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Thisfilm is part of the Mitchell and Kenyon collection - an amazing visual record of everyday life in Britain at the beginning of the twentieth century. For more information about the films of Mitchell and Kenyon see www.bfi.org.uk To buy the DVD click here - www.bfi.org.uk You can watch over 1000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the new BFI Mediatheque - www.bfi.org.uk

BFI Victorian Edwardian Lifestyle Belfast Northern Ireland Ulster Trams Omnibuses

This short animated film is Peter and Joan Foldes' second and last film together. Its bleak subject - the end of the world caused by a nuclear apocalypse - reflects a widespread preoccupation in 50s Britain which would soon lead to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). The film is composed mostly of still drawings, creating a terrifying effect amplified by a sombre commentary spoken in the style of the Bible. The film had a very strong impact on audiences, in particular across the Atlantic, where it was shown on primetime television to millions of American viewers and reportedly produced one of the biggest reactions since Orson Welles' 'War of the Worlds' broadcast in 1938. (Christophe Dupin) To find out more about 'A Short Vision', visit www.screenonline.org.ukYou can watch over 1300 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby - www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk

BFI Animation Cartoon Apocalypse CND Campaign Nuclear Disarmament Sci-Fi Missile Animals Leopard Deer Horror Owl Death Rat Terror Cold War Leaders End World Blood Skull Moth Flame Joan Peter Foldes James mckechnie Matyas Seiber

The first-ever film version of Lewis Carroll's tale has recently been restored by the BFI National Archive from severely damaged materials. Made just 37 years after Lewis Carroll wrote his novel and eight years after the birth of cinema, the adaptation was directed by Cecil Hepworth and Percy Stow, and was based on Sir John Tenniel's original illustrations. In an act that was to echo more than 100 years later, Hepworth cast his wife as the Red Queen, and he himself appears as the Frog Footman. Even the Cheshire cat is played by a family pet. With a running time of just 12 minutes (8 of which survive), 'Alice in Wonderland' was the longest film produced in England at that time. Film archivists have been able to restore the film's original colours for the first time in over 100 years. Music: 'Jill in the Box', composed and performed by Wendy Hiscocks. This restoration was supported by The Headley Trust and The Pilgrim Trust. To view the complete film, visit www.youtube.com To find out more about the film, visit www.screenonline.org.uk To book tickets to 'Alice in Wonderland - A BFI IMAX 3D Experience', visit www.bfi.org.uk To find out more about BFI Southbank's season of Alice in Wonderland adaptations, visit www.bfi.org.uk

BFI British Film Institute Old Cinema Alice in Wonderland Lewis Carroll Tim Burton Disney Silent Movie Cecil Hepworth Percy Stow Cheshire Cat White Rabbit Hole Queen of Hearts Frog Footman Mad Hatter March Hare Children Dog Restoration

'The Sick Kitten' is available to buy as part of the BFI 2-disc DVD set 'Early Cinema: Primitives and Pioneers' - filmstore.bfi.org.uk A century before Rolf Harris and 'Animal Hospital' audiences had more than their fair share of films about sickly pets, brave dogs and assorted animals in peril. Here, cinema pioneer GA Smith's tale features two under-aged vets and a feline patient. Records do not relate whether or not the kitten survived. 'The Sick Kitten' is interesting for more than its cute factor. It was possibly the first film to use a close-up shot that was not motivated by someone staring down a microscope or ogling through a keyhole. (Robin Baker) You can watch over 1200 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby - www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk

BFI animals cats kittens pets children Edwardian

In this story from Mining Review 2nd Year No.12, we join Durham miner Tom McDonagh, his wife and their triplets on a family break to Butlin's holiday camp in Filey, North Yorkshire. The very first Butlin's opened 75 years ago in Skegness, with Filey following in 1945 after postponement during WWII. All the communal games and activities you would expect of this classic British holiday are here, introduced by a suitably jolly narrator, but as you may notice poor Mum hasn't quite escaped the domestic drudgery... For more on this film visit BFI Screenonline - www.screenonline.org.uk This film is included in the BFI DVD compilation 'Portrait of a Miner: The National Coal Board Collection Volume 1' - filmstore.bfi.org.uk

holiday camp family butlin's filey yorkshire mining review BFI National Archive 1940s

The 'Kitchen-Craft' series from the 30s always had an eye on economy and filling, rather stodgy fayre - one programme was dedicated to pork pies, another to frying batter. Here a "countrywoman" demonstrates the old-fashioned way to bake a rabbit pie, padded out with bacon fat, with some top tips to nervous chefs ("use salt and pepper sufficiently, but carefully"). For those who despair at Delia Smith's 'How to Cheat at Cooking' (she, presumably, would have just defrosted a Fray Bentos), this is a pleasing reminder of traditional cookery values. (Alex Davidson)

BFI National Archive food cooking cookery recipe 1930s Britain rabbit meat pie austerity rationing kitchen educational

