Talking Movies: Remembering Barry – Final Episode

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Welcome to Talking Movies, I’m Spling. This week we embark on the final episode of Remembering Barry, with an exciting announcement.

So, Albertus, it is just wonderful to see you as always, and our friendship endures. We are speaking about Remembering Barry, and the series now has a bonus episode, because we are here to speak about the culmination of Remembering Barry, and the series was geared around finding a place for his 1,700 film book collection. Now we are ensuring that it’s going to be looked after in such a beautiful and respectful way. We found a place, and I’m going to let you be the one to announce the place. What’s quite funny is we are now speaking from the Copper Kettle, which is in Raithby, not far from Somerset West, and you mentioned that it’s on the R44, which is interesting.

As a movie critic with a deep-rooted passion for films and a personal connection to the story we’re about to discuss, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia and excitement as we delve into the final episode of “Remembering Barry.” This series has been a journey for me, reminding me of my own life experiences and the profound impact that one man’s love for cinema had on so many people.

In an intriguing turn of events, we find ourselves reflecting on past encounters. You recall an instance where Barry was present but we didn’t cross paths, specifically at the strawberry farm near the R44. Now, as we reminisce about Barry and discuss his beloved books, I’m delighted to share that they will be heading to Grahamstown – known for its vibrant English and literary culture. Thus, completing our full circle, we announce that Barry’s books have found a fitting home, not far from where our journey began.

And that place, if you don’t mind me saying, is the Amazwi South African Museum of Literature, which we were recommended or referred to by two separate people, and when we contacted them, they took a little while to come back to us… it was with amazing news, which is that they’ve got space for the collection, and this previously known as the National English Literary Museum is a museum that houses archival material relating to South Africa’s literary heritage. And it’s in Makhanda, which was formerly Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, so it’s a very central place as well. I think it’s so special.

As a movie critic, I’d express it this way: This production holds a unique charm for me. I can imagine Barry, with his delightful smile, appreciating every bit of it – the rich culture, the beautiful language, and the captivating artistry, all on display in Grahamstown.

So it is a place of mystery, it’s a place of learning, an education hub for South Africa, and where the National Arts Festival happens.

The center is particularly meaningful for Barry, not just as a memorial, but also due to its rich English heritage and the fact that numerous journalists were trained there, hailing from that very region and the esteemed university.

Yes, so it’s the perfect place for Barry, and he did go to the festival a couple of times. In fact, that’s where my parents met him. But we are talking about the Amazwi National Literary Museum. I had the pleasure of going through to do a little investigation of it, and it is a wonderful space. It’s got a modern feel, it’s got all sorts of wonderful literary artifacts that are stored. It’s like walking down the halls of the X-Files, because you’ve got these massive repositories where they have books and manuscripts, all sorts of things that are related to literary figures.

Herman Charles Bosman’s typewriter is there, which he said had a natural aura to it, and helped him write his books. J.M. Coetzee’s air rifle, someone’s flippers, someone else’s used art paints. It’s just a magical space, and I just find it very refreshing. Such a wonderful place to be celebrated as someone that contributed so widely and prolifically to the South African media landscape. So I think it’s the perfect place for Barry’s book collection.

Certainly, I’m thrilled that Barry’s books are being welcomed with open arms. We may have underestimated the response, but their readiness is a testament to Barry’s work, and it’s an honor for us all. Thanks for asking.

That town itself is just such a strange place. I think it’s got about 50 churches within this five-kilometer radius, and I’ve got so many fun memories of growing up there and going to school there. So for me, it’s also a special place. That’s why I know that it is a great place for Barry’s books and for people that are wanting to go and have a look at them.

We are also planning on doing a documentary, which involves actually getting the last few books to the museum. So there’s a lot of exciting news on the go, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how the story plays out. This radio documentary is just the beginning.

That’s it.

If you are in Makhanda and you are at the National Arts Festival, then I would recommend that you actually go and pay a visit to this space… and the next time that you go there, you will be able to request one of Barry’s many books. And I know that they are working on their interface to make it much more user-friendly. What a wonderful treat to be able to go in there and read a book that Barry paged through and immerse yourself in the wonder and magic that is film and cinema.

Certainly. I believe it’s unlikely to be prepared this current season. Instead, it seems more likely that it will be ready for the upcoming year.

And hopefully, as part of the documentary, we’ll have a couple of books that will be even more focused, and you can be a part of that story. So I think it’s a wonderful celebration and way to cherish Barry and all that he meant to everyone. It’s an emotional thing, but I think treasuring it in this physical way and preserving that legacy as well…

Certainly. I’ll be bringing books with me from the Cape Town house where I currently reside. I’ve lived here for the past three months after we completed the recording in Gauteng and bid farewell to that house, marking a new chapter in my life.

Yes, so the new chapter of Albertus begins as well, and I think that is also something very magical and special and mystical.

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2024-07-18 15:44