BAGHDAD, BABYLON AND BAALBEC [Main Title]

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  • Title: BAGHDAD, BABYLON AND BAALBEC [Main Title]
  • Film Number: IWM 81
  • Other titles: ADVANCE OF THE CRUSADERS INTO MESOPOTAMIA (further episode) (?) [Alternative Title]
  • Summary: Views of Baghdad and Babylon in Mesopotamia and of Baalbec on the Palestine Front, 1918.
  • Description: I. A panorama of Baghdad from the Tigris inland, filmed from the Tower of Seria. Indian soldiers (described as British territorial troops) wander about. The bazaar is shown. II. Babylon, showing the palace of Nebuchadnezzar II and a basalt statue of a lion. "Our British Tommies were always interested in anything that had a Biblical connection." III. A car in the desert throwing up dust as "an improvised smoke screen" and a scene of a ziggurat. Views of Birs Nimrud, known as the Tower of Babel, showing the decorated inner walls. IV. Ancient ruins of Baalbec, given as "built nearly nine thousand years ago, when King Solomon ruled over Israel". (Solomon reigned in the early 10th century BC).
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM (IWM 81)
  • Featured Period: 1914-1918
  • Production Date: 1920
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Jury's Imperial Pictures (Production company) Jury, William F (Production individual) Varges, Ariel L (Production individual) Jeapes, Harold (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Indian Army, Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: arts, Mesopotamian - architecture (object name) society, Mesopotamian - history (object name) buildings, Mesopotamian - historic: palace (object name) buildings, Mesopotamian - residential (object name) buildings, Mesopotamian - historic: ziggurat (object name) arts, Palestinian - architecture (object name) buildings, Palestinian - historic: Baalbec (object name) society, Palestinian - history (object name) 01/3(567) (event) 01/3(569) (event) Turkey & Baghdad, Mesopotamia (geography) Turkey & Babylon, Mesopotamia (geography) Turkey & Babel, Tower of, Mesopotamia (geography) Turkey & Birs Nimrud, Mesopotamia (geography) Turkey & Baalbec, Syria (geography) dust (concept) desert (concept)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: None Subtitle language: English
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 841 ft; Running time: 15 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Notes: Title: the shotsheet describes this film, loaned by Jury, as being part of the series WITH THE FORCES IN MESOPOTAMIA, which may be an error for ADVANCE OF THE CRUSADERS INTO MESOPOTAMIA. It is certainly post-1918. The main title is taken from the shotsheet. Summary: see also IWM 72, IWM 78, IWM 79, IWM 80 and IWM 82. Remarks: probably the best of the films which show the ancient architecture of Mesopotamia and Palestine.
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    IWM 81

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    IWM 60 (PALESTINE SECTIONS [Main Title]) IWM 72 (SCENES ON THE EUPHRATES - MESOPOTAMIA [Main Title]) IWM 78 (ADVANCE OF THE CRUSADERS INTO MESOPOTAMIA - 2 [Main Title]) IWM 79 (ADVANCE OF THE CRUSADERS INTO MESOPOTAMIA - 3 [Main Title]) IWM 80 (ADVANCE OF THE CRUSADERS INTO MESOPOTAMIA - 4 [Main Title]) IWM 82 (BRITISH ADVANCE ON THE EUPHRATES UNDER THE COMMAND OF MAJOR-GENERAL BROOKING [Main Title])
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