Land of Promise: The British Documentary Movement 1930 - 1950

Synopsis

A collection of 40 films from the British documentary movement during its period of greatest influence. These films capture the spirit and strength, concerns and resolve of Britain and its people before, during and after the Second World War. Many of them are made available here for the first time since their original release.

The films are fascinating historical documents, bearing witness to the social and industrial transformations of the rapidly changing world. Yet they are also striking in their different approach to the form. Using poetry, dramatic reconstruction, modernist techniques and explicit propaganda, the filmmakers found fresh, new ways to get their message across. The collection contains both classic documentaries and lesser-known films by Paul Rotha, Arthur Elton, Basil Wright and Humphrey Jennings, amongst others. Full title listing are available online on the BFI Filmstore website: http://filmstore.bfi.org.

Among the many themes that the films cover are the experiences of ordinary people during the War, particularly the British housewife; health and child welfare; social housing; education reform and industrial development.

DVD extras include: CLOSE UP: RECOLLECTIONS OF BRITISH DOCUMENTARY (40 mins) - new interviews with directors Pat Jackson, Peter Bradford, Peter Pickering and Paul Dickson, and with cinematographer Wolfgang Suschitzky; JOHN GRIERSON AT THE NFT (1959, 13 mins)

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Year of release

2008

Year of production

1930 1950

Notes

A companion compilation SHADOWS OF PROGRESS: DOCUMENTARY FILMS IN POST-WAR BRITAIN 1951-1977 was released by the BFI in 2010 as part of its ‘Boom Britain’ season

Subjects

Film studies; History

Keywords

archive films; documentary films; Grierson, John (1898-1972); history of the 20th century; social history; World War II; History of Great Britain

Credits

Director

Arthur Elton; Basil Wright; Humphrey Jennings; Paul Rotha

Distribution Formats

Type

DVD

Format

Region 2 PAL

Price

£34.99

Availability

Sale

Duration/Size

720 minutes

Year

2008

Distributor

Name

BFI Video

Email

video.films@bfi.org.uk

Web

http://www.bfi.org.uk External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7957 8957

Fax

020 7957 8968

Address

21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN

 

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