SONOTOKI REKISHI GA UGOITA No.192-- Higeki no Eiyū 'Arabia no Rorensu' no Shinjitsu
[The moment history turned -- the truth of Lawrence of Arabia, a tragic hero]
NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), Tōkyō, 15 September 2004, 21:15-21:58 pm
about 43 mins.
SONOTOKI REKISHI GA UGOITA is a very popular culture programme dealing with historical events and people, which is sent out every Wednesday night by NHK, the sole public broadcaster in Japan. The 192nd programme traces how the political frontiers in the Middle East were established by the great powers. The moment history turned IS the San Remo Conference, concluded on 25 April 1920.
Touching on the world affairs in pre-war times, the programme's host describes how Lawrence, 'a tragic hero', involved with Arab matters, changed his attitude toward the Arab people, suffering from knowing British double-tongued diplomacy. Some of Lawrence's words from his letters and Seven Pillars are quoted.
The television camera allowed to enter the Bodleian Library, Oxford, to film the original Lawrence-letters opened to the public in 2000. Other films used in this programme are remarkable: scenes from the David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia, documentary films, historical materials and photographs dug up from the Bodleian Library, the Public Record Office, the Imperial War Museum, the British Library, BBC, ITN Archive, the National Archives, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive, Jerusalem Cinematheque, Israel Film Service, etc. File films of cities in the Middle East and England today support them.
The film to be mention specially is the one shot at the Paris Peace Conference, 1919. After having a group photograph taken out of doors, Faisal, Nuri Said, Rustum Haidar, Captain Pisani, Lawrence and others walked ahead. Faisal smiles gently (click here to see pictures from the clip).
Jeremy Wilson is interviewed, and the guest commentator is Prof. USUKI Akira of the National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka, Japan.
* NHK ONLINE Web site in English: http://www.nhk.or.jp/english/index.html
100 NIN NO 20 SEIKI -- Arabia no Rorensu; Sono Hikari to Kage
[The 20th Century for a Hundred People (not A Hundred People of the 20th Century) -- Lawrence of Arabia: his bright and dark sides]
TV Asahi, Tōkyō, 7 January 2001, 18:30-18:55 pm
about 22 mins.
The TV Asahi, run a series of a hundred peolpe who typified the 20th century in 1999-2001. T. E. Lawrence was featured as the 78th.
It was September 2000 when the Japanese TV crew visited England to film some locations associated with T.E.'s life; Polstead Rd., Jesus College, Clouds Hill, and a Brough Superior motor cycle. Some scenes were shot on location in Jordan. Seven Pillars of Wisdom rocks in the Jordan desert and Akaba Bay were also shown in this 22 minute programme. There was also archive footage of World War One and of T.E. himself.
Khinlyn Fern, Jeremy Wilson, Suleiman Mousa, Kamel abu Jabir (Arab historian), Akif abu Tayeh (or Akef Muhammad Awda Abu Tayyah, grandson of Auda, d. 2006) and a Abu Galeb (keeper of Fort Azrak) appeared to talk about T.E. Sadly, this might well be the last film of Khinlyn, who passed away in February 2001.
This programme was asssociated with an article in the Asahi Shimbun [Newspaper],which featured Lawrence on the Sunday edition, 17 November 1999 in Japanese, and in the Asahi Evening News on 18 June 2000 in English.
SHITTERU TSUMORI?! No.289 -- Arabia no Rorensu
[Do you really know it?: Lawrence of Arabia]
Nippon Television Network Corporation (NTV), Tōkyō, 4 February 1996, 21:00-21:54pm
about 50 mins.(originally 70 mins. recording)
The 289th subject of a popular series SHITTERU TSUMORI?! which deals with the personal history of well know people. With documentary films, photos, brief 'docudramas' shot in England and Jordan, as well as studio talks by Japanese panelists including Professor MUTAGUCHI Yoshirō.
Jeremy Wilson (authorised biographer) and Suleiman Mousa appeared and made their comments on T. E.. A scene from the Lean film, Clouds Hill, the effigy at St. Martin's, the grave at Moreton and a letter written by Charlotte Shaw were also shown.
In comparison with the previous programme, this one emphasised the more entertaining elements of T. E.'s life for a general audience, who knew very little about T. E.
* NTV Web site in English: http://www.ntv.co.jp/english/index.html
KORIN UiRUSON NO ARABIA NO RORENSU KIKŌ
[Colin Wilson's Journey with Lawrence of Arabia]
NHK Satellite Channel (BS-2), Tōkyō, 5 November 1995, 19:22-20:52 pm
about 90 mins.
A 'Subarashiki Chikyū no Tabi [Wonderful Journey of the Earth]' series, produced by NHK with the co-operation of NHK Enterprise 21 Inc. and Mayson, Tōkyō.
Beautifully shot on location in Jordan and Syria in June 1995. The reporter, Colin Wilson, author of THE OUTSIDER and lifelong Lawrencian, traced the footsteps of T. E. at Wadi Rumm, Aba el Lissan, Akaba, Krak des Chevaliers, Palmyra, Aleppo, Petra. At Azrak Castle, Wilson met an old gatekeeper whose father fought with Prince Feisal and T. E., and in Amman visited Suleiman Mousa (author of T. E. LAWRENCE: AN ARAB VIEW).
His pilgrimage ended in Damascus, where he talked about his sympathy with T. E., a man who suddenly became famous in his youth and soon tired of his own fame, exactly as he had. A small ceremony at T. E.'s grave with some members of the T. E. Lawrence Society appeared in the last scene.
No English (bilingal) edition. Re-broadcasted on 3 March 1996.
* YouTube: Colin Wilson - Lawrence of Arabia 1 uploaded on Feb. 2008.
* NHK ONLINE Web site in English: http://www.nhk.or.jp/english/index.html
A T. E. Bibliography in Japanese INDEXHOME PAGEThis page's URL: http://yagitani.na.coocan.jp/en/bib_en05.htm