Last Saturday, I watched this programme, which exploredMidge Ure’s role as musical director, for the famous 1986 ‘Prince’s Trust – Birthday Concert’. The concert celebrated the founding of the Trust by Prince Charles, as he was then, to support underprivileged children.
Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Tina Turner and Mick Jagger were among the many famous musicians who gave their time.
Six years later in 1992; it’s a bitterly cold night. I’m freezing to death and it’s 02.00 hrs. on a December morning. I’m standing amongst the frost covered commemorative stones in the Necropolis, Glasgow’s famous Victorian graveyard.
In my film–camera eyepiece I can see Midge Ure, having an altercation with the late Robbie Coltrane, made even more dramatic cause you could see every word they said and every time they moved the frost covered grass crackled and glinted in my blue artificial moonlight.
The film we were making was adapted by Paul Pender from the highly acclaimed British independent comic book series, ‘The Bogie Man’ created by legendary writers John Wagner and Alan Grant.
In our film a patient suffering from a mental disorder (Robbie Coltrane) escape from his institution. He believes he is Humphrey Bogart and sets up in business as a Private EyeInvestigator in Glasgow.
This was to be a BBC ‘Christmas Special’ also called ‘The Bogie Man’ produced as part of their Screen 2 anthology series. Directed by the late Charlie Gormley who went on to direct Helen Mirren in ‘Heavenly Pursuits’.
I enjoyed every moment of filming, but after another three weeks of night shoots with sub-zero temperatures, I was very happy to be in front of a log fire with my family, curled up with Pancho, my beloved Bernese Mountain Dog, waiting for Father Christmas to come down the chimney,
#HelenMirren #CharlieGormley #MidgeUre #RobbieColtrane
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