Hitchcock dipped a toe in the production of this film, including directing this short sketch. Elstree studios is a generic term which can refer to several film studios based in or around the towns of borehamwood and elstree in hertfordshire, england. Elstree calling 1930 directed by alfred hitchcock, adrian. Please access detailed information on over 250 individual film color processes via the classification system on this page, display the timeline of historical film colors in chronological order, search via the tag cloud at the end of this page or directly on the search page, or see the contributing archives collections on the header slides. There are two running gags which connect the sketches. Released in 1930, elstree calling was directed by andre charlot, jack hulbert, paul murray, and alfred hitchcock. Watch elstree calling full movie in hd visit a series of 19 musical and comedy \ elstree calling full movie watch onli. Elstree calling 1930 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. With tommy handley, gordon begg, teddy brown, helen burnell. Elstree calling is a 1930 british film directed by adrian brunel and alfred hitchcock at elstree studios. A series of 19 musical and comedy vaudeville sketches presented in the form of a live broadcast hosted by tommy handley as himself. Elstree studios celebrate 100 years of film bbc news. Williams began building on a site just over the road from neptune studios. Elstree calling 1930 timeline of historical film colors.
The other gag has an inventor trying to view the broadcast on television. Brunels revolutionary plans for camera and editing treatment for britains first musical were thwarted by the elstree establishment, but the film. Mgm borehamwood also known as elstree way studios despite reducing the studio size by more than half in the late 1980s, elstree is still a powerhouse of british film and tv production. Directed by andre charlot, jack hulbert, paul murray. Elstree calling 1930 letterboxd social film discovery. Elstree studios on shenley road, borehamwood, hertfordshire is a british film and television production centre operated by elstree film studios limited. Juno and the paycock 1929 was adapted from sean ocaseys popular play, while elstree calling 1930 was a collection of musical and comedy sketches that hitchcock codirected with three others. He completed his education at rugby school and had a brief spell at rada, before treading the boards for the first time as the straight man in a music hall comedy act in 1931. Helen burnells ludicrous dancing style always brings the house down on the rare occasions that this film is shown in a cinema.
Night owls is a 1930 american precode laurel and hardy short film. Elstree calling 1930, made by bip, was reputedly britains first musical film. His film debut was in elstree calling 1930, in which he appeared with his wife. His films are marked by a macabre sense of humor and a somewhat bleak view of the human condition. Elstree calling is a 1930 musical variety film, designed by british international pictures to show off elstree studios nascent sound technology and to compete with the opulent musical revues coming out of the united states at the time. Elstree film studios project gutenberg selfpublishing. A number of studios have existed in this area since film production began in 1927. A poster for elstree calling, a film made in 1930, named after the film studios in borehamwood elstree. In their book films musical moment, ian conrich and estella tincknell write. In emulation of such alltalking, allsinging, allstar hollywood extravaganzas as the show of shows and hollywood revue of 1929, britains elstree studios served up its own bigbudget revue. Elstree is perhaps best known for multiple elstree film studio complexes, where many films were made, including bbc elstree centre, where the tv soap opera eastenders is shot. Nov, 2014 image courtesy of the elstree project image caption the first multilingual film production, atlantic 1929 was filmed there as well as elstree calling 1930 which was reputedly the. The local newspaper is the borehamwood and elstree times. In one, an actor wants to perform shakespeare, but he is continually denied airtime.
Released as britains answer to the allstar hollywood musical revues and comedies released by the likes of paramount pictures, metrogoldwynmayer and warner bros following the introduction of talking pictures in 1927, the largely forgotten elstree calling has been screened only very rarely since its original 1930 release, however in the annals of british film history, this lavish cine. The film was also made in two foreignlanguage versions. May 19, 2007 hitchcock dipped a toe in the production of this film, including directing this short sketch. Luckily, too many cooks did not spoil the broth in this case but created a marvelous musical and comedic souffle. Elstree calling 1930, directed by adrian brunel, alfred. One of several facilities historically referred to as elstree studios, the shenley road studios first opened in 1925. In one, an actor wants to perform shakespeare, but he is continually denied air. During the fits of my hitchcock obsession quite a few years ago this was the only existing film of. The british equivalent of hollywoods allstar revues was elstree calling 1930, produced by british international pictures bip, which consisted mainly of musical and comedy items from stage shows of the day introduced by compere tommy handley. Alfred hitchcock, anna may wong, betty balfour, british international pictures, cicely courtneidge, clemence dane, elstree calling 1930, ewald andre dupont, gainsborough pictures, harmony heaven 1929, helen simpson, islington studios, london, ivor. This is a film which requires classification and rating in two different ways.
