PIFs - ones not included on Charley Says DVD

[Carl]

I have several on 16mm that weren't included on the Charley Says DVD, most of them seatbelts & drink/ drive.
Funny but they are in better condition that the prints used on the network DVD.
Does anybody else have any PIFs on film?

[Carl]

must be just me then

[Andy Henderson]

I know three collectors including myself who have reels of these. They were always being screened at school safety lessons in the 60s/70s. e.g. One of mine had a kid dressed as a spaceman in an early green cross code film.

[Philip Johnson]

Does the "Reginald Molehusband" driving PIF still exist? I was really surprised that wasn't on Charley Says.

Also, there's one I remember vividly warning about the dangers of children playing with plastic bags. It featured a laboratory-type setting in which a man in a white coat placed a bag over a kind of robotic model head, which he then switched on. The head drew in air and you saw how the bag clung to its features, until, as the demonstrator said in a voice of doom, "the child is DEAD." It frightened the wits out of me as a kid. Does anyone else recall it?

[Brian D not logged in]

Yes, I remember the plastic bag one quite well. Also what to do when your house floods after a pipe burst, ending with the family looking pleased with themselves then turning sheepish as the voice over sternly remarks "What a pity you let it happen in the first place".

One of my earliest memories, so it must be very early sixties, is of a cartoon man making a little nest out of a form, and the slogan "Get the strength of an insurance policy around YOU."

And then there was the little Esso Blue man........

[Philip Johnson]

"Pipe Bursts" (to give it its actual title!) is on Charley Says. On the print used there, the bit at the end goes on for an extraordinarily long time, they stay standing there in a shot held for fully ten seconds. That's a LONG time in a PIF.

Glad someone else remembers the plastic bag one!

[Alan S]

On the subject of PIF's..

1 ) Where are such films kept ? I presume the BFI or is this another case of wherever they are found...Has a list ever been compiled of them?

2 Onr PFI I remember well was of the late Norman Mitchell posing as a whole variety of visitors to an unsuspecting housewife - the advert was later croped to him just being a gasman - the full version ended with the ladies husband returning home to find they had been burgled by Norman and his disguises. Anyone know if it is still around??
Alan

[Philip Johnson]

Charley Says is described on the cover as "Over 150 live and animated classics from the Central Office of Information archives." In other words, they're government property, which probably means most of them will be kept forever somewhere.

[Paul Davidson]

"Keep Matches Away from Children" was the scariest one I think.

A guided tour of a burnt out shell with the echoing sounds of children screaming. It makes me shiver just thinking about it whilst typing this reply.

Network Videos website says that a Charley Says 3 is going to be coming out but there is no date for release. Does anyone know if this is a definite release or not.

[Deleted]

The COI archive is looked after by Film Images these days.

They've got a website at Film-Images.com which has details of lots of PIFs.

[Laurence Piper]

The COI PIF library has many films missing from the collection. Most of what existed was used on the two Charley volumes - I wonder what will be the contents of volume 3 then?

I can remember many from the '60s that seem to be missing; a "wear something light at bight" film (not the one used) that was accompanied by a song that went "think bright, wear something light, wear something light at night". Another warned of the dangers not being vaccinated for dieases like smallpox, whooping cough etc (a ghost-like spectre used to hover over the lettering spelling the name of each illness in turn. Another showed a kid counting the prune stones on his plate, reciting "tinker, tailor, soldier sailor" etc to each (a film about careers advice). There were also other variations of the "follow the country code" animations and those "Ancient Monuments" shorts shown just before Grandstand on Saturday lunchtimes. Many more as well too.

[john g]

great thread!
does anyone remember the scary old woman with all the milk and papers piling up at the front door?
or a guy from 'please sir' trying to steal a treasure box from a car?
I do remember the one mentioned earlier with dippy Sheila Steafel letting all these weird blokes into house.
and remember singing the song about "the front door,put the chain on"

Seemed like a godsend to ITV VT programmes where they had not sold any adverts and could not edit out the advert break bumpers.