hjs45

Hello all, I'm a newbie here at Britmovie.

I remember watching Night Mail a couple of years ago and really quite enjoying it. I was wondering whether anyone could recommend me another British Transport Film? I had thought that it might make a good present for my ailing father.

Thanks very much,

Hugo

Cooper S

Any of the recent BFI British transport DVD's are good value. Five volumes so far, with different themes. Great scenery and period detail.

'I've only got one spare'

'Well, borrow one !'

Modular

Six actually, with a seventh bfi volume due early next year.

Mark O

Not sure if it's available on DVD, but 'All that mighty heart' is my favourite BTF Film, it's bascically about London and the then New town of Stevenage during the course of one day, with People going to work/shopping on Public transport and into the evening, it's a lovely period piece from the ealry 1960's

Mark

Modular

Indeed it is.

Click!

Mark O

Thank you for the link Modular..........another BTF Film I've seen once at a Museum in South Wales (I don't recall the title) is a day in the life of the Rhondda Valley, again with People going to Work on Buses to Industrial areas such as Treforest........any ideas of the title and if it's available please?

Mark

Modular

It doesn't ring any bells Mark, but I'm no expert on the wonderful BTF material.

This excellent site may be of interest to you...

Click!

tellingbone

My favourite is Overhaul which was also used as trade test film on BBC 2.

CALF28

The Welsh one could be 'A Letter For Wales' with introduction and commentary by Donald Huston.

siriami

Or maybe "Every Valley", which is on volume 5 of the BFI series?
Alistair

Mark O

It is 'Every Valley' !........thanks for the links and info everyone!..........I ask as my late Mother hails from the Rhondda Valley (plus I was created there!).......so I feel a connection with the Valley, it'll be nice to have the Nostalgia!

Mark

Beulah

The BTF film about London and London Transport can now be viewed at Google Video albeit with time code across the picture. Go to:
All That Mighty Heart Beulah Library Roll L3

Its a great period piece about London when I was a teenager. Much of the footage came from an earlier production shot in 1953 which was abandoned by BTF. The material they shot turns up in Overhaul as well as All That Mighty Heart.

The sequence of the Stevenage housewife cleaning her home inter-cut with a bus being washed was shot by David Watkin on what was to be his last BTF shoot (he left to go and shoot features and commercials, The Knack being his first feature). David recounts in his autobiography (Was Clara Schumann a Fag-Hag?) that he used a brute outside the house to light the room. The unit's gaffer Frank Brice (responsible for the dramatic night scenes of the mail train coming over Shap in Night Mail) held up a white sheet to reflect the light in the room. The technique of lighting from outside a room was to prove useful in many of David's features.

I worked with BTF for six years before taking on managing their archive for a further ten years so I should be able answer most questions relating to BTF however I would commend Nick Wheat's excellent British Transport Films web site as primary source of information.

Rob Compton

Welcome to the site, Beulah. I'm very keen on the BTF films, and have all the issues by the BFI, including the latest, volume 6, which as you probably know came out before Xmas

rgds
Rob

smudge

Yes, these were my birthday pressies for November - I am taking them slowly and enjoying every minute of them. I have just placed an order from Beulah today as well, based on reading earlier posts to this thread....

Smudge

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

julian_craster

Two BTF films than won Academy Awards were WILD WINGS and JOURNEY INTO SPRING....neither are about railways !