Friday December 16
Antz [e.tv.15.00] - it will come again, rest assured!
Saturday December 17
PUPIL AND MASTER
Spud [M-Net.20.30]
Hart to Hart Returns [e.tv.13.55]
The Number 23 [e.tv.21.55 and 02.00]
Sunday December 18
Unstoppable [M-Net.20.05]
DRIFTING INTO WONDERLAND
Alice in Wonderland [M-Net.10.00]
Hart to Hart Returns [e.tv.12.10]
Silent Night [e.tv.22.35]
Monday December 19
Cinema Verite [M-Net.22.30]
The Hollow [e.tv.00.35]
The Incredible Mrs Ritchie [e.tv.02.05]
Tuesday December 20
Spud [M-Net.01.30] G
Dying Young [e.tv.20.30]
Wednesday December 21
THE GOOD, THE GREAT ...AND DENZEL WASHINGTON
Unstoppable [M-Net.22.30]
Centurion [M-Net.01.10]
***
TELEVISION MADE LUCILLE BALL AND DESI ARNAZ HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE 1950S
In the States, the coming of television, was first ignored, then ridiculed and feared before finally being rather grudgingly accepted by the all powerful entertainment (Hollywood) hierarchy. By the time South Africa became one of the last countries on earth to switch on in the mid 70s, the cinema and television industries had been washing each other’s hands for years.
CAROL BURNETT WAS AN EARLY FAVOURITE WITH TV AUDIENCES IN SOUTH AFRICA
Television became part of daily life. The hosts of and participants in Talk Shows, Dramas, Comedies, Mini Shows, Serials etc. became familiar, flickering friends. In 1973 came an innovation that was to have far reaching results. A show was aired, adapted from a documentary style called Cinema Verite-Truthful or Direct Cinema, where cameras follow live subjects, relying largely on interaction and spontaneous response rather than careful scripting.
THE LOUDS-AN AMERICAN FAMILY
Cinema Verite moved to television and found a perfect specimen to put under the microscope, An (Average) American Family. The revolutionary concept was to follow and record this family closely, as they went about the business of living. Reactions to the first season, both positive and negative came thick and fast; remember this had never been done before on TV, it really was history in the making.
TIM ROBBINS AND DIANE LANE PLAY THE LOUDS
Cinema Verite [M-Net. Monday.22.30] is a film about that ground-breaking experiment; Diane Lane and Tim Robbins play a couple who put their marriage and family life on show, with James Gandolfini as the man who wielded the Peeping Tom camera. The Loud Family, who appeared as An American Family, became the very first participants in a Reality Show.
COMING OUT IN THE EARLY 70S
Albert Dekker plays the couple’s son, Lance who bravely ‘came out’ on screen, becoming a gay icon to an entire generation. Cinema Verite is fascinating, with a strong sense of the 70s, both social and political. Nobody realized then that Reality TV would snowball into the biggest viewing avalanche of all time.
LOVE IT OF HATE IT; REALITY TV IS HERE TO STAY
Try to remember, what did we do before Survivor and The Amazing Race? How did we cope? For one thing, we enjoyed watching glossy people driving smart cars doing sophisticated things.
THE HARTS SHOW OFF THEIR(MASSES OF) HAIR
Robert Wagner and Stephanie Powers were a good example; in Hart to Hart, they were well dressed and amusing, appearing in hour long episodes that were clever and well written too. See what I mean in Hart to Hart Returns [e.tv.Saturday.13.55 and Sunday.12.10], a spin off from the original hit series.
A CHRISTMAS TRUCE IN SILENT NIGHT
The Made for TV movie is another television mainstay; some of these movies are a great deal better than others. A good example is Silent Night [e.tv.Sunday.22.35]; a Christmas story in the tradition of Joyeux Noel. Silent Night stars Linda Hamilton and is a gentle seasonal reminder of goodwill and humanity.
THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN
The Hollow [e.tv.Monday.00.35] is a reworking of The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow, a creation of American writer, Washington Irving. Remember Johnny Depp playing Ichabod Crane in Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow back in 1999? This Made For Television Tale, involving an unlikely descendant of Ichabod’s is unfortunately just another excuse to make a teen type horror flick.
ROWLANDS AND ZEGERS SHARE A MOMENT
Kevin Zegers plays both the leading role in The Hollow and the mixed up youngster straightened out by veteran actress Gena Rowlands in The Incredible Mrs Ritchie [e.tv.Monday.02.05], a heartfelt little story; told with firmness and credibility. Rowlands is one of many former big screen stars now making a good living from television drama.
