Unit Five Seven
Encyclopedia
Unit Five Seven was an independent filmmaking collective formed in 1957 by English filmmaker Michael Grigsby
and a few friends (almost all technicians at Granada Television
in Manchester). Together they produced a handful of short films between 1958 and the mid-1960s. Members of Unit Five Seven included Andrew Hall, Christopher Faulds, Euan Halleron, Eric Harrison, Geoffrey Holmes, Jack Robinson, Michael Sale, Herb Taylor, Ian Thompson, Peter Walker, Claude Whatham
, Elizabeth Ashman, Brian Cosgrove, Maurice Askew, Ian Thompson, Peter Plummer, Ivan Hall and Robert Vas
.
In Grigsby’s own words, the Unit was “trying to take over where Free Cinema
left off”.
Unit Five Seven produced Michael Grigsby’s documentaries Enginemen (1959) and Tomorrow’s Saturday, Canary, a short animated film directed by Brian Cosgrove and Maurice Askew, Dirty Old Town, directed by Ian Thompson and Peter Plummer, The Vanishing Street and Finale, directed by Robert Vas, and Solo, directed by Ivan Hall. The Unit was helped financially by the British Film Institute
's Experimental Film Fund.
Jack Smith, "The Most Exciting Film Making I’ve Seen for Many Months", Amateur Cine World, April 1959, pp.1230-1232
Arthur A. Beels, "Unit Five Seven", New Generation, June 22, 1963, p.2
Michael Grigsby
Michael Grigsby is an English documentary filmmaker.With a filmography spanning six decades and nearly 30 films, Grigsby occupies a unique position in British documentary filmmaking, having witnessed and commented on many of the dramatic changes in British society from the late 1950s through to...
and a few friends (almost all technicians at Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
in Manchester). Together they produced a handful of short films between 1958 and the mid-1960s. Members of Unit Five Seven included Andrew Hall, Christopher Faulds, Euan Halleron, Eric Harrison, Geoffrey Holmes, Jack Robinson, Michael Sale, Herb Taylor, Ian Thompson, Peter Walker, Claude Whatham
Claude Whatham
Claude Whatham was an English Film and television director mainly known for his work on dramas.-Career:...
, Elizabeth Ashman, Brian Cosgrove, Maurice Askew, Ian Thompson, Peter Plummer, Ivan Hall and Robert Vas
Robert Vas
Robert Vas — film director He came to England after the Hungarian uprising in 1956. He was committed to documentary and, after a short period working for the National Coal Board, he went on to make a seminal series of films for the BBC...
.
Free Cinema
Free Cinema was a documentary film movement that emerged in England in the mid-1950s. The term referred to an absence of propagandised intent or deliberate box office appeal. Co-founded by Lindsay Anderson, though he later disdained the 'movement' tag, with Karel Reisz, Tony Richardson and Lorenza...
left off”.
Unit Five Seven produced Michael Grigsby’s documentaries Enginemen (1959) and Tomorrow’s Saturday, Canary, a short animated film directed by Brian Cosgrove and Maurice Askew, Dirty Old Town, directed by Ian Thompson and Peter Plummer, The Vanishing Street and Finale, directed by Robert Vas, and Solo, directed by Ivan Hall. The Unit was helped financially by the British Film Institute
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
's Experimental Film Fund.
Further reading
Philip Crick, "Michael Grigsby and Unit Five Seven", Film, the Quarterly Magazine of the Federation of Film Societies, no38, pp.8-9Jack Smith, "The Most Exciting Film Making I’ve Seen for Many Months", Amateur Cine World, April 1959, pp.1230-1232
Arthur A. Beels, "Unit Five Seven", New Generation, June 22, 1963, p.2