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Arena

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Documentary series

logo for Arena - A Genius Like Us
Arena - A Genius Like Us

Portrait of playwright Joe Orton, murdered by his lover Kenneth Halliwell at the peak of his career in 1967.

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logo for Arena - A Tall Story - How Salman Rushdie Pickled All of India.
Arena - A Tall Story - How Salman Rushdie Pickled All of India.

Salman Rushdie, author of Midnight's Children, winner of the Booker Prize 1981, talks about India and the autobiographical elements in the book.

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logo for Arena - According to Beryl
Arena - According to Beryl

Dame Beryl Bainbridge takes an idiosyncratic tour of the last twenty years of writer and poet Samuel Johnson's turbulent life, focusing on his relationship with Hester Thrale.

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logo for Arena - Art and Design: The Journey
Arena - Art and Design: The Journey

George Melly takes a nostalgic trip through front rooms and backstreets as he reminiscences about the influence of Dada and Surrealism on his early life.

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logo for Arena - At 30
Arena - At 30

Documentary looking at some of the most memorable Arena programmes of the past 30 years. With contributions from Anthony Wall, Alan Yentob, Lesley Megahey and Nigel Williams.

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logo for Arena - Bergman and Faro Island: Arena
Arena - Bergman and Faro Island: Arena

Documentary in which reclusive film director Ingmar Bergman talks about his career from his home on the desolate and mysterious Baltic island of Faro.

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logo for Arena - Bergman and the Cinema: Arena
Arena - Bergman and the Cinema: Arena

Documentary. Ingmar Bergman, one of the world's most important and influential filmmakers, pays one final visit to Filmstaden, where many of his films were made.

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logo for Arena - Blackpool
Arena - Blackpool

1989 documentary which takes a look at Europe's most successful holiday resort, famous for its Tower, illuminations, landladies and party political conferences.

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logo for Arena - Bob Marley Exodus '77
Arena - Bob Marley Exodus '77

An evocation of 1977 and of the spirit of Bob Marley's most significant album. It's a film about an artist and his world and the impact they had on each other.

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logo for Arena - Brian Eno - Another Green World
Arena - Brian Eno - Another Green World

Brian Eno, former Roxy Music keyboardist and a pioneer in ambient music, engages with fellow minds in conversations on science, art, systems analysis, producing and cybernetics.

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logo for Arena - Buddy Holly
Arena - Buddy Holly

Documentary looking at the short but brilliant career of legendary rock'n'roll star Buddy Holly. Features interviews with contemporaries and fans including Paul McCartney.

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logo for Arena - Cab Driver
Arena - Cab Driver

Documentary which gets to the heart of that much-maligned and stereotyped character, the London cabbie, using archive footage, music and film, as well as the drivers themselves.

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logo for Arena - Caroline 199 - A Pirate's Tale
Arena - Caroline 199 - A Pirate's Tale

Arena traces the origins of this broadcasting phenomenon of the 60s which is threatened with extinction by the government's new bill.

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logo for Arena - Cool
Arena - Cool

Documentary exploring the meaning and history of cool through the American music that started in the bars of New York and Los Angeles in the 1940s and became known as cool jazz.

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logo for Arena - Dave Brubeck - In His Own Sweet Way
Arena - Dave Brubeck - In His Own Sweet Way

Profile of the influential jazz pianist Dave Brubeck as he approaches his 90th birthday, who had one of the biggest popular hits in jazz history with Take Five.

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logo for Arena - Desert Island Discs
Arena - Desert Island Discs

A film made to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Roy Plomley's classic radio programme, featuring his successor as presenter, Sue Lawley.

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logo for Arena - Dylan Thomas: From Grave to Cradle
Arena - Dylan Thomas: From Grave to Cradle

An examination of the work and the legend of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas in the year of the fiftieth anniversary of his death.

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logo for Arena - Dylan's Folk - the Pure, the Bad and the Holy
Arena - Dylan's Folk - the Pure, the Bad and the Holy

Documentary about the American folk revival, the milieu from which the nascent Bob Dylan emerged in the early 1960s and whose crucible was the Newport folk festival.

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logo for Arena - Encountering Bergman: Arena
Arena - Encountering Bergman: Arena

Swedish TV producer Marie Nyrerod, broadcaster Melvyn Bragg and French film director Olivier Assayas talk about their meetings with Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman.

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logo for Arena - Flames of Passion
Arena - Flames of Passion

A celebration of British cinema from the 1940s and 1950s. Extracts and stills showcase a wealth of forgotten and overlooked movies.

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logo for Arena - Francis Bacon's Arena
Arena - Francis Bacon's Arena

Documentary about the great British painter Francis Bacon, a man whose life was every bit as colourful and outrageous as his art. Contributors include Bacon's sister Ianthe.

