National Railway Museum (NRM) Opens Film Season ~ Rails & Reels

Written by Gemma Sneyd, Press Officer Monday, 25 April 2011 21:30

York, UK - Film fans are in for a ‘reel’ good time this autumn as a month-long season of films hits the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York. The film season, named Rails & Reels , will explore and celebrate the influence of the railways on our culture through the use of on screen media - from the first railway film shown in 1895 to present day. The Museum provides the perfect setting to explore the effect the railways have had on film. Staged at the NRM from 12 September through 11 October 2009, Rails & Reels will incorporate screenings of a range of films, from iconic feature films set around the tracks, to British Transport Films used to promote the railways.

The flagship event of the Rails & Reels film season will be the opportunity to watch the iconic cult film Trainspotting on Thursday 17 September in the drive-in theatre being created in the Museum’s North Yard. The audience will use their FM radio to tune into the movie’s sound and classic cinema treats will be available on site.

A full programme of free film screenings will take place throughout the film season around the entire Museum including many popular classics like North by North West and Murder on the Orient Express , as well as the fascinating British Transport films. British Transport Films are not merely captivating pieces of nostalgia, but acclaimed examples of filmmaking. The accolades bestowed upon them include an American Academy Award, several British Film Academy Awards and the Golden Lion from Venice. These films hold an undeniable charm that will only be added to by the atmospheric locations they are being screened in including the NRM’s 1931 GWR Fruit Van, and the Lancashire & Yorkshire Saloon which is used in the Museum’s unique production of The Railway Children.

On Wednesday 7 October, visitors will be invited to attend a Yorkshire Evening celebrating 60 years of British Transport Films. Films used to promote the Yorkshire region will be brought out of the NRM’s collection on this special occasion including This is York , Land of the White Rose and North to the Dales.

Films from the Children’s Film Foundation will be screened every weekend including The Hunch , Night Ferry , Go Kart Go , Kadoying and Runaway Railway – classics sure to be remembered by many a parent! After watching these timeless films, children can have a go at making their own. The Yorkshire Film Archive will be onsite hosting a number of workshops to give children the chance to create their own animated films. The NRM’s in-house learning team will also be letting children get to grips with some early forms of animation including flick books and zoetropes, as part of the Museum’s free learning programme.

Archive footage from the Yorkshire Film Archive will reveal an insight into railway heritage on film at a free evening presentation taking place as part of Rails & Reels . This will include unique footage taken by film makers over the last century including the Cannes Award winning short film The Eight O Clock Special and one of the earliest films to feature a train, Kiss in the Tunnel .

As an extra special nostalgic treat, Rails & Reels will incorporate a special evening screening of Brief Encounter , which was ranked 2 ^nd in the BFI’s Top 100 British films of all time. Brief Encounter is a classic tearjerker set during WWII in and around the fictional Milford railway station. This timeless film will be screened as part of a special dinner package consisting of a three course dinner, and coffee and mints to enjoy while watching the 1945 classic. The night will also include a live band playing music of the era to get visitors into the spirit of the film. This one-off event will take place on Saturday 19 ^th September at a cost of £35 per person.

To support Rails & Reels , the City Screen Picturehouse will be showing rail film classics every Tuesday throughout the film season as part of their regular programme of films. This will include La Bete Humaine , The Lady Vanishes , The Titfield Thunderbolt and Closely Observed Trains.

Sue Dalton, Festival and Events Co-ordinator at the NRM, said:

“The first film to feature railways was released over 100 years ago, and to this day we still see railways and trains playing significant parts in filmmakers’ plotlines. From having trains and stations as backdrops to using a locomotive as a dramatic device, audiences still love to see railways feature in the movies. We have over forty films being screened as part of our Rails & Reels film season, and with such a variety we are certain there’ll be something for everyone to enjoy.”

The National Railway Museum in York covers over 400 years of railway history and its collections include over 100 locomotives , some 250 items of rolling stock and thousands of other objects - from posters and tickets to uniforms and silverware. Visitors can enjoy a fun family day out with the kids including an action-packed annual programme of special events and exhibitions. Admission to the museum is free. For more information visit www.nrm.org.uk .

---

Click on logo below to add this article to your favorite Social Website ~