John Boorman and Bristol: The Newcomers and Money into Light

Sun, 26 Oct, 2025 at 12:00 pm UTC+00:00

Bristol Megascreen | Bristol

South West Silents
Publisher/HostSouth West Silents
John Boorman and Bristol: The Newcomers and Money into Light
Advertisement
Before John Boorman went to Hollywood to make the neo noir classic Point Blank, he worked in BBC Bristol making documentaries and docudramas. This little known period of his life and work is ripe for rediscovery.
In 1964, Boorman helped launch BBC 2 with a six-part series about Bristol. The Newcomers is a unique view of the city in the mid-1960s at a time of national and international social, cultural, political and economic change. It is centred around the lives of Alison Kennedy, who came to Bristol as a student, and Anthony Smith (ACH Smith), who came to work for the Bristol Post and then Western Daily Press.
They met by chance, married, and Bristol became their home and where they started their family. Many familiar faces from Bristol at the time feature, including playwright Tom Stoppard. But the real star is the city of Bristol itself, including a run-down Clifton.
The series covers, among others, capital punishment, work and housing, docks labour, a dodgy pub, night life (where Stoppard dances the Hippy Hippy Shake at The Glen), NHS and the welfare state, homelessness, an evangelical church in St Paul's, trying to make a living as an artist, crime and policing, what it means to live the good life in Bristol and cities generally. There's fewer cars and a lot more smoking. There's even a brief glimpse of Raghbir Singh, the first Sikh (and non-white) bus conductor to be employed by the Bristol Omnibus Company following the bus boycott in 1963.
Following the screening of the complete The Newcomers, we will show Money Into Light, where Boorman returns to Bristol 25 years on and revisits the places he worked in and filmed.
This is a rare chance to see both films on the cinema screen.
Advertisement

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Bristol Megascreen, Bristol Aquarium, Anchor Road, Bristol, BS1 5TT, United Kingdom

Tickets

Sharing is Caring:

More Events in Bristol

BRISTOL NORTHERN SOUL CLUB CLASSIC NIGHT
Sat, 25 Oct at 08:00 pm BRISTOL NORTHERN SOUL CLUB CLASSIC NIGHT

Eastville Social Club

Vieux Farka Tour\u00e9 in Bristol
Sat, 25 Oct at 08:00 pm Vieux Farka Touré in Bristol

Bristol Beacon

Super D \/\/ Saturday Night Band \/\/ Free Entry \/\/ Baileys Court Inn
Sat, 25 Oct at 09:00 pm Super D // Saturday Night Band // Free Entry // Baileys Court Inn

Baileys Court Inn

Journey to the Ancestors with Cacao sharing - Soul Guidance healing
Sun, 26 Oct at 10:00 am Journey to the Ancestors with Cacao sharing - Soul Guidance healing

Bristol Goddess Temple

Elemental Shadow with Tim Barnes
Sun, 26 Oct at 10:30 am Elemental Shadow with Tim Barnes

The Mount Without

Raver Tots Halloween Party Bristol
Sun, 26 Oct at 04:00 pm Raver Tots Halloween Party Bristol

Trinity Arts Centre

Raver Tots Halloween Party Bristol
Sun, 26 Oct at 04:00 pm Raver Tots Halloween Party Bristol

Trinity Community Arts

Martin Stephenson & The Daintees
Sun, 26 Oct at 07:00 pm Martin Stephenson & The Daintees

Thekla

Spacey Jane Bristol Tickets
Sun, 26 Oct at 07:00 pm Spacey Jane Bristol Tickets

Bristol Beacon

Random Hand + Wonk Unit + Jet8 at The Fleece, Bristol - Sun 26th Oct 2025
Sun, 26 Oct at 07:00 pm Random Hand + Wonk Unit + Jet8 at The Fleece, Bristol - Sun 26th Oct 2025

12 Saint Thomas Street,Bristol,BS1 6JJ,GB

Bristol is Happening!

Never miss your favorite happenings again!

Explore Bristol Events