I see this starts tonight: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0344rz7

Temp should take a look, it's been described as GOT without the sex and dragons. I must watch if for no other reason than the Herald saying that the theme tune sounds like Jeanette Krankie caught in a wringer.

That recalls an event I was at a few months ago associated with an international Women's Aid conference. As part of the entertainment they wheeled on an all women group with a name which was an amalgam of some alleged Gaelic words meaning something like 'Screeching Cats". There was nothing wrong with their actual musicianship but they delivered an interminable programme of pseudo Celtic mystical wailings until we all wished they would disappear into the swirling mists of the Celtic twilight.

These are rather fun and just the job for listening to while pottering around in the kitchen.

How to Survive the Roman Empire, by Pliny and Me. based on Pliny's letters.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06kbcyd

Anyone else watching The Last Kingdom?  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0344rr3/episodes/player

I'm enjoying going along for the ride but how authentic is it? I haven't been aware of any major bloopers but I doubt if I would spot anything more subtly wrong than Alfred checking his watch or Uhtred's mobile ringing.

Yes, I'm watching! I've been a huge fan of Uhtred for years and read all the books, Bernard Cornwell is normally reliable on historical accuracy so I'd assume the story is as close as possible. Not sure about the BBC adaptation though, I know they've left out parts of the story but it has been a while since I read the series and am tempted to re-read them just to see how far they have strayed from the original. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Saxon_Stories

This was shown on Monday evening; part 2 of 3;

Episode 1, about Highwaymen;

I find Rich Hall's documentaries on various aspects of the United States to be very entertaining;

Insightful as well, Trike, but I'm a big fan anyway. I enjoy his barely suppressed rage.

What are your thoughts on The Last Kingdom? I think it's great fun and while on the loosely historical, Detectorists series 2 has been an utter joy not to mention the coincidence of it following on to LK and having an Alfred Jewel as a plot device.

I've never watched The Last Kingdom, Ferval, or indeed Detectorists, maybe give them a go sometime.

Anyway, almost 4.30pm close down for the week.

Episode 3 of 3;

There was an excellent documentary on BBC 2 Scotland last night about the history of the Clyde Puffers;

Scotland's Vital Spark

Deutschland   -(Sp?) Have yet to see the second part of this cold war spy thriller - as seen by the other side. Was there genuine fear that Reagan was about to make war on Russia? I was somewhat detached from it all being abroad and with limited foreign news.... and let's be honest, enjoying many heady years of a very busy whirl of a  social life. Perhaps we were all being escapists at that time. Am off now to watch my recorded part two. I hope some else at Res Hist has been watching.

Has the second episode been on yet? I thought it only started last Saturday.

I did see it and enjoyed it, didn't Aunty Lenora dress well? Shades of Ninotchka there.
My recollection of !983 is a bit woolly I'm afraid, I remember the 'Empire of Evil' speech of course and the big Greenham Common protest but I don't recall quite the same degree of nervousness as in the 60's but then Regan was being treated a bit of a joke, much as Trump has been recently - a rather scary joke though in both cases. How he was seen by the East though I obviously don't know.

Next Sat - you are right! Very disappointed once I got my feet up and found the clicker.. The script says  to remember Regan was an actor - that was when he was giving the speech, suggesting that it was a bluff. it was not clear how aunty could go back and forth - she did her clothes shopping west but her loyalty was east. Makes one think of food laden tables for delegates at a Food for the Starving Symposium; - or any symposium come to that (One of my on going Rant topics when living abroad and the govt of the day there was spread world wide at these events.) 
I think you may well have perceived 60's attitudes applied to  an 80's scenario. Interesting. And I had no idea how funny those large disc army hats were/ possibly still  really are.

A little treat for those of us who like Bowie and/or Bible stuff: The Last Temptation of Christ is on on Film4 next Thursday at 12.40am.


Bowie is rather good - well, I think he is. He is a very calm and reasonable Pontius Pilate. As such he is very scary.


