The End Of The BBC Film Review Show Remember Barry Norman

The BBC are drawing down the curtain on there long running film review show Film (whatever the year) after nearly 50 years. The show will be best remembered for the late Barry Norman, who fronted it from 1972 to 1998 and whose catchphrase was “And why not?”

I have been slagging off critics long enough saying I make my own decisions but the only one I would listen to … Barry Norman. Back in the seventies when my interest in filmography it was mainly down to Norman and my own fledgling interest. One of the films I have sighted in my growing interest was the epic film “Lawrence of Arabia” and the likes of the Marx Brothers “Duck Soup” and British made Ealing comedies all among my favourites and Normans.

The show launched in November 1971 and at its peak under Norman, it was the BBC’s most influential cinema show, running 36 weeks a year. Barry Norman became permanent host of the series in 1972 and his first episode on Film 72, his first film review was of The Last Picture Show, a massive favourite of both of us a film in his top 100 while his first studio interviewees were Hollywood greats Charlton Heston and James Stewart. He would get the big names in film on the show.

It was funny most of the films I wanted to see were X certificate meaning you had to be eighteen or older to watch the film and at the time being to young I would have to store them for later viewing. It was not until the outbreak of VHS video that I caught up with many of the films.

Being older and more cynical, I rarely watch reviews and had not watched Film from the early eighties. Norman was still presenting and he was still the only critic for me but visits to the cinema where just not happening with Sky subscription and film channels I didn’t like the idea of paying twice for a film.

So I will not be mourning the death of the show unless they bring it back with me presenting and do they need the show when on the iPlayer the have Mark Kermode reviewing films, he is better than the Film 2018 presenters who since 2016 have been using a revolving presenter format. Strictly Come Dancing star Claudia Winkelman has been the main presenter until she left and along such names as Zoe Ball, Al Murray and Charlie Brooker stepping up to host the show.