Alice in Label Land

Alice in Label Land 1974

1

Lewis Carroll's 'Alice' stories are used to explain certain sections of the Labelling of Food Regulations 1970.

1974

Apaches

Apaches 1977

6.30

On an English farm, six reckless children play at being a fierce band of Apache warriors, unaware of the many dangers to which they are exposed. (Public information short film produced on behalf of the British Government to warn children living in rural areas about the risks of playing near farm machinery.)

1977

The World Is Rich

The World Is Rich 1947

1

The World Is Rich is a 1947 British documentary film directed by Paul Rotha about food shortages after World War II, outlining steps underway to deal with the problems. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

1947

Searching

Searching 1974

7.00

A haunting fire prevention film about keeping matches out of the hands of children.

1974

Opus

Opus 1967

5.00

Impressions of contemporary British arts and fashion. Summary of art through the ages taking in every thing from Mary Quant to the Marat/Sade production. Made for the Montreal "Expo '67" exhibition.

1967

Building Sites Bite

Building Sites Bite 1978

1

This film tells the story of Ronald, an intelligent boy who wants to become an architect or surveyor. His cousins Paul and Jane cannot believe that Ronald has any awareness of building sites. In Paul's imagination, he and his sister set Ronald in a number of typical sites, to see if he can survive the hazards that kill and maim many children each year. Ronald eventually learns the hard way that he did not know as much about building sites as he thought.

1978

Lonely Water

Lonely Water 1973

5.50

Warning children not to play near 'dark and lonely' water, a horror film style look and voice-over is used in this film to highlight the dangers.

1973

The People at No. 19

The People at No. 19 1949

4.50

Reported cases of sexually transmitted disease took a sharp rise during and after World War II, but as this film testifies, sexual license amongst soldiers on the frontline wasn't the sole cause. Back on the home front, for many women, like Joan from No. 19, loneliness or newfound independence acted as an incentive to extramarital promiscuity.

1949

20 Times More Likely

20 Times More Likely 1978

1

Teenagers Sandy and Alan are keen motorcyclists, but while Sandy insists on getting proper training, Alan refuses, even though this makes him twenty times more likely to have an accident.

1978

A State Visit to Turkey by Queen Elizabeth II

A State Visit to Turkey by Queen Elizabeth II 1971

1

Britain and Turkey had not always enjoyed the ‘special’ friendship referred to in the commentary. Their armies were on opposing sides in the First World War and there had been disagreementt over the future of Cyprus in the run up to the settlement of 1960. In the 1960s relations improved and this reciprocal tour (the President of Turkey, Cevdet Sunay, had paid a state visit to the United Kingdom in November 1967) was regarded as a milestone in the bilateral alliance between the two countries. The camera affords the viewer a prime vantage point by which to marvel at the splendour of the pageantry and contemplate every nuance of gesture and sartorial detail. As we linger on the bejewelled Queen waiting patiently at the British Embassy in Ankara to greet her guests we wonder what it might be like to be in her shoes.

1971

The Royal Tour of the Caribbean

The Royal Tour of the Caribbean 1966

1

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh undertook an official visit to the region in February 1966, as documented in this film. The destinations on this month long excursion included: British Guiana; Trinidad and Tobago; Grenada; St. Vincent; Barbados; St. Lucia; Dominica; Montserrat; Antigua; St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla; Tortola (Virgin Islands); the Bahamas; Jamaica. This rich and detailed Technicolor travelogue was the only film authorised by the Palace. Strict instructions were given prior to the production being given the green light, most notably that the royals could only be filmed when ‘engaged in a public function’. Unlike the more relaxed footage or interviews you might see with the royals now the film is visually very official in tone.

1966

A Modern Guide to Health

A Modern Guide to Health 1946

1

Modern advice and old-fashioned values combine in this postwar animated health guide from the makers of Animal Farm.

1946

Never Go with Strangers

Never Go with Strangers 1971

6.00

Never Go With Strangers was intended for children aged between seven and ten and its purpose was ‘to warn them of the dangers of accepting lifts or presents from strangers’. Due to potential distress government officials instructed that the film only be shown under ‘responsible adult supervision’, thus denying it a TV airing for many years.

1971

Queen Elizabeth II in Pakistan

Queen Elizabeth II in Pakistan 1961

1

In the middle of a six-week tour of the Indian sub-continent between January and March 1961, the Queen and Prince Philip visited Pakistan and East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.

1961

Comprehensive School

Comprehensive School 1962

1

The joys of 1960s modern education - as seen at a not-exactly-typical local comp.

1962

Joe and Petunia: Coastguard

Joe and Petunia: Coastguard 2006

1

The message of this coastguard film was to raise awareness that HM Coastguard had become a ‘999’ service enabling the public to raise the alarm as it does for other emergency services. It was made in 1968 and, highly unusually for an animation short, remade and re-released in 2006.

2006