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The Bigger Picture, presented by The British Film Institute
The BFI podcast #1 - Martin Scorsese in his own words, part 1
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The new podcast from the British Film Institute launches with the first of a two-part episode on Martin Scorsese, featuring a previously unreleased interview with the film-maker from 1987, as well as clips from the archive of writer-director Paul Schrader and actor Robert De Niro revealing what it's like to work with one of the most precise directors in film. Join Henry Barnes every two weeks for an audio adventure through the BFI's archives. Each fortnight Henry will be joined by a special guest to dig into their cinematic passion, be it a director, a genre, a franchise or a meme. This week, BFI Southbank chief programmer Geoff Andrew clambers into the pod to kick off our Marty party. This episode contains short clips from the following: - Citizen Kane. Directed by Orson Welles, released by RKO Productions and Mercury Productions in 1942. - 8 1/2. Directed by Federico Fellini, released by Cineriz and Francinex in 1963. - Rocco and his Brothers. Directed by Luchino Visconti, released by Titanus and Les Films Marceau in 1960. - New York, New York. Directed by Martin Scorsese, released by Chartoff-Winkler Productions and United Artists in 1977. The following audio tracks are used under license from Audio Network Limited: - Throwback Jack by Tim Garland, released 2013. - String Theory by Terry Divine-King, released 2012. - Canyon Lands by Adam Drake, released in 2011. - Angel Island by Terry Divine-King, released in 2015. - Good Deeds by Sam Wedgwood, released in 2017. For more on the BFI's Scorsese season go to bfi.org.uk.
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Kirk Douglas tribute
25:23||Season 3Kirk Douglas died this week. In this special episode of the British Film Institute's flagship podcast the BFI's Digital editor, Henry Barnes, pays tribute by introducing clips from an archive interview with the star, which was recorded at the National Film Theatre in 1972. Douglas talks about his roles in classics like Spartacus, as well as the fun he had playing the bad guy and playing with his public image.This episode of the podcast was written, presented and edited by Henry Barnes. Production and mixing by Peter Sale.
12. The trends of the 2010s
50:14||Season 3, Ep. 12The 2010s saw huge changes in the way films were watched and talked about. In the final episode of this series of The Bigger Picture (and the final episode of this decade) Anna, Hen and Pete explore the trends in film and telly - including #MeToo, streaming, Marvel and TV's REAL golden age - that developed over 10 extraordinary years in screen culture.Plus! Anna shares what she's learnt about film, herself and the world during te 2010s and Hen exclusively reveals his pick for the greatest screen experience of the last decade. Clue: it ain't classy.Thanks to all of The Bigger Picture's listeners for spending time with us this year. We wish you all happy holidays and a peaceful, prosperous 2020.The Bigger Picture, presented by the BFI is ...BFI Digital editor Henry BarnesAnna Bogutskayaand producer Peter Sale.
11. Little Women, instant friendship
24:38||Season 3, Ep. 11Greta Gerwig's take on Little Women, Louis May Alcott's classic novel, starts fast and speeds up from there. We talk about how Gerwig's antic adaptation barely pauses for breath, but still makes room in its period setting for a very modern take on women, work, money and freedom.Starring Saoirse Ronan as aspiring writer Jo Marsh, Little Women tells the story of Jo and her sisters - Meg, Amy and Beth - as they leave adolescence and find their way in the world. It's Gerwig's second film as director after the Oscar-nominated Lady Bird, which also starred Ronan.Elsewhere in this episode: witch stories, clockwork games and Anna swoons and swoons again over the lovely (for now) Timothée Chalamet, who plays this Little Women's Laurie.
10. Atlantics and supernatural love
28:34||Season 3, Ep. 10Heartless, irrational, unstoppable - zombies and the sea are natural soul(less) mates and Mati Diop's debut film pairs them beautifully. Atlantics, which took home the first feature award at this year's London Film Festival, is a love story between a Senegalese woman and her departed lover. It hits the high water mark for stories of supernatural love.Anna, Hen and Pete talk about what makes a ghoulish love story glimmer, how the sea shines as a metaphor on film and why love stories in which one person is dead are the most beautiful and tragic of all.!WARNING: Contains spoliers for Atlantics!The Bigger Picture, presented by the BFI, is ...BFI Digital editor Henry BarnesAnna Bogutskayaand producer Peter Sale.
