COI Collection Vol 4: Stop! Look! Listen!

The BFI have done it again! This time a collection of 27 films, from 1949 to 1992, ranging from a mere 30 seconds to 28 minutes.The subjects here include: Health and safety, plus welfare, with advice on avoiding being burnt to death, also drowning, plus being crushed by tractors.Advice for children includes: Never talk to strangers and avoiding abduction. Some films use shock tactics to put the message over, for example, many middle-aged people like myself will probably recall the famous 90-second film "Lonely Water" which features a creepy cowled figure, eerily voiced by Donald Pleasence, who watches as a young boy drowns in a building site water hole, the spectral figure then appears to take enjoyment from it.The green cross code safety campaign helps to educate the young on the importance of road safety. Home security is encouraged with Magpies depicted as burglars.The dangers for children playing on building sites is shown, in which a child tries to negotiate - and fatally fails to prove his "expertise" at avoiding the dangers.One film covers the events leading to a fatal road accident, others feature cycling training and safety. Also, a couple of animated shorts, (one of which features the memorable "Joe and Petunia" holidaymakers, with the Coastguard). This is just a taste of these informative and educational films. Picture and sound quality are good, with English subtitles.Here is a list of the films with their individual running times, all films are in colour unless stated, and each category is indicated with block capitals.*DISC ONE:ROAD SAFETY - Thirty Miles An Hour (B/W,2 mins)./ A Moment's Reflection (B/W,15 mins)./ Highway Code - Woodenhead (B/W,90 secs)./ Too Close For Comfort (15 mins)./ Ending It All (40 secs)./ Mind How You Go (12 mins)./ Sewing Machine (1 min)./ Drive Carefully, Darling (16 mins)./ Accident In Park Road (7 mins)./ SEA SAFETY - Look Out For Trouble (1 min)./ Joe and Petunia - Coastguard (90 secs)./ CYCLING PROFICIENCY - No Short Cut (17 mins)./ Betcher! (13 mins)./ CRIME PREVENTION - Magpies - House (40 secs)./ EXTRA - I Stopped, I Looked And I Listened (15 mins).*DISC TWO:MOTORCYCLE SAFETY - 20 Times More Likely (25 mins)./ FARM SAFETY - A Game Of Chance (9 mins)./ PLAY SAFE - Apaches (26 mins)./ Lonely Water (90 secs)./ Building Sites Bite (28 mins)./ CHILD SAFETY - Never Go With Strangers (18 mins)./ Absent Parents (40 secs)./ FIRE PREVENTION - Searching (45 secs)./ Every Five Minutes (B/W,8 mins)./ Fire Routine (90 secs)./ Andy Lights The Fire (30 secs)./ DRINK DRIVE - Eyes (40 secs).*SPECIAL FEATURES:*Fully illustrated 36 page booklet, including comprehensive contextualising notes and essays from academics and film historians, the booklet also features full details of every film.*Dolby digital mono audio.The 2 discs and booklet are stored in a single-size dvd case.

Wow - finally Never Go With Strangers and Apaches on legitimate DVD! Two great examples of "black nostalgia" for 40-somethings who never quite got over the childhood trauma of seeing these public information atrocities during school assembly. Never Go... still packs a punch with its sinister narration ("he may do rude things to you"), the infamous molester face-morph sequences, and the extremely chilling scene where the young girl is terrorised by the looming shadow of her abductor (much more disturbing - in context - than it sounds). Add to that distinctively 70s-style animation and an ultra-morbid soundtrack, and you have a cult classic in waiting.Watched in 2010 (courtesy of Youtube), Apaches has less of an impact for me but it still stands up as an enjoyably grim Children Film Foundation meets Texas Chainsaw Massacre hybrid complete with gory setpieces and a unique surreal tone. Looking forward to seeing these and legendary, previously rare titles like Building Sites Bite in their restored form.Even if you don't remember these from the time, any student of bizarre movies or 70s esoterica needs this collection.

I first saw Apaches on YouTube a few years ago and remember vividly the quite disturbing scene of one child screaming in agony due to poisoning followed by a jump cut to the mother clearing the now-dead child's bedroom. It's one of the bleakest films I have ever seen, and perfectly representative of the grotty 1970s British horror scene right down to the wintry, washed out film stock. It helps that the film is superbly directed and the special effects are briskly and graphically effective. A friend had to literally watch it through his fingers.I bought the DVD for Apaches alone, but I also got a lot of almost-as-grim movies such as Lonely Water amd Don't Go With Strangers, plus a few fun fire prevention clips. A highly recommended release for British horror fans and anyone interested in our social history.

Have already got some of this series as well as other BFI products.Absolutely first class - good social commentary and a stark reminder of how much we have developed and again how little human nature really changes. Some quite poingant moments - and a lot of helpful social observation about the way we were.

There is something for everyone in this collection, containing government-sponsored safety films from the Forties through the Seventies. Offers quite an insight into changes in fashion over that period, both in dress and language. Good value and highly recommended, some clips are quite scary and full of suspense too!