BBC 2’s ‘COUNTRY NIGHT’ Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton first came into my life from a distance. Country Night(BBC 2) was a continuous three-hour specialcelebrating Country Music, to be broadcast at peak viewing time. Two of the three hours would be live television,presented from Nashville by Dolly Parton and from Londonby Jools Holland.
The BBC planned a film to compliment the two one-hour live broadcasts. The Ideas/proposals for this specially commissioned piece, would be invited from within and without the BBC.
This was such a unique opportunity that I was certain the world’s best film makers would have already sent in their proposals. I wasn’t one of those, but I submitted my proposal anyway.
My idea ‘SONGROADS’ was based on Kathy Mattea’s friendship with Dougie MacLean and their shared love of Country Music.
Superficially, Kathy and Dougie and the cultures they represent are worlds apart. Paradoxically, my idea, guided by their music, would reveal a fascinating insight into the strength and depth of their music collaboration; showing how it formed and developed and how they gained inspiration from a shared awareness of one another’s values.
Both Kathy and Dougie have also been recognised for their contributions to culture and charity, Dougie receiving an OBE.
Kathy is a country singer/songwriter with many awards to her name, including two Grammys. At the time of filming, she was selling more records in the United States than any other female artist. She was also asked by President Clinton to sing at his inauguration.
As I developed my film, I sensed it was becoming a bit expensive for a BBC budget. So rather than compromise my ideas and reduce my ambitions for ‘SONGROADS’ I went in search of additional funding.
The agony of presenting my begging bowl, once again, was very real, but I received positive responses from both the Scottish Arts Council Lottery Fund and The Scottish Film Production Fund.
Unbelievably, I am delighted to say, the BBC chose my proposal ‘SONGROADS’ as their featured film, to compliment the memorable moments that Dolly Parton and Jools Holland would undoubtably create in their live presentations for ‘Country Night’.
Avril MacRory, BBC Head of Music:
Thank you Mark for ‘SongRoads’……… it was an extraordinary achievement…. a real highlight of a very successful evening. The ratings and critical acclaim surpassed all our expectations.
Dolly Parton left us on Aug. 25th. 2026. Kathy Mattea was a very close friend.
Kathy: ‘Dolly’s legacy goes way beyond her music………. She never lost touch with her Appalachian routes. As an entrepreneur she created Dollywood in Pidgeon Forge, employing all those wonderful people from the East Tennessee Mountains.’
Last Saturday, Kathy paid her own personal tribute to Dolly at the Grand Ole Opry singing ‘JOLENE’ probably written by Dolly on the same day as she wrote ‘I Will Always Love You’
The full story of how SongRoads: A Musical Friendshipfrom Dunkeld, Butterstone and The Isle of Lewis to Nashville, Charleston and Washington is in my book:
‘Shaping the Shadows: A Picture Maker’s Story’.
Available from:
Amazon, National Library of Scotland and
www.marklittlewood.org.uk
#DollyParton #DougieMacLean #KathyMattea #JoolsHolland#AvrilMacRory
#ShapingtheShadowsAPictureMakersStory #BBC2 #BBCScotland.
George Bernard Shaw once said: The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
This quote has always appealed to me as we struggle to find the required funding to realise the full potential of our ideas.
Mairi Mhor
Sir Michael Caine delivered a deeply personal and moving eulogy in honour of John McGrath. I was among the capacity audience of friends and leading filmmakers paying our respects at 195 Piccadilly, BAFTA’s London headquarters.
Sir Michael paid tribute to John’s many achievements and the influence he had on film, television and touring theatre. He recalled how John and his wife Elizabeth gave shelter to struggling actors in their early careers, and how he personally had benefited from their generosity. His sometimes-faltering voice remembering that he had never forgotten those early days.
Michael Billington(Guardian 24thJan. 2002) wrote:
In a world of careerists, McGrath was always a passionate socialist: he believed strongly that the function of art was to reach as many people as possible, to heighten awareness and to help change society.
As I left B.A.F.T.A. reflecting on Sir Michael’s words, I was reminded of how privileged I had been to photograph five of John’s films; the last one being ‘Mairi Mhor: Her Life and Songs’. This is a true story about a Gaelic warrior woman, who shared many of John’s traits, to challenge the status quo.
Mairi Mhor (Mary MacPherson) wrote passionate resistance songs and poetry about the ruthless Landlords who had violently removed the Scottish Crofting Communities from their homelands during the Highland Clearances; her evocative words still resonate today.
Born on 10 March 1821, Mairi, a widowed mother of five from Skye was jailed in 1872 and only began writing in herfifties to release the anger and rage she felt after being unjustly imprisoned; maliciously accused of theft.
Mairi’s first poem from her jail cell, was ‘Tha mi sgith de luchd na Beurla’
(I am tired of the English speakers).
