Avon Vido

Disasters of the Century

May 1985 •English

This entry in the "Reel Moments" video series contains newsreel and archive footage of famous 20th century disasters, including: the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows bridge, various ship sinkings, racecar crashes, and assassinations, with emphasis on the assassinations of Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy, and Robert F. Kennedy.

Dance for All

September 2007 •English

Refuge

January 1972 •English

A documentary about the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order in London.

Annabel's: A String of Naked Lightbulbs

March 2015 •English

The story of Annabel's, the most celebrated nightclub in the world, and its 50-year history. Renowned for its discretion, and as a haunt of some of our greatest celebrities, the film offers a hitherto unseen glimpse into the rarefied worlds behind the doors of 44 Berkeley Square.

Comic Relief Zero

November 2013 •English

So, what’s the deal with Comic Relief Zero!? Sit down and shut up, so we can tell you! But seriously folks, sit down and shut up, because those dumb-faced, giggle-grabbin’ goof-troupers at Everything Is Terrible! are dishing out a stand-up comedy special! This special is the opposite of special; featuring today’s hottest ventriloquists, racists, prop comics, sexists, impersonators, homophobes, and talk show hosts in their hate-filled prime! Are you oppressed and underrepresented in society? Well then, watch out! Let’s pull back the banana peel and take a head-first descent into the brick wall of our own mind! Take my life... please!

Wise Guys 2

June 2024 •English

After the release of his debut film, documentarian Richard Chase journeys down a rabbit hole to uncover the lost second episode of his initial film's subject: Wise Guys.

Jimi Hendrix: Hear My Train a Comin'

November 2013 •English

An account of the short life of genius musician Jimi Hendrix (1942-70), probably the most talented and influential guitarist of the twentieth century: his humble beginnings in Seattle, his time in New York, his rise to fame in swinging London… Live fast, love hard, die young.

Bombin'

January 1987 •English

First broadcast in 1987 on the UK's Channel 4, Bombin' is a documentary about Afrika Bambaataa's Zulu nation bringing American hip-hop culture to the UK for first time. The main focus is the graffiti art of Brim and the variety of reactions he is faced with from the British public and press.

Looking at London

June 1946 •English

A colorful travelogue of London's most historic buildings and the residual damage still left from WWII.

The London Nobody Knows

December 1968 •English

Based on Geoffrey Fletcher’s book, this captivating documentary exposes the real London of the swinging sixties. Turning its back on familiar sights, the film explores the hidden details of a crumbling metropolis. With James Mason as our Guide, we are led on an tour of the weird and wonderful pockets of London from abandoned music-halls to egg breaking factories.

The First World War

November 1934 •English

Produced by the Fox Movietone News arm of Fox Film Corporation and based on the book by Lawrence Stallings, this expanded newsreel, using stock-and-archive footage, tells the story of World War I from inception to conclusion. Alternating with scenes of trench warfare and intimate glimpses of European royalty at home, and scenes of conflict at sea combined with sequences of films from the secret archives of many of the involved nations.

AGFA Mystery Mixtape #2: Later in L.A.

April 2020 •English

Unleashed from the video vaults of the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #2: LATER IN L.A. is a brand new compilation of the most electrifying found footage mayhem that you’ll see this week. For our second tape, we’ve returned to the hallowed halls of “behind the scenes” horror for another hour-long joyride of F-U-N. Thank you for your incredible support during these difficult times. And remember: “Do what your spirit tells you.”

Cinema Now

April 2022 •English

A fragmented collection of independent closed cinemas, in London during lockdown, captured on Super 8mm film.

Freddie Mercury: The Untold Story

December 2000 •English

Freddie Mercury (1946-91) was not just a man with one of the most pure and amazing voices the world has heard, but he was also the lead singer for Queen, the most enthusiastic rock band in history.

The Stairway to Stardom Mixtape

September 2022 •English

Culled from over 15 hours of footage by the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), THE STAIRWAY TO STARDOM MIXTAPE is the definitive presentation of public access TV’s most otherworldly show.

There Were Always Dogs, Never Kids

June 2012 •English

A documentary ode to legendary New York City video store Alan's Alley, where bizarrely arranged movies enticed clientele from cinephile to celebrity to local prison inmate. Charismatic owner Alan Sklar sifts through the nuance of his neon-flickering livelihood, in his store’s last days as a fixture in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.

Punk Girls - Die weibliche Geschichte des britischen Punk

April 2024 •German

London 1976: Between economic crises and the Silver Jubilee, something is brewing in the squats and basement clubs of West London: Punk. A promise, a new beginning. Punk meant self-empowerment, especially for the women in the scene. For the first time, women picked up guitar, bass and drums, formed bands and wrote their own songs.

Tonite Let's All Make Love in London

September 1967 •English

Peter Whitehead’s disjointed Swinging London documentary, subtitled “A Pop Concerto,” comprises a number of different “movements,” each depicting a different theme underscored by music: A early version of Pink Floyd’s “Interstellar Overdrive” plays behind some arty nightclub scenes, while Chris Farlowe’s rendition of the Rolling Stones’ “Out of Time” accompanies a young woman’s description of London nightlife and the vacuousness of her own existence. In another segment, the Marquess of Kensington (Robert Wace) croons the nostalgic “Changing of the Guard” to shots of Buckingham Palace’s changing of the guard, and recording act Vashti are seen at work in the studio. Sandwiched between are clips of Mick Jagger (discussing revolution), Andrew Loog Oldham (discussing his future) – and Julie Christie, Michael Caine, Lee Marvin, and novelist Edna O’Brien (each discussing sex). The best part is footage of the riot that interrupted the Stones’ 1966 Royal Albert Hall concert.

Elizabeth Taylor in London

October 1963 •English

Actress Elizabeth Taylor, who was born in London, England, gives viewers a tour of the city, including her birthplace, the Westminster Bridge, the Houses of Parliament, Battersea Park and an East End church that was damaged in the infamous "blitz" air raids during World War II. She also recites several famous English poems and speeches by notable English figures.

AGFA Mystery Mixtape #4: Follow Your Own Star

July 2020 •English

Unleashed from the video vaults of the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #4: FOLLOW YOUR OWN STAR is a brand new compilation of the most electrifying found footage mayhem that you’ll see this week. For this latest tape, our deep dive into behind-the-scenes horror is complemented by an even deeper dive into television from Dimension X.