Comments on: Black Narcissus on BBC radio http://www.sineadgleeson.com/blog/2008/02/24/black-narcissus-on-bbc-radio/ Sinéad Gleeson's blog Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:54:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: clom http://www.sineadgleeson.com/blog/2008/02/24/black-narcissus-on-bbc-radio/#comment-134532 clom Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:57:10 +0000 http://www.sineadgleeson.com/blog/2008/02/24/black-narcissus-on-bbc-radio/#comment-134532 Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is indeed superb and very underrated. Kerr is superb in it. I really enjoy Tales of Hoffmann but it's not for everyone. Black Narcissus is superb, I saw a double bill of it and Bergman's "The Silence" recently. Creeped out beyond belief. Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is indeed superb and very underrated. Kerr is superb in it.

I really enjoy Tales of Hoffmann but it’s not for everyone.

Black Narcissus is superb, I saw a double bill of it and Bergman’s “The Silence” recently. Creeped out beyond belief.

]]> By: John Self http://www.sineadgleeson.com/blog/2008/02/24/black-narcissus-on-bbc-radio/#comment-134528 John Self Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:00:59 +0000 http://www.sineadgleeson.com/blog/2008/02/24/black-narcissus-on-bbc-radio/#comment-134528 Ah, don't get me started on Powell and Pressburger! Caught the wonderful <em>Life and Death of Colonel Blimp</em> at the <a href="http://www.queensfilmtheatre.com" rel="nofollow">QFT</a> last month as part of a Deborah Kerr season (they also showed <em>Black Narcissus</em> but I've seen it several times): the dear Colonel was on a print so old it stuck and melted in the gate - which to begin with I thought was a postmodern special effect... As well as the biggies you so rightly highlight, Sinéad, I'd recommend their beautiful 1944 film <em>A Canterbury Tale</em>, one of my favourites of theirs, if you don't know it already. They really were exceptionally prolific and gifted. It's a shame they split up as neither reached remotely the same heights alone (<em>Peeping Tom</em> effectively ended Powell's career, and he was reduced to producing duff comedy in Australia like <em>They're a Weird Mob,</em>); or maybe it's not, as I gather their later paired stuff, like <em>Tales of Hoffmann</em> and <em>The Scarlet Pimpernel</em>, were over-indulgent and are now swept under the carpet even by fans. Ah, don’t get me started on Powell and Pressburger! Caught the wonderful Life and Death of Colonel Blimp at the QFT last month as part of a Deborah Kerr season (they also showed Black Narcissus but I’ve seen it several times): the dear Colonel was on a print so old it stuck and melted in the gate - which to begin with I thought was a postmodern special effect…

As well as the biggies you so rightly highlight, Sinéad, I’d recommend their beautiful 1944 film A Canterbury Tale, one of my favourites of theirs, if you don’t know it already. They really were exceptionally prolific and gifted. It’s a shame they split up as neither reached remotely the same heights alone (Peeping Tom effectively ended Powell’s career, and he was reduced to producing duff comedy in Australia like They’re a Weird Mob,); or maybe it’s not, as I gather their later paired stuff, like Tales of Hoffmann and The Scarlet Pimpernel, were over-indulgent and are now swept under the carpet even by fans.

]]> By: Garreth http://www.sineadgleeson.com/blog/2008/02/24/black-narcissus-on-bbc-radio/#comment-134527 Garreth Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:51:39 +0000 http://www.sineadgleeson.com/blog/2008/02/24/black-narcissus-on-bbc-radio/#comment-134527 The Red Shoes was made in colour in 1947 and follows a small ballet group as it tours continental Europe. The shoes in the title are a pair of ballet slippers that compel the ballerina to dance herself to death. There is a story within a story in this film which was shot beautifully despite budgetary and technical shortcomings. I showed the video some years ago to a class of adult students who enjoyed it very much. The Red Shoes was made in colour in 1947 and follows a small ballet group as it tours continental Europe. The shoes in the title are a pair of ballet slippers that compel the ballerina to dance herself to death. There is a story within a story in this film which was shot beautifully despite budgetary and technical shortcomings. I showed the video some years ago to a class of adult students who enjoyed it very much.

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