Exclusive: Barry Norman

Barry Norman, Jim Marks

One of the most popular, money-spinning, influential and emotive art forms is film. It would be hard to find anyone, anywhere, who doesn’t have their favourite film; most hated cinema experience or most deeply desired star. But Barry Norman isn’t just a fan – he’s made the movies his life’s work, and remains one of the most respected and well recognised film critics in the country. The former journalist ( he was Showbiz Editor on the Daily Mail and wrote for The Guardian and The Times before embarking on his TV career in 1972 ) spent 26 years fronting the Film…. series for the BBC, then moved to Sky where he presented Barry Norman’s Film Night for three years. Now he’s about to release his second inter-active DVD : Barry Norman’s Christmas Movie Quiz, with over 400 movie questions. Loma-Ann Bonner quizzed him on the British Film Industry, Hollywood and the ones to watch and found a straight-talking, witty professional who cuts to the chase of the movie business. And a perfect gentleman to boot. They surely don’t make ‘em like they used to.

Did you go to the recent London Film Festival?
No, and I never really went, even when I was reviewing. I like to watch films all by myself, not next to someone squirting mustard onto my suit.

Were you always alone when you were watching a film for review?
Sometimes I’d take some members of the team with me.
It was a real culture shock when I left that people actually pay to go to the cinema! I still get invited to previews, but it’s a hassle to come to London. Now, I go to my local cinema in the afternoon when there’s just three or four other people there, who actually want to see the film.

Do you prefer multiplexes or independent cinemas?
I don’t mind multiplexes, actually. The only thing that’s a shame about them is that the screens have gotten smaller. I remember seeing Star Wars at the Dominion on Tottenham Court Road which had a huge screen, and when the spaceship came over everybody ducked.

Have you ever walked out of a film?
When I was reviewing I felt that I should see every film through to the end, even if I was bored rigid. But I did walk out once, in the seventies. It was a Canadian thriller, can’t even remember what it was called. It began with a gang of yobs raping a woman, and after all the brutalisation her boyfriend killed them in a worse way.
It wasn’t the violence itself that disturbed me, but there was no justification for it. I got up and left, and never reviewed it.

Violent films are often criticised for inciting real violence. Is that a fair point?
No, it’s nonsense really. They may affect how someone goes about doing something. The guy who went on a killing spree in Hungerford was dressed as Rambo, but seeing that film didn’t actually make him go and commit those crimes.

But films are getting more violent.
Yes,  that’s true. God knows how much further it can go.
Many inferior talents make horror and violent films and I have little but contempt for those.
But someone like Tarantino has a lot of wit and imagination. The best thing about his films is the dialogue, and not the violence at all. I wish he’d go back to the dialogues of Resevoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction.

Who else do you rate in the film industry?
I really like Johnny Depp. I should hate him for being so bloody good looking. He could’ve gone the way of Tom Cruise, but he didn’t. He’s an extremely good actor and crops up in such a variety of films.
Leonardo de Caprio wasn’t that great when he started, but he’s emerged as a really significant and good actor.
And I have a lot of hope for Scarlett Johanssen and Keira Knightley.

Keira gets criticised quite a lot.
She does, and she’s not the finished product as yet,  but I think there’s a lot more to that girl than we’ve seen.

What do you think of the whole celebrity circuit and unearthing the personal lives of movie stars?
It’s gotten too much. Even a movie star deserves privacy!
But it’s hard for journalists too: every paper and magazine wants celebs and the best celebs are 'A' List movie stars.
When I was reviewing if I wanted to interview a big star I’d get in touch, we’d meet and talk for as long as it took. Then the junket was introduced. If you’re lucky, you’ll get 15 minutes with the actor. It’s absurd, you can’t get any conversation in that time.

Is the British Film Industry in a good way?
It’s always on a bit of a roller coaster ride. It’s doing well but it’ll never rival Hollywood.

Why?
To a large extent it’s money, and it’s usual now for big Hollywood films to cost 50 million. But, really , it’s all about distribution. The US are very protective of their outlets and their own industry, so if a film isn’t US financed it won’t be shown. Some British films are made here but financed by American money, such as The Full Monty and Four Weddings and a Funeral and they’ll get distribution, others simply won’t.

Can this ever change?
I doubt it. The States is the largest English speaking country in the world,  that’s why everyone wants to crack that market.

With the rise of the internet everyone can have their views published. Where does this leave critics?
It’s fine, there’s no reason why individuals shouldn’t have their views, criticism is subjective, so all opinions are valid.
The difference with a professional is that they should have seen more films, so have more yard sticks on which to measure things.
If someone says “ that’s the best thriller I’ve ever seen” but they’ve only seen five, there’s less weight in that than if a professional, who’s seen 500, says it.

So which films do you think are the best?
The Godfather, Citizen Kane, Bringing up Baby. The Searchers, Outlaw. There’s so many.

And talking of critics, do you watch Jonathan Ross ( Barry’s successor.)
I don’t actually. That’s nothing against Jonathan, he just has very different taste in film to me.

I’ve asked you all about film, but you’ve also written 10 novels.. Do you ever get tired of people grilling you about the movies?
No, I don’t get fed up, that’s what people know me for. But I do have opinions on lots of other things! Sometimes when I think “ What have I done in my life” I look at the bookshelf and see my books and think “ I’ve done that.”


Barry Norman’s Christmas Movie Quiz is released on November 19th by Warner Music Entertainment, RRP £17.99.

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