1. Beginnings (Feb 1908 - Aug 1918)

The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906):
The first feature-length film (as we now understand the term)
to be released in the UK.

Most films in this section are listed according to the month they were first trade shown, or when they were first 'made available' to exhibitors, as listed in contemporary trade publications Kinematograph Weekly (KW) (1889-1971) and The Bioscope (1908-32). Where such information has proven elusive, I've listed them by the UK release date. This approach is somewhat scattershot, but I've tried wherever possible to accurately date titles according to their arrival in the UK.

NB. It's highly likely that a small number of titles in this section were announced by the trade press but not subsequently screened in UK cinemas. Where evidence emerges to suggest as much, these titles will be deleted.

Glossary

• 1070 = 10-perf 70mm film.

• 1570 = 15-perf 70mm film.

• 3-channel = 3-channel stereo sound.

• 3-D = Three-dimensional (stereoscopic) film.

• 3D Sound [see: Immersive Sound]

• 4-channel = 4-channel stereo sound.

• 6-channel = 6-channel stereo sound.

• 7-channel - 7-channel stereo sound.

• 70mm Dolby = 4.2-channel stereo sound on 70mm release prints.

• 70mm Dolby 5.1 = 5.1-channel Dolby Stereo on 70mm release prints.

• 70mm Dolby SR = 4.2-channel Dolby Stereo Spectral Recording on 70mm release prints.

• 70mm Dolby SR 5.1 = 5.1-channel Dolby Stereo Spectral Recording on 70mm release prints.

• 70mm Eagle Stereo = 4.2-channel stereo sound. This is simply Ultra-Stereo (qv) with two extra channels of deep bass encoding, used on 70mm prints of Cobra (1986).

• 8-channel = 8-channel stereo sound.

• 870 = 8-perf 70mm film.

• 9-channel = 9-channel stereo sound.

• Arri 765 = 5-perf 65mm spherical film. 5-perf 70mm release prints. Aspect ratio: 2.20:1.

• Auro 11.1 = Immersive sound format which augments an 11.1 sound mix by employing 'layers' of sound (surround, height and ceiling) to create an illusion of three-dimensional sonic realism. Such films will play back in standard 5.1 or 7.1 in cinemas not equipped for Auro rendering.

• AuroMax = Object-based sound format which augments a 22.1 or 26.1 sound mix by employing 'layers' of sound (surround, height and ceiling) to create an illusion of three-dimensional sonic realism. Such films will play back in standard 5.1 or 7.1 in cinemas not equipped for AuroMax rendering.

• Barco Escape = Digital projection format which utilises three scope (2.39:1) screens curved around the front and sides of the cinema auditorium to create an immersive image with a 7.17:1 aspect ratio.

• [BBFC] = British Board of Film Classification. Where this acronym appears in brackets at the end of an entry, it means the item was classified by the BBFC during the month covered by this particular entry. Used when a title cannot be verified using the primary sources employed by this Index.

• bw = Black and white.

• CGS 11.1 = 11.1-channel digital sound used on some early films presented in China Giant Screen.

• CinemaScope 55 = 8-perf 55mm anamorphic film. 6-perf release prints. Aspect ratio: 2.55:1.

• Cinemiracle = Three 6-perf 35mm (spherical) frames projected side by side to create a single seamless image. Aspect ratio: 2.51:1.

• Cinerama = Three 6-perf 35mm (spherical) frames projected side by side on a deeply curved screen to create a single seamless image. Aspect ratio: 2.59:1.

• Cinity = Large Format process which uses 4K laser projection to exhibit films on giant screens at 120 frames per second.

• Cyclophonic = 3-channel stereo sound.

• col = Colour.

• Datasat = (Datasat Digital Sound) 5.1 digital sound. Originally known as DTS (qv).

• Datasat 70mm = 5.1 digital sound for 70mm prints. Originally known as DTS-70 (qv).

• DCP = Digital Cinema Package. Digital version of a film projected in cinemas.

• DEFA 70 = 5-perf 65mm spherical film. 5-perf 70mm release prints. Aspect ratio: 2.20:1.

• Dimension 150 = 5-perf 65mm spherical film. 5-perf 70mm release prints. Aspect ratio: 2.20:1.