As a freedom fighter her vast collection of rousing, inspirational and enduring Gaelic verse contributed significantly to promoting the campaign for Land Reform. Her courage recognised by a commemorative flagstone laid in her honour at the National Literary Monument, in Maker’s Court, Edinburgh.
Alison Kerr writing in the Film Guide said:
‘Stunningly photographed by Mark Littlewood and extremely absorbing, this is the true story of Mary MacPherson…………. Using flashbacks and a soundtrack of MacPherson’s songs, the life of this remarkable woman is pieced together and nineteenth-century Scotland is memorably evoked.
#MichaelCaine #MairiMhor #JohnMcGrath #BAFTA#ShapingtheShadowsAPictureMakersStory
MIDGE URE: Remembers(BBC 2).
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
Marklittlewood.org.uk
The Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest always refreshes excitingmemories from that day 25th. March 1972, when my self-funded apprentice film, ‘Beneath the Skyline: Edinburgh to Music’ opened the BBC’s broadcast from the Usher Hall in Edinburgh.
Celebrating its 70th. Anniversary the ‘Eurovision Song Contest’ is the largest televised music event in the world. Its powerful cultural benefits fulfilling the BBC tenet to Educate, Inform and Entertain are often ignored.
So, where votes count, why don’t we have a competition for the ‘Best Opening Film’. Naturally, I would nominate mine as the most deserving, with the late Tom Fleming CVO OBE FRSAMD wonderfully informed voice, followed by the lateMoira Shearer’s gracious presentation.
See: YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sN_V_uDjd0
See: Shaping the Shadows: A Picture Maker’s Story
Available from:
The National Library of Scotland
Marklittlewood.org.uk
Amazon
BUTCHER: Invisible Wounds.
Sir Bobby Robson had already seen our two self–funded, award winning Olympic Games Films:
“The Long Sprint: Diary of an Olympic Athlete” (Montreal 1976) and
“No Easy Way: Allan Wells – One Man’s Olympics”(Moscow1980)
before inviting Mike and I to make an in-depth film about his famous Ipswich Town Football Team, winners of both the FA Cup and UEFA Cup.
The Film was called “The First 90 minutes: Bobby Robson at Ipswich.”
I’ve written about the making of this independent film in my autobiography “Shaping the Shadows: A Picture Maker’s Story.”
I’m now writing about an event of great sadness and concern.
Bobby Robson had Terry Butcher captain his famous Ipswich Team. Butcher also captained his country(England) and took Glasgow Rangers to three successive league titles. Terry, avery humble man, became a legend in his own lifetime.
I’ve just seen a wonderful film called “BUTCHER: Invisible Wounds” an awe-inspiring family story, about a famous footballing dad and his son Chris. Terry would have forsaken all his honors to avoid the tragedy that overcame his family.
His Dad played for his country, his son died protecting it.
Chris Butcher went to Sandhurst and became a Captain in the Royal Artillery, serving his country in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He died while suffering from P.T.S.D. Post–Traumatic Stress Disorder.
After the inquest the assistant coroner said:
“When people serve in the armed forces, they give everything in defence of our Country”.
Artwork: Chris Butcher.
The Film will have its World Premiere in Ipswich on the 15th of May.
I was priviledged to donate archive from the Pelicula Film,
“The First 90 Minutes: Bobby Robson at Ipswich” to help inform
“Butcher: Invisible Wounds”. The film will also be broadcast on the ITV Network
“Shaping the Shadows: A Picture Maker’s Story” is available from:
The National Library of Scotland, Amazon and marklittlewood.org.uk
#PostTraumaticStressDisorder #ButcherInvisibleWounds#SirBobbyRobson #shapingtheshadowsAPictureMakersStory.
SEVEN LAST WORDS FROM THE CROSS
The Late Doctor James Hunter produced the first and only pop-promo to ever accompany James MacMillan’s fabulous music, starring Capella Nova and the BT Ensemble.
What actually happened, was the BBC commissioned James MacMillan to write a piece of music to celebrate Easter Time.
What came out of that enlightened commission was one of Sir James’s greatest masterpiecescalled: ‘Seven Last Words from the Cross’ a cantata for double choir and string orchestra.
The BBC then commissioned James Hunter, former BBC Scotland controller, to produce a film to accompany MacMillan’s wonderful music and Jim asked me to direct the photography.
What a priviledge; Jim and I spent many hours round the piano in his Bearsden homeworking out ideas and how to express visually, James MacMillan’s evocative music.
I always left Jim’s home thinking I was working on something very special and in my own mind called it ‘Seven Last Words from the Cross – The Movie’
We shot the entire film in a disused church in the Gorbals. Which gave us some greatatmospheric visuals.
The seven episodes would be broadcast on seven consecutive nights during Holy Week which this year is 29th.March – Sun. 5th. April.
I think Broadcasting the original film interpretation of Sir James’s magic music on the abovedates would be a fitting tribute to my former collegue Jim Hunter, who recently passed away.