Back by popular demand, the City of Vancouver Archives presents its fourth annual screening at the Vancity Theatre: Reflecting the City.
Together with local historian Michael Kluckner, we’ve dug out old gems and have discovered new ones too, and we can’t wait to show them on the big screen. Join us on Sunday, November 24th at 2:00 PM as we showcase these latest finds from our moving image collection.
Michael Kluckner will provide historical insight and context for each movie. This screening will also premiere newly digitized holdings and recent acquisitions not yet available in our online database.
We will be showing silent movies and ones with soundtracks. For the silent portions, we are honoured to have again this year pianist Wayne Stewart to provide live musical accompaniment.
Some of the movies were originally recorded on now-obsolete and currently at-risk video formats. It is hard to find functioning or serviceable machines to play these formats, let alone find the parts to fix them. Our digital conservator Sue Bigelow will speak about the archival procedure behind saving the content on these formats.
Come to the screening early! We will be projecting scans of glass plate snipes from the 1920s. Snipes are similar to the advertisements and messages projected at movie theatres today.
As curator, Michael Kluckner will be presenting the screening in five themes:
“Family Abroad” exhibits 1930s home movies of a family based in British Columbia and Hong Kong. “Wartime Summer” features city parks, beaches and recreational pastimes in the 1940s. “Not Quite Haight-Ashbury” reveals a different social landscape during the 1960s and 1970s. “Getting Around” discusses the possibility of rapid transit during the 1970s, and bicycle advocacy in the 1990s. “Almost Yesterday” brings back TV shows and advertisements from a simpler time.
As in previous years, we are expecting the theatre to be sold out. Purchase your ticket early and online by visiting the Vancity Theatre website.
Below is a preview of Reflecting the City: Movies from the City of Vancouver Archives. We hope to see you there!
