"There are precious few sails in this production which William Messner has called Blades and Sails. But there is a powerful lot of cinema in its smooth 650 feet of Kodachrome. And there is a wealth of flashing blades. The blades are bandied about by Ernest Riedel, a gaunt length of rawhide and muscle, otherwise known as the national, international and Olympic canoe champion. During the smoothly plotted course of Riedel's exposition of canoeing techniques. Mr. Messner demonstrates his own championship calibre behind the camera. His angles are so right as to seem effortless — though you suspect they're not. His follow-through is as deft as a sweeping blade and his cutting as crisp as a speeding birchbark. Blades and Sails is informative, entertaining and sound cinema — which is quite a combination in any man's movie." Movie Makers, Dec. 1951, 410.
"A brief film designed as a trailer for home use rarely possesses the quality of general audience appeal. Grace Lindner may be justly proud of having achieved this elusive element in Bless This House. The film is a hymn of love, an ode in praise of home, the family, mutual understanding and other ingredients of the good life. That the theme is an emotional one is admitted. That it might have become painfully saccharine is granted. That it did not is due to the sensitive and restrained manner in which the filmer has presented her familiar scenes. Fred Waring's recording of the title song furnished the theme and is used as an integral part of the film." Movie Makers, Dec. 1950, 466.
"The tragic story of a young romance torn apart by an ill-fated trip to the seaside. A man grieves the loss of his wife, urged by a friend to 'try to live off the memories of her'. But all he can recall are the events leading up to her death, shown as vivid, point-of-view flashbacks. A weekend trip to Brighton and rural Sussex is full of love and laughter, until tragedy strikes on the return journey, leaving the man alone and struggling to cope" (EAFA Database).
"Blossom Forth the Fruit is a straightforward, well made, carefully planned and well exposed instructional film, which tells how to care for apple trees and their fruit in all stages of growth. Its maker, William R. Hutchinson, has a thorough knowledge of apple growing, and he also had the collaboration of specialists from Cornell University and the Farm Bureau. The clear presentation of all the phases of treatment that are necessary to insure the growth of fine fruit is noteworthy. From the technical point of view, microscopic color studies of insects, parasites and blights furnish excellent examples of ultra closeup technique. Methods of spraying and other protective treatment of the fruit are shown in clearly presented detail. Because of its clear presentation and uniformly high technical quality, this film is worthy of the highest commendation." Movie Makers, Dec. 1941, 564-565.
"BC Packers (Western Canadian Whaling Ltd.) whaling operations, based at Coal Harbour. Whaling ship departs; whale is sighted and harpooned; whale struggles and dies. Flensing and processing of whale carcass at Coal Harbour -- products are frozen ground whale meat and mink feed. Sequence on preparation of harpoons, followed by another whaling trip aboard the Polar V. Several sequences appear to be in slow motion." (BC Archives)
The Western Canada Whaling Company was a sub-division of British Columbia Packers Limited.
The filmmaker is not identified. Film begins with the credit "British Columbia Packers presents..."
"Mother puts a blue case on the mantel. Baby daughter takes the case and goes for wild flowers. The case suffers an accident and small fry seeks the piggy bank for money to buy another. She goes to the ceramic plant but there is no vase. The nice man agrees to make one and we may watch as he does this. When completed, he takes only a small coin in payment. A simple, but beautiful family motion picture" PSA Journal, Nov. 1960, 41.
"It takes a true craftsman to catch all the intimate and informal scenes that make a first rate vacation film, particularly when his exposure problems are complicated by the sunlight and shadows of a thickly wooded lake shore. But George Mesaros has succeeded in producing the sort of vacation record that most filmers only dream about. Mr. Mesaros has mastered his technical problems with an expert's hand and has turned out a stunning, vital movie of a summer outing in the Saranac Lake region. Faced with non-cooperative fellow campers, he had to be prepared to set up his tripod at a moment's notice; but the candid air of the proceedings on the screen is ample recompense for his vigilance. Bluff Island Idyll is a vivid testament to the importance of human interest and to the appeal of simple, everyday activities when they are properly sequenced and edited." Movie Makers, Dec. 1947, 513.
"A tale of a misguided farm boy who gets into trouble trying to get his girl in the big city." Minnesota Historical Society.
Total Pages: 299
Amateur Cinema