Look At Life - Eel Pie Island

Documentary produced about Eel Pie Island, made by Rank Organisation in 1967.
Uploaded here as part of the Eel Pie Island Music Project in Twickenham
www.eelpieislan...
Kind permission of ITN to show this video as part of the project.
Further info here:
en.wikipedia.or...

[@jacklambert608]

I just discovered this 'Look At Life' on Utube! My name is Jack Lambert and never saw it. Arthur Chisnall who ran the club at the Island did see it in the cinema and told me not to bother with it because it did not do justice to the story of Ell Pie Jazz club. Arthur and I became very good friends over the years (from the late 50's when I started going to the 'Island') A remarkable man who was way ahead of his time. He had an extraordinary understanding and empathy for our generation and would help anyone who asked him. Ell Pie Island would not have happened without him, in fact he was the 'Island' RIP Arthur I miss you even now and I'm 75. It's my birthday today

[@dikleatherdale8947]

+Jack Lambert Hi Jack. Agree with everything you say about Arthur. Miss him enourmously. He told me once that for his funeral he'd arranged for a jazz band to march him along Heath Road. He lived so long that the band he'd thought of could only play sitting down upstairs at the Fox. Pity you didn't make it that day.But Arthur was having you on. He saw the film at the cinema so often the usherette recognised him!Dik

[@gregfowler957]

Bet it was popular with the mods at the time looks cool

[@cheyne15]

I lived down in Kent and a very good friend of mine, who worked 'up in London' on a pop magazine, persuaded me to come up town to a gig one night in either '65 or '66 to see a band I'd never heard of. The gig was Eel Pie Island and the band was John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton... I was 19. I remember (apart from the life-changing music) the floor awash with empty Newcastle Brown bottles... What an experience... Thank you for posting. This has brought back such amazing memories of that part of my life.

[@FAngus-ly8lk]

Inquiring minds want to know: did you get laid?

[@brendaoconnell4319]

1964-1968 I practically lived there.Slept on Twickenham station many nights

[@popeyepaul1jazzy543]

I was probably there at the same time as you.... did you usd to go to the Thames hotel as well?? really great days Regards Paul

[@brendaoconnell4319]

popepaul1 jazzy No never went there. but have some great photo's of us all on the Island 1965.

[@coreycox2345]

Was it heaven or hell, Brenda O'Connell?

[@BoggWeasel]

"There's a poetry reading"..... everyone gets up and leaves

[@Mrdangerousbeans769]

just browsing for some music of my youth and came across this documentary. Bought back memories of going over the bridge and paying my threepence The same lady as in the film. On a cold night she had a brazier and gloves on. A policeman on his bicycle raided the club one night, not much happened. for some one in his late teens it was exciting. The movies showed the place just as I remember it 69 years later

[@foleyartist62]

Lived on Eel Pie island for 3 years on an incredible barge from 2009 - 2012. Unique atmosphere of artisans, home and boat dwellers, arts and crafts workshops and apart from snooty flat owners in Aquarius (where the hotel in the film once stood) also a colourful group of eccentrics and individuals. Well worth a visit on its arts and crafts open weekends at Christmas and in the summer. Incredible that this small island was the hub of R&B and at the heart of the youth-music movement. The Eel Pie museum on York Street is an Aladdin's Cave of Eel Pie's history.

[@geoffsaunderson5766]

My mum and dad used to go here to get wasted lol, I’m 50 this year.

[@michaeljohnsey1]

Doesn't really do Eel Pie Island justice. Makes it sound like a rescue/rehabilitation organisation. Really it was the music that brought people from far and wide, and not simply trad jazz as featured in the film. Eel Pie was part of a much bigger part of a music revolution that had many venues across West and South West London, actually across England. The list of famous names that performed at Eel Pie is too long to mention. Seemed to me that they had to bring in the 'do-good' stuff just to make the film sociably acceptable, which of course is in direct position to what that period was all about.

[@wmorton46]

I only went there once after hitching from Scotland in 1965. I don't remember who was playing (not jazz) but for some reason, I decided to swim across the Thames and back.

[@flybywir1]

Exactly.....that's not the Eel Pie Island that I remember from the 60's....I think "Look at Life" were using a bit of imagination there 😅

[@benthejrporter]

Ah, those were the days!

[@richardprice7763]

That poetry reading was a happy affair wasn't it?

[@MRSPIKE001]

5:13 loving the kiddie with the axe.

[@gregfowler957]

I would imagine it was popular with the mods

[@yvonneparkin1618]

Thanks

[@indigohammer5732]

The soundtrack of "Trad-Jazz" at the start is a bit odd for 1967.

[@heli-crewhgs5285]

1967

[@utzuckz]

thanks for the upload :)

[@FAngus-ly8lk]

The narrator sounds like Anthony Hopkins playing Hannibal Lecter.

[@harmonyfiend1502]

Pretty sure that's Anthony Hopkins narrating...

[@marcmarcmarcmarcmarc]

+Jonathan Howard for your info sir. (According to wikipedia..........) the narration of the films was provided by well known celebrities and presenters of the time including Raymond Baxter, Eamonn Andrews Wynford Vaughan-Thomas and Sid James, but the majority of the films were narrated by actor Tim Turner. , hope this helps re the narrator :) also i think AH has more of a welsh accent,

[@MrSofakinggreat]

This one is narrated by Michael Ingrams.

[@hugostiglitz6914]

Its Michael Ingrams. 😁