DaveCinzano
WATCH OUT, GEORGE, HE'S GOT A SCREWDRIVER!
following on from my “if you ran the local cinema” thread, i was thinking about the ‘moviedrome’ strand that used to run on bbc2.
when i first came across it it was presented by alec cox, that plug-like anglo emigre to californian film school who knocked up minor classics like ‘repo man’ and ‘walker’, and amateur parapolitics buff. back in those days he struck a real balance beteen classy b movies, like ‘gator’ and ‘q the winged serpent’, and the supposedly ‘proper’ canon of movie masterpieces. he also introduced me to ‘get carter’ (and to the pulp paperback it was based on, ‘jack’s return home’, and the music of roy budd) and to the work of john carpenter. good things, obviously. not only that, but his mini-lectures on the films he presented were full of intricate detail as well as informed judgements on technical aspects, and on the more subjective elements from which one’s own opinion of a film derives.
yet after hald a dozen cox seasons, the beeb brought in mark cousins. now, i have nothing against the chap, but he seemed to bring the dullest, most anally retentive edge to ‘moviedrome’, full of deconstructionist nonsense and over-egged pathos, like some book-monkey with half of term of greek tragedy under his belt and a teenage romanticist’s fodness for self-absorption. now i have no doubt that he knows his stuff, but he irritated the crap out of me. his curation struck a faux academic note, which contrasted with cox’s rich contextualisation and dry wit, had the effect of making him sound like a minor lecturer on a mickey mouse course at a cash-rich former poly. and when you think about cox’s background - he is dawson leary, ffs![/i] - it’s pretty incredible that he’s the one who comes across as the bloke in the pub nattering about some cool videos he’s just rented.
and the peculiar thing is that after ‘moviedrome’ melted down, cousins got the gig curating that movie festival, and also had that short, irregular series of in-depth interviews with big movie actors - and these i thought were marvellous. i mean, getting two hours with lauren bacall, or james coburn, talking to each of them about their careers and their acting, that was gold dust (and it’s always good to see lauren
). in that setting - sitting back, quietly asking thoughtful, detailed questions - cousins shone.
anyways, is ‘moviedrome’ ever coming back? and what is cox doing these days?
when i first came across it it was presented by alec cox, that plug-like anglo emigre to californian film school who knocked up minor classics like ‘repo man’ and ‘walker’, and amateur parapolitics buff. back in those days he struck a real balance beteen classy b movies, like ‘gator’ and ‘q the winged serpent’, and the supposedly ‘proper’ canon of movie masterpieces. he also introduced me to ‘get carter’ (and to the pulp paperback it was based on, ‘jack’s return home’, and the music of roy budd) and to the work of john carpenter. good things, obviously. not only that, but his mini-lectures on the films he presented were full of intricate detail as well as informed judgements on technical aspects, and on the more subjective elements from which one’s own opinion of a film derives.
yet after hald a dozen cox seasons, the beeb brought in mark cousins. now, i have nothing against the chap, but he seemed to bring the dullest, most anally retentive edge to ‘moviedrome’, full of deconstructionist nonsense and over-egged pathos, like some book-monkey with half of term of greek tragedy under his belt and a teenage romanticist’s fodness for self-absorption. now i have no doubt that he knows his stuff, but he irritated the crap out of me. his curation struck a faux academic note, which contrasted with cox’s rich contextualisation and dry wit, had the effect of making him sound like a minor lecturer on a mickey mouse course at a cash-rich former poly. and when you think about cox’s background - he is dawson leary, ffs![/i] - it’s pretty incredible that he’s the one who comes across as the bloke in the pub nattering about some cool videos he’s just rented.
and the peculiar thing is that after ‘moviedrome’ melted down, cousins got the gig curating that movie festival, and also had that short, irregular series of in-depth interviews with big movie actors - and these i thought were marvellous. i mean, getting two hours with lauren bacall, or james coburn, talking to each of them about their careers and their acting, that was gold dust (and it’s always good to see lauren
). in that setting - sitting back, quietly asking thoughtful, detailed questions - cousins shone.anyways, is ‘moviedrome’ ever coming back? and what is cox doing these days?
I loved Cox's dry weariness and preferred his choice of films.
not too keen on his late review stuff though.
