Screening London - The GLC Film Viewing Board

Join this lunchtime talk to hear what 27 boxes of archived files can tell us about the cinematic & cultural history of the mid-20th century.

Among the sprawling archive of the former Greater London Council held by The London Archives are 27 boxes of Film Viewing Board Files (catalogue reference GLC/DG/EL/01). These are records of film censorship from 1922 to 1985.

The files do not cover every film released in this period, but their variety is impressive. The files include folders on seminal works of early cinema 'The Cabinet of Dr Caligari', cult classic 'The Killing of Sister George', blasphemous film 'The Life of Brian', films banned by their own directors such as 'A Clockwork Orange', and the scariest film ever made, The Exorcist.

This illustrated talk explores what this rich series of records of film censorship tells us about the cinematic and cultural history of the mid-20th century.

What to expect

• The talk will last approximately 45-50 minutes followed by Q&A.

IMPORTANT: This talk will be taking place in-person only at The London Archives.