"In Fishers of Grande Anse, Leslie P. Thatcher, ACL, has compiled a vivid and crystal clear cinematic document of cod fishing in a little village in northern New Brunswick. This picture is a restrained work of art that depicts the austere beauty of toil. Repairing boats and nets, catching and cleaning the cod, salting and storing the fish for market and the fishermen leaving for home are the raw material from which this black and white production draws its rugged and satisfying beauty. Close shots and closeups (never affected or forced) comprise the simple devices whereby the irrelevant and possibly distracting material is excluded and whereby the magnificent compositions are achieved. The technical quality of the picture is superb, but probably Mr. Thatcher's greatest accomplishment is in his choice of camera viewpoint." Movie Makers, Dec. 1935, 550.
"Detailed views of fishing, with intertitles. " oldfilm.org
"A schoolboy in need of material for a geography theme launches Five Days From Home, as Dad gets out the movie projector and shows Son the cine harvest of his summer holiday. Among the points covered in a whirlwind auto trip from New York to Canada are Quebec City, Montmorency Falls, a Canadian pulpwood mill and Ausable Chasm, in New York State. Mannie Lovitch's handling of these subjects is always competent, occasionally excellent. His inquiring camera found many scenes of quaint charm in the old St. Lawrence city, and his full scale visual treatment of the pulp mill is sustained in interest by a superb bit of scoring with modern music by Virgil Thompson. Of especial note is Mr. Lovitch's mobile cross-cutting of the three to four themes which make up his coverage of the usually difficult Ausable Chasm." Movie Makers, Dec. 1948, 493.
"produced in a garage in Prestwick… the story of a man who spends the night in a waxwork show for a bet, but does not live to tell the tale" (HMHT 1933: 450).
"This color film was shown at Duncan MacD. Little's 11th annual International show of amateur motion pictures. The rising sun greets the golden fairyland of Bryce. Tunnels cut through the rocks, car passing through. Shot after shot of beautiful scenery with lovely sky and cloud affects. People climbing. Camp life shows the rugged simplicity of the daily routine of outdoor life. Grand Canyon nature's mightiest spectacle. Sunset. The magic of stop-motion compresses time and hastens drifting clouds. Night draws a veil over flaming canyon and wonderland" Educational Film Guide, 1945 Edition, 412.
"A suspenseful thriller with story, directing and acting at its best. Excellent lighting, using on to give regular 500-watt photo-floods for interior and outdoor night scenes. Swift pace editing." PSA Journal, Dec. 1955, 36.
"Mother gives Junior a model airplane kit and immediately, he sets about the task of assembly while Dad works on the opposite side of the table editing motion pictures. During the night, Junior goes into a dream sequence of flying his airplane. Later he flies his toy in a local contest and wins the big prize. A likely event in the life of a boy" PSA Journal, Oct. 1961, 48.
Total Pages: 299
Amateur Cinema