• Dolby = (Dolby Stereo) 2-track/4-channel stereo sound.

• Dolby 3.0 = 3.0 digital sound.

• Dolby 3.1 = 3.1 digital sound.

• Dolby 7.1 = (Dolby Surround 7.1) 7.1 digital sound.

• Dolby Atmos = Object-based audio enhancement which employs multiple speakers around and above the audience in suitably-equipped cinemas. This augments a 7.1 or 5.1 soundtrack by allowing each specific audio element to exist within - or travel across - a wider range of additional speakers, thereby creating an illusion of three-dimensional sonic realism. Such films will play back in standard 7.1 or 5.1 in cinemas not equipped for Atmos rendering.

• Dolby Digital = 5.1 digital sound.

• Dolby EX = (Dolby Digital Surround EX) 6.1 digital sound.

• Dolby SR = (Dolby Stereo Spectral Recording) 4-channel stereo sound, with Spectral Recording enhanced dynamic range.

• DTS = (Digital Theater Systems) 5.1 digital sound. Later renamed Datasat Digital Sound (qv).

• DTS-8 = 7.1 digital sound.

• DTS-70 = 5.1 digital sound for 70mm prints. Subsequently renamed Datasat 70mm (qv).

• DTS-ES = 6.1 digital sound.

• DTS Stereo = 2-track/4-channel stereo sound.

• DTS:X = Object-based audio enhancement which employs multiple speakers around and above the audience in suitably-equipped cinemas. This allows each specific audio element to exist within - or travel across - a wider range of speakers, thereby creating an illusion of three-dimensional sonic realism. Such films will play back in standard 7.1 or 5.1 in cinemas not equipped for DTS:X rendering.

• Duo-Vision = 4-perf 35mm anamorphic film. Two 1.37:1-shaped images (showing different angles of the same scene) configured side by side on the wide 2.35:1 frame (2.39:1 projection).

• eps = episodes.

• Fantasound = 3-channel stereo sound. The entire soundtrack could also be re-routed to rear channels at strategic points, creating the illusion of surround sound.

• fps = Frames-per-second.

• Grandeur = 4-perf 70mm spherical film. Aspect ratio: 2.13:1.

• Hi-Fi Stereo 70 = 3-D format in which the separate left-right images are placed adjacent to one another in the space normally occupied by a single 5-perf 65mm frame and subjected to an anamorphic squeeze, yielding a 2.20:1 aspect ratio. Release prints configured in 5-perf 70mm. Also known as Stereovision 70, Triarama and Super Cinema 3-D.

• HoloSound = Object-based audio technology, similar to Dolby Atmos (qv) and DTS:X (qv), which supports up to 256 speakers, located above, around and below the audience.

• Hypergonar = Widescreen format. 4-perf 35mm anamorphic. Aspect ratio: 2.66:1.

• Illusion-O = Involves the use of glasses with coloured filters, through which patrons of the 1960 film13 Ghosts could choose whether or not to view ghostly on-screen figures. Sometimes erroneously credited as a 3-D process.

• IMAX = 15-perf 65mm spherical film. 15-perf 70mm release prints. Aspect ratio: 1.44:1 (though it can accommodate a variety of ratios within its massive frame).

• IMAX 6-track = 6-channel audio, plus sub-bass, used in IMAX and IMAX Digital presentations.

• IMAX 12-track = 12-channel audio, plus sub-bass, with 2 additional side channels and 4 more in the ceiling. Used in IMAX Laser presentations.

• Immersive Sound = Object-based audio format, similar to Dolby Atmos (qv), with multiple speakers above and around the audience for an immersive experience. Also known as 3D Sound.

• Infrasound = 4-channel stereo sound.

• Kinopanorama = Three 6-perf 35mm (spherical) frames projected side by side to create a single seamless image. Aspect ratio: 2.59:1.

• Kinopanorama 70 = 5-perf 70mm spherical film. Aspect ratio: 2.55:1.

• Klangfilm-Stereocord = 4-channel stereo sound.

• [KW] = Film reviewed in Kine Weekly during the month in which the entry is first listed. Used when a title cannot be verified using any of the primary sources employed by this Index.

