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Micro Men

October 28, 2023

"Syntax Era" redirects here. For the hip hop song, see T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye).

Micro Men is a 2009 one-off BBC drama television programme set in the late 1970s and the early-mid 1980s, about the rise of the British home computer market. It focuses on the rivalry between Sir Clive Sinclair (played by Alexander Armstrong), who developed the ZX Spectrum, and Chris Curry (played by Martin Freeman), the man behind the BBC Micro.[2]

Micro Men
Title card
GenreDocumentary drama
Created byAndrea Cornwell
Written byTony Saint
Directed bySaul Metzstein
StarringAlexander Armstrong
Martin Freeman
Theme music composerVangelis
Opening theme"Pulstar"
ComposerIlan Eshkeri
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producersElinor Day
Jamie Laurenson
ProducerAndrea Cornwell
CinematographyHubert Taczanowski
EditorIan Davies
Running time84 mins
Release
Original networkBBC Four
Original release8 October 2009 (2009-10-08)[1]

Plot edit

The drama is centred on two of the leading players and their respective companies in the home computer market of the late 1970s and early 1980s focusing on the race to win a grant from the BBC to become the provider of a home computer for the BBC's programming for schools.[3] Certain parts of the drama are based on historical fact while others are a dramatisation.

The main characters are ZX Spectrum creator Clive Sinclair and BBC Micro creators Chris Curry, Sophie Wilson, Steve Furber and Hermann Hauser. The real-life Wilson also makes a brief cameo as a barmaid.

Cast edit

Cameo edit

Production edit

Development edit

The programme was created by independent production company Darlow Smithson and was written by Tony Saint, directed by Saul Metzstein and produced by Andrea Cornwell.[4] It was produced as a BBC Drama, shot in the UK, with some scenes shot in and around the colleges of Cambridge on 15 July 2009. Computers were supplied by The Centre for Computing History, then in Haverhill.[5] They also supplied other technical props, including the Sinclair C5, and Jason Fitzpatrick, director of the museum, played the part of David Johnson-Davies.[6]

The programme's titles use green lettering similar to that produced by the 1980s monitors to which BBC Microcomputers would have typically been connected.

Soundtrack edit

The soundtrack uses a number of early 1980s electronica tracks:[7]

Release edit

It was first shown on BBC Four on 8 October 2009.

Reaction edit

When asked about the programme in an interview for The Independent — despite being involved in the production — Sinclair himself stated: "It was a travesty of the truth. It just had no bearing on the truth. It was terrible."[8]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Teeman, Tim (9 October 2009). "Last Night's TV". The Times. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  2. ^ Wollaston, Sam (9 October 2009). "Micro Men". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  3. ^ Arnott, Jack (8 October 2009). "Micro Men preview". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  4. ^ Lyle, Peter (7 October 2009). "Micro Men: Sir Clive Sinclair and the heyday of British computing". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  5. ^ . Haverhill Weekly News. Cambridge Newspapers. 7 October 2009. Archived from the original on 15 May 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  6. ^ "Syntax Era / Micro Men Trailer". Centre for Computing History. Centre for Computing History. 21 August 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  7. ^ Smith, Tony (14 February 2014). "Micro Men: The story of the syntax era". www.theregister.com. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Sir Clive Sinclair: Down but never out, the eternal optimist is back". The Independent. 10 January 2010. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022.

External links edit

  • Micro Men at BBC Online  
  • Micro Men on the British Comedy Guide
  • Micro Men at IMDb
  • The Guardian: Battle between ZX Spectrum and BBC Micro to be BBC4 comedy drama
  • TechRadar article
  • BitterWallet blog entry by Andy Dawson (09.10.2009, just a day after Micro Men was broadcast first)
  • The Jitty: Interview with the British IBM

