Two Types: The Faces of Britain

Britain's Favourite Foods - Are They Good for You?(en)

Professor Alice Roberts discovers which are Britain's most popular fresh foods and uses the latest science to uncover the surprising health benefits of our favourite foods.

Dave Allen in Search of the Great English Eccentric(en)

A 1974 documentary in which comedian Dave Allen meets a variety of eccentrics including Alexander Stuart Wortley who lives in a box on wheels, a cowboy vicar and the artist/filmmaker Bruce Lacey showing his set-up where he pretends to fly a Lancaster bomber in his garage.

James Baldwin Abroad(en)

Showcasing three short films by American writer James Baldwin, wherein he muses about race, sexuality and civil rights, among other topics, in Istanbul, Paris and Great Britain.

Brexit: The Battle for Britain(en)

Laura Kuenssberg tells the inside story of how David Cameron's referendum plan backfired, and Vote Leave won. How will this political revolution reshape Britain's politics?

Video Nasties: Draconian Days(en)

The highly anticipated follow-up to their critically acclaimed VIDEO NASTIES: MORAL PANIC, CENSORSHIP & VIDEOTAPE documentary, director Jake West and producer Marc Morris continue uncovering the shocking story of home entertainment post the 1984 Video Recordings Act. A time when Britain plunged into a new Dark Age of the most restrictive censorship, where the horror movie became the bloody eviscerated victim of continuing dread created by self-aggrandizing moral guardians. With passionate and entertaining interviews from the people who lived through it and more jaw dropping archive footage, get ready to reflect and rejoice the passing of a landmark era.

Helvetica(en)

Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which will celebrate its 50th birthday in 2007) as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. The film is an exploration of urban spaces in major cities and the type that inhabits them, and a fluid discussion with renowned designers about their work, the creative process, and the choices and aesthetics behind their use of type.

Falklands' Most Daring Raid(en)

Documentary film about the then longest range bombing mission in history, which changed the outcome of the Falklands War.

Forward a Century(en)

Commissioned by the Festival of Britain to show the similarities and contrasts between 1851 and 1951, by means of the Great Exhibition and the Festival.

Land of Tradition(en)

This Traveltalk series short visits an array of locations associated with England's heritage. Included are Runnymede, Windsor, Ascot, Lincoln, Wells, Salisbury, Glastonbury, and the ancient Stonehenge site.

Pythéas, l'astronome voyageur(fr)

Font Men(en)

You've never heard of Jonathan Hoefler or Tobias Frere-Jones but you've seen their work. They run the most successful and respected type design studio in the world, making fonts used by the Wall Street Journal to the President of the United States.

Harold Shipman(en)

Harold Shipman: Driven to Kill, a British documentary currently on Netflix in the US, has two episodes, and chooses to go with an old-fashioned documentary style. The story is told in a straightforward, chronological order and provides us with clear timeline. This way you can get a good understanding of Dr. Shipman; one of the most prolific serial killers in history, from the very beginning. Who was he? How did nobody ever notice that something was off until after he had committed the murders of countless patients?

The Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett Story(en)

The full bizarre, tragic but celebratory story of Syd Barrett, the co-founder of Pink Floyd.

Elton John: A Singular Man(en)

An in-depth portrait of British composer, pianist and singer Elton John, pop star and myth of modern culture.

The Battle of the Somme(en)

A documentary and propaganda film which shows the British Army's preparations for, and the early stages of, the battle of the Somme.

The Canal Map of Britain(en)

A look at Britain's beloved canal network via a fact-filled cruise along the first superhighways of the Industrial Revolution. In the age before mechanisation, a frenzy of canal-building saw a new army of workers carve out the British landscape, digging out hundreds of miles of waterways using picks, shovels and muscle.

People In A Film(en)

Chronicles the musical career of British post-punk art rockers Wire.

Lost Boy(en)

The definitive story of the James Bulger case, examining the gritty details of what happened on that fateful day in 1993. It reveals how the young culprits were caught and sheds light on the profound, long-lasting consequences of the murder for both James' family and their community.

100 Years of British Trains(en)

A fascinating compilation tracing the development of British trains throughout the 20th century. This program provides a record of the greatest days of steam; the magnificent express engines developed by the 'Big Four' - the GWR, SR, LNER, and LMS; many famous named trains like the Golden Arrow and the Brighton Belle, the War and Nationalism; and the amazing variety of elder locos from the 1950's.

Inquiry: The Great British Housing Disaster(en)

David Jones investigates how 1960s council housing came to be built so poorly that thousands later needed to be demolished.