Access to old Folk Films? (British too)

Subject: Access to old Folk Films? (British too)
From: rich-joy
Date: 21 May 06 - 07:50 PM

Back in '02, Burke put us on to FolkStreams.net, with their wonderful array of folk culture films - and Desert Dancer had a recent thread about the Pete Seeger (et al) banjo one, which you can actually download(!) from AV Geeks International Film Archive.

Good Stuff!!   Are there any more???

I'm also interested in folk TV programmes - and there must be heaps from British TV from the early Folk Revival times, even if now it's a bit light-on! :~)

Surely there's some footage in the BBC Archives (for example) - but do any 'Catters know if any of it is accessible to the average internet surfer???



Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Access to old Folk Films? (British too)
From: rich-joy
Date: 21 May 06 - 07:58 PM

... and related to this are the websites that recall these programmes.

Here is one with Australian/American connections, due to Dave Guard (ex Kingston Trio).
The history (episode by episode) of the (Oz)ABC-TV's "Dave's Place" makes very interesting reading :
http://users2.ev1.net/~smyth/linernotes/DavesPlace/DavesPlaceIndex.htm


But, anyone know of any British archives available???


Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Access to old Folk Films? (British too)
From: greg stephens
Date: 22 May 06 - 05:10 AM

The BBC seem to have had a formal policy of destroying all interesting programmes relating to folk music in the 60's(or indeed anything else). It is a matter of eternal regret that the tapes of me, Michael Palin and Terry Jones performing folk songs were wiped, for example!

Subject: RE: Access to old Folk Films? (British too)
From: sian, west wales
Date: 22 May 06 - 07:00 AM

I imagine there will be some at the Pathe site. It's changed its format since I first came across it so I'm not sure how it works.

Wales set up a National Film and Sound Archive a few years ago and there's a fair bit of BBC stuff there. As gret suggests, they wiped too much, but in the early days of tape it was a reuseable resource so had to be recycled - particular in public broadcasting. I don't know if any of it is available online. A few bits and bobs from the Welsh folk museum may come online eventually; they're working on making it available at terminals within the museum's main gallery and the curator in charge is very 'into' IT so ... there's hope.

sian

Subject: RE: Access to old Folk Films? (British too)
From: greg stephens
Date: 22 May 06 - 07:15 AM

I fully appreciate the tape was expensive, and it was reusable. So inevitably a lot of stuff is lost. But what a shame. I suppose the most classic folk-related example is "Mad House in castle St", the BBC play in 1962 that featured the young Bob Dylan singing. All gone.

Subject: RE: Access to old Folk Films? (British too)
From: sian, west wales
Date: 22 May 06 - 07:31 AM

Oh, I wasn't trying to be an apologist - I agree! I was thinking that ... is it Banjo Ray? ... was on an early Welsh language folkie tv programme and I'd give my weight in stringed instruments to see THAT! One day maybe I'll spend time at the archive and jot down what IS still available...

sian

Subject: RE: Access to old Folk Films? (British too)
From: rich-joy
Date: 23 May 06 - 05:44 AM

of course it doesn't have to be the BBC ... surely the "commercials" had some folk programmes?!

and as the years advance, I'm finding that I'd even be interested in seeing the (much-maligned) Spinners!!!
:~)



Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Access to old Folk Films? (British too)
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 23 May 06 - 07:42 AM

The BBC archives have made access to their catalogue available here - BBC INFAX - It should be noted that this is a prototype database and will no doubt be upgraded as time goes on.
This only gives listings of programmes in the archives and there is no facility to view any of the programmes listed - basically if it's not on DVD or Video then it's not available.
There is quite a bit of detail about each programme but as has been said above - an awful lot of stuff has been wiped. Much of what remains from the 60's was transferred from 2" 405/625 video tape to 16mm b/w film for sale to foreign countries. After a repeat showing in this country (UK) the tape would probably have been wiped for reuse as the acting unions would not allow more than one repeat of a programme without further negotiations regarding fees. This is a subject that is dealt with on other websites but we have lost many folk programmes such as "Ballad of the Northwest" from 1973-75 which dealt with the historical aspect of Northwest England life in song.

Cheers
Mark

Subject: RE: Access to old Folk Films? (British too)
From: Nick
Date: 23 May 06 - 07:47 AM

Not sure whether there would be anything of interest at Archive.org amongst the 35,000 concerts they have there in their Live Music Archive.

(It's great if you are a Grateful Dead fan! And I noticed some names I recognised but I'm not sure if there is much that is folky there)