Battles of Coronel and Falkland Islands, The

Synopsis: Originally released in 1927 to great acclaim and popularity, The Battles of Coronel and Falkland Islands is a recreation of two key battles faced by the Royal Navy in the early days of World War One. The first major engagement between German and British ships at Coronel was a terrible defeat for Britain with the loss of two warships. Later the British responded in a desperate bid to save the morale of a nation at war.

The restoration features a new score by award-winning composer Simon Dobson, commissioned by the BFI and performed by 24 members of the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines in honour of the 24 members of the band who lost their lives with the sinking of HMS Monmouth at the battle of Coronel.

DVD extras include: SEA DREAMS (Lancelot Speed, 1914, 6 mins): animation mocking the German Navy; NAVAL REVIEW (Will Barker, 1914, 5 mins): King George V reviews the British fleet at Spithead in July 1914; OUR NAVAL LOSSES (1914, 1 min): eulogy to the British ships sunk in the early months of the war; ENGLAND EXPECTS (1914, 1 min): scenes of Trafalgar Day at Nelson’s Column.
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Year of production: 1927
Subjects: Film studies; History
Keywords: naval battles; World War 1; archival film

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