Released in 1930 by British International Pictures in response to the lavish revues being produced by the major Hollywood studios Elstree Calling was Britain's first musical film. This all-star vaudeville show features performers drawn from some of the era's most popular London productions including Cicely Courtneidge Anna May Wong John Longden and music-hall veterans Will Fyffe and Lily Morris. Compèred by Tommy Handley the film presents nineteen comedy and musical sketches in the guise of a 'live' television broadcast; Alfred Hitchcock - then under... contract to BIP - was responsible for creating the sketches and linking material. A fascinating snapshot of the earliest years of the British musical film and rarely seen since its original release Elstree Calling is made available here in a brand-new transfer from the original elements in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio. Several sequences in the film were originally artificially coloured using the Pathécolor system and those colour sequences are intact here. Special Features: Image Gallery Includes full opening overture (fades up from black) [show more]
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Tommy Handley compères this collection of musical and comedy sketches featuring popular vaudeville entertainers including Cicely Courtneidge, Anna May Wong and John Longden. The premise of the piece is that Handley is acting as the presenter of a live broadcast. 19 sketches are put forth in all, including a recurring joke about an actor whose attempts to make it into a Shakespeare play are continually thwarted. A young Alfred Hitchcock was involved in the project and directed some of the sketch sequences.
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