• Large Format = Films projected onto giant screens  with laser or digital technologies, such as IMAX Digital, IMAX With Laser and China Giant Screen. These processes are very different from genuine Large Format productions shot on 70mm film, despite insistence to the contrary from their respective developers, and result in a much less immersive theatrical presentation.

• (LF) = Large Format. Where this icon appears just before a film's country of origin, it signifies an item shot with either 1570 film or similarly-sized ultra-HD digital cameras, optimised during production for exhibition in IMAX and other Giant Screen venues.

• Magnascope = Process used on some films during the 1920's and early 1930's, in which the Academy-ratio screen was 'opened up' via magnification to around four times the size of 'regular' screens. The effect could be used on any film, but was reserved for visually spectacular sequences in high profile releases. No feature film appears to have utilised the process thoughout its entire running time.

• Magnifilm = 5-perf 65mm spherical film. Aspect ratio: 2.05:1.

• MegaSound = Deep bass audio enhancement.

• [MFB] = Film reviewed in the Monthly Film Bulletin during the month in which the entry is first listed. Used when a title cannot be verified using any of the primary sources employed by this Index.

• MGM Camera 65 = 5-perf 65mm anamorphic film. 5-perf 70mm release prints. Aspect ratio: 2.76:1. Few - if any - films shot in this format were ever screened at the full 2.76:1 ratio for practical reasons, and studio MGM (which had developed the process) declared the optimal aspect ratio to be 2.55:1. However, most films shot in this format are now reproduced on home video at the full 2.76:1 ratio, so both screen shapes are technically 'correct'. Subsequently renamed Ultra Panavision 70 (qv).

• (music score) = Silent film with synchronised music score.

• (music / sound fx) = Silent film with synchronised music and sound effects.

• [NL] = No listing. Refers to films which are known to have been released in the UK, but which aren't listed in any of the primary sources employed by this Index.

• Panascope = Widescreen photographic format. 4-perf 35mm anamorphic. Aspect ratio: 2.00:1.

• Panavision Super 70 = 5-perf 65mm spherical film. 5-perf 70mm release prints. Aspect ratio: 2.20:1. Also known as Panavision System 70.

• Panoramico Alberini = 5-perf 70mm spherical. Aspect ratio: 2.52:1. Some sources list the format as simply 'Panoramico', but the exact name has yet to be confirmed.

• (part talkie) = Silent film with dialogue, narration and/or songs in some scenes. Also includes music and/or sound effects.

• Perspecta Sound = 3-channel directional sound format which employed sub-audible tones on otherwise mono soundtracks. This had the effect of 'directing' the entire mono track into the left, centre and/or right speaker - or any combination of all three! - depending on the on-screen action. Though not a 'true' stereophonic format, it still provided a very effective alternative.

• Polyvision = Three 4-perf 35mm spherical images projected side by side to create a single seamless image. Aspect ratio: 4.00:1.

• Q Sound = Audio enhancement which pans various effects across the soundstage, creating the illusion of three-dimensional sound.

• Quadraphonic Sound = 4-channel stereo sound.

• Quintaphonic Sound = 5-channel stereo sound.

• [S&S] = Film reviewed in Sight & Sound during the month in which the entry is first listed. Used when a title cannot be verified using any of the primary sources employed by this Index.

• scope = Film with a projected aspect ratio of 2.35:1 (prior to 1971) or 2.39:1 (1971 onwards). A small number of scope movies were shot and projected at 2.55:1 and this is noted in parentheses - ie. '(scope [2.55:1])' - where relevant.

• ScreenX = Immersive format in which three screens traverse the entire length of the front and sides of the cinema auditorium, creating a single 270-degree image.

• SDDS = (Sony Dynamic Digital Sound) 5.1 digital sound.

• SDDS-8 = 7.1 digital sound.

• Sensurround = Extreme low-frequency sound effect.

• seq = sequence(s).

• silent = Silent film.

• Sound 360 = 4-channel stereo sound format employed on the film Damnation Alley (1977), which basically relocated the front-left and -right speakers to the sides of the auditorium and cranked up the volume, making for an aggressive surround experience.

• Sovscope 70 = 5-perf 70mm spherical film. Aspect ratio: 2.20:1.

• StereoSonic = 4-channel stereo sound.

