Britain's Greatest Machines with Chris Barrie

[A Van]

Interesting perspective there Gez from someone in 'the know'!!

[bozzzydmc]

After watching it again , there are lots of bits where Chris look pretty excited when driving around

So after driving and seeing them at close hand did he have an opinion on them ?

Its a good programme looking forward to next weeks

[jerzybondov]

Interesting perspective there Gez from someone in 'the know'!!

TBH Top Gear is as good as it gets when it comes to shooting cars and creating entertaining narrative and that's set the bar now so high that everything else struggles to compare. Just look at Fifth Gear and how it's like Top Gear but just not as good.

I'd love Clarkson to end up in a DeLorean on a challenge... Of course he'd slag the car to death but it would be brilliant... he might even end up loving it

[arranj]

I have to say that's a pretty shoddy piece of programming by normal broadcast standards.

the editing itself is appalling. It's like they got the work experience kid to do it. What's with the 15 seconds of stills occasionally with no explanation or VO?

My thoughts entirely Gez. Especially the bit at 5:25 where he said "But Colin Chapman knew there was a problem"..... WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM??! There then follows 30 seconds of total silence, then moves on to another subject....

[jerzybondov]

Especially the bit at 5:25 where he said "But Colin Chapman knew there was a problem"..... WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM??! There then follows 30 seconds of total silence, then moves on to another subject....

Hahaha. Yes, totally true. You were just supposed to work out that ERM didn't have the structural qualities to protect the passenger compartment in the event of a frontal impact, so they had to redesign with a steel chassis instead, which JZD wasn't happy about but had to accept if he wanted to get the car to market as soon as he'd promised all from the sound of the crashing noise they played over a shot of the spare tire...

[jerzybondov]

Interesting perspective there Gez from someone in 'the know'!!

Just another angle on it - as an independent production company which has made large amounts of programming for broadcast on commission from various channels, I wouldn't have dreamed of sending that edit to a broadcaster even as a first (rough) cut. I can only assume that delivery deadlines were very tight on the project and there was a very low budget for post so the stuff just had to get sent out the door as quick as poss, and Nat Geo aren't big on giving feedback!

[arranj]

Especially the bit at 5:25 where he said "But Colin Chapman knew there was a problem"..... WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM??! There then follows 30 seconds of total silence, then moves on to another subject....

Hahaha. Yes, totally true. You were just supposed to work out that ERM didn't have the structural qualities to protect the passenger compartment in the event of a frontal impact, so they had to redesign with a steel chassis instead, which JZD wasn't happy about but had to accept if he wanted to get the car to market as soon as he'd promised all from the sound of the crashing noise they played over a shot of the spare tire...

Clearly Nat Geo are aiming at the ultra-highbrow "mind reading" market then

[DeLorean Cars]

There are no voice-overs at all, and while we were filming, I tried to help "fill in the gaps" on some of what was being said and was told repeatedly "that's in the script for the voice over".

Are we sure they screened the right cut, not accidentally the one cut before the voice over was dubbed on?

I haven't yet seen the whole show but the stuff with the computer games and the Sinclair C5 were shot in the workshop office and locally.

[bttf brian]

I enjoyed the whole series and speaking to the general public the Delorean came across really well. Chris Barrie has a boyish enthusiasm for all the machines and I think the programme has to be viewed in that context.
Al's car looked great and as he says there is a hell of a lot of footage that didn't make it. What are the chances of them releasing that to me I wonder?
One more thing............................................I want a scimitar tank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[A Van]

Are we sure they screened the right cut, not accidentally the one cut before the voice over was dubbed on?

Mmm...interesting point. I wonder..but..when Chris starts mentioning ' Director Robert Zemeckis ' at around 2.11 that must have been dubbed over...because that part was originally filmed with Chris leaning over Brians hood...after getting out of mine and walking around both cars..not sure why they dropped it....I remember him saying the lines over and over as he was about to shut the door.

Hi Brian! I reckon if you email Olly you have a chance of getting the footage you have his email right?

Al