Subscribe to watch - 14-day free trial, then £6.99 a month
Visions, Dreams and Magic: The Unmade Films of Michael Powell
Discover the unrealised visions and passion projects of revered British filmmaker Michael Powell, in this fascinating documentary featuring Oscar-winning editor Thelma Schoonmaker.
Director: Nic Wassell
Overview
Following the release of his ground-breaking (and at the time, controversial) film Peeping Tom in 1960, the once-esteemed British filmmaker Michael Powell would subsequently struggle to get his films made. In this documentary, filmmaker Nic Wassell talks to Powell experts and his widow, Academy Award-winning editor Thelma Schoonmaker, about the unmade projects from this period most dear to the director. These include a pioneering TV anthology, an epic adaptation of A Wizard of Earthsea and Powell's longed-for version of The Tempest. All came close to production, but never made it to our screens. Still, Powell never gave up hope that his dreams would become cinema. As Schoonmaker says, he asked that his gravestone read: "Filmmaker and optimist".
Related
Akenfield Akenfield
Drama 1975 98 mins Director: Peter Hall
Peter Hall’s extraordinary, long-unseen work of sublime poetic realism traces three generations of one Suffolk family and their lives in the farming industry.
Witchfinder General Witchfinder General
Horror 1968 87 mins Director: Michael Reeves
A witchfinder traverses 17th-century England executing those he suspects of witchcraft.
Apostasy Apostasy
Drama 2018 95 mins Director: Dan Kokotajlo
A deeply religious family must decide whether to stick by their relation or abandon her, in this striking debut from Daniel Kokotajlo - a prizewinner at BFI London Film Festival 2017.
Pretty Red Dress Pretty Red Dress
Drama 2022 110 mins Director: Dionne Edwards
One dress changes everything for a family in Dionne Edwards’ brilliant debut. Defiant, uplifting and with music at its core.
Sky Peals Sky Peals
Science Fiction 2023 91 mins Director: Moin Hussain
A coming-of-age tale about a father-son relationship that might just be out of this world.
Starve Acre Starve Acre
Horror 2023 98 mins Director: Dan Kokotajlo
Dark and sinister forces invade a couple’s home in this wildly eerie British folk horror, with unflinching performances from Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark.
Police Story Police Story
Martial arts 1985 101 mins Director: Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan's mind-blowing, high-octane extravaganza of death-defying stunts and action comedy.
Hapkido Hapkido
Action and Adventure 1972 98 mins Director: Huang Feng
Two martial arts schools battle it out in Huang Feng’s action classic (aka Lady Kung Fu), starring long term collaborator and combat master, Angela Mao.
Project A Project A
Action and Adventure 1983 106 mins Director: Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan’s rip-roaring action-adventure about a coastguard hot on the trail of a ruthless band of pirates in late 19th century Hong Kong.
China O'Brien China O'Brien
Action and Adventure 1991 91 mins Director: Robert Clouse
Cynthia Rothrock stars as the tough city cop and martial artist on the trail of a local crime boss, in this action classic from the director of Enter the Dragon.
Jesus' Son Jesus' Son
Drama 1999 108 mins Director: Alison Maclean
Billy Crudup stars as a young drifter who gets hooked on heroin in this star-studded story of addiction, recovery and redemption.
The New Boy The New Boy
Drama 2023 96 mins Director: Warwick Thornton
Cate Blanchett is mesmerising as a feverish nun, in Warwick Thornton’s striking tale of spiritual world’s colliding in 1940s Australia.