Thought the telly was, as usual, a little weak this year, by sheer chance ended up in a great circle of book reading and movie watching.
It all kicked off with reading a book I bought for a couple of quid at a book outlet place
The Great Escape - Jonathan Vance a 2019 detailed history of Stalag Luft III - I then watched the movie and was amazed at its accuracy (if you ignore the American involvement and Steve McQueen whizzing around on a 1962ish Triumph TR6). I also picked up a copy of Lonesome Road written by a guy called George Harsh an inmate of Stalag Luft III via a 12 year stint in the US prison system - what a stunning book, highly recommended read, why hadn't I heard of him before !!!!
Roger Bushell's biography on the way now...
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Agree about the tv, with the exception of the wonderful Wurzel Gummidge. If you missed it and like The Detectorists, well this is nothing like it, but at the same time, being Mackenzie Crook as well, just like it. We enjoyed it a lot. On iPlayer now I expect.
As to Christmas reading, I've (only) just discovered Levinson Wood and his huge challenging walks, all of which have been on Channel 4 and are now on All4. Watched them all, so pleased to receive the book of his Russian adventure; looking forward to getting into that.
Otherwise reading Operation Crossbow (written by Alan Williams), the story of WWII photoreconnaissance, and delightfully went to Duxford yesterday and saw some of the planes and kit that was used.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Thu 2 Jan 20 at 19:46
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Has Christmas TV ever been any different? I think we look back with rose coloured specs on, Google Christmas TV schedules from years gone by and by today's standards the fare on offer looks dire. At least we have umpteen channels to watch now which provide a whole host of films.
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We have a 2001 copy of the Christmas Radio Times. We use it every year.
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>> We have a 2001 copy of the Christmas Radio Times. We use it every year.
Ditto your Joke book
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They showed some Morecambe and Wise shows "restored" from 1968 a week or two back. I remembered it being howlingly funny at the time as a child.
Turns out it really wasn't. "Dire" just doesn't cut it.
Did anyone watch the increasingly disturbing new BBC "A Christmas Carol"? My word they played around with the story, and it was a really bleak house here. Quite horrible in places.
But very watchable.
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Across all channels there must have easily been ten different versions of A Christmas Carol.
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Watched CC - thought it was different and very cleverly done, very enjoyable. Just finished watching episode 2 of Dracula..superbly done...I love Sister Agatha !
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Yep me too! - I'm enjoying this version, better than old Hammer ones! ;-)
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>>I love Sister Agatha !
Isn't she wonderful. The whole thing has been done brilliantly, with just the right amount of humour, just like earlier Dr Who. Not surprising with Steven Moffat's input.
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I have very fond memories of Morecambe and Wise, and thus I don't think it has aged too badly. Or I refuse to acknowledge that is has.
However, surely to God The Two Ronnies needs to be put to bed. It wasn't great 40 years ago and it hasn't improved with age. The majority of the BBC's audience wasn't even born when it was in it's hey day.
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I thought the Ronnies was great, this is one of my favourites:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYb55tx-WK0
But yes, I agree it's been 'repeated' to death. Time to let it go. All episodes are available on DVD or on the web for the admirers.
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Christmas Entertainment... - Crankcase
