"In As Ye Sow, Walter Bergmann has made a record of a Victory garden around the plot of the conscientious worker as contrasted to the indolent one. Mr. Shirker in his wishful thinking, through a dream sequence, takes the local prize for vegetables before the digging even begins. As the season progresses, Mr. Worker grows a fine garden, while his opponent achieves a harvest of weeds in spite of his bribes to helpers to produce his garden for him while he goes fishing. The players are well chosen and directed, and there is an amusing and well acted climax in which Mr. Shirker gets his inevitable just deserts." Movie Makers, Dec. 1944, 495.
"Excellent films have been made that show by more or less indirection what adults believe boys should do in camp. But what would boys like to do? Henry E. Hird, in The Big Adventure, seems almost to have thought with a boy's mind — a very real accomplishment for a busy executive — in producing this dramatic tale of boys in the woods. Two youngsters of about twelve years, armed with bows and arrows, are taken by their father on an island camping trip. Resigned, as most boys are under the instruction of their elders, they watch Father show them camp life in detail — and how he enjoys it! Suddenly he leaves for a war conference in Washington, and the two adventurers are alone for the night. A tramp appears, captures them, is outwitted by them and is seized by a helpful farmer. To bed and fears of invading bears go our heroes — when Dad returns, the conference deferred. It is a safe bet that young boys will approve Mr. Hird's dramatic movie as more realistic than some of the "approved solutions" offered to youthful campers." Movie Makers, Dec. 1945, 496.
"Black Book and Camera has good old George, you know George, photographing all the pretty lassies at the World's Fair. He then asks for their names and addresses so that he can send them a photo. Wouldn't a black book full of names and addresses be worth a pretty penny? W-e-l-l. . . George gets a lot of pretty pictures, but as for those names and addresses. . ." PSA Journal, Aug. 1967, 37.
"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.
"Werner Henze has shown in Bohemian Baloney that artists can make fun of themselves and their profession. An artist and his wife had planned to have a quiet evening at the movies when a telephone call warns of a visit by a wealthy prospective buyer of pictures and her meek husband. How the young couple suddenly transform their own characters and their tasteful and immaculate living room into a scene of "arty" surroundings is gaily depicted with just the right amount of farce. The compositions and lighting are excellent and there are gay, unexpected twists throughout, particularly when a self portrait of the artist comes to life." Movie Makers, Dec. 1944, 495.
"Scenes of various arrangements and exhibits at Bramhall flower show in 1934. Interior shots of the exhibition marquees, show table displays being judged by show ground officials. The film also includes footage of the flower shows at Southport and Mottram in 1932. Various livestock classes are judged in the competition ring. The winners of each section are seen standing with their owners in front of the camera." (NWFA Online Database)
"In 1975, Connecticut made the sperm whale its official state animal, as a symbol of conservation. The following year, a group of volunteers from the Connecticut Cetacean Society spent over 5,000 hours building a life-size, 60-foot, ferro-cement model of a male sperm whale, on the grounds of the Children's Museum in West Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Director of the project was Robbins Barstow, who filmed this dramatic, home-made documentary." Archive.org
"By Sea To Florida, 400 ft., 16mm., made by Porter Varney of Bradenton, Fla., is a film record of a sea trip which derives its importance from the fact that the photography and choice of viewpoint are consistently exceptional. Parts of the ship, such as the rigging and cordage, the portholes, the lifeboat davits, etc., were used with rare artistry as aids to composition and effect. An expert use of filters produced exceptionally pleasing and truthful black and white rendition of the sea and the movement and sway of the ship. Continuity was effectually obtained by a shifting of the camera viewpoint, emphasizing the harbor, the high seas and the arrival in Florida. A startling climax to the film was given by a series of shots of an approaching hurricane captured by Mr. Varney 's intrepid camera." Movie Makers, Dec. 1931, 685.
"The Annual Fancy Dress Ball at Glasgow School of Art: 'Something New Under the Sun'. Includes two ballets, 'Hungarian' and 'Machine Age' and animated sequences." National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive.
"The fact that the film, Camp Pinnacle, made by Robert F. Gowen, was provided with a clear spoken accompaniment served to enhance the workmanlike excellence of its cinematic presentation. Since it was a film made, avowedly, to sell to prospect parents the advantages of Camp Pinnacle, it would hardly have been fair to look for those more delicate nuances of atmosphere and sequence which may become a labor of love in the more personal film. Thus Camp Pinnacle was chosen for its excellence as a straightforward exposition, in glowing color, of every interesting aspect of the lives of the lads and their counselors at camp. In setting this forth, Mr. Gowen has chosen simple, natural sequences and has interpreted these with technical excellence and secure knowledge of the Kodachrome medium." Movie Makers, Dec. 1936, 551.
Total Pages: 14
Amateur Cinema