A fascinating early short from Prometheus director Ridley Scott

Arts Council England’s website The Space have made available an early short – “Boy and Bicycle” – by Ridley Scott, and starring his brother Tony, who grew up to be a blockbuster director in his own right.

From the website:

Tony Scott stars in an atmospheric first film by his older brother Ridley, as a schoolboy playing truant for the day in North Shields.

His bike trip takes him from the beach, to a funfair and to a deserted shack, as we listen to his random thoughts (everything from fish shops to women’s hairy legs).

Boy and Bicycle is truly a family affair, as Scott’s father drove the car used for the many tracking shots, while both of his parents make cameo appearances.

Made on an old 16mm spring-wound Bolex camera, the BFI provided Scott with post-production funding, and the film was finished with a score by John Barry.

The BFI went on to fund brother Tony Scott’s first short film, One of the Missing in 1969 and featurette Loving Memory in 1970.

You can see more, including the first part of the late great John Peel’s massive record collection published online here.