The Fifth Minute

From the collection of

East Anglian Film Archive at the University of East Anglia

The East Anglian Film Archive, the UK's first regional film archive, offers a unique record of the East of England's social and cultural history. As part of the University of East Anglia, we continue to lead moving image heritage research and inspire audience participation through community projects and events. Our collections represent a broad range of amateur and professional creativity, from 1896 to the present day.

The Fifth Minute

East Anglian Film Archive at the University of East Anglia
1976-01-01
Sound
5m

Nightmarish visions become a reality in this imaginative production that mixes live action, animation, and special effects.

The Fifth Minute' is the second episode of eight in the series 'Other Realms' by writer, director, animator Jon Coley. Coley was just 17 years old when he made this episode. These 'Other Realms' episodes are tales of strange happenings where the bizarre becomes commonplace, melding atmostpheric soundtracks, stop-motion animation, and sophisticated editing techniques.

Jon Coley became dedicated to his passion for filmmaking from a very early age, creating and self-financing many animation and live action productions. He took inspiration from the classic Universal horror movies of the 1920s, introduced to him by his grandmother who was a keen Boris Karloff fan. Coley also took inspiration from the German Expressionist movies of the 1920s and the work of fantasy animation pioneer Ray Harryhausen. In fact, Coley became great friends with Harryhausen, and the two would showcase work to each other.

Amateur Auteurs

Ever dreamed of shooting your own movie? These pre-digital cine-enthusiasts did - with all the passion and devotion of the true auteur.

These low- (or no-) budget creations reach beyond simple point-and-shoot, back-garden efforts towards something more ambitious and skilful, revealing their authors' passion for film and their often astonishing ingenuity with limited resources. No desktop editing software or digital special effects for these amateur auteurs. The films include fiction and documentary, competition prizewinners and private labours of love. They may be the work of cine-clubbers or individual enthusiasts. But they all show a devotion to filmmaking that far transcends hobbyism. So look out for the delightful handmade intertitles, table-top special effects and library soundtracks which decorate many of the quirky stories, ultra-local documentaries and painstakingly composed home movies featured here.