Stillwells production values

Episode Four; A new display

He was always on the hunt for something more obscure. This might lead him to do research into the origins of the subject matter. That might then change the whole concept he would then endeavour to create. This past week he had been hunting down some old films that had been the collaborations between two cinema greats. Two men, who formed a partnership that went on to make nineteen films over the next eighteen years, between 1939 and eventually, after reuniting, 1972.

This pair adopted a joint writer-producer-director credit. They sounded to Stillwell like a wonderful duo of mavericks, not working under or beholden to any studio or other producers. Further reading revealed they had their own company called ‘The Archers,’ with a five-point plan or manifesto, which set out how they achieved their goals, the first of these being their aim for independence in their film making.

They were quick to form a band of regular cast and crew members, as they developed and produced films. They were able to see who they worked well with and who enjoyed working with them. During World War Two they released a series of highly acclaimed films; ‘One of our aircraft is missing (1942), ‘The life and death of Colonel Blimp’ (1943), ‘A Canterbury Tale’ (1944) and ‘A Matter of life and death’ (1946). This had been the starting point for all the research. It was a personal favourite of Stillwell, and he knew he had a 4K restoration copy somewhere, that was how the idea for this display got started.

Stillwell read that the success of this film was how it tapped into so many people’s experiences of the loss of a loved one and offered a sort of consolation. Stillwell found the film fascinating. The use of colour for the present or real world, changing to a ghostly black and white for the ‘other world.’ He had re watched it recently and learned from some of the notes that came with the film that in the United States it had been released as ‘Stairway to Heaven’ on Christmas Day 1946.

A New York critic wrote, “the delicate charm, the adult humour and the virtuosity of this film render it indisputably the best of a batch of Christmas Shows. The wit and agility of the producers, who also wrote and directed the picture, give it a range through the film in countless delightful ways.” Stillwell read on. “The use of Technicolor to photograph the earthly scenes and sepia in which to vision the hygienic regions of the beyond, so that the heavenly messenger, descending, is prompted to remark, ‘Ah, how one is starved for Technicolor up there.’

Stillwell was a keen observer of the main star, David Niven and had also had thoughts about centring a display around the versatile English actor, but he felt the body of work assembled by the partnership of The Archers a more obscure and interesting subject. There was now the question of which other films he could find. He went into his stock room and began his search. Several hours later he appeared back at his desk with a pile of DVD and Blu-ray films, which he began to check and tap on to a new spreadsheet on his computer. They were (in no particular order).

One of our aircraft is missing. (1942). Stillwell had a 2014 DVD copy he had found at a Royal British Legion jumble sale.

A Canterbury Tale (1944). A single copy was in with a box of other war films. He had two DVDs of the film, fully restored by the British Film Institute in the 1970’s.

A Matter of life and Death. (1946). This had been the first film found, that had led to the research and creation of a collection. He has four copies of the 4K restoration from 2018.

Black Narcissus, released originally in 1947; he had found a 2002 DVD copy.

The Red Shoes (1947). Stillwell had ordered a 2021 4K restoration but had a 2010 Blu-ray version available within his inventory.

Online he was able to find an eleven-film boxed set of ‘The Archers’ films. He was astounded at the price and promptly ordered five copies.

He considered returning to his original idea and just use ‘A Matter of life and death,’ but decided to go with the five films, plus the boxed sets and see if he could order any additional films when he ordered some original posters.

He sent out several emails to his fellow film aficionados in search of a title called ‘The Tales of Hoffman.’ Not a particularly well-known film and one that fared poorly when released. Some background reading discovered that it was a particular favourite of the American /Canadian director George A. Romero (Known as a pioneer of the horror film genre and in particular Zombie films). Stillwell considered that reason enough to try and obtain a copy. He had been fascinated to read that Romero had stated that this film was the movie that made him want to make movies.

Stillwell mentally filed all these little snippets away. He loved discussion about film and tiny and insignificant anecdotes like this always came in handy when speaking to a customer or just in general conversation. Nothing better than sharing his knowledge.

Returning to the display and it was now the intention to use ‘A Matter of Life and Death’ as the foundation, around which to build his collection. He spent many hours reading and trying to understand the artistic and ‘The Archers’ film eccentricities and flair for the melodramatic. Stillwell wanted to make his new offering accessible to his customers, so mindful of his research he chose to suggest an order in which the films might be watched, to fully appreciate the genius of this movie partnership. The perceived wisdom was that ‘A Matter of Life and Death’ should be first.

A week or so later he had all the paraphernalia he had ordered for the display. On the day he set it all up and flipped the sign on the door to open it was almost 11am. As he resumed his customary position on the high stool by the sales counter the door opened and in strolled one of his regulars.

The female was an infrequent visitor to the emporium, but he knew from experience that she was discerning and knowledgeable about film. It was individuals like this that kept Stillwell in business and always to be searching for something special to decorate his display area. By any account, the lady was ordinary, with her mousy brown hair tied back, her face dominated by a pair of wire rimmed glasses. She wore an unremarkable dark blue jacket, over a white shirt and a pair of slightly baggy jeans over her thin frame. A pair of scruffy baseball type shoes completed the ensemble. Stillwell calculated that she had been to his store on six previous occasions, and he knew each time she had bought from his stock.

He knew better than to approach or initiate conversation with this client, instead wait for her to study a section of merchandise and then for her to break the silence between them. He watched over the top of his own spectacles as she wove an uneven path between the racks, eventually to stand in front of the brand-new display. He watched as she read his descriptions and leaned in to scrutinise a particular box. He liked the fact that she did not pick any of the boxes up, so annoying when that happened, to leave him the task of wiping all the sweaty prints from the glossy covers. No, she was a pleasure to deal with, someone who was appreciative of his work.

She continued to analyse the display and Stillwell found himself too distracted to write in his notebook, as she stepped back to gaze at the posters that formed the backdrop of his new creation. After another minute of quiet contemplation, she walked slowly up to the counter.

“Good morning, I am sorry to bother you, but again you have produced another quite remarkable and interesting display. How do you dream up these new themes each month?” She spoke with a soft cultured voice with no hint of an accent.

“In this instance it was additional research after the initial idea to use the David Niven film you were studying. It is a film with which you are familiar?” a tentative question, hoping that the answer would be positive.

“A Matter of Life and Death! Yes, I am aware of it, although it is some years since I saw it. You have opened a whole world of titles I am not familiar with, linking the films with the two men, whose creative genius together, made all this work. I know so little about them,” a perfect response and Stillwell smiled as he closed his notebook, removed his glasses, and began to talk to his customer.