Pontius Pilate: It's one thing to want to change the way people live... but you want to change how they think, how they feel.

Jesus: All I'm saying is that change will happen with love, not with killing.

Pontius Pilate: Either way, it's dangerous. It's against Rome. It's against the way the world is. And killing or loving, it's all the same. It simply doesn't matter how you want to change things. We don't want them changed.


For those who really do not want to watch the whole film, here is the relevant bit:

National TV awards were given to the usual claptrap. Wolf Hall was not even nominated, I think? I wonder if anything went to the ads that show the little daschund? ( can't spell it!) My fav being the writ large on the balloon sky cricket camera...."Watching people play fetch." 
I did not watch the award prog because; one minute of the howling mob audience was one minute too much.

The interesting experiment using a collection of Dicken's characters brought together in a 'before' mode of their greater novel events to come has more appeal than I expected. 

Despite the press clamour, War and Peace is a somewhat lacking in something - and too much of the other. But that is all just my opinion.

I didn't realise Bowie was in that film, Temp - it's not one I had seen before. Not scary at all (unless of course you're on the side of the hippy lad). In fact everything he says is as true now as it ever was. A well written script.

Almost, but not quite, as good as this similar version ...



... which of course is obviously not as historically accurate as the preceding scene ... (RIP Rick)

I'm with you on W&P, P, looks pretty but is entirely unengaging. I've decided that I really prefer radio adaptations of books and I daily thank the powers etc for Radio 4x, there's a superb one of The Secret History running at the minute. And reruns of Round the Horne and I'm sorry I Haven't a Clue
Now they really are historical and hysterical.

Well, I find it scary, but then I would, wouldn't I? Bowie's Pilate is chilling and brilliant: he fascinates like a snake.

The shrieking of the horses off-stage is a Scorsese master touch. Listen how we teach obedience and submission - as is necessary. Rome will have trained animals.

And the irony of Pilate's parting words seems lost on you: "I do wish you people would go out and count them sometime; you might learn a lesson. No - probably not."

The irony is also "as true now as it ever was".

Started watching Vikings last night,got the dvd box set as a Christmas present. The story of the adventures of Ragnar Lothbrok, though these Vikings are, at the beginning anyway, unaware of any lands to the west of them, they set sail on the first ever longship, built by Ragnar's pal, Floki.
Episode 2, is impossible to watch without thinking of Horrible Histories' Viking song, the episode plays like a dramatized version of that song.
Still, at only 45 mins per episode it is easy to fit a viewing in.

I haven't seen that series yet as it has not been shown in my area so far.  I did see the Last Kingdom when I was home recently as my daughter had recorded it for us to watch.  Is there going to be a second series - I do hope so!

Nan,
Yes, the Vikings box set is for Series 1-3, and a fourth series has been filmed. I think it has only been shown on Sky so far.

The Last Kingdom, a second series of 10 episodes has been commissioned.

It was voted the best comedy series of 2015 by Norwegian TV viewers last year.

We are watching  the Norwegian series called 'The Occupation.' A somewhat far fetched tale - and I missed out on how they got into a muddle with the Russians in the first place. One thing was interesting tonight, after sentencing, the judge gently asked the guilty man what he thought of the sentence. Is that usual? Similar here would get a colourful Reith Lecture in reply, I imagine. That all aside, we like these scandinavian films for a change of scenary, production, life style and procedures.

Interesting prog on Radio 4 earlier - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06ycwr4
About Hermann Goering's brother (or as he himself thought half-brother) who seems to have assisted Jews to escape from Germany.

Deleted.

Temp wrote:

He is not just a hippy-dippy crackpot, although at first that is how he comes across. You probably do not have the time to comment, nordmann, but I should be interested in your views

Pseudo-historical characters are blank canvases upon which any personality can be projected, but still one would have hoped for more than one dimension in the case of these two lads. Paul comes across as a real prick here, doesn't he? In fact neither character is totally convincing in this portrayal. I like Satan though.

