Sunday, March 25, 1962: 'Pop Goes the Easel'

The documentary on pop art, directed by Ken Russell, is televised as part of the BBC's "Monitor" series.

From BFI Screenonline:

The film was nominally a portrait of Peter Blake, Peter Phillips, Derek Boshier and Pauline Boty (left), who had all achieved substantial reputations in the art word despite being in their twenties ... Russell's approach was far more visual and musical than verbal ...

As one would expect from the finished artworks, these were drawn from the contemporary world around them, and Russell duly constructs and elaborate, rapidly-cut kaleidoscope of images and pop stars (Brigitte Bardot, Buddy Holly), fashion magazines, fast cars, politicians, the space race, guns, girls, American culture in general, and anything else that could be made to convey a similar vitality.

* Watch the episode (from www.dangerousminds.net): @

* "The Thrill of It All" (Article from Frieze magazine, 2009): @

* Excerpt from "The Who Sell Out" (2006 book by John Dougan): @

* Excerpt from "Arts TV: A History of Arts Television in Britain" (1993 book by John Albert Walker): @

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