The Waterfront
A Foundation, The Coach Shed, Greenland Street
Saturday 14 July 2007, 17.00
and Sunday 15 July 2007, 17.00
This unique screening programme in the purpose built cinema at Greenland Street features films of Liverpool from the 1950s to the 1980s based on themes of the Waterfront and Liverpool’s Docks – The Magnet (C. Frend, 1950), The Waterfront (M. Anderson, 1950), Letter to Brezhnev (C.Bernard, 1985) and Violent Playground (B. Deardon, 1958). Screenings will be introduced by experts from City in Film (Liverpool University) and there will be an opportunity to discuss the films with the rest of the audience in the relaxed atmosphere of the bar at A Foundation. See below for more information on films and times.
Liverpool has been explored and exploited by the medium of film for more than a century. In 1897 the Lumière Brothers filmed scenes in the city and in the same year Liverpool hosted its first ever public cinema event just two years after the first ever recorded film exhibition in Paris. More recently the city has been favoured for mainstream cinema and TV production due to its wealth of historic architecture and charismatic locations.
Saturday 14 July
17.00 Introduction to the film programme
(City in Film and Tate Liverpool)
17.15 Liverpool – City in Film (2006)
17.30 – 18.50
The Waterfront (M. Anderson, 1951)
Running time: 80 minutes
Certificate 15
A sailor walks out on his young family leaving them to fend for themselves in the city of Liverpool. They make a go of their lives and the eldest daughter, now a woman, is angered by her father’s attempted return. The Waterfront, featuring young Richard Burton and Avis Scott in the leading roles, can be seen more generally to deal with issues of absence and social struggle of seafaring men and their women.
18.50 – 19.30 Intermission
19.30 Introduction to Letter to Brezhnev
(City in Film and Tate Liverpool)
19.45 – 21.19
Letter to Brezhnev (C. Bernard, 1986)
Running Time: 94 minutes
Certificate 15
Two Soviet sailors, Peter and Sergei meet Elaine and Theresa, two native Liverpudlians and spend a night out together in Liverpool. Elaine and Peter immediately fall in love with each other, but their romance is cut short and the sailors must leave with their ship. Elaine can’t forget him and plays with the ideas of writing a letter to Leonid Brezhnev. The film must be seen in context of the Cold War years. Alexandra Prigg (Elaine) won a BAFTA in 1986 for best actress for her part in the film. Letter to Brezhnev also won awards at the Quimper New Wave Festival in 1986 (Grand Prix) and at the Venice Festival in 1985.
Sunday 15 July
17.00 Introduction to the film programme
(City in Film and Tate Liverpool)
17.15 Liverpool – City in Film (2006)
17.15 – 18.34
The Magnet (C. Frend, 1950)
Running Time: 79 minutes
Certificate U
A boy trades in a powerful magnet from a younger boy which, as soon as it is in his possession, gets him into all sorts of trouble. The comedy is set in Merseyside, mainly in New Brighton and parts in Liverpool. The comparison between the affluent, comfortable, public school lifestyle of the main character and that of the boys he meets when he crosses the river to Liverpool is drawn throughout the film.
18.34 – 19.15 Intermission
19.10 Introduction to Violent Playground
(Ged Fagan – author, filmmaker and former resident of Gerard Gardens)
19.30 – 21.18
Violent Playground (B. Dearden, 1958)
Running Time: 108 minutes
Certificate 15
A film about rock music and teenagers in the 1950s, Violent Playground is filmed entirely in Liverpool, the title tune of the film being played throughout. Dealing with crime in Liverpool at this time in the city, we encounter the priests, policemen and other characters that affect the lives of the teenagers in the film.
In collaboration with City in Film, School of Architecture and School of Politics and Communication Studies, University of Liverpool and A Foundation
The A Foundation
Free, booking recommended
For tickets, call 0151 702 7400.
This event is related to the Centre of the Creative Universe: Liverpool and the Avant-Garde exhibition