"Another Happy Day" was the winner in the home movie classification, the prize going to T. Lawrenson of Dundee, Scotland. Mr. Lawrenson is a member of the Institute of Amateur Cinematographers of London. Also is he a veteran of the American Cinematographer's contests, having been one of the three major prize winners of 1935. Also is the chief actor in the home movie a veteran, a child who now has reached seemingly the mature age of four years, and who of course was but two when he made his debut on the home movie stage in 'Happy Day.' He is a black-eyed, camera-unconscious and personable youngster, who proceeds on his lawful occasions in complete indifference to a live lens." American Cinematographer, Jan. 1938, 27.
"Bringing Kodacolor indoors was the task E. M. Barnard, ACL, set for himself in Christmas 1933, and the result is a 400 foot reel of very charming Christmas studies. One of the few attempts at a complete personal story in color, this picture presents a well photographed and adequately planned film of the youngsters' enjoyment of the holiday. Exposure for interior Kodacolor seems to be no problem to Mr. Barnard, for the majority of his scenes have perfect color rendition as well as very effective and interesting lighting. Some of the studies of his small daughter have an appealing loveliness that is impossible to get in black and white, for they present the very delicate flesh tones with perfect faith as well as the colors of costumes and incidental Christmas background. This film marks a new step in personal indoor filming and leads the way to more extensive use of the color medium by artificial light." Movie Makers, Dec. 1934, 546.
"Among the Ten Best, A Christmas at Home, by Edmund Zacher, II. ACL. is a lovely mine of bright gems which glows with all the warmth and color so surely associated with this festive season. Although essentially of slow pace, the film never once loses appeal, as it presents with loving and tender enthusiasm the countless minutiae of beauty which blend into the charm of Christmas at home. Mr. Zacher's color photography, predominantly interior, is crisp and delicately beautiful, while his sensitive selection of material and cunning choice of angles are an unfailing delight. Multiple exposures of such charm and flawless craftsmanship as almost to defy detection adorn his opening and closing sequences, and the entire production is pleasantly scored with appropriate music and sound effects. More than once a previous winner in these annual selections, Mr. Zacher seems not yet to have reached the full measure of his fine skill with camera and film." Movie Makers, Dec. 1935, 534.
"Christmas at our House reflects the joy that Mrs. Olaf M. Olsen must have experienced in making it. It is an utterly sincere and delightful record of old Norwegian Christmas customs, carried over and observed in the United States by second generation Americans. It presents, in minute detail, the elaborate cookery and decorations of Christmas in Norway. The recipe for each dish and the kitchen utensils required are shown in closeup at the beginning of the individual sequences. Each step in preparing the particular food is then presented in orderly fashion from start to finish. This pattern may sound prosaic, but there is a charm about this film that defies any feeling of monotony. The choice of camera viewpoint and the lighting and exposure in this movie leave nothing to be desired. In fact, the camera handling is so fine that mechanical factors cease to exist, and the spectator feels as if he were actually present within the scene, to watch the action. This movie's titles, done in color, are most attractive, while the editing of the entire picture is smooth and interesting." Movie Makers, Dec. 1941, 541, 563.
"Christmas Nuts, presented with a sound on film recording on a separate 16mm. film, produced by Paul Braun and Howard Goodman, is not only an interior color picture of exceptional beauty and impeccable technical quality but is also one of the best puppet films thus far created. With a camera technique paralleling that of the latest theatrical, animated talkie cartoons, the story of a wolf "hijacking" Santa Claus and the consequent near calamity for the two squirrels is unfolded in a completely cinematic fashion. The camera moves freely from medium shot to closeup, the mechanics of the sets are not obstrusive and the puppets move with agility and grace. The sets, which were designed and constructed with great care, are very handsome and exquisitely finished so that no imperfections are revealed in the enlarged picture of them on the screen. The sets, in combination with the colored lights used in part to illuminate them, embody the producers' theory of "created color." That is, no attempt is made to simulate nature, but rather to produce pleasing, vivid color combinations, as in the illustrations of a child's story book. A cleverly compiled dialog, song and music accompaniment has been synchronized with the picture, although recorded, at present, on a separate film." Movie Makers, Dec. 1935, 534.
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Amateur Cinema