Thank you for your response, nordmann.

I shall delete my post. It was not appropriate here. Point taken.

That wasn't my point. Now my previous post looks like an impulsive bit of devil-worshipping!

All historical characters are prone to diverse interpretation, the diversity increasing in proportion to how "significant" they are deemed to have been or continue to be. That much is natural and to be expected, and in fact to be welcomed in my opinion as the sheer diversity can contribute greatly to an accurate understanding of their life, character and role in history. The problem with characters who reside on the border between historical fantasy and fact is that they lend themselves to even more diverse interpretation, all of which discussion is ultimately pointless as it cannot ever be objectively grounded in fact, simply subjectively surmised repeatedly by the participants in the debate.

nordmann wrote:

That wasn't my point. Now my previous post looks like an impulsive bit of devil-worshipping!  

So it does - how very unfortunate.

I regret now that - in a moment of pique - I deleted my post. Oddly enough I have tried to put it back three times, but I keep getting "Timed Out" and the message is lost. Am I being censored or something? Fair enough.

nordmann wrote:

The problem with characters who reside on the border between historical fantasy and fact is that they lend themselves to even more diverse interpretation, all of which discussion is ultimately pointless as it cannot ever be objectively grounded in fact, simply subjectively surmised repeatedly by the participants in the debate.

Oh dear, I've spent most of my life discussing things which cannot "ever be objectively grounded in fact". Perhaps even historians do that occasionally.

But no more "pointless discussion". Let us all stick to facts in future; but how boring it's going to be.

Temp wrote:

Am I being censored or something? Fair enough.

No.

Temp wrote:

Oh dear, I've spent most of my life discussing things which cannot "ever be objectively grounded in fact". Perhaps even historians do that occasionally.

More than occasionally, I would have imagined, especially for those characters in history about which we are dependent upon non-contemporary records when attempting to understand their character and contemporary actions and role. It is this attempt which will almost always prove ultimately pointless. However this does not preclude discussion grounded in fact regarding their influence, their perceived impact, and any other ramifications of their alleged actions.

OK.

Saddened that Terry Wogan's calming pace has gone. Part of the Beeb's history, if ever.

I'll post this to give our non-UK members a chance to watch it;

This week I have been mostly watching this;



got a copy in the local HMV. It's the commemorative edition from 2015. The programme itself was first shown in the UK back in the 90s

The Renaissance prog is very good - not exactly new to me nor unlocking any great mystery, I must admit to not knowing of the work of Torrigiano, who would have achieved greater things had his temper not got the better of him. Also high lighted in the programme with due regard, are  works in terracota  which have been historically overlooked in the the admiration of the great marble pieces. Had they been finished in the lost wax bronze treatment that would have made a stronger impact on the art world, I suppose. Modelling in clay is not quite as easy as people might believe; a quirky material at best, I imagine it would have tried Torrigiano's temper more than somewhat. It seems he also made the tomb effigies for the oft mentioned here, Lady Margaret Beaufort, having come to England to work for a while. He is the one who thumped Michelangelo 's nose - possibly in jealous rage.

Quick,...........before anyone from the Beeb spots it:

Thank you so much Triceratops for all the videos that you posted.

Your friend, Paul.

Anyone else watch this one last night?

Just a reminder that "Breaking Bad", Tudor version, is on BBC2 tonight at 9.00pm.

Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Richard III, proper hump and all. Judi Dench plays Richard's mum, Proud Cis.

Review in the Radio Times says Cumberbatch is brilliant.

Should be a real treat.

Temperance (Me) wrote:

Just a reminder that "Breaking Bad", Tudor version, is on BBC2 tonight at 9.00pm.

Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Richard III, proper hump and all.

Should be a real treat.

Well, it wasn't a treat at all. The script was sort of based on an idea by Wille Wobbleweapon, but was so cut as to be unrecognisable. Cumberbatch was totally OTT, Richard being all trendily portrayed as the abused and traumatised becoming the abuser and the traumatiser, rather than his being presented as a super-intelligent, witty, sardonic, Machiavellian devil of a character. Shakespeare did base Richard III's character on Kit Marlowe after all, a writer whom our Willie greatly admired at the time. Richard was supposed to be, like Marlowe, funny, seductive, completely outrageous - and quite irresistible - not just some sad, immensely irritating psycho.

Very disappointing production - and all that finger tapping was so silly and annoying.

Never mind, Temp. You can always watch Larry;

For anyone interested in Wilde's De Profundis:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07v00pm

Oscar Wilde was incarcerated in Reading Prison between 1895 and 1897, enduring the Separate System, a harsh penal regime designed to eliminate any contact between prisoners. During this period he wrote one of his last great works: an extended letter to his lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, later published as De Profundis.

Here the actor Stephen Rea (The Crying Game, Michael Collins, V for Vendetta) returns to cell C.3.3 in HM Reading Prison to perform De Profundis. The reading is preceded by a feature documentary where writer and director Neil Bartlett examines the conditions under which Wilde was writing.

Temperance,

I am not os accustomed with English literature. You will not believe it, that I have heard about Oscar Wilde but didn't know him.
That lack is thanks to you now solved.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wilde

And thanks for the link about De Profundis.

Kind regards, Paul.

You're a nice bloke, Paul. Hope all goes well for you.

Kindest regards,

Temp.

These are sometimes shown on Quest TV ( Freeview channel 37 ) a mixture of film footage and computer graphics illustrating tank battles:

I may have posted this before, can't remember:

There was a programme on BBC2 Scotland last night marking the centenary of Erskine Hospital:

A very good radio play adaptation of John Reed's classic:

Ten Days that Shook the World

Covering the October 1917 Bolshevik Coup in Petrograd through the eyes of a sympathetic American journalist, it's serialised in ten thirteen-minute shorts making it about 2 hours 10 minutes in total. Not sure if online radio content is available to those outside the BBC broadcast area (Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey) but if you can access it then it's fitting listening for a grey autumn day.

This starts on Monday on Radio 4, 30 episodes, one every day, so the furriners amongst us should be able to access it.
This is the first one:
The Beginnings of Belief
Living With The Gods

Neil MacGregor, former Director of the British Museum, begins this series about the role and expression of shared beliefs with the Lion Man, a small ivory sculpture which is about 40 000 years old. The figure has a human body and the head of a lion - it is a being that cannot exist in nature. While we shall never know what the Lion Man meant to the community in which it was created, we do know that it mattered enough for the group to allow someone to spend about 400 hours carving it.

The programme visits the cave in southern Germany where fragments of ivory were discovered in 1939. These fragments were gradually pieced together by archaeologists decades later to re-assemble the figure. Some smoothing on the torso suggests that the Lion Man was passed from person to person in the cave.

Neil MacGregor begins the series with this object because, in his words, 'what the archaeologists did as they pieced together the Lion Man is what societies have always done: work with fragmentary evidence to build a picture of the world. You could say that it's when a group agrees on how the fragments of the cosmic puzzle fit together that you truly have a community - one that endures, encompassing the living, the dead and the yet unborn. What this whole series is about is the role that such systems of belief - and perhaps even more the rituals that express those beliefs - have played in the creation, and sometimes in the destruction, of societies. Are we humans distinguished not just by a capacity to think, but by our need to believe - in a context where the search is not so much for my place in the world, but for our place in the cosmos - where believing is almost synonymous with belonging?'

Living With The Gods

That's seems very interesting Ferval.

I did already research overhere in a thread, if I recall it well, "Kings and Gods" and also for Zoroasterianism and the Cathars (albigenses). And on the old Beeb for the copmparison between Christianism and Zoroastrianism...
I am looking forward for it. And yes the audio can we receive here in Belgium not the visual...

Thank you for mentioning it, while here I look only to ARTE or to the BBC if something interesting is announced.

Kind regards from Paul.