Learning on ScreenNorthumberland - ORIENTAL TOUCH
Series
- Series Name
- Mining Review 19th Year
Issue
Story
- Story No. within this Issue
- 3 / 4
- Summary
- BFI synopsis: Kendo and karate in Northumberland.
NCB Commentary - Northumberland has been hit by the Japanese invasion.
This is Kendo, the way of the sword, most ancient of Japanese sports.
But instead of wielding two-handed samurai swords, today’s contestants fight with split bamboo.
Once dressed for battle in ceremonial garb, and protected by breastplate, gloves and helmet you’re no longer an electrician a confectioner or a clerk but a warrior equipped to fight for your life.
Your opponent will try to flick off your right wrist. He’ll try to cut you clean in half at the chest, or cleave your head in two. Your job is to stop him and do the same to him - if you can!
This way there’s more noise than blood, but the keis, or shouts have a purpose. They serve to distract at that vital split second.
King of the oriental fans is Bill Prytherch, an electrician at Lynemouth Colliery. He’s a Karate expert. THe club where he acts as instructor is at Blyth, but before getting down to business, there are limbering up exercises.
Cathy Ridge, the only girl member, is the sister of an Ashington miner.
Karate means "Empty hand" and no blows are actually landed in combat. If they did, they might easily be fatal.
Cathy Ridge and Stan Worn demonstrate. She may look innocent enough, but she’s not a girl you’d want to take liberties with.
A block of timber planks will give you an idea of what would happen if one of those punches or kicks was aimed in ernest. - Keywords
- Sport; Mining
- Locations
- England; Northumberland
- Written sources
- British Film Institute Databases Used for synopsis
The National Archives COAL 32 /13 Scripts for Mining Review, 1960-1963
- Credits:
-
- Sponsor
- National Coal Board
- Production Co.
- National Coal Board Film Unit
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