Tales from the Shipyard

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antnield
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Tales from the Shipyard

#1 Post by antnield » Mon Nov 22, 2010 12:57 pm

14th February 2011
- All Films newly transferred to High-Definition from original film elements.
- Comes with fully illustrated 100 page book containing contextualising essays on all of the films included
- Dolby Digital mono Audio

Tales from the Shipyard: Britain's Shipbuilding Heritage on Film

This double-disc DVD brings together over 5 hours of documentary film about Britain's shipbuilding heritage - from scenes of jubilant workers celebrating spectacular launches in the early 1900s to King George V and Queen Mary's morale-boosting trip to Northern England's shipyards in the tail end of the Great War; from the planning and building of the luxury liner S S Olympic to stunning lyrical documentaries such as Shipyard (1935) and The Sea Shall Test Her (1954). The DVD set is completed by an illustrated booklet of new essays and notes.

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MichaelB
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Re: Tales from the Shipyard

#2 Post by MichaelB » Mon Nov 22, 2010 5:13 pm

For the record, this is connected to part two of the BFI's three-year project exploring Britain's industrial heritage on film - part one, 'King Coal', saw the DVD release of Portrait of a Miner and The Miners' Campaign Tapes alongside film seasons and similar events.

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antnield
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Re: Tales from the Shipyard

#3 Post by antnield » Wed Dec 01, 2010 9:00 am

Cover art:

Image

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ellipsis7
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Re: Tales from the Shipyard

#4 Post by ellipsis7 » Thu Dec 16, 2010 11:36 am

Provisional lineup...
The Launch of HMS Albion at Blackwall (aka The Launch of a Ship) (E P Prestwich, 1898) 1 min

The launch at Thames Iron Works on the River Lea, which (unlike R W Paul’s version) is shot from a high angle which shows the whole of the battleship coming down the slipway and entering the water. At this launch, the ship (or the wash that it caused) hit a pontoon holding spectators; a number of people drowned.

Employees Leaving Messrs Vickers and Maxims in Barrow (Mitchell & Kenyon, 1901) 1 min 30 sec

A good example of the ‘factory gate’ genre of the turn of the century: a static camera shows a large group of men leaving the factory. A small group of boys fools in front of the camera throughout, whilst one or two young girls are seen in the crowd.

Workforce of Scott & Co Shipyard, Greenock (Mitchell & Kenyon, 1901) 2 mins 13 sec

In another nice ‘factory gate’ film, a well-dressed man (probably an M&K employee) is seen directing the crowds to look to the camera. In a second shot, a group of the young workers, and small boys and girls, wave to the camera.

Launch of Dominion (Mitchell & Kenyon, 1903) 1 min 37 sec

Following a shot of open water with small sailing yachts and a two-funnelled ship (possibly the tug boat), Dominion slides into view, and the chains, and wreckage of the wooden scaffold, can be seen, as can the crew on the deck.

King Edward VII Launches H M S Dreadnought from Portsmouth (1906) 2 mins 12 secs

Representing a significant moment in the escalation of naval power against Germany, King Edward VII performs the ceremony of breaking a bottle against the hull. The battleship goes down the slipway – a second shot repeats the launch run from a different angle, before the slipway is overrun by jubilant workmen.

S S Olympic (1910) 7 mins approx

A beautiful film in which the scale, size and beauty of the White Star liner is made apparent. This film charts the building and launch of the Olympic at the Harland & Wolf shipyards in Belfast, showing the drawing office, the dry dock, cranes in
operation, and the launch of the ship. The Olympic was the Titanic’s sister-ship, built in the neighbouring berth (there is no equivalent footage of the Titanic).

Launch of H M S Lowestoft (Topical Budget, 1913) 2 mins

The latest addition to ‘Britain's first line of defence’ is successfully launched by Lady Beauchamp at Chatham Dockyard. The cruiser goes down causeway, away from the camera, and cheering workman obscure the view before turning and realising the camera's behind them, pulling each other out of the way.

Visit of Their Majesties the King and Queen to the North-East Coast Shipbuilding and Engineering Works on the Wear (1917) 12 mins 36 sec

King George V and Queen Mary visit shipyards on the Wear in Sunderland, the King in his naval uniform. Most of the workers are in their regular work clothes, so clearly the visit was to be as informal as possible. We can assume that it was a morale booster for the exhausted shipyard workers during the Great War.

