Cilla

[Nicko]

This kind of Burt & Hal related

A new 3 part drama called "Cilla" starting on 15th September on ITV in the UK, about Cilla Black need I say, her rise to fame and the music of that time that she made hits in the UK, no doubt much Bacharach & David.

I don't know if an American channel will pick this up.

Cilla is portrayed by Sheridan Smith who does the singing herself.

A link to the promo is below

[blueonblue]

I wonder who will portray Burt ?

"blue"

[Nicko]

Who will play the Beatles or Brian Epstein

[steveo_1965]

Thanks for posting the preview to "Cilla" enjoyed seeing it.

[Martin Johnson]

Bacharach is played by one Daniel Pirrie, of whom I knew nothing until I googled him. Apparently he was in ITV's 'Downton Abbey'. You'll see him as Bacharach near the end of above promo saying, "Yeah, I think we got a good take" to which 'Cilla' replies, "We had one two hours ago". It begs the question, has Bacharach ever been portrayed on screen before?

[blueonblue]

"That little bit of magic....."



"blue"

[BachtoBacharach]

To be realistic and frank, I doubt any cable outlet or network in the USA will pick this up as Cilla Black is an unknown in the USA except to a handful of expats who live in the USA now. More likely to appear on demand on Amazon Prime, Netflix, et al. Highly doubt even BBC America would air it in the USA.

[Martin Johnson]

[quote="blueonblue"]"That little bit of magic....."

Yes Blue, that truly is remarkable footage and I never tire of watching it. We've heard many artists tell of what is was like to work with Bacharach in the recording studio during the 60s but it is something else entirely actually seeing it for ourselves, albeit for just a few minutes. It will be interesting seeing how that now famous recording session is dramatised in the TV series.

[Sara D]

Good to see and hear George Martin speaking as eloquently as ever on the doc about the recording of Cilla's 'Alfie'. His orchestral version was on the B-side of his own rather magnificent 'Theme One', written for the opening of BBC Radio 1. Listening to it again now I think he might just be an admirer of Jean Sibelius.

[blueonblue]

Sara,
Thank you for that superb piece of music by Sir George Martin !
I'm also an admirer of Jean Sibelius.

Lot's of strings and things.....


"blue"

[Sara D]

From Cilla to Sibelius in 10 posts! Thanks to my parents' love of late 19th and 20th century classical music I grew up to the sounds of Sibelius, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Prokofiev, all composers with an extraordinary melodic gift. Probably my favorites by Jean S are the 2nd & 5th symphonies, Finlandia and the Karelia Suite, from which Blue posted the Intermezzo. Here's the stirring 3rd and final movement from the 5th symphony:

[Peter Greenhill]

I saw a preview of the first two episodes of Cilla at the BFI in London last week.Cilla Is a 3 one hour episode series about Cilla Black which covers the period from 1960, when she was an office worker but singing occasionally with local bands including The Beatles in clubs such as the Cavern, up to the late 60s when her singing career was in decline and she was to about to go into TV.

It features a stunning performance by Sheridan Smith who sang all songs live on set and who, within a few minutes of the start, you really be believe she is Cilla. However this is not a pastiche performance but one that Smith makes her own whilst capturing the essence of Cilla. Screen writer Jeff Pope had several discussions with Black and this is a warts and all portrayal. Black is definitely seen as career minded. Pope also shows us the religious sectarianism rife in some Liverpool families as her road manager and boy friend (and later husband), Bobby Willis's family ban her from the house because she's catholic.

Sheridan Smith's vocals are spine tingling, none less so than 'Anyone Who Had a Heart' which we see her recording at the end of the second episode. She sings it with power and passion but never mimicry.
Definitely worth seeing if you are a fan or interested in 60s pop culture, or even if you're not.

Cilla starts tonight on ITV in UK and I'm not sure about if and when it will be shown internationally but the R1 DVD is available at Amazon from early October.

[blueonblue]

Peter, thank you for your review.
I saw the first episode of "Cilla" last night.....absolutely superb !
Sheridan Smith is a revelation !
Can't wait for the next episode !

"blue"

[Sara D]

I enjoyed the first episode and I'm looking forward to the next, the 'Anyone Who Had a Heart' episode. What I didn't know until the other day was that not only was Cilla Black's record Bacharach's biggest hit song in the UK as far as sales were concerned but that In May 2010, new research published by BBC Radio 2 showed that her version of 'Anyone Who Had a Heart' was the UK's biggest selling single by any female artist in the 1960s. I remember hearing it for the first time on its release in early '64 and even as a young child being stunned by its urgency, passion and utter uniqueness. They'll do very well to capture that in next week's episode.

[blueonblue]

"If I'd have coughed, Cilla would have coughed !"
(Dionne Warwick)


"blue"