This film is part of Free
"The most exciting thing going on in Europe, if not the world": welcome to Milton Keynes circa 1973.
Cinemagazine 1973 8 mins
In hindsight, it's almost a little cruel to watch this film earnestly trumpet the logic and ambition behind the new town of Milton Keynes, in the knowledge that, fairly or not, it would soon become the butt of a thousand jokes. What's clear is that the vision behind the development was a long-term one, and its legacy will last far longer than knee-jerk reactions to concrete cows.
This government film is a public record, preserved and presented by the BFI National Archive on behalf of The National Archives, home to more than 1,000 years of British history.
Promotional 1952 10 mins Silent Location: Letchworth Garden City
1903 saw the launch of "First Garden City Ltd." and the purchase of development land near Hitchin. 50 years on, in Coronation year, Letchworth was worthy of another celebration.
1956 14 mins Location: Harlow
An insider's guide to 1950s Harlow made for US audiences, with architect Frederick Gibberd interviewed from the top of the Lawn tower block.
News 1966 3 mins Location: Stevenage
Stevenage is town planning utopia, for it boasts at least 50 - yes 50! - underpasses. Like a pro, the reporter’s enthusiasm enlivens the dry subject matter. Journeying is but a joy!
Amateur film 1957 15 mins Silent Location: Welwyn Garden City
Picturesque tour of Welwyn, England's second Garden City. A rural-urban idyll of spacious residential areas and green community spaces. A marvel of town planning design!
Sponsored film 1951 31 mins Silent Location: Letchworth Garden City
A May Queen pageant, Highland piping, and musical theatre. Letchworth's part in celebrating the 1951 Festival of Britain captured by the local Film Society.
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1948 8 mins
Charley says (no, not that one) that Britain’s new towns are great
Documentary 1986 25 mins Location: Milton Keynes
An archetypal eccentric professor is a fitting presenter for an equally eccentric and ingenious bunch of human powered mobile contraptions.
Documentary 1982 24 mins Location: Norwich
1982 was a particularly bad year for rail commuters, with five weeks of rail strikes to contend with. Anglia Television asks, “What shall we do with the railways system?”
News 1968 10 mins Silent Location: Milton Keynes
Anglia TV footage of the pre-existing towns and pretty North Bucks hamlets newly incorporated into the New Town Development of Milton Keynes. For TV transmission on 28 June 1968.
Non-Fiction 1901 3 mins Silent Location: Sunderland
Durham Light Infantry veterans collect their medals for valour in the Boer War.
Discussion programme 2020 38 mins
This festive season, Mark Kermode takes a deep dive into his favourite ever Christmas movie, Love Actually, with writer and director, Richard Curtis..
Anthology 2020 52 mins Silent
Immerse yourself in an enchanting compilation of newly-restored rare images from the first years of filmmaking.
Discussion programme 2020 30 mins
The funniest, best loved and most respected film critic in the UK talks to an array of guests from the world of film including Kathleen Turner, Henry Blake and Julien Temple.
Discussion programme 2020 65 mins
The funniest, best loved and most respected film critic in the UK talks to an array of guests from the world of film including Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Meera Syal, Ben Roberts, and more!
Discussion programme 2020 56 mins
The funniest, best loved and most respected film critic in the UK talks to an array of guests from the world of film including Morfydd Clark, Shola Amoo, Be Manzini, and more!
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