"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.
"Dan Billman, jr., has told you in the September number of this magazine how he came to make South of Honolulu. What he could not possibly put into words is the outright and amazing entertainment value of this elaborate record. Hawaii, for the Billmans, meant far more than the Aloha Tower, Diamond Head and the Kodachrome set piece of weekly hula dancing. In their place this adventurous couple found — some 200 miles south of Honolulu — the calm beauty of native life, the exciting patterns of native fishing and feasting and the exotic loveliness of tropical blooms against their true backgrounds. For them, no filming task seemed impossible. Their achievements range from an amusing sequence of the "'sea going" cowboys of the Hawaiian coast, to a striking and incredible study of religious ceremonies within a Buddhist temple. Mr. Billman's beautifully filmed production, accompanied throughout with sound and music personally recorded in the Islands, has the full bodied stature of mature screen entertainment." Movie Makers, Dec. 1941, 564.
"In a film of a familiar subject — a vacation trip to Florida — Ernest Kremer has done an excellent task of compiling a movie of varied sequences into a unified whole. His camera handling is competent, there are interesting viewpoints and he uses nice transitions to a new sequence, to avoid leaving preceding views too long on the screen. The continuous narrative that is presented with Southern Exposures sometimes draws attention from the pictured scenes, but the commentary in jingle style that accompanies the underwater scenes of fish adds a delightful touch. Mr. Kremer is to be commended especially for the compact and smooth editing of his film." Movie Makers, Dec. 1945, 496.
"Springtime in California, by F. B. Judson, ACL, is an example of what every Kodachrome filmer would be proud to have made, because it studies Nature in her most extensively colorful manifestations, with complete freedom of camera viewpoint, offering closeups, medium shots and long views, all of them richly hued. This film indicates a delicate appreciation of color on the part of its maker, who. having a highly chromatic subject to his hand, did not let it run away with him. but kept it well under control, with the result that he delights with his management of pastel shades, where another might have omitted these and substituted garish footage so easily available in the highly colored California landscape. Mr. Judson is awarded Honorable Mention because he has done a typical thing — a Kodachrome landscape study — with restraint and liveliness, combining two qualities not always found together." Movie Makers, Dec. 1935, 553.
"In Streets of Peace, Lewis B. Sebring, jr., presents a manifold accomplishment in film. Here is a record of the New York World's Fair 1939, but a record which, because of its selