"Taking the familiar 'Twas the Night Before Christmas as a theme, Bert Seckendorf and Vic Watson have put together an appealing children's holiday film combining live action with animation. The live action interludes show a father reading the poem to his young son on Christmas Eve, with the familiar lines superimposed at the base of the scene. These connectives then fade out to miniature sets in which animated figures re-enact the well known story of St. Nick. The film suffers from some underexposure and uneven animation in places, but it offers a very pleasant holiday item." Movie Makers, Dec. 1949, 455,468.
"Chronos is a deft little documentary that calls our attention to the matter of the time, how we are regulated and governed by the passage of minutes and hours, and how occasionally time traps us in spite of our attempts to elude it. the film also won the MPD documentary Film Award" PSA Journal, Sept. 1966, 34.
"A Margaret Conneely amateur film starring St. Tarcissus’ Cub Scout Pack 3969 in a circus production. Children dress as both circus animals and performers." Chicago Film Archives
A film featuring various activities in the city of Clacton UK.
"Filmed in 1939 by the town doctor, Cologne is a personalized portrait of a farming community that merited only a single sentence in the WPA’s 1938 guidebook to Minnesota: “COLOGNE (945 alt., 355 pop.) is a German community named for the ancient city on the Rhine.” Dr. Raymond Dowidat and his wife, Esther, arrived in 1937 for his first practice after internship, and the impulse for the film seems to have arisen from their desire to document Cologne before they moved on to his next position in Minneapolis." filmpreservation.org
"Concerto, by Warren Doremus, is a sensitive and touching story of young love, following a couple from the joy of their graduation and marriage to the anguish and pain of the man's recall to war service in Korea. The telling of this simple tale has been done with such warmth that the observer cannot help being caught up in the current of emotions which fill the film. The performances of Sallie Dunn and George Harrison as the young couple convey the right mood for each scene with complete sincerity and heart, while Mr. Doremus's direction is forceful and yet restrained. Accompanied by and an interpretation of the Warsaw Concerto of Richard Addinsell, Concerto, the film, may truly be styled a cine tone poem." Movie Makers, Dec. 1953, 332.
"Esther Cooke presents an outstanding motion picture. This colorful pageant, filmed against a background of majestic Austrian Alps satisfies in every respect. A masterful eye for beautifully composed scenes is evident throughout the film. The pageant is covered from such a variety of angles, one marvels at Esther Cooke's ability to record the vent single handed. The accompanying musical background and very informative narration are obviously the result of careful research and planning. Leo J. Heffernan narrates the film - truly a masterpiece among travelogues." PSA Journal, Dec. 1955, 34.
"In the land of the Gaspe Peninsula the people live by the sea, fishing for cod, cleaning and preparing these for market; sheep, wool, spinning, cloth weaving; and wood carvings. The wood carving center of Canada has many excellent carvings; works of art, creations of all sizes. A bird sanctuary three miles from the peninsula is a breeding ground for gannets. An unusual but happy visit with people and their daily affairs" PSA Journal, Nov. 1960, 41.
"The producer must be a chef because he shows the problems of making a Baked Alaska in the best French fashion. He does a very beautiful job of it, right up to the triumphant finish." PSA Journal, Nov. 1956, 45.
Total Pages: 39
Amateur Cinema