Tour de France: Fantastic Films at the Hebden Bridge Picture House
Wednesday, 11 June 2014
As preparations across Yorkshire continue for the largest, most exciting sporting event of the year, the Hebden Bridge Picture House has programmed a series of special films to which will captivate the imagination, bring history to life and reveal the triumphs and tragedy of this much loved sport.
To kick off the selection of classic and iconic films in style the Hebden Bridge Picture House is proud to present Velorama: A Century of the Bicycle rated U, which will be shown on Thursday 19th June. Velorama is a specially-commissioned new feature-length documentary directed by award-winning filmmaker Daisy Asquith. Created using over 100 different titles from the BFI National Archive, it shows a century of the bicycle on film, from the invention of the modern bike to the gruelling pursuit of Le Tour, all set to dreamy electronic music by Bill Nelson. Velorama will take you on an unmissable two-wheeled journey.
A must see for all is the timeless A Boy, A Girl and A Bike rated U, filmed back in 1949 in and around Hebden Bridge, this Picture House favourite's popularity hasn't waned over the years, and will screen as part of the Tour de France celebrations. Love, theft and deception cause havoc in a Yorkshire cycling club. Sam is captain of the club, and happily cycles alongside his fiancée and fellow member, Susie. This is until a passing motorist takes a fancy to her. Added to this, someone has stolen one of their bicycles. Will Sam get the bike and the girl or will he wind up in a spin? With a host of superb actors including John McCallum, Diana Dors, Honor Blackman, Patrick Holt, Diana Dors and Anthony Newley, be sure to make a date for Thursday 26th June.
The finale in our special screens for the Tour de France is Pantani: The Accidental Death of a Cyclist rated 15. The film follows the joys and tribulations of a cycling legend. In 1998 Marco Pantani, the most flamboyant and popular cyclist of his era, won both the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia, a titanic feat of physical and mental endurance that no rider has repeated since. He was a hero to millions, the saviour of cycling following the doping scandals which threatened to destroy the sport. However, less than six years later, aged just 34, he died alone, in a cheap hotel room, from acute cocaine poisoning. He had been an addict for five years. This is the story of the tragic battles fought by the most important Italian cyclist of his generation; man versus mountain, athlete versus addiction, Marco Pantani versus himself, showing on Tuesday 1st and Thursday 3rd July.
And if that's not enough, the weekend of the Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th July, will see the Picture House dedicate its film programme to all things cycling in celebration of Le Tour, as it travels through the town. The programme will include Belleville Rendezvous with live soundtrack by Animat (in collaboration with HBAF) on the 5th July and Bicycle Thieves and Chasing Legends on the 6th July.
For more information about any of the films please contact the Hebden Bridge Picture House on 01422 842807 or visit www.hebdenbridgepicturehouse.co.uk.