Screen Brum – Brum Radio

This week Tim delves into the world of documentary. and offers some recent highlights.

We talk to Bhulla Beghal of Bluebell Films about his brilliant lockdown short film Home Time, which warmly tells the tale of a boy missing school whilst under quarantine. See the film here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsetKUSL8hw&t=3s

Tim and Blake catch up on their time in Lockdown and what is keeping them entertained.  They discuss high culture with the National Theatre and Royal Opera House online streamed performances.  Tim recommends Eddie Murphy in Dolomite is my Name whilst Blake has enjoyed the creepily appropriate satire Vivarium and laughed like a drain at supernatural comedy Extra Ordinary.  They also talk about the escapist viewing that’s been cheering them – Spanish crime caper Money Heist, Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin’s warm hearted The Kominsky Method and Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin’s odd-couple friendship comedy Grace and Frankie. But it’s not all screens – they also talk about some film soundtracks they think listeners will enjoy including:Tim:  Jerry Goldsmith’s score for Basic Instinct, and Bill Conti’s soundtrack to For Your Eyes Only.  For a final choice he suggests you check out Vince DiCola’s soundtrack album for Transformers the Movie, one of “the archetypal 80’s synth and rock albums” where “every single track is great”.  His final pick is Alexandre Desplat’s soundtrack to the Grand Budapest Hotel.Blake:  Surveying the whole canon of John Barry, he tries to pick just one, and settles on 1960s Beat Girl.  Of the great synth scores out there Blake recommends Tangerine Dream’s score for the vampire-western mash up Near Dark and Cliff Martinez’s soundtrack to Neon Demon.  His final pick is the “warming, comforting” soundtrack to Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

Nina Jones, filmmaker and researcher talks us through her fascination with the genre of true crime, discussing why it might be so popular and recommending some viewing for the newcomer starting with the “absolutely bananas” The Tiger King on Netflix. If your appetite for true crime is whetted, Nina suggests The Staircase on Netflix, a documentary from 2004 containing some “jaw dropping moments”. Nina also talks about the thorny issue of the ethics of true crime filmmaking, and the moral murkiness that can sometime ensue. Outside of crime, Nina recommends Jennifer Lopez’s brilliant Hustlers, and some comfort viewing in the form of the Harry Potter movies and a nostalgia hit with Harrison Ford in Witness.

Our series exploring the movies that are helping people deal with their confinement in lockdown continues with Costa Prize winning novelist Catherine O'Flynn. Catherine talks about wathing Columbo and the Waltons with her kids, seeking solace with Walter Matthau in the wonderful A New Leaf, the genius of Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon and The Caine Mutiny and the newfound joy to be found in Konnie Huq’s regular lockdown youtube videos

Darren Gaskell's reviews can be found at The Horrorcist and Love Horror.Darren's recommendations are range from horror - Night of the Living Dead, Extra Ordinary and Night of the Comet but also some on the lighter side of life - Romy and Michelle’s High school reunion, When Harry met Sally, Danger Diabolic and some TV comedy in Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn 99     

Dr Lester is an expert on children's TV and film, and we ask her to recommend some things to help the younger viewer (and their carers) to get through lockdown. She talks us through some films and TV you'll know and some you may not, and explains to us the concept of "nicecore" movies.

Our guide to what to watch during lockdown continues with special guest Dr Alaina Schempp, film academic and scriptwriter who talks to us about the amine delights to be found on netflix and the joy of sharing a screen with others.

Luis suggests some films on the theme of confinement:The Netflix TV series Kingdom, Luis Bunuel's classic from 1962, The Exterminating Angel and claustrophobic thriller Buried.To escape from the confines of lockdown, he suggests watching Westerns - and in particular The Good the Bad and the Ugly.

Lockdown isn't stopping us watching films, goodness me no. The screenbrum team talk about what is helping them through lockdown and what else in the world of film is bringing them cheer.

We recommend some viewing to get you through time stuck at home. Recommendations and optimism from Professor Rob Stone of Birmingham University.

These are strange times, as many people are locked down in their homes, like many of you, we are going back to the "comfort food" of certain films and TV. The things that reassure us that all is well with the world, and give us a sense of safety.We would love to share our recommendations with you, so this new series of shorter podcasts will give some ideas for things to cheer you up whilst you are social distancing.Future episodes will feature guest recommenders, do let us know if there is a movie you think people should watch in lockdown.Lots of love from the ScreenBrum team x

The ScreenBrum team take a meander through the large and varied body of work by the great Nicolas Cage. How many phases has his career been through? What are the high points? How do you understand the man? Is it something you should even try? No answers, but lots of fun asking the questions.

Screenbrum welcome the roaring twenties the only way we know how – by prattling on about the films and TV we are most looking forward to. From the blockbusters to the smaller indies, we look ahead and what we hope will be a landmark year on screen. We’re sure we’ve missed loads. Let us know!

Vote ScreenBrum! In honour of the impending UK general election, we talk about our favourite elections on screen, and our favourite fictional candidates. But don't worry, there is no mention of fiscal policy or the detail of education strategy - although we are joined by a professional educator in Dr Michele Aaron, head of the Screening Rights Film Festival, talking about the latest incarnation of the festival, and some of the wonderful films you can look forward to. Strong and Stable Radio.

On this edition of ScreenBrum we delve into the odd world of “Trash Movies” – films that were made with the best of intentions, but which didn’t wind up troubling the Oscar committee too much.Regular hosts Tim, Lucy and Blake are joined by the organisers of Trash Film Night, a regular night in the city where some of the forgotten "gems" of the genre are shown and discussed.Over the course of the show we talk about what constitutes a "Trash" movie, and what doesn't qualify. And we pick some of the high/low points of the genre.

We have been lying fallow for a while but the ScreenBrum show is blooming, sending our bright petals out into the world with the flush of spring on our leaves. Which is to say that our theme this week is FLOWERS ON SCREEN – our favourite film and TV about flowers, or where flowers play a key role.We are also joined by Sukayna from Screen B14, the latest community cinema in the city, who tells us about their programme of events and gives her favourite flower in film.

The creak of a leather saddle, the crunch of boot on sandy ground, the flinty eyes of the silent stranger taking in the glares of the suspicious townsfolk. There is nothing more quintessentially USA than the Western movie, right? Maybe not, we explore the world of taking the wild west out of the western, and look at World Cinema Westerns, with our special guest Luis Frejio of Birmingham University’s B-Film unit. What makes a film a “Western” anyway? Can you have a Western without the guns and hats? Luis talks us through his research into the idea of the Western as about frontiers, and the people that walk them. We are also joined this week by filmmakers Carl Timms and Daniel Alexander to introduce the exciting 2Weeks2MakeIt competition for local filmmakers and musicians. And, of course, we play some Ennio Morricone, it would be rude not to.

ScreenBrum are very pleased to welcome Doctor Matt Lawson, academic musicologist and co-author of "The 100 Greatest Film Scores" to the studio. Matt talks about the history of film music, and the magic that can happen when visuals and the score combine to create something truly electrifying. We talk about the great composers, the unsung champions and what the future might hold. Plus, we learn what "metadiegetic" means. All this and pointing you to some amazing music. You will not want to miss this one.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: This is not the show to listen to on a date. Our theme this week is “anti-valentines”, the movies and TV to watch to make you fall out of love. We talk about breakups, mismatched romances and the tragedy of not being able to connect to other people. What do you think?