Shot by the legendary Jack Cardiff - the Oscar-winning cinematographer of 'Black Narcissus' - this is one of a number of short films that he made in India in the late 1930s. As much a study to show off his brilliant Technicolor photography as it is a portrait of Delhi, this film presents the city - and the period - as rarely seen before. After a brief historical and architectural preamble, the film moves into an extended sequence that shows the Jama Masjid and stunningly coloured saris among the gardens of the Red Fort. Then it's off to New Delhi to see how the British (in the form of architect Edwin Lutyens) 'taught the Indians' how to build... However, despite the colonial pomposity of the commentary, the record of New Delhi in the '30s is extraordinary - especially the scenes of Connaught Place that appear as a sea of calm and green lawns. (Robin Baker) This film is part of 'Before Midnight' - a touring programme of 27 films shot in India prior to Independence. Further information at www.independentcinemaoffice.or...You can watch over 1400 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby - http www.derbyquad.co.uk

BFI India Delhi Lal Qil'ah red fort mosque Jama Masjid Qutb Minar Hindu Muslim sari moghul raj

The earliest films might not have been made until the mid 1890s but that didn't stop people in Victorian Britain enjoying all sorts of visual spectacles and wonders, created using lights, smoke, mirrors - and plenty of imagination. In this short film, 'Professor' Mervyn Heard performs a magic lantern show, while Dr John Plunkett (Exeter University) and Phil Wickham (curator of the Bill Douglas Centre) explore why the stories of Charles Dickens were adapted so often in the pre-cinema age. With special thanks to the Bill Douglas Centre and Charles Dickens Museum. For more on the BFI's Dickens on Screen project go to www.bfi.org.uk

bfi charles dickens magic lantern pre-cinema slides bill douglas centre christmas carol victorian britain camera obscura pepper's ghost gabriel grub mervyn heard

Propped upon the tail-end of a match, a housefly performs astonishing feats, alternately juggling a series of objects - a blade of grass, a cork, a miniature dumbbell... Most extraordinary of all is the sequence in which the fly spins a ball twice its own size, while a second fly perches on top. In the final sequence, the fly repeats some of its earlier tricks while apparently seated on a tiny chair. This truly delightful (or singularly repellent) film is the work of Percy Smith, pioneer of a particularly engaging early form of natural filmmaking. 'The Acrobatic Fly' is one of a series of Smith films on similar subjects around this time, and near identical to, though briefer than, a sequence in his 1911 release 'The Strength and Agility of Insects', which also features similarly impressive accomplishments by a scorpion, a flea, a grasshopper and a praying mantis. Viewers might worry about the techniques used to secure such performances, but Smith always insisted that his stars were none the worse for their moment in the spotlight. (Mark Duguid) For more information about filmmaker Percy Smith see www.screenonline.org.uk You can watch almost 1000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the new BFI Mediatheque - www.bfi.org.uk

BFI insects bluebottle tricks circus juggling animal cruelty comedy

Also known as 'The X-Ray Fiend', this comedy by GA Smith combines two very recent innovations: Wilhelm Roentgen's discovery of X-rays in 1895, and Georges Méliès' accidental realisation of the special-effects potential of the jump-cut in 1896. The central couple is played by the Brighton comedian Tom Green and Smith's wife Laura Bayley, and we know that they were filmed in October 1897 from Smith's cashbook, now preserved in the BFI National Archive. (Michael Brooke)

silent comedy x-rays jump-cut special effects George Albert Smith Tom Green Laura Bayley silent film early cinema Victorian cinema BFI BFI National Archive

Filmed over a 12-month period by Leslie Daiken, this study of children's games played in London streets and playgrounds stands out for its freshness and spontaneity, and records the bomb sites that pockmarked London and provided many urban children with a place to play. This extract captures the post-Halloween rituals of 5 November - Guy Fawkes Night - including the once familiar call of "penny for the Guy". You can see the complete film and over 2000 other titles free in the BFI Mediatheques - www.bfi.org.uk

BFI BFI National Archive London games children kids Bonfire Night Guy Fawkes penny for the guy bonfire Fireworks

(This is a higher-quality version of one of BFIFilms' most popular titles) This film is tricky to describe: is it a boat study, a film-poem, an experiment, a picture postcard? One thing is certain: it's a rare colour snapshot of the Thames and London in the 1930s - and it looks quite magical. Its artistic qualities may look a bit old-fashioned to us today; the slow pace, orchestral music and moody colours definitely belong to a bygone era, strikingly peaceful and undemanding. Yet colour film was still a novelty for audiences in 1935, and the photography (using the new Gasparcolor system) succeeds in accentuating the sharp contrast between the vivid green banks of the countryside and the drab tones of the industrial landscape. (Sonia Genaitay) 'Colour on the Thames' is included on the BFI DVD 'Science is Fiction / The Sounds of Science: The films of Jean Painleve' - filmstore.bfi.org.uk You can watch over 2000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the BFI Mediatheques: - www.bfi.org.uk

