William Blake South Bank Show

This documentary is a must see, if you are at all interested in the life and works of William Blake.

[@MatthewMcVeagh]

One of my favourite people in the entire history of humanity.

[@BlakeinSussex]

Totally with you Matthew.

[@renelevaillant6601]

One of mine also, A man who lived in the "real world" and not in this everyday cheap illusion people think of as real life.

[@archadeinteriors]

And you look like him too

[@phillipstroll7385]

Funny how so few model themselves after those whom they admire. For if we did, lockdowns and lies would be not. For we'd rise up against tyranny and would not settle for laziness and cowardice for a small fee once every six months.

[@garytwitchett9359]

What about Isambard Kingdom Brunell ?

[@tonysharp1615]

Pleased you liked it Andre. I'm in the process of transferring three Blake documentarys by the BBC from my old VHS tape. Hopefully be able to upload them soon.

[@BlakeinSussex]

INFINITY CURVE Could not agree more. Invaluable to us. Thank you.

[@VJBlues]

Never too late for expressing my gratitude for uploading this video. Blake , the still misunderstood ...

[@BlakeinSussex]

Will probably always be misunderstood.

[@LadyAlenida]

I have been watching quite a lot of documentaries on the Romantics and Romantic Poetry in the last few days and this one was by far one of the best! Thank you for uploading.

[@tonysharp1615]

You're welcome Kristina. After a long delay I've finally found someone to convert three more programs about William Blake from my old VHS tape to DVD. Hope to upload them in the next couple of weeks.

[@samdavepollard]

Tony - Many Thanks for taking the trouble to share this. Much appreciated.

[@tonysharp1615]

+Andrew Mann. You're welcome Andrew; pleased you enjoyed it.

[@daveelliott479]

Extraordinary, moving, inspiring. Thank you so much for this vision.

[@jordan_private]

Thanks for this video, we have watched it in class and its a great summary of Blake's poetic and artistic career.

[@tonysharp1615]

Thank you. That’s nice to know.

[@charlieglen1285]

The Pickle Man “Did I solicit thee, Maker, from my clay To mould me Man, did I solicit thee From darkness to promote me?” So, there’s this scientist, right? And I’m talking next level genius, a genuine giga-brain fellow, you dig? Well, one day, just for the hell of it, he decides to turn himself into the most outrageous thing imaginable. I mean, seriously, you’ll never guess what. Well, you see, this guy - this guy - he goes, “fuck it, I’m a pickle” and, I shit you not, he turns himself into a pickle. A pickle. That’s right, a pickle. Now, I bet you’re thinking what could possibly beat that? I mean, this guy just made himself the peak of all comedy, not even mentioning the incredibly nuanced lens of satire with which we can put this cataclysmic event into new perspective. Well, you see, his grandson, who goes by the name Mortimer “Morty” Smith, hears the triumphant cries of this astounding technological victory and, upon investigation, uncovers a small, ostensibly innocuous pickle-shaped object. His doubts as to whether or not this thing could, in fact, be “an alien dick or something” are soon quelled by the scientist’s urgings to “just flip the pickle, Morty”. Indeed, he does flip the pickle, a deed that would reveal to him, and indeed to us all, the extent of this scientist’s comedic genius. “I turned myself into a pickle, Morty!” he bellows, “boom, big reveal!”. You might think this could not be any funnier. You are wrong. “I’m a pickle!” he roars with his mighty pickle roar. “I’m Pickle Rick!”, bestowing upon himself the coveted title of gods. For in that moment, he was indeed a god. Funniest shit I’ve ever seen.

[@TheChannelofaDisappointedMan]

Full marks for this, and sterling effort from the actor playing Blake.

[@AnthonyMonaghan]

The irony of Jerusalem being sung by those buffoons at the last night of the proms! Thank you for uploading this. Very much appreciated from a Blake disciple.

[@tonysharp1615]

You're very welcome Anthony; I've lost count of the number of times I've watched it; and yes, the irony, it always makes me smile.

[@BlakeinSussex]

totally agree........

[@j.harrison6744]

What's ironic here is the assumption that Blake would oppose his poem being sung at the Last Night, which is a common perspective among liberals. In reality, Blake likely wouldn't have minded and might have even been pleased. It's important to refer to his actual diaries rather than relying on biased interpretations from left-wing academia.

[@lennysplace3842]

Imagination is more important than knowledge - Albert Einstein

[@renelevaillant6601]

Imagination makes new.

[@MatthewMcVeagh]

Terry Pratchett also said this.

[@veronique7750]

PERSON PLAYING BLAKE IS GREAT - SUCH A PASSION AND SINCERITY! THANK YOU

[@tonysharp1615]

Really pleased you enjoyed it Veronique. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve watched this; it never fails to inspire and make me smile. Hope you enjoy the other other three Blake videos I recently posted too.

[@BlakeinSussex]

I agree but im not sure about his accent.

[@haileyshannon7548]

I love this show, especially the opening credits!

[@auradiana]

thanks! brilliant and timely, a lot of people here in America don't know about him,surprises me!

[@tonysharp1615]

Hi Diana. You're very welcome. I'm so pleased you enjoyed this; I think it's the best documentary about him; it really captures his character. William Blake's poetry can be enigmatic and quite difficult. He created his own mythology to enable him to get his ideas across regarding the power of the imagination. There are a few biographies about him but I would recommend the one referred to in the documentary by Peter Ackroyd. It's very detailed and provides a fascinating look at life in late 18th early 19th century London.

[@starlightlake9666]

Many thanks for uploading this wonderful and rare documentary on one of Albions great cultural treasures.

[@tonysharp1615]

You're very welcome.

[@xandergyr5440]

I don't think they make documentaries like this any more. Amazing.

[@swordghoti]

Absolutely tremendous documentary, thank you so much for making this available.

[@rengarenkras8113]

Thanks a lot for uploading such hidden gem

[@BlakeinSussex]

Couldn't agree more.

[@JorgeVelezMusic]

Thank you for uploading this!

[@AndreFurlanwilliamblake]

so powerful ! so good and so amazing !

[@platosghost5815]

Many thanks, Tony, for uploading this. I have been meaning to leave a comment for some time but technological incompetence held me up. Anything that helps people to discover Blake's extraordinary mind and Art, and to share his conviction that we live in "a world of Vision and Imagination" is doing a valuable service. Blake's thinking was ahead of his time and it's still ahead of ours.

[@tonysharp1615]

Thank you for your comments, which resonate with my appreciation of Blake. I have other programs from the BBC's Blake Night, several years ago; that I'll upload just as soon as I can afford to convert them from VHS to digital. Regards Tony

[@ericnicholson870]

I think he was even more radical than Ackroyd makes out. Esp his Book of Job.

[@garytwitchett9359]

"If Blake was mad, then what am I ?" (Terry Harding 1979)

[@Starkid_org]

Great documentary, thank you T.S.

[@gojomusic3896]

Great stuff thanks for uploading this

[@gezbo66]

Wonderful, truly. Thanks for the Upload. I live out of the UK now so programmes like this are important to me to see XX

[@BlakeinSussex]

mee to..

[@marieryan7973]

Fantastic

[@carolinebarnes6832]

Magnificent, thank you.

[@Silajala]

Wow. Really appreciate you uploading this. Thank you very much.

[@BlakeinSussex]

Its awesome isnt it.

[@thenewsatpaul]

Thanks for uploading :)

[@tomyris1212]

Thank you for sharing this treasure.

[@tonysharp1615]

You're very welcome. It deserves to be seen, not locked in some vault gathering dust.

[@HerAeolianHarp]

Cannot thank you enough for posting this complete documentary.

[@tonysharp1615]

HerAeolianHarp You're very welcome; I have to say I've never tired of watching this documentary. It captures for me the very essence of what William Blake was; without any criticism of his beliefs and visions.

[@HerAeolianHarp]

tony sharp Too true. Yes. It was very good at breaking down his beliefs and situating them in historical context. Other Blake profiles can sometimes suggest that he worked in some ideological vacuum alone with his rich imaginings.

[@BlakeinSussex]

I totally agree.

[@mickbaker9852]

Thank you for posting !

[@BlakeinSussex]

Yeah its awesome

[@shambobilla]

Rare to see a biographical documentary where the actor plays the subject so utterly convincingly.

[@BlakeinSussex]

I agree although his accent is a little too south west for me.

[@functio1]

@@BlakeinSussex Welsh, I'd say.

[@MrVoola]

Tony thank you so much my friend :) Good to find some kindred sprits out there!

[@tonysharp1615]

Hi Saul; so pleased you enjoyed it; and thank you for your kind remarks.

[@huahindan]

Thank you for this

[@kikidee3204]

His parents were very forward thinking not destroying his spiritual Life Alive in his head and keeping him off school.he was way before jung x

[@tonysharp1615]

Absolutely Ki Ki; it didn't seem to harm his prospects in any way. I'm currently reading Blake's Letters; absolutely fascinating to hear his "voice"; and quite incredible that so many survived for someone so overlooked in his own time. Well recommended if you don't already have a copy.

[@kikidee3204]

Thank you I will investigate, wish my parents had the same approach, I think school can crush it out of ppl the world would be.a better place if they could hilight esoteric subjects more.anyway thanks for the rec I will follow it up x

[@peterdodd1942]

Re-watched after some years, and still irked at Ackroyd citing Gilchrist's invention of WB seeing 'spangled angels' in Peckham as fact, still delighted at the actor's portrayal of WB, still rueing that Catherine did not get even a walk-on part, and still disappointed (somewhat) that more 'admirers and devotees' of WB pay him only lip service and fail to join the Blake Society, and get off fat behinds and DO, rather than 'chatter'.

[@Paddyllfixit]

*To see a world in a grain of sand and Heaven in a wild flower Hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour*~William Blake Often the gems of genius are only discovered or realized, posthumously.

[@emmetmcnamara5514]

Great docu Tony

[@tonysharp1615]

Thanks Emmet; it’s clear a lot of effort and expense went into this; yet I don’t believe it’s ever been repeated in the 25+ plus years since broadcast. It deserves to be seen.

[@bookaufman9643]

I am very grateful that there's no room for Angels in math. There's no room for them in any rational mind or any rational concepts. That is something we've endeavored to leave behind and I am grateful for it.

[@johngray5401]

Fascinating thanks.

[@tonysharp1615]

You're welcome John

[@renelevaillant6601]

The inspiration for imagination unlocks the Universe.

[@johnellis572]

Thanks Tony

[@davmod]

thank you

[@mwmingram]

Thank you.

[@henryrabbitt3621]

wow how inspiring

[@carolinebarnes6832]

In the school library at the age of 16. See a world in a grain of sand Heaven in a wild flower. Hold infinity in the palm of your hand Eternity in an hour. In my 20s: The cut worm forgives the plough. In my early 30s during a time when I was struggling to break away from a limiting doctrine. Sooner murder an infant in the cradle than nurse unacted desire. Three pivotal moments when Blake deeply affected my life connecting me to a deeper sense of myself. (I am 70 now.)

[@mfr58]

Blake may not have been quite the cockney sparrow as often portrayed. His mother was from Nottinghamshire and he was born into a fairly well to do part of London. Tobias Churton has written, perhaps, the best researched work on Blake. Seems like there are many myths and inaccuracies about his life.

[@tonysharp1615]

I'll be certain to check Tobias Churton's book; thank you for the information.

[@BlakeinSussex]

Doing the Lambeth walk..................Completely Agree.

[@FrancisMaxino]

Unless you are familiar with the meaning of much occult symbolism, much of Blakes work does not go as deep to the uninitiated but can still be appreciated at a surface level.

[@irishelk3]

What a man he must have been.

[@tonysharp1615]

An artist in the true sense of the word; true to his vision to the end. Even when he realised he'd never make a comfortable living from his art, he stated "I labour into futurity". He knew he would be understood and appreciated one day. I thoroughly recommend reading "The Letters of William Blake" to hear his voice.

[@irishelk3]

tony sharp Well i for one love his poetry and especially his paintings, but most of all his way of looking at life i really appreciate that, Newton was a smart man, no doubt but i have always prefered to look at things from a different angle, and when i first heard of William blake i thought, yeah thats it, what a genius, how do you mean hear his voice ? is it an audio book?

[@tonysharp1615]

Hi Iris. Apologies for the delayed response. I'm afraid it's not an audio book; however there are several recordings of actors, poets and musicians reading his work; they are interesting from the view of how the narrator has decided on the delivery of the text. these vary greatly from recording to recording and comes down to personal preference of which resonates the most with you. Personally I find the delivery of the actor in this South Bank Show documentary to be the most engaging for me. With regard to the book "The Letters of William Blake"; it's the fromality of his writing that provides the voice as you're reading them. I find the quite wonderful in their structure and humility. It takes just a few letters to get into his style;that only differed slightly between those to friends and those to patrons. The book should be fairly easy to find on the likes of Ebay, Amazon or the online book shops. Mine cost less than £5:00 on Ebay; it's a 1956 edition published by Rupert Hart-Davis (London). I believe it has since been added to as further letters have come to light. I don't think you'd be disappointed.

[@irishelk3]

tony sharp Yeah sounds great, i already tried to get songs of innocence and experience on Amazon but they are thieves so i will try ebay for that and the letters also, fascinating guy, thanks Paul.

[@irishelk3]

+tony sharp Btw who is the actor?? he was brilliant.

[@platosghost5815]

Hello Tony. I did post a message about a year ago to thank you for uploading this. I meant to post some more but was a bit diffident about doing so because I was involved in the fringe theatre play from which the South Bank Show producer used extracts to film for most of the dramatised sections. One minor error made by Peter Ackroyd (and many others) was to classify Blake as a "cockney". The word had a different meaning in the 18th Century, being used about town dwellers in general. In any case Blake came from the shopkeeping and artisan community, many of whom were religious "dissenters" and radicals. He grew up in Soho which was to the West of the City of London. Nobody can say with confidence what sort of accent he had, and I can't remember any reference to it by anyone who knew him, including the "society" diarist and novelist Lady Charlotte Bury who recorded a fascinating conversation she had with him at a dinner party hosted by Lady Caroline Lamb in 1818 when he and Catherine were virtually recluses. Blake detested privilege and rank but he was not an inverted snob and was always prepared to judge individual people by their actions rather than any subjective social classification, for example William Hayley, and Thomas Butts and his wife Betsy who he regularly visited and regarded as his dearest friends..

[@tonysharp1615]

Apologies for the tardiness of my reply; I've been so busy of late that I had not checked KZbin for a few months; it was only today as I'm uploading three additional Blake programs that I saw your comment. I greatly appreciate your feedback, particularly the reference to Lady Charlotte which is fascinating. Hope you enjoy the new uploads.

[@BlakeinSussex]

If you love Art, Poetry & William Blake why not Subscribe? Love. There is a smile of Love and a smile of deceit and a smile of smiles in which these two smiles meet.

[@Beautiful_Sacred_Land]

Excellent documentary. Thanks so much for posting.

[@BlakeinSussex]

If you love Art, Poetry & William Blake why not Subscribe? Love. There is a smile of Love and a smile of deceit and a smile of smiles in which these two smiles meet.

[@petegoehring2343]

Please read the intro by Alfred Kazin to "A Portable William Blake". Also, read the entire "A Gutenberg Galaxy" by Marshal McLuhan in which MM says that a central theme of Blake's was the transition of the human species from a "trance of the ear" to the "trance of the eye".

[@tonysharp1615]

Thanks Pete, I’ll certainly check those out. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@juanguerra3472]

🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@chrish12345]

great upload but why does the actor speak with a kind of welsh accent when Blake was a cockney?

[@BlakeinSussex]

I reckon he sounds more bristol than Welsh.

[@dancoy09]

wow that was truely amazing i had a strange sense of enlightenment halfway through and now i am at a strange loss of words . thank you for this . Could anyone recommend me other great poets? as truth be told im only just delving into poetry for the first time :)

[@musicstewart9744]

dancoy09 CJ Jung. Not a poet, but think you would find he makes sense to you.

[@tonysharp1615]

Apologies for a long overdue reply; I hope in the meantime you've found other poets that appeal. Perhaps you'd enjoy some of Allen Ginsberg's poetry. He was a huge fan of Blake and makes an appearance in this documentary singing Tiger Tiger. He was an American Beat poet in the 50's and 60's; his most famous poem is 'Howl'. It can be a difficult read because it is full of American references to the society and people of it's time. To help with the references and an understanding of Howl; there is a movie starring James Franco which is well worth viewing. www.imdb.com/title/tt1049402/ You may also enjoy the poetry of Pre-Raphelite, Dante Gabriel Rossetti. While DGR's poetry is of a later period; he too was a huge admirer of Blake; so much so that he bought Blake's notebook, which was used throughout his life and contains work in progress of most of his famous poems and artwork. You can view Blake's notebook online for free here. www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Add_MS_49460

[@rabarberellum1017]

Fantastic documentary!! One small question: In the poem Tiger, Tiger, shouldn't the word 'symmetry' be pronounced in a more shakespearean way as was the case in a lot of pre modern poems, so, rhyming with 'eye'?

[@tonysharp1615]

I honestly have no idea about the pronunciation. I know there has been a lot of discussion about Blake’s accent from that time in London. Perhaps a search for those articles may help with your question. 😃👍🏻

[@FrancisMaxino]

It is unfortunate that those beset by such vivid visions are regarded by modern psychiatrists as hallucinations borne of mental illness when they were once regarded as gifts of prophecy that propelled great artists to inspired works of genius.

[@valmarsiglia]

The feet in "Jerusalem" refer to Joseph of Arimathea? But the lines are followed with "And was the holy lamb of God/On Englands pleasant pastures seen!" The poem is built on the tradition that a young Jesus traveled to Britain with Joseph of Arimathea during his "lost" years.

[@j.harrison6744]

Blake would not have minded Jerusalem being sung for a display of English national consciousness. It's literally what the meaning of the lyrics state. However, he would have opposed it being sung to glorify the state, as he distinguished between the state and the nation. Additionally, the reference to "those feet" in the lyrics also pertains to Jesus's, as seen in the line "And was the Holy Lamb of God On England's pleasant pastures seen?. Revisionists and hacks, everywhere!

[@johnellis572]

Can anyone please find a recording of "Singing For England" a possibly rare Arena documentary on William Blake? Its the most beautiful I've seen

[@tonysharp1615]

Hi John; I hadn't heard of this; I'll certainly try to find a copy and upload it. 😃

[@BlakeinSussex]

I found this - facebook.com/passionpoesy/videos/4915080276235/ Im not sure if its the arena doc you mentioned though. 😀

[@lennysplace3842]

Neville Goddard Blake on religion on KZbin may also be of interest...

[@tonysharp1615]

Apologies for not replying sooner Lenny. Many thanks for the info regarding Blake on Religion.

[@TheMaryaBell]

I have a problem with the sound on this video --- is it possible to enable captions?

[@tonysharp1615]

Sorry, the video does not have any captions on the file.

[@TheMaryaBell]

@@tonysharp1615 Thanks for letting me know.

[@tupouvaenuku4993]

please i can get some detail about how, he view beauty I need help to write up my essay for my assignment....please anyone can help out, if they can give some example from his poem???

[@archadeinteriors]

Buah hah ha ha ha hah

[@myke3332001]

Thanks , when was the documentary made ?

[@tonysharp1615]

Hi Michael; I believe it was Sept 1995.

[@ericnicholson870]

Wonder what he wd think of Trump! Brilliant documentary.

[@tonysharp1615]

Eric Nicholson I'd guess he'd be baffled and horrified that the republic he was a supporter of, had devolved to the point where Trump could win the Presidency. Following your question, I'm wondering how Tom Paine would view the current state of affairs?

[@ericnicholson870]

I have christened Trump - President Urizen!

