Melvyn Bragg

Gerald Fox’s film documents Bill Viola and his wife and close collaborator Kira Perov’s odyssey to create two permanent video installations for London’s St Paul’s Cathedral, Martyrs and Mary, the first art commissions of their kind to be installed in Britain’s most famous religious space.

A surprisingly candid behind-the-scenes account of the career of Ken Loach, one of Britain’s most celebrated and controversial filmmakers, as he prepares to release his final major film I, Daniel Blake.

Funny, passionate, exciting, and smart: ‘Muse Of Fire’ will change the way you feel about Shakespeare forever. This unique feature documentary follows two actors, Giles Terera and Dan Poole, as they travel the world to find out everything they can about tackling the greatest writer of them all. Together they have directed and produced an inspiring film that aims to demystify and illuminate Shakespeare’s work for everyone: from actors, directors and students of all disciplines, right through to the? man on the street? Denmark with Jude Law, Baz Luhrmann in Hollywood, Prison in Berlin, and on the street with Mark Rylance. Think Shakespeare is boring? Think again!

Melvyn Bragg explores the dramatic story of William Tyndale and his mission to translate the Bible into English, which made him a threat to the authority of the church and state.

Melvyn Bragg explores the dramatic story of William Tyndale and his mission to translate the Bible into English, which made him a threat to the authority of the church and state.

Melvyn Bragg travels from Oklahoma to California to examine the enduring legacy of the Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck.

Actor John Rhys-Davies narrates this illuminating look at the King James Bible -- the most widely sold version of the most important book in Christianity. It effectively changed the way the English-speaking world would interpret Holy scripture. This program's highlights include elaborate live-action reenactments of how the version came to be, along with on-location footage of important biblical landmarks.

Last week Freddie Mercury would have celebrated his 60th birthday. To mark the occasion, celebrity fans Robbie Williams, McFly and Mike Myers talk about what they think made him so special. Photographs, home video footage and rarely heard interviews with the man himself are featured and some of Freddie's close friends and family reveal the man behind the magic.

Spoof documentary looking at the life of Normal Stanley Fletcher, the star of 1970s sitcom Porridge played by Ronnie Barker. Featuring fictional footage and interviews with the character's family, friends and associates, the film documents Fletcher's chequered career.

A profile of the Iranian film industry

A documentary on the band

A profile of the controversial Yugoslavian director

An LWT South Bank Show, presented by Melvyn Bragg, exploring the phenomenon of countertenor singing. With its unique, soaring beauty, the high male voice is today enjoying a huge resurgence in popularity. Heirs to the celebrated castrati of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, today's countertenors produce their voices by wholly natural means. In this programme international stars Michael Chance, Andreas Scholl and James Bowman, as well as popstar Jimmy Somerville, shed light on the appeal of the male falsetto. Meanwhile, experts such as Michael White place today's countertenors in their historical context. What emerges is a compelling portrayal of an unmistakable vocal style, rooted in church and operatic tradition, yet completely up-to-date, resonating louder today than at any time in the last two hundred years.

This documentary, shot entirely on location in Havana, includes many band members' insights into this revival, and features performance footage of an All-Stars' concert at the city's Salon of Dreams.

This documentary traces the lives of Gibb brothers and takes a look through their memories, creating some of the greatest hits in the world as the Bee Gees. Including interviews, archive footage, and new versions of classic songs - all recorded in the lead up to the release of their 'Still Waters' album in 1997.

Biography of Marlene Dietrich using interviews, film clips and rare footage of the actress, including her own home movies.

A study of Tennessee Williams's life and work as a whole, ranging from his youth in Mississippi and in St. Louis to success and acclaim, followed by the final difficult years. Includes some of the most celebrated scenes from film adaptations of Williams' work, among them extracts of A Streetcar Named Desire (1951),Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Night of the Iguana, The (1964), and Suddenly, Last Summer (1993) (TV). Contains footage of Williams being interviewed, including conversations with David Frost, 'Edward R. Murrow (I)', and Melvyn Bragg, as well as reminiscences from people who knew and worked with him, among them Edward Albee, Gore Vidal, and his lifelong friend, Lady Maria St. Just. Features readings from Elia Kazan's Notebook by Kim Hunter.

Dennis Potter a television dramatist talks about his work, politics and his fears for both.

Alan Bennett's personal overview of art, filmed in the atmospheric location of a Leeds art gallery.

Television documentary about British film director Ken Loach.

A 1992 documentary about the making of Naked Lunch.

This was an official documentary shown on television featuring George Martin taking us through the album tracks and Paul, George and Ringo giving us their memories of the sessions. The Making Of Sgt. Pepper was transmitted in the UK on ITV on 14th June 1992 and featured separate interviews with Paul (filmed on 9th April 1992), George (12th April) and Ringo (19th April). The show also features George Martin playing some unreleased Sgt. Pepper's recordings directly off the original studio 4-track master tapes.

Television documentary about British film director Terence Davies and his film "The Long Day Closes."

Television documentary about British film director Terence Davies and his film "The Long Day Closes."

Television documentary on playwright, actor, composer, and film maker Noel Coward.

Bernard Bottle, a mild mannered art buyer, is fired by his greedy boss, abandoned by his girlfriend and discovers a genie in an old bottle. The genie immediately embraces the modern world and helps Bernard on the side.

In this documentary Roy Lichtenstein is interviewed and discusses his life and art work, what influenced him, where his ideas came from, how his art adapted and how and why it changed over time. He discusses the Pop Art movement, a bit, mostly how he was one of a number of artists making art that was then called Pop Art. Also interesting is Lichtenstein tells what different art critics have said about different phases of his art and he shares his personal reactions to their statements. Additionally some footage of people criticizing and discussing his artwork is included, almost in a “he said, she said” manner which makes the viewer think about how sometimes what others say about an artist’s work may be a bit off or just wrong. Contrary to what non-artists may think, artists do usually have a reason or an inspiration behind what they create. Lucky for us this documentary allows us into the brilliant mind of Roy Lichtenstein.

Profile of fashion designer, Vivienne Westwood.

a spoof TV documentary film (a "mockumentary") charting the life and career of the fictitious British actor Sir Norbert Smith.

An American actor in England tries to find love and work.

Tony Palmer's award-winning feature-length documentary profile of Richard Burton.

Documentary about the making of the film first presented on the British television series "The South Bank Show".

Documentary about British film director Michael Powell

Documentary about British film director Michael Powell

A documentary video that profiles the life of David Lean, the director of Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia.

David Hockney is unquestionably one of the most passionate and versatile experimental artists on the contemporary scene. In the late 1970s the British artist developed a pioneering concept which also changed his perspective on painting – his “joiners”. In this film, the artist himself talks about this photographic approach, a kind of Cubism-inspired photocollage which explores the space-time continuum. Hockney allows the viewer to share in the creative “joiner” process and leads us step by step into the universe of his artistic creativity.

A documentary about the making of Bill Forsyth's 1983 film "Local Hero."

A documentary about the making of Bill Forsyth's 1983 film "Local Hero."

Documentary about Italian film director Ermanno Olmi, with emphasis on "The Tree of Wooden Clogs".

Documentary about Italian film director Ermanno Olmi, with emphasis on "The Tree of Wooden Clogs".

Interview with director/choreographer Bob Fosse, first shown on British television.

1981 episode of London Weekend Television's The South Bank Show examines the film and features interviews with novelist John Fowles, screenwriter Harold Pinter, and director Karel Reisz

Interview with the British author, William Golding.

Opening with the first day of rehearsals of the London production of "Sweeney Todd", this ninety-minute documentary focuses on the rehearsal process with the musical's director, composer and actors.

A documentary first presented on the South Bank Show in 1980 about the career of film director Roman Polanski.

A documentary first presented on the South Bank Show in 1980 about the career of film director Roman Polanski.

Through concert performances and interviews, this film offers us a comprehensive look at the British pioneer rock group, The Who. It captures their zany craziness and outrageous antics from the initial formation of the group in 1964 to 1978. It notably features the band's last performance with long-term drummer Keith Moon, filmed at Shepperton Studios in May 1978, three months before his death.

This lighthearted romp through Royal India presents a world of Maharajas, palaces, imperiled art objects, and the foreign collectors who will stop at nothing to possess them. Peggy Ashcroft and Larry Pine star as two rapacious art collectors who come to the decaying Art Deco palace of a young Maharaja (Victor Banerjee) to examine a legendary collection of Indian miniature paintings. While vying with each other to get the pictures away from the royal couple—nicknamed Georgie and Bonnie as children by their Scottish governess—they must also divine the true motives of the Indian curator of the collection (Saeed Jaffrey), who, in league with the Maharaja’s beautiful sister (Aparna Sen), may be working against them. Amidst the backdrop of lavish tourist entertainments, Christmas parties, fireworks, and even an English ghost, a desperate game of palace intrigue will determine the ultimate resting place of the priceless paintings.

This lighthearted romp through Royal India presents a world of Maharajas, palaces, imperiled art objects, and the foreign collectors who will stop at nothing to possess them. Peggy Ashcroft and Larry Pine star as two rapacious art collectors who come to the decaying Art Deco palace of a young Maharaja (Victor Banerjee) to examine a legendary collection of Indian miniature paintings. While vying with each other to get the pictures away from the royal couple—nicknamed Georgie and Bonnie as children by their Scottish governess—they must also divine the true motives of the Indian curator of the collection (Saeed Jaffrey), who, in league with the Maharaja’s beautiful sister (Aparna Sen), may be working against them. Amidst the backdrop of lavish tourist entertainments, Christmas parties, fireworks, and even an English ghost, a desperate game of palace intrigue will determine the ultimate resting place of the priceless paintings.

Documentary about the Swedish film director, produced for the UK television program "The South Bank."

Melvyn Bragg presents this 1977 documentary about Doctor Who from BBC2's 'The Lively Arts' strand, featuring extensive behind-the-scenes coverage of the making of The Talons of Weng-Chiang and looking back at the history of the programme and its psychological impact on the viewers, particularly children.

An Artist's Story concerns the confrontation of ideas between Anton, a young landscape painter, and Lydia, a young aristocratic girl who devotes her life to good works.

Recounts the last days of Jesus Christ from the perspective of Judas Iscariot, his betrayer. As Jesus' following increases, Judas begins to worry that Jesus is falling for his own hype, forgetting the principles of his teachings and growing too close to the prostitute Mary Magdalene. After Jesus has an outburst in a temple, Judas turns on him.

Composer, conductor and teacher Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky struggles against his homosexual tendencies by marrying, but unfortunately he chooses a wonky, nymphomaniac girl whom he cannot satisfy.

During World War II in North Africa, a group of British commandos disguised as Italian soldiers must travel behind enemy lines and destroy a vital Nazi oil depot.

A biography of the dancer Isadora Duncan, the 1920s dancer who forever changed people's ideas of ballet. Her nude, semi-nude, and pro-Soviet dance projects as well as her attitudes on free love, debt, dress, and lifestyle shocked the public of her time.

A biography of the dancer Isadora Duncan, the 1920s dancer who forever changed people's ideas of ballet. Her nude, semi-nude, and pro-Soviet dance projects as well as her attitudes on free love, debt, dress, and lifestyle shocked the public of her time.

Interview with Italian film director Federico Fellini.

Always On Sunday is a bio-pic on Le (Henri) Douanier Rousseau, a French naive painter.

Always On Sunday is a bio-pic on Le (Henri) Douanier Rousseau, a French naive painter.

An actor is playing Claude Debussy in a film about the composer's life, and finds himself identifying with his subject very closely.

An actor is playing Claude Debussy in a film about the composer's life, and finds himself identifying with his subject very closely.

Interviews with and performance footage of conductor Sir John Barbirolli

To mark his fiftieth birthday in 1988, London's Tate Gallery staged a major retrospective of his work. Melvyn Bragg joined David Hockney for an exclusive private view of the exhibition and they were filmed discussing pictures from all stages of Hockney's remarkable career.

Scenes from Huston's "Moulin Rouge," archive footage of the original locations, a Lautrec exhibition at London's "Royal Academy" and interviews with artists, critics and collectors provide insights into the artist's life.

Scenes from Huston's "Moulin Rouge," archive footage of the original locations, a Lautrec exhibition at London's "Royal Academy" and interviews with artists, critics and collectors provide insights into the artist's life.

In a programme broadcast 70 years to the day after the outbreak of WWII, people who were alive at the time speak of their memories.