BFI National Archive London Thames river ships boats sailing Tower Bridge Docklands Gasparcolor Thirties 30s 1930s

In a hugely entertaining parody of her media persona, a pre-'Female Eunuch' Germaine Greer stars as a terrifyingly amorous woman who alternately cajoles, pursues and assaults a mild little man with cries of "Darling, do you love me?" until he succumbs to her strangling hands. The directors were well known for their work in graphic design in the late Sixties: Sharp for his ferocious cartoons in the satirical magazine Oz, Whittaker for his photography on various Beatles album covers. But the main joy here is Greer - as barking as you could possibly hope for, and all the more endearing for it. (Robin Baker) You can watch over 1300 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby - www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk

BFI Germaine Greer love vampire Celebrity Big Brother feminist feminism 1960s 60s sixties

This fascinating film provides an authentic view of London's East End from over a hundred years ago. Flat-capped men flow in a Sunday morning tide down Middlesex Street - better known by its unofficial name, Petticoat Lane - just as they have for generations. This most Cockney of London markets caters to the second clothes trade: at the time when this film was made, the market was dominated by the East End street sellers and the Jewish rag trade (almost all the names on the shop fronts are Jewish). As the camera pans across the market, we see the traders raised above the general level, barking at the crowd. The few women in the picture are stall-holders, selling patched-up trousers and restored boots, while a nearby card sharp tempts the punters. (Bryony Dixon)You can watch over 1400 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby - www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk

BFI Edwardian London East End Shoreditch Whitechapel Spitalfields E1 Market Hats Jewish

A suffragette procession in Trafalgar Square led by Sylvia Pankhurst results in a riot in Whitehall. Policemen are seen escorting Miss Pankhurst away. Some of the scenes here do not look so very different from the more recent Poll Tax riots (1990) or the May Day riots of 2000. (Robin Baker) You can watch 1000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the new BFI Mediatheque - www.bfi.org.uk

BFI Trafalgar Square Riot Police Crowds London Pankhurst Suffragettes Suffrage Feminism

This remarkable film showing working class London life was shot around 1931. The majority of the film concentrates on the major street market at the Bricklayer's Arms end of Tower Bridge Road. Although shot without sound, they capture the hustle and bustle of the busy streets wonderfully. We see numerous shops - housed greengrocers, butchers, a baker, a clothes dealer and even a colourman (paint seller). Watch out for a shot of Manzes Pie & Mash shop at number 87, established in 1902 and still open for business today. Almost as fascinating as the people and traders is the range of vehicles captured. These include tradesmen's carts, a tricycle, horse-drawn carts, steam and motor lorries, and - surprisingly - what appears to be a private carriage with a liveried driver. (Chris Ellmers)You can watch over 1400 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby - www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk

BFI British Film Institute South London Tower Bridge SE1 Market Stalls Bricklayer's Arms Silent Old Early Archive Vehicles Actuality Documentary East End Bermondsey Traffic Trams Manzes Pie Mash Hovis Horseshoe Southwark Traders 1930s

Thisextract comes from Claude Friese-Greene's 'The Open Road' - originally filmed in 1925/6 and now re-edited and digitally restored by the BFI National Archive. Britain seen in colour for the first time was heralded as a great technical advance for the cinema audience - now we can view a much improved image, but one which still stays true to the principles of the colour process. The rather haphazard journey from Land's End to John O'Groats creates a series of moving picture postcards. Look out for shots containing the component colours - red and blue-green - such as when a little girl in a red coat and hat walks among peacocks in the grounds of a castle, and three girls with red curly hair pose by the sea at Torquay. The car is a Vauxhall D-type - considered a sporty model at the time. A long-distance journey by car was a relatively new concept, with none of the amenities en route now taken for granted. The visit to a petrol station shows smoking on the forecourt: no health and safety issues back then! The travelogue ends with a series of recognisable London landmarks. Much remains the same - one major exception being the volume of traffic on the roads. (Jan Faull) For more information about 'The Open Road' see www.bfi.org.uk To buy the DVD click here - www.bfi.org.uk You can watch the whole of 'The Open Road' and 1000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the new BFI Mediatheque - www.bfi.org.uk

BFI 1920s London East End Petticoat Lane Middlesex Street market

North Wales is transformed into a picturesque Narnia in this beautiful snowy hike through the countryside. After some pretty shots of semi-frozen streams and snow-covered fields, the most awe-inspiring scenes show the enormous icicles, some nearly 20 feet long, clinging like glacial stalactites to the mountainside. (Alex Davidson) Trawsffurfiwyd Gogledd Cymru'n Narnia fel darlun yn y daith hardd hon ar draed trwy gefn gwlad dan eira. Ar ôl rhai lluniau tlws o nentydd wedi hanner rhewi a chaeau dan eira, mae'r golygfeydd mwyaf syfrdanol yn dangos clychau rhew anferth, rhai bron 20 troedfedd o hyd, yn glynu wrth y llethrau fel stalactidau rhewlifol.

