I enjoy working on the Vintage Classic titles, some can be a real challenge with limited assets, while others have some really lovely old archival posters that cry out to be used. With Pool Of London I loved the original title treatment, but I was little sceptical about using the poster image at first, however, I’ve grown to like the ‘naïve’ charm of it. The image was retouched with certain sections layered and masked, so the left hand edge and background section could slide across for the different proportions of the DVD/Blu-ray inlay and O-ring versions. A large section of the right hand section was added, so the wooden beam extends to the top of the sleeve.
Directed by Basil Dearden, 1951 Ealing Studios classic Pool of London has been stunningly restored. Filmed on location in the City of London itself, on the River Thames and its wharves, on London Bridge and in the blitzed streets around St. Paul’s, this is an authentic and unmissable slice of film history.
The restoration for Pool of London was through the BFI Unlocking Film Heritage and funded by The National Lottery, it’s available on Blu-ray and DVD.