Kes: How you can watch the original 35mm reels of iconic Yorkshire film this summer

It’s rare a cinema is sold out for a screening of a Blockbuster these days, let alone a film which was first shown in 1969 and is now freely available on TV.

But this is no ordinary run of the mill film.

Kes transformed a town and shone a spotlight on the mining community. Even to this day, the film is used in schools, colleges and at universities, keeping Barnsley on the worldwide map.

After a rare discovery of seven reels inside a loft, the original film Kes, in its original format, is set to be revived.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Rob Younger who runs the Parkway Cinema in Barnsley said: “A chap just walked in with a box.”Rob Younger who runs the Parkway Cinema in Barnsley said: “A chap just walked in with a box.”
Rob Younger who runs the Parkway Cinema in Barnsley said: “A chap just walked in with a box.”

Rob Younger who runs the Parkway Cinema in Barnsley said: “A chap just walked in with a box.”

After looking inside he could confirm the 35mm reels were from 1969 of Kes.

While the iconic film is an epic in Rob’s eyes and in the eyes of many film buffs as well as Barnsley folk, he was sceptical that it would even work.

“I wasn’t as excited as I could have been,” said Rob.

Rob Younger runs the Parkway Cinema in BarnsleyRob Younger runs the Parkway Cinema in Barnsley
Rob Younger runs the Parkway Cinema in Barnsley

Directed by Ken Loach, Kes is based on the novel A Kestrel for a Knave, written by Yorkshire author; Barry Hines.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The film follows the story of Billy, who comes from a dysfunctional working-class family and is a no-hoper at school, but discovers his own private means of fulfilment when he adopts a fledgling kestrel and proceeds to train it in the art of falconry.

As director Ken Loach previously told The Yorkshire Post, his acclaimed adaptation provides a simple but powerful contrast between a bird soaring in the sky and a boy lacking that level of freedom over his own life as he is set on a course of semi-skilled manual labour by the circumstances of his life and environment.

Fully aware of the impact Kes still has on Barnsley over 50 years later, Rob didn’t want to get his hopes up about the reels which had the potential to showcase the original colours, sounds and feel the original film showed audiences.

Rob Younger with one of the seven reelsRob Younger with one of the seven reels
Rob Younger with one of the seven reels

“We didn’t know how long it had been in the loft. With harsh winters and summers this can damage reels. It would be a challenge.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After rewinding it and putting it through one of the cinema’s original projectors, Rob said he was “buzzing” with the quality.

“It looked reasonable. It’s not perfect with a few scratches but we built from there,” he added.

Barnsley’s Kes Society which now owns the reels planned to put the box on display next to its other memorabilia.

Kes statue in arnsley town centreKes statue in arnsley town centre
Kes statue in arnsley town centre

“I said this needs to be on screen, this needs to be shown to the public,” said Rob.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rob was confident he could get the reels up to scratch to show on the big screen at the Parkway, just like he had revived the cinema itself in 2007 when he reopened it as the Parkway after it had been left empty for a couple of years following the closure of the former Odeon.

In conjunction with the Barnsley Kes Society, Rob has organised two screenings of the film which will see original cast members attending such as the leading star David (Dai) Barker.

The screenings will take place on June 15 and 16 and will be followed by a Q&A session with Dai and a meet and greet session. There will also be plenty of Kes memorabilia on display before and after the screenings. Both screenings are now sold out.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1754
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice