Film 81 with Barry Norman

Starting in 1974 with FILM 74, Barry Norman became the host of the BBC TV's weekly film review program. The interesting part in this episode is the preview of the film THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN, and the fact that in 1981, despite having won an Oscar quite recently, it was still possible to wonder if it was right to cast Meryl Streep in the role of an Englishwoman in a film of a complicated literary work. Other films reviewed (unfavorably) were 1997 Escape from New York, Escape to Victory, Tarzan the Apeman with Bo Derek, and Heaven's Gate. The only film praised was Alan Alda's Four Seasons.

[@alphabetaxenonzzzcat]

Thanks for posting this up. It's very interesting to see old editions of the BBC's Film program. I wish the BBC digitised them and them available online.

[@robertpaxton2]

Lion in Winter. Autumn Sonata, Summer Magic. Not sure about the "Spring" one

[@garyhunt8067]

Wanted to watch this in the US, but was told that Bo Derek strips naked. Until 1984, bbc1 showed it.

[@garethglitter5932]

When presenters aim for the lowest common denominator.