Rent Entertaining the Royal Air Force (1959)
1.0 of 5 from 1 ratings
3h 12min
- General info
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- Synopsis:
The Royal Air Force "Astra Gazette" newsreels were made by Pathe in the 1950s to be shown to serving RAF personnel in the RAF's very own Astra Cinemas that were on their air bases all over the world! The surviving editions start with the young Princess Elizabeth taking the place of her sickly father, King George VI at the graduation parade at RAF Cranwell way back in 1951. Most of the Astra Gazettes used a newsy format with short items featuring many young ladies in swim suits to keep the lads happy! But it is the Astra Gazette's 'insider' round up of RAF news stories which afford such a fascinating insight into the RAF of the 1950s and include many of the key service personalities of the time such as Douglas Bader and 'Bob' Stanford Tuck. By 1953, Pathd were filming all the items in full colour such as Ejector Seat Testing, a Sunderland flying boat rescue and the 1955 closure of the famous RAF Fighter Station at Biggin Hill. The reports end with RAF Waddington receiving The Freedom of the City of Lincoln with some stunning shots of the Vulcan in 1959. Film stars of the time also feature heavily including Peter Cushing, Jill Day, Jack Hawkins and Lee Patterson. These surviving "Astra Gazettes" are included here just as they would have been seen by the serving RAF personnel of the 1950s in the RAF's airbase "Astra Cinemas" that they are named after.
Entertaining Newsreels:
1. 1951 Special Edition - Graduation Parade
2. 1951 Astra Gazette Number Eight
3. 1952 Presentation of The King's Colour
4. 1952 Astra Gazette Number Twelve
5. 1952 Astra Gazette Number Thirteen
6. 1953 Astra Gazette Number Nineteen
7. 1953 Astra Coronation Review - Special Edition
8. 1953 RAF Halton Queen's Colour Presentation
9. 1953 Astra Gazette Colour Collection
10. 1955 Astra Gazette in Colour
11. 1955 Astra Gazette - Biggin Hill Closes
12. 1956 Astra Gazette in Colour - Return to Biggin Hill
13. 1957 Rubber Masks - Turko Bath - Sunderland Rescue
14. 1958 Kat on Trial - Chimps Boxing - Dog Champs
15. 1958 Pylon Men - Car Museum - Peter Cushing
16. 1958 Emet's Ideal Home - Scooter Jousting
17. 1958 Motoring Inn - Old Cricket - Spaghetti Contest -Mushroom Farm with 'Bob' Stanford Tuck
18. 1959 Ejector Test - Houseboat Girls - WRAF Horsewoman
19. 1959 RAF Waddington Freedom of The City of Lincoln- Actors:
- Peter Cushing, Jill Day, Jack Hawkins, Lee Patterson, Princess Elizabeth
- Aka:
- Entertaining the RAF: The Astra Gazette Newsreels 1951-1959
- Studio:
- Sfe
- Genres:
- Documentary, Special Interest
