"'Japan and Its People,' Dr. Roy Gerstenkorn's educational class winner, was a pictured visit to the homes and temples of Japan. Ignoring the cities in his search for the story of the Japan that is not known to the average visitor the doctor penetrated the towns and smaller communities. His picture was awarded a high rating on its photography as well as on his treatment of the subject. After the showing of this picture before the Los Angeles Motion Picture Forum last summer the local school authorities requested and received permission from the doctor to make a duplicate of it for school purposes." American Cinematographer, Jan. 1938, 27-28.
"Jeanette from Scotland won the Scenario Award for a story with a very touching twist at the end. Not much can be written as to its content without giving away the story and thus spoiling it for you when you see it. Rex Palmer did this one in black-and-white (only two other films in the Ten Best were not in color), with a deft handling of the story that tends to mislead you right up to the very end. It easily won as Best Foreign Film in this year's competition" PSA Journal, Oct. 1968, 48.
"'Jeep Trails Through Utah' was produced by Stan Midgley with the use of a jeep rather than his faithful bicycle. He had to leave his bicycle at home, as the deep sands of Utah can only be traveled in a jeep. In his mechanical horse he criss-crossed one of the emptiest blanks on the American map. He leaves the traveled highways and goes back into the little known areas to find fantastically beautiful and unusual natural formations. He travels over sand-blown desert trails, up rocky mountain paths and through treacherous mountain gorges to produce a gem-like picture of Utah." La Canada Valley Sun, Sept. 9, 1971.
"You may have wandered idly along the seashore and picked up an attractive seashell, but, unless you are a conchologist, you will never know how far an interest in shells will carry you, until you have seen Jewels of the Sea, by W. W. Vincent, jr. This film is a story of collecting seashells. It tells, with freshness and enthusiasm, how shells are discovered on the shore, how they are cleaned and prepared for preservation and how they are studied. On the west coast of Florida, we see hunters searching for specimens ; we visit a shell shop and the home of a collector. The camera, plus color film, reveals the beauty of the specimens and presents intriguing mysteries, for some of the shells were built by mollusks that have never been seen alive. The source of their irridescent beauty is entirely unknown. Jewels of the Sea does not pretend to be an educational film about zoology, but it is informative as well as entertaining, and it is distinguished by flawless camera work." Movie Makers, Dec. 1943, 457, 474.
"By a facile blending of warm hearted humor and a keen perception of human interest values, George Mesaros has created a film study of a famous beach in New York's metropolitan area that is replete with interest, information and entertainment. His technical skill and knowledge of what makes a motion picture move prevent this from being the dull collection of random shots all too frequently characteristic of this genre subject. Employing himself as a frenzied and frustrated shutterbug and a filming friend as plain Joe Doakes at the beach with his wife, a lunch and box camera, Mr. Mesaros proceeds to examine with interest and obvious affection the thousand and one attractions of the Long Island resort. An excellent musical score and a brief commentary help to integrate the compact 700 feet of the film's lively length." Movie Makers, Dec. 1949, 454.
"Joniko and the Kush-Ta-Ka, the PSA Film of the Year, is a story of Alaska by a native, Charles Keen of Juneau. In 45 minutes of color and spectaculars, Mr. Keen shows us an Alaska that is beautiful throughout the seasons of the year. The law of nature is never questioned and only strength and courage survive. As if all this as not enough in the way of survival difficulties, there is added the threat of the Kush-Ta-Ka. You struggle, struggle some more and pray with young Joniko in his adventuresome trip to get help. It is truly a film of the year" PSA Journal, Nov. 1969, 56.
"A diesel followed by yesterday's steam locomotives lay the contrasts for this journey to yesterday. Rio Grande's old seam locomotive 473 takes us from Durango to Silverton, Colorado, through the wild country where enroute we see things today as they were yesterday. Throughout this trip we feel the realism of the sound accompaniment, so tastefully a part of the picture. The maker of this film was well aware of the need to include people and human interest, and it did it well" PSA Journal, Nov. 1959, 48-49.
"Joyous Noel by Gilbert B. Jansen Jr. is the sort of color motion picture record of an American family's Christmas that so many home-loving cameramen dream of producing - but seldom do. Undoubtedly the producer and all members of his family will treasure this film immediately. Not a great work, Joyous Noel is nevertheless an unusually good Christmas film in which all of the preparations and celebrations found in graceful family living are depicted through the activities of a young couple and their two children. Well lighted scenes, technically proficient camera work, pleasant acting by all concerned, and a background of Christmas carol music all contribute to make this a thoroughly pleasant production" PSA Journal, Jan. 1955, 50.
According to the filmmakers, "The scenario was our own—concerning the difficulties confronting a British telegraph company in maintaining communications between Uganda and the Sudan. A story requiring such foreign locale—Africa's desert, veldt and jungle—was written with the object of demonstrating to our audiences the cinema possibilities of our northeastern states" (111).
Total Pages: 37
Amateur Cinema