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logo for Arena - Frank Sinatra
Arena - Frank Sinatra

Acknowledged as one of the greatest singers of the twentieth century, Arena explores the rise of the crooner from his early family background to overwhelming showbusiness success.

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logo for Arena - Hank Williams - Honky Tonk Blues
Arena - Hank Williams - Honky Tonk Blues

Documentary about legendary country music singer-songwriter Hank Williams, who lived fast, died young and left an enduring legacy. Features interviews with friends and family.

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logo for Arena - Harold Pinter - A Celebration
Arena - Harold Pinter - A Celebration

In June 2009, a group Britain's leading actors gathered for one night only to perform a celebration of the work of Harold Pinter at the National Theatre, directed by Ian Rickson.

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logo for Arena - Harold Pinter - Part One: The Room
Arena - Harold Pinter - Part One: The Room

Film biography looking at the famous playwright. Pinter's key theme, the room, is explored through the rooms in which he wrote his first series of plays.

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logo for Arena - Harold Pinter - Part Two: Celebration
Arena - Harold Pinter - Part Two: Celebration

Film biography which explores the relationship between the public and private dimensions of the playwright and actor, following him at work over two years.

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logo for Arena - Into the Limelight - Tribute Bands
Arena - Into the Limelight - Tribute Bands

Documentary about musicians who perform in tribute acts. In the Limelight in Crewe, the spirit of rock is alive, along with Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain - in reality John and Keith.

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logo for Arena - Johnny Mercer - The Dream's on Me
Arena - Johnny Mercer - The Dream's on Me

Documentary telling the story and examining the legacy of Johnny Mercer, one of America's greatest songwriters and a man at the heart of the Great American Songbook.

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logo for Arena - Ken Dodd's Happiness
Arena - Ken Dodd's Happiness

Ken Dodd turned 80 in 2007. Arena meets Britain's most enduring variety entertainer and discovers why he is acknowledged as a prime exponent of his craft.

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logo for Arena - Linda McCartney - Behind the Lens
Arena - Linda McCartney - Behind the Lens

A profile of the late Linda McCartney, focusing on her career in photography.

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logo for Arena - Little Platform, Big Stage
Arena - Little Platform, Big Stage

Documentary celebrating one of London's great characters, the bus conductor. The film tells the stories of five extraordinary conductors from five decades of London's history.

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logo for Arena - My Name Is Celia Cruz
Arena - My Name Is Celia Cruz

Profile of the legendary Cuban salsa singer Celia Cruz, who moved to New York and rose to international fame with the Latin bands of Tito Puente and Johnny Pacheco.

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logo for Arena - My Way
Arena - My Way

An investigation of the appeal and power of the popular song My Way, which was written by Paul Anka and was recorded by many artists, including Frank Sinatra.

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logo for Arena - One for the Road
Arena - One for the Road

Drama in which Nicolas, who works as a torturer in an unnamed police state, interrogates three members of the same family. Harold Pinter acts in his own play.

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logo for Arena - Oooh er Missus! The Frankie Howerd Story
Arena - Oooh er Missus! The Frankie Howerd Story

Documentary about the life of Frankie Howerd, with help from friends and colleagues and including highlights from his TV and film career.

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logo for Arena - Paul Scofield
Arena - Paul Scofield

A host of leading theatrical greats, including Peter Brook, Vanessa Redgrave and John Hurt, pay tribute to the outstanding British actor Paul Scofield.

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logo for Arena - Philip Hoare's Guide to Whales
Arena - Philip Hoare's Guide to Whales

Acclaimed author and whale-watcher Philip Hoare takes us into the world of three types of whales

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logo for Arena - Radio Ha! It's Time for Just a Minute
Arena - Radio Ha! It's Time for Just a Minute

Behind the scenes of the Radio 4 comedy Just a Minute, with Nicholas Parsons, Paul Merton, Clement Freud, Linda Smith and Ross Noble.

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logo for Arena - Radio Ha! Meet Dead Ringers
Arena - Radio Ha! Meet Dead Ringers

Behind the scenes of Radio 4 comedy shows. Dead Ringers features spot-on impressions, but how do the team hold on to a sense of their own identity?

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logo for Arena - Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?
Arena - Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?

A celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Secret Policeman's Ball. Contributors include Rowan Atkinson, Stephen Fry and Lenny Henry.

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logo for Arena - Rolf Harris Paints His Dream
Arena - Rolf Harris Paints His Dream

Arena enlists supermodels Lily Cole and Lizzy Jagger and actresses Dervla Kirwan and Emer Kenny to help Rolf Harris achieve a painting ambition.

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logo for Arena - Saints
Arena - Saints

Documentary looking at the phenomenon of sanctity, and how the Catholic Church is the only Christian persuasion with an official saint-making process.

