Still image from One Summer Day in Movie Makers, Dec. 1949, 451.
English
350 ft
8mm
Kodachrome
Silent
With music and sound effects on wire recording.
"Neither the lead title nor the unpretentious opening scenes — as a small boy is seen building a crude toy boat — prepares the spectator for the pure enchantment of One Summer Day. For, almost unrealized even as it happens, the film melts with incredible smoothness from live action into animation and make-believe. The toy boat becomes a pirate galleon of old, a flower a maiden in distress and a twig her gallant suitor, as there unfolds a tale of romantic derring-do. Under cover of darkness, the pirates plot to kidnap the lady, whose protector, a humble fisherman, is away at his nets. He returns, only to be bested in the ensuing sword play, yet, undaunted, he still gives chase. With the help of a friendly whale, he overtakes the pirates, frees his lady and, as the galleon goes down in flames, the lovers return to shore, to live happily ever after. Then, as quietly as it all began, we are back at the edge of the sunlit pond. The boy lifts his boat from the water and turns homeward. And yet, through the true magic of the movies, we have entered for a brief moment childhood's enchanted world. Highly imaginative camera handling, technical skill and a keen sense of cinematic values make this an outstanding example of personal filming. The musical accompaniment and sound effects (including the cling-clang-cling of clashing swords) complement the picture perfectly. Glen Turner has added a new dimension to amateur filming with this simple story so superbly told in its brief 350 feet of 8mm. film." Movie Makers, Dec. 1949, 452-453.
Discussed by Turner in "Adventures in Animation" (Movie Makers, Jan. 1950, 12-13, 30-31). The article describes "how a child's Christmas toy prompted the production of 'One Summer Day,' Maxim Award Winner for 1949" (13). Animation techniques are listed and film stills are shown.
Also discussed by Turner in "Try Movies with Mirrors" (Movie Makers, July 1950, 262-263). The article encourages filmmakers to use mirrors to create imaginative films, with reference to the production of One Summer Day.
Movie Makers (April 1950, 153) reported that One Summer Day was "seen by more than 2100 persons in its Utah area since December, 1949."
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Amateur Cinema