Epic Archive

Explores why Alexander Korda's plans to film historical epic I, Claudius in 1937 were scrapped after only a few weeks of shooting. Including archive interviews with cast members Charles Laughton, Merle Oberson and Flora Robson, who reveal their feelings about the ambitious project.

"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 remarkable film record of the legendary Everest expedition of 1924, newly restored by the BFI National Archive. The third attempt to climb Everest culminated in the deaths of two of the finest climbers of their generation, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, and sparked an ongoing debate over whether or not they did indeed reach the summit. Filming in brutally harsh conditions, Captain John Noel captured images of breathtaking beauty and considerable historic significance, including the earliest filmed records of life in Tibet.

This archive-driven film gives audiences a glimpse of the Olympic Games held in Paris a century ago and marks the 100th anniversary of the Games returning to the French capital. The VIII Olympiad showcased the grandeur of the opening ceremony and looked at the challenges faced in organising the event. The beautifully shot footage (bearing in mind that it was 100 years ago) vividly captures the electrifying atmosphere of the Games, and the athletes and provides insights into the meticulous preparations. The 1924 Games were the first-ever to be shot on film, and the original film was digitised, restored, and re-edited with a modern audience in mind.

Raga Bhimpalasi is a 1997 CD by Indian guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya. He plays the Hindustani slide guitar and is played so that it has the feel of a sitar. He is joined on tabla by Samir Chatterjee. This CD was released by India Archive Music.