Perrin Family Home Movie: Our Baby and Baby's Day
Standard 8mm film Colour Mute c. 1966-1971 29:30
Summary: Home movie documenting family celebrations - including parties and christening - in East Dulwich and Brixton.
Title number: 20294
LSA ID: LSA/26776
Description: This sequence begins with an animated title called "Baby's Day", where a baby runs from side to side of the screen. On the next shot, it's possible to see St John the Evangelist, Angell Town, Brixton, at a distance. It's framed in the middle of the shot and it's possible to see details of it by a series of cut ins the filmmaker does. On the next shot, the filmmaker explores the inside of the Harris House, which is the family's home in a complex on the Brixton/Stockwell border. Inside the bathroom, Michelle's mum is bathing her in a tub. After the bath, Michelle is dressed in a white dress and sleeping on her chair with a dummy in her mouth. Through a cut away shot and a camera movement, it's seen a man wearing a suit, standing next to the baby chair and looking at a stuffed leopard on the wall. The filmmaker cuts twice to zoom in to the tiger's head. The family proceeds to walk out of the apartment and, still at the complex, there is a shot sequence of Michelle being handled in the baby carriage. Soon after, there's a establishing shot and a close-up of the St John the Evangelist - where the Christening will take place. We see the family leaving the Harris House, walking together through the complex and by St James's Crescent. We see different groups of people arriving at the church from different roads and gathering in front of the church, on Wiltshire Road.
Happiness is a general feeling as everyone is cheered up. Many people are holding different babies and displaying them to the camera.
There are two different medium shots of people entering the church and, as the Christening happens, we have two panoramic shots of the St John the Evangelist. Soon after the Christening ends, there's a gathering outside the church, again on Wiltshire Road, and another sequence of a baby being displayed.
There's a group of people walking together through Wiltshire Road in the direction of Fyfield Road and St James's Crescent towards the Harris House. There are different shots of different groups of people walking on this path - they acknowledge the camera by smiling and looking at it. Back at the complex, the filmmaker records groups of people walking through the halls and gathering at the living room. The apartment is full - people are sitting and standing.
Lastly, there are a few shots of different adults playing with Michelle and it's possible to see again the leopard on the wall. This sequence ends with a close-up on Michelle's face as she sits on the couch.
This sequence open up with an animated title with a boy giving a present to a girl, the present "explodes" and reveals the name of this sequence: "Birthday Party". On the next shot ,it's shown a birthday cake decorated with flowers and pink writings on it - "Happy Birthday Michelle". Next, it's possible to see the birthday girl, Michelle, being awoken by her mum. From the very gentle camera movement it is possible to see many birthday cards being displayed next to Michelle's crib - baby animals and little girls are the theme of the cards, as we see baby elephants, baby deer and little girls, all accompanied by the number 1 (the age of the little protagonist). Now dressed with her birthday clothes, Michelle walks into the living room with the help of the mum. She smiles and plays with her rocking horse - by a series of shots, it's possible to deduce that it's one of her favourites toys, as she rides it with her mum, her dad, by herself and when given the freedom to walk without the help of any adults, she promptly goes back to the horse and caresses its crest. Now it's dinner time and mum straps Michelle on the highchair and feeds her - again, with a series of close-ups on Michelle's face. After the dinner is done, it's potty time, which she does it whilst playing with an old ashtray. Then, finally, it's presents time! With the help of other guests and her mum, Michelle opens her presents - it's possible to see a pair of red shoes, cards and a set of plastic cups - that become Michelle's obsession until someones lights up the candle on the birthday cake and they all start singing for Michelle.
Keywords: Birthday; Christening; Dulwich Hospital,
Locations: United Kingdom; England; London; Brixton, St. John the Evangelist Church, Harris House; United Kingdom; England; London; Southwark; East Dulwich
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