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1964-1980: three 16-mm films by the brothers Gösta & Torsten Melin

1964: "Ytterlännäs Mediæval Church"
1978-80: "Restoration, 1978-80"
1980: "Bishop's visitation in Ytterlännäs parish, 1980"

"... the first colour film of a mediæval church in Sweden ... this film has an extraordinary value as a historical document ... as well as considerable artistic merit ..." Prof. Henrik Cornell, 1964 "... priceless and classic ... an invaluable testimony to one of the most remarkable churches in Norrland. It's important that this film be spread and preserved for the future ..." Lars Cnattingius, Riksantikvarieämbetet, 1964

Here are a few tasters -

these films clips can be viewed with QuickTime 7, which can be downloaded free here: 1964: Introduction The galleries The Maria bell Baptism

 

1979-80: Old-style guttering Bell supports Paint

1980: Bishop's visitation

These three films about the Old Church of Ytterlännäs can be seen as the pinnacle of the illustrative production of the brothers Gösta & Torsten Melin: their passionate dedication to presenting this cultural treasure on film consumed enormous amounts of their time and other resources for a good many years. Eivy Melin: "They clipped every evening and half the night too - they simply weren't available for anything else!"

Torsten says:

"Our involved with the Old Church started early one: Gösta and I lived only a few kilometers from the Old Church in Nordanåker village, so we were there often enough, and we were stuck by the idea that such a beautiful church was something we ought to make a film about. But we were too enthusiastic, we had no idea how much work it was to make a film!

"We knew that Gustaf Näsström the art historian loved this old church, and his grandfather was one of those who signed the minutes in 1850, when Schönmeyr said it would be sacrilege to pull it down and the parish council decided to let is stand. He was very excited by the idea of the film and was happy to contribute by doing the narration.

"I say with Gustaf Näsström, 'the Old Church of Ytterlännäs is a shrine, filled to the brim with beauty in its walls, its paintings and it sculptures: and within its walls is contained an astoundingly rich and noble whole view of the church of our ancestors'. "

Now that today's digital technology lets us make this generally material accessible on DVD, har Eivy and Kerstin Melin have made it available for viewing and purchase for the benefit of the Old Church, and to the memory of its authors: they each passed on at the age of 84, in 2002 and 2004 respectively.

Torsten Melins other major work is a collection of photographic portraits of the church. They exist in large-scale format as an exhibition, as picture postcards, and are the basis of the virtual tour on this web-site.

here

 

Ytterlännäs medeltidskyrka 1964: narration & script - Gustaf Näsström - 18 min Restaureringen 1978-80: narration & script - Ingemar Glemme - 25 min Biskopsvisitation 1980: narration & script - Torsten Melin - 12 min

DVD production - David Kettlewell