S1978 E3 • When Is A Play Not A Play?

Examines the current controversy over the blurring of boundaries between drama and documentary. Looks at the conventions programme makers use who make drama documentaries and faction programmes.

Première diffusion : 17 avril 1978

S1978 E4 • Tubes on Tour

A special edition of ARENA: ROCK featuring rock group The Tubes.

Première diffusion : 24 mai 1978

S1978 E5 • Vanessa Redgrave

TV Documentary on the actress. It shows her in rehearsal, in performance, and talking about her commitment to an acting career.

Première diffusion : 18 octobre 1978

S1978 E2 • 'The Journey' or The Memoirs of a Self-Confessed Surrealist

George Melly makes an unusual journey to the 1978 Surrealist Exhibition at the Hayward Gallery, London.

Première diffusion : 18 janvier 1978

S1978 E3 • Cinema: The Force is with us? (2) / Howard Hawks

Star Wars - the biggest and fastest money-maker in the history of the movies - has opened in Britain at last. What on earth - or in heaven -has caused the phenomenal success of this galactic romp-cum-morality tale? Gavin Millar talks to the producer Gary Kurtz , the designer John Barry and to Mark Hamill who plays the young hero Luke. Howard Hawks died this Christmas. His career spanned the history of Hollywood. As well as designing and racing sports cars, motor-bikes and aeroplanes he wrote, directed and produced every kind of Hollywood movie. The Big Sleep, Red River, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Bringing up Baby are amongst the best examples of their genre. GAVIN MILLAR talked to him at his home in Palm Springs just before his 80th birthday.

Première diffusion : 25 janvier 1978

S1978 E4 • Theatre: ' But please, this is a farce! ' The story of The Cherry Orchard

Première diffusion : 1 février 1978

S1978 E5 • Cinema: Joseph Conrad

A British film The Duellists starring Keith Carradine , Harvey Keitel and Albert Finney won the Special Jury Award at Cannes last year and it opened in London last week. It is a finely photographed period film set in the beautiful Dordogne but the most admirable thing about it may be that it is as faithful an adaptation of Conrad as any the screen has seen - and there have been many, from a 1926 silent version of Nostromo to Richard Brooks 's Lord Jim and Hitchcock's Sabotage.

Première diffusion : 8 février 1978

S1978 E6 • Art and Design: Carrington

Carrington: the letters and paintings of a gifted and tragic artist. ' She was alive at every point, and the variety of her feelings wore her out. All her life she remained a giver, not a receiver.'

Première diffusion : 15 février 1978

S1978 E7 • Cinema: Claude Renoir

The man who in 1936 shot Jean Renoir 's Partie de Campagne, the lyrical masterpiece of petit-bourgeois life in the 90s, nowadays finds himself tackling the somewhat different territory of James Bond. Arena: Cinema talks to CLAUDE RENOIR about all sides of his long, fascinating career as a top feature film cameraman.

Première diffusion : 22 février 1978

S1978 E8 • Theatre: Hey Kids! Let's Do the Show Right Here ...

This month Arena Theatre looks at the hard facts and the familiar cliches behind a new British Musical revival. A bitter-sweet story - with song and dance-as told by ex-' trouper ' Glyn Worsnip. With sneak previews from The Travelling Music Show Kings and Clowns Kismet, and featuring Bruce Forsyth, Lionel Bart , Anthony Newley Lesley Bricusse , Frank Finlay, Tim Rice , Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Première diffusion : 1 mars 1978

S1978 E9 • Close Encounters of the Third Kind

No television cameras were allowed onto the set of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, but ARENA: CINEMA was present on the last day of shooting to watch Spielberg at work and talk to him about the film.

Première diffusion : 8 mars 1978

S1978 E10 • Art and Design: Carl Andre

The Man Behind the Bricks, a film about the controversial American artist, whose brick ' sculpture' caused a storm of protest when first exhibited at the Tate Gallery two years ago. Prior to a major one-man show at the Whitechapel Gallery, Arena meets him in London and New York. Madame Stravinsky Actress, designer and now a painter - VERA STRAVINSKY , widow of the great Russian composer, talks to RONALD HARWOOD about her remarkable life.

Première diffusion : 15 mars 1978

S1978 E22 • Cinema: The Thirty-nine Steps

A new British film has its Royal Premiere tomorrow. It is an English period film and vividly demonstrates the high production values, quality and talent available in this country but which so rarely get the chance to reach our screens. The Thirty-nine Steps was originally a novel by John Buchan and has already been filmed twice, by HITCHCOCK in 1935, starring ROBERT DONAT , and by RALPH THOMAS in 1960, starring KENNETH MORE. Gavin Millar looks at the tradition from which it sprang. Plus a foretaste of one of the most interesting London Film Festivals ever.

Première diffusion : 22 novembre 1978