MovieChat Forums > Melody (1971) Discussion > Remember the screening of this on UK TV ...

Remember the screening of this on UK TV in the 70s?

posted 13 years ago by kosmikino
7 replies | jump to latest

I remember first watching this on a Sunday night, probably around 1976-1978 (it was using the alternative title of 'S.W.A.L.K.' I think because there was a TV show that used the name 'Melody' made in the same year 1971 though I could be wrong) and I remember everyone excitedly discussing it in the playground on Monday morning.

I must have been 8 or 9 and it had such a profound effect on my psyche that no matter how many times I have watched it since, the years have never dulled it. Looking at it from adult eyes, it is incredible just how subversive the narrative is (though its subtlety means it never appears in any list of early seventies political/radical film lists), utterly anti-authoritarian and the way it uses a child's view of the world to question the structure of consensus reality is just a joy to behold.

The acting is absolutely incredible and why it is not more well known in Europe or America is just beyond my comprehension. I find it fascinating that the Japanese are the ones who have embraced it and of course I could give a list of possible reasons why but the main thing is, they kept it from falling down the memory hole and the reward has been the reissued DVD!

Anyway, I have never met anyone who remembers the 70s screening (I am beginning to wonder if it was just shown in the Yorkshire TV area) so I thought I would throw the question open!

[–] Ambiance35 13 years ago

Hello & yes I also remember the screening of this little gem on terrestrial tv way back in the 70's although granted "terrestrial" was all we had in those days I know! lol
We appear to be about the same age (I am now 45) & I distinctly remember watching this great film together with my parents mid to late 70's on "Tyne Tees" (as in Newcastle area) but cannot confirm the actual week night though sorry. Even after all these years certain scenes were still recollected (& not necessarily the most memorable neither for some strange reason) such as headmaster James Cossins' rolling his eyes & exasperatedly asking the class "about Christ" (as a circa ten year old I thought he looked so old & it was a shock all those years later to discover that he was only 38 at the time of filming!) & the two "married" kids on the railway go-kart at the end of the film on their way to a journey of eternal happiness of kinds..........Well here's hoping anyway as times appeared so much more innocent then!
Years later I bought a Japanese edition DVD to watch this film again & lets just say it did not disappoint & I have since lent out the aforementioned DVD to friends all of whom have enjoyed watching it.
Your post mentioned the "Yorkshire TV" area & I have to say that you live in a beautiful part of the world-It is my 23rd wedding anniversary next month (bet that makes the both of us feel old-Sorry!:o) & we are heading off to Richmond in North Yorkshire for a long weekend.

[–] waswasere 13 years ago

I remember it too. It's also the only time I saw the film.

I've just seen Moonrise Kingdom and afterwards said to my friends "That's a remake of S.W.A.L.K." without realising that it was the 'Melody' being referred to by Wes Anderson.

"I know it looked like I fell... but it was all part of my plan!"

[–] Mistle_Cat 12 years ago

The BBC showed it on a Sunday night in late '78. Like the rest of you it had a huge impact on me, so much so that I cut out the cast list and review from the Radio Times and kept it for years

[–] andyg35 12 years ago

A late reply, but I remember that Sunday evening of S.W.A.L.K. showing - a bit surprised it was as late as 1978 but it is a long time ago...

Can only echo what others have said - I was only a kid when I saw it but it stuck in my memory for years to the point where I used to skim through the TV guides to see if it was on again.

Eventually Bravo (I think) showed it on Satellite TV and my VHS recording of that (complete with rubbish, hissy sound and fuzzy picture) was watched regularly.

Bought a bootleg DVD a few years ago (the Japanese release I think) and then the official DVD when it was released in the UK.

A tremendous film which brings back memories of the time that are so strong it always takes me by surprise. I wasn't from that part of the country myself but it didn't matter - must be even better if you grew up in and around the locations that were used for the film.

Strikes a real chord with me, and I'm happy to say my son thinks its a good 'un too, despite it being set in remote historical times as far as he's concerned.

One of my favourites.

AndyG

[–] KrimsonKitten 12 years ago

I was only born in 1980 but I remember this film. My mum had recorded off tv at some point and I used to come home from school and watch it everyday. I can't have been much more than maybe 5 or 6. Every day. I'm not exaggerating. Eventually my mum got so fed up with me watching it every day she recorded over it. I was devastated. And even though I haven't ever seen it since, I still remember so much of it. Amazing film.

[–] tali1 11 years ago

Last shown on tv on 23/11/1987.
I watched it some time in the mid 70s - watched it today -so some 35yrs or more since my last viewing

Hey Witchdoctor, give us the magic words.
ooh ee ooh ah ah, ting tang wallawallabingba

[–] flanagan-eng 10 years ago

I too remember that Sunday night screening in '78. I was 10 at the time and only saw it by accident as I think The Italian Job was on the other side and my Mum didn't want to watch that. Curious isn't it that this little known film had such such a profoundly emotional impact and effect on those of us lucky enough to have seen it at the right age?

I spent years waiting for another screening and finally my heart leapt when 8 years later in 1986, Central TV showed it as an afternoon movie (in the days before daytime tv) and fortunately by then we had a a VCR and I taped it for posterity (even editing out the commercials by expert use of the pause button.)