Film Record: Circus Time

Still image from Circus Time in Movie Makers, Dec. 1950, 446.

Date produced: 1950

Filmmaker(s):

George Merz

Languages:

English

Length:

500 ft

Format:

16mm

Colour:

Kodachrome

Sound Notes:

Silent

Sound:

With music on disc.

Awards/Recognition:

ACL Ten Best 1950

Description:

"Tackling the circus in broad daylight is a brave undertaking for the most advanced amateur. The lack of dramatic lighting and exciting colors found at night exhibitions or in darkened auditoriums puts the burden of making an interesting film squarely on the filmer. George Merz, in his Circus Time, has overcome these obstacles ably and with imagination. Highly competent camera work and excellent editing mark every foot of Circus Time. When the action threatens to lag, Mr. Merz knowingly inserts audience reaction shots of high human interest. A colorful musical score adds an extra fillip of excitement to moments that might otherwise become static." Movie Makers, Dec. 1950, 464.

Resources:

Merz describes how to create a zoom effect for film titling with reference to Circus Time in "Zoom Titles Without Zooming" (Movie Makers, March 1951, 77-79).

Subjects:

•               Circus

Genre:

• Documentary

Form:

• Short

Screenings:

• Screened by the Hartford Cinema Club in 1950: Hartford, CT
• Screened by the Metropolitan Motion Picture Club in 1951: New York City, N.Y.
• Screened by the Amateur Cinema Club of Buffalo in 1951: Buffalo, N.Y.
• Screened by the 8mm. Club of Rochester in 1951: Rochester, N.Y.
• Screened by the Amateur Movie Society of Milwaukee in 1952: Milwaukee, WI
• Screened by the Golden Gate Cinematographers in 1952: San Francisco, CA
• Screened by the Winnipeg Cine Club in 1952: Winnipeg, MB
• Screened by the Seattle Amateur Movie Club in 1952: Seattle, WA
• Screened by the Dayton Amateur Movie Makers Club in 1953: Dayton, OH

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