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Filmic Review: no. 1

A Barnes Brothers spectacular which takes in London's pageants, Margate's crowds, Birchington's carnival and Land's End's rocky coastline

Amateur film 1934 14 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for Screen Archive South East

Overview

The Barnes Brothers' Filmic Review starts with views of London followed by a woman artist at work. Next, Kent farm workers gather hay while Birchington holds its annual carnival - with bands, floats and people in fancy dress processing around the town. We also see Cobhams Air Circus in action followed by summer crowds on Margate's beach and its Lido. Note the two women promenading 'backless' - considered daring at the time. We end with dramatic shots of the rocks at Land's End

Twin brothers John and William Barnes devoted their lives to film, making many important documentaries on Kent in the 1930s, as well as amassing a vast collection of film apparatus, publications, photographs and ephemera relating to the early history of film-making in Britain. Part of their collection of artefacts is now held by Hove Museum, Brighton and Hove. John Barnes has also written extensively on pre-cinema and early cinema history.