First Light to air on BBC 2

[bobbysocks]

"First Light" a feature length program about the BoB is scheduled to aire on BBC2 on tuesday sept 14 @ 9pm. its based on Geoffrey Wellum's autobiography by the same name. hopefully BBC america will aire this sometime in the future. so enjoy boys...and girls..

there's more about the BoB series on the BBC here"
BBC - The Battle Of Britain Season on BBC TV

 

[Crimea_River]

Not likely to make it to Canada, unless the pilots start voting people off the show or a hockey game breaks out on set.

 

[Gnomey]

Saw the advert for it today. Will definitely try to catch it, if not on TV, I'll catch it on iPlayer.

 

[timshatz]

Might show up on BBC America. Hope so. It looks good and I am sick to death of reality TV.

 

[bobbysocks]

there is a whole bunch of BoB presentations i would like to see. so i wrote them and told them...i would rather watch something historic and educational than the boopsie twins bad hair day dilemma.

 

[looney]

I'm gonna tape it, does mean I'm goin to miss some movies

P.s. when is topgear back on BBC2

 

[rochie]

got the V+ box already set for it

 

[BikerBabe]

Can't watch BBC 2, so I'm desperately looking for friends on Facebook that'll tape/record it for me.

 

[looney]

Lol just checked it in my tv guide (a dutch one)

freely translated bit about 1st light:
Actionmovie(IL/CH/USA '92) director Bob Misiorowsji

An expert in paranormal stuff en psychological warfare is sent to Turkey

I'd never figure it's about WW2 BoB

 

[Airframes]

Maria, can you get BBC i-Player on your computer? You might be able to watch it there, after it's been screened, I didn't know I could do this, until my young daughter 'phoned me about a programme she's seen and enjoyed. That was on ITV in the UK, and I went to itv.com and found the i -Player thingy, and bingo ! BTW, the programme was 'David Jason - The Battle of Britain', screened last Saturday, 11th September, and on i-Player for 7 days. Well worth seeing.

 

[bobbysocks]

airframes thanks for the i-player info. that might just work for me!!!

 

[BikerBabe]

Hi again Terry and thanks for the iPlayer-info, I'll give it a go and see if it'll work here.

EDIT: Couldn't find it in itv.com, and the BBC site told me that it wasn't available in my area. *sulks, then pouts*
Ah well, thanks anyway, it was definitely worth a try.

 

[Maximowitz]

Just watched it. Average kind of docudrama thing, some fantastically wooden acting and the usual "stiff upper lip" stuff, action scenes cut out of the Battle of Britain movie with some clunky CGI added.



You might as well read his book of the same name.

 

[tail end charlie]

Just watched it. Average kind of docudrama thing, some fantastically wooden acting and the usual "stiff upper lip" stuff, action scenes cut out of the Battle of Britain movie with some clunky CGI added.
You might as well read his book of the same name.

I watched it too.

The problem with this and all other movies is finding actors to play the role. Wellum was 17 when he signed up and 18 at the time the movie was set, you cant get an 18 yr old actor to play the part. Personally I would have preferred listening to him speaking for an hour. I met one ww2 pilot on a train out of london he seemed just like Wellum thinking more about the friends he lost than what he achieved.

 

[Maximowitz]

I watched it too.

The problem with this and all other movies is finding actors to play the role. Wellum was 17 when he signed up and 18 at the time the movie was set, you cant get an 18 yr old actor to play the part. Personally I would have preferred listening to him speaking for an hour. I met one ww2 pilot on a train out of london he seemed just like Wellum thinking more about the friends he lost than what he achieved.

Yes, Wellum actually being interviewed by someone who could ask the right questions would have been far superior.

One day I'd like to see all the available contemporary film footage of the Battle of Britain shown without:

Talking heads

Idiot uninformed voice overs

Poorly done CGI

P*ss poor research

Just the footage shown, nothing more.

 

[tail end charlie]

Yes, Wellum actually being interviewed by someone who could ask the right questions would have been far superior.

One day I'd like to see all the available contemporary film footage of the Battle of Britain shown without:

Talking heads

Idiot uninformed voice overs

Poorly done CGI

P*ss poor research

Just the footage shown, nothing more.

I dont know if you saw the recent Davaid Jason and the Battle of Britain it was more about David Jason than the BoB...with adverts and insults to intelligence out of 1 hour 55 minutes was wasted.

 

[Maximowitz]

I dont know if you saw the recent Davaid Jason and the Battle of Britain it was more about David Jason than the BoB...with adverts and insults to intelligence out of 1 hour 55 minutes was wasted.

I didn't see it. Which, from what you say, is a distinct relief.

The problem with these sort of tv programs is that they have to be "sexed up" for the average viewer. You need a well known celeb to wander around cluelessly, expounding the same old myths because the budget doesn't stretch to any serious research. Or indeed reading a book on the subject that's been written in say, the last thirty years it seems.

Then you can cut and paste a few out of context interview snippets from past programs, chuck in a some CGI maps, that bit of gun camera footage of the B of B Fw 190 being shot down (very rare aircraft that one), the early model Heinkel III doing some bombing in the Spanish Civil War and hey presto! Battle of Britain documentary!

 

[tail end charlie]

Yes, Wellum actually being interviewed by someone who could ask the right questions would have been far superior.

One day I'd like to see all the available contemporary film footage of the Battle of Britain shown without:

Talking heads

Idiot uninformed voice overs

Poorly done CGI

P*ss poor research

Just the footage shown, nothing more.

I have just been watching the documentary on the wellington, much more informative and real.

 

[Crimea_River]

I didn't see it. Which, from what you say, is a distinct relief.

The problem with these sort of tv programs is that they have to be "sexed up" for the average viewer. You need a well known celeb to wander around cluelessly, expounding the same old myths because the budget doesn't stretch to any serious research. Or indeed reading a book on the subject that's been written in say, the last thirty years it seems.

Then you can cut and paste a few out of context interview snippets from past programs, chuck in a some CGI maps, that bit of gun camera footage of the B of B Fw 190 being shot down (very rare aircraft that one), the early model Heinkel III doing some bombing in the Spanish Civil War and hey presto! Battle of Britain documentary!

Too right and well said Paul!

 

[merlin]

I first saw the programme on the Wellington. Which was about the man women who built a Wellington in a record breaking attempt. This 'attempt' was filmed in part for propaganda purposes - even had an American narrator. The original film was being shown only recently, to the people who were involved with the 'attempt' - with them being interviewed separately, intersperced with newsreel film.
A very interesting programme, of what people endured.

Re: Geoffrey Wellum - First Light, I'm surprised by the negative comments.
I thought the 'drama' part brought to life the words of the pilot himself. I thought the actor did the part justice - from bravado to culture shock. I thought the contrast between the intensity of battle, to the need to erase it with the cammeraderie of the 'pub' was well, depicted, together with the apparent callous detachment of those who had just been shot down.
Using clips from Battle of Britain film, well well done, good way of saving money while still giving some 'authenticity' to it.