Watchification » religion

Explore: Sex and Religion in Manila

antimega — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 22:16:45 +0000

The Explore series has been a bit random, sometimes feeling a bit too much like the original Rough Guide TV series from the 80s. But I’ve found the programmes about Manila fascinating: I spent a few days in one part of Metro Manila a few years ago, and the amazing contrasts between the tiny rich percentage and the slums and poverty stick in my mind, along with the warmth and friendliness of the Pinoy people.

This programme explores one of the major issues in Filipino life: the strength of the Catholic church, versus the need for sex education and control the exploding population. However, just the portrayal of daily life so different from that in the UK makes this worth watching.

I’ve complained before about the ever-increasing repeats on the BBC – normally with ruses similar to this spin-off programme. However, taking a story from the main programme on the Philippines and exploring it to the depth needed represents a clever use of multi-channel and digital TV delivery.

The Holy Show

Steve Bowbrick — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:41:59 +0000

Terrific documentary about an Irish Catholic priest with a secret. The anchor for the story is the 16mm footage taken by student film maker Alison Millar years before the secret was revealed. The story has drama, pathos, humour and some truth about Irish society. The film is a BBC Northern Ireland/RTE co-production.

Sacred Music

russell — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 16:39:05 +0000

Palestrina sounds like planets. To me anyway. When I think of moving in space it’s never to 2001-type Strauss or Ligeti. Nor to the sucking, clanging sound effects of most scientifically illiterate movies. The grace, the slowness of space sounds, to me, like Palestrina. (It’s probably to do with some BBC2 astronomy programme from the 70s.) Anyway. This edition of Simon Russell Beale’s series on sacred music tells the story of Palestrina’s life, and the way his polyphony evolved in response to the architecture and attitudes of the church. It’s lovely telly. Proper ‘gather the family round BBC2′ stuff. Even if it’s on BBC4. Explaining music always seems to work well on TV, there should be more of it. (And it’s a co-production with the Open University, like Coast, there should be more of that too.)

White Gospel

Steve Bowbrick — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 12:57:48 +0000

Beautiful, moving Southern voices, two-hundred year-old harmonies, fire-and-brimstone (including a sixteen-foot wooden Satan), racial harmony (and disharmony)… and Elvis. Absolutely lovely middle-of-the-night music doc from BBC4.