At Home In The Steep Places: The Story of Bill Peascod
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ย. 2024
- A feature-length documentary film about Maryport-born miner, rock climber and artist Bill Peascod (1920-1985).
The film charts Bill’s life from a challenging childhood in the Cumberland coalfields and involvement in the mines rescue teams at Lowca and William Pit disasters to his pioneering of new rock climbing routes in 1940s Buttermere.
He became an abstract landscape painter after emigrating to Australia in 1952 where he developed ‘burnt’ paintings. He returned to Cumbria in 1980 and drew on Japanese influences to paint his beloved fells, which he had resumed climbing with new friends such as Bill Birkett, Sir Chris Bonington and Don Whillans.
Filmed in England, Australia and Japan, the film is presented by Steve Wharton, Natalie Wilson and Perrin Walker. It features interviews with people who knew Bill, climbing and art specialists, rare archive material, photographs by the Abraham Brothers and a soundtrack by Cumbrian and Australian musicians.
A 28 Dales Later Film
Dir. Steve Wharton & Perrin Walker, duration 91mins
I absolutely loved the songs in this documentary, they were the highlight.
My partner's grandfather climbed with Bill as did his father who was also taught by Bill. My partner has been a climber & qualified instructor all his life & ironically graduated with a first class BA Hons in fine art specialising in painting with a particular abstract landscape bent based on his outdoor experiences. He still climbs regularly & at 56 he flashed Titans Wall 5c(f6c/7a) on Carn Dearg last week. Bill Peascod has always been his one of his climbing heros and artistic inspirations. Beautiful film, i watched my partner dewey eyed at the memories of his shared history. thank you.
A fantastic documentary. And the acting of that young lad was great.
That's my son. He was also very smart in choosing a penny per youtube view plus £1 for any cinema screenings as royalties instead of a flat £20 for his role 😂
One of my heroes, real gritty character - and I’m a real fan of his art work.
As a Lakes climber who has enjoyed climbing a few of Bill's routes I'd been really looking forward to seeing this and it didn't disappoint. Great work, thanks to all involved.
Wonderful story and the lakes footage triggers fond memories of walking and climbing there that date back to '73.
I’m here after learning he is my third cousin! My grandads cousin :)
Very enjoyable and brought back happy memories of climbing in the Lakes and especially Buttermere. Bill Birkett’s comments on Cleopatra pleased me 👍 Love the view from Mockerkin How as we drive from yam in Harrington to Buttermere - as I’m sure Bill did.
A great film, I `d read about Bills climbing but had no idea of his background or his art. Really interesting and some great music, giving a sense of place and belonging
23 likes for something so essential. Wonderful film.
Stunningly beautiful and moving film, cried in the Ennerdale and Buttermere scenes so beloved of my mum. Stan Beck AKA 'Sammy' Beck taught at Workington Grammar School, my dad among many others am sure. These guys were true polymaths. PS Where is Bill Peascod buried? Its not clear from the film.
Hi, thanks for your comment. His grave is at St John's Church, Bassenthwaite.
Wonderful Ste 👍
Wonderful documentary!
My Gran was a Peascod, distantly related to Bill
That means we’re related! Bill is my third cousin 😆
Bill is my third cousin! That must make us relatives
@@Megan_Jenniferand you’re my sister right?
@@BeingalivewitholiverI think so!! 🤔 you look familiar
A nice little documentary ruined by the overbearing music shoe horned in. Nothing wrong with some apt music but needs to be more subtle so as to not disrupt the narrative.
Thanks for taking the time to watch and to comment. I'd like to disagree about the music insomuch as saying that most of the music tracks were apt and did contribute to the narrative. The most overbearing track, which appears over the photos of old climbers, is specifically about the early exploits of those climbers; the presenter's intro even calls them the extreme sports people of their day. However, I can accept it might be to everyone's taste. I can give a good reason why every other track qualifies for a place in the documentary and if I had the time and budget to have added the lyrics as subtitles I think you might see my point. Creating a documentary film is not merely a presentation of the facts. If that were the case then I would have also included Bill's whisky group, his love of pottery and more. Narrative does need to flow, yet the audience needs time to digest the facts. Music and montage scenes help the film breathe and reach people on an emotional level. There is nothing subtle about coal mining, pit disasters, emigrating to another country or the burnt paintings that Peascod did. I chose to reflect this brashness in the style of film. To have researched so many areas of his life, shot in three countries during Covid, find and arrange the licence to use Bill's voice, gain permission to include previously unseen, privately-owned paintings and have bespoke music for a £3000 budget was a real accomplishment.