In this programme, the Nobel Prize-winning author gives a rare television interview and talks in depth about his novel, The Dean’s December. An attack on the physical and spiritual decline of modern city life, the book was inspired by Bellow’s experience of his native Chicago.
Julien Temple
A fascinating documentary showing the translation of Colin Mclnnes’ cult novel into a large-scale musical film starring David Bowie and Sade. Director Julien Temple and producer Steve Woolley talk about the making of the movie, which is set in teenage London in the late 1950s.
Norman Mailer
This programme on one of America’s most important contemporary writers focuses on his major documentary novel, The Executioner’s Song. This tells the story of Gary Gilmore, who died before a firing squad in Utah, in 1977. Mailer’s research into the lives of those involved in the case resulted in a thrilling book which also contains an important statement about modern America. Mailer talks in interview about his work.
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl (1916-90) wrote books which children around the world find irresistible and which constantly ride high in the hardback and paperback children’s lists. Made with Dahl in 1986, Jack Bond’s film takes the viewer on an amazing journey, entering the writer’s magical world and revealing his extraordinary fantasies.
Itzhak Perlman
One of the world’s greatest violinists, Itzhak Perlman is also known for his wit and good humour. This film was shot on location in New York, where Perlman talks about his career and how he copes with the effects of the childhood polio which left him crippled. He talks in depth about the art of playing the violin and demonstrates his skill, tackling pieces by Paganini and Bach.
Sir Ian Mckellen
This film diary spans a year in the life of the acclaimed British actor/director Sir lan McKellen and shows a formidable theatrical talent at work. He is seen preparing for major roles in Chekov’s Wild Honey and Shakespeare’s Corialanus, as well as setting up a company of his own at the Royal National Theatre and playing opposite Meryl Streep in the feature film Plenty.
The Theatre of Comedy
Farce has always been a vital ingredient of British theatre and one of the successes in the genre was Ray Cooney’s Theatre of Comedy Company. This programme looks at the chemistry of farce. It takes the form of a studio workshop, with Cooney and some of his leading actors performing and discussing extracts from his plays, including Run for Your Wife.
Stephen Spender
A prominent member of the generation of writers who emerged after the First World War, British poet Stephen Spender (1909-95) has often been described as the conscience of the thirties, the turbulent decade which saw the rise of Hitler, Franco and Fascism. Returning to the places which influenced his early life and work, he talks about his political and artistic concerns during that period and recollects his friendships with contemporaries, including W. H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood.
Hull Truck Theatre Company
Writer/director John Godber has built up an impressive reputation for the Hull Truck theatre company, with productions on topical subjects, such as rugby league and disco night life. This programme follows his play Blood, Sweat and Tears, about judo champion Karen Briggs, from his first meeting with Karen, through the cast’s instruction in judo, to final rehearsals.
Brookside
The British television series Brookside was the first of a breed of new-look soap operas to eschew purely domestic drama and tackle contemporary social problems in a realisitc way. Major figures in the television industry, members of the Brookside production team and Phil Redmond, who devised the series, discuss wether this popular form of entertainment can make a meaningful impact through its presentation of serious issues.