This film is part of Free
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_480x270/public/hero-images/open%2520rd2.jpg?itok=i8zMI_vO)
The Open Road
Startling colour photography of 1920s Britain imbues Claude Friese-Greene’s 1920s road trip around Britain.
Overview
A modern compilation of the footage shot by Claude Friese-Greene on his trip around 1920s Britain, in the fabulous colour of his own experimental process. Claude continued the work of his father, cinema pioneer William Friese-Greene, and marketed his “new all British Friese-Greene natural colour process” through this 26-part travelogue of Britain, reaching from Land’s End to John O’Groats.
The colour was captured on black and white film by means of a disc of coloured filters which rotated in front of the camera. Once processed the images on the film were alternately tinted red or blue/green. When projected at a higher than usual speed a perception of colour was achieved. The process was deeply flawed – distracting colour fringing on fast moving objects, and contemporary developments with early versions of Technicolor and other systems soon rendered it obsolete. And yet this restored version, using modern digital technology, brings the beauty of Friese-Greene’s photography to light.
Related
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/84a0fde5998e51cf1d8142ed736e010c.jpg?itok=tots5R14)
Father Thames Father Thames
Documentary 1935 17 mins Location: Thames Head
Swans, boats and bridges are celebrated by lyrical commentary and fine images in this delightful tour of the Thames from “trivial” beginnings to torrential end.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/promo259953165.jpg?itok=5oED_z0n)
Thames En Fête Thames En Fête
Non-Fiction 1926 1 mins Silent Location: Kingston Upon Thames
A mermaid, a fat man in a barrel and water-bound jockeys all appear in this brilliant short showing Londoners taking part in the Molesey Regatta.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/promo250527508.jpg?itok=1I-oMwM8)
Swan Upping Starts Swan Upping Starts
Non-Fiction 1930 1 mins Silent Location: River Thames
A ceremonial swan census takes place on the river Thames.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/promo255973363.jpg?itok=jAz02VA6)
River Thames - Yesterday River Thames - Yesterday
Documentary 1939 9 mins Silent
A nostalgic pre-war voyage down the mighty Thames, shot by Technicolor maestro Jack Cardiff.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Thames%2520River%2520Scenery%2520-%2520Panorama%2520of%2520the%2520Crowded%2520River.jpg?itok=ZIIhCmgU)
Thames River Scenery - Panorama of the Crowded River Thames River Scenery - Panorama of the Crowded River
Non-Fiction 1899 1 mins Silent Location: Henley-on-Thames
Don your straw boater and join Victorians at play as you potter down the river at Henley-on-Thames
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Colour%2520on%2520the%2520Thames.jpg?itok=ttBVCRzC)
Colour on the Thames Colour on the Thames
1935 16 mins
A rare glimpse of 1930s London in colour: the Thames has never looked lovelier.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/8256bf0d78832ea7d946adfa22c27e78_0.jpg?itok=lbLnN63q)
The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond
Period drama 1921 15 mins Silent Location: Loch Lomond
Silent romance set during the Jacobite rebellion illustrating the lyrics to the traditional Scottish song
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/6f2c7b233dfb2a40361019c5b777b575_0.jpg?itok=DVtewt-v)
Dollarbeg (Part 2) Dollarbeg (Part 2)
Amateur film 1936 13 mins Silent Location: Dollarbeg
Continuation of an amateur film capturing a family holiday in Dollarbeg Castle, including trips to Stirling and Edinburgh.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/56f0400b7346808933781b08fd22b3a7.jpg?itok=Uqxj_D3t)
Jewell Personal Film 32 Jewell Personal Film 32
Amateur film 1955 17 mins Silent Location: Grangemouth
Climb every mountain - or the British ones that matter anyway - in this travel compilation by an adventurous amateur filmmaker in Wales and Scotland.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/promo259924950.jpg?itok=Acs4D99R)
Call of the Heather Call of the Heather
Travelogue 1924 13 mins Silent Location: Edinburgh
A visually sumptuous tour of Scotland's majestic mountains and magnificent lochs.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/promo259437200.jpg?itok=Z-6d334K)
Winter Comes to the Hills Winter Comes to the Hills
Amateur film 1946 14 mins Silent Location: Ben Arthur
Snowy mountain climbing adventures in 1940s Scotland, from Loch Lomond and Stirlingshire, to Buchaille Etive Mor and the Cairngorms, in this beautiful amateur colour film.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/promo259437123.jpg?itok=Noj1mfo0)
Loch Lomond Loch Lomond
School programme and Educational film 1946 9 mins Silent Location: Balloch
Take a colourful post-war cruise around Loch Lomond on the paddle steamer, the Princess May, seeing Luss, Rowardennan and the small islands; a moving record of a vanished era.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Shoot-Your-Shot-02.jpg?itok=KREdlpBS)
Shoot Your Shot Shoot Your Shot
Drama 2022 12 mins
An emotional stand-off takes flight, as teen best friends Ronit and Brennan come to terms with navigating that fuzzy feeling in their stomachs, all whilst learning to skateboard.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Yellow-04.jpg?itok=Bt5NDkC8)
Yellow Yellow
Drama 2023 13 mins
In Taliban controlled Afghanistan, Laili walks into a Chadari store in Kabul to buy her first full body veil from a Talib shopkeeper and face a new future.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/%25E2%2580%258ELook-Like-You-02.jpeg?itok=2R3w9luT)
Look Like You Look Like You
Drama 2022 13 mins
While visiting the adoptive family of her eight-year-old biological son, Tara relays advice she gathered from growing up as a queer outcast.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/NEHEMICH-02.jpg?itok=ba9fjUy4)
Nehemich Nehemich
Drama 2023 23 mins
Banished in a dilapidated village hut during her menstruation, a young girl waits to elope with her lover.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/1717526943-default-ovp-poster-image.jpg?itok=Fk8VLsGa)
Interview with Pam Cullen Interview with Pam Cullen
Inside Film 2020 53 mins
Interview with Pam Cullen who at 97 boasts an incredible career spanning over fifty years in the Indian film industry.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/muscleqanda.jpg?itok=8sw22r7R)
Muscle - Exclusive Q&A Muscle - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 34 mins
Director Gerard Johnson talks Nia Child through the making of Muscle, an adrenalized drama that tears into the stereotypes of masculinity and male friendship.