Canterbury is a Hundred

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

Oxley Hughan

Director, Editor, Writer

Cyril Morton

Producer

Don Donaldson

Narrator

Anthony Noorts

Composer

Brian Brake

Camera