Ode to the documentary (contd)

Couldn't agree with you more gt! I think documentaries are a brilliant genre and for that reason ought to be hallowed ground- even if they can walk the walk (the Simon Schama walk...need I say more? ) if they can't talk the talk then begone I say!

It's not for just any fathead off the street to stand in profile touching a rock and with a look of pained intensity say, "You can just FEEL the history!" (Wynford Vaughan Thomas in 'The Dragon has two tongues- The History of Wales', every respectable Welsh nationalist has seen this 12 part series at least twice over!).

It does annoy me though when the background sounds are so loud that they drown out the presenter's voice. I mean, it's all very well to hear the deafening gurgle of babbling brook and the growling of wild bears but I want to hear the scientific/ pantheistic ruminations of David Suzuki dammit! You guys are brilliant sound technicians (if that's the term i'm looking for... "cue distressed metal! cue thunder!"), why do so many documentaries which are supposedly good enough to secure international circulation subject their audiences to this??

But no one can truly appreciate the art of documentaries until they have seen 'Massive Landmarks of the 20th century' (production of the National Theatre of Brent comprising entirely of the emminent presenter, Desmond Olivier Dingle and his researcher, Raymond Box...a must see, 1st ever episode I was doubled over with laughter the entire duration) and 'People like Us' ("it's 2 o clock and already the Japanese visitors are on time")- bless the BBC's penchant for parody.

Is anyone going to see 'My Foetus' to be aired on the ABC shortly? Saw an excerpt of that-I would never have admitted that that I was so squeamish before. I throw the gauntlet- see it and give us a rant+rave on the blog.

cb