Dennis Potter

[teamsaint]

Perhaps only bested by The Singing Detective as the greatest piece of British television drama.

if there has been better TV Drama than The Singing Detective, I would love to see it.

On the subject of Potter, I wonder how people feel about " Blackeyes" now? Don't think it ever got a re run. I suspect it got a bit too near some truths for some people. A problematic piece, but then life is problematic.

[Mandryka]

if there has been better TV Drama than The Singing Detective, I would love to see it.

On the subject of Potter, I wonder how people feel about " Blackeyes" now? Don't think it ever got a re run. I suspect it got a bit too near some truths for some people. A problematic piece, but then life is problematic.

I thought Blackeyes was very poor stuff at the time and doubt if I'd revise my opinion if I saw it again: Potter became obsessed with sex in late middle-age, possibly because he wasn't getting any.

Then again, I doubt if any of his post-SD work will be appreciated in the future and it's probably a good thing for his reputation that he died when he did: his obsession with warped sexuality and his devotion to discredited and redundant left-wing ideology rendered his last few works irrelevant and very, very boring. I always suspected that his leftism was more of a pose than a deeply held principle (it was certainly the latter with his contemporary - and artistic superior - David Mercer) and reading his miserable early 'work' The Glittering Coffin only confirmed my view of him as a man who was over-fond of the sound of his own voice.

[kernelbogey]

[....]
Then again, I doubt if any of his post-SD work will be appreciated in the future and it's probably a good thing for his reputation that he died when he did: his obsession with warped sexuality and his devotion to discredited and redundant left-wing ideology rendered his last few works irrelevant and very, very boring. I always suspected that his leftism was more of a pose than a deeply held principle (it was certainly the latter with his contemporary - and artistic superior - David Mercer) and reading his miserable early 'work' The Glittering Coffin only confirmed my view of him as a man who was over-fond of the sound of his own voice.

cont. p. 94

[amateur51]

I thought Blackeyes was very poor stuff at the time and doubt if I'd revise my opinion if I saw it again: Potter became obsessed with sex in late middle-age, possibly because he wasn't getting any.

Then again, I doubt if any of his post-SD work will be appreciated in the future and it's probably a good thing for his reputation that he died when he did: his obsession with warped sexuality and his devotion to discredited and redundant left-wing ideology rendered his last few works irrelevant and very, very boring. I always suspected that his leftism was more of a pose than a deeply held principle (it was certainly the latter with his contemporary - and artistic superior - David Mercer) and reading his miserable early 'work' The Glittering Coffin only confirmed my view of him as a man who was over-fond of the sound of his own voice.

Only our Correspondent of Bile and Gloom could manage to summon up Dennis Potter's archive so scurrilously and unnecessarily.

Here's Potter at the end and for me at his best, taking a mighty and prescient 'pop' at Murdoch

http://vimeo.com/26503584

And his 1993 MacTaggart Lecture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlAbeI-Vst8

'Conflicted' & heterosexual, Mandy? How could you resist?

[teamsaint]

Well FWIW Karaoke/Cold lazarus , which I have watched only once, at the time of first (only?) broadcast, weren't unduly concerned with sexual matters as I recall...although there were relationships involved in the plot. Fancy that !!

As for Potters interest in Socialist politics... Blackeyes was concerned heavily with Sexual politics, but in his later TV work, ( Pennies/Singing Detective, Lipstick, Blackeyes, Karaoke/Cold Lazarus) I would have thought that interest in( party) politics was mostly incidental rather than central. Cold Lazarus does deal with a vision of Capitalism /American dominance out of control...but then that turns out to be the actual future, surely !

Blackeyes probably did suffer, coming in the aftermath of some truly classic television, but it did raise important issues, and ones that in fact have become, if anything, more relevant over time. I thought it was quality stuff, but it would be interesting to see how it stands up today. Potter's work was flawed. But that happens when you truly create, as he did.

A couple of points. I wonder how " Blackeyes" would have been received had it been written by a woman. Further, Potter IMO when he did explore sexual matters, was looking at them openly, and they were of a fairly mainstream nature. You could have read more explicit stuff in the Sun any day of the week back then.
It is perhaps a pity that he got a lot of flak, and his reputation sullied by some, for looking at these issues at a time when the REALLY bad stuff was going on in private, hidden away by complicit BBC executives.

Edit: We (I) seem to have pottered off topic.....

[VodkaDilc]

On the subject of Potter, I found the recent repeat of Singing Detective did not quite live up to my remembered expectations. Like most of Potter, I thought the ending fizzled out, rather than drawing loose ends together and explaining everything. I'm sure he'd say that was the idea and that modern audiences expect to be spoonfed.

I've always thought that Lipstick on your Collar was my favourite - perhaps because I love the 50s music. Having recently bought the DVDs in HMV's sale, I will be able to see if it lives up to expectations.

[Mandryka]

Dennis Potter

Continued from the o-t I, Claudius thread.

I argued, amongst other things, that Potter's later work was poor by comparison to the stuff that made his reputation in the 60s and 70s. He seemed to jump the shark after Singing Detective, though his three 1980 plays for LWT were underwhelming.

[Mandryka]

I like a tangent as much - possibly more - than the next person, but let's try and keep vaguely on topic (and civilised) shall we?

New thread now started.

[Nick Armstrong]

New thread now started.

Ta

[amateur51]

Continued from the o-t I, Claudius thread.

I argued, amongst other things, that Potter's later work was poor by comparison to the stuff that made his reputation in the 60s and 70s. He seemed to jump the shark after Singing Detective, though his three 1980 plays for LWT were underwhelming.

That doesn't look like much of an argument to me, more an expression of an opinion. Nothing wrong with an opinion of course but don't build your part, eh?

[Mandryka]

That doesn't look like much of an argument to me, more an expression of an opinion. Nothing wrong with an opinion of course but don't build your part, eh?

You have yet to actually ARGUE anything on ANY part of this forum. But I doubt if you're capable of anything so positive.

Anyway, you've no need to give your opinion, Amy, as we can already predict what it will be. You are the least surprising of people!

[Nick Armstrong]

Come on girls, play nicely...

[amateur51]

Come on girls, play nicely...

Yes grandma ...

[jean]

...Blackeyes was concerned heavily with Sexual politics..

...Blackeyes...did raise important issues, and ones that in fact have become, if anything, more relevant over time...

I thought it just horribly sexist at the time.

What were the 'important issues' it raised?

[Mandryka]

I thought it just horribly sexist at the time.

What were the 'important issues' it raised?

Afaicr, Potter intended it as a commentary on how men reacted to beauty/beautiful women. The titular model was a sort of 'lightning rod' for men's erotic fantasies. I can recall reading that Potter developed his material somewhat after Gina Bellman (then an unknown) was cast in the central role.

It was long ago now and probably did come across as sexist/exploitative at the time. What disturbed me most was a creeping feeling I had that Potter was using licence-payer's money to work out his own little 'peccadilloes'.

Mind you, Russell T. Davies managed to do a similar thing with the 'new' Doctor Who (and for a 'family audience', no less); he got away with it, partly because he's a slick operator and partly because most Mums and Dads were too unworldly to 'get it'!