Chess in film and television

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  • Chess in film and television

    Hercule Poirot, played by David Suchet, investigates the murder of a Russian chess Master at a summit just ahead of WW2. The PBS show is appearing this Sunday night (July 27) on Masterpiece Theatre.

    he Big Four plunges Poirot into a world of global espionage, set against the backdrop of the impending WWII. The public is in a panic after the shocking death of a Russian chess grandmaster at the climax of a high-profile international Peace Party reception. With the help of old friends Captain Hastings, Inspector Japp and Miss Lemon, Poirot must make a dramatic move that only a chess champion could love, while navigating international figures and intrigues in order to identify the culprit.

    Adapted by Mark Gatiss (Sherlock), The Big Four reunites David Suchet with Hugh Fraser as sidekick Captain Hastings, Philip Jackson as Inspector Japp, and Pauline Moran as secretary Miss Lemon.
    "The Big Four" with H. Poirot
    Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.

  • #2
    Re: Chess in film and television

    I'll be interested to see how this goes. The later Poirot's have been a mixed bag. Murder On the Orient Express was great in many ways but the adding on of the religious overtones (which weren't in the original book) were unpleasant, and unnecessary, in my opinion.

    I haven't seen this one so I'll be watching tomorrow. It's not surprising that it is amongst the last to be filmed for the series. The original book was a glomming together of a bunch of short stories.

    I'm pleased that it's being adapted by Mark Gatiss of Dr. Who and Sherlock fame.

    Steve (who will be catching up on Endeavour tonight)

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    • #3
      Chess and Hercule Poirot on PBS

      Originally posted by Nigel Hanrahan View Post
      Hercule Poirot, played by David Suchet, investigates the murder of a Russian chess Master at a summit just ahead of WW2. The PBS show is appearing this Sunday night (July 27) on Masterpiece Theatre.



      "The Big Four" with H. Poirot
      Not all PBS stations show the same shows at the same times and dates. Alas!

      This does not seem to be on in Toronto at that time.

      However, I do see it on PBS Detroit which I do get (ROGERS Toronto # 163) but not on the normal PBS Buffalo.

      Thanks for the tip!

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Chess and Hercule Poirot on PBS

        Originally posted by J. Ken MacDonald View Post
        Not all PBS stations show the same shows at the same times and dates. Alas!

        This does not seem to be on in Toronto at that time.

        However, I do see it on PBS Detroit which I do get (ROGERS Toronto # 163) but not on the normal PBS Buffalo.

        Thanks for the tip!
        It's on now on the local Toronto PBS station.

        Steve

        Comment


        • #5
          The Wire is on TV

          BRAVO TV Network is replaying the entire first season of the award-winning series, The Wire. The replay is, I think, related to a sister network that is offering the subsequent 4 seasons for viewers.

          Anyway, the chess symbolism appears in the titles of many of the episodes, in scenes in which one drug dealer teaches other drug dealers about the superiority of chess to checkers, the clever film technique of the depiction of the streets like ranks and files on the chess board [almost like Jacques Tati, amazing!], scenes of police discussion with an out of focus chess game being played in a park in the foreground [like Washington Square Park in NYC] etc. The episodic titles often reflect key lines by one of the characters who seems to sum up, expressed in a simple phrase, the events in the episode. Examples: "You cannot lose if you do not play," "The King stays the King," "And all the pieces matter," "Come at the King, you better not miss," etc. - and this are just some of the titles from Season 1.

          There are quite a few observers of TV who feel that Simon's The Wire is/was the best series ever made for television. For those who do not know, the series was set in Baltimore, Maryland, and each season highlighted or showcased a different set of institutions in that city.

          Originally posted by Wikipedia
          The Wire is an American crime drama television series set and produced in and around Baltimore, Maryland. Created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon, the series was broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States. The Wire premiered on June 2, 2002, and ended on March 9, 2008, comprising 60 episodes over five seasons.

          Each season of The Wire introduces a different facet of the city of Baltimore. In chronological order they are: the illegal drug trade, the seaport system, the city government and bureaucracy, the school system, and the print news media. The large cast consists mainly of character actors who are little known for their other roles. Simon has said that despite its presentation as a crime drama, the show is "really about the American city, and about how we live together. It's about how institutions have an effect on individuals. Whether one is a cop, a longshoreman, a drug dealer, a politician, a judge or a lawyer, all are ultimately compromised and must contend with whatever institution to which they are committed."[1]
          1. Sample scene: How to play chess.

          2. Chess as a metaphor for everything.

          3. The Wire. Modern Society as an elaborate chess game.

          4. “The Wire,” Chess, and Urbanity: Deconstructing Hegemonic Ideas of Urban Culture
          Last edited by Nigel Hanrahan; Saturday, 3rd January, 2015, 10:04 AM. Reason: episodic titles, sample scene, etc., added
          Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.

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          • #6
            Pushing Wood - a chess documentary starring GM Maurice Ashley

            "Pushing Wood" ...

            Pushing Wood is a documentary about today's culture of competitive chess, a culture unlike any other in sports, one that demands endless preparation, induces endless psychological stress, and pays very little. What's it like to try and make it as a professional chess player in the 21st century? Why is it that a game played by 600 million people worldwide has been unable to break out of its nerdy bubble? And is it possible that a promoter from Brooklyn with some big ideas -- and some unabashedly American showmanship -- might finally rebrand chess as the next great spectator sport.
            ChessBase article with 6 min. promotional video

            -----------------------------------------------------------------

            See also "The Love for Wood" 1979 chess documentary
            Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.

