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Look at Life

Season 1963

Look at Life was a regular British series of short documentary films of which 507 were produced between 1959 and 1969 by the Special Features Division of the Rank Organisation for screening in their Odeon and Gaumont cinemas. The films always preceded the main feature film that was being shown in the cinema that week. It replaced the circuit's newsreel, Universal News, which had become increasingly irrelevant in the face of more immediate news media, particularly on television with the launch of ITN on the Independent Television service, which began broadcasting in parts of the United Kingdom in 1955.
Where to Watch Season 1963
48 Episodes
  • Birdmen
    E1
    Episode 1BirdmenDiscovering the origins and evolution of man-powered flight focusing on the John Wimpenny is the first man to pedal himself through the air for more than half a mile on the Puffin, designed and built by instructors and students of the de Havilland Aeronautical Technical School.
  • Draw the Fires
    E2
    Episode 2Draw the FiresThe railways are changing, with coal-powered steam being phased out and replaced by diesel engines by 1972. Crowds pay their respects to the Flying Scotsman's last departure from Kings Cross as it is replaced by a 33-horsepower diesel. The network is being modernised by new signalling, longer continuous track on concrete sleepers and flyovers, and controversial closures of lines.
  • The Car Has Wings
    E3
    Episode 3The Car Has WingsNatural boundaries no longer limit the range of motoring as cars are carried through tunnels, on ferries, over the new Forth Road Bridge, by train, air ferry and possibly by hovercraft in the future.
  • Vintage Models
    E4
    Episode 4Vintage ModelsMeeting the veteran car enthusiast and looking at the restoration of vintage vehicles with a visit to National Motor Museum, Beaulieu Montagu Motor Museum at Beaulieu in the New Forest, the high-speed trials at Silverstone and the famous London to Brighton run
  • Pilot Aboard
    E5
    Episode 5Pilot AboardThe story of Britain's pilotage services.
  • Where No Tide Flows
    E6
    Episode 6Where No Tide FlowsA look at canals today and how they have been rediscovered by holidaymakers.
  • High, Wide and Faster
    E7
    Episode 7High, Wide and FasterCloser co-ordination between our roads, railways and coastal shipping.
  • Oil Aboard
    E8
    Episode 8Oil AboardThe story of the oil tankers and the crews that sail in them.
  • Report on a River
    E9
    Episode 9Report on a RiverFollowing the River Thames from its source in Gloucestershire to the Port of London, which is modernising services and keep traffic moving.
  • Europe Grows Together
    E10
    Episode 10Europe Grows TogetherAn urgent look at Britain's links with the Continent.
  • Backroom of the Sky
    E11
    Episode 11Backroom of the SkyAt Boscombe Down, on the edge of Salisbury Plain, every part of a new plane is tested, and it is then flown to its operational limit. Not only are the aircraft tested, but also the men who fly them.
  • The Sky's The Limit
    E12
    Episode 12The Sky's The LimitAerobatics, born of necessity in World War I, now form part of the RAF's training.
  • Caught in the Cold
    E13
    Episode 13Caught in the ColdEvery year, Britain gets caught in the cold; cities crawl to a standstill, and road and rail traffic is disrupted. Why does this happen in an age of scientific miracles?
  • Figure it Out
    E14
    Episode 14Figure it OutThe story of computers: from electronic tape and punched cards, to austere-looking robots.
  • Keeping Clean
    E15
    Episode 15Keeping CleanAn interesting look at the new mechanised way of cleaning.
  • The Destroyers
    E16
    Episode 16The DestroyersPests come in all shapes and sizes, from the woodworm and grain weevil to the homely city pigeon. This film shows the research which goes on to control them.
  • People of Power
    E17
    Episode 17People of PowerA close look at the operation of the Berkeley Nuclear Power Station.
  • Second Chance
    E18
    Episode 18Second ChanceThis moving film shows an achievement in which science and humanity have combined to offer the 100,000 people in Britain who have lost a limb a chance to live happy and useful lives.
  • The Key of the Door
    E19
    Episode 19The Key of the DoorA look at the educational centres where training in technical subjects is aiming to keep pace with the demands of this scientific age.
  • You Can't Catch Much from a Fish
    E20
    Episode 20You Can't Catch Much from a Fish‘Look at Life’ went to see what the six months’ compulsory quarantine means to the 3,000 dogs and 500 cats brought into Britain each year.
  • Men Under Pressure
    E21
    Episode 21Men Under PressureThis exciting film shows the work of the men who build tunnels below water level, and the scientific and medical care that ensures they suffer no ill-effects from their unusual occupation.
