The Shadowcast
A podcast on Roy Ward Baker & Ted Willis’ FLAME IN THE STREETS? How timely, what with it being Black History Month, and what with Guy Fawkes Night being on the way!
(Weirdly silent streets right now, normally our neighbours start letting off bangers a good month in advance… I suppose, having typed this, I’ll shortly be deafened by the sound of exploding children.)
Yes, THE SHADOWCAST is finally upon us/you. Episode 1 can be downloaded right here. We’ll try to get some more bells and whistles on it soon.
FITS features this fleeting appearance from the mighty Barbara Windsor. Also discussed in this week’s episode, SAPPHIRE — which has a cameo by the late, great Fenella Fielding, another CARRY ON star. And also also discussed is the superior POOL OF LONDON — which features a substantial supporting role for Sir Leslie Phillips (Hell-lo!). So there’s not only an overview of race relations in the UK as portrayed in films of this period (1951-1961), but a bit of a Carry On thing going on…
shadowplay 
October 22, 2018 at 2:37 pm
Hmmm…the only one I’ve seen of these is SAPPHIRE. Good luck
with the launch.
October 22, 2018 at 3:24 pm
Thanks!
October 22, 2018 at 3:58 pm
Excellent. A very confident debut.
October 22, 2018 at 4:28 pm
Well done! That was very enjoyable–and I’m not someone who listens to podcasts.
You mention that some of the dialog in FLAME is still shocking, and it reminded me that here in the States on free tv, the racist language is still censored in a film like NO WAY OUT. No matter it is coming from the mouth of a clearly villainous racist (played so well by Richard Widmark.) We’re still afraid of the language, especially that N word.
October 22, 2018 at 6:30 pm
Thanks.
Yes, our own beloved Talking Pictures TV was officially censured for not putting up a warning in one case. I think the words do need some alert, and shouldn’t be used gratuitously. Really, the word isn’t so much the thing, as the intent behind it. Tarantino’s absurd idea that he can rob the N word of power by using it a lot just doesn’t cut it, because no amount of overuse can blunt the impact of a word applied with the force of hate behind it.
October 22, 2018 at 10:28 pm
Tarantino throws it away, again and again. But films like NO WAY OUT and FLAME IN THE STREETS respect the word’s power. At least that’s their intent.
October 23, 2018 at 12:16 am
Horses for courses. QT’s approach would make sense if what he claims he’s trying to achieve were remotely possible. (Really, I think he’s just being a brat.)