Victor Lewis-Smith

[JOE SOAP]

Been re-aquainting myself with the Victor Lewis-Smith catalogue of TV programmes/experiments -especially with the rise of Charlie Brooker- and it's still amazing how satirically sharp and inventive this fella is/was; certainly edgier than his T.V. progeny.

He was such a harbinger of what was to come by utilising an irreverent cut-up narrative style utilising archive, music and off-the-wall voice-over that forged a path others have since followed: Chris Morris, Adam Curtis and especially Charlie Brooker -who even apes, wholesale, his narrative style and unique voice inflections:




TV Offal Pilot (1997) Episode:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfP098dSeoI&feature=plcp&context=C38674faUDOEgsToPDskJL3NkL8oGng4_J9tytWkbJ

TV Offal (1997) Episode 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6guw9sjg_E&feature=related


TV Hell, Secret Life of TV:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP0NkF16gb8&feature=plcp&context=C3472aefUDOEgsToPDskJL3hSHGmi4JxmziDHjdH-5

Inside Victor Lewis-Smith (1993) Episode 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwTDXC2l1h4&feature=plcp&context=C3bed471UDOEgsToPDskJ77XPfLSDy1WuLs8X5byqi



Up Your Arts (1991):


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqsQ5Ntt4eA


I await his imminent return, if T.V. is brave enough:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Lewis-Smith

[Goosegash]

I think TV has too become too chicken shit to allow someone like VLS to make the kind of shows he used to. Apparently a lot of the content of TV Offal was skirting the edge of what you could get away with legally, which is probably why it was never repeated in full.

It would be incredible to see him back on TV again, but I don't think it's likely to happen. These days he seems to mostly stay behind the scenes, producing documentaries through his Associated Rediffusion company. Although why he lets Keith Allen present them all is something of a mystery.

[A.Cow]

Probably the main reason why TV Offal is not repeated is because it was mostly pants -- far more miss than hit.  Aside from the occasional funny skit (e.g. overdubbing BBC archive violin solos) there were dozens of increasingly tiresome camp dalek episodes.

It's the same reason why Jam or Q9 or early Kenny Everett is never re-shown.

I remember a few years ago Graeme Garden bemoaning the fact that the Goodies was never repeated.  When some station finally broadcast a few, it was perfectly obvious why they'd been left to decay.

[IAMTHESYSTEM]

The BBC has never have released Smashie and Nicey: The End of an Era.[1994] on DVD.

I wonder if it too has failed the test of time though the clips I see on YouTube still make me laugh. Perhaps it's seen to be funny by a certain Generation and would be meaningless to 20 somethings that grew up after that period.

The Day Today Chris Morris and Armando Iannucci parody of Satellite News coverage was made the same year but it's available on DVD. Time, IMHO has made it even more topical in it's portrail of arrogant TV Presenters and worthless news items like the 'Elvi-cution.'

[Roger Godpleton]

He has stupid hair and is fat.

[Spikes]

I remember a few years ago Graeme Garden bemoaning the fact that the Goodies was never repeated.  When some station finally broadcast a few, it was perfectly obvious why they'd been left to decay.

True. Unmissable, if you was a nipper in the 70's, but rewatching on DVD, it was hard work to get through them.

[Roger Godpleton]

Plus these days we all know that Bill Oddie is a giant tool.

[I, Cosh]

My overriding memory of VLS is the mannered way he pronounced the word "garbage." It may seem fatuous to nurture a hatred of a man for twenty yefor for something so slight yet I have. Furthermore, I think that him making such a performance of it mitigates my ubreasonableness. So,  I don't remember specifics of his programme but have a vague recollection of it being utterly facile whereas I'd quite liked some of his writing.

[Roger Godpleton]

I profoundly disliked some of his newspaper columns and found the tone of them bordering on mean-spiritedness.

[Goosegash]

Probably the main reason why TV Offal is not repeated is because it was mostly pants -- far more miss than hit.  Aside from the occasional funny skit (e.g. overdubbing BBC archive violin solos) there were dozens of increasingly tiresome camp dalek episodes.

It's the same reason why Jam or Q9 or early Kenny Everett is never re-shown.

I remember a few years ago Graeme Garden bemoaning the fact that the Goodies was never repeated.  When some station finally broadcast a few, it was perfectly obvious why they'd been left to decay.

To be honest, I think it's a big misconception that certain shows are held back purely due to being "dated". In fact I think the one question involved when putting something out on DVD these days is "Will it sell?" I'm pretty sure the only reason the entirety of Milligan's Q(or however much of it is still in the archives) hasn't come out before now is that whoever holds the rights doesn't think they can make enough money out of it.

There are many still many shows that are never repeated ir put on a shiny disc but which has sod all to with them being "dated". To name a few, Innes Book Of Records, Rutland Weekend Television, all of Sykes apart from the first series, etc.

Jesus, they even put out "The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club" on DVD, and show me a format that has dated any worse than that.

Jam still holds up as far the material is concerned, even if much of it was watered down from the radio incarnation. As to why it's never repeated, who knows? It could be to do with the peculiar format(20-odd minute episodes with no ad break in the middle) or possibly some of the material is still too close to the bone even for the supposedly edgy and in-your-face Channel 4. Or maybe it's because the schedulers have zero imagination and would rather just put on 8 Out Of 10 Cats or Father Ted on for the billionth time.

As for The Goodies, those shows might not be as hilarious as their reputation suggests, but after watching the repeats last christmas, I started to realise they have a strange atmosphere and rhythm to them which kind of grows on you after a while, much like some of the weirder Python episodes. Just as long as you don't expect belly laughs.

I suspect the only reason Smashie & Nicey: EOAE has never been on DVD is that 2Entertain are too stingy to pay for rights to the numerous songs and clips featured. It was on TV in the last couple of years, and actually seems funnier than it did at the time - it might be one of the best things Enfield and Whitehouse have ever done in my opinion.

[HdE]

Probably the main reason why TV Offal is not repeated is because it was mostly pants -- far more miss than hit.  Aside from the occasional funny skit (e.g. overdubbing BBC archive violin solos) there were dozens of increasingly tiresome camp dalek episodes.

Oddly enough, I remember citing the Gay Daleks as a good reason not to bother renewing my TV license to a roomful of people - all of whom agreed with me.

I always found Victor Lewis Smith to be profoundly unfunny, juvenile and needlessly crude.

No sir, not a fan.

[Goosegash]

Probably the main reason why TV Offal is not repeated is because it was mostly pants -- far more miss than hit.  Aside from the occasional funny skit (e.g. overdubbing BBC archive violin solos) there were dozens of increasingly tiresome camp dalek episodes.

Oddly enough, I remember citing the Gay Daleks as a good reason not to bother renewing my TV license to a roomful of people - all of whom agreed with me.

I always found Victor Lewis Smith to be profoundly unfunny, juvenile and needlessly crude.

No sir, not a fan.

TV Offal was made by Channel 4, not the BBC.

[JOE SOAP]

Probably the main reason why TV Offal is not repeated is because it was mostly pants -- far more miss than hit.  Aside from the occasional funny skit (e.g. overdubbing BBC archive violin solos) there were dozens of increasingly tiresome camp dalek episodes.

To be honest, I think it's a big misconception that certain shows are held back purely due to being "dated". In fact I think the one question involved when putting something out on DVD these days is "Will it sell?" I'm pretty sure the only reason the entirety of Milligan's Q(or however much of it is still in the archives) hasn't come out before now is that whoever holds the rights doesn't think they can make enough money out of it.

There are many still many shows that are never repeated ir put on a shiny disc but which has sod all to with them being "dated".

Jesus, they even put out "The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club" on DVD, and show me a format that has dated any worse than that.

Jam still holds up as far the material is concerned, even if much of it was watered down from the radio incarnation. As to why it's never repeated, who knows? It could be to do with the peculiar format(20-odd minute episodes with no ad break in the middle) or possibly some of the material is still too close to the bone even for the supposedly edgy and in-your-face Channel 4. Or maybe it's because the schedulers have zero imagination and would rather just put on 8 Out Of 10 Cats or Father Ted on for the billionth time.

Programmes being repeated on telly or released commercially to DVD/Blu-Ray are two very different things. It is far easier to show a programme on telly again than it is to release commercially because of footage and music copyright. To sell programmes in the nature of TV Offal or Screenwipe as DVD releases -apart from any legal problems with libelous content- would be so cost prohibitive because of the need to secure the commercial rights for all out-sourced/bought-in footage and the publishing rights to any commercial music used that it would need to recoup far too much monetary investment via sales which are not guaranteed.

This is the reason why the BBC has never released any Adam Curtis documentaries commercially.


If something can be sold and has minimum/no legal or copyright risk - such as "The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club"- it will be released no matter how old. If there's an audience, it will sell.

[A.Cow]

It is far easier to show a programme on telly again than it is to release commercially because of footage and music copyright.

The BBC have never shied away from cutting stuff to save money on DVD rights clearance -- the phrase "Certain edits have been made for contractual reasons" appears on most of their sitcom releases.  That said, there must still be a threshold where it's no longer cost-effective to edit stuff out.

[JOE SOAP]

The BBC have never shied away from cutting stuff to save money on DVD rights clearance -- the phrase "Certain edits have been made for contractual reasons" appears on most of their sitcom releases.  That said, there must still be a threshold where it's no longer cost-effective to edit stuff out.

...but in the case of programmes that are mostly made from sourced archive/commercial music heavy -Curtis documentaries/Screenwipe et al.- 'making edits' would mean a complete re-cut, dumping vast tracts of material and replacing all music; no one would make the investment, it wouldn't work and the original producers would refuse. These programmes are generally produced just for one or two initial broadcasts and maybe now and again years down the line or if some other channel buys the broadcast rights to show them in another country.

This is why you see facebook pages/online petitions for these types of programmes to get official releases:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=38103649053&v=wall


It won't happen, it's too expensive.

It's ok for the odd tv series to dump/replace the use of a few copyright items for DVD release but no one would buy wholesale re-edited butchery, hence why these programmes live a new life on the web. Bootlegged HD broadcasts make DVD releases fairly redundant anyway.