Reeling back the years at Odsal (19/04/2011)
Since Bradford's Odsal Stadium was converted from a refuse site to a sports arena in the 1930s, the cine cameras have been there to capture on film an array of events and sporting occasions that the rugby amphitheatre has witnessed in its 77 year history. Thanks to funding from Screen Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Film Archive has teamed up with the Bradford Bulls Foundation to bring to life via the big screen at Odsal some of this previously unseen footage.
From rugby to gymkhanas, wartime footage to speedway, stock-car racing to tennis,the packed crowd for the Bradford Bulls V Leeds Rhinos Yorkshire derby on Thursday 21st April 2011 will be treated to a spectacle of all things Odsal on the giant Sky Sports screen during the half time interval and after the match.
Sally Joynson, Chief Executive of Screen Yorkshire, said: “This is a uniquely Yorkshire project and Screen Yorkshire is proud to be part of such a great venture. YFA has created an amazing collection of Odsal highlights celebrating the history of an iconic regional venue - we hope that our partnership can continue to find new ways to share and enjoy the many riches preserved for everyone by the regional film archive.”
The fast paced film, packed with Odsal thrills and spills worthy of any big screen, includes footage of the record breaking 1954 Challenge Cup replay, a 1947 Great Britain V New Zealand test match and Bradford Northern proudly returning from Wembley in the 1940s. Rare wartime material shows the Stadium as a venue for ‘Holidays at Home’ with military marches, Highland dancing, gymkhanas and the famous Rugby Union V Rugby League encounter. Crowds cover their faces from the spray of the shale from the Bradford Boomerangs speedway team and the 1985 World Speedway final adds glamour. The film features unique material from renowned Bradford photographer and film maker C.H. Wood including the old jalopies crashing around the track as Odsal played host to 1950s stock car racing and even film of the tennis stars of the thirties such as Donald Budge and Big Bill Tilden.
To buy your tickets for the Bradford Bulls V Leeds Rhinos crunch match at Odsal on Thursday 21st April 2011 (8pm kick-off) please call the ticket office at Odsal Stadium on 08448 711 490 or visit the Bulls website at www.bradfordbulls.co.uk.
If you can’t make it to Odsal on the 21st April you can still catch the Odsal film on the silver screen at the National Media Museum before the Senior Screenings on Tuesday 19th and Thursday 21st April at 10:30am. For more details visit www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk or call the Box Office on 0844 856 3797. For a limited time only you can also watch the Odsal film on the Yorkshire Film Archive website www.yorkshirefilmarchive.com
