NZ On Screen Top 10 for July 2009

In July NZ On Screen launched Snow - a winter collection celebrating the call of New Zealand's mountains. The collection features everything from ski ballet, Middle Earth glaciers and mountain parrots, to polar ice-fishing and the first NZ film to compete for an Oscar. Our Top 10 titles for July are headed by retro ski classics Flare and The Leading Edge. Children's TV icon Play School charts for the first time ("Ready to knock? Turn the lock ...") alongside Commonwealth Games doco Games 74 ("join together ...").

July Top 10

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_Flare - A Ski Trip
NFU Short Film, 1977, Full Length
NZ On Screen's visit to the slopes is led by funky promotional documentary, Flare. Freestyle skiers perform a 'ski ballet' at Mount Hutt, Queenstown and atop Ruapehu. It was directed by one Sam Neill (who would shortly achieve fame as an actor). Check out the 70s snow-styles and beards.

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_The Leading Edge
Feature Film, 1987, Full Length
In this Michael Firth film, a bunch of extreme thrill-seekers throw themselves off volcanoes, glaciers, mountains and into an Iron Man with "get more go" abandon. Notable for its Stuart Drybugh-filmed action sequences, 80s pop soundtrack, and Billy T as a mad pilot.

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_Peter Snell - Athlete
NFU Short, 1964, Full Length
This superbly shot National Film Unit doco tells Peter Snell's story up to just prior to his double-gold triumph at the Tokyo Olympics. That this title is a consistent frontrunner on the NZ On Screen most-viewed chart, is testament to 'Sir Peter's' mana in the international athletics network.

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_Britten Backyard Visionary
Television, 1993, Full Length
The story of maverick motorcycle designer John Britten (described by Guggenheim curator Ultan Guilfoyle as "the New Zealander who stood the world of racing-motorcycle design on its head") continues to connect with motorheads everywhere from Dubai to Dunstan.

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_Trio at the Top
Television, 2001, Full Length
More need-for-speed goodness in this documentary which tells the story of driving legends Bruce McLaren, Denny Hulme, and Chris Amon, the trio of motor-racing Kiwis who topped podiums in the sport's ‘golden age'.

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_Games 74
NFU Film, 1974, Full Length
This chronicle of the Christchurch Commonwealth Games marked one of the National Film Unit's most ambitious productions. Coverage includes famous runs by John Walker and Dick Tayler, and athletes gathering - as the song put it - to “join together” at the closing ceremony.

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_Gloss
Television, 1987, Full length first episode
Yuppies, shoulder-pads, Walkmen, and methode champenoise abound in this cult "glitter-soap". Nostalgia for the 80s continues to draw punters to NZ On Screen to glory in the era's flagbearing TV show.

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_Play School
Television, 1975-1990, Excerpts
Play School was an iconic educational programme for preschool children. The toys (Big Ted, Little Ted, Jemima, Humpty and barefooted Manu) were the stars, and title sequence and music were a call to action beloved by several generations of New Zealanders. Hundreds of Kiwis have turned the lock and re-opened the door in July.

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_Kaikohe Demolition
Film, 2004, Full Length
The far out meets the Far North in director Florian Habicht's documentary tribute to a community of characters drawn together by a desire to demolition derby. Behind the bangs, prangs, and blow-ups, the heart and soul of a small town - Kaikohe - is laid bare.

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_Bred to Win
NFU Short Film, 1968, Full Length
A doco looking at thoroughbred racehorse breeding in NZ; made when racing was a "national sport" and when race day roads were gridlocked with "a congregation whose bible is a racing almanac". The NZ racing community have picked up this doco, featuring many industry icons, such as 1966 Melbourne Cup winner Galilee.

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