John Krish is one of British cinema’s best-kept secrets: a master of post-war documentary filmmaking who repeatedly turned his works for sponsors as diverse at the Central Office of Information (COI) and the NSPCC into not just effective non-fiction films, but truly stirring cinema to rank alongside the world’s greatest directors. A Day in the Life collects together four of his most cherished films: The Elephant Will Never Forget (1953), a farewell to London’s trams; Our School (1962), charting the beliefs of educators, and the aspirations of the decade’s young school-leavers; They Took Us to the Sea (1961), a poignant record of a seaside outing for disadvantaged children; and I Think They Call Him John (1964), a deeply moving account of an elderly widower. In each of these films – richly textured with the details of everyday post-war life – Krish combines a deep belief in human beings with a compulsive desire to push the documentary form forward. This essential and critically acclaimed collection is supplemented by an interview with Krish, as well as with Krish’s rarely seen films I Want to Go to School (1959) and Mr Marsh Comes to School.
Special features
- I Want to Go to School (1959, 30 minutes): a charming portrait of a typical day at a primary school.
- Mr Marsh Comes to School (1961, 28 minutes): a distinctly unorthodox film for teenagers, featuring a supernaturally talented Youth Employment Officer.
- Interview with John Krish (2010, 19 minutes, DVD only): on-stage interview at BFI Southbank
- Illustrated booklet with notes and essays by Kevin Brownlow, John Krish, BFI curator Patrick Russell and others.
Product information
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Certificate
Exempt
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Colour
Black/white
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Sound
Sound
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Running time
90mins
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Original aspect ratio
1.33:1
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DVD region
2 Europe (except Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus), Middle East, Egypt, Japan, South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Greenland, French Overseas departments and territories
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Blu-ray region
B - Includes most European and Middle-Eastern countries, all of Africa, Australia and New Zealand
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Catalogue number
BFIB1097
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