Film Night Presenters

[Captain Oates]

Amid the publicity around Claudia Winkleman's appointment to this programme, much has been made of the fact that she is only the third presenter after Barry Norman and Jonathan Ross.



Does anyone else remember it being presented (rather well) by Iain Johnstone in the early eighties whilst Barry Norman migrated to Omnibus?



I think that makes Claudia the 4th presenter...

[batman]

What was the name of the programme co-presented by Chris Petit and Tony Bilbow? I thought that was Film Night.

[Santonix]

You're right Bats, they presented Film Night in the early 70's.

[Gerald Lovell]

name='batman']What was the name of the programme co-presented by Chris Petit and Tony Bilbow? I thought that was Film Night.

I think it was. Philip Jenkinson was also a presenter.



If we're talking about FILM ----, Denis Gifford did present at least one edition of FILM 73. By then, the regular presenter was Barry Norman in his first stint.

[Moor Larkin]

name='Captain Oates']Amid the publicity around Claudia Winkleman's appointment

First I've heard..............



Claudia?.... Hmmm.... I *like* her.... but.............



Let's hope she rises to the challenge. Good luck and here's hoping....

[christoph404]

name='Captain Oates']Amid the publicity around Claudia Winkleman's appointment to this programme, much has been made of the fact that she is only the third presenter after Barry Norman and Jonathan Ross.



Does anyone else remember it being presented (rather well) by Iain Johnstone in the early eighties whilst Barry Norman migrated to Omnibus?



I think that makes Claudia the 4th presenter...

When the BBC Film program started in 1971 it was called "Film 71" and then "Film 72" and so on as the years ticked by. Barry Norman only became the sole presenter of the show in 1974 and up until then presenters included Joan Bakewell, Frederic Raphael, Iain Johnstone and of course Barry Norman. In 1982 Iain Johnstone presented "Film 82" for a few months while Barry Norman went off to present Omnibus, Norman's experience on Omnibus was not a happy one so I think he was glad to return to his regular slot.

[CaptainWaggett]

Coincidentally, Darrenburnfan has justed posted an RT scan on another thread featuring Film Night. If that episode is typical, it was on a slightly different intellectual plane from Film '74

[Lord Brett]

That edition of Film Night sounds brilliant. A film programme which doesn't just cover the same films as everyone else. Do we really need Film 2010? I used to really look forward to it, but there are so many film review outlets covering the same tired Hollywood releases now that I can't be bothered to watch it.

[christoph404]

name='Lord Brett']That edition of Film Night sounds brilliant. A film programme which doesn't just cover the same films as everyone else. Do we really need Film 2010? I used to really look forward to it, but there are so many film review outlets covering the same tired Hollywood releases now that I can't be bothered to watch it.

I think it was a unique program when Barry Norman was presenting, I think the BBC were mad not to give it a proper time slot, it was such a popular program. Near the end of his tenure Norman just didn't bother to hide how pissed off he was at the irregular time slot the show was given, at the end of the show with exasperation in his voice , "well goodnight, next week for reasons totally beyond me we will be at the later time of 11.50 pm" I don't blame him for leaving and I think the BBC made an error in not trying to keep him.

As an aside, let me tell you that in the late 80s I found myself in the surreal position of sitting in a private screening room in Soho London with Barry Norman and his assistant watching possibly one of the worst films to emerge from the 80s. I had been commissioned to take Barry's photo for an interview he had done for a woman's magazine. I duly arrived with my assistant at the screening room on Golden Square and headquarters of "Golan Globus" Productions at 10.30 am, I was ushered into a room by some very sharply dressed middle eastern men who introduced me to Barry Norman who was seated and relaxed, having a coffee and a fag(he was a chain smoker then) He stood up and greeted me very warmly but was curious as to why we had arrived so early. I was keen to get on with the photos but Barry said in 2 minutes he was about to view a screening of Golan Globus's latest offering to the unsuspecting public, it could be 2 hours before he would be available for his pics.The features editor of the magazine had cocked up the timings. I said, no problem, we would just go off for coffee in Soho, kill time and come back. Barry said, "well would you like to watch a movie? you would be welcome to come and watch it and we can do the photos afterwards?" Well no need to guess what my answer was, "Great!" So just the four of us in a small screening room, Barry lights another fag, the lights go down and the film begins, "Masters Of The Universe" starring Dolph Lundgren ! I can't remember what Barry Norman's review of the film on his program sounded like but his remarks throughout the film in that screening room were hilarious and certainly not fit for broadcast even after the 9pm watershed! He said it was one of the worst films he had ever seen and kept apologizing to me and my assistant for foisting such miserable tripe on us and said it would be fine if we wanted to leave the room! We sat it out. I must say he was a lovely chap, very friendly and charming, we got the photos, with Barry still continually apologizing for the film, we laughed it off.

[Harbottle]

Great story, I rarely used to miss Filmxx when Barry Norman used to present it not that I was especially interested in the largely American films but watched for his reviews. Naturally I abandoned ship when Woss took over

[Lord Brett]

When I used to spend time in Wardour Street occasionally reviewing films I would walk past Barry Norman now and again. He really is remarkably tall!

[dremble wedge]

Although Barry Norman seems a splendid chap I must say I never really had much time for his prowess as a reviewer. And if he thought Masters of the Universe was one of the worse films he'd ever seen (utter tripe though it be) then he can't have watched all the films he was supposed to during his tenure. Maybe those rumours of him sending assistants to watch the films weren't just rumours...



Mind you, when Parky stood in for him, he was really atrocious!

[Film Man]

I seem to remember Michael Parkinson sitting in the seat until he upset United Artists with a poor review of Juggernaut. Norman got a bit too big for his boots asking for video tapes of new movies as he couldn't be bothered to attend previews!

Film Man.

[batman]

Norman's style of presenting is good, but I always found him to be rather condescending towards films that he considered to be simply 'entertainment'.

[Bernardo]

It is a pity that we have to rely upon BBC4 and Paul Merton for snippets of Film '49 or 50 etc.

I am sure there is a niche for presenting old movies in the style of FilmXX. Anyone here have the ear of BBC4 Controller?

[ChuckEddie]

I seem to recall that Philip Jenkinson presented a different film review show, cant remember when, or what it was called.



The premis was to review new releases and films that were being shown on the BBC that week.



Does anyone remember this program?

[Film Man]

Late Night Line Up.

[Gerald Lovell]

name='Film Man']Late Night Line Up.

Yes, the film review section with Philip Jenkinson was often the best part of the programme.

[ChuckEddie]

name='Film Man']Late Night Line Up.

Not what I was thinking of, it was pre BBC2 ( in my part of the world ), and also would have been at a time when I wouldn't have been allowed to stay up that late.



I'm sure it was early evening, and Philip had short hair and specs. Perhaaps I made it up.

[Gerald Lovell]

name='ChuckEddie']Not what I was thinking of, it was pre BBC2 ( in my part of the world ), and also would have been at a time when I wouldn't have been allowed to stay up that late.



I'm sure it was early evening, and Philip had short hair and specs. Perhaaps I made it up.

I don't think I ever saw Philip Jenkinson with short hair or glasses!

Didn't Chris Kelly sometimes wear glasses in CLAPPERBOARD? He certainly had shorter hair! Maybe that's what you're remembering, Eddie?