"Francis M. Spoonogle apparently keeps a large family of snakes, bats, bugs, slugs and praying mantises in his backyard, to talk to in his idle moments. It is a fascinating collection, though most of us would probably be just as well satisfied with a couple of dogs and cats. At any rate, in Movie Menagerie Mr. Spoonogle exhibits his prizes in some of the finest ultra-closeup studies ever to reach the 8mm. screen. Although playing on a small stage, his creatures seem quite uninhibited during their brief periods of stardom. For instance, the favorite pastime of the female mantis seems to be eating all other types of small life (including her husbands) which might offer interesting digestive experiences. Many of Mr. Spoonogle's other characters are of a sweeter nature, however, and the film does not leave you feeling hopeless about nature by any means." Movie Makers, Dec. 1947, 534.
"'Mystery in the Forest' came from Khoji Tsukamoto in Japan; a series of bird pictures of beauty and interest, with shots of heron chicks emerging from the shell outstanding" American Cinematographer, April, 1938, 173.
"Documentary. The flora and fauna in a forest in Japan. Winter landscapes and snow clearing (snow shovelled into large open baskets carried on the backs of women); swans flying over water; spring flowers with shots of Mount Fuji. A man using his fingers as a pan pipe to attract birds. The juichi (a kind of cuckoo), the nests with eggs of the grand thrush, greenfinch and the warbler. Chicks of the blue robin and snakes. A titmouse that has built her nest in a tomb. Greenhorn chicks; nests of night herons and the chicks; owls" (EAFA Database).
"There is a lively and rewarding sense of participation about Nature Campers which, despite its threatening length, should give this picture wide appeal. In it, an eager-eyed group of young people and a few engagingly raffish naturalists pursue their studies of the outdoors with enthusiasm — and sound cinematics. Birds, butterflies, frogs and fish are among the creatures which come before Herbert Shumway's camera. But they come there, not just in the stiff ultracloseups of the studio, but as a natural part of the picture's development. The background musical selections are an enjoyable addition to an entertaining picture." Movie Makers, Dec. 1951, 412.
"Animals found in the mountains of BC: birds, squirrels, chipmunks, black bear, deer, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, etc." (BC Archives)
This film appears to have been made during the years 1944-1950.
"Jim takes us with him on a visit through the gate at "Kidnapper Bird Sanctuary" and on to "Clifton Domain - Cape Kidnappers" along the path with its perils of falling rocks to the nesting ground of the Gannets for an absorbing and intimate visit with the birds as they build, nest, and care for the young" PSA Journal, Oct. 1961, 47.
"Zoological survey trip to Triangle Island; sea lions, puffins, and other birds, plus Indian artifacts." (BC Archives)
"documentario"/documentary
"...illustra un'ardita ascensione degli allievi della Scuola di alpinismo di Chiareggio, con cordate che salgono gli straptombi alla ricerca del falco abitatore delle vette"
"...illustrates a daring ascent of the students of the School of Mountaineering of Chiareggio, with ropes that climb the overhangs in search of the hawk that inhabits the peaks."
—"I Littoriali del cinema: i documentari della prima giornata," La Stampa, September 2, 1939"
"A perfectly delightful holiday in personal filming, replete with humor, and imagination, is the comedy, Nite Life, produced by J. Kinney Moore, entirely in Kodachrome and, what is more, almost entirely in interior Kodachrome, by artificial light. Mr. Moore, in his work, refutes the contention, sometimes heard, that the amateur should be wary of film comedy. And, beside negotiating this pinnacle successfully, the producer has added an outstanding technical handling of Kodachrome, as well as a highly diverting and intelligent use of the various camera illusions it is possible to produce with the aid of modern 16mm. equipment. The obvious zest and pleasure with which the actor producer entered into the creation of this film add immeasurably to its value as a genuine document of personal filming achievement. Examples of carefully planned and executed trick photography follow one another in such rapid succession in the film that the spectator is left time only to gasp. However, these tricks are not executed simply for their own sake, but strictly in accordance with the furtherance of the plot. It must be said that, in the second part of the film, the author does yield slightly to the temptation of attenuating the action somewhat in order to spin out his bag of tricks. But the film as a whole is so delightful that any audience could easily forgive this small shortcoming." Movie Makers, Dec. 1936, 542.
"With Number Three Arrives, John Martin carries on the continuity both of his charming family and of his delightful films of them, so ably introduced by his last year's award winner, A Day with the Young Martins. Here again are the sure feeling for cinematic story technique, the nicely effective angles and the smooth sequencing which belies any need for titles. Added to these deft and familiar abilities of Mr. Martin's work, the current production brings to light a delightful flair for farce comedy by the harassed father and a family terrier rivaling, on a small scale, the best of Hollywood's canine thespians. Once more, Mr. Martin has proved beyond argument that a well planned family film may be of interest to all who see it." Movie Makers, Dec. 1937, 630.
"The film includes shots of the departure of the riders in the early morning mist; the Master of Fox Hounds, Stanley Barratt, leading foxhounds by foot over a wooden bridge; riders and hounds patrolling a covert at Juniper Hill; the training of young hounds after a kill; horses and hounds assembling after the cubbing hunt. Scenes … include the meet in the early morning mist; the hounds by the wooden bridge; the location of the kill. A small crowd watches as a fox that has gone to ground is dug out; after the kill the fox’s body is thrown in the air for the hounds and a rider trains the young hounds. The films reference the same location, crowd (including two dogs, which are not foxhounds) and the same rider training the young hounds. Dufaycolor film of scenes from the Great Missenden Show of 1935. Shots include footage of some of the competitors in a junior show jumping event and the presentation of the prizes afterwards" (EAFA Database).
Total Pages: 18
Amateur Cinema