October 28, 2023
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Syntax Era redirects here For the hip hop song see T I M E The Inner Mind s Eye Micro Men is a 2009 one off BBC drama television programme set in the late 1970s and the early mid 1980s about the rise of the British home computer market It focuses on the rivalry between Sir Clive Sinclair played by Alexander Armstrong who developed the ZX Spectrum and Chris Curry played by Martin Freeman the man behind the BBC Micro 2 Micro MenTitle cardGenreDocumentary dramaCreated byAndrea CornwellWritten byTony SaintDirected bySaul MetzsteinStarringAlexander Armstrong Martin FreemanTheme music composerVangelisOpening theme Pulstar ComposerIlan EshkeriCountry of originUnited KingdomOriginal languageEnglishProductionExecutive producersElinor DayJamie LaurensonProducerAndrea CornwellCinematographyHubert TaczanowskiEditorIan DaviesRunning time84 minsReleaseOriginal networkBBC FourOriginal release8 October 2009 2009 10 08 1 Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 2 1 Cameo 3 Production 3 1 Development 3 2 Soundtrack 4 Release 5 Reaction 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksPlot editThe drama is centred on two of the leading players and their respective companies in the home computer market of the late 1970s and early 1980s focusing on the race to win a grant from the BBC to become the provider of a home computer for the BBC s programming for schools 3 Certain parts of the drama are based on historical fact while others are a dramatisation The main characters are ZX Spectrum creator Clive Sinclair and BBC Micro creators Chris Curry Sophie Wilson Steve Furber and Hermann Hauser The real life Wilson also makes a brief cameo as a barmaid Cast editAlexander Armstrong as Clive Sinclair Martin Freeman as Chris Curry Edward Baker Duly as Hermann Hauser Sam Phillips as Steve Furber Stefan Butler as Roger Wilson Colin Michael Carmichael as Jim Westwood Derek Riddell as Nigel Searle Peter Davison as Bank ManagerCameo edit Sophie Wilson plays a pub landlady Chris Serle and Ian McNaught Davis also appear through the incorporation of stock footage from The Computer Programme Jim Westwood appears in the background of a scene set in the computer department of a WH Smith store Production editDevelopment edit The programme was created by independent production company Darlow Smithson and was written by Tony Saint directed by Saul Metzstein and produced by Andrea Cornwell 4 It was produced as a BBC Drama shot in the UK with some scenes shot in and around the colleges of Cambridge on 15 July 2009 Computers were supplied by The Centre for Computing History then in Haverhill 5 They also supplied other technical props including the Sinclair C5 and Jason Fitzpatrick director of the museum played the part of David Johnson Davies 6 The programme s titles use green lettering similar to that produced by the 1980s monitors to which BBC Microcomputers would have typically been connected Soundtrack edit The soundtrack uses a number of early 1980s electronica tracks 7 Pulstar by Vangelis Zoolookologie by Jean Michel Jarre Oxygene Part IV by Jean Michel Jarre Two Tribes by Frankie Goes to Hollywood 99 Red Balloons by Nena Pipes of Peace by Paul McCartney Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd Title from The Carpetbaggers by Jimmy Smith Computer World 2 by Kraftwerk Wouldn t It Be Good by Nik Kershaw Planet Earth by Duran DuranRelease editIt was first shown on BBC Four on 8 October 2009 Reaction editWhen asked about the programme in an interview for The Independent despite being involved in the production Sinclair himself stated It was a travesty of the truth It just had no bearing on the truth It was terrible 8 See also editMicro LiveReferences edit Teeman Tim 9 October 2009 Last Night s TV The Times Retrieved 16 May 2011 Wollaston Sam 9 October 2009 Micro Men The Guardian London Retrieved 25 April 2012 Arnott Jack 8 October 2009 Micro Men preview The Guardian London Retrieved 13 March 2012 Lyle Peter 7 October 2009 Micro Men Sir Clive Sinclair and the heyday of British computing The Daily Telegraph London Retrieved 13 March 2012 Museum piece computers programmed into TV show Haverhill Weekly News Cambridge Newspapers 7 October 2009 Archived from the original on 15 May 2012 Retrieved 2 May 2012 Syntax Era Micro Men Trailer Centre for Computing History Centre for Computing History 21 August 2009 Retrieved 28 July 2014 Smith Tony 14 February 2014 Micro Men The story of the syntax era www theregister com Retrieved 6 September 2022 Sir Clive Sinclair Down but never out the eternal optimist is back The Independent 10 January 2010 Archived from the original on 14 May 2022 External links editMicro Men at BBC Online nbsp Micro Men on the British Comedy Guide Micro Men at IMDb The Guardian Battle between ZX Spectrum and BBC Micro to be BBC4 comedy drama TechRadar article BitterWallet blog entry by Andy Dawson 09 10 2009 just a day after Micro Men was broadcast first The Jitty Interview with the British IBM Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Micro Men amp oldid 1175157965, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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