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Julius Caesar: The Making of a Dictator (2023) #1521
DOCUMENTARY
Main,Disk
3x1 hour episodes. BBC. Julius Caesar: The Making of a Dictator BBC 2023 He came. He saw. He conquered. The tale of an ambitious power-grab that turned to tyranny. How Julius Caesar dismantled five centuries of ancient Roman democracy in just 16 years. 1 High Priest Caesar seeks to become consul, the highest political position in Rome. To do so, he enters into dangerous alliances and bends the rules of the republic, courting the popular vote, exploiting division and using bribery and intimidation to get his own way. But his unconventional approach to politics and disregard for established customs sets him at odds with the conservative elite within the senate. And one man – Cato – is hellbent on bringing him down. 2 Veni Vidi Vici Caesar has brokered an uneasy alliance with the two other most powerful men in the republic – Pompey and Crassus. Between them, they dominate the political system, and Caesar appears untouchable. He leaves Rome to take the governorship of Gaul – modern-day France – to conquer its people and win yet greater power and prestige. But events beyond his control threaten to unravel his plans and leave him isolated. Pushed into a corner, he makes a decision that will change the course of the republic forever. 3 Ides of March As Caesar takes control of Rome and consolidates his grip over the republic, he awards himself ever-greater powers. Appointed dictator for one year to restore peace, he soon extends this to ten years... then dictator for life. Caesar has become untouchable, and Rome is now – in the modern sense of the word – a dictatorship. Caesar’s ambition has turned to tyranny. A handful of senators, including some of his closest allies, plot to end his rule in the only way they can: by taking his life. But will that be enough to save the republic? |
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Bradford Family Archive (2020) #1302
DOCUMENTARY
Main
Made by New Focus at Impressions Gallery in response to the covid crisis. Launced on You Tube on 30th July 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGHkn9PMnRk&t=7s |
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Look North 21/10/2020 (2020) #1324
FILM
Special
Harry Gration's last show. |
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A Very British Christmas (2019) #1334
FILM
Main
Directed by Steven Nesbit. With Rachel Shenton, Mark Killeen, Isla Cook, Michele Dotrice. Opera singer Jessica's flight to her concert in Vienna gets delayed and she is stuck in a remote area of England. The only place to stay is a bed-and-breakfast in an enchanting village run by a handsome widower named Andrew. Also billed as 'A Very Yorkshire Christmas' this film stars Knaresborough. |
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When Bridges Collapse: The Genoa Disaster (2019) #1396
DOCUMENTARY
Main
1 hour. BBC. On 14 August 2018, the Polcevera Bridge in Genoa collapsed, sending 27 vehicles plummeting to the valley below. 43 people lost their lives. It was Italy’s worst ever road-bridge disaster. This film tells the story of some of the people on the bridge that day and investigates what caused the bridge to fail so catastrophically. The Polcevera Bridge was an icon of 1960s engineering, built by one of Italy’s most celebrated engineers, and hailed by some as a masterpiece. It formed a vital link in the main motorway between the south of France and Rome. Its failure had a huge impact on the local economy. The debris blocked railway lines for weeks, 600 people who lived under the bridge were forced to flee their homes, and lorry drivers had to make a 115km detour. Ex-professional footballer Davide Capello, who was driving over the bridge when it collapsed, recalls his miraculous escape. "I found myself tumbling into the void. At that moment I let go of the wheel, I placed my hands behind my head, and I thought I was already dead." With many of Europe’s highways built in the same era as the Genoa bridge, this tragedy has raised questions about the maintenance of Europe’s ageing infrastructure. Are our bridges safe? |
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McMafia (2018) #1078
TV DRAMA
Special
8x1hour. BBC. Series 1. Alex Godman, the English-raised son of Russian mafia exiles, has spent his life trying to escape the shadow of their past, building his own legitimate business and forging a life with his girlfriend, Rebecca. But when a murder unearths his family's past, Alex is drawn into the criminal underworld where he must confront his values to protect those he loves. When tragedy strikes, Alex Godman finds himself drawn into the criminal world. 1/8 After a tragic event, Alex Godman is drawn into the murky world of global crime. 2/8 Alex becomes immersed in business in Prague after Semiyon convinces him. 3/8 A mysterious figure, who is not all he seems, reaches out to Alex. 4/8 Alex unlocks a way to attack Benny Chopra and Vadim in Mumbai. 5/8 Semiyon awakes to an awful accusation and Katya unravels a shocking secret. 6/8 Alex increases security as Vadim starts to close in on the Godman family. 7/8 Alex learns the dreadful price of his actions. 8/8 The final showdown takes place in Moscow. |
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Imagine: Hockney, the Queen and the Royal Peculiar (2018) #1140
DOCUMENTARY
Main
1 hour. BBC. It has been the site of royal weddings, funerals and nearly every British coronation since 1066, Westminster Abbey is also known as a Royal Peculiar - a church controlled not by a bishop but by the monarch herself. Crowned there 65 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II is now the world's longest-reigning monarch and to celebrate, Westminster Abbey has commissioned an historic new work - a towering stained-glass window. The artist behind it is David Hockney - who famously refused a knighthood and declined an invitation to paint the Queen's portrait because he was too busy painting landscapes in Yorkshire. Adopting an art form which is over 1,000 years old is yet another surprising move from an artist whose career has continually defied expectation. With unique access, imagine... follows the whole process from design to installation. |
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Sound Waves: The Symphony of Physics (2017) #988
DOCUMENTARY
Main
2x1 hour. BBC. Dr Helen Czerski investigates the extraordinary science behind the sounds we're familiar with and the sounds that we normally can't hear. She begins by exploring the simplest of ideas: what is a sound? At the Palace of Westminster, Helen teams up with scientists from the University of Leicester to carry out state-of-the-art measurements using lasers to reveal how the most famous bell in the world - Big Ben - vibrates to create pressure waves in the air at particular frequencies. This is how Big Ben produces its distinct sound. It's the first time that these laser measurements have been done on Big Ben. With soprano singer Lesley Garrett CBE, Helen explores the science of the singing voice - revealing in intimate detail its inner workings and how it produces sound. Lesley undergoes a laryngoscopy to show the vocal folds of her larynx. At University College London, Lesley sings I Dreamed a Dream inside an MRI scanner to reveal how her vocal tract acts as a 'resonator', amplifying and shaping the sound from her larynx. Having explored the world of sounds with which we are familiar, Helen discovers the hidden world of sounds that lie beyond the range of human hearing. At the summit of Stromboli, one of Europe's most active volcanoes, Helen and volcanologist Dr Jeffrey Johnson use a special microphone to record the extraordinary deep tone produced by the volcano as it explodes - a frequency far too low for the human ear to detect. Helen reveals how the volcano produces sound in a similar way to a musical instrument - with the volcano vent acting as a 'sound resonator'. Finally, at the University of Cambridge's Institute of Astronomy, Helen meets a scientist who has discovered evidence of sound waves in space, created by a giant black hole. These sounds are one million billion times lower than the limit of human hearing and could be the key in figuring out how galaxy clusters, the largest structures in the universe, grow. |
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King Charles III (2017) #998
TV DRAMA
Main
90mins. BBC. King Charles III, adapted by Mike Bartlett from his Tony-nominated stage play, is part political thriller, part family drama, and a timely examination of contemporary Britain. Prince Charles has waited his entire life to ascend to the British throne. But after the Queen's death, he immediately finds himself wrestling his conscience over a bill to sign into law. His hesitation detonates a constitutional and political crisis, and his family start to worry, with William and Kate becoming aware his actions may threaten their future. Meanwhile, an unhappy and frustrated Prince Harry starts a relationship with a 'commoner', just at the moment that the press is looking for a way to attack. With the future of the monarchy under threat, protests on the streets and his family in disarray, Charles must grapple with his own identity and purpose to decide whether, in the 21st century, the British crown still has any real power. This adaptation retains the daring verse of the original text while fully realising on screen the ambitious scale and spectacle suggested by the play - from Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace to the restless streets of London. Tim Pigott-Smith (Downton Abbey, The Hour) reprises the role of Charles from the acclaimed West End and Broadway production, while Charlotte Riley (Close to the Enemy, Peaky Blinders) stars as Kate Middleton. Olivier award-winner Rupert Goold (The Hollow Crown, True Story) directs. It is produced by Drama Republic, the company behind Golden Globe, Bafta and RTS Award-winning dramas The Honourable Woman, Doctor Foster and An Inspector Calls. |
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Earth: One Amazing Day (2017) #1330
FILM
Main
93 mins. From BBC Earth Films, the studio that brought you Earth, comes the sequel - Earth: One Amazing Day, an astonishing journey revealing the awesome power of the natural world. Over the course of one single day, we track the sun from the highest mountains to the remotest islands to exotic jungles. Breakthroughs in filmmaking technology bring you up close with a cast of unforgettable characters. Told with humour, intimacy and a jaw-dropping sense of cinematic splendour, Earth: One Amazing Day highlights how every day is filled with more wonders than you can possibly imagine- until now. Earth. Our home planet and the only one in the universe that can support living organisms. Earth is home to a vast array of environments and animals, but what is a single day in the life of these creatures like? In this sequel to the BBC's Earth, we take a journey across the world, investigating the lives of these extraordinary creatures, all in the course of 24 hours. |
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West Side Stories - The Making of a Classic (2016) #961
DOCUMENTARY-MUSIC
Main
1 hour. BBC. West Side Story is one of the best-loved musicals of all time. A modern-day Romeo and Juliet, its timeless story and exhilarating dance and music continue to excite audiences around the globe. Songs such as Maria, Somewhere, Tonight and America have all become some of the biggest hits in showbusiness. And yet, West Side Story had an uneasy birth and was even turned away by producers when it was first put together in the 1950s by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Robbins and Arthur Laurents. Now, as the world prepares to celebrate the 60th anniversary of West Side Story in 2017, dancer Bruno Tonioli and broadcaster Suzy Klein go in search of the true stories behind the inception of this classic show. For the first time on television, they hear first-hand from those involved in the show when it opened on Broadway in September 1957, including Sondheim himself, producer Hal Prince and original cast members from both show and movie, including Chita Rivera Carol Lawrence and Rita Moreno. With the BBC Symphony Orchestra and specially cast singers, we re-live some of the wonderful music and, in the company of Suzy and Bruno, we discover how West Side Story placed the 1950s phenomena of racial tension and teenage gangs centre stage to create a hit that changed musical theatre forever. |
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Sully (2016) #1030
FILM
Main
Directed by Clint Eastwood. With Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney, Valerie Mahaffey. The story of Chesley Sullenberger, an American pilot who became a hero after landing his damaged plane on the Hudson River in order to save the flight's passengers and crew. |
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War and Peace (2016) #1055
TV DRAMA
Special
With Paul Dano, James Norton, Lily James, Adrian Edmondson. As the Russian conflict with Napoleon reaches its peak, five aristocratic families face the possibility of their lives being changed forever. BBC. 6 Episodes. Episode 1 Russia is drawn into war with France, changing the lives of three young people forever. Episode 2 As Andrei prepares for a great battle, Pierre struggles with married life. Episode 3 Pierre fights a duel. Natasha and Sonya receive unexpected proposals. Episode 4 Natasha is shocked by Andrei's decision to delay the wedding and travel abroad for a year. Episode 5 Napoleon outrages the Russian emperor by marching his army towards Moscow. Episode 6 As Napoleon marches into Moscow, the Rostovs rush to leave the city. |
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Bernstein – Stage and Screen (2015) #657
MUSIC
Main
2 hours. BBC Proms. John Wilson and his orchestra are an annual Proms highlight, bringing the glitz and glamour of old-time stage and screen to the Royal Albert Hall. The second of their two performances this year is all about Leonard Bernstein – America’s multitalented conductor, pianist and composer. He reinvented the musical with the anger, energy and feral beauty of West Side Story, his updated take on Romeo and Juliet. A starry cast of soloists including Proms favourite Julian Ovenden and the West End’s Louise Dearman join the John Wilson Orchestra and Maida Vale Singers for a tribute to the composer that includes Bernstein’s biggest hits as well as a selection of rarities. See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/e89v2m |
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The Danish Girl (2015) #797
FILM
Main
Directed by Tom Hooper. With Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Amber Heard, Ben Whishaw. A fictitious love story loosely inspired by the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili and Gerda's marriage and work evolve as they navigate Lili's groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer. |
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Colour: The Spectrum of Science (2015) #894
DOCUMENTARY
Main
3x1 hour episodes. BBC. Helen Czerski goes in search of colour. She reveals what it is, what it does, and why colour doesn't exist outside of our perception. 1/3 Colours of Earth. Helen reveals how colour transformed our planet from a drab lump of rock to a vivid jewel. 2/3 Colours of Life. Helen reveals how life became the source of the new colours on Earth. 3/3 Beyond the Rainbow. Helen Czerski at the colours invisible to our eyes, from infrared to ultra violet. |
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Treasures of Ancient Greece (2015) #926
DOCUMENTARY
Main
3x1 hour episodes. BBC. Series in which Alastair Sooke explores the riches and unique legacy of Greek art. 1/3 The Age of Heroes. Alastair Sooke explores the surprising roots of Greek art, beginning his journey in Crete. 2/3 The Classical Revolution. Alastair unpicks the reasons behind the revolution that gave birth to classical Greek art. 3/3 The Long Shadow. Exploring the afterlife of Greek masterpieces that changed the course of western culture. |
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Dancing Cheek to Cheek: An Intimate History of Dance (2015) #935
DOCUMENTARY
Main
3x1 hour episodes. BBC. Len Goodman and Lucy Worsley uncover the British love affair with dancing, exploring the nation's favourite dances from the 17th to the 20th centuries. 1/3 The Devil's Work?. How dancing came to be celebrated as an essential social skill in the 18th century. 2/3 Revolution on the Dance Floor. How our dance floors were revolutionised in the 19th century by faster, freer dances. 3/3 The Shock of the New. How the early 20th century saw the most revolutionary change in British dance history. |
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Elser (2015) #1082
FILM
Main
Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel. With Christian Friedel, Katharina Schüttler, Burghart Klaußner, Johann von Bülow. In November 1939, Georg Elser's attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler fails, and he is arrested. During his confinement, he recalls the events leading up to his plot and his reasons for deciding to take such drastic action. aka 13 minutes |
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Dave Allen: God's Own Comedian (2014) #885
DOCUMENTARY
Main
1 hour. BBC. Told by family and friends, with rare unseen archive, this documentary reflects on the career of Dave Allen, relative of poet Katharine Tynan, and a natural performer who cut his teeth at Butlins. He became a TV star in Australia in his twenties, before returning home to dominate the schedules here in Britain with his unique blend of sketches and stories in a career that took in films, plays, documentaries and chat shows, alongside award-winning comedy series. Respected, admired and with unshakeable integrity, Dave Allen fought for what he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it. He was driven by simple honesty. It was this solitary and determined path that made his talents special and unusual and inspired a generation of comics that were to follow. For the first time ever this rich and compelling career is celebrated on screen, giving a chance to reflect on his many achievements and on the private life that went alongside it. With contributions from Stephen Berkoff, Stephen Frears, and Dame Maggie Smith, among others. |