  • Girls of the Air
    E22
    Episode 22Girls of the AirThe girls behind the men who fly: members of the WRAF.
  • Out of the Bush
    E23
    Episode 23Out of the BushA look at the emerging independent countries of Africa, featuring images of life in both the village and the city.
  • Men of the Woods
    E24
    Episode 24Men of the WoodsFor centuries the men of Berchtesgaden have earned their living from the trees that surround them; now mechanisation is eroding their traditional skills.
  • Forging New Links
    E25
    Episode 25Forging New LinksThe story of Ulster began when James I obtained money from the city of London to colonise the north of Ireland. This film looks at Ulster’s role in Britain’s productivity.
  • Gypsy Holiday
    E26
    Episode 26Gypsy Holiday
  • Pick of the Bunch
    E27
    Episode 27Pick of the BunchA look at wine producing in France and Germany.
  • A Flight of Fancy
    E28
    Episode 28A Flight of FancyHow does a homing pigeon 'home'? This film traces the development of the birds, from fledglings to long-distance champions.
  • Getting Wet
    E29
    Episode 29Getting WetA look at the rise of swimming as a sport, with civil engineer Frank Rudge, coach Jose Juba, swimmer Anne Cotterill and driver Margaret Austen.
  • See How They Jump!
    E30
    Episode 30See How They Jump!A fast-moving film that not only captures the thrill and elegance of the show-jumping ring but also goes behind the scenes to see how jumpers, and their riders, are made.
  • It's a Gamble
    E31
    Episode 31It's a GambleWhy do people gamble? To rich? Or to escape from everyday worries for a few hours? From horse-racing to football pools, this film examines what has become a very big business indeed.
  • Queue for the Tee
    E32
    Episode 32Queue for the TeeOnce considered a rich man's pursuit, golf is now highly popular in Britain. In this film, both famous and unknown players share the magic of a game that unites all sections of the community.
  • Chickens in the Mill
    E33
    Episode 33Chickens in the Millover ten years, Lancashire saw a new industrial revolution; from 1950, more than 55 cotton mills were converted for light industries. This film examines the process of change for Lancashire's wokers.
  • Treasure Houses
    E34
    Episode 34Treasure HousesA film capturing the appeal of the four hundred castles, halls and mansions in Britain that are now open to the public.
  • State Occasions
    E35
    Episode 35State OccasionsBehind every full state ceremonial is the Earl Marshal of England. And behind the Earl Marshal is the Collge of Arms. This film documents its facinating, little-known work.
  • Down in the Froest
    E36
    Episode 36Down in the FroestA look at the work of the forrestry commission.
  • Meet the Mayor
    E37
    Episode 37Meet the MayorA look at the office of mayor in Britain, and the Lord Mayor's Show in London.
  • The Box on the Wall
    E38
    Episode 38The Box on the WallThe humble suggestion box seen on many factory walls is only one of the many ways to ste up Britain's output and hold her place in world markets.
  • Crowning Glory
    E39
    Episode 39Crowning GloryA comprehensive look at hair - from the training of hairdressers and the creation of new hairstyles, to the making of wigs.
  • Rising to High Office
    E40
    Episode 40Rising to High OfficeLook at Life visits a unqiue office block on the South Bank: a 26-storey city of commerce boasting shops, restaurants, a recreation centre, a hair salon and even a swimming pool.
  • The Trade Winds Blow
    E41
    Episode 41The Trade Winds BlowA trip to the north-east of England and a look at its precarious position in modern industry
  • Glamour Gets a Passport
    E42
    Episode 42Glamour Gets a PassportA cross-sectional view of the British fashion industry, ranging from top designers' exclusive creations to the mass-produced garments of Britain's largest chain store.
  • A Pinch of Salt
    E43
    Episode 43A Pinch of SaltLook at Life visits the rich salt beds beneath Cheshire, where Britain's only active salt mine is located.
  • Silver's New Shine
    E44
    Episode 44Silver's New ShineA different look at silver, and the surprising jobs it is used for today.
  • The Greatest of These...
    E45
    Episode 45The Greatest of These...Some of the ways in which money is collected for charity.
  • As Good as Gold
    E46
    Episode 46As Good as GoldGold: stores in vaults of the Bank of England, worked by craftsmen and turned by the Royal Mint into sovereigns for export.
  • Rolling Home
    E47
    Episode 47Rolling HomeCaravanning in Britain today. Holiday sites and permanent sites. The export of caravans from Britain: now the world's biggest exporter.
  • Digging Up the Past
    E48
    Episode 48Digging Up the PastArchaelogical activities in Britain.
 
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