Alexander Sinclair (21 October 1918 – 3 May 1998) was an amateur filmmaker who lived in Papua New Guinea with his wife Evelyn Sinclair for approximately 20 years from 1959 onwards. They lived in Port Moresby for three years, followed by Goroka. He made home movies of life in Papua New Guinea and travels with Evelyn and their friends to the UK, the Netherlands, USA, Melbourne and Sydney throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
The collection of home movies, originally made on Super 8mm film, was donated to ACMI by their daughter Elizabeth Robbins.
This film captures a trip to Southeast Asia including Hong Kong, Japan, possibly Thailand and Singapore, including cruising around bays, along rivers, scenic views, traditional dance, temple visits and a visit to Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore.
Selected Highlights List (time codes from Access Overscan)
00:00:34:00 Australian Naval Ship in the bay, most likely Hong Kong
00:01:13:00 young boys in small wooden boats appear to be almost knocked over by the ferry or cruise ship the filmmaker is on
00:03:57:00 Shining Star Ferry in Hong Kong
00:04:51:00 plane to Japan
00:07:05:00 a trip to a waterfall, filmmaker’s wife and friends with Japanese friend or tour guide
00:07:53:00 scenic views of possibly Osaka
00:09:17:00 train station, possibly Kansai Station; we see a Kansai Paints billboard behind train
00:10:09:00 a visit to temples surrounded by cherry blossom, perhaps in Kyoto
00:11:10:00 ice skating perhaps in a function centre, skaters dressed in Scottish dress, then Russian, then cowboys
00:13:08:00 possibly views from an airport, a carpark surrounded by mountains, possibly Thailand, as short street views have writing in what appears to be Thai
00:13:35:00 a cruise along a river, markets of people selling food and people living in small houses along the river surrounded by forest and jungle
00:15:40:00 traditional dancers performing and elephant performing tasks for an audience
00:17:05:00 more traditional dancing
00:17:42:00 we see a sign for Kanji War Cemetery, Singapore, a short trip to the memorial
00:18:30:00 snake charmers in a city mall
00:19:22:00 feeding monkeys in a park
00:20:17:00 exotic planet and orchid display
00:21:04:00 possibly back in Australia; a car and boat parade with some of the cars flying the Australian flag
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How to watch
This work has been digitised and can be viewed in the display above.
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
B2003510
Language
No spoken word
Subject categories
Amateur & Student Films → Amateur films
Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → Australia
Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → Hong Kong
Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → Japan
Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → Singapore
Sound/audio
Silent
Colour
Colour
Holdings
Super 8mm film; Master
MPEG-4 Digital File; ACMI Digital Access Copy - overscan
MOV file H264; ACMI Digital Access Copy - presentation
MOV file ProRes4444; Digital Preservation Master - overscan
MPEG-4 Digital File; ACMI External Digital Access Copy