MEDIA LIST
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FRIDAY 25
I Funeral in Berlin (Scottish) 8-10pm. Michael Caine is superspy Harry Palmer. sent to Berlin to check on an allegedly defecting Russian colonel.
I Edinburgh Nights (BBCZ)
11.2(lpm— 1 .25am. This year‘s Communicado offering at the Fringe. George Douglas Brown‘s The House with the Green Shutters. in full. Communicado beat more than 80 other companies this year to win the Prudential Award for Theatre.
I Barry Sheene - Daytona 1975 (C4) 8—9pm. The Frank Cvitanovich season concludes with an on-the-spot documentary on the motorcyclist‘s horrifying l75mph crash at Daytona and his subsequent recovery.
I The James Whale Radio Show (Scottish) 1—2am. So all-pervasive is the Edinburgh Festival that this week even Whaley's show emanates from there. It would be good to see if he can deflate some ofits insufferable characters in his usual. inimitable style.
SATURDAY 26
I The Best Man (C4) II).3()am—12.25pm. Gore Vidal adapted the screenplay for this 1964 political comedy from his own play. in which two Presidential candidates each try to win the favour of the dying ex-President in time to be nominated. Henry Fonda and Lee Tracy distinguish themselves. I A Family at War (C4) 8-9pm. The 50th anniversary of the outbreak of World War 11 is as good a time as any to repeat this drama series which ran from 1970—72. The first of eleven parts is set 1938. with a working class Liverpool family facing its own problems in the lead-up to war. Compulsive viewing then. and maybe I Murder on the Moon (Scottish) 8.15—1(l.1()pm. Made-for-TV whodunnit. with Brigitte Nielsen in the leading role. A murder takes place on a lunar base. and investigators from both USA and USSR turn up to look into it. Of course.they have a strong mutual attraction. and . .. ho hum. I A Concert for Jacqueline du Pre (C4) 9.3(1—1 lpm. Poignantly. the Haffner Symphony is conducted by du Pre's widower. Daniel Barenboim. in an all-Mozart selection which was recorded in June to launch the Jacqueline du Pre Memorial Fund. I The Prince's Trust 1989 Rock Gala (Scottish) 1 1pm—Iam. Van Morrison. Joan Baez. Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Will Downing. Alexander ()‘Neal. Mica Paris. Tony Iladley and many more at the NEC. IAN-Night Invisibility (C4) llpm—oIISam. Quite where the idea behind showing five Invisible Man films in a night developed. it's hard to say. but it alleviatesthe exhausting and uncomfortable inconvenience of all—night cinema sessions. I Del It: Rock otAges ( BBCZ) l I .(15pm—12.l)5am. Profile of British rock monsters Def Leppard. in adocumentary which tries not to brush over the more
hurtful episodes of their struggle to the top. such as the guitarist they sacked in 1982 for his drinking. and the accident in which their drummer lost hisarm.
SUNDAY 27
I Equinox (C4) 7—8pm. What is nanotechnology"? The next giant leap forward, according to many scientists. who are working on the rcstructuringof matter at the atomic level. Could we really be working self-reproducing. computer-controlled robots one ten-millionth of a metre long? Watch this. bear the guru of nanotechnology. K. Eric Drexler. and prepare to be flabbergasted. I Goldeneye (Scottish) 7.45—9.45. Dramatisation of the adventures of Royal Navy Commander Ian Fleming. the creator ofJames Bond. portrayed by Charles Dance.
I Man and Music: Russia underthe Tsars (C4) 8—9pm. The first ofthree programmes in Granada/(‘4‘s ongoing series has Bamber Gascoine lookingat Russian music through the ages from its folk roots to the turmoil of the 20th century. The second trio ofprogrammes. immediately following on from it. takes an equally close look at Austria. from the 1820s up to Emperor Franz-Joseph‘s death.
I No Time to Say Goodbye (BBCI)
8.10—9. lllpm. In the months leading upto the start of the last war. 50 years ago. nearly l(1.(l()() non-Aryan children were admitted into Britain to escape persecution. This programme tells of some of their experiences. through their own words. diaries. letters. photos and archive footage. Karolo Regent returnsto the town of her birth only to find a neo-Nazi gathering taking place at the same time.
I The Steven Wright Special (BBCZ)
9. 10— 10.05pm. American stand-up comic Steven Wright (appearing on this year's Fringe) reckons he averages six jokes a minute — so in a 55-minute programme there must be at least a few dozen worth hearing.
