"An amusing, sophisticated treatment of a family Christmas. As the second film ever made by Mr. Hazard, "Merry Christmas" also won the first award and trophy at the 1955 Louisville international Exhibit of Photography. Excellent editing and directing result in the delightful skit of a tiny tot's premature discovery of Christmas tree and presents while parents are still sound asleep and of the mayhem that follows." PSA Journal, Dec. 1955, 35.
"In producing Mexican Fiestas, the Hiram Percy Maxim Award winner of 1938, Ralph E. Gray has written a triumphant climax to his sympathetic and beautiful studies of Mexican life. Last year, in the Ten Best winner, Primitive Patzcuaro, he trained his camera quietly but observingly on the small scope of a single village. This year, in the dynamic sweep and action of Mexican Fiestas, Mr. Gray has ranged the length and breadth of Mexico to record with amazing vitality the thrilling ceremonies of a people at play. Here is an authentic documentation of religious and quasi religious holiday customs, both pagan and Christian. Here the simple mind of the Indian peasant interprets history and theology in his own colorful and often childlike idiom. Here, in the words of the film's own preface, "brave fireworks still exorcise the Devil; bright costumes do honor to the Diety, and exciting dances revive in antic splendor the ancient folklore of Aztec, Moor and Spanish Christian. To this striking and turbulent subject matter, Mr. Gray has brought a photographic skill which but rarely returned him anything less than perfection. The film's episodes, well edited and shrewdly titled, march smoothly onward to an amazing climax of pageantry and beauty. Important as a document of ethnologic value, entertaining as a drama of people at play, Mexican Fiestas is a worthy winner of the Maxim Award for 1938." Movie Makers, Dec. 1938, 596-597.
"Mexican Silhouette, conceived as a gamble, has grown up to glory. After but a few years of average movie making experience, Clement K. Chase — as with so many — felt an irresistible urge to attempt, in one film, a concentration of all his accumulated skill and experience. He turned to a subject he knew with intimacy and affection, and Mexican Silhouette was the result. It is a splendid educational and general interest study, divided flexibly into three main sections — Mexico, D. F., Mexican Agriculture and Mexican Cities. To these subjects, Mr. Chase has brought a mature photographic skill, marked by tripod steadiness, stimulating compositions and a dramatic feeling for the use of filters. Well titled in the original silent version, the film is now being distributed commercially in both sound and silent editions." Movie Makers, Dec. 1939, 633.
"What would have been an excellent film under any circumstances becomes outstanding as a group production. Produced by the Minneapolis Cine Club, it was originally conceived by William S. Block, carried out under the supervision of G. L. Larson, with Earle E. Ibberson in charge of production, while club president Elmer W. Albinson did the final cutting and editing. All members contributed directly to the project, either in filming or by helping to complete the picture. In the film we accompany two teen-agers, a 4-H boy and girl, on a grand tour of the fair, visiting exhibits, marvelling at the livestock show,standing pop-eyed before the midway spectacles, puzzling over the complexities of modern art, gasping at the fireworks display against the night sky. A running gag furnishes comedy relief, while the wholesome charm of our young guides is revealed in a sympathetic and appealing fashion. The members' filming is consistently competent, and deft editing has made Minnesota State Fair a well integrated and thoroughly enjoyable entertainment." Movie Makers, Dec. 1948, 476, 491.
"Under the classification of Home Movie, Van Dee Sickler of Los Angeles was awarded the $50.00 prize for his picture 'Mishcief,' a 16 mm subject in 200 feet. The continuity is evolved around his wife, a Scotch terrier, a cat and a bird. The continuity, titles and photography of this picture were very good." American Cinematographer, Dec. 1934, 376.
"A comic vignette starring Smith's son Dennis." Center for Home Movies.
"Short story of a man, too busy with his gardening chores to be patient of the playful impulses of a little girl. His attention is drawn to a sobering event which provides time to reflect. A simple story but rather difficult for the amateur. It has been well handled by Honold Parks" PSA Journal, Nov. 1959, 49.
"A domestic black comedy, MISTER E expresses some of the edgier mischief and discontent that women of mid-century America could rarely express openly. This short film narrates the revenge acted out by a young wife, left at home while her husband is at a card game; by staging a rendezvous with a mannequin, this woman provokes an eruption of jealousy and violence before bringing about the desired marital tenderness." Chicago Film Archives
"Film features a man and a woman interacting and ends with a 'Life sentence' sign" Archives of Ontario.
"The Model Anesthesiologist is a clam bake purely for fun by a group of the medical brotherhood who are having a sort of jam session in their own way with their own tools, and they are willing to let the camera record it all for posterity. They sing, they clown, and they poke holes in the back of some poor victim as they burlesque their workaday world" PSA Journal, Sept. 1966, 34.
Total Pages: 39
Amateur Cinema