The Official Films Of The Olympic Games: Melbourne- 1956
2000
207 Minutes
Olympics
Available, See Below
On 22nd November, 1956, the 16th Olympic Games opened in Melbourne, Australia. It was the first time in their history that they had been held outside Europe or the USA. Although they opened under a cloud of international ill-will - the Soviet Union had invaded Hungary, France and Britain had intervened in the Suez canal crisis and China withdrew at the inclusion of Taiwan - the Games were to be remembered for their sporting excellence and the spirit in which the competitions were held; the Melbourne Games became forever known as the "friendly Games". When the Melbourne Games began, 3,184 athletes attended from 67 countries. There were numerous memorable sporting successes: Soviet distance runner Vladimir Kuts, who broke the 5,000 and 10,000 meter records. At the closing ceremony, all the athletes marched as one, rather than under national flags. The idea came from a 17-year-old Australian, John Ian Wing, who wrote to the organizing committee to suggest it. It became an Olympic tradition and was a fitting end to a memorable Olympic Games of friendship and sporting endeavor.
Order Information: The Olympic Museum in Switzerland sells this tape through their Museum Shop. View a PDF format list in English or French to see prices and availability. All sales are made in Swiss Francs, so you may need to convert your currency to make payment in the form of an international money order or wire transfer. They offer VHS tapes in three video formats (PAL, NTSC and SECAM). If you are unaware of what format your machine plays, visit Blackstar.co.uk that lists all tape formats by country.
Melbourne- 1956