Max Atkinson's Blog: Claptrap the movie (revisited)

Claptrap the movie (revisited)

Last September, to mark the 25th anniversary of the televising of Claptrap, I began a series of posts on how the film came to be made. The first of these featured some embedded clips of the YouTube version of the film.

However, YouTube rules meant that it had to be posted in four separate episodes and, at the time, I only had access to a rather poor quality version of the movie. Since then, I've unearthed a rather better quality video, and you can now watch the uninterrupted 27 minutes here:

LINKS TO OTHER POSTS IN THE CLAPTRAP SAGA:

Part 1: Claptrap - The Movie

Part 2: Eureka!
Part 3: News leaks out of the lecture theatre
Part 4: How to get a book published

Part 5: In the right places at the right times

Part 6: An offer I couldn't refuse

Part 7: On location

Part 8: Sparks in the background

Part 9: Broadcasters' bile and SDP sulks

Part 10: Academic acclaim?

4 comments:

watch the spy next door movie said...: I found your blog on Google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.; 2 February 2010 at 02:15
DISH TV said...: yes watch the video. Novice can learn many thing. I like this video.; 2 February 2010 at 11:37
simonroskrow said...: Watching this is worth 27 minutes of anyone's time.

Whilst agreeing with the points about the power and use of rhetorical structure made in the programme, one significant part was missed out completely, despite coming through loud and clear in the vast majority of the successful speech clips used. That part was belief.

The two parts of the coverage of Ann that had most impact for me were the (slightly) less scripted parts. The first was when she was describing to the speechwriter what she wanted to talk about, and the second was when, at the end of her speech and running out of time, she spoke passionately about a seat that the SDP had won whilst fielding a local taxi driver as their candidate.

None of my comments should undermine the importance and benefit of rhetorical structure. However, having both a sound structure and passion or belief behind what you are saying seems to me to be the real holy grail of public speaking. At the risk (I hope) of causing controversy and disagreement, if I was going to plump for one or the other, I'd go passion and belief over rhetorical structure every time.; 23 August 2010 at 12:16
Anonymous said...: Unfortunately the video is not available anymore. The old 4-part version is still available on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVb_RoxEepA; 9 August 2013 at 14:15