• Stereovision 70 = 3-D format in which the separate left-right images are placed adjacent to one another in the space normally occupied by a single 5-perf 65mm frame and subjected to an anamorphic squeeze, yielding a 2.20:1 aspect ratio. Release prints configured in 5-perf 70mm. Also known as Hi-Fi Stereo 70, Triarama and Super Cinema 3-D. Not to be confused with the later StereoVision 70 format, which yielded a 1.37:1 projectable image.

• Super Panavision 70 = 5-perf 65mm spherical film. 5-perf 70mm release prints. Aspect ratio: 2.20:1. Some of the earliest films shot in this format are credited on-screen as 'Panavision 70'.

• Superpanorama 70 = 5-perf 65mm spherical film. 5-perf 70mm release prints. Aspect ratio: 2.20:1. Sometimes listed as MCS Superpanorama 70 or MCS-70.

• Superscope = Widescreen photographic format. 2.00:1 image optically extracted from full aperture / Academy frame (1.37:1), printed 4-perf 35mm anamorphic.

• Super Technirama 70 = Not a 65mm origination format, despite appearances to the contrary! Such films were shot in 'standard' Technirama (8-perf 35mm anamorphic), rendering a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. A 2.20:1 portion of the image was subsequently extracted and 'unsqueezed' before being printed in 5-perf 70mm spherical. The results were billed as 'Super Technirama 70', though some early titles credit nothing more than 'Technirama 70' on-screen.

• Technirama = 8-perf 35mm anamorphic film. Aspect ratio: 2.35:1.

• Todd-AO = 5-perf 65mm spherical film. 5-perf 70mm release prints. Aspect ratio: 2.20:1. The first two films to use the format - Around the World in Eighty Days (1956) and Oklahoma! (1956) - were filmed at 30 frames per second, but for technical resons, all subsequent Todd-AO films were shot at 24fps.

• Todd-70 = 5-perf 65mm spherical film. 5-perf 70mm release prints. Aspect ratio: 2.20:1.

• [trade] = This indicates a trade show UK premiere. Used when a film cannot be verified using the primary sources employed by this Index.

• Triarama = 3-D format in which the separate left-right images are placed adjacent to one another in the space normally occupied by a single 5-perf 65mm frame and subjected to an anamorphic squeeze, yielding a 2.20:1 aspect ratio. Release prints configured in 5-perf 70mm. Also known as Hi-Fi Stereo 70, Stereovision 70 and Super Cinema 3-D.

• (TVM) = TV movie.

• [UKR] = UK release date. When this appears at the end of the entry, it signifies that the film was released during the month covered by that particular entry. Used when a title cannot be verified using the primary sources employed by this Index.

• Ultra Panavision 70 = 5-perf 65mm anamorphic film. 5-perf 70mm release prints. Aspect ratio: 2.76:1. Few - if any - films shot in this format were ever screened at the full 2.76:1 ratio for practical reasons, and studio MGM (which had developed the process) declared the optimal aspect ratio to be 2.55:1. However, most films shot in this format are now reproduced on home video at the full 2.76:1 ratio, so both screen shapes are technically 'correct'. Originally known as MGM Camera 65 (qv).

• Ultra-Stereo = 2-track/4-channel stereo sound.

• Vistasonic = 4-channel stereo sound.

• VistaVision = 8-perf 35mm spherical film. The primary aspect ratio was 1.85:1, though films shot in VistaVision could be projected in any ratio between 1.66:1 and 2.00:1.

• Vitascope = 5-perf 65mm spherical film. Aspect ratio: 2.05:1.

• Vitasound = Short-lived experimental sound system in which a mono soundtrack was spread across three speakers (left-centre-right), traversing the entire width of the screen area. Allied to greater dynamic range, this offered a wider soundstage for music and effects than 'regular' mono tracks.

• WANOS = Object-based audio format, similar to Dolby Atmos (qv).

• WarnerPhonic Sound = 4-channel stereo sound.

• (X) = Softcore sex film with extensive nudity and/or simulated sexual activity. This also includes 'nudist' films, the vast majority of which were exploitation masquerading as 'factual' items.

• (XX) = Films outside the 'sex' category which include a small amount - relative to their running time - of unsimulated sexual activity as backdrop to a wider dramatic narrative.