bfi national archive bfi wales uk snow winter blizzard ice weather storm cold 1920s

Follow us behind the scenes at the BFI National Archive to find out how Alfred Hitchcock's nine surviving silent films are being restored -- simply ask our restoration team a question and we'll get back to you on YouTube. How to join in: We welcome all questions, be they specialist, general or even philosophical. Imagine chatting to our team of experts: what would you ask them? Here are some ideas to get you started: • Have you considered commissioning a contemporary soundtrack for any of the films? • How many technicians does it take to restore a silent Hitchcock film? • What are the similarities between Hitchcock's silent films and the work he created in Hollywood? Submit your questions through: * YouTube: leave a comment below * Twitter: hashtag #BFIquestion * Email: question@bfi.org.uk (subject line: "Hitchcock 9") ** Deadline for questions: 5PM GMT Sunday 5 June 2011** How it works: Soon after the submission deadline, we will answer as many of your questions as possible on camera. A video response will then make its way on to our YouTube channel. Watch an example of a previous online Q&A with the BFI National Archive's film restoration team: www.youtube.com About Rescue the Hitchcock 9: Hitchcock's nine surviving silent films are a vital part of British cinematic history. The BFI's ambition is to present them to the public in 2012, fully restored and with brand-new live musical scores. Find out how you can help: www.bfi.org.uk

hitchcock silent film bfi national archive film restoration british film

To mark the career of Ken Loach, one of Britain's most distinguished and controversial filmmakers, the director will be answering your questions. He has made some of Britain's most provocative and emotionally powerful films and TV dramas, including Kes, Cathy Come Home, Land and Freedom, My Name Is Joe and The Wind That Shakes the Barley. We welcome all questions, be they specialist, general or even philosophical. Imagine chatting to Loach: what would you ask him? Submitting your questions: We welcome all questions, be they specialist, general or even philosophical. You can send questions through: * YouTube: Leave a comment below * Twitter: Tweet your question, including the tag #BFIquestion * Facebook: Leave a question on our Facebook page Deadline for questions: 1PM GMT Wednesday 14 September 2011 How it works: Soon after the submission deadline, Ken Loach will answer as many of your questions as possible on camera. A video response will then make its way on to our YouTube channel.

ken loach bfiq&a

BFI's 2010 submission to the 48 Hour Film Project, "Money Cab." 2009 submission: www.youtube.com

BFI Films 48 Hour Film Project Freeport Maine Tim Ryan Cash Cab

This short, silent film captures one of Britain's minor little railways: the Leek and Manifold Light Railway on the Staffordshire Moorlands. The railway opened in 1907, linking the villages of Waterhouses and Hulme End, and was built mainly for agricultural traffic, with a passenger service being a secondary consideration. Its route went through beautiful countryside in Staffordshire, and it is unfortunate that the intertitles state it as being shot in Derbyshire! In 1934 the entire line was closed by the North Staffordshire Railway. There is little in the way of recorded film material of this quaint little train, so this gem gives an invaluable insight into the railway. (Stuart Smith, Midlands Railway Centre)You can watch this and over 1000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby - www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk

BFI trains railways steam Manifold Valley Staffordshire moors waterhouses 1930s Thirties transport

An early entry in the popular 'Secrets of Nature' series (1922-33): modestly hovering near the bottom of the bill, these shorts were some of the best British films of their time and many techniques are still used today. Dramatic compositions of barren trees against fields, luminous footage of a glistening web, a superb ploughing sequence: such moments unassumingly conjure popular art from popular science. (Patrick Russell) Highlights from the 'Secrets of Nature' series are available on BFI DVD now - filmstore.bfi.org.uk

bfi bfi national archive secrets of nature natural history England Britain UK farming wildlife 1920s pastoral

Love's Presentation is a study by filmmaker James Scott of the British artist David Hockney at work in April 1966, when he began a series of etchings based on love poems by the Greek/Alexandrian CP Cavafy. Jack Hazan's A Bigger Splash (1974) will be released on BFI Dual Format Edition DVD/Blu-ray on 30 January 2012. Includes bonus documentaries Love's Presentation and Portrait of David Hockney. Pre-order here: www.amazon.co.uk

bfi national archive bfi production bfi david hockney james scott art etching cavafy 1960s London bigger splash jack hazan

Crossing the road can be a complex business (particularly if you've seen the Jon Pertwee 'Splink' film), so the COI (Central Office of Information) employed the cast of Dad's Army in a campaign promoting pelican crossing etiquette. This is one of the funnier COI films, which often used scare tactics to alarm their audiences into compliance.You can watch over 1500 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the BFI Mediatheque. There are Mediatheques at BFI Southbank, London, QUAD, Derby and the new Central Library, Cambridge: www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk

BFI British Film Institute COI Centre Center Central Office of Information Public Films Dad's Army Green Cross Code Pedestrian Crossing Don't Panic Traffic Lights 1970s 70s Seventies Soldiers Sitcom

This Soviet-made newsreel records cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin (1934-68), the first man to journey into outer space, as he returns to a hero's welcome in Moscow on 12 April 1961. Following a motorcade through the city, he is personally praised by the then Communist leader Nikita Khrushchev during a mass rally in Red Square. This film is part of the ETV collection. Amassed over half a century, it specialises in documentary footage of all aspects of life, society and history in both the UK and the former socialist world, with materials sourced from the Soviet Union, China, Eastern Europe, Cuba, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Korea, Africa and the Arab Nations, as well as the British Labour Movement and the Communist Party of Great Britain. For further information please visit www.bfi.org.uk

Yuri Gagarin BFI National Archive ETV Red Square rally Nikita Khrushchev Ю́рий Гага́рин

"After getting the commission and having said yes I'd love to do it - I hadn't seen the film, I had no idea it was nearly two hours long and of course silent, is really silent, there's nothing there, nothing to help you..." (Simon Fisher Turner, composer) In this film, Simon talks to us about the challenges of creating a new score for the BFI's recent restoration of The Great White Silence. Shot over the period 1910-1912 by Herbert Ponting, this remarkable film depicts Captain Scott's fatal quest to claim the South Pole. By connecting materially with the actual artefacts of the expedition, such as the ship's bell, gramophone music from the time, hymns from the team's memorial service, and the sound of silence recorded in Scott's hut in Antarctica, Simon explains his highly original approach to the project. Add to this mix his own recordings of sea, wind and wildlife, a string quartet and male soloist; he shows us how eloquently he manages to bring Ponting's incredible imagery to life. Great White Silence is available to order now on Dual Format Edition (DVD + Blu-ray): www.amazon.co.uk

sound of silence great white silence herbert ponting captain scott simon fisher turner silent film antarctic polar exploration film scoring 'composer

Two out of state tourist breakdown on a deserted dirt road. They look for help but get a dinner invitation instead.

tourist horror dark comedy 48 hour film festival hicks hillbillies hillbillys rednecks dinner cannibalism cannibal eat food harvest pagan satanic ritual sex nudity obamacare obama skyrats sky rats seagulls drama poor family feast short bondage kidnap murder kids children

Welcome to the world of a national obsession and a place where people say 'orf' instead of 'off'. Tea connoisseurs will benefit from the six golden tips for making the perfect cuppa, as well as countless other handy hints (never store your tea next to cheese, for example). There's an assessment of the pros and cons of various teapots and words of wisdom about the tea bush itself. Slightly grotesque methods for producing tea en masse are demonstrated - it was wartime, after all - and tea had to be produced by the oceanful. As such, there are some top tips for cleaning that hard-to-reach tap in your tea urn. Remember: "a dirty tap means dirty tea". (Robin Baker) You can watch over 1000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and from October 2008 at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby -- www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk

BFI 1940s tea canteen WWII WW2 Britain England

This careering ride through the Devon countryside to the seaside town of Ilfracombe can offer us some insights into the first years of film. "Phantom rides" such as this were very popular with audiences as the novelty of movement was what was so new about the cinema. Films were often shown as part of travelling fairgrounds, so the rollercoaster nature of the trip is no coincidence. One thing to bear in mind whilst watching is that early film cameras were cranked by hand. So please spare a thought for the man clinging to the front of the steam engine to take you on your journey. All aboard! (Jez Stewart) You can watch over 1000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the new BFI Mediatheque - www.bfi.org.uk

BFI trains railway railways stream engine Ilfracombe Devon

(Viewers are advised to use the 'watch in high quality' option for this video). 'Snow' is available to buy as part of the BFI DVD 'Geoffrey Jones: The Rhythm of Film' - filmstore.bfi.org.uk Comprising train and track footage quickly shot just before a heavy winter's snowfall was melting, the award-winning classic that emerged from the cutting-room compresses British Rail's dedication to blizzard-battling into a thrilling eight-minute montage cut to music. Tough-as-boots workers struggling to keep the line clear are counterpointed with passengers' buffet-car comforts. In a mere half-dozen films released between 1959 and 1975, director Geoffrey Jones revealed himself as an outstanding talent, embracing industrial filmmaking as consistent with a personal style, blending movement and sound into a joyous, rhythmic whole. Brilliantly aided by Wolfgang Suschitzky's shimmering camerawork, the Oscar-nominated 'Snow' is Jones' masterpiece. It's crisply invigorating enough to induce brief amnesia about our trains' notorious inability to cope with the white stuff - then and now. (Patrick Russell) For more information about 'Snow' see www.screenonline.org.ukYou can watch over 1000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby - www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk

