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Margaret Pomeranz & David Stratton to retire

At the Movies will end in December, and with it an enduring 28 year TV partnership.

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2014-09-16_1243Say it isn’t so!

After 28 years, Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton will retire after their last ever episode of At the Movies on December 9.

It will bring to a close an enduring 28 year run on Australian television, first on SBS with The Movie Show in 1986, before joining the ABC in 2004.

The beloved duo have recently been the subject of rumours about impending retirement, having celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2011.

“After 28 years reviewing films on television with Margaret, ten of them at the ABC, I feel it’s time to go. We’ve had a wonderful time, thanks to very supportive and encouraging audiences, throughout that period. And we’ve worked with wonderful teams, both at SBS and at the ABC, people who discovered movies alongside us, helped and assisted us, and in the process became valued friends. We couldn’t have done it without them,” said David Stratton.

“Most of all, working with Margaret, whose enthusiasm, commitment and passion has been amazing (and only occasionally irritating) has been a joy for over a quarter of a century. But, since I turned 75 last week, I look forward to less pressure and more opportunities to enjoy the movies I love, in the years ahead.”

Margaret Pomeranz added, “As David says, it’s time to go from the small screen after a great innings, thanks to all our viewers and the fabulous teams we’ve worked with over the years. And thank you to the ABC and SBS. We’ve been lucky to work for two great public broadcasters, and long may they prosper.

“My gratitude goes to David who gave me credibility just by being prepared to sit by me and discuss film when I am just a film enthusiast, not the great walking encyclopedia of film that he is. He’s a grand person, a most generous, decent man, even if a little stubborn at times.

“We’ve seen Australian films continue to mature over nearly three decades on air and I look forward to a continued involvement in this wonderful industry of ours which explores and reflects our culture and our peccadilloes. It’s been such a privilege to have been on the sidelines, witnessing the talent that this country produces in all areas of film production.

“I’m very sad to have to call an end to our show, it started out as a very fragile thing and only survived because there are enough lovers of film in this country to support a specific program about cinema. Thank you all.”

ABC Managing Director, Mark Scott: “The fact that everybody knows them as Margaret and David demonstrates how much they are loved by the Australian public. Their passionate and enthusiastic championing of the cinema art form, their articulate and always entertaining reviews and their personal rapport on stage (not to mention those earrings) have defined them. Their contribution to the ABC and to the wider arts community has been enormous. We are so proud to have worked with them for over a decade at the ABC and we will miss them. I give them five stars.”

Despite having guest hosts in Judith Lucy and Jason di Rosso, At the Movies will not be returning in 2015.

17 Responses

  2. I was at peace with the imminent retirement of Margaret & David because Judith & Jason were so good. When they got a second At The Movies fill-in this year, I was almost 100% certain they were being groomed as the replacements.

    But now… Dashed. 🙁

  4. I will miss the show. Margaret and David’s passion and enthusiasm for film and filmmakers enticed me to take in many a film I wouldn’t have otherwise experienced.

  5. So sorry that The Movie Show, and particularly, David and Margaret are leaving our TV screens. I knew that David wanted to retire, but to ditch The Movie Show completely is a bit short-sighted of the ABC. Their movie reviews will be missed.

  7. Sad to see David and Margaret retire, but perhaps this means the Bazura Project guys might actually be allowed to review currently released movies now like they did in their Channel 31 days?

    It seemed like there might have been an ABC management decision not wanting two sets of reviewers in direction competition with each other.

  8. Noooooooooooooooooooooooo. The one show I watch without fail every week.
    Please do not let anyone from that ill fated SBS Movie Show anywhere near a new version. They were appalling. I like Marc Fennell but no one on that show had a clue.
    Surprisingly I liked Judith Lucy but not Jason di Rosso as a fill in but i want some permanent replacement who will treat movies with the respect that Margaret & David did.

  9. So we in Melbourne are losing the Astor Theatre in May 2015 and now all of Australia is losing Margaret and David on December 09th, two sad days for stalwart cinema goers. If Paul Harris ends up pulling the pin on Triple R’s Film Buff’s Forecast I will have to find a cave to hide in for a while I think to get over my grief.

    Having said that, I hope the show will continue on and yes Marc Fennell would be a good replacement, love his work on SBS2’s The Feed. Even though it says they won’t be returning in 2015 I wouldn’t mind if Jason di Rosso kept going, I wasn’t a fan of Judith Lucy though I liked some of her other work like Spiritual Journey, she didn’t take with me as a Movie host.

  10. Damn, I grew up with them and they encouraged me to see so many movies I might otherwise have missed.

    They aren’t easily replaced and I’m glad the ABC isn’t going down that road. Remember, SBS tried it with The Movie Show and that was a flop. However, I do hope a cinema show is revived in some form on the ABC next year.

  11. Wow, such a weekly staple of TV to be going.

    It’s preferable they take it off the air instead of replace them permanently with Judith Lucy and Jason di Rosso, but it will be a shame not to have the program on tv.

  12. We will miss you Margaret and David. Congratulations on a fabulous contribution to film and your support for the local industry.
    Not so congratulations to Mark Scott who is clearly seeing their retirement as an opportunity to take another arts show off the air. Is this yet another piece in the dumbing down of ABC television? Five Stars to Margaret and David, no stars to Mark Scott, Richard Finlayson and the programmer. Lacklustre and sad.

  13. Hopefully someone still presents a movie review program somewhere of some quality without commercial influence and not just a rehash of press release VNR/EPK riddled junk.

  14. “Say it isn’t so!”…so agree ..but of course…age catches up with us all…I feel quite flat after that news….
    @ David Knox….’Over to you Marc Fennell’
    Totally agree….loved when he was on The Circle.

  15. Someone needs to replace them in some form. Social media often comments. “David gave it 3 stars, Margaret gave it 4 stars and I give it 3.5 stars” The discussion needs to keep going.

  16. Sad news – Margaret and David have been an institution and part of the furniture for such a long time now.
    But they’ve had a good innings and guess they couldn’t go on forever.
    Will miss them and their banter/ entertaining bickering/ Margaret’s regular feisty outbursts and that donkeylike laugh.

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