For Immediate Release

March 21, 2023

Inside the Octagon: MG Documentary Films Archived for Educational Research at Revs Institute®

Inside the Octagon and Inside the Octagon 2, the definitive MG history documentary films, are now included in the prestigious archives of Revs Institute® in Naples, Florida. Retired Houston filmmaker Gary Watson donated his two films to the institute in March 2023 to ensure their long-term preservation and accessibility for automotive-history research.

Watson produced Inside the Octagon in 1995 and Inside the Octagon 2 in 2008. Both films have been highly praised throughout the MG community for bringing the story of the classic British sportscar to life through wide-ranging interviews with key MG personalities. This informative, entertaining oral history of the company includes many colorful reminiscences, including those of John Thornley, former MG general manager, and Jean Kimber Cook, daughter of MG founder Cecil Kimber.

“Those who sat for filmed interviews entrusted their stories to me and the film,” Watson said. “It is incumbent on me to ensure that those stories are not lost. Revs Institute’s archive and library are a fitting permanent home for these films and related materials.”

Revs Institute is dedicated to the study and celebration of the automobile. It exists to foster a new level of understanding of the automobile, not only as a technological device, but as an agent for social and economic change worthy to be considered among the masterpieces of human creativity.  Housed in the museum is a collection of over 100 historical, exceptional automobiles that meet rigorous standards for importance, rarity and technical, aesthetic, or social significance. Revs Institute also has an extensive archive and library of books, periodicals, photos, film, ephemera, brochures, advertisements, primary source materials, and multilingual technical publications. The library is available as a resource for those interested in automotive history. Revs Institute is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, housed in 80,000 square feet, purpose-built facility.

Watson’s donation of Inside the Octagon and Inside the Octagon 2 comprises production materials that trace the story of the MG Car Company from its origins in the 1920s to the end of production in 1980. The donation includes original film elements, original audio recordings, master film prints, videotapes, video files, still photos, research material, scripts, and correspondence between Watson and the participants in the film. Revs Institute will store the materials for the short term in a climate-controlled space and will then incorporate them into its yearly plan for processing by archivists.

“The inclusion of Inside the Octagon in the Revs Institute archives is the culmination of a decades-long journey for me,” said Watson. “It fulfills my goal to assure MG enthusiasts that this accurate historical record of an iconic, beloved sportscar is preserved and that these films themselves are now a part of that extraordinary history.”

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Contact:  Gary Watson                                                Revs Institute Inc.

gary@gwatson4x5.com                                              2500 Horseshoe Drive S.

                                                                                            Naples, Florida 34104

                                                                                            https://revsinstitute.org