A Kendo Nagasaki film by Peter Blake ?

[billy bentley]

I've read that the artist/painter Peter Blake, made a film about the wrestler Kendo Nagasaki. It's well known Blake is a huge "grapple" fan. I'm not sure if it was a documentary or an art piece. Anyone know anything about it ?

[cornershop15]

I remember it well. Not listed at IMDb but read the last few paragraphs of this article:



Who is that masked man? | Sport | The Observer



It was an Arena documentary called Master of the Canvas (1992). Good title!



This reminds me of Bob Hope's joke about his failed boxing career:

They used to call me 'Rembrandt Hope' - because I was always on the canvas!



Just found an extract on YouTube. Sorted







BBC Knowledge is now BBC4.



Added bonus. An interview with Dr. Miriam (Don't Ask Me) Stoppard:



All this and camp astrologer Russell Grant too! What more could you want?

[billy bentley]

Many thanks cornershop. I am familiar with Simon Garfield's book "The Wrestling" and strongly recommend it to anyone with even the slightest curiousity about wrestling. I'll watch the youtube clips a little later. Thanks again.

[billy bentley]

Just watched the Blake/Kendo clip - two British masters. Terrific !

[billy bentley]

Just watched the chat show clip, Peter Blake sounded like he had laryngitis (?) but still his enthusiasm shines through. Thanks again cornershop, really enjoyed them both, but I assume that some where out there is a full length Arena documentary, am I wrong ?