"R. C. Denny, S.A.C, was awarded the Weston Cine Exposure Meter Model 819, contributed by its manufacturers, for 'Scenic Wonders of the Southwest,' an 800-foot subject in color." American Cinematographer, Jan. 1938, 28.
"In order to acquaint university students with courses of study other than those which they pursue, Mervyn V. Miller has filmed The School of Physical Sciences. In so doing, he has given each department significant and generous footage to display its particular factors. The result gives other students a general understanding of an activity which otherwise might remain obscure to them. Mr. Miller's project is believed to be the first of its kind. He presented it as a thesis for a doctorate. The film is intelligently planned, edited and executed in such a way as to introduce the student to the unusual features, as well as the commonplace facts, of each of the physical sciences of the school. Through the shrewd handling of the script, the picture is developed as an excellent medium of orientation." Movie Makers, Dec. 1944, 496.
Travelogue and social gathering document. Narrated by Joan Baldwin with orchestral music by Sibelius throughout. "Only 50 people lived here last winter and 12 children attend the school. Fishing..." oldfilm.org
"Third prize in the non-dramatic division was given to Hiram Percy Maxim, of 276 North Whitley Street, Hartford, Conn., for his beautiful scenic, "The Sea." Mr. Maxim submitted four 16 millimeter films in the contest and another of these, "Summer," was awarded an honorable mention. Mr. Maxim is the pioneer president of the Amateur Cinema League and a national leader in amateur cinematography." Photoplay, Nov. 1929, 86
"A travelogue extolling the virtues of New England as a vacation spot. The film shows people swimming at York Beach; visiting a lighthouse; going deep-sea fishing on the "Pearl" with Captain Brewer and visiting Bald Head Cliff for clams, and Cape Neddick for a close-up look at marine life. The tourists appearing in the film may be the Crawley family. York Beach is located in Maine" Library and Archives Canada.
"She Goes to Vassar is a one-reel film that provides an overview of college life from the perspective of a new freshman student. From her arrival on campus, to settling into her new dorm and meeting her professors and classmates, the film depicts many facets of the college experience. Perhaps most striking about the film from today’s perspective are the shots of the academic environment, as the young women attend lectures and labs instructed by their professors, many of whom are also women. Though it was ultimately used primarily as a fundraising tool by the college’s alumni association, the film nevertheless provides a valuable glimpse of this women’s college through the eyes of a recent graduate." Women Film Pioneers Project
"A Ski Story, by Albert E. Sigal, has been two years in the making — but it has been well worth the effort. Laid against the scenic grandeur of Yosemite National Park, the picture is eloquent testimony both to the thrills and the dynamic beauty of the sport of skiing. Mr. Sigal begins his story slowly with an introductory sequence which sets the mood of the piece. Sequences then follow in leisurely progression of the activities of the ski school, the joys of a hot lunch served alfresco beside the clubhouse, down mountain racing and cross country rambling. Mr. Sigal's consistently good color cinematography benefits to a degree by the clarity of the Western air, a boon so often denied to skiing movie makers on Eastern slopes." Movie Makers, Dec. 1943, 477.
"Bringing the flavor of Europe and its people that we all like to remember, Skibet, Danish for ship, tells the story of the building of the G. C. Amdrup, a modern motor vessel with a wooden hull. The saga is carried from cutting the massive tree which becomes the keel of the ship to the final addition of paint and superstructure. Mown in from Denmark to the Danish Consulate in New York City, and from there transported to Movie Makers office, Otto Wilhjelm's film portrays the incredible amount of hand labor used in constructing a ship without the help of modern power equipment, considered a necessity in the United States. It provides the nostalgia of a great individual craftsmanship. As to the G. C. Amdrup herself, it seems safe to say — after watching the solid chunks of wood being sawed, planed and bolted snugly to the crossbeams — that she will be sailing her northern run long after our Victory ships have rusted away." Movie Makers, Dec. 1947, 534.
"SleepInn Beauty is a comedy situated around a bathing beauty contest based on a story adapted by Dorothea Mitchell. Filmed over two days North of Port Arthur near Mitchell's camp at Surprise Lake, Wally McComber (the "Goof" of A Race for Ties) played the leading man and Maye Flatt, the leading lady. Fred Cooper shared the photography duties with Lloyd Small and took a minor acting role. In addition, over sixty extras were bussed in from Port Arthur to take part. The film was never exhibited publicly although, considering Mitchell's efforts with A Race for Ties, it was most certainly shown privately." Ladylumberjack.ca
"The Blue refers to a glacier of majestic proportions high in the Olympic Mountains of northern Washington. Solduc, a small station in the Hoh Valley, is the point from which Theodore H. Sarchin and his two companions set out with high hopes to conquer the formidable ascent to the famous ice fields. Although they reach the Blue, the sun has been there first, softening the ice, and they must turn back without having attained the summit. Inherent in the film is a deep reverence for the wild, inspiring beauty of the scene, which clearly communicates itself to the audience — no small achievement in an amateur travel study. This reverence never becomes mawkish, the pedestrian titles and homely incidents en route nicely counterbalancing it. Superior camera work makes the most of the setting, while skillful editing combined the best elements of story and scene to make a dramatic presentation. An expertly scored musical accompaniment adds impressively to enjoyment of Solduc To The Blue." Movie Makers, Dec. 1948, 492.
Total Pages: 18
Amateur Cinema