Rare color film shows what London looked like in 1927

[spinbaby]

This is pretty cool. I love these glimpses into another time.

http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/198876/rare-color-film-shows-what-london-looked-like-in-1927/

[htuttle]

1. Found two other similar gems (but not in color)

Barcelona, 1908
http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=kJdwzY1o7k8

San Francisco 1906, a few days before the earthquake

(the traffic in this one is crazy...)

[Poll_Blind]

3. Horse-drawn carriages, automobiles, pedestrians and streetcars- all on the same street!

Hell, just getting from one side to the other would beat Frogger, hands down!

PB

[Renew Deal]

10. The library in my area has pictures of the town going back to the late 1800's

The current Dunkin Donuts used to be a horse carriage vendor.

[Poll_Blind]

13. As I get older I love that kinda thing more and more. nt

PB

[Renew Deal]

9. That San Francisco video is awesome!

[canoeist52]

21. Wow! That's a libertarian free-for-all paridise. Pedestrians venture out at your own risk.

[BeyondGeography]

2. Stunning

Incredible what a difference color makes, and the images are remarkably clear. It's like seeing that era for the first time.

Can't rec this enough.

[Poll_Blind]

4. Made the rounds a few weeks back, incredible footage!

Amazing color film footage of London in 1927!

PB

[janlyn]

5. Thank you !!!

My Nan and Granddad met in London in 1930.This brought their memory back!! And how easily I could picture them there together !

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

6. Should say, London B.McD.

I can't imagine a London without the golden arches or Pizza Hut.

http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4936546243117445&pid=15.1

[frazzled]

7. 1927 was not rare or early for color

Pathéchrome was around at the turn of the century, and there were a number of other early color processes as well (including Kinemacolor,whose process Biocolour was said to have infringed). By 1925 there were many movies that featured Technicolor inserts.

[htuttle]

24. Did not really know that

In fact, I was initially surprised when I learned that they had so much WWII film in color...

Here's apparently the earliest surviving color film, made in 1901:

[SheilaT]

8. All of a suddenI understand what time travel would actually feel like.

It's the color that makes all the difference in the world. This film also lacks the jerkiness that movies from that era typically had.

What is also amazing to me is how incredibly modern everything and everyone looks. The clothing isn't as far from ours as I would have thought. Okay, so all of the women are wearing skirts, and most of the men have hats of some kind, but still.

I'm a history buff. I used to read old Life Magazines and feel as if I remember the events of the late 30's and early 40's as if I'd lived then. I've been to London several times, although the last time was in 1980. Nearly everything in this movie looks exactly as I remember it.

Wow. Just wow.

[madokie]

11. I know this is off topic but no guns

I really do like that about england, no guns or very few

[tomm2thumbs]

12. Neato!

Love watching the faces looking back at the camera -- the oddity of it all.

[allan01]

14. tr: Rare color film shows what London looked like in 1927

couldnt watch the brittish film , but here is a film of market street but in 2005
on edit : got to finaly see the film . NIce

[Spitfire of ATJ]

15. The clothing from back then is what gets me....

It seems EVERYONE dressed in a suit of some kind and wore a hat.

And as far as a "police state"? Imagine what it was like when there was a cop on almost EVERY street corner directing traffic. Then there were the beat cops who WALKED around listening for trouble. They could blow a whistle and every cop in earshot would come a runnin.

[bhikkhu]

16. Amazing how much slower the cars were

...its like the roads were part of the community then, rather than the danger zones they are now. The pedestrians and cyclists and the odd man-drawn carriage all seem so relaxed and social, even with the old cars puttering along among them.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

17. Many of the cars went no faster than the horse drawn carriages...

The idea of going 60 mph was for a train,...not a car.

The roads out of town were often dirt with well worn ruts. The concept of a "commute" was unheard of.

[gopiscrap]

18. Pretty cool

[DirkGently]

19. Very cool. (nt)

[hrmjustin]

20. cool!

[Grateful for Hope]

22. I watched the video (below) the pic

I recommend watching it.

[CitizenLeft]

23. that was AWESOME

Thank you so much for posting that - I'm an Anglophile to the core, and London is my favorite city in the world (after Cleveland, were I was born ) I hope to get back to London for a 2nd visit before I leave this mortal coil.

Wonderful!