This film is part of Free
Drive Past of Four-in-Hands
Tally-ho! A display of driving skill, Victorian-style, with horse-drawn carriages impressing crowds at a country fair
Overview
Film pioneer Cecil Hepworth made several films such as this early in his career: short glimpses of local colour that amused contemporary audiences but which he felt sure wouldn't have any lasting worth. On the contrary, this snippet is a fascinating demonstration of a now-rare skill. Driving these four-in-hand carriages requires one person to handle all four horses. So in this parade, the drivers shows off their skill, and the crowd enjoys the spectacle of the carriages dashing by.
Hepworth has positioned his camera so that the audience can enjoy the thrill of the carriage rushing straight towards them, but as the coaches turn, can also take in a view of the horses in motion. It’s a deft way to cram as much visual excitement and movement as possible into a short piece of footage captured with a fixed-position camera.
Related
The Derby 1896 The Derby 1896
Non-Fiction 1896 0 mins Silent
A pioneering example of filmed news: from Epsom to the screen in record time
Feeding the Tigers Feeding the Tigers
Interest film 1899 1 mins Silent
A big cat has to perform for its supper in this early actuality film
H.M.S. Powerful Moored at Portsmouth H.M.S. Powerful Moored at Portsmouth
Non-Fiction 1900 0 mins Silent Location: Portsmouth
Take a good look at one of the era's largest warships - the hefty H.M.S. Powerful, back from the Boer War
Belfast Street Scenes 1890's Belfast Street Scenes 1890's
Non-Fiction 1898 2 mins Silent Location: Belfast
A view down the High Street featuring the Albert Clock, a shot of Queen's Bridge and the docks
Beach Scene Beach Scene
Non-Fiction 1897 1 mins Silent
A charming image of children paddling on a pebbly beach on a hot summer's day
Beagles Beagles
Amateur film 1898 2 mins Silent
A pack of beagles are assembled for a hunt by their trainers and a huntsman
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of children’s palliative care.
Police Story: Panel Discussion Police Story: Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 24 mins
Panel discussion on Jackie Chan's 1985 action classic Police Story, with Chase Armitage, Sam Mak and Jadey Duffield.
China O'Brien: The Reunion China O'Brien: The Reunion
Documentary 2024 60 mins
Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke reunite three decades on from the groundbreaking martial arts classic.
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.