BFI railways steam trains snow winter countryside British Transport Films BTF scotland Tyndrum 1962 1963

An 18-disc box set collecting all nine volumes of the BFI's celebrated British Transport Films DVD series is available to buy - filmstore.bfi.org.uk Rush hour at Waterloo Station is condensed into three minutes in this breakneck short from Nick Nicholls, one of many British Transport Films he directed. Using time lapse photography, he captures the frenetic swarm of the morning rush - although there are now considerably more shops at Waterloo, the commotion of commuters is clearly nothing new. To find out more about British Transport Films, visit www.screenonline.org.ukYou can watch over 1300 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby - www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk

BFI Trains Waterloo Station London British Transport Films High Speed Railway Controller Commuters

The BFI DVD 'Electric Edwardians: The Films of Mitchell and Kenyon' is available to buy at filmstore.bfi.org.uk Thisfilm is part of the Mitchell and Kenyon collection - an amazing visual record of everyday life in Britain at the beginning of the twentieth century. For more information about the films of Mitchell and Kenyon see www.bfi.org.uk You can watch over 1200 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the new BFI Mediatheque - www.bfi.org.uk

BFI Victorian Edwardian Lifestyle Manchester Lancashire Omnibuses Horses Carriages Traffic

Filmed the year 'The Naked Civil Servant' was first published, and before he had become a household name, this very rare footage of Quentin Crisp was filmed as part of a series of interviews by Bernard Braden which were never broadcast. In these rushes, an unusually restrained Crisp reveals his renowned wit and unconventional opinions when asked some imaginative questions about whether homosexuals would make good world leaders and whether gay men write better parts for actresses than straight men. He also talks about the misogyny inherent in British culture, comparing it with homophobia. (Alex Davidson) You can watch over 1400 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby - www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk

BFI Quentin Crisp Naked Civil Servant Gay Rights Liberation Homosexual Homosexuality Bernard Braden Interview Homophobia Queer Englishman New York Resident Alien Wolfenden Misogyny Noel Coward Wit

Victorian women demonstrate their slalom cycling skills. The precision of the women skilfully negotiating their way around a line of bollards is quite remarkable. Though it's hard not to watch without willing one of them to catch her long white skirt in the bicycle chain. The film was made by Hepworth and Co and might possibly be one of the items listed appealingly in their catalogue as 'Musical Ride by Ladies' or 'Musical Ride by Ladies - Wheeling'. (Robin Baker) For more information about filmmaker Cecil Hepworth see www.screenonline.org.uk You can watch almost 1000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the new BFI Mediatheque - www.bfi.org.uk

BFI Victorian women cycling bicycles

'Blackfriars Bridge' is available to buy as part of the BFI DVD compilation 'RW Paul: The Collected Films 1895-1908' - filmstore.bfi.org.uk The definition of 'rush hour' in London grows woollier as the years pass: at its worst it seems to stretch demonically from 6am to 9pm. Journey back over a century to July 1896, though, and this tantalising half-minute of footage reveals our Victorian counterparts making their way to work across the Thames by tram, horse-drawn carriage and, for the health-conscious (or the poor), good old Shanks' pony. More or less business as usual then, although compared to the daily human onslaught we face in 21st century London, the commuters caught by RW Paul's static camera proceed at an enviably elegant pace. (Simon McCallum) For more information about filmmaker RW Paul see www.screenonline.org.uk You can watch over 1200 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the new BFI Mediatheque - www.bfi.org.uk

BFI Blackfriars Bridge London Traffic Carriage Horses Commuters Rush Hour Victorian 1890s

This film is screening around the UK as part of the latest BFI Mediatheque on Tour programme 'The Big Smoke: Films from a Lost London 1896-1945' and features a new score composed and performed by James Pearson with the Ronnie Scott's All Stars. Visit www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk for more information. Made over 100 years ago, this footage shows a number of scenes shot around central London, taking in locations such as Hyde Park Corner, Parliament Square and Charing Cross Station. We see crowds of people disembarking from a pleasure steamer at Victoria Embankment, pedestrians dodging horse-drawn carriages in Pall Mall, and heavy traffic trotting down the Strand. There are plenty of famous landmarks to spot here, including Big Ben, the National Gallery and the Bank of England, and it is fascinating to see the similarities between the customs of "then" and "now" - the dense traffic (mainly horse-drawn, with the occasional motor car) is highly reminiscent of today's London rush hour, whilst advertising on public transport is clearly no new phenomenon - in one scene, an advert for Nestlé's Milk seems to be plastered on every other vehicle. (Alex Davidson) You can watch over 1400 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby - www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk

BFI London Whitehall Parliament Charing Cross Trafalgar Thames Hansom Cab Omnibus Horses Transport Nestlé Automobile Car Cars Jazz Ronnie Scott's James Pearson

