2012 (UK) (Documentary)
Starring: Victoria, Edward VII, Alexandra, George V, Queen Mary, George VI, Elizabeth II (1896 – 1953)
Directors: Various
To celebrate The Queen’s diamond jubilee, Octagon is presenting various items from this superb collection of rare and previously unseen films from the National Archive, many of which have been painstakingly restored by expert archivists from the British Film Institute.
From the earliest days of cinema, the pomp and pageantry of a grand royal occasion has been a spectacular subject for innovative filmmakers. The compilation to be shown represents a wealth of fascinating footage, some previously unseen, including Queen Victoria’s first appearance on film in the newly restored Scenes at Balmoral (1896), and early colour productions which illustrate the development of British filmmaking techniques (with the first colour film of Trooping the Colour) right up to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. These surprising films also offer rare glimpses of touching royal moments, including the birth of Princess Elizabeth, the royal family at home during World War II, and a behind-the-scenes film made for Daimler of the 1947 royal tour of South Africa.
The evening will comprise two one hour compilation of films with a half hour interval.
(2h 0m)