Paddy Sampson, The Blues’ producer/ director, has not seen the new footage, and in fact, although he would have cooperated, says he was not consulted on the new production at all. ‘When I heard about the project I phoned several people at cbc; no one called me back, ever.’

Sampson’s wary about the need to meddle with the context of something that was very powerful to many people, particularly dubious about the need to inject Colin James into the original unrehearsed film with its spontaneous dialogue, for which interlocutor Barry Callaghan provided the essential structural integrity.

Sampson says that footage survived due to his having it transferred, and although he d’esn’t feel there’s anything wrong with using it, ‘you have to have integrity.’ As to putting James in a duet with Willie Dixon, ‘this is unforgivable,’ says Sampson, adding that none of the men would have played with James in the context of The Blues, and offering the opinion that if Dixon were alive, he would have taken out an injunction.

In fact, given the plethora of vintage docs on specialty channels, Sampson says, ‘I guarantee I could have sold this show as it was, with a front run by the channel’s spokesperson, for at least what it cost them to do this.’

Sampson is understandably anxious to see the show, and hopes to be able to pick it up off satellite in Costa Rica, if not, he’ll be waiting for a tape in the mail.