MARK COUSINS AND SCENE BY SCENE

Mark Cousins

In previous posts I have praised Mark Cousins’ epic  ‘Story of Film’ – both the book and the Channel 4 TV series.

Cousins has an encyclopedic knowledge of cinema and the gift of articulating his enthusiasm for movies.

This talent is also evident in interviews he conducted for the BBC Scotland between 1999 and 2001 in a series called Scene By Scene.

The idea, which originated at the Edinburgh Film Festival  through an interview with Sean Connery, was a simple one. Top directors and actors were shown clips from films they had made or appeared in and talk about the background to them.

Cousins is from Ulster and his Irish accent is often confused for Scots. From comments on various forums, it’s obvious that his speaking voice irritates the hell out of many. Personally, I find the sing-song quality charming but whatever you may think about how he talks, it’s hard to criticise him for the passion and preparation he puts into his work.

Television is so full of shallow chat shows or banal documentaries that tell you nothing, that it’s a pleasure to find someone who doesn’t insult or patronise the audience.