            Comment


            • #7
              Algorithms: the Documentary

              Tania Sachdev just tweeted about a great Indian film about chess for the blind. Viswanathan Anand remarked, "My heart is with this wonderful film."

              The film is scheduled for pan-Indian release on August 21st, and has already been released in the USA and the UK.

              Algorithms:the Documentary

              official trailer

              supplemental: if anyone sees an advertisement for this film in Canada, mention it, OK?
              Last edited by Nigel Hanrahan; Thursday, 30th July, 2015, 11:01 PM. Reason: supplemental
              Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.

              Comment


              • #8
                Welsh GM Nigel Davies - " (we don't) capture much of the game's magical appeal"

                Lauren Weintraub - Chess (music video with a chess theme (and young love))

                YouTube link

                GM Nigel Davies, who recently defected from the English Chess Federation to the Welsh Federation (tired of the BS politics) noted the following in regard to the above video:

                Originally posted by GM Nigel Davies
                Here's some further evidence about the popularity of chess in the media ... its symbolism never failing to capture attention. I don't like seeing chess pieces kicked over as this is a kind of sacrilege, and I don't like the song much either. But isn't it a shame that organized chess events rarely seem to capture much of the game's magical appeal?
                Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Chess in film and television (and photography)



                  Some of Shackleton's crew in Antarctica ...

                  See Stark Images of Shackleton's Struggle
                  Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Ladies' Knight - A Female Perspective on Chess

                    Ladies' Knight: A Female Perspective on Chess

                    The exhibition presents works by Crystal Fischetti, Debbie Han, Barbara Kruger, Liliya Lifanova, Goshka Macuga, Sophie Matisse, Yoko Ono, Daniela Raytchev, Jennifer Shahade, Yuko Suga, Diana Thater, and Rachel Whiteread. Their diverse interpretations of the game range from the playful and feminine to the serious, and encourage dialogue about subjects like crime, language, peace and conflict, and inequality.

                    The World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) endeavors to present exhibitions that honor the game’s pioneers, reflect its significant cultural impact, and appeal to a wide audience. In 2015 and 2016, the WCHOF is launching an initiative to encourage more women to take up the game. In February 2016, we will open another exhibition, Her Turn: Revolutionary Women of Chess, which will explore key historic moments in women’s chess history.

                    Supporting these two exhibitions about women, the WCHOF will provide an array of programming for all ages and groups with chess classes and tournaments for girls and women, beginner’s classes taught by female chess stars, and lectures and entertaining evening programs with the help of its sister organization, the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

                    Joining us in this initiative are two inspirational women who continue to make a huge impact on chess: two-time U.S. Women’s Chess Champion, poker player, and author Jennifer Shahade along with Executive Director of the United States Chess Federation Jean Hoffman. Together they formed 9 Queens, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowerment through chess by making the game fun, exciting, and accessible—especially to underserved and underrepresented populations. Both Shahade and Hoffman contributed essays to this brochure and will be heavily involved in the programming for our exhibitions over the next year. Additionally, Shahade is a contributing artist in Ladies’ Knight.

                    It is my hope that the artists in this exhibition and their interpretations of the game will inspire you to look at chess in a new way and encourage more girls and women to play!

                    —Chief Curator, Shannon Bailey
                    Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Ladies' Knight - A Female Perspective on Chess

                      Just getting home and flipping channels came across a chess scene in a Christmas movie: Holiday in Handcuffs (2007 filmed in Calgary). The man instantly captures the women's queen, Bxd1, she asks to take her move back. He lets her as they are falling in love. At least the right hand corner is White. They are both creative: he was an architect, she a painter.

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                      • #12
                        Illegal Move (short film)

                        A short film called "Illegal Move" uses chess moves, legal and illegal, to tell a story about lost love, etc. Suitable for children but with some deeper philosophical ideas (e.g., "At the end of the game, all of the pieces go back into the same box," etc.) relating to life and death.

                        Illegal Move
                        Last edited by Nigel Hanrahan; Saturday, 2nd July, 2016, 02:53 PM. Reason: detail
                        Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          The Young Karl Marx



                          A new film in German, French and English, The Young Karl Marx, will be appearing on the big screen in June of this year. The film covers the formative early years and friendship of Marx and his lifelong friend, Fred Engels, and there is a chess angle as well!

                          Karl: "You've spent too much time in England! Their chess, like their food, is insipid!"

                          Fred: " Nonsense! Steady and solid development is surely superior!"

                          Karl: "The chess theorists have turned development into the opium of the game. The point is to create imbalances and change the position in one's favour."

                          Fred: "How Feuerbachian of you."
                          Last edited by Nigel Hanrahan; Tuesday, 14th February, 2017, 01:23 AM. Reason: the point is to change it
                          Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.

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                          • #14
                            Bobby Fischer Against the World on Knowledge

                            Bobby Fischer Against the World is being shown on BC's Knowledge Network this evening.

                            link to Knowledge Network
                            Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.

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                            • #15
                              What did the great film-maker do between takes?



                              Stanley Kubrick playing chess on the set of "Dr. Strangelove".
                              Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.

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