Ray Bradbury: Story of a Writer is a 25 minute TV documentary produced by David L. Wolper in 1963. It includes a little dramatization of Dial Double Zero, a short story about the emergence of an artificial intelligence within the telephone system.
And it’s also available as a download |MP4|.
[via Maria Popova and Archive.org]
Posted by Jesse Willis
Having just watched the excellent 2008 documentary, Lovecraft: Fear Of The Unknown, I went looking for a podcast interview about it. I found one! Suvudu On Air #24 has a short interview with the filmmaker, Frank Woodward.
Here’s the interview. |MP3|
The doc itself is full of fascinating interviews intercut with H.P. Lovecraft inspired art (much of which comes from the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society) and brief snippets of prose.
Writers Peter Straub, Neil Gaiman, and Caitlín R. Kiernan talk about Lovecraft and filmmakers Stuart Gordon, John Carpenter, and Guillermo Del Toro do too!
I loved it!
And here’s the documentary in it’s entirety via YouTube:
Posted by Jesse Willis
Thomas M. Disch (author), Brian Aldiss (author), Kim Stanley Robinson (author), Tim Powers (author), Terry Gilliam (filmmaker), Lawrence Sutin (biographer), Paul Williams (biographer), Barry Spatz (analyst), Kleo Mini (second wife), Anne Dick (third wife), Tessa Dick (fifth wife), Jim Blaylock (friend), Russel Galen (agent) talk about Philip K. Dick and his writings in this 1994 TV documentary made for BBC TV’s Arena. The interstitial readings from Dick’s fiction are narrated by Greg Proops.
1126 Fransisco St, Berkley, CA – home of Philip K. Dick from 1950 to 1958:
Posted by Jesse Willis
First broadcast on BBC Radio more than 10 years ago I discovered this interesting documentary over on RadioArchive.cc, the terrific radio only torrent* site. Bond’s World compares the reality of the British SIS (secret intelligence service) with Fleming’s SIS, examines the peculiarities of Fleming’s writing and plots, as well as showcasing the varied impact of the globally popular Bond films.
Bond’s World
Presented by Jeremy Black
MP3 via Torrent – Approx. 28 Minutes [DOCUMENTARY]
Broadcaster: BBC Radio 4
Broadcast: January 1, 2001
Historian Jeremy Black, with the aid of KGB double agent Oleg Gordievski and writer of espionage stories Nigel West, investigates the remarkable survival of James Bond past the end of the Cold War era into which he was born. What has been his impact, what are his politics, and why is he still relevant today?
Contributors:
Jeremy Black (Historian)
Oleg Gordievski (KGB Agent)
Nigel West (Author)
Readings by Christian Rodska
Produced by Miles Ward
Posted by Jesse Willis
*If you’re still not familiar with torrent technology I recommend you download and install µTorrent, it’s quick and simple.
There’s an interesting documentary about Jorge Luis Borges over on RadioArchive.cc. Its presenter, Peter White, traveled to Buenos Aires, talked to a Borges biographer and a former student. He sits in the club that Borges sat in and walks the streets where Borges walked. The focus here is especially on Borges’ blindness, but the documentary is good for those who are still sighted too.
Libraries, Labyrinths, Borges, And Me
Presented by Peter White; Reader Peter Woolf
1 MP3 – Approx. 28 Minutes [DOCUMENTARY]
Broadcaster: BBC Radio 4
Broadcast: May 19, 2009
Source: RadioArchive.cc
Peter White, who has been blind since birth, presents ‘In Touch’ Radio 4’s programme for the blind and partially sighted. This is not his only job at the BBC, where he also presents documentaries on various subjects. Peter is very interested in Jorge Luis Borges’ work. Here Peter travels to Buenos Aires to find out what why Borges seems to be more quoted than read, and to use his own blindness to bring new perspective Borges’ his life and work. Produced by Mark Smally.
Posted by Jesse Willis
Back in 2005 BBC Radio 4 broadcast a compelling documentary on something called “Numbers Stations“, automated shortwave radio stations that are linked to international espionage. Check out the Wikipedia entry for “The Lincolnshire Poacher” and have a listen to an |OGG| recording of an example transmission! Then listen to the doc…
Tracking The Lincolnshire Poacher
By Simon Fanshawe
1 |MP3| – Approx. 28 Minutes [DOCUMENTARY]
Broadcaster: BBC Radio 4
Broadcast: 2005
Simon Fanshawe embarks on a detective journey into the clandestine world of radio cryptography and attempts to solve one of the most unusual broadcast mysteries of all time.
[via Simon Mason and Speechification]
Posted by Jesse Willis