16mm Film: THE ISLANDERS - Lost 1939 GPO British Promo Documentary - VERY RARE
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:19807038 | Film Format: 16mm motion-picture film |
| Genre: history |
THIS IS A "NO RESERVE" ITEMYou are bidding on an ORIGINAL vintage 16mm Theater Movie Film Lab Print:THE ISLANDERS 1939GENERAL POST OFFICE FILM UNITUp for your consideration is this SUPER-RARE 80+ year old film from Britian's General Post Office Film Unit... "The Islanders" is one of a number of short documentary films made by the famed GPO film unit during the thirties and forties. Some of these, such as the well-known "Night Mail", were expressly made to publicise the w...ork of the Post Office, but some, such as "Spare Time", take a much more general look at various aspects of British life.Like "Spare Time", "The Islanders" dates from 1939, just before the outbreak of war. It was made to show how the Post Office facilitates communication with remote islands off the coast of Britain and starts with a description of life on the Gaelic-speaking Hebridean island of Eriskay, showing how the local Post Office plays an important role in promoting trade and connecting the islanders with other island communities and with the mainland. It then moves on to Guernsey, which even in the thirties was a popular tourist destination. Its economy, however, did not depend entirely upon tourism; exports of granite from the island's quarries and of agricultural products, mainly dairy produce and tomatoes, also played an important role. The final offshore island covered is Inner Farne, a bird sanctuary off the coast of Northumberland.As a documentary the film does well because of the unifying theme. The first section, dealing with Eriskay, concentrates on the film's ostensible theme, the role played by the GPO in the lives of the islanders. In the Guernsey section, the theme deals much more widely with the island's economy, not just with the Post Office. The segment on Inner Farne, which is uninhabited apart from the lighthouse-keepers, seems as a given being that the title is "The Islanders"... And the final scenes for Great Britian, showing the industrial productivity on the mainland...Visually this is a very attractive film... The director Maurice Harvey is able to come up with some serious striking, even poetic, images, particularly during the coastal scenery of Eriskay, the flickering lighthouse on Inner Farne and the final industrial scenes, and the overall impact is increased by the whistful narration by Jack Livesey and an equally striking modernist musical score from the French composer Darius Milhaud. The result is that, today, "The Islanders" almost tends to work better as a piece of art-house cinema than as a documentary... as it was originally intended... a beautiful film indeed...Not many of these EVER turn up so happy bidding... About The Print: b/w sound film... about 18 minutes long... not on a reel or a core... just the film itself...No vinegar and is NOT nitrate... Condition: great... it played smoothly... complete... all titles are intsct... BOOMING sound... Sold AS IS... this is NOT a dupe but the original...HERE'S YOUR CHANCE NOW TO OWN A VINTAGE 16mm MOVIE PRINT OF THE 1930's!!! PUT IN YOUR BID NOW WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!! DON'T LET THIS OPPORTUNITY SLIP YOU BY FOR THERE IS NOT MANY LIKE THIS LEFT IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!!! YES FOLKS... THIS IS THE REAL DEAL!!!AND ... NO RESERVE!!!**while no two gradings are alike we will be picturing and describing conditions.
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or comments.Fully guaranteed so bid with confidence! Be sure to add all of us to your favorites listPLEASE NOTE: We will discount shipping for multiple auction purchases.ALL SHIPPING SENT VIA PRIORITY MAIL.unless otherwise requested such as MEDIA MAIL (if item qualifies for it).We also require delivery confirmations on every item shipped.ATTN. INTERNATIONAL BUYERS: Shipping will be for EXACT postal charges to your country. WE ONLY ACCEPT PAYPAL. Payment must be made within 3 days of auction
00060
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or comments.Fully guaranteed so bid with confidence! Be sure to add all of us to your favorites listPLEASE NOTE: We will discount shipping for multiple auction purchases.ALL SHIPPING SENT VIA PRIORITY MAIL.unless otherwise requested such as MEDIA MAIL (if item qualifies for it).We also require delivery confirmations on every item shipped.ATTN. INTERNATIONAL BUYERS: Shipping will be for EXACT postal charges to your country. WE ONLY ACCEPT PAYPAL. Payment must be made within 3 days of auction
00060