9. The Report and the paperwork thriller
29:49||Season 3, Ep. 9A paperwork thriller. A chit-chat drama. The Report, the true story of the US Senate intelligence officer who investigated the CIA's torture of detainees after 9/11, uses dialogue - lots and lots of dialogue - to tell a slow-burning story of an instution reaching far beyond its limits.In this episode of The Bigger Picture Hen, Anna and Pete describe how watching the film is more akin to listening to long-form narrative podcast than going to the cinema, why the film remains a thrill despite its slow pace and how - bizarrely - scenes of state-sanctioned torture have become a trope unto themselves.The Bigger Picture, presented by the BFI, is ...BFI Digital editor Henry BarnesAnna Bogutskayaand producer Peter Sale.
8. Monos: A mystical teen party war movie
28:42||Season 3, Ep. 8Alejandro Landes's Monos has teen soldiers running wild in the mountains of an unspecified south American country. Hen, Anna and Pete take a trek up into the weird world of guerrilla warfare, presided over by a cow called Shakira.They talk about the film's treatment of Colombia's long-running war, how Landes masterfully creates an atmosphere of tension out of teen tomfoolery and Mica Levi's awesome score. Plus, nonsense chat about what we'd call a cow if one were gifted to us.The Bigger Picture, presented by the BFI, is ...BFI Digital editor Henry BarnesAnna Bogutskaya, Dice's Head of Arts and Cultureand producer Peter Sale
7. Singing the praises of Singin' in the Rain
30:36||Season 3, Ep. 7Dum-de-dum dum. Dum-de-dum de-dum dum-de-dum-de. Singin' in the Rain, the Gene Kelly classic, has been re-released by the BFI as part of a three-month musicals season. To celebrate Hen, Anna and Pete take a tour through the finger-clicking, puddle-stomper and talk about how, as well as being a timeless musical, the film endures as a Hollywood satire.Plus, Anna recommends her pick of the films she saw at this year's London Film Festival and Hen gets into Fortnite, a mere two years too late.The Bigger Picture, presented by the BFI, is ...BFI Digital editor Henry BarnesAnna Bogutskaya, Dice's Head of Arts and Cultureand producer Peter Sale
6. Joker, masculinity and angry, lonely fools
35:16||Season 3, Ep. 6Joker, Todd Phillips's gunky take on DC Comic's supervillain, gives us the origins story of a lonely guy with mental health issues who finds himself through violence. Anna, Hen and Pete talk about the films great debt to Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, examine what the film adds to the character's lore and wonder if asking us to pity the fool was the best strategy.Plus, Hen recommend a documentary on the civil rights activist and archivist, no ... hoarder ... no, archivist ... no, hoarder Marion Stokes and Anna heads back to her favourite streaming service for Unbelievable, a police procedural centred on the pursuit of a serial rapist.The Bigger Picture, presented by the BFI, is ...BFI Digital editor Henry BarnesAnna Bogutskaya, Dice's Head of Arts and Cultureand producer Peter Sale
5. Shola Amoo on The Last Tree
28:29||Season 3, Ep. 5No Anna this ep, but Hen and Pete are joined by a special guest, filmmaker Shola Amoo. Shola's in to talk about his new film, The Last Tree, which sees a British-Nigerian kid plucked from his rural foster home by his birth mum, who expects him to take root and thrive in London.Shola talks about the social rules inherent in growing up black in the city, how the expectations on second-generation kids have changed with the arrival of the internet and why grime - "Britain's best black export", according to Shola - offers a template for what black British filmmakers could do with film.Plus, Shola recommends a under-rated Kanye West album and Hen waves a placard for the Guardian's Anywhere But Westminster video series.The Bigger Picture, presented by the BFI, is ...BFI Digital editor Henry BarnesAnna Bogutskaya, Dice's Head of Arts and CultureProducer Peter Saleand special guest, filmmaker Shola Amoo.