Edwardian Insects on Film (2013)

  • NR
  • 03/19/2013 (GB)
  • Documentary
  • 59m

Overview

In 1908, amateur naturalist and pioneering filmmaker Percy Smith stunned early cinema goers with his footage of the juggling fly. Hailed as the father of Natural History film, Smith was a hugely influential visual pioneer, inventing many techniques that are still used today. Being both a genius and an eccentric, we follow his life from his earliest films, to the collapse of his house from his mould experiment to his ultimate suicide. We also meet Natural History icon Sir David Attenborough, who was so amazed by Smith’s films in the 1930s that they inspired him to get into natural history.

John Holdsworth

Director

Cast

Charlie Hamilton James's headshot

Charlie Hamilton James

Self - Presenter
David Attenborough's headshot

David Attenborough

Self
Dr Tim Boon's headshot

Dr Tim Boon

Self - Science Museum, London
David Cleveland's headshot

David Cleveland

Self - Film Archivist
Tim Cockerill's headshot

Tim Cockerill

Self - Entomologist
Bryony Dixon's headshot

Bryony Dixon

Self - Curator, Silent Film, BFI
Jenny Hammerton's headshot

Jenny Hammerton

Self - Film Archivist
Michael Harvey's headshot

Michael Harvey

Self - National Media Museum

Recommendations