Addressing the Nation: Gpo Film Unit Volume 1

Synopsis

The first of three deluxe double-disc box sets presenting all the key films of the GPO Film Unit on DVD for the first time. The complete collection includes legendary filmmakers such as John Grierson, Len Lye and Humphrey Jennings.
Created 75 years ago out of the ashes of the Empire Marketing Board Film Unit, the GPO Film Unit was one of the most remarkable creative institutions that Britain has produced. A hotbed of creative energy and talent, it provided a springboard to many of the best-known and critically acclaimed figures in the British Documentary Movement.
John Grierson, Alberto Cavalcanti, Humphrey Jennings, Basil Wright, Harry Watt, Edgar Anstey and Arthur Elton, alongside innovators and experimentalists such as Len Lye and Norman McLaren are some of the directors whose work embraced public information films, drama-documentary, social reportage, animation and advertising.
Celebrating the 75th anniversaries in September 2008 of both the BFI and the GPO Film Unit itself, the BFI National Archive, in partnership with The British Postal Museum & Archive (BPMA), Royal Mail and BT Heritage, has curated and restored this legendary output of short films.
Addressing the Nation contains 15 films from the period 1933-1935 and provides a fascinating exploration of the unit’s early experimentation with sound. It features Basil Wright’s award-winning Song of Ceylon and Len Lye’s A Colour Box; the critically acclaimed Weather Forecast; Coal Face - directed by Alberto Cavalcanti and Auden and Brittens precursor to Night Mail (included in volume two) and other neglected works, many of which will be available for the first time since their original release.
The discs are presented in a deluxe box with an 80-page bound book.
DVD Extras include:
* On the Fishing Banks of Skye (John Grierson, 1935)
* GPO Film Display trailer

Series

General Post Office Film Unit Collection, The: Volume 1

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Year of release

2008

Year of production

1933

Subjects

History; Media studies

Keywords

postal services

Credits

Director

Alberto Cavalcanti; Basil Wright; Humphrey Jennings; Len Lye

Producer

John Grierson

Distribution Formats

Type

DVD

Format

Region 2 PAL

Price

£24.99

Availability

Sale

Duration/Size

300 minutes

Year

2008

Production Company

Name

GPO Film Unit

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

 

Available from retail outlets