Unarmed Hunters
(1963)
An intriguing, behind-the-scenes look at wildlife filmmaking, Unarmed Hunters covers 3 days in the life of the BBC’s Natural History Unit (NHU). Touring the library, cutting rooms, and editing suites of their Bristol headquarters, Unarmed Hunters reveals the hours of patient work, and numerous difficulties involved in making a thorough and accurate wildlife documentary.
Following as voice-overs are recorded, work is edited and reams of footage are shot, the production features some of the unit’s top directors, producers and cameramen. Founders of Oxford Scientific Films, Gerald Thompson and Eric Skinner are seen studiously filming in their macrophotography studio, and renowned BBC producer Richard Brock is shown on location during his latest documentary, Exe Estuary.
Clips showing the final preperation of "Birds of the Air", Les Jackman and Ron Peggs filming animals in tanks, and a film team off to join Gerald Durrell in Malaya.
An engaging account of early days at the BBC NHU, this half hour special is an interesting insight into the ‘unarmed hunters’, that work within the varied world of wildlife cinematography.
Gerald Thompson
