Although best known as the ground-breaking author of Albert Angelo, The Unfortunates and Christie Malry's Own Double-Entry, B S Johnson (Feb 1933 Nov 1973) was also the director of a number of extraordinary and daring films. This extensive collection in a BFI Flipside Dual Format Edition, brings his experimental shorts, humorous animation, provocative agitprop and uniquely personal documentary films together for the very first time.
From his award-winning 1967 experimental film You're Human Like the Rest of Them , which was based on his own poem, written in decasyllabics, to his ground-breaking TV films, including The Unfortunates (BBC TV) and the extraordinary Fat Man on a Beach (HTV Wales), Johnson's work is fuelled by his passionate belief in the power of words and images to convey the truth of our existence, and is filled with his infectious sense of humour.
Amongst the ten premiere presentations in this unique collection is Not Counting the Savages, Johnson's uncompromising 1972 TV play, directed by Mike Newell. Considered lost for decades, it is presented from the only surviving material a black and white video recording discovered in the Johnson family home in early 2012
Extra features include a documentary on the British Library's B S Johnson Archive, some brief mute footage shot for Fat Man on a Beach, and an extensive booklet with new commissioned writings by contributors including directors Bruce Beresford and Michael Bakewell, Johnson biographer Jonathan Coe, acclaimed comedy writer David Quantick (The Day Today, Brass Eye) and respected publisher and author Carmen Callil.
Contents
- You're Human Like the Rest of Them (1967,17 mins): multi-award-winning tale of a teacher confronting his own mortality
- Up Yours Too Guillaume Apollinaire! (1968, 2 mins, silent): humorous animated take on the calligrams of the famous poet and eroticist
- Paradigm (1969, 9 mins): William Hoyland gives a performance of supreme virtuosity in this arresting experimental film
- The Unfortunates (1969, 15 mins, DVD only): Johnson brings aspects of his book to life in this short BBC TV film
- Unfair! (1970, 8 mins): provocative agitprop piece with Bill Owen
- March! (1971, 13 mins): documentary made for the ACTT union
- Poem (1971, 1 min): poignant short set to the words of Samuel Beckett
- B. S. Johnson on Dr. Samuel Johnson (1971, 26 mins): a learned and full-bodied appreciation of the great writer
- Not Counting the Savages (1972, 28 mins, DVD only): Mike Newell's adaptation of Johnson's intense play, made for BBC TV's Thirty Minute Theatre
- Fat Man on a Beach (1974, 40 mins): part documentary, part creative exploration, this was a highlight of 1970s TV programming
Special features
- Fat Man on a Beach - mute outtakes (1974, 1 min)
- The Johnson Papers (2013, 16 mins): inside the British Library's B S Johnson archive
- Extensive booklet with new contributions by Steve Johnson, Bruce Beresford, Michael Bakewell, Jonathan Coe, David Quantick, Dr Julia Jordan, Carman Callil, Dan Fox, and the BFI's Vic Pratt and Jim Dempster