[@user-co9by5fy8i]

The peach sent me.

[@PollisDrake]

Enjoyed that. Blake is a good friend of mine. HOWEVER: The BBC man, they're like "Blake would have hated all the nationalistic stuff around Jerusalem", but then they still keep playing the hymn, getting the flags out and panning the English countryside over and over. Very poor. Worth seeing though.

[@bookaufman9643]

I'm pretty sure that William Blake's art would have been lost to the ages and he would have been just considered psychotic which in all likelihood he was. Most likely schizophrenic with the god obsession and the constant delusions. I guess to those who believe they would say that God contacted him specifically for some unknown reason. If his poem Jerusalem had not been set to music and then taken on as a national anthem by the British, then I don't believe we'd be hearing his name today except by those who work in the field of outsider art.

[@suzannesadiiqa]

Who said anything about cockneys?? I married a Londoner, he doesn't sound remotely music hall but he does sound like a Londoner.

[@BlakeinSussex]

Ill get me weasel..

[@caballosinnombre3981]

more than draughtsmanship 30:29

[@danieltaylor391]

DID HE KNOW HE WAS A GNOSTIC

[@suzannesadiiqa]

Shouldn't the actor playing Blake have a London accent?

[@TheYop1969]

Considering William Blake was a Cockney, it wouldn't do him any justice in speaking like one: 'alright geezer, how are you governor? '...I don't think so somehow!

[@vermilliongecko]

TheYop1969 One can speak in a Cockney accent without sounding like a music hall entertainer, you know. I'm from East London and I don't talk like that. It's all in the vowel sounds. One does not have to use slang.

[@vermilliongecko]

Good point, Sue. I found the actor playing Blake the only negative in this otherwise excellent documentary. The actor uses Received Pronunciation, and is not how Blake would have spoken.

[@morganfisherart]

+Vermillion 303 Indeed, and he was too predictably serious. A man who enjoys life and sex the way Blake did, would be more robust and humorous in his way of speaking. Altogether too much a typical ac-TOR!

[@jalijali8448]

The actor is Welsh, strange they couldn't find someone better suited or capable of the accent even

[@tonysharp1615]

The following link takes you to a wonderful animation by Sheila Graber. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJiZiWudmbqkjtk

[@BlakeinSussex]

Love this Tony.

[@88feji]

I feel the choice of playing rousing nationalistic sounding songs in these documentaries seems to have misunderstood the nature of Blake's imaginations and thoughts that he wish to convey in his artworks ... its very very inappropriate and jarring to hear such music juxtaposed with his deep brooding pieces .. I think the mystical nature of his art fits much more profoundly with contemplative church choir mood pieces such as Miserere or something like that ...

[@dismith73]

"And did those feet in ancient time" is a poem by William Blake from the preface to his epic Milton: A Poem in Two Books, one of a collection of writings known as the Prophetic Books. Today it is best known as the hymn "Jerusalem", with music written by Sir Hubert Parry in 1916. The famous orchestration was written by Sir Edward Elgar. It is probably the best known of Blakes' poems because of its use in this hymn and so although Blake might not have liked it, it is in this form that his vision lives on.

[@morty_falch8049]

paper was expensive back then! so they produced, its genious... give man less and he makes it even more... goddamn... i write my lyrichs on a h&m catalog....ONLY catalog sorry!

[@anthonymccarthy4164]

Too bad the banalities of Allan Ginsberg and Hubert Parry are here but not the transcendent settings by William Bolcom. I almost can't stand watching because of Ginsberg being in it.

[@loriscunado3607]

Seriously marred by the absurd performances of that actoor pretending to be William Blake, his ludicrous tone deaf recitations imbued with false feeling. That actoor made the idea of a Visionary Artist into something laughable, something dislikeable and deluded. What a disservice to Blake. Surely Melvyn could have identified the impostor and weeded him out. Ginsberg served Blake with humility and sang the songs beautifully. The only actor who could have given us a sense of what Blake was like would have been Mark Rylance. Sheldrake was good and so was Ackroyd.

[@davidjames9626]

Fuk Grammarly...