Leonard Cohen "Bird On A Wire" Screenings in Cape Town, South Africa with Tony Palmer - March 25, 26, 2012

LEONARD COHEN in "BIRD ON A WIRE" * Produced by MARTIN MACHAT * Directed by TONY PALMER

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March 24, 2012

It always delights me to read about Leonard Cohen being admired and appreciated around the world.

Yesterday, I read about two screenings of Director Tony Palmer's Leonard Cohen "Bird On A Wire" that will take place in Cape Town, South Africa at the The Labia Cinema on March 25 and 26.

The Labia, originally an Italian Embassy ballroom, was opened by Princess Labia in May 1949 as a theatre where plays could be performed.

Today it‘s known as the oldest independant cinema in South Africa and caters to an alternative crowd of more discerning viewers who enjoy its quality product and admire the charm of its old-world ambience.

It sounds to me like the perfect place and crowd to appreciate "Bird On A Wire"

And to add to the specialness of this event, Director Tony Palmer will be in attendance for both screenings.

Tony Palmer attended the Leonard Cohen Event in Krakow, August 2010, where he premiered this film with a very moving introduction.

I was privileged to meet Tony Palmer in Krakow and he was very kind to have a picture with me and autograph my copy of the Bird On A Wire DVD package.

Tony Palmer & Arlene, Krakow 2010

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For more background about the film, see also:  I am an Intergalactic Leonard Cohen Fanatic, The Real Thing - Tony Palmer Podcast, Bird On A Wire Film

I Am An Intergalactic Leonard Cohen Fanatic, The Real Thing - Tony Palmer Podcast, Bird On A Wire Film

Tony Palmer introducing premiere of "Bird On A Wire" - Leonard Cohen 2010 Event, Krakow Poland

December 2, 2011

In a recent 30 minute podcast recorded in Sligo about the making of "Bird On A Wire", Tony Palmer described some aspects about the original film which were most interesting.

• the deal making environment in Leonard Cohen's manager's office
• two examples of why Leonard Cohen felt he looked confrontational
• a funny story that took place in East Berlin with a Stasi officer who didn't understand English

But the highlight for me from this interview was Tony Palmer's description of Leonard Cohen fans who are members of the Leonard Cohen Forum, which proudly includes me.

Hence the title of this post.

Host

What is his reaction to the film?  Has he warmed up to it?

Tony Palmer

He's been very supportive...

He gave permission for the first screening to be held at the biennial intergalactic Leonard Cohen fanatics get together...official Leonard Cohen fan club which has his blessing and support...they meet once every two years...and it so happens the year before this, they met in Krakow, in southern Poland...

I think the suggestion actually came from him that we should show the film there because there will be five or six hundred people...who will come literally from all over the world...and if they like it, then it was okay because they knew their Leonard Cohen.  This wasn't a general audience.  This wasn't someone who just heard him sing Hallelujah...this was the real thing.

I'm told that to a man or a woman they reported back that this was an amazing document.

So, after that he wrote me a very nice note which just said, "I'm very glad that the problem has been solved".

Yet again, it's not either like it or dislike it.

MusicFilmWeb, The Music Documentary Hub (here)
See It Loud
Podcast #29a: Tony Palmer Part 1 – Travels With Leonard Cohen



Leonard Cohen, Bird On A Wire trailer
Uploaded by cosmicnrg on Jan 2, 2011

Clips from the Tony Palmer's Classic Film "Leonard Cohen, Bird On A Wire" from The Machat Company. The DVD package includes poster, postcard, booklet, and the movie features live performances of 15 Leonard Cohen songs, 4 poems from his "The Energy of Slaves" and rare intimate and backstage footage from the 1972, 20 City European tour, beginning in Dublin March 18th and ending in Jerusalem April 21st.

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The actual number of registrations at the 2010 Leonard Cohen Krakow Event was less than 300.

Meeting Tony Palmer, "Leonard Cohen Bird On A Wire" at UCLA, Los Angeles

Arlene & Tony Palmer



 From May 25, 2010  leonardcohenforum

Meeting Tony Palmer and talking about changes in the new release of "Bird On A Wire"

Tony Palmer was in Los Angeles on the May 22, 2010 weekend for the Tony Palmer Wagner Film Festival, a part of the hoopla leading up to the Los Angeles Opera's first Ring Cycle. While not a fan of Wagner or of the Ring, I am an enthusiast of historic Opera productions. So I attended the Saturday afternoon screening of Palmer's "The Wagner Family," a film chronicling the internecine fighting among the composer's family members.

Prior to the screening, I had the chance to talk with Tony Palmer and his associate, Rob Ayling, at a meet & greet.

Tony Palmer, Rob Ayling

Mr Palmer had just finished a difficult Q&A following the showing of another of his films, "Parsifal -- The Search for the Grail," and commented that "a good proportion of the audience this morning were in a somewhat disturbed emotional state at the end of the film". He brightened, however, when he noticed a sheet I was holding with the image of the Bird On A Wire DVD cover I had printed out from Jarkko's post.  (Thank you, Jarkko)

And when I mentioned that everyone on the Leonard Cohen forum is very excited about the impending release of the DVD, he smiled broadly and replied, "You just made my day".

He then became effusive and ebullient - and incredibly charming. telling me how the the new version of the film will differ from the original. When I asked him if anything had been edited out from the original film that he regretted seeing on the cutting room floor, he looked dismayed then became very excited. Palmer explained that the original footage of Leonard Cohen speaking, deleted from the first release at LC's request, has been restored to the new DVD version.

Mr Palmer was also good enough to agree to a photo with me, insisting we hold the sheet with the Bird On Wire DVD cover, which he later autographed.

 

Afterward, Rob Ayling forwarded these two photos to me.