The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Kitchen Kaper
The clinking of the milkman doing his daily rounds turns into a moving tale of romance between the contrasting beverages of day and night.
From the collection of:
Overview
This whimsical animation by Wakefield couple Doug and Norah Brear wonderfully shows off the inventiveness of many amateur filmmakers in the 1960s. It was the days when milk was delivered to everyone’s front door, as well as given to all school children, and beer was considered to be “good for you”; and so, what could be more healthy than the marriage of the two?
Doug and Norah Brear made over 60 films between 1960 and 1985. The 1970s saw the start of the decline of milk floats and home deliveries, having to compete with supermarkets selling cheap milk in cartons, and furthered by the deregulation of the British milk industry in 1994. In the 1950s and 60s the Milk Marketing Board had a spate of advertising slogans, including "milk's gotta lotta bottle", written by the jingle king Rod Allen, and "drinka pinta milka day", seen here, memorably mimicked by Tony Hancock. The beer slogan is a variation on ‘Guinness is Good for You’, although the reference is undoubtedly to the famous Mackeson milk stout, who had a cartoon of a beer barrel and a milk urn snuggling up together.
Related
Face to Face Face to Face
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1981 3 mins Location: South Shields
Marking time on a face, a swift, bleak portrait of a man from cradle to grave.
Little Cinders Little Cinders
Amateur film 1952 21 mins Location: Leeds
A magical film in many ways, a fairy tale story using trick photography and with artful and imaginative stop motion animation.
Pipe Dreams Pipe Dreams
Amateur film 1965 3 mins Location: Wakefield
A once common object in many households becomes transformed into a quirky dancing troupe in this simple homespun animation.
For Your Pleasure For Your Pleasure
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1970 4 mins Location: Flatford Mill
An iconic rural scene becomes a protest site for the bitter yet comic vision of prolific amateur animator Derek Phillips
The Battle of Wangapore The Battle of Wangapore
Amateur film 1955 9 mins Silent
Charge into this slick amateur cartoon from the Grasshopper Group which was three years in the making
Plastic Platitudes Plastic Platitudes
Amateur film 1957 4 mins
Specially commended by ‘Amateur Cine World'. Nineteen fifties claymation by Douglas Butcher offering tongue-in-cheek advice for life.
Play Bus Play Bus
Amateur film 1977 4 mins Location: Wakefield
The wheels on the bus go round and round, bringing toys and joys to pre-schoolers in West Yorkshire.
Pipe Dreams Pipe Dreams
Amateur film 1965 3 mins Location: Wakefield
A once common object in many households becomes transformed into a quirky dancing troupe in this simple homespun animation.
Don’t Worry, I'll Manage Don’t Worry, I'll Manage
Amateur film 1964 5 mins Location: Wakefield
A cautionary tale of what happens when a husband is left by his wife to fend for himself; forgetting to put tea in the tea pot for one thing.
What a Way to Go What a Way to Go
Amateur film 1979 5 mins Location: Wakefield
A nightmare scenario of a pauper’s funeral, as well as being buried alive, brought to life in this whimsical tale of a man laid low with flu.
Wakefield, Yorkshire Wakefield, Yorkshire
Travelogue 1955 3 mins Location: Wakefield
John Betjeman whimsically appreciates Wakefield and its people - who "are like their houses, unpretentious and a bit grim on the outside".
Keeper and Kept Keeper and Kept
1972 11 mins Silent Location: Wakefield
Short documentary about how prison officers are trained and the impact this has at Wakefield maximum security prison.
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Luke Bean of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.
New Perspectives: Wings of Desire New Perspectives: Wings of Desire
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Samantha Arnold of Northumbria University offers fresh insight into why Wings of Desire remains essential viewing.
Horace Ové on Pressure Horace Ové on Pressure
Inside Film 2005 36 mins
The acclaimed director discusses his landmark film in this interview from 2005.
Baltimore - Exclusive Q&A Baltimore - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 28 mins
Directors Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor dig deep into their thrilling biopic Baltimore, in discussion with Nadia M Oliva.
Pressure star Herbert Norville on Horace Ové's masterpiece, the first full-length Black British film Pressure star Herbert Norville on Horace Ové's masterpiece, the first full-length Black British film
Inside Film 2023 17 mins
Actor Herbert Norville discusses working with the pioneering filmmaker on his groundbreaking 1975 drama, Pressure.
Horace Ové: Reflecting the People – A Career Retrospective Horace Ové: Reflecting the People – A Career Retrospective
Inside Film 2023 77 mins
An impassioned discussion on the life, work and legacy of the eminent filmmaker Horace Ové, chaired by Samira Ahmed.