• (XXX) = Hardcore sex film with extensive nudity and unsimulated sexual activity. Be aware that prior to the year 2000, such material was illegal in this country, and these films would have been extensively cut prior to release in the UK.

Updated 27 Sep 2024.

How to use the Index

All feature-length films are included in this Index, regardless of subject matter or narrative - scripted or not, dramatic, documentary, serial or experimental.

Items are included if they meet the following criteria:

• The film's running time is 40 minutes or longer. Silent films must be 4 reels (3500ft) or longer.

• The film has been commercially exhibited to a paying audience, even those items which might have played in a single cinema on a single day for one performance only.

• The film is English-friendly (native, dubbed or subtitled). Exceptions are made for entries where spoken dialogue isn't necessary for audiences to understand the narrative.

Films are listed alphabetically within each month, according to the schedule listed below, with each separate month given a blog entry of its own.

Primary sources for this Index are as follows:

1. Feb 1908 - Aug 1918
Most films in this section are listed according to the month they were first trade shown in London, or when they were first 'made available' to exhibitors, as listed in contemporary trade publications Kinematograph Weekly (KW) (1889-1971) and The Bioscope (1908-32). KW began listing trade screenings in Aug 1914. Where such information has proven elusive, I've listed them by the UK release date. This approach is somewhat scattershot, but I've tried wherever possible to accurately date titles according to their arrival in the UK.

2. Sep 1918 - Dec 1927
Again, most films in this section are listed monthly according to the dates they were first trade shown in London, according to KW. A small number of titles may have been screened earlier in other cities, but not so long before/after to make much of a difference. All other entries are listed according to the month they were first reviewed in KW. Adjustments have been made for those instances where so many films were being released at any one time, some reviews had to be held over for future issues. The Index restores those reviews to the month where they would have been reviewed if space had allowed them to be published when originally intended. The vast majority of reviews during this period were published shortly after their first trade show screening, rather than the date of commercial release. A small number of titles which appear to have been missed by KW are listed according to the month of their release date.

3. Jan 1928 - May 1985
During this period, all films - shorts, features and serials - were registered with the UK Board of Trade. This was a legal requirement, as per the Cinematograph Films Act (1927-85), and constitutes the most complete record of commercial cinema in UK film history. All feature length items from this register are provided here, month by month, as they were originally recorded. (NB. It should be noted, however, that dozens of documentary features were not registered during this period, including high profile items like This is Cinerama [1952]. Many of these inexplicable omissions were reviewed in contemporary trade papers, and I've striven to plug any gaps in the original register).

4. Jun 1985 - Sep 2004
Review section of Monthly Film Bulletin and Sight & Sound. Not the most reliable resources, since both publications had a habit of excluding random titles, despite their unearned reputation as 'journals of record'. Again, I've tried plugging the gaps as much as possible, but if I've missed anything, let me know via the comments section. All corrections and additions will be warmly welcomed! (UPDATE - July 2024) At some point, this section will be revised to place the films released during this period in the month when they were first passed by the BBFC. This is much more accurate and timely than the two publications listed above. It's an ongoing process and will require a major overhaul of the entire section. Bear with me, and it'll happen in due course.

5. Oct 2004 - present
Release listing from the Film Distributors Association (FDA), combined with similar listings from the British Film Institute (BFI) and the British Association for Screen Entertainment (BASE, formerly the British Video Association [BVA]). These are the most complete and accurate records of recent UK cinema releases and brings this particular Index completely up to date.

Though the vast majority of titles have been properly identified and catalogued, there are many entries - particularly from the silent era - whose origins remain defiantly unknown. The info provided by contemporary sources lacks enough detail to check such items against modern references, which means their identities are lost to the mists of time. Should anyone be able to identify these entries (all of which are marked as '[unidentified]'), please let me know and I'll adjust them accordingly. All such help will be properly acknowledged here in the Introduction.

The information given for each title is fairly self-explanatory, but here's a quick rundown:

• UK release title. All films are listed under the title they were given at the time of their first UK release. Where they differ from the original (eg. a US film whose title was changed for UK release), the original is given in parentheses (and italics) directly afterward. Where the US title differs from the UK and/or original title, that is also given directly afterward. All English titles are cross-referenced within each blog entry. Be aware that some titles reflect the times in which they were produced, and contain words and phrases that may cause offence. They are reproduced here verbatim, for the historical record.

