Yet another Dissertation topic!

[Hitch]

The time has come to choose my dissertation subject/title and i am stuck! I am studying television and film so the subject is wide ranged and i am struggling to choose what i wish to do.



I want to start my research now, so must choose asap. My passions are:



The BBC particularly the John Reith era

Japanese Horror

The Carry on films

Programmes such as 'On The Buses', 'Dads Army', 'Are you being served' etc.



I know this is quite a range, but would really appreciate some feedback from perhaps some people who have been through the same as i am currently!!



Thanks so much



This forum has been a lifesaver throughout my University career so far!!

[batman]

If you choose Japanese horror you could look at the way the genre has changed over the years, from the 'serious' horror of the 50s (Godzilla, The H Man etc) via the 'man in a suit demolishing model cities' years to the current more psychological films being made. You could also include the international impact some of these films have made and examine the cultural/artistic differences between the original films and their US remakes.

[Steve Crook]

What qualification is this for?

That determines how much you need to put into it and the depth that you need to cover it in



Steve

[CaptainWaggett]

I bet the examiners have seen a lot of dissertations on horror and Carry Ons but not many on the early history of the BBC so at least they won't be bored if you choose that one.

[Hitch]

name='Steve Crook' timestamp='1281957935' post='465010']

What qualification is this for?

That determines how much you need to put into it and the depth that you need to cover it in



Steve

It is a BA in Film And Television Studies

[Steve Crook]

name='Hitch' timestamp='1281962157' post='465017']

It is a BA in Film And Television Studies

I agree with the Captain, I think that the early BBC could be the most interesting one - for you and for the examiners. Early BBC television, how they started, what they carried over from the radio and what they did differently. When they had to stop the broadcasts because of the war and how they picked it up again post-war.



There should be enough there to get your teeth into for a good quality BA



Steve

[Film Man]

I you do take the BBC route Hitch and require material...contact me as I am a BBC retired Producer (1966-1998). Not that I have a lot but might be able to pass you onto different people.

Film Man.

[Gerald Lovell]

If you go down the BBC route, you might want to try and get a hold of REITH, the BBC's own take on his era, a two-part dramatisation from about 1983 in which Tom Fleming played the title role.

[CaptainWaggett]

This site is essential for early televsion history.

[Hitch]

Thank you everyone for replying.



I think i will go towards the BBC route, and cover them pre and post war.

If anyone has any suggested reading, websites or even contacts they would be greatly appreciated

[Gerald Lovell]

name='Hitch' timestamp='1282076427' post='465524']

Thank you everyone for replying.



I think i will go towards the BBC route, and cover them pre and post war.

If anyone has any suggested reading, websites or even contacts they would be greatly appreciated

An interesting read on early BBC Radio is Susan Briggs' Those Radio Times, published in 1981.



Do You Remember Television by Burton Graham published in 1974 and covering the first 40 years of television in fairly general terms is worth looking out for too.

[CaptainWaggett]

There's a massive multi-volume history of broadcasting by Asa Briggs that is probably fairly essential. On a lighter note, Tom Hickman's Wat did you do in the war, Auntie is quite fun,

[Dr Amicus]

There is a (presumably long out of print) BFI book on British popular television in the 50s - a (IIRC) very useful collection of essays (including one by Andy Medhurst on Gilbert Harding - I remember it has that as Andy was my Doctoral supervisor).



Also, remember Peter Cushing was a HUGE television star in the 50s - his autobiography has some useful titbits, as does David Miller's A Peter Cushing Companion (and, presumably, The Complete Peter Cushing, which I assume is the second edition).



Interestingly, Cushing relates a joke he heard at the time to show how ubiquitous he was:



Excuse me, do you know what Television is?

No - what is television?

Peter Cushing with knobs on.



Mehurst relates the same joke - but his version replaces Cushing with Harding. So, if you want to include any references to stars, it might be worth looking at these two figures. But it really depends on how long your dissertation is (but I would have thought including the 50s version of 1984 in some way is a must).

[CaptainWaggett]

name='Dr Amicus' timestamp='1282119977' post='465605']



Mehurst relates the same joke - but his version replaces Cushing with Harding. So, if you want to include any references to stars, it might be worth looking at these two figures. But it really depends on how long your dissertation is (but I would have thought including the 50s version of 1984 in some way is a must).

I suppose it depends whether Hitch is really just looking at the Reith era - 1984 was c115 years after Reith left the Beeb (in mysterious circumstances ). Plenty to fill one dissertation on the pre-war BBC - pre-war television looks fascinating and hasn't been studied that much. But whatever is decided, I'm sure it will be really interesting.

[Dr Amicus]

name='CaptainWaggett' timestamp='1282137702' post='465723']

I suppose it depends whether Hitch is really just looking at the Reith era - 1984 was c115 years after Reith left the Beeb (in mysterious circumstances ). Plenty to fill one dissertation on the pre-war BBC - pre-war television looks fascinating and hasn't been studied that much.

I think you mean 15 years...



But absolutely - it depends on how much ground Hitch is covering, he referred to pre & post-war, which is quite loose in time frame. Again, depending on how long this is supposed to be (10,000 words), choosing a clearly defined time limit is a must. Also, is this going to concentrate on the programmes or the infrastructure? If the former, there is the problem about availability - but it allows the possibility of textual analysis, which makes it perhaps a bit easier to say something original.

[CaptainWaggett]

name='Dr Amicus' timestamp='1282138509' post='465729']

I think you mean 15 years...

The war would have made it seem longer

[Hitch]

I agree with the Captain, I think that the early BBC could be the most interesting one - for you and for the examiners. Early BBC television, how they started, what they carried over from the radio and what they did differently. When they had to stop the broadcasts because of the war and how they picked it up again post-war.

I have chosen this particular aspect, but am having difficulty in wording the title, does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks

[didi-5]

Do you have any title at all yet? Give us a hint and I'm sure someone will come up with a good angle.

[Hitch]

I am really struggling with the title, so as of yet i don't have one. But i am going to look at early BBC, the beginnings with radio, then television and how they dealt with the war. // OR - BBC and National identity

[Steve Crook]

I am really struggling with the title, so as of yet i don't have one. But i am going to look at early BBC, the beginnings with radio, then television and how they dealt with the war. // OR - BBC and National identity

The English don't really do National Identity
- and the BBC was aimed at the whole of the UK.

What about "The early years of BBC television"? Maybe with some dates attached once you've worked out what range you will cover

Steve