Men In Black - Silent Film - New Zealand Rugby 1905-1958

Men In Black
New Zealand Rugby 1905 - 1958

Celebrate the start of rugby world cup with learning how it all began!

The beginnings of the great “All Blacks” are shown in this programme of early film featuring the 1905 “Originals” and the “Invincibles”. Dubbed the “Invincibles” on their glorious 1924-1925 English tour when they won all 28 matches, the programme shows their game against Twickenham in 1925. Other highlights include The New Zealand Army Service team, many who were veterans of Gallipoli, playing during World War One and the 1927 Maori Rugby team in the United Kingdom. Rugby followers will find interest in how the game has changed over the years, and the evolution of the haka from its first capture on film in 1905. Men in Black is made up of seventeen film clips, and newsreels, many repatriated by the New Zealand Film Archive from Film Archives overseas. Most have not been shown in New Zealand before and are rare footage of our national sport. The programme concludes with colour film of a Springbok Parade in New Plymouth in 1958 and rugby fans camped out in their sleeping bags to secure tickets for a rugby match.

This 50 minute silent film programme has live piano accompaniment.

Photo: Crowd and New Zealand players at the NZ vs England rugby match, 1905

Credit: Stills Collection, New Zealand Film Archive Ngā Kaitiaki O Ngā Taonga Whitiāhua

Event listed by The Plaza Theatre Putaruru

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