RMS Queen Mary Leaves the Clyde (1936) Scottish Screen Archive restoration 1 min

A rare colour film of RMS Queen Mary leaving the Clyde on 25 March 1936, on her maiden voyage to New York, shot from the south bank of the river, possibly around Erskine. Although she was launched in 1934, it took a further two years to fit out this Cunard White Star Liner. Not long after this, the ship was painted grey and used as a troop ship during the War.

Shipyard (Paul Rotha, 1935) 24 mins

The building of the S S Orion at Barrow-in-Furness. The ship is finally launched by the Duke of Gloucester by radio from Australia. A sophisticated and beautifully-shot documentary from a leading light in the British documentary movement, with elements of Soviet-style editing and impressionistic layered audio.

Chains (1939) 10 mins

The making of wrought iron chains, links and anchors by hand, by craftsmen at the Netherton works of N Hingley and Sons Ltd. The full process is shown and the skill and strength of the large numbers of craftsmen is apparent.

Tyneside (1941) 18 mins

A survey of shipbuilding on Tyneside. Grand metaphors are mobilised in the voiceover, accompanying gorgeous tracking and crane shots, large and expansive, with great shots from beneath the hull. The film ends with shots of the luxurious
'life' on board a liner.

Steel Goes to Sea (John E Lewis, 1941) 16 mins

Showing each stage in the construction of a ship, and emphasising the particular importance of the traditional skills of British shipbuilders. A young apprentice is seen, and passing reference made to home guard protecting the shipyard during the night. This is a really nice film and the presence of the young apprentice graffiti-ing “Hitler is a b***” raises a smile. The film fully shows the notion of a ship as initially simply a number, 'coming to life'.

The Little Ships of England (1943) 13 mins

In contrast to many of the other films on this programme, this film examines the building of various small types of craft, looking at wooden-built, smaller boats, drawing on older craftsmanship. There is a sense of localised seaside community
life. The film makes reference to small boats rescuing men at Dunkirk, using dramatised sequences. Nicely composed shots (great use of shadows) with an uplifting tone.

Shipyard for Colliers (from Mining Review 2nd year No 3) (1948) 2 mins – single story

Another film looking at smaller ships, rather than big liners, in a story filmed at Sunderland’s Wear Dockyard of S. P. Austin, on ‘Shipyard No. 397’ M.V. Auk. She was being built for the General Steam Navigation Company of London. Colliers are built at this yard for the coal trade around the coast of Britain. It makes the explicit link between the industries: "Coal made them, to work for coal".

Berth 24 (R B Holmes, 1950) 40 mins

This is the first production of the newly formed British Transport Film Unit. Set in the Hull Docks, it describes the 'turn around' of the steamer S S Bravo, following her arrival from Gothenburg with various cargoes and then loading and departing again for Sweden. Incorporating poetry and music, whilst not strictly about shipbuilding, this is about the life of a shipyard within the dynamics of Britain’s economy. An entertaining, watchable film.

We’ve Come a Long Way (1951) 11 mins

Animation – the story of the development of techniques for constructing ever-larger oil tankers over the last 100 yrs. A lively animation style uses simple pictures to show engineering challenges, contrasting nicely with the actuality films that we have on the programme. It also links the building of tankers to the operation of ships in a global market.

The Sea Shall Test Her (Jack Howells, 1954) 18 mins

A poetic, discursive film about the wonders of ships (so wider than just shipbuilding, showing also steelworkers, for instance), but centred around the building of the liner The Southern Cross. Music by Edward Williams.

Seawards the Great Ships (Hilary Harris, 1960)
Scottish Screen Archive restoration
29 mins

Oscar-winning documentary about shipbuilding on the Clyde, based on an original outline by the ‘father’ of British documentary John Grierson. The film shows the planning, the workshops, the steelworks, and gives a lovely sense of the beauty of a very large ship and intimacy of the work involved in building her.

A Great Ship (John Reeve, 1962)

The construction of the liner Canberra, an Australian passenger ship, in Belfast. The film gives a great sense of the huge numbers of people involved, and is shot through with a sense of drama, humour, and community.

The Bowler and the Bunnet (Sean Connery, 1967)
36 mins

Sean Connery goes around Glasgow, commenting on the role and importance of the industry to the city's community and life, and visiting Fairfields Shipyard where a new model of agreements between staff and management is being trialed to
prevent industrial action and help the shipyard compete in the global market. Connery is seen visiting abandoned docks, playing football with staff. Crisply shot, with a wry and entertaining voiceover, and a 60s mood and style. Most importantly, the film conveys a sense of the industrial crisis and the importance of intelligent
resolutions.

