Super 8 amateur film CORNWALL STOCK CAR RACING SCOTLAND

A lengthy, beautiful home movie reel covering both ends of the country and both ends of life, Cornwall and Scotland, grandmother and grandchild. a fantastic insight into late 70s/early 80s UK. Watch the eldest grandchild grow before your eyes. Enjoy the old bangers (vintage cars, not grandparents) get smashed up during the stock car races. Take in the rolling, verdant green hills of the many locations captured by the film-maker on their numerous travels. A great film.

BEGINS

Somewhere in the UK

Wide shot of elderly woman on beachfront road.

Gorgeous wide shots of tide coming in.

A sunflower coloured Datsun hatchback. The woman leans against a stone wall with arms folded.

Motel or chalet window. Outside we see a patchwork of fields coating a hillside against the horizon.

The woman in is a cream coloured Mac stepping over rocks as a stream flows by. Husband steps over rocks too. In the foliage behind we briefly glimpse a child in bright, bright red clothing – all very ‘Don’t Look Now’.

Over the shoulder shot, the woman in foreground, shot is out to sea.

Husband walks to camera.

Packing the Datsun car.

Cute child (grandchild?) in bright red dungarees plays in a garage forecourt. Bits of cars are strewn around. Child runs off with a dog’s orange food bowl.

Dad works with drill. Child toddles off. No strict health and safety guidelines for garages back in the late 70s (or is it early 80s).

Child is dumped inside a tower of old tyres. Fantastic image. Gran helps the child escape the rubber jail.

Child stands on old car bonnet with gran nearby.

Two dogs in a makeshift, lean-to kennel. One is an Alsatian, all the rage in the 70s; where are they now.

Child pushes lawn mower; more flouting of health and safety strictures.

Granddad plays ball.

Wide shot of autumnal trees.

Drive through winding road lined by chalets.

Yellow Princess car; son’s?

Back garden: mum and gran in floral sun chairs.

Dad pushes child in go-kart.

Runs around in sweater with no knickers on (child not dad!).

Shot of garden outside chalet – is this a holiday retreat or heir full time home? Gran has a cuppa tea.

Fantastic segment: old bangers stock car racing.

Purple and green no. 242 is bombing around the half-tyre skirted track. Lots of crashes. Let’s hope for a mega pile-up. 114, a cute old Anglia comes off the track.

242 and 232 race it out.

242 has a crumpled bonnet.

241 comes from nowehere to win.

Winning parade. The victorious team is on the back of 241 as it does a lap of honour. Near the back is the Princess owner – the child’s dad. All those hours in the garage obviously paid off.

Gran comes out of her front door. A woman holds a tiny baby for her to look at. Then up to the camera lens. A new grand-child?

Dungaree child, now looks about three years old. Tiny child must be a new sibling

A navy blue Ford van. A white Ford Escort.

Weird, winding street that gran lives on. Lined with this portacabin type chalets in front of a small cliff-like rock face.

Ace shot of bright, sky blue garage doors in a row; gran walks past them.

An old man up to camera, close, drags on a cigarette.

He is with an elderly woman in classic sheepskin slippers in their back garden.

Shot from chalet window onto a huge lake. A sailboat in the distance.

NEW LOCATION?

Interior tourists’ coach. Outside we see electricity pylons, a suspension bridge, a large estuary (?), a ship.

Out of the coach: lots of gulls.

Green hillside.

A harbour speckled with tiny boats.

Ace shot along coach’s aisle, through windscreen as vehicle approaches the suspension bridge head on, we see bridge suspension girders lining the route ahead like an iron clad welcoming party. Side window view, girder after girder sweeps across the frame.

Green hillsides shrouded in mist.

A man-made (?) lake. Lush hills. People take photos.

A statue of four soldiers: “United We Conquer”.

A canal lock. Gorgeous boat, not a barge.

Back on the coach.

Castle ruins. Stone building.

Lovely wide shots.

Water rapids, stream flows past camera at pace, white froth coats the rocks.

A huge brick viaduct in the distance.

Road sign: Aviemore. Coylumbridge. Perth.

More vast landscapes shot from coach.

Bridge over river.

A huge castle in vast grounds.

Boats on a loch.

A stately home on a hill.

Gran waves to camera.

Back garden, back home.

ENDS.

A fantastic, very long (400ft at 18fps), well shot vintage reel. Grab this period cine document while you can. A reel gem of a film.

Super 8. Silent. Colour. 400ft.