Made in 1898, GA Smith's 'Santa Claus' is a film of considerable technical ambition and accomplishment for its period. It uses pioneering visual effects in its depiction of a visit from St. Nicholas. A former magic lanternist and hypnotist, Smith was one of the first British film-makers to make extensive use of special effects to create fantastical scenes. It comes as little surprise that Smith corresponded with the French pioneer Georges Méliès at about this time, as the two men shared a common goal in terms of creating an authentic cinema of illusion. (Michael Brooke)You can watch over 2000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the BFI Mediatheque. There are Mediatheques at BFI Southbank, London, QUAD, Derby, Central Library, Cambridge, Wrexham Library and the Discovery Museum, Newcastle: www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk www.wrexham.gov.uk www.twmuseums.org.uk

BFI santa father christmas children Victorian early film silent stocking presents

This is a typical 'actuality' - a short film designed to be shown in a programme of similar titles, usually consisting of a single shot. However, this is clearly not as natural as the filmmakers would like us to believe: notice how the poor rabbits appear to be thrown unceremoniously into the frame by someone standing off camera. (This is a higher-quality version of a video first published on YouTube in March 2008.)You can watch over 2000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the BFI Mediatheque. There are Mediatheques at BFI Southbank, London, QUAD, Derby, Central Library, Cambridge, Wrexham Library and the Discovery Museum, Newcastle: www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk www.wrexham.gov.uk www.twmuseums.org.uk

BFI National Archive bunnies pets Edwardian Victorian animals 1900s

Tom Green was a comedian and arranger of pantomime harlequinades at the Brighton Aquarium, where it is likely he ran into director GA Smith as he exhibited his early films. Smith employed Mr. and Mrs. Green to perform in his comedies at 10 shillings a time. In this film, Green is on his own performing what is known as a 'facial', that is a piece direct to camera showing changing facial expressions. The ability to get close up to the star was a great advantage that film had over the stage and early filmmakers were keen to exploit it. Here Tom Green quaffs a glass of beer and gets progressively drunker and more leery. (Bryony Dixon)You can watch over 1500 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the BFI Mediatheque. There are Mediatheques at BFI Southbank, London, QUAD, Derby and the new Central Library, Cambridge: www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk

BFI British Film Institute Silent Movie Short Comedy Drunk Alcohol Pulling Faces Beer Tom Green Music Hall Facial Gurning

Road movie or acid trip? Throbbing to a hypnotic soundtrack by Soft Machine's Robert Wyatt, our journey starts in London - complete with a mime who looks like a refugee from 'Godspell'. The '70s then swing into an industry-scarred countryside made magical with day-glo pink skies, tangerine fields and acid-yellow roads. The British landscape has rarely looked more extraordinary. (Robin Baker) You can watch over 1000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby - www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk

BFI British Film Institute cult films Psychedelic psychedelia Robert Wyatt Soft Machine landscape 1960s 60s 1970s 70s Seventies hippie hippy London Piccadilly Soho avant-garde avant garde experimental

Topical Budget (the great British newsreel that ran from 1911-31) here presents a light-hearted item on the Football Association's proposed ban on women's football. Women's football was extremely popular in the 1920s. Indeed, on Boxing Day 1920, 53000 fans packed into Goodison Park to watch the Dick, Kerr's Ladies beat the St Helens Ladies 4-0. It's hard to tell whether or not this news item supported the ban, though its cameraman clearly enjoyed observing the players in their knitted kit undergoing a rigorous exercise regime. And keep your eyes peeled for a very dodgy-looking chap in tweeds and a Hitler moustache. (Robin Baker) (This is a higher-quality version of a video first published on YouTube in February 2008.) For more information about Topical Budget newsreels see www.screenonline.org.ukYou can watch over 2000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the BFI Mediatheque. There are Mediatheques at BFI Southbank, London, QUAD, Derby, Central Library, Cambridge, Wrexham Library and the Discovery Museum, Newcastle: www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk www.wrexham.gov.uk www.twmuseums.org.uk

BFI National Archive football women newsreels 1920s 20s twenties

Billy Merson, the great Nottingham-born music hall performer, here presents one of his signature numbers while looking not unlike Frankie Howerd in 'Up Pompeii'. Shakespearean scholars may be disappointed to discover that his little ditty about Desdemona (sounding like an illness and rhyming with 'pneumonia') has nothing to do with the wife of the Moor of Venice whatsoever. On the upside, the film clearly captures Merson's comic brilliance - he not only sings, but dances, skips and indulges in a lot of creative business with a lyre. Merson had been making films since 1915 and, eager to ensure that his patter could be shared with cinema audiences, was among the first to experiment with the new sound technology. Indeed, 'Desdemona' is often cited as Britain's first sound film. (Robin Baker) You can watch this and over 1000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby - www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk

