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Savage Messiah: Ken Russell => Savage Messiah: Ken Russell => Topic started by: Iain Fisher on January 31, 2010, 11:46:49 PM

Title: The Last South Bank Show
Post by: Iain Fisher on January 31, 2010, 11:46:49 PM
I just saw the last South Bank Show.  It has been presented on television in Britain since 1970 by Melvyn Bragg (he did the script for Ken's films The Debussy Film in 65, The Music Lovers and many more up to Classic Widows in 1995).  The show has premiered lots of stuff by Ken.

It was broadcast by LWT Television on the south bank of the Thames (which gave the programme its name) and covered arts just as Huw Weldon's Monitor programmes did.  Memorable programmes for me were the interview with dramatist Dennis Potter, dying of cancer and having to take morphine during the interview, and the one on composer Peter Maxwell Davis (who coincidentally did the music for The Devils and The Boyfriend).

Sad that the show ends.  It was also one of the few outlets for Ken's work.
Title: Re: The Last South Bank Show
Post by: Iain Fisher on February 01, 2010, 09:12:01 PM
Melvyn Bragg has donated his manuscripts to Leeds University.  This includes an "unrealised script, accompanied by copious paperwork, for a film about the Russian ballet maestro Sergei Diaghilev to be directed by Ken Russell."

www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jan/31/brotherton-library-melvyn-bragg-archive (http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jan/31/brotherton-library-melvyn-bragg-archive)
Title: Re: The Last South Bank Show
Post by: BoyScoutKevin on February 01, 2010, 10:51:40 PM
Melvyn Bragg has donated his manuscripts to Leeds University.  This includes an "unrealised script, accompanied by copious paperwork, for a film about the Russian ballet maestro Sergei Diaghilev to be directed by Ken Russell."

www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jan/31/brotherton-library-melvyn-bragg-archive (http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jan/31/brotherton-library-melvyn-bragg-archive)

So many unrealized projects with Ken's name attached to them. I'm sorry this one never got made, as it would seem to have been a natural for Ken.
Title: The South Bank Show returns
Post by: Iain Fisher on May 22, 2012, 09:40:45 PM
The South Bank show returns with Melvyn Bragg, but now on Sky Arts (which I don't get!!).

Over the years the show commissioned a number of films by Ken, so great that it is back.
Title: Re: The South Bank Show returns
Post by: BoyScoutKevin on May 30, 2012, 09:52:16 PM
The South Bank show returns with Melvyn Bragg, but now on Sky Arts (which I don't get!!).

Over the years the show commissioned a number of films by Ken, so great that it is back.

A good reason to get Sky Arts?