"Those who have not attended a New Orleans funeral may look forward to an experience. These are colored funerals for lodge members and important persons. Lodge brothers and sisters dress in their fraternal regalia. Men in uniform, braid, sashes, aprons, plumed hats, swords, long coats. Women in white uniforms or long skirts and complimentary headgear. The choice of dress befits the occasion. The Eureka Brass band Furnishes the music-fast marches to the funeral home, dirges to the cemetery, hymns at the graveside. Leaving the grave, jazz music is played as it is propitious to celebrate, a good time for dancing. Many impromptu dances set up along the return route. to hear the band music is enough to get one to attend a New Orleans funeral. The beat is almost hypnotic" PSA Journal, Oct. 1962, 36.
"New Zealand by Charles J. Ross, FPSA, of Los Angeles, Calif. Charlie does his usual thorough and past prize-winning best on this fine example of the travel film that few people are capable of doing so well. This 30-minute 16mm film won for him an Honorable Mention" PSA Journal, Nov. 1970, 38.
"New Zealand's South Island is the one treated in this production, one of two which Ernest H. Scott made during a prolonged visit Down Under. The awe inspiring Southern Alps have been recorded here with expert camera work and pleasant composition, and the whole impressive terrain of this part of New Zealand is appealingly set forth. The musical scoring, while standard, is adequate to the purpose. The narration is capably written and professionally delivered. If a need for more closeups is felt occasionally, it should be remembered that the large land itself is the star in New Zealand Holiday." Movie Makers, Dec. 1951, 412.
"Although Mexico has become a recurring theme among American movie makers, its varicolored panoramas seem fresh and vital when viewed through the discerning eyes of so capable a film reporter as Esther S. Cooke. She has a fine talent for blending human interest with purely scenic passages, so that Nextdoor Neighbor presents an informative and entertaining pageant of the sights and scenes below the border. Not the least of this producer's potentials are her diligent research, able organization and skillful editing. The more familiar scenes of Mexican life are supplemented here by an admirably detailed coverage of the national sport, bullfighting. Looking at this spectacle as if through Latin eyes, Mrs. Cooke has been able to transmute onto film its stirring pageantry and ritualized passion. A happy choice of Mexican recordings provide a beautifully blended musical score, which reaches its apex in the, bullfight sequence with the haunting and classic La Virgen de la Macarena." Movie Makers, Dec. 1950, 465.
"Sailing around Alaska." UC San Diego Library.
"Northwoods Adventures is a plumply constructed and neatly tied half-hour package of travel through the Adirondack area. Evident in it are the well known technical skills, the smooth sequencing and the attractive titles which mark all the movies of Frank E. Gunnell. But the picture seems a package, nevertheless — and a package for a purpose. One gets the impression that the producer, as he edited, had his eye on the guest-lecturer's clock at a luncheon club meeting — rather than on the crisp continuities of movie making per se." Movie Makers, Dec. 1951, 412.
"Once again the Lawlers permit us an intimate glimpse into the lives of their family. Number 10 (boy or girl?) has joined the family and introduces all the brothers and sisters, who, in turn, tell us of their personal doings. The time has come for Number 10 to undergo the ritual of his first haircut. The whole family participates, and each child vividly recalls his or her own experience of the "first haircut." Mother's tears fall as the curls fall, but all is cheerfully forgotten as their beautiful "girl" emerges from the barber's apron a handsome boy. All narration, in each child's voice, is in rhyme, and the charm of the children is heard as well as seen, making this a truly outstanding family film" PSA Journal, Oct. 1963, 40.
"Objectif Festival is a story based - on truth or not, we don't know - of an old photographer who decides to bring his camera, tripod and all, the to the Cannes Film Festival to get a few still shots. He is not prepared for the fast shooting shutterbugs of today, nor the Bikini clad French dolls that litter the beaches. Time has passed him by in more ways than one. The film has been cleverly cut to fit its musical score, and this unusual editing has earned for the film the MPD Golden Scissors Award for the best film editing in the contest" PSA Journal, Sept. 1964, 50-51.
"L. Clyde Anderson was given an award for Color photography, for 'October By-Ways.' We want to congratulate Mr. Anderson for his selection of colors. It is one of the very first amateur pictures we have seen where color was really properly balanced. There were no harsh notes to distract, but he chose scenes where the ensemble blended and where there was a fine eye-resting blance of color and also color composition. It was obvious that Anderson used haze filters on his outside scenes as the sky does not have that postcard-blue effect, but has been reduced to almost a gray haze which helps the fall colors in the trees and does not take the eye away from the main points of interest." American Cinematographer, Jan. 1937, 37.
"Ogden Point is a nice little documentary helped along to a very great extent by an exceptionally smooth narration or commentary and an equally nice delivery" PSA Journal, Aug. 1967, 37.
Total Pages: 37
Amateur Cinema