BFI Billy Merson Vaudeville Song Music Hall comedy ballad 1920s Twenties

www.bfi.org.uk This recent rediscovery is believed to be the earliest surviving film inspired by the work of Charles Dickens, in this case the character of Jo the crossing sweep from 'Bleak House'. 'The Death of Poor Joe' was almost certainly made by pioneer filmmaker GA Smith and predates his 1901 adaptation of 'A Christmas Carol', 'Scrooge, or Marley's Ghost' - www.youtube.com

bfi national archive bfi charles dickens bleak house 1900s edwardian britain england uk

The first-ever film version of Lewis Carroll's tale has recently been restored by the BFI National Archive from severely damaged materials. Made just 37 years after Lewis Carroll wrote his novel and eight years after the birth of cinema, the adaptation was directed by Cecil Hepworth and Percy Stow, and was based on Sir John Tenniel's original illustrations. In an act that was to echo more than 100 years later, Hepworth cast his wife as the Red Queen, and he himself appears as the Frog Footman. Even the Cheshire cat is played by a family pet. With a running time of just 12 minutes (8 of which survive), Alice in Wonderland was the longest film produced in England at that time. Film archivists have been able to restore the film's original colours for the first time in over 100 years. Music: 'Jill in the Box', composed and performed by Wendy Hiscocks. This restoration was supported by The Headley Trust and The Pilgrim Trust. To find out more about the film, visit www.screenonline.org.uk To book tickets to 'Alice in Wonderland - A BFI IMAX 3D Experience', visit www.bfi.org.uk To find out more about BFI Southbank's season of Alice in Wonderland adaptations, visit www.bfi.org.uk

BFI British Film Institute Old Cinema Alice in Wonderland Lewis Carroll Tim Burton Disney Silent Movie Cecil Hepworth Percy Stow Cheshire Cat White Rabbit Hole Queen of Hearts Frog Footman Mad Hatter March Hare Children Dog Restoration

Footage from: Masculin Féminin (1966) Dir. Jean-Luc Godard © Anouchka Films/Argos Films/Sandrews/Svensk Filmindustri; Rush Hour (1970) Dir. Nick Nicholls © BFI FIlms/British Transport Films; Holiday (1957) Cinematographer David Watkin © BFI FIlms/British Transport Films; The Open Road (1926) Claude Friese-Greene © BFI National Archive

Sterling Hayden

For more on the BFI's Dickens on Screen project see www.bfi.org.uk Produced by the English movie pioneer RW Paul, this version of 'A Christmas Carol' was thought to be the earliest surviving adaptation of Dickens' work on film, before the discovery of 'The Death of Poor Joe' - youtu.be The only known print, held by the BFI, is incomplete, but manages to tell enough of the story for it to be recognisable. This early cinematic excursion into Dickens' most popular tale was an ambitious undertaking at the time. Not only did it attempt to tell an 80 page story in five minutes, but it featured impressive trick effects, superimposing Marley's face over the door knocker and the scenes from his youth over a black curtain in Scrooge's bedroom. (Ewan Davidson)

BFI British Film Institute Charles Dickens Scrooge Christmas Carol Silent RW Paul Xmas Marley Ghost Muppets Jim Carrey Imax 3D Gary Oldman Colin Firth Animation Trailer Robert Zemeckis

This delightful Empire News Bulletin shows workers busily stripping vines in the Kentish hop gardens. Many of the pickers are children, who beam cheekily at the camera before settling down for a hearty picnic.You can watch over 1500 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the BFI Mediatheque. There are Mediatheques at BFI Southbank, London, QUAD, Derby and the new Central Library, Cambridge: www.bfi.org.uk www.derbyquad.co.uk www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk

BFI British Film Institute Kent Hop Picking Gardens Beer Children Alchol Crop Harvest Kentish

Viv Albertine of punk legends The Slits made this agreeably loopy short for the BFI in 1991. Three blonde extra-terrestrial investigators have just 48 hours to find love on Earth whilst trying to avoid the deadly "loneliness virus". They are aided on their quest by a number of talking heads, including filmmaker/musician Don Letts, feminist Shere Hite, journalist Ros Coward and members of the public. (Alex Davidson) You can see the complete film and over 2000 other titles free in BFI Mediatheques around the UK - www.bfi.org.uk

bfi production board viv albertine the slits 1990s England London Soho UK red light district valentine's day cupid love romance extra-terrestrials aliens comedy blondes

A thinly-veiled retelling of the Titanic disaster - direct reference to which was forbidden by the White Star Line - EA Dupont's 1929 epic 'Atlantic' was among the earliest British sound films and the first produced in multiple languages (English, German, and later French). This extract from the English version features Madeleine Carroll in her first sound role. You can see the complete film and over 2000 other titles free in BFI Mediatheques around the UK - www.bfi.org.uk

bfi bfi national archive atlantic ea dupont rms titanic madeleine carroll 1920s british cinema lifeboat disaster atlantic ocean sinking iceberg boat liner ship