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Canterbury is a Hundred
Short Film (Full Length) – 1950
This booster's gem was produced by the NFU to mark Canterbury's centennial. The original Canterbury crusaders' dream of a model England colony is shown in settler life re-enactments. The importance of meat and wheat to the region's prosperity is extolled and a progressive narrative — "in one brief century they've turned the wilderness into fertile farms and built their red-roofed homes" — underpins contemporary scenes (cricket, church) and much bucolic (plains, alps) scenery. Trivia: Peter Jackson used an excerpt from the film to open Heavenly Creatures.
Carefully picked from all ranks of English these were the model settlers for the model colony ... whether capitalist or artisan squire or labourer life in Canterbury began in a V hut.– from the narration
Key Cast & Crew
See all 7 credits
Acknowledgements
Archives New Zealand copy reference 550,003
16mm motion picture film
Music
Music composed by Anthony Noorts, played by the Alex. Lindsay Orchestra
Categories
More Information
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