NB. Many of the films listed herein were reissued (theatrically, or on TV and/or video) under a variety of alternate titles. For the sake of brevity, none of those alternates are included here.

NBB. Titles are arranged alphabetically on a letter-by-letter basis (ie. It Can't Last Forever before I Thank a Fool, etc.). Definite and indefinite articles ('the', 'an', etc.) are ignored, and the same goes for non-English titles ('la', 'gli', 'ang', etc.). Exceptions include place and character names, and films where the article forms an integral part of the title (eg. Les Girls). Numbers are treated as though spelled out, except in the case of films which begin with a number (ie. 2001: A Space Odyssey), all of which are listed separately in ascending numerical order. The likes of 'Dr.' and 'Mr.' are treated as spelled, which means they're placed differently than 'Doctor' and 'Mister'. If your favourite title seems to be missing, look for it under the different spellings.

• Country of origin. Most are given as abbreviations ('Sp' for Spain, 'Fr' for France, etc.), though I've striven to make them as obvious as possible.

• Copyright year. Where possible, the on-screen copyright year is given. May differ from year of release.

• Colour (col) and/or black and white (bw). All films are in colour unless otherwise noted. Though listed as black and white, many silent films featured extensive tinting and/or toned sequences. This practice became commonplace, but the films were still 'essentially' black and white in nature.

• Screen format. 3-D, Todd-AO, Ultra Panavision 70, etc. Any film with an aspect ratio wider than 2.00:1 is noted. All films with a 2.35:1 (pre-1971) or 2.39:1 (1971 onwards) ratio are given as 'scope'. Some scope films have a different ratio (2.55:1, for example), and this is noted in the relevant entries.

NB. Where no ratio is noted, most films are framed as follows:

• 1.33:1 (silent films and those originated on 16mm)

• 1.20:1 (some early sound films, between 1927 and 1932)
• 1.37:1 (following the introduction of sound-on-film)
• 1.66:1 (international standard from 1953 onwards, championed in Europe)
• 1.75:1 (international standard from 1953 onwards, championed in UK and Europe)
• 1.85:1 (international standard from 1953 onwards, championed in the US)

• 2.00:1 (international standard, championed worldwide in recent years following the near-universal adoption of digital image capture)

For details of each of the screen formats listed in the Index, please refer to our super-helpful (we hope!) glossary.

NBB. Be aware that not all 3-D films will have played in stereoscopic format in all markets, including the UK and US, at the time of initial release. Similarly, some scope films will only be available in ancillary markets (TV, video, streaming) in cropped 16:9 (or 4:3) versions, for a variety of reasons. The Index lists these films as they were meant to be seen, which allows users to make an informed choice about whatever version is subsequently available to them.

• Sound format. Silent films and multichannel audio formats (4-channel, Dolby, DTS, etc.) are noted in parentheses. Where no sound format is given, the film was released with a mono soundtrack. Again, please refer to the glossary for details of the various formats.

NB. Please note that some films were released in multiple formats (35mm, 70mm, IMAX, etc.) and were exhibited with different soundtracks, depending on the venue. For instance, 70mm release prints from the 1950s and 60s would have 6-channel audio in first-run cinemas, while their 35mm counterparts would be either 4-channel or mono. In such instances, only the 6-channel track is noted in the Index, because that's the primary audio format. Similarly, with newer films, the DCP version might contain a Dolby Atmos track along with a Dolby Digital (5.1) version for cinemas not equipped for Atmos, though only the former is noted here. Some films may have a Dolby SR track along with SDDS, but only the latter is noted because - again - that's the primary track. And where IMAX films are screened in both Laser and Digital versions, be aware that the former has 12-channel sound, the latter is 6-channel. Only the former is noted, because that's the primary audio track for that particular version.

Examples, using all the particulars noted above:

• Avengers Assemble (The Avengers) (USA - 2012) (3-D) (Dolby 7.1 / IMAX 6-track)
• Carry On Cleo (UK - 1964)
• Dracula /USA: Horror of Dracula (UK - 1958)
• The Robe (USA - 1953) (scope) [2.55:1] (4-channel)
• Wang Yu's 7 Magnificent Fights (Seaman No. 7) (海員七號) /USA: The 7 Magnificent Fights (HK - 1973) (scope)

Excluded items:

• Film series' in which each short episode comprises a self-contained storyline. Only serials which tell a single continuous story are included.