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logo for Arena - Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus
Arena - Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus

Jim White takes a thought-provoking road trip into the heart of the poor white American South through a gritty terrain of churches, prisons, truckstops, biker bars and coalmines.

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logo for Arena - Shadowing the Third Man
Arena - Shadowing the Third Man

Documentary which explores the artistry, moral world and furious infighting behind the film The Third Man.

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logo for Arena - The Agony and Ecstasy of Phil Spector
Arena - The Agony and Ecstasy of Phil Spector

In a rare interview, legendary music producer Phil Spector dissects his songs. His trial for murder in 2007 ended in a hung jury, and court footage provides a vivid counterpoint.

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logo for Arena - The Archers
Arena - The Archers

Documentary which goes behind the scenes at The Archers and follows the production team as they put together the 15,000th episode of the world's longest-running radio soap.

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logo for Arena - The Brian Epstein Story
Arena - The Brian Epstein Story

Documentary examining the turbulent life and career of the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein, who died in 1967 in mysterious circumstances.

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logo for Arena - The Burger and the King
Arena - The Burger and the King

The culinary passions of Elvis Presley are recounted by close friends, relatives and personal cooks who share the recipes that kept their idol happy.

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logo for Arena - The Comic Strip Hero
Arena - The Comic Strip Hero

A look at the legend of 'Superman' and its portrayal in comic books and films.

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logo for Arena - The Hunt for Moby-Dick
Arena - The Hunt for Moby-Dick

Writer Philip Hoare confronts our fascination with the ocean's mystery animal, the whale. He visits the whaling ports of New England and draws a parallel with the war on terror.

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logo for Arena - The Original Archers
Arena - The Original Archers

The earliest surviving episode in the BBC archives of The Archers, originally broadcast 11th March 1952, is repeated here in its entirety along with archive film of the period.

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logo for Arena - The Orson Welles Story
Arena - The Orson Welles Story

Two-part profile of actor-director Orson Welles, looking at his life and career in theatre, radio and particularly film

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logo for Arena - The Other Side of the Mirror - Bob Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival
Arena - The Other Side of the Mirror - Bob Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival

Murray Lerner's documentary features Bob Dylan's performances at the Newport folk festival between 1963 and 1965 - the time when Dylan changed the music of the world.

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logo for Arena - The Strange Luck of V.S. Naipaul
Arena - The Strange Luck of V.S. Naipaul

Profile of the Nobel Prize-winning British writer, VS Naipaul. Filmed in Wiltshire, India and his native Trinidad, he remains as incisive, forthright and controversial as ever.

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logo for Arena - The Strange Story of Joe Meek
Arena - The Strange Story of Joe Meek

Documentary about Joe Meek, the influential homosexual pop composer and record producer who died in dramatic circumstances in 1967.

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logo for Arena - The Time Signal
Arena - The Time Signal

Looking at radio and it's history, Dr Carl Dolmetsch finds out why the pips changed pitch.

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logo for Arena - The Underground
Arena - The Underground

Documentary about the Tube, the world's oldest underground system, with its own unwritten rules of behaviour and protocol, and used by three million passengers every day.

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logo for Arena - The Waugh Trilogy
Arena - The Waugh Trilogy

Three part profile of the writer, Evelyn Waugh.

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logo for Arena - The Whale in the Museum
Arena - The Whale in the Museum

Documentary telling the story of the construction of the blue whale at the Natural History Museum. In 1938, a group undertook the unprecedented task of building a life-sized model.

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logo for Arena - Today Carshalton Beeches... Tomorrow Croydon
Arena - Today Carshalton Beeches... Tomorrow Croydon

A look at the roles in the rock world of John Peel and John Walters, his radio show producer, in championing new musical directions.

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logo for Arena - Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends
Arena - Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends

Crooner Tony Bennett reflects over his life story with his friend and jazz enthusiast Clint Eastwood. Bennett traces his musical lineage through a wealth of jazz archive.

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logo for Arena - Tribute Bands - Live
Arena - Tribute Bands - Live

Live performances by tribute bands such as Limehouse Lizzy, Are You Experienced, The Jamm and ABCD, at Crewe's Limelight Club.

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logo for Arena - TS Eliot
Arena - TS Eliot

An unprecedented insight into the mysterious life of one of the 20th century's greatest poets, featuring the previously unseen personal archives of his widow, Valerie Eliot.

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logo for Arena - Voices from the Island
Arena - Voices from the Island

Nelson Mandela and his fellow ex-prisoners recall their incarceration on Robben Island - South Africa's Alcatraz.

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logo for Arena - Woody Guthrie
Arena - Woody Guthrie

Documentary on the life of Woody Guthrie, the travelling folk songwriter and singer who paved the way for the likes of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.

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