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Film critic Barry Norman dies

(July 2017)

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:-(
A former member
Quote:
Film critic Barry Norman has died aged 83, his family says.
The journalist and former BBC presenter died in his sleep on Friday night.
A statement from his daughters, Samantha and Emma, called him "remarkable", adding: "He had a great life, a wonderful marriage and an enviable career."
Norman hosted BBC One's "Film…" show between 1972 and 1998 - its longest running host - as well as writing for the Daily Mail and the Guardian.
His literary agent, Curtis Brown, described him as "the defining voice of film criticism and insightful interviewing of screen legends from both sides of the camera".
Norman's daughters added: "He leaves behind a family who adore him and a great roster of friends who love him too. We will miss him more than we can say."
VM
VMPhil
Very sad news, I don't think the Film programme has really been the same since he left.

Regarding that article excerpt, didn't he also write the film reviews for the Radio Times in recent years?
LL
London Lite Founding member
Very sad news, I don't think the Film programme has really been the same since he left.

Regarding that article excerpt, didn't he also write the film reviews for the Radio Times in recent years?


He still did, although I suspect Barry had written a bulk of film reviews which the RT could reuse.
LL
London Lite Founding member
Barry reviews Star Wars on Film 77.

DE88 and paul_hadley gave kudos
:-(
A former member
I have to agree with you, Film XXXX has never really gotten anywhere, mind you that film review on the news channel doesn't help.

He also did a soap review programme for ITV in xmas 91:


Im sure he did a US soap review in the mids 80s

Here are some of his fine work on Film





JC
JCB
To most people the Kermode & Mayo show/podcast is probably considered the BBC's flagship film review show these days isn't it?

Film__ just feels like a dead show walking. A show that everybody knows but nobody pays attention to anymore...until it's finally canned then everybody will be up in arms. (see TOTP)
MA
Markymark
Very sad news, I don't think the Film programme has really been the same since he left.

Regarding that article excerpt, didn't he also write the film reviews for the Radio Times in recent years?


Yes. And he was also one of the presenting team for ITV/4's 1988 Olympics coverage. I think he'd wanted the Beeb to involve him with their sports programming, but they'd opted to restrict him to Film xxxx ? ITV made him an offer for their Olympic coverage, and he accepted?
SW
Steve Williams
He still did, although I suspect Barry had written a bulk of film reviews which the RT could reuse.


Perhaps, although he still did longer form pieces too, he's written about Airplane in the current issue.

You'll note in the year-by-year montage of the Film programme which I see has turned up again on the news that Film 82 is in fact just Film 81 zoomed in, because he didn't do it that year, he did Omnibus instead.
DE88 and London Lite gave kudos
VM
VMPhil
Am I right in saying that he left the BBC because they wouldn't give Film a permanent slot in the schedule? But retired only a few years into doing his Sky Movies programme.

I don't suppose anyone else here has been reading the VHiStory blog over the last year and getting reacquainted with his reviews from Film.

EDIT: Ah, and this has just been published on said blog: https://vhistory.wordpress.com/2017/07/01/an-appreciation-of-barry-norman/
Last edited by VMPhil on 1 July 2017 9:44pm
VM
VMPhil

You'll note in the year-by-year montage of the Film programme which I see has turned up again on the news that Film 82 is in fact just Film 81 zoomed in, because he didn't do it that year, he did Omnibus instead.



They certainly got a lot of mileage out of the Film ’88 set. (starts at 6:40)

DE88 and paul_hadley gave kudos
MD
MrDexB
I wonder if there will be some type of tribute programme soon. There are two repeats on BBC One after 10:45pm.
DV
dvboy
I would say Wednesday in place of Room 101 is probably your best bet.

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