The South Bank Show

The South Bank Show Revisited: The Final Cut


In this, the final film in The South Bank Show Revisited season, the film takes a lateral look at The South Bank Show through the work of two independent filmmakers Ken Russell and Tony Palmer, who have made many films for the arts strand over its 32 year history, and the work of Melvyn Bragg himself; and all discuss the different styles they use.

The three film makers have very different and individual approaches to making an arts documentary. They all initially met and worked together at the BBC, on the series Monitor under Hugh Wheldon, and have since collaborated together on many occasions over the years, especially on The South Bank Show. Tony Palmer first assisted Ken Russell on his film Isadora, and a very young Melvyn Bragg worked with Ken on his film on the 60s photographer David Hurn – and was actually fleetingly seen in the film, when drafted in to play the MC of a strip club in it!

Ken Russell probably kick-started the genre of arts documentary making, and is known for his passion for music through his impressionist films. Tony Palmer’s films come from his fascination with the life, history and work of the artist. Melvyn Bragg‘s expertise is to reveal the subject by going straight to the source and talking to living artists.

The South Bank Show Revisited has new interviews with each of the three film makers on their personal take on arts programmes, and uses archive clips from some of their many South Bank Shows, to illustrate their thoughts including: Ken Russell‘s Anton Bruckner (1990), Elgar (2002) and A British Picture – Autobiography (1989); Tony Palmer‘s Benjamin Britten (1980), Stravinsky (1982), Maria Callas (1987) and Margot Fonteyn (2005); and Melvyn Bragg‘s William Golding (1980), Harold Pinter (1978), Toni Morrison (1981), Francis Bacon (1985) and Tracy Emin (2001).

This is the final film in The South Bank Show Revisited season - and the final broadcast of the arts strand The South Bank Show.

The South Bank Show will also receive recognition at BFI Southbank on Wednesday 26 May 2010, following an exclusive preview screening of The South Bank Show Revisited: The Final Cut; when Melvyn Bragg will discuss with Mark Lawson his time at the helm of this seminal arts strand, its place in the history of the arts on British television and the future of arts coverage on television. The interview will be illustrated by some of Melvyn’s favourite moments and personalities over the course of the show’s remarkable 32 year history. Also the BFI Southbank will be showing a season of past South Bank Shows screened throughout May; including films on David Lean (1985), Ingmar Bergman (1978) and the interview between Melvyn Bragg and Francis Bacon (1985). This will coincide with the publication of a book by Melvyn Bragg based on 25 South Bank Show interviews, and called The South Bank Show: Final Cut.


Presented and edited by Melvyn Bragg

Produced and directed by Gillian Greenwood

Last edited: Monday, 17 May 2010