British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

London Symphony: A Poetic Journey Through the Life of a City

Synopsis
The ‘city symphony’ became a popular type of urban documentary during the last decade of the silent era. LONDON SYMPHONY pays homage to that subgenre. Its director, Alex Barrett, shot the film silent, in black and white using Academy aspect ratio. Like a symphony the documentary is organised around four movements or themes: buildings and the people travelling between them; nature and food; religious and cultural temples; and the Thames. James McWilliam’s score matches the lively editing perfectly, and helps to make this journey through modern day London very enjoyable.
The DVD includes an introduction by the director Alex Barrett, and the short film that was a precursor to this feature - Hungerford: Symphony of a London Bridge.
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Year of production
2017
Subjects
Film studies
Keywords
documentary films; genre in cinema; London

Online availability

URI
https://player.bfi.org.uk/subscription/film/watch-london-symphony-2017-online
Price
£4.99 (month subscription)
Delivery
Streamed

Credits

Director
Alex Barrett
Composer
James McWilliam

Distribution Formats

Type
DVD
Format
Region 2 PAL
Price
£12.00
Availability
Sale
Duration/Size
72 minutes
Year
2018

Production Company

Name

Disobedient Films

Email
info@disobedientfilms.com
Web
https://www.disobedientfilms.com/ External site opens in new window
Address
2 Durham Yard
Teesdale Street
London
E2 6QF

Distributor

Name

New Wave Films

Email
info@newwavefilms.co.uk
Web
http://www.newwavefilms.co.uk/contact.html External site opens in new window
Phone
020 3178 7096
Fax
020 3008 6171
Address
10 Margaret Street
London
W1W 8RL

Record Stats

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