I Moviedrome: Five Easy Pieces(BB(‘2) ll).4()pm—12.25am. The Bob Rafelson flick on which Jack Nicholson built on his Easy Rider success and gained an ()scar nomination for his trouble.
I Edinburgh Military Tattoo 1989: Highlights (BBCl) 11.25—12.4(lpm. No risk ofbeing rained on here. and no need to bring along the thermos and travelling rug. One man. amidst all the pageant. should be worth watching: Dave (iauder. who pulled Concorde 40 feet along an airstrip in 1987. I Cinema from Three Continents: The Suitor8((‘4) ll.55pm—l.5()am. A groupof Iranians living in New York decide to sacrifice a sheep to keep up their Islamic rituals. Disastrous consequences. of course. With subtitles.
MONDAY 28
I Kellog's Tour of Britain ((‘4) 7.3(1—8pm. Preview of this third cycling race of Britain. which continues through the week. See Sport.
I Cocoon (Scottish) 8— 10. 1(lpm. Geriatrics in Florida find themselves rejuvenated by alien pods. Box office hit from 1985.
I Stitching Up the NHS ((‘4)9— Illpm. Support for the Government’s proposals
tor the NHS are hard to find outsidethe Government itself. This programme looks at the medical situation in America. where the kind of two-class health care being proposed is the norm. and asks what we can expect here.
I Woodstock (C4) ll.3()pm—2.55pm. Last time I watched this film I drank asix-pack of Becks and stayed disappointingly sober. Perhaps I should have had some of what this ecstatic lot were on. Twentieth anniversary this weekend of the most culturally significant mud-wrestling tournament of all time.
TUESDAY 29 j
I Bile the Ballot (C4) 1 1.30pm—12.3()am. Fringe star Pieter Dirk Uys presents his biting one-man satire on South Africa. with a cast of thousands (and a fair bit of transvestism on the way). especially adapted for TV.
I Mad Dogs and Englishmen ((‘4) 12.30—22.5(lam. Those who didn‘t laugh to the state ofself-combustion at the sight of Joe Cockcr on Woodstock last night might even be prepared for a full~length dose.in which he's joined by two other scourgesof the Seventies. Rita Coolidge and Leon Russell.
WEDNESDAY 30
I Screenplay: Beyond the Pale (B B(,‘2) 9.25—1t).3()pm. Four middle-aged people take a holiday to one of their favourite hotels. but this time the atmosphere is shattered by a revelation. Prunella Scales and Annette Crosbie star.
I Inside Story (BBC! ) 9.45—1(1.5(lpm. ()nc of these ‘At last it can be revealed' exposes on a spy network M16 thought it had successfully set up through the Baltic states. only to discover the whole web was being manipulated by the KGB. The programme also puts forward the proposition that Philby. far from havinga significant effect. was fairly unimportant. ITom Curtain (Scottish) 10.35pm—Iam. Paul Newman defects. No. he doesn‘t. he‘s actually on our side. But when his girlfriend. played by Julie Andrews. follows him into East Germany. things get complicated. ITheYelloStory(BB(‘2)11.15-11.55pm. The Snub TV crew chart the career ofthe eccentric but wonderful Swiss duo. led by loveable millionaire Dieter Meier. Includes clips from their forthcoming movie. Snowball.
THURSDAY 31 j
I You're in the Army NOW(C4)5—6.3(1pm. Phil Silvers and Jimmy Durante are two incompetent vacuum-cleaner salesmen who inadvertently end tip in the army. Enjoyable 1941 vehicle.
I Open Space (BBCZ) 8.3(l—9pm. The team looks at the work of the Avon Mental Handicap Action Group. which is calling for action on what it sees asa national problem: the care ofmentally handicapped youngsters once they leave school.
I Countdown to War (Scottish) 8.30—10pm. Another drama centring on the outbreak of war 5() years ago. This one documents the manoeuvres of liurope's leaders at the time. and stars Ian McKellen.
I Film on 4 Take 2: Success is the Best Revenge (C4) 9—1(l.45pm. Semi-autobiographical movie (his real-life wife and house were used) by the Polish exile Jerzy Skolimowski. who made .‘lfoonlig/iiing. about a theatre director whose son hankers to investigate the roots his father abandoned. I News '39 (BBCI ) 9.30—9.45pm. Sue Lawley announces the mobilisation ofthe navy. the evacuation of Britain's population centres and the lack of response from a totalitarian leader about the presence of his troops in Poland. It may sound like a newsreader‘s wet dream. but it‘s in fact the headlines from 5(1years ago today.
60 The List 25 — 31 August 1989