Coi Collection: Vol 2 - Design for Today

Synopsis
Established in 1946, the Central Office of Information (COI) was a successor to the wartime Ministry of Information and was responsible for producing thousands of films which celebrated Britain, its people and their achievements. With the majority of them previously unseen on DVD, these films provide a fascinating and often poignant record of British life in a seemingly more innocent age. Volume 2 of this series surveys the COI’s treatment of architecture, design and fashion. It contains a diverse selection of films, dating from the late 1940s to the mid-1980s.

Disc 1 - DESIGNING WOMEN (MacDougall, 1947); DESIGNED IN BRITAIN (Napier-Bell, 1959); BRIEF CITY (Harvey & Brunius, 1953); DESIGN FOR TODAY (Hudson); THIS WEEK IN BRITAIN 615: THE NATIONAL THEATRE (1970); THE PACEMAKERS - BASIL SPENCE; INSIGHT- TERENCE CONRAN (Greenaway, 1981).

Disc 2 - SIXTY YEARS OF FASHION (Napier-Bell); MINI SKIRTS MAKE MONEY; THE PACEMAKERS - BIBA; THE COUNTRY LOOK; THIS WEEK IN BRITAIN 750: MEN’S FASHIONS (1973), 24 HOURS - MEN’S FASHION (Spanish Version), THIS WEEK IN BRITAIN 791- MARY QUANT SHOW; THIS WEEK IN BRITAIN 1111- SAVILLE ROW; INSIGHT - ZANDA RHODES (Greenaway, 1981) and A WOMAN’S PLACE - IMAGE MAKERS (Bentley).
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Year of release
2010
Notes
Reviewed by John Riley in Viewfinder 79

Many of the films are available free online viewing via the National Archives’ website http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/
Subjects
Architecture; Design
Keywords
architectural design; archive films; design; fashion; social history; public information films

Online availability

URI
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/
Price
free
Delivery
Streamed

Distribution Formats

Type
DVD
Format
Region 2 PAL
Price
£19.99
Availability
Sale
Duration/Size
296 minutes
Year
2010

Production Company

Name

Central Office of Information

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
Name

National Archives

Web
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk External site opens in new window
 

Available from retail outlets

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