The Picture Show Man (1977) DVDRip-XviD [LAMB]

The Picture Show Man (1977)



The Picture Show Man is based on a previously unpublished book of memoirs by Lyle Penn. He and his father travelled the Australian countryside in the early twenties, bringing their travelling picture shows to appreciative audiences. These shows gave people from remote country towns the opportunity to see silent films, complete with live piano accompaniment. Many shows also incorporated live vaudeville style acts in addition to the film component of the show.

Writer and producer Joan Long developed this story into a screenplay over many years, and she used a combination of real life and fictional characters to create a story rich in period detail and loaded with gentle humour. Long had many of the main cast members in mind during the writing process such as John Meillon and John Ewart, who were always envisaged for their roles, although the surprise acceptance by ex-patriot Rod Taylor of the role of Palmer meant his character needed a nationality change. The screenplay was subsequently changed to accommodate Taylor's acquired American accent.

Long decided to find a fresh director for the film and chose former journalist John Power for the role. His work with the ABC television drama unit and in particular two telemovies he directed, Billy and Percy and They Don't Clap Losers, caught Long's attention. Power liked the concept of the film and agreed to direct the production, as well as collaborating with Long on the final draft of the screenplay.

Sometime in the early nineteen hundreds, Maurice Pym and his son, Larry travel between remote country towns in a horse drawn carriage, displaying "Pyms Pictures On Tour". They bring an escape from everyday life for these country people, in the form of silent movies and live vaudeville style entertainment. Maurice and Larry begin auditioning pianists after their regular player, Lou defects to the rival operator, Palmer. After a string of woeful applicants, a suave piano tuner named Freddie brings a breath of fresh air to the travelling show. He quickly settles into his role of providing background music for the films and accompanying Maurice's singing act. Freddie is very much a ladies man and finds that his new job is also beneficial with such endeavours.

Director: John Power
Writers: Joan Long, Lyle Penn (story)
Stars: Rod Taylor, John Meillon, John Ewart, Harold Hopkins, Patrick Cargill, Judy Morris, Garry McDonald, Tony Barry, Ernie Bourne

File Size: 904MB
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Video: Xvid 640x360 25.00fps
Audio: MPEG Audio Layer 3 44100Hz stereo 128kbps