Hulot Bfi

In 1955, Orson Welles directed and hosted a mini series for British television. He leads us through a few famous places of Europe with his inimitable touch. In Paris he introduces us to famous artists such as Juliette Greco or Jean Cocteau who lived in the Saint Germain Des Pres quarter. In London we meet the Chelsea Pensioners, in Spain we attend a Madrid Bullfight and visit the Basque country (Basque Country 1 and 2). Somewhere between a home movie and a cinematic essay, these short films have been described by French critics as the missing link in Welles' work.

From scenes of jubilant workers celebrating spectacular launches in the early 1900's to King George V and Queen Mary's morale-boosting trip to Northern England’s shipyards at the tail end of the Great Wa

This is Martin Scorsese's contribution to the British Film Institute's "Century of Cinema" series. In 1994, the British Film Institute commissioned a set of films to mark the centenary of the movies. They would trace the history of several national cinemas, and the BFI's choice for interpreting the history of American film fell to director Martin Scorsese, a longtime champion of film history and preservation.

"South is the film record of Sir Ernest Shackleton's ill-fated but ultimately heroic attempt to cross Antarctica in 1914-16.As Shackleton was setting out, Britain declared war on Germany. It was to be two years before Shackleton and his men were to learn of the progress of that war, and how utterly changed was the world they had left behind. That romantic world had encouraged a cult of heroism, and it was as a heroic polar explorer that Shackleton wished to be known. He had first journeyed to the Antarctic in 1902 under Captain Robert Falcon Scott, the future rival against whom he would always be compared.

A new film compiled from the BFI National Archive's unparalleled holdings of early films of China, features films from 1900-48 filmed across China.

Road accidents were a serious problem after the war, but this police road safety film, with its impressive stunts, is unwittingly worthy of an early Mack Sennett comedy.

Over a century ago, filmmakers Sagar Mitchell and James Kenyon roamed the British Isles filming the everyday lives of people at work and play. For around 70 years, 800 rolls of this early nitrate film sat in sealed barrels in the basement of a shop in Blackburn. Now miraculously discovered and painstakingly restored by the BFI, this now ranks as the most exciting film discovery of recent times.

In this avant-garde classic, protagonist Louise deals with a change in her lifestyle in which she must learn to negotiate domestic life and motherhood.

In December 1914, the great Charlie Chaplin signed a one year contract with the Essanay Film Manufacturing Company for what was then an unprecedented salary. Shooting in both their California and Chicago studios he went on to make 15 films that firmly established him as the world’s favourite screen comedian.
Unlike other screen stars of the time, Chaplin retained complete creative control over his films, from writing and directing, to choosing his cast members. While this led to his relationship with Essanay growing increasingly strained, this fruitful period of his career saw him evolve his style, resulting in seminal works such as The Tramp, The Bank and The Champion.
The result of a 12 year project, led by Lobster Films and the Cineteca di Bologna, this comprehensive 2 disc Blu-ray collection features 15 films, fully restored, presented alongside exclusive special features – never before released in the UK.