Mark Kermode's Secrets of Cinema

[Mandon Knight]

Hi all,

Hope this is an 'okay' place to put this, but it's so far been an outstanding programme and MK to me is one of my 'cinematic gods' so I was bound to like the series but it takes an unapologetic in-depth view of different genres and themes within them, week by week.

Thus far we've had Rom-Coms and the Heist Movie, next week is Coming of Age so plenty (I hope) of John Hughes films.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bc6f86/mark-kermodes-secrets-of-cinema-series-1-2-the-heist

Anybody else been watching it ? A good companion piece to this is

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_Film:_An_Odyssey - an outstanding, all encompassing over-view of cinema and it's impact, I have it on DVD and it's a delight, very long and needs your time but beautiful all the same, a film lover's paradise.

 

[3rdstone]

The Story of Film sounds like it could be the series that was aired over here a couple of years ago. Very interesting, and I loved the narration.

 

[Mandon Knight]

The Story of Film sounds like it could be the series that was aired over here a couple of years ago. Very interesting, and I loved the narration.

Its narrated by Mark Cousins, an Irish gent who has a very 'measured' delivery pattern in his voice, it's like velvet and his delivery of the subject helps bring you in to the experience. It's a wonderful series, can't recommend it highly enough.

 

[Mandon Knight]

Just had Episode 3, focusing on 'Coming of Age' films, the way the series is able to draw the similar themes from different era's films, which inevitably will speak to the differing age of the viewer, who in turn, will be able to say 'that was my era' is brilliantly collated, edited and presented.

I am a massive John Hughes fan and so the nucleus of The Breakfast Club's resonant themes play true to my age of when & where it's set and how the characters are set and presented and we identity because on some level we find that role defining 'us'.

I cannot recommend this series enough and hope it comes out on DVD as a collection at some point.

 

[StarLord]

I keep missing this. Will have to catch up on the iPlayer.

 

[Mandon Knight]

I keep missing this. Will have to catch up on the iPlayer.

You won't regret it. Next week is Sci-Fi & Time Travel, so definitely one to watch.

The inevitable 20 minute dedicated section to Blade Runner, given it's Kermode, will be worth the watch alone.

 

[StarLord]

You won't regret it. Next week is Sci-Fi & Time Travel, so definitely one to watch.

The inevitable 20 minute dedicated section to Blade Runner, given it's Kermode, will be worth the watch alone.

Haha, yeah. I wonder if Horror will be in there at any point? I know he's a big fan of The Exorcist.

Did you ever see the series that Mark Gatiss did on Horror? Those were really good.

 

[Mandon Knight]

Haha, yeah. I wonder if Horror will be in there at any point? I know he's a big fan of The Exorcist.

Did you ever see the series that Mark Gatiss did on Horror? Those were really good.

He's going to be covering horror yep and he single handily has kept The Exorcist in contemporary horror discussion of recent years. Think he'll draw from predominantly 70's & 80's.

Yep, the Gatiss series was excellent, would love too to get that series on DVD at some point.

 

[Mandon Knight]

Sci-Fi episode was decent but too much 'glossing over' on Blade Runner for my liking

 

[3rdstone]

Its narrated by Mark Cousins, an Irish gent who has a very 'measured' delivery pattern in his voice, it's like velvet and his delivery of the subject helps bring you in to the experience. It's a wonderful series, can't recommend it highly enough.

Yeah, agree with all you said there. The narrator was fantastic (and I half guessed/assumed he was Irish), and it was a truly fascinating experience. Unfortunately I didn't catch all the episodes when one of our public channels aired it (quality stuff like this would never be seen on the more commercial ones). But I might try to get that whole series on DVD.

And thanks for the reminder of this.

 

[Mandon Knight]

For me, best in the series tonight, covering the Horror film. Not automatically, my favourite of the genres covered but found it (because it is Kermode's) invested with perhaps more 'expected' coverage of what I knew would be included, given his love of The Exorcist and the Universal 'Classics'.

His ability to tie in new & old, expected & unexpected, known & unknown has always been part of why he is a film 'hero' of mine, the knowledge underwrites the concept and the journey when he narrates.

 

[StarLord]

That was the best episode so far. Horror is my fav genre by far so a lot of pleasing mentions.

Though, I thought he would have mentioned the importance of scores to be honest.

 

[Mandon Knight]

That was the best episode so far. Horror is my fav genre by far so a lot of pleasing mentions.

Though, I thought he would have mentioned the importance of scores to be honest.

He touched on sound editing and scoring and how it builds the suspense and release, with Orphanage & original Cat People as examples.

 

[Mandon Knight]

A little explanation from MK, about his Exorcist obsession....

[YT]xcUXtEeVy-Y[/YT]

 

[StarLord]

He touched on sound editing and scoring and how it builds the suspense and release, with Orphanage & original Cat People as examples.

It was mostly sound design which is understandable, but a lot of horror movies, particularly stemming from the late 70s/early 80s were instantly recognisable for their ''themes''. Carpenter's Halloween or indeed Oldfield's Tubular Bells for The Exorcist.

Not something you really see today.

 

[Mandon Knight]

It was mostly sound design which is understandable, but a lot of horror movies, particularly stemming from the late 70s/early 80s were instantly recognisable for their ''themes''. Carpenter's Halloween or indeed Oldfield's Tubular Bells for The Exorcist.

Not something you really see today.

In all fairness, one could spend an hour on that aspect alone, the poor guy has 1 hour to cover all aspects, but agreed, themes (literal) and thematically scoring captured horror in that period of history, play the Jaws theme and people know the film instantly, same with Psycho & Halloween as you say, even non-fans.

 

[Mandon Knight]

There is a Christmas Special tonight based on the Christmas Film, BBC 4 9pm....

 

[Luigi]

Still bummed out about Kermode Uncut ending.