RARE footage charting the ever-changing face of Liverpool’s landscape will be used to create a massive internet film database about the

city.

News reels, amateur footage and film clips dating back to 1897 are being brought together for the nostalgic project to document the city’s

architectural history.

A team of four researchers from the University of Liverpool are scouring archives nationally and locally to source footage, and

are also working with independent film buffs.

They hope to have a basic site online soon but the project will be completed in 2008 to coincide with

Capital of Culture year.

Gems already uncovered include clips created by the Lumiere Brothers, who were credited with holding the first public film

screening. They include the first tracking shot filmed from Liverpool’s overhead railway as well as footage taken of Dale Street in 1901 from the front of a

city tram.

Dr Les Roberts, from the university’s school of politics and communication studies, is part of the City in Film team.


He said:

"This is about mapping the city through film. We want to look at how the urban environment has changed and film provides a wonderful way of doing that.It

will be an amazing database with films from archives as well as individuals’ collections.People will be able to search by event or by location. It will be a

great resource for anyone interested in architecture or social history.


"There are some really fascinating pieces. One film is shot around the old

market area and its clear the film maker knew it was going to be pulled down, so he has documented it.


"There are also great films of people

boarding ships which are of amazing quality.

Can't wait to view the film(s). Thanks Jimmy.:celb (23):
BTW if you want to see some old

footage of New Brighton and Liverpool, buy The Magnet DVD.

:) Scouser Dave,thanks for sharing your journies out and about with us all. I for one am very muched

impressed with the views of the ships on the river,
as like so many scousers before me i used to go away to sea and i am very much still in Love with the

Mersey and the water front views,thanks once again Dave for a captured few moments in time, and the views of London , and thanks for sharing the photographs

of your Family with us. Thanks mate.

Thanks Jimmy, much appreciated.
Here's a couple of screenshots from The Magnet

movie. They include New Brighton Baths and the Overhead

Railway.
http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/magnet001.jpg

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/magnet002.jpg

http

://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/magnet003.jpg

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/magnet004.jpg

RARE footage charting the ever-changing face of Liverpool’s landscape will be used to create a massive

internet film database about the city.

News reels, amateur footage and film clips dating back to 1897 are being brought together for the nostalgic

project to document the city’s architectural history.

A team of four researchers from the University of Liverpool are scouring archives nationally and

locally to source footage, and are also working with independent film buffs.

They hope to have a basic site online soon but the project will be

completed in 2008 to coincide with Capital of Culture year.

Gems already uncovered include clips created by the Lumiere Brothers, who were credited

with holding the first public film screening. They include the first tracking shot filmed from Liverpool’s overhead railway as well as footage taken of Dale

Street in 1901 from the front of a city tram.

Dr Les Roberts, from the university’s school of politics and communication studies, is part of the City

in Film team.

He said: "This is about mapping the city through film. We want to look at how the urban environment has changed and film provides a

wonderful way of doing that.It will be an amazing database with films from archives as well as individuals’ collections.People will be able to search by

event or by location. It will be a great resource for anyone interested in architecture or social history.

"There are some really fascinating pieces.

One film is shot around the old market area and its clear the film maker knew it was going to be pulled down, so he has documented it.

"There are also

great films of people boarding ships which are of amazing quality.

The Mitchell and Kenyon films are brilliant, found in a basement in

Blackburn in 1994. They are one of the greatest finds in cinematograph history and document the social aspect at the time. Some are pristine and as sharp as

razors only ever been shown once. Filmed from 1899 to 1914 predominately in the towns and cities of the north of England.

Dan Cruickshank did two 2

hour shows for the BBC on them. Many shots of Liverpool. The earliest film of Man U playing too. Also the first crime re-enactment of a murder in Bootle.

The BBC did a then and now shots of some shots. All the clips required researchers to identify what and where they where. They even traced some the

decedents of some of the people on the shots - amazing how they did that.

What stood out was how well dressed all the people were. The working class

outing to Blackpool had people dressed like Lords - tower and all. The shots of the crowds at football games - there was constant puffs of smoke coming up

as they all smoked. The smoke was very thick stuff - it must have ruined their lungs.

It is all being put on DVD and can be bought from the National

Film Institute.

http://www.shef.ac.uk/nfa/mitchell_and_kenyon/biog.php