We are delighted to present the following announcement from Bob Rodgers:
In 1981-82, as producers at the then U of T Media Centre, Bill Somerville and I recorded Northrop Frye’s classic lectures and seminars on The Bible And Literature, and have recently had them converted from analog video to the digital format. Now an independent producer, I am in discussions with Carol Moore, Chief Librarian at the Robarts Library, U of T, to adapt this material to DVD format for global distribution in the educational market. Each of 24 programs will include a full video-taped lecture, a related seminar, and interactive contextual and explanatory notes.The Main Menu reads as follows:
The Bible and Literature with Northrop Frye
Program One
An Approach to the Bible and Translations of the Bible (The Lecture)
Lecture Breakdown
Seminar Segment
Lecture Transcript
References for Lecture One
Study Guide
Series Synopses
The video and support materials are designed for private study, at home or in a library, just like a book, but with interactive references at a click. As Frye intended, the information is aimed at undergraduate students lacking the basic familiarity with the Bible he believed was needed to respond adequately to western literature. Secondary applications are for use in seminars or informal study groups where this or that section of the DVD may be used for stimulation or talking points by the seminar or group leader.
For a short video clip from the lecture segment of the pilot DVD, go to http://davidsharp.ca/Frye/. For technical reasons the picture quality of this clip is inferior to that of the DVD. We have also produced a test pilot of Program One and have a limited number of copies to send to “Friends of Frye” who would like to receive a copy by mail free of charge. If you would like one, please send us your postal address and we will do our best to get it out to you.
What we would like in return is your assessment of the value of the series, a testimonial or endorsement if it meets with your approval, and an indication as to whether or not your institution is likely to aquire it. While some units will be available earlier, we anticipate completion of the full 24 part series to take 18 months from the start of production.
We are receiving queries about this undertaking from across Canada, the US, and abroad. Your response would be much appreciated as we bring it to fruition.
Contact: Bob Rodgers, Producer …. 416 504 2196….< r.rodgers@primus.ca>
ARCHIVEsync…. 110 The Esplanade, Suite 611. Toronto. Ontario M5E 1X9
Dear Mr Rodgers,
I’d be very interested in having a copy of the test pilot of Program One in the Frye lecture series, if you still had copies that you were sending out. I’m one of the several faculty and graduate students working on Frye at McMaster University.
My address is
Department of English
CNH 308
McMaster University
Hamilton ON L8S 4L9
Many thanks!
Jeffery Donaldson
Please send me a copy of the test pilot of Program One. I’m a school teacher in Queens with a longtime interest in Frye going back to my first introduction to him in a course on Shakespeare’s Comedies, where we were assigned the Anatomy. It seems from the sample video that the Frye/Macpherson book is pretty much a transcript of the lectures, but I’m convinced that any lecture material on video would be a treasure to the world of the literary study of the Bible. Here’s my address:
Brian Carey
Robert F. Wagner, Jr. SSAT
47-07 30th Place
Long Island City, New York 11101
Thank you.
I was at Vic around this time and the short clip I just watch brings back great memories. I think it urgent that these tapes get onto a format in which everybody can access. On the one hand you have the Christians obliterating the intelligence of the Bible, and on the other, people like Christopher Hitchens also obliterating the Bible’s intelligence. These lectures would be a big eye opener for both sides.
Please send me a copy and I’ll really take a look. In my opinion, I think you should just upload them onto Youtube, that’s what Norrie would have thought best. What he has to say is still extremely important for the survival of human intelligence and quibbling about a few dollars is practically defenseless.
Thx, Ward