WHAT is believed to be one of only two remaining film prints of the 1969 classic Kes has been rediscovered and donated to Parkway Cinema for a special screening.
The newly-found 35mm print was discovered in the loft of Ian Fletcher, from Clayton West, a member of the Barnsley Kes Group and an obsessive of everything Kes-related.
Once it was discovered, the print was rushed to the co-owner of Eldon Street’s Parkway Cinema, Rob Younger, who checked out the film’s quality and if it could be run.
Rob told the Chronicle: “It was in his loft for - we think - 40 years.
“So we ran it for the group and they said ‘oh my God, this is amazing’.
“We’re aware of one other print that the BFI (British Film Institute) have got, but we’ve got no idea if this is the second-oldest print or what.”
The tin the film is stored in suggests it has not been seen in more than 20 years.
Yet, beyond this, Rob and the group have been unable to work out any further details, including where it was last screened.
Nevertheless, the cinema owner realised this was too good a discovery to sit on and has organised a ‘Kes Fest’ to screen the film on June 15, where Billy Casper himself David ‘Dai’ Bradley will attend to meet fans and host a Q and A.
“I knew that we needed to show it, we needed to get it on screen again,” he added.
“It’s all right saying we’ve got this film and it’s in good condition, but we need to get it on the screen.
“At the minute it’s just Dai coming, but we’re trying to get a few other cast members to come down.
“There’ll be loads of memorabilia, members of the group will be here as well talking about it.
“The fact that we’re showing an original print is fantastic.
“We’re amazed at the film’s condition considering where it’s been all these years and we can’t wait to get it back on the big screen where it belongs, right here in Barnsley.”