DENZEL HET MOOI DIE TAAL GEPRAAT
Some stars, of course, make their first impression on TV; Denzel Washington donned a white coat and did diagnoses in St Elsewhere for six seasons in the 80s; he spoke Afrikaans in this country, thanks to an innovation called a simulcast; those sure were the days!
THRILLS GALORE
Washington, now a double Oscar winner, stars along side Chris Pine in Unstoppable [M-Net.Sunday.20.05 and Wednesday.22.30], real edge of the seat stuff directed by Tony Scott about a volatile train careering out of control. Tense, well timed and exciting, an instant adrenaline rush.
BOYS WILL BE BOYS
To change tack completely, Spud [M-Net.Saturday.20.30 and Tuesday.01.30] is proudly South African; based, as it is, on the best selling local novel by John van de Ruit. The story is set in the world of private school education, where life is broadly funny and roughly sentimental.
JOHN CLEESE IN HIS BBC DAYS-AS BASIL FAWLTY
John Cleese gives a suitably bluffery performance as Mr Edly, the English master, who has emotional melt down and problems with alcohol; so often the sad plight of English teachers in fiction. Like cricket players, all the pupils and most of their friends have nicknames; the boys en masse are fairly endearing, led by Troye Sivan as young Spud, whose real name is John Milton.
WOODY DIDN'T WRITE ANTZ- CHRIS WEITZ DID; ALONG WITH BROTHER PAUL AND TODD ALCOTT
And so to animation—Antz [e.tv.Friday.15.00] boasts a distinguished voice cast, ranging from Woody Allen to Jennifer Lopez. For once, Woody Allen is not typecast as a neurotic man with bitten nails and a line in clever patter; this time, he is a neurotic ant with bitten nails and a line in clever patter. Seriously, you don’t really have to be a Woodyphile to find this adult animation very funny indeed.
DISNEY PERFECTION- WONDERFUL MUSIC AND A SNAPPY SUPPORTING CAST.ED WYNN WAS THE VOICE OF THE MAD HATTER
Alice in Wonderland [M-Net.Sunday.10.00] is smoothly Disney, dating from 1951; with Kathryn Beaumont voicing a rather insipid Alice. Beaumont, apparently a great favourite of Disney himself, was to be an equally insipid Wendy in Peter Pan two years later.
COBURN AND CUBA- BOTH OSCAR WINNERS IN THE 90S
Tucked away on Wednesday is a non animated Disney which is unashamedly aimed at a young audience. Snow Dogs [M-Net.Wednesday.09.30] sees Cuba Gooding Jnr and James Coburn sledge their way through Alaskan snow in a rather dogged comedy adventure. The movie is a little on the soppy side perhaps; but good fun nevertheless. And regular readers will know my weakness for wet noses and happy endings.
TO THE HILT
British director Neil Marshall is no stranger to violent action; he has been making quite a name for himself in the violent horror market recently. No horror as such but violence aplenty in Centurion [M-Net.Wednesday.01.10]; Roman and Picts clash, complete with 'dripping swords and bloodied sandals.'
DARKLY BROODING- GERMAN/IRISH ACTOR MICHAEL FASSBENDER
Saying that, the action is well structured and sustained; highlighting all kinds of very real, raw emotion. Incidentally, Michael Fassbender, who stars, is a man to watch, in more ways than one. I see he has just been nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his role in Shame
ROBERTS IN 1991
American director Joel Schumacher has had a long and varied career, in Dying Young, he directs Julia Roberts and Campbell Scott in story as old as time (and the talkies). A seriously ill young man, Campbell Scott, reaches out for a final chance at love. Go on, indulge yourself, weeping can be a wonderful release, and Julia was never lovelier.
...AND AGAIN, JUST FOR LUCK!
CARREY DOING HIS NORMAN BATES IMPERSONATION
The Number 23 [ e.tv.Saturday.21.55 and 02.00] like the number 13 should be avoided at all costs, I don’t know what Joel Schumacher was thinking about; he normally is quite canny in his choice of material. Jim Carrey who seems to be getting more manic as the years go by, is especially tiring in this complicated mishmash of a movie.
FAMOUS FOR...BEING FAMOUS
My choice is Cinema Verite [M-Net.Monday.22.30]. Where Reality Television Began.