May 19, 2007 a standard 1930stype chorusgirl number. The times 29jan1930 the film world c the times 29jan1930 keywords. Overview of elstree calling, 1930, directed by alfred hitchcock, with gordon harker, will fyffe, lily morris, at turner classic movies. A poster for elstree calling, a musical made at the site in 1930. It was filmed in october and november 1929, and released january 4, 1930. This allstar vaudeville show features performers drawn from some of the eras most popular london productions, including cicely courtneidge, anna may wong, john. Released in 1930 by british international pictures in response to the lavish revues being produced by the major hollywood studios, elstree calling was britains first musical film.
Alfred hitchcock age 31 directed parts of elstree calling 1930 along with. One of several facilities historically referred to as elstree studios, the shenley road studios first opened in 1925 the studio complex has passed through many owners during its lifetime, and is now owned by hertsmere borough council. Certainly one of the most obscure films in alfred hitchcocks filmography, this musical revue extravaganza was. A series of nineteen musical and comedy vaudeville sketches presented in the form of a live broadcast hosted by tommy handley as himself. To optimize your experience with your screen reading software, please use our website, which has the same tickets as our fandango.
A poster for elstree calling, a film made in 1930, named after the film studios in borehamwood for the buggles song, see elstree song. With the adelphi girls, in claude friesegreene colour. Jun 06, 2009 an interesting oddity from elstree calling, a british revue film from 1930. The film is a series of vaudevilletype skits and sketches. This is a number by the charlot girls, handcolored. Elstree calling has been screened only very rarely since its original 1930. A tesco superstore was built on the former studio property in 1991. The british film industrys version of the hollywood studio revue musical.
According to contemporary newspaper reports, british international pictures planned to release alternative versions of elstree calling in nine foreign languages. A series of musical and comedy vaudeville and music hall sketches presented in the form of a live broadcast hosted by tommy handley production. A record for british film production is et up by the new talkie revue, elstree calling, which will be publicly shown tomorrow at the alhambra, london. Alfred hitchcock, englishborn american motionpicture director whose suspenseful films and television programs won immense popularity and critical acclaim over a long and tremendously productive career. Elstree calling 1930 directed by alfred hitchcock, adrian brunel et. Elstree studios shenley road wikipedia republished wiki 2. An ambitious production for the time, elstree calling has four pathecolor sequences and is a multiplelanguage version film, having been completed in nine different variants for international distribution. Two tribute films from the earlier times, elstree calling d. The film, referred to as a cineradio revue in its original publicity, is a lavish musical film revue and was britain. Gilbert gunn, 1952, are a legacy of elstree s golden years, the former a collection of sketches, including several directed by hitchcock, the latter a compilation spanning 25 years of filmmaking.
Elstree calling 1930 british musical revue codirected by. Apr 30, 2011 here is a look back at some of the films produced at elstree over the past 80 years dalya alberge sat 30 apr 2011 19. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the most definitive. Elstree calling 1930 the master codirected this musical, sharing duties with adrian brunel waltzes from vienna is wrongly thought of as hitchcocks only musical its a delightful all star revue featuring many regular. Today, most people are aware of the film only because of alfred. The foreign versions retained not only the headliners, but edgar kennedy and james finlayson as well. Nice to hear that, like almost everyone else in the film, they have posh cutglass eksents. A collection of sketches and running gags presented as though live from your tv screen if you watched 80 years ago.
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