 17th Feb 2009, kleines c wrote:Of course, this is a repeat, Mark, although quite a good repeat in the run-up to the Oscars.
I am not so sure that I agree with lordBeddGelert. I certainly don't find Paul Gambaccini 'snooty', although I guess that it all depends upon personal perspective.
As for Paul's conclusion, the confusion of merit and subject matter, I guess that this is, in a sense, inevitable, Mark, and you could possibly even apply it to Radio 4.
;)
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Comment number 3.
At 18th Feb 2009, lordBeddGelert wrote:Sorry for the confusion !! I don't find Paul Gambaccini 'snooty', although I think he was a little bit too harsh on Russell Brand - talking of which, surely he has 'done the crime and done the time' and could now safely be given a show on Radio 4 ??
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Comment number 4.
At 18th Feb 2009, kleines c wrote:Curiously, lordBeddGelert, some people thought that Paul Gambacinni wasn't 'snooty' enough for Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 3, although such sensitivities can be difficult to work out. In terms of snootiness, I am not particularly bothered. As for Russell Brand, should he get his own show on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 4? Who knows?
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Comment number 5.
At 18th Feb 2009, BernieR wrote:Thought for the Day
Cinema is like reading for people with limited imaginations.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest,
Lawrence of Arabia, The Silence of the Lambs, The English Patient, The Godfather parts 1 & 2, Shakespeare in Love, all originally books or based on the lives of writers.
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