A Royal Occasion: from Queen Victoria to Elizabeth II [DVD]

A ROYAL OCCASION: from Victoria to Elizabeth II (2-DVD set)

From the earliest days of cinema, the pomp and pageantry of a grand royal occasion has been a spectacular subject for innovative filmmakers.The BFI is proud to present this specially curated two-disc set of rare royal films from its national collections. A wealth of fascinating footage, some previously unseen, includes Queen Victoria's first appearance on film in the newly restored Scenes at Balmoral (1896), and early colour productions which illustrate the development of British filmmaking techniques (with the first colour film of Trooping the Colour) right up to Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953. These surprising films also offer rare glimpses of touching royal moments, including the birth of Princess Elizabeth, the royal family at home during World War II, and a behind-the-scenes film made for Daimler of the 1947 royal tour of South Africa.

Special Features

• Brand new restorations of Scenes at Balmoral (1896)
• Restoration feature (BFI, 2012, 30 secs): side-by-side comparison of before and after restoration of Scenes at Balmoral
• Buckingham Palace Allotment (Topical Budget, 1918,1 min): the Topical Budget newsreel covers wartime turnip growing in the palace gardens
• Playing Fields Association: Football (1951,5 mins): appeal by Prince Philip and Wilfred Pickles on behalf of the National Playing Fields Association
• Playing Fields Association: Cricket (1955,5 mins): appeal by Prince Philip, Bob Hope and Kenneth Moore on behalf of the National Playing Fields Association
• Fully illustrated booklet with new essays and notes on the films

Disc 1

• Queen Victoria
• Scenes at Balmoral (1896)
• Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee (1897)
• Queen's Garden Party at Buckingham Palace (1897)
• The Late Queen's Visit to Dublin (1900)

Edward VII & Queeen Alexandra

• Edward VII at Queen Victoria's Funeral (1901)
• Edwards VII's Coronation (1902)
• King and Queen Visit Ireland (1903)
• Delhi Durbar (1903)
• King Edward VII launches HMS Dreadnought from Portsmouth Dockyard (1906)
• Queen Alexandra's Drive through London (1916)
• Roses from Rose Queen (1917)

George V & Queen Mary

• Coronation of George V (1911)
• King George Fifth's Durbar (1912)
• Our King Emperor and Queen Empress Hold a Durbar in Delhi (1912)
• With the Queen at Woolwich (1917)
• Visit of their Magesties the King and Queen to the North East Coast Shipbuilding & Engineering Works (1917)
• plus many more including Silver Jubilee (1935)

Disc 2

George VI & Queen Elizabeth

• Our Airman Prince Engaged (1923)
• Wedding Cake for Duke of York's Bride (1923)
• The Royal Wedding (1923)
• Duke and Bride off for Honeymoon (1923)
• Britain's Baby Princess (1926)
• God Speed! The Duke and Duchess of York Leave on HMS Renown for their Six Months Empire Tour (1927)
• The Homecoming of the Duke and Duchess of York (1927)
• Coronation of their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (1937)
• Trooping the Colour (1937)
• Plus more including Royal Tour of South Africa (1947)

UK /1896 -1953 / black and white and colour / English Language, and silent with music / DVD-9 x 2 / Dolby Digital mono audio (320kbps) / Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1