Brighton and other places of interest

From the collection of

Screen Archive South East at the University of Brighton
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.

Brighton and other places of interest


Brighton goes wide in this ambitious film about the town and its many colourful delights - from the Lanes to the Palace Pier. Even the Rainiers drop in to add to the glamour.

This well-made amateur film, made in SuperMidaVision, extols all that Brighton had to offer its visitors during the late 1960s. It includes the Royal Pavilion, street markets, the bustling Lanes, the Palace Pier and glimpses of the now ruined West Pier. We travel along the seafront on the historic Volk's Railway, watch a game of bowls in a beautiful park and end with the Old Crocks Race attended by Prince Rainier of Monaco and his glamorous wife, Grace Kelly.

SuperMidaVision was a pun devised by the filmmaker, John Midderigh, to describe his experiments with various lenses which produce widescreen effects like CinemaScope Anamorphic, which has an aspect ratio of 2.66 to 1. Through these experiments with formats and aspect ratios, John was able to capture both the beauty of the natural Downland landscape around Brighton and its urban environment to the full.


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