Scenes at the East End Annual Picnic, New Plymouth
A fine example of the local topical films produced by Brandon Haughton, for Garnet Saunders for the Empire Theatre in New Plymouth.
"Most of these films have survived and each indicates Haughton's considerable skill and eye for a scene, with cleverly structured films edited to tell a story with the minimum of intertitles." (p.137)
"The film, which shows events at a seaside picnic in New Plymouth in January 1912, delighted local cinema audiences. A local newspaper reported: "As scene after scene was unfolded... parents joyfully recognised their own particular 'Jimmys' and 'Nellies' and some groups of merry makers gave vent to their feelings in little suppressed exclamations of satisfaction." (p.138)
Collection reference F2655
Year 1912
Credits Cameraman: Brandon Haughton; Production Co: Garnet Saunders for Empire Theatre Film Company
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Auckland's Reception to the Battleship HMS New Zealand
Charles Newham captured impressive images of HMS New Zealand steaming into the Hauraki Gulf on 29 April 1913.
The film, which begins with Newham's familiar intertitle motif, captured the ship as described by a New Zealand Herald reporter: "sullenly majestic, awful in portent, relentless as death itself" (p.169)
Collection reference F10484
Year 1913
Credits Cameraman: Charles F Newham; Production Co.: Dominion (NZ) Film
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Experimental Flights of the Fisher Monoplane
This film, shot by Wellington topical film-maker Charlie Barton, shows the successful flight of aviation pioneer Percy Fisher’s monoplane, which was designed and made in New Zealand.
"The first flight took place on Saturday 21 June 1913. The pilot, Reggie White, was an engineer who worked with Fisher on the plane. This was also a first for him as he had no previous flying experience and had to learn on the job. We see him check the plane, pose for the camera, straighten his beret and then fly.... Each shot shows White getting bolder as he gains confidence and we see him soaring over us as the film ends."
The film was shown to "standing room only" crowds at Wellington cinemas and "The press were particularly complimentary, reporting that the 'technique of the film is equal to that of any aviation picture seen here, and reflects great credit on the local kinematographer, Mr Barton'" (p.174)
Collection reference F7306
Year 1913
Credits Cameraman: Charles D. Barton; Production Co: C.D. Barton
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Civic Farewell at Tahuna Park
Films showing New Zealand soldiers training and departing for service in the First World War were a popular subject for local film-makers, and a number of them survive, including Henry Gore's film of the civic reception for the Otago Contingent at Tahuna Park on 16 September 1914.
"Gore captures the faces and mood of the crowd as his camera pans across the gathering... the evident cheerfulness of the men in contrast to the apprehension on the faces of the women. The tension is broken by a shift to scenes in the camp and the staged actions of the sergeant cook in an off-white apron and bandaged arm directing the work of his cookhouse fatigues, all of whom seem to be puffing on pipes as they go about their duties" (pp.198-200)
Collection reference F1147
Year 1914
Credits Cameraman: Henry C. Gore; Production Co: Plaza Pictures
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New Zealanders for the Front: Official Farewell
This is a combined film of the official farewell to the Main Body of the NZEF at Newtown Park, 24 September 1914 and the later departure of the 6th Reinforcements on 11 August 1915.
"[E]very cameraman throughout New Zealand was filming the mobilisation scenes... [James] McDonald was certainly one of a number of cameramen capturing the farewell scenes in Newtown Park that day on Thursday 24 September with 2500 men on parade before Governor General Lord Liverpool, and watched by a packed crowd of 25,000-30,000 people" (pp.194-195).
Amongst the dignitaries and army officers were Lt Col William Malone, Lord Liverpool, William Massey, James Allen, Sir Joseph Ward and J. P. Luke. After street scenes of Newtown Park we see the departure of the 6th Reinforcements, first marching down Lambton Quay then at King's Wharf.
"One can see the distinctly different mood of the soldiers crowding her decks and rigging. The enthusiasm and expectation clear with the Main Body is absent. The first casualties had returned from Gallipoli and it was evident to all that this was no longer a short war that would be over by Christmas... of the many departure films taken at Wellington's wharf-side this alone survives." (pp.,197-198)
Collection reference F1820
Year 1914
Credits Cameraman: James McDonald; Production Co: Department of Agriculture
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