UCS 1 (1971) 20 mins

The campaign film used by the Upper Clyde shipyard workers (Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Ltd) when they took action to protect their jobs and keep the shipyard open. The film shows the mass protest they initiated, how they took their cause to the wider community and records some of the thoughts and feelings of the men and women involved in the work-in, the demonstrations and meetings. Appearing in the film are Jimmy Reid, John Airlie and Archie Hind. This is a key part of the story of the campaign, which was (temporarily) successful.

Launch (1974) 10 mins

A beautiful, impressionistic view of the activities over the day before, and on the day of, the launch of a large ship built at the Swan Hunter's Wallsend shipyard. Without commentary or voiceover, the sense of occasion is built through views and
impressions of the shipyard and surrounding community, as the launch-time draws nearer.

The DVD set is completed by an illustrated booklet of new essays and notes. Release date: 14 February 2011

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MichaelB
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Re: Tales from the Shipyard

#5 Post by MichaelB » Tue Jan 04, 2011 11:38 am

The trailer has just gone live.

And that is indeed Sean Connery in the flat cap on a bike.

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Re: Tales from the Shipyard

#6 Post by MichaelB » Thu Jan 06, 2011 1:42 pm

Full specs announced:
Tales from the Shipyard
Britain’s shipbuilding heritage on film


The second DVD in the BFI’s ‘This Working Life’ series – celebrating Britain’s industrial heritage on screen, and begun with the acclaimed Portrait of a Miner box set in 2009 – features 23 films made between 1898 and 1974. It is released alongside a season of films at BFI Southbank and in cinemas in Belfast, Glasgow and Newcastle.

For millions of people, this isn’t just Britain’s industrial heritage – it’s their family history. Tales from the Shipyard contains over five hours of material that portrays our nation’s shipbuilding past through acclaimed documentaries, little-known cinematic gems and emotive actuality films, made at the great shipyards of Belfast, Clydeside, Tyne and Wear and elsewhere. It draws together films from the BFI National Archive and two brand new restorations from the Scottish Screen Archive at the National Library of Scotland.

Beginning with three Mitchell & Kenyon films and scenes of jubilant workers celebrating spectacular launches in the early 1900s, further highlights include King George V and Queen Mary's morale-boosting trip to Northern England's shipyards at the tail end of the Great War; rare footage of the stunning SS Olympic (1910) showing the building and launch of the Titanic’s sister ship; beautiful colour film of the iconic Queen Mary in RMS Queen Mary Leaves the Clyde (1936); Sean Connery's perspective on Glasgow's industrial relations in The Bowler and the Bunnet (1967) – the only film Connery ever directed – and lyrical documentaries in celebration of industrial might such as Shipyard (Paul Rotha, 1935) and the Oscar-winning Seawards the Great Ships (Hilary Harris, 1960).

The early films on this set feature newly-commissioned, semi-improvised piano scores by the celebrated silent film pianist, Stephen Horne.

Tales from the Shipyard follows the BFI DVD Portrait of a Miner: National Coal Board Collection Volume One, which launched the three-part project ‘This Working Life’ in September 2009. Steel will be the third subject in the series.

Disc One

The Launch of HMS Albion at Blackwall (1898)
Employees Leaving Messrs Vickers and Maxim’s in Barrow (1901)
Workforce of Scott & Co. Shipyard, Greenock (1901)
The Launch of HMS Dominion (1903)
King Edward VII Launches HMS Dreadnought from Portsmouth Dockyard (1906)
SS Olympic (1910)
The Launch of HMS Lowestoft (1913)
Visit of Their Majesties the King and Queen to the North-East Coast Shipbuilding and Engineering Works on the Wear (1917)
RMS Queen Mary Leaves the Clyde (1936)
Shipyard (1935)
Chains (1939)
Tyneside (1941)
Steel Goes to Sea (1941)
The Little Ships of England (1943)
‘Shipyard for Colliers’ from Mining Review 2nd Year No.3 (1948)
Berth 24 (1950)

Disc Two

We’ve Come a Long Way (1951)
The Sea Shall Test Her (1954)
Seawards the Great Ships (1960)
A Great Ship (1962)
The Bowler and the Bunnet (1967)
UCS 1 (1971)
Launch (1974)

