Good Turners

From the collection of

Screen Archive South East at the University of Brighton collects, preserves, catalogues and provides public access to its collection of films and magic lantern slides. The collection charts the rise of screen culture in the region and the nation and captures many aspects of life, work and creativity in the South East from the late 19th century to the present day. It is available for research, screenings, creative re-use and commercial access.

Good Turners

Screen Archive South East at the University of Brighton
Eltham
1937-01-01
Silent
14m

A pair of kidnappers are no match for the derring-do Boy Scouts of Eltham - in this amateur action thriller from the Eltham Cine Society

This entertaining thriller from John P Howard begins on a quiet road in Eltham. A man finding a note on the ground sees a woman waving from a high window. Using a ladder he climbs up to the room but is knocked out by the villains holding the woman hostage. After they are bound and dumped in a cellar, the man finds an electrical switch and starts signalling in morse. A lamp in an upper window, going on and off, is seen by a Scout troop. They overpower the villains and rescue the hostages.

The postbox and houses seen in this film remain in situ - their location being at the corner of Glenesk Road and Glenshiel Road in Eltham.

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.