Roeg element
Nic Roeg is a great British original. The films that he made in the 1970s, including Don't Look Now, Performance and Walkabout combined atmosphere and sensuality with intelligence. When people talk about the British character they tend to refer to a certain coldness and reserve, but Roeg's work seems to me to be very British in ways that aren't always recognised: eccentric, fantastical and savage. On tonight's show, Roeg talks to Mark Kermode about Don't Look Now, probably his most famous film. Adapted from a short story by Daphne du Maurier it stars Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie as a couple who travel to Venice following the death of their young daughter. It's brilliant and terrifying. We've also got an exclusive piece on the website about The Man to Fell to Earth, Roeg's 1976 film about an alien, played by David Bowie, who visits our planet. We'd be interested to hear what you think of Roeg's work - what do you think of Don't Look Now and The Man Who Fell to Earth? Is there anyone who would flout critical opinion and stand up for the director's recent films?
Also on tonight's show, don't miss an interview with the writers behind Peep Show and The Thick of It, Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong, as well as Tim Samuels asking readers what is the Best of the Booker and Brazilian band CSS. If you have a look on our Flickr area you can see some scenes from the studio recording, including CSS's cuddly toys and Mark watching the band.
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Re: Nicholas Roeg's work. I remain entranced by Roeg's early work. There is an emotional honesty about his films that is rare today. It is easy to relate closely to the outsider in 'The Man Who Fell To Earth' but also painful as we realise through the film's conclusion how compromised we too can become in life despite our best intentions.
I recently showed 'Don't Look Now' to my eldest son who is a teenager. He said, "This is the best film I have ever seen." He also said that it was 'atmospheric' and 'unusual' - big words coming from someone who normally grunts at me. However, he too engaged with Roeg's film on the emotive level - fully sympathising with the parents' plight and wondered how people could ever get over a child bereavement. Rest my case.
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