Acclaimed author and whale-watcher Philip Hoare takes us into the world of baleen whales, the largest animals ever to have lived. \n\nWith plates of bristly baleen instead of teeth with which they filter their food, blue whales, fin whales and humpback whales swim the Atlantic. Hoare shows us how to identify whales from their tails or flukes, and explores the strange shared history between humans and whales.
Source: BBC 4
Salgado: The Spectre Of Hope
Documentary featuring photographer Sebastião Salgado in conversation with writer and artist John Berger, intercut with photographs from Salgado's collection Migrations, a ...
16-06-2025
BBC 4
Charlie Drake: Drake's Progress
Documentary profile of actor and comedian Charlie Drake. Drake had much to overcome - marital, financial and career troubles dogged him -but after reinventing himself as a strai ...
15-06-2025
BBC 4
Clint Eastwood: 1. Part One: Out Of The West
Clint Eastwood recalls his tough childhood and looks back at his early career, from Rawhide to Dirty Harry and the spaghetti westerns. With contributions from Don Siegel, Sergio ...
29-05-2025
BBC 4
Clint Eastwood: 2. Part Two: American Film-maker
Arena's profile of Clint Eastwood continues with his directorial debut, Play Misty for Me, which he completed in five weeks before going on to huge success in Dirty Harry. Featu ...
29-05-2025
BBC 4
Desert Island Discs
A 1982 film made to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Roy Plomley's classic radio programme, featuring his successor as presenter, Sue Lawley.
25-03-2025
BBC 4
Ken Dodd's Happiness
A tribute to Liverpudlian comic Ken Dodd, in which he discusses his 50-year career and the influences of his comedy style. Features film clips of his early performances and foo ...
24-03-2025
BBC 4
Dylan Thomas: From Grave To Cradle
Author and broadcaster Nigel Williams examines the work and the legend of one of the most famous poets of the 20th century, Dylan Thomas.\n\nBorn in 1914, Dylan Thomas was an un ...
19-03-2025
BBC 4
Andrea Dunbar And Victoria Wood
In a programme first broadcast in 1980, Arena looks at writer and performer Victoria Wood and explores her talent to amuse through her witty and engaging songs. \n\nThe film als ...
10-03-2025
BBC 4
Clint Eastwood: 1. Part One: Out Of The West
Clint Eastwood recalls his tough childhood and looks back at his early career, from Rawhide to Dirty Harry and the spaghetti westerns. With contributions from Don Siegel, Sergio ...
29-05-2025
BBC 4
Frank Sinatra: The Voice Of The Century
Arena profiles crooner Frank Sinatra, acknowledged as one of the greatest singers of the 20th century, from his early family background to overwhelming showbusiness success.
29-12-2023
BBC 4
The Many Lives Of Richard Attenborough: Part 1
Two-part Arena special celebrating the life and distinguished career of one of Britain's best-loved public figures. Lord Attenborough's film CV as actor stretches from Brighton ...
27-08-2023
BBC 4
Bob Dylan - Trouble No More
In 1979, Bob Dylan released Slow Train Coming, an album of strictly devotional songs. He declared he had found God in Christianity. For the following two years, accompanied by t ...
20-05-2022
BBC 4
Louise Brooks
American film actress Louise Brooks has become one of the most celebrated icons of early cinema. Her performance as unrepentant pleasure-seeker Lulu in GW Pabst's Pandora's Box ...
07-12-2023
BBC 4
A Tall Story - How Salman Rushdie Pickled All Of India
Salman Rushdie, author of Midnight's Children, winner of the Booker Prize 1981, talks about India and the autobiographical elements in the book.
11-08-2022
BBC 4
Painted With My Hair
Painted with My Hair is inspired by the paintings, poetry and letters of Donny Johnson, an exceptionally intelligent and talented US lifer, who has been locked away inside his c ...
31-10-2021
BBC 4
The Most Beautiful Boy In The World
In 1970, film-maker Luchino Visconti travelled throughout Europe looking for the perfect boy to personify absolute beauty as the character of Tadzio in his adaptation for the sc ...
13-02-2022
BBC 4
The 50 Year Argument - The New York Review Of Books
Martin Scorsese's documentary film charting literary, political and cultural history as per the New York Review of Books, America's leading journal of ideas since 1963.
29-06-2014
BBC 4