Description: The film states that: 'This is not an entertainment, it is a call to action, it is about places.' While describing the area conservation schemes currently organised by the Civic Trust, this film indicates the importance of the public's role in preserving the human environment. There are shots of many towns outside London as well as London streets and buildings. There are interviews with town planners and members of conservation groups and examples are given of good and bad practice in the planning of town conservation areas. Made by World Wide Pictures. Director/Producer: Peter Bradford; Photography: Charles Smith; Animator: Ray Moore; Commentator: Phil Harland
Comments
This film, A Future for the Past, was widely shown in the US in the 1970s and influenced towns to look beyond single historic buildings and take action. It influenced the US National Trust for Historic Preservation to produce "A Place in Time," about the value of historic buildings, and later (1979) to produce "Main Street," which was immensely successful in sparking many towns in the US, Canada and Australia to bring life back to their town centers.