• Live performances broadcast to cinemas as they happen.

• Festival screenings.

Updated 24 Aug 2024.

Introduction

This index is dedicated to the memory of

Martin Barker

(1946 - 2022)

Long-standing anti-censorship and anti-racism campaigner

who taught me so much about the value of critical thinking in the

area of film and video. A remarkable man, who will be much missed.

This is an attempt to index every commercial feature film / serial / documentary screened theatrically in the UK from the dawn of silent cinema to the 21st century. The final tally represents almost 55,000 separate items, listed concisely within the time period of their original exhibition.

Each entry covers one month's worth of releases, beginning in February 1908, when the UK cinema trade secured its very first 'feature' film (The Story of the Kelly Gang). The vast majority of releases at this time were short items, so the novelty value of such a film cannot be overestimated. Similar 'novelties' were relatively rare until around 1912, when the number of features began to rise exponentially. By 1915, the trade in long-form productions was an established fact across the entire world, unleashing a flood of creativity that continues unabated to this very day.

For each entry, I've included details which give some idea of how the films are meant to look and sound. This is important because film is an audiovisual medium, and readers should be aware of how individual items are supposed to be viewed. For example, if the film was originally in 3-D and scope dimensions (2.39:1 aspect ratio), with Dolby Atmos sound, then a TV/video/streaming presentation which abandons 3-D for 2-D and crops the image to 16:9 (or 4:3), along with mono sound, is going to be a very different experience from the one that was originally intended!

As such, anyone who follows the blog will see the way technology changes the industry from one year to the next. Virtually all films from the early days until the 1920's are black and white and silent. Then slowly, inevitably, sound begins to creep into the mix, along with an increased use of colour. After the talkies arrive, things settle for a while, interrupted only briefly by some daring experimentations with wide gauge film (scuppered by the Depression and some bad-tempered bloke with a loud mouth and silly moustache) and a surprising dip into multi-channel audio (Fantasia), before cinema tech really ramped up the novelty value during the 1950's (Cinerama! 3-D! CinemaScope! Todd-AO!). Audiences have been reaping the rewards of those advances ever since.

But if you just want a record of what's been playing at 'the pictures' at any point in British film history, it's all here: The great and the good, the ghastly and the grim.

I'd like to think the Index is complete, but even the most diligent researcher can make mistakes on a project of this size and scope. If I've missed any titles, let me know and I'll be more than happy to correct the record.

All that being said, I'm acutely aware that any such Index - no matter how comprehensive - can only cover part of the story of film distribution in the UK. Since the late 1970's, thousands of films have bypassed cinemas altogether and debuted instead on home video and streaming platforms. I would dearly love to have included such entries here, but without access to precise details surrounding titles and release dates, it simply hasn't been possible. I can only hope that someone equally obsessive will have gathered such information with a view to publishing it in due course.

Concurrent with the blog, I'm also compiling an alphabetized version of the entire Index which includes alternate titles, running times, director and sequels, etc. Entries in that version look like this:

Carry On Cleo

(aka: Caligula's Funniest Home Videos)

UK - 1964 - 92m - col

Warner-Pathé / Anglo-Amalgamated (A) (cut)

D: Gerald Thomas

Series: Carry On Sergeant (1958).

Mono / 1.75:1

Jun 1969

Night of the Demon

(USA: Curse of the Demon)

UK - 1957 - 95m - bw

Columbia (X) (cut)

D: Jacques Tourneur

US release print: 82 mins.

Mono / 1.75:1

Nov 1957

Superman

USA - 1978 - 143m - col / Panavision

Columbia-EMI-Warner (A)

D: Richard Donner

Prints: 35mm / 70mm

Followed by: Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983), Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) / 70mm Dolby 5.1 / 2.39:1 / Dec 1978

Should any publisher be interested in looking at this particular document, with a view to publication, please let me know via the comments section.

For now, this is the complete record of feature-length theatrical releases in the UK. From the sublime to the ridiculous, the lofty to the low - all cinematic life is here.

Enjoy!