N.Z.B.C. took a chance, but it paid off

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33454, 8 February 1974, Page 4

N.Z.B.C. took a chance, but it paid off

The N.Z.B.C. took a chance in telecasting direct the two and a quar-ter-hour New Zealand Day ceremony from Waitangi — and generally it paid i off. Its success as T.V. was largely due to the variety of the items in the \ pageant, its multi-racial concept and the fact that most who took part were experienced performers. The corporation committed itself well and truly with this coverage, which unfortunately was not in colour because equipment was still in Christchurch. But with prior planning,) and the fact that this was; the first official observance; of New Zealand Day as a public holiday, together with! the presence of the Royal; Family, it was a calculated; risk. The result did a great deal towards the creation of a[ feeling of national identity. The television coverage brought home not only the; British origins of New Zea- 1 , land, but also its Polynesian heritage. Integration of! Greek, Dutch and other! European peoples was also depicted. One man behind the extravaganza was an Auckland stage producer, Richard Johnstone, who had assembled a cast of 750 to take part in the symbolic pageant. Camera work reflected careful use of the close-up both in shots of performers, and in candid shots of the official party, including the Queen. Over-use of close-ups on the official party could have been intrusive, but there was no suggestion of this — shots merely reflected the keen interest and enjoyment of the Royal visitors in what was taking place. The pageant was a happy blend of the traditional with the modern idiom, rock music forming the base. There were times, towards the end of the extravaganza, when the N.Z.B.C. crew had difficulty in maintaining an interesting picture, and there was fluctuation in sound on occasions. The noise of the motor driving the hoist carrying cameramen aloft intruded at times also, but all these are minor details. This was an ambitious New Zealand historical pageant for a significant day. The N.Z.B.C. had broken with its own tradition in postponing the national news bulletin. The result was a tribute to the initiative shown. ?;< » It is a pity that “A Fami-

Ily at War” has taken so I long to return to our screens, but the quality of the new series is well up to I the earlier standards we (have come to expect. The atmosphere and trials of this period are recaptured ;with uncanny accuracy. Perhaps the most telling scene lon Wednesday evening was the bomber pilot’s horrified account of how he crashlanded the aircraft and then watched while it caught fire and burned his mates.

‘‘Bless This House” is | usually a series of guffaws which can be counted on to [come up with all the old [gags and plenty of predictable new ones as well. It’s a long time since we ;have seen the voluble-Ital-(ian-waiter act, grabbing the customer by the coat lapels. This used to be a favourite of Hollywood movie-makers years ago. Strange how it is .still good for a laugh. There was just sufficient interest in “MacLeish’s Wild Horses’ to keep me in front : of the T.V. set until the end.

CHTV3 2.00 p.m.: News, weather (C). 2.05: Along Came a Spider (C). 3.35: Sesame Street. 4.32: The Second Hundred Years. Repeat (C). 4.57: Crystal Tipps and Alistair (C). 5.02: The Pink Panther Show. Cartoon series (C). 5.23: You Are There. History series. Repeat. 5.44: News (C). 5.46: The Adventures of Superman (C). 6.11: Arnie. Comedy. Repeat (C). 6.36: You Asked For It (C). 7.00: Network News. 7.20: Regional weather, news. The South Tonight. 7.40: Country Road. 8.05: Mod Squad. Crime (C). 8.54: Newsbrief (C). 8.56: World Scene (C). 9.16: Billboard. Week-end sport preview. 9 30: Royal Visit. State Farewell Dinner (C). 10.00: Feet Together, Hands to the Sides (C). 10.35: Weren’t You Marcia Honeywell? (C) 11.06: Late news, weather (C). 11.12: The Flip Wilson Show. Variety (C).

NATIONAL LINK (Including 3YA Christchurch j 690 kilohertz): 2YA Welling- j ton ,570 kilohertz): 4YA j Dunedin 750 kilohertz); and I 3YZ Grevmouth 950 kilo- I hertz).] 7.30 p.m.: Time for Music.! 8.30: Weather and News, Checkpoint. 9.0: Royal Re-> port. 9.10: Music Exchanger.! 9.25: Music of the Maori.! 9.55: Royal Visit: State Farewell Dinner. 10.35: News, Comment, Weather. 10.50:; Bowls. 11.0: 8.8. C. News and Commentary 11.15: Continuous Programme. 3YC. CHRISTCHURCH (960 kilohertz) 7.16 p.m.: Louis Yffer (violin), Wallace Woodley (piano), Franck: Violin Sonata in A. 7.44: Pergolesi: Salve Regina, Austin Miskell (tenor), The Anglican Ensemble under John Snashall.

This highly improbable tale about the dreams of an old man and of a younger one had a certain appeal, but it failed most of the time to get out of the mediocre rut of a second-rate Western. Best scene in the whole film was the sobering sight of the four lane highway on the other side of the hill. —K. C.

18.0: 8.8. C. Concert. Recorded! from the Royal Festival Hall [ on January 16, 1974 . 9.35: Is - It Time To Examine Trial' By Jury? 9.49: Palestrina: Missa Brevis, Choir of St) John’s College, Cambridge,! under George Guest. 10.14: ■ Dvorak: Piano Trio in E|' ' minor, Op. 90 (Dumky), [ [Jacob Lateiner (piano), Jas-i Icha Heifetz (violin), Gregor [ '[ Piatigorsky (cello). 10.41: [ ! Boccherini: Serenade in D.[ J Haifa Symphony Orchestra ’ under Sergiu Comissiona. 3ZB. CHRISTCHURCH (1100 kilohertz) 7.30 p.m.: John Reid. Buy, Sell and Exchange, (68-802). - 9.05: Track Talk, Ron Find- ! lay. 3ZM, CHRISTCHURCH :[ (1400 kilohertz) 11 7.30 p.m.: Bullet Perform[ance. 11.0: Masters’ Music . I Machine.