http://film.britishcouncil.org/british- ... collection
They've released 80 so far (out of 120). They are 'Cultural Propaganda' (their own description) documentaries of about 10 minutes each and are designed to showcase the best of Britain - basically to show Johnny Foreigner what he's missing by not being British! They are absolutely charming and show the selected (good) bits of life in the 40s that make us yearn back to a simpler, happier time. I've watched three so far and have loved them.
This morning I watched 'British News No.1', a selection of newsreels from 1940 showing how we were squaring up to the Nazi menace. There was a long sequence of film shot at the evacuation of the BEF from Dunkirk. I don't think I'd seen any of it before. It was filmed from Destroyers, Dover docks and what looked like Clapham Junction railway station. I was in tears because, amongst those guys, somewhere, was my dad who came back to Dover on a Destroyer. None of them could have imagined the freedom, comfort and security that we, their children and grandchildren, now have thanks to their bravery and commitment. I could just imagine my dad sitting next to me on the sofa as I streamed vivid images of him and his mates at Dunkirk via an iPad on to a flatscreen TV. I can see him chuckling, shaking his head and saying he's 'tickled pink'. Well - you paid for it Dad! In more ways than one!
Ian