Special features

- Interview with Sean Connery (1967, 10 mins): previously unseen archival interview in which the actor discusses his views on labour relations, after making The Bowler and the Bunnet
- Illustrated booklet with new essays and detailed notes on all of the films, with contributions from BFI curators, Sir Sean Connery, and others

Release date: 14 February 2011
RRP: £24.99 / cat. no. BFIV900 / E / 2-disc box set
UK / 1898-1974 / b&w, and colour / English language, and silent with music / 314 mins / 2 x DVD9 / Dolby Digital mono audio (320 kbps) / original aspect ratio 1.33:1


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MichaelB
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Re: Tales from the Shipyard

#8 Post by MichaelB » Mon Feb 07, 2011 6:40 am

Me interviewed by John Humphrys on this morning's Today programme (starts at 2:24.20) about the Tales from the Shipyard project.

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ellipsis7
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Re: Tales from the Shipyard

#9 Post by ellipsis7 » Mon Feb 07, 2011 8:45 am

Nice piece, MB... Re. the Oceanic, there's an interesting contemporaneous article illustrated with photos, 'The World's Greatest Shipbuilding Yard', featuring H&W, the Oceanic and several other vessels being built, it's by one Bram Stoker, of 'Dracula' fame, one of his last, a nice overlap of Victorian world moving into 20th Century industrial modernity...

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Wu.Qinghua
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Re: Tales from the Shipyard

#10 Post by Wu.Qinghua » Mon Feb 07, 2011 4:39 pm

I just stumbled across Anthony's extensive and well-written review at digitalfix.

I am looking forward for the discs to arrive, but having already missed subtitles for "Everybody is an actor ..." sadly, I am somewhat puzzled by the anew lack of h-o-h subtitles. I guess I won't need them that bad in this case, but ... Well ... Can anybody (Michael?) comment on the BFI's current/future policy on h-o-h subtitling? Main feature only?

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antnield
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Re: Tales from the Shipyard

#11 Post by antnield » Tue Feb 08, 2011 6:14 am

Part one of John Wyver's look at the BFI Southbank season and DVD release (which he'll get to in a later part) for Illuminations.

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MichaelB
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Re: Tales from the Shipyard

#12 Post by MichaelB » Tue Feb 08, 2011 11:48 am

Wu.Qinghua wrote:Can anybody (Michael?) comment on the BFI's current/future policy on h-o-h subtitling? Main feature only?
At the moment it's main feature only, with exceptions made for major flagship compilations such as Shadows of Progress.

It's probably worth mentioning that eleven of the films on Tales from the Shipyard wouldn't benefit from subtitles, as they either have silent-film intertitles anyway or no spoken content worth subtitling (RMS Queen Mary Leaves the Clyde, Launch).

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MichaelB
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Re: Tales from the Shipyard

#13 Post by MichaelB » Wed Feb 09, 2011 4:04 pm

BFI DVD Publishing's Sam Dunn and James Blackford are interviewed by The Raygun about the BFI's recent documentary output - highlighting Tales from the Shipyard.

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Wu.Qinghua
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Re: Tales from the Shipyard

#14 Post by Wu.Qinghua » Tue Feb 15, 2011 11:40 am

I've got 'Tales from the Shipyard' this afternoon and started scanning though the films already. It's a very nice package overall, although I have to admit I do miss subtitles sometimes. Well, I am not a native English speaker ... though I am one of those probably rather few people who'd worked themselves through the reprint of William Bligh's handwritten log of the HMS 'Bounty' more than once. Anyway, I would be very glad if the producers at the BFI would think the 'main feature only' policy over and return to subtitling minor features, too - at least in the case of the forthcoming third volume on the steel industry. But, on the whole, this is another fine set!

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MichaelB
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Re: Tales from the Shipyard

#15 Post by MichaelB » Fri Feb 18, 2011 7:58 am

You'll have to be quick (and probably based in the UK), but BBC Scotland ran a piece on Tales from the Shipyard last night, with footage from The Bowler and the Bunnet, the associated 1967 Sean Connery interview and Seawards the Great Ships.

It can be watched here for the next seven hours (as of the timing of this post).

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antnield
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Re: Tales from the Shipyard

#16 Post by antnield » Mon Feb 21, 2011 5:25 am

Part two of John Wyver's look at the Southbank season and DVD set for Illuminations - with a third to follow.

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