Film Archive National Programmes Manager Jane Paul has put together a film programme looking at our politicians' performances "on the hustings" from 1911-1984. Screening Thursday 21 August at 7pm at the mediatheatre in Wellington, come and watch our politicians of old, in celluloid flesh and on that scary new medium - television. There is also a range of entertaining coverage of campaign nights (before the days of the computer.

Altogether this is a compilation of seventeen items from the Archives collection on politics and politicians. Be dazzled by flamboyant oratory, great charm and sincerity, as well as moments of pure aggression. A fascinating and amusing expose of political rhetoric, its worth a look.

The earliest footage is from Labour candidate Mr D McLaren in 1911, there is also rare footage of a speech from Michael Joseph Savage from an Australian newsreel – New Zealand was not yet producing newsreels at the time. Peter Fraser by contrast is all emotion and arm swinging as he gives his speech in the town hall in 1945.

A 1949 National Party production condemns the evils of socialism while a newsreel heralding the 1954 Elections, made with a whimsical, rhyming commentary and features Walter Nash (Labour), Sidney Holland and Hilda Ross (National) and Mr Owen (Social Credit).

Historic moments including a tipsy Muldoon announcing the 1984 snap election and those controversial election campaign advertisements plus a look at election night in the NZBC studios with Professor Robert Chapman examining the results as they are rung through to the studio.

Propaganda from 1949 expounds the views of the right and the left, on the one hand the perils of communism (in a coming of age drama) is exposed and contrasted with "Achievement" which celebrates the Labour Government’s term of office.

While putting together the programme Paul was very interested to see the styles of "spin" and how they have changed, "and also stayed the same in some cases."

The change in technology is illustrated from 25 minute pieces of electioneering on film, to short, snappy television advertising. "Besides being about the politicians this programme is also about the media - the journalists from the 1970s like Brian Edwards, Joe Cote, Simon Walker and others."

A personal highlight for Paul is the NZBC Election Night footage that has recently been preserved by the Film Archive, "It's a brilliant opportunity to be able to show people clips from that time and era is great - before computers and then the first election year they were used, 1972, everything changes again."

See the full programme