Not So Much a Facelift…(1976)

Not So Much a Facelift… Synopsis

A short documentary exploring the UK’s 1970s approach to urban renewal through General Improvement Areas. Mixing location footage from Blackburn, Norwich, and Oxford with unexpectedly quirky presentation, the film contrasts small-scale housing improvements with the sweeping redevelopment schemes of the post-war era. Produced as a government public information film and shown at meetings between planners, architects, and residents, it stands as a modest, humane entry in Britain’s civic-minded documentary tradition.

Not So Much a Facelift… (1976) is a documentary and history film directed by Philip Harland, released on January 1, 1976 with a runtime of 25m.