The Show of Shows: 100 Years of Vaudeville, Circuses and Carnivals

The Show of Shows: 100 Years of Vaudeville, Circuses and Carnivals

This film tells the story of itinerant circus performers, cabaret acts and fairground attractions, showing rarities and never-before seen footage of fairgrounds, circus entertainment, freak shows, variety performances, music hall and seaside entertainment, chronicled from the 19th and 20th century. We will see early shows that wowed the world and home movies of some of the greatest circus families. Director Benedikt Erlingsson takes us back to the days when the most outlandish, skillful and breathtaking acts traveled the world. This rich visual archive has been created with exclusive access to The University of Sheffield’s National Fairground Archive and is accompanied by an epic new score by Georg Holm and Orri Páll Dýrason of Sigur Rós, in collaboration with Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson and Kjartan Dagur Holm.

Circus Drawings

Circus Drawings

2010

La Strada

La Strada

1954

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

1972

Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus

Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus

1938

Goodbye Broadway

Goodbye Broadway

1938

Yankee Doodle Dandy

Yankee Doodle Dandy

1942

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

2009

The Parish Priest of Saint-Amour

The Parish Priest of Saint-Amour

1952

Bogus

Bogus

1996

Fortune Favours the Fantabulous

Fortune Favours the Fantabulous

2023

The Circus Girl

The Circus Girl

2010

The Hunger Artist

The Hunger Artist

2002

Pippi Longstocking

Pippi Longstocking

1997

They Learned About Women

They Learned About Women

1930

Zombieland

Zombieland

2009

Santa Sangre

Santa Sangre

1989

Cirque du Soleil: The Surreal World of Zarkana

Cirque du Soleil: The Surreal World of Zarkana

2011

The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus

The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus

1996

Gypsy

Gypsy

1993

Girl on the Ball

Girl on the Ball

1967