On the telly...

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Despite it being the Christmas/New Year season,there are a number of interesting aviation/history related films and programmes on this week-
Sunday Dec 30th,10pm,ITV "Great Escape:The Untold Story"-This ISN'T the somewhat iffy telemovie made a few years ago,but a new documentary about the most famous POW break out of WW2.By the sound of things it is pretty detailed and down to earth,so should be well worth a watch.
Monday Dec 31st,8pm,Ch4 "Glenn Miller's Last Flight"-This is a documentary about the disappearance of the famous band-leader over the English Channel on Dec24th,1944.The programme explores the various possible causes of the accident,and also the 'conspiracy theory' that it wasn't an accident at all.
Tuesday Jan 1st 2002,4.30pm,Ch4 "The Bridge on the River Kwai"-Not exactly aviation related,but one of the most famous war movie epics of all time(not to mention controversial)about the building of the railway bridge over the Kwai river by allied POW's.Oscar winning performance by Sir Alec Guiness in the lead role.
Wednesday Jan 2nd,11;10am,BBC2 "MacArthur"-This is a two part documentary about the famous American general,concluding at the same time tomorrow.
Wednesday Jan 2nd,9pm,Ch4 "Shackleton"-What's this I hear you cry!A whole two hours about one of Avro's most famous flying machines?Alas no,but still pretty good.This is the story of Shackleton the explorer and his epic journey across the South Pole on the eve of WW1.It's a two parter with the conclusion at the same time tomorrow (Thursday).
Ok ok so it's not exactly aviation related either,but judging by the trailers and the hype it looks pretty damn good.Kenneth Brannagh plays Shackleton.
Thursday,Jan 3rd,3;10pm,Ch5 "The Amazing Howard Hughes"-The story of the famous pilot,aircraft designer and self made millionaire,from his rise to fame and fortune,to his decline into reclusiveness and eccentricity.This is part one of two(Why are they suddenly so keen on splitting things in two??)with the conclusion tomorrow (Friday) at the same time.Tommy Lee Jones stars in the lead role.
Friday Jan 4th,8-9pm,Ch5 "Secrets of WW2/Britain's War Heroes"-This is Ch5's usual early evening Friday slot,which has been worthwhile the last few weeks.Might be worth a gander.
Friday Jan 4th,9pm,BBC2 "Timewatch-The Making of Adolf Hitler"-This is the one that made one or two headlines recently by suggesting that Hitler was gay.Looks a wee bit sensationalist,but Timewatch is usually fairly reputable,so it might be worth a look.Persoanlly I think I'll be watching "Fr.Ted's Christmas Special" on Ch4! :)
Feel free to add to this listing or ammend any mistakes folks...

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Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,907

RE: On the telly...

1) shakelton will be great. i had never herd of him till i read the story in the national geographic and it really moved me. he got his whole crew out from the antartic when they were stuck - sheer incrediable.

2)theres nothing wrong with the freat escape film.

knowing people who helped steve mcqueen do the motobike sceen is quite intresting. you know he tries to jump that wire on the swiis border, well the crew insisted a stunt man (incase he hurt himself) did it but afterwards mcqueen went ahead and did it anyway (juped the whole wire). now i've been on bikes like that IMHO it would be bloody hard to do that.

hey the whole film is just great and think of british films and this one is really good.

rabie :9

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,000

RE: On the telly...

When I mentioned the 'iffy' telemovie,I wasn't talking about the original 1960's 'The Great Escape',with McQueen,Attenborough,Garner etc.I was talking about a 1980's remake of the film,entitled "The Great Escape-The True story" or summat to that effect.This starred the guy out of Superman as a Canadian Army officer,and yes,there were a number of Americans in it too!They loosely followed the general plot of the escape,and then the subsequent post war hunt for those responsible for the execution of the 50.It's often broken down into series format for TV,and the fact that it usually uccupies a '3am ch5'-type slot gives you some idea of it's credibility!Sorry for any confusion.
With regards to McQueen doing the motorbike stunts,it's absolutely true that he did them all himself.For those interested in bikes,the 'German Army' bike was actually a British Triumph Trophy. There were some versions of this bike made for off road/dirt track use,but if you look closely,you'll see that McQueen's machine is not one of these,making that stunt an even more spectacular feet!
When McQueen died his collection of motorbikes was sold off-there were well over 200 in the lot,so he was no stranger to two wheels!

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,907

RE: On the telly...

ahh got you know

yeh he was good friends with a few people i know - mostly australians living in london.

rabie :9