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Tuesday 04th September 2018
The 5000 Fingers of Dr T
The 1953 Technicolor The 5,000 Fingers of Dr T. is a neglected, almost unclassifiable oddity. Perhaps best described as a surreal children’s fantasy musical, the film gets a rare screening on Tuesday 4th September at Space@61, 61 Cheltenham Road, Nunhead, London SE15 3AF. This is the only feature film written by Theodor Seuss Geisel (better known as Dr Seuss), who was responsible for the story, screenplay and lyrics. It was directed by Roy Rowland, with many takes directed, uncredited, by producer Stanley Kramer.
Young Bart Collins (Tommy Rettig) lives with his widowed mother Heloise (Mary Healy). The bane of Bart’s existence are the hated piano lessons he endures under the tutelage of the autocratic Dr. Terwilliker (Hans Conried), and Bart feels that his mother has fallen under Terwilliker’s influence. While hammering at his lessons, Bart dozes off and enters a musical dream.
In the dream, Bart is trapped at the surreal Terwilliker Institute, where the piano teacher is a madman dictator who has imprisoned non-piano-playing musicians. He built a piano so large that it requires Bart and 499 other boys (hence, 5,000 fingers) to play it. Bart’s mother has become Terwilliker’s hypnotized assistant and bride-to-be, and Bart must dodge the Institute’s guards as he scrambles to save his mother and himself.
At the Hollywood premiere, patrons walked out after 15 minutes, box-office receipts were disappointing, and reviews were mostly critical. However, recent critics have been more generous, with Dennis Schwartz writing that it was “probably the best children’s fantasy film ever made by Hollywood.”
ABOUT THE VENUE:
Founded in September 2016, the vision for Space@61 was to provide a space for creative use. It is increasingly difficult to find places in London to use to trial ideas, with space at an all time premium. Think of Space@61 as “an Airbnb for business use”.
Pre-Festival Film Pub Quiz
8:00PM
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
8:30PM
One Minute Film Challenge’ Workshop (Booking is required)
10:00AM
Paradise Now
3:30PM
Phantom of the Open
8:30PM
PNFFFLateNightFreakout presents: BATTLE ROYALE
10:00PM
Rushmore (with introductory talk)
6:00PM
Medusa
7:00PM
Harder Than The Rock: The Cimarons Story
7:30PM
Beautiful Thing
8:00PM
Eve’s Bayou
8:00PM
HOBO
8:15PM
Short Film Night
8:30PM
Eraserhead
7:00PM
Coming to America
8:00PM
Fitzcarraldo
8:00PM
The Color Purple (2023)
7:30PM
The Wild Robot
8:30PM
Nosferatu (2024)
8:30PM
Brazil
8:00PM
Pre-Festival Film Pub Quiz
The Ivy House
As we return for the 16th Peckham & Nunhead Free Film Festival, join us on Wednesday 27th August at 8.00pm at The Ivy House, 40…
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Peckhamplex Cinema
“One hot summer 52 years ago…five friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way they stumble across…
One Minute Film Challenge’ Workshop (Booking is required)
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
A filmmaking workshop, open to all ages at any level of experience. Booking is required. The ‘One Minute Film Challenge’ allows budding filmmakers to create…
Paradise Now
SET Social
From Golden Bear-winning director Hany Abu-Assad comes an empathetic tale of oppression and resistance, Paradise Now. Screening at SET Social, 55a Nigel Rd, London SE15…
Phantom of the Open
Aquarius Golf Club
Join us for Phantom of the Open at Aquarius Golf Club, with an entrance tucked away in an unexpected corner at the end of a…
PNFFFLateNightFreakout presents: BATTLE ROYALE
Beer Rebellion
Join us at Beer Rebellion on Saturday 30th August for the first ever PNFFFLateNightFreakout, where we take a weird and wild descent into cult cinema….
Rushmore (with introductory talk)
Peckham Pelican
At The Peckham Pelican on Sunday 31st August, we will be screening Wes Anderson’s Rushmore, with introductory talk by Dr. Nick Lee at The Peckham…
Medusa
Feminist Library
On Sunday, August 31st, at the Feminist Library (161 Sumner Rd, London SE15 6JL), PNFFF is thrilled to showcase Medusa, from Brazilian director Anita Rocha…
Harder Than The Rock: The Cimarons Story
The Ivy House
Reggae exploded in the 1970s, with British band Cimarons at its heart. Harder Than The Rock at The Ivy House on Sunday 31st August tells how…
Beautiful Thing
John The Unicorn
Step into 90s South London for a heartfelt, coming-of-age classic that continues to resonate nearly three decades on. Beautiful Thing (1996), directed by Hettie Macdonald,…
Eve’s Bayou
Peckham Palms
Join us on Tuesday 2 September at Peckham Palms (Peckham Palms Arcade, 1-14 Bournemouth Close, London, SE15 4PB) for Kasi Lemmon’s debut award winning film…
HOBO
Peckham Arches
In 1991 Irish director John T Davis stashes a film camera in his bedroll and rides the rails from Minneapolis to Seattle with Beargrease, a…
Short Film Night
Peckhamplex Cinema
At PeckhamPlex on the 3rd of September we’ll host a Short Film Night showcasing local and independent talent with a diverse and varied programme. Free…
Eraserhead
SET Social
We invite you to step into the strange and surreal dreamlike world of the late and great David Lynch at SET Social on Thursday 4th…
Coming to America
LEX2 Livesey Exchange
Join us at LEX2 Livesey Exchange (567 Old Kent Rd, London SE1 5EW) on 4th September for “Coming to America” (1988) a romantic comedy starring…
Fitzcarraldo
Mundania Court
Screening of Werner Herzog’s award winning epic adventure, Fitzcarraldo, in Art Deco building Mundania Court, Forest Hill Road, London SE22 0NQ, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, Thursday…
The Color Purple (2023)
Copleston Centre
Copleston is delighted to be part of this year’s festival screening of ‘The Color Purple’ (2023) on Friday 5th September at 7:30pm. THE COLOR PURPLE…
The Wild Robot
Clifton Estate
Join us for Cinema under the stars with The Wild Robot in Clifton Estate, Friday 5th September, 8.30pm. Clifton Estate TRA is very excited to host…
Nosferatu (2024)
Nunhead Cemetery
Returning to one of the most popular venues in the 16 year history of the Peckham and Nunhead Free Film Festival, this years film was…
Brazil
Brayards Community Garden
Join us amongst the greenery of Brayard’s Community Garden (Brayard’s Road Estate) on Saturday, September 7th for the final night of the 2025 edition of…
