like to differ.
found it full the discussion of In short, TV series Pennies from Heaven, I would materialist, comsiderably in emphasis with the review Sally Feldman 16 April.
humanistic platitudes which in no way grips the How significance of Potler 3 plays as programmes working within TV PT DECENTECHLE SELUCILE reason why this extraordinar series is one of the most radical on TV — itarempied in a small and pollica we have ever seen voices inserting both at 'artificially" the level of content and in terms ifele structure of the medium This is rare on TV, Fed as we are on an unremitting diet ol carried from Crossmads What Potter attempted, not cazTy always successfully, bur with courageous disrespect for the conventions of TV "forms', wat a fruitful collision becaeen th mode of TV naturalism in drama and the 1930% musical, in a way which was thoroughly disorienting.
He recognised that to puzek us, to make us stop short and reassess nur accepted calceorics and ways of viewine television isan indispersable clement of g In the procest of judaposin;
these two form, Deania Potte subserted the meaning of both so that we were forced to asses the sile was a einstructs particular reality for formally cassie paze. Th medium al TV. In a certai sense, became visible — rather than Idden or transparent, is A normal. We were forced ca sik questions about TV. rather what the series revolutionary ArSHA must do questions nbout the nature o TO EACTIONAL DELAC MICATEI itself, not merely it apparent achieve specifically was this By the simple cechnique of removing songs and dance Trom archetypal utopian 1930s musicals tin their original form Same and recordings) and them completely into tragic and oppressive situations they didn't really fir' - thus undermining the associations which such tunes normally In the contexts in which those hopeful "sunshine" songs could have been previouly found (the musical, generally) they would have conventionally helped the action lo inevitable, happy, non-contra dictory conclusion.
Here on the other hand localed as they were as part of the characters dream worldstemporarily caternalised unconscious they largels contradicted the plot as it evolod socialist No. 2 out now. Special 40 page issue with:
Alain Krivine, Chris Harman, David Widgen and Tariq Ali on May '6E Plus part two of David Edgar on socialis theatre; nuclear power; news analysis; film and book reviews and more. 35p (inc. post) from Socialist Review, PO Box 82, London E2 process helped "subvert" the meanings of its two cements, d ate succeeded inter ng specitas oppressiveness of the social situation during the Depression in which the characters were located. 1i did this by revealing he gap between their desir he hopes and their futur prospects Curiously it was the scene where Poster tried to use the songs in 10 mOS overly "satirical munner •fic ostensive political intent) which were least successful Song and plot then began to directly complement other in a rationa, conventTonal manner coherence or hartony" was establsned, where productive "contradiction and "disincation' between the elements wa: suppressed for the sake of immodinte polemical meaning.
Pennies from Heaven was by no means perfect. Is rechniques were in a real sense very 'moderate certainiy in terns of much radical him or drama practice.
But for TV of this kind, in this siluation, it represents a real Step forward! which hopefully will open the ideas of many socialists to the direction that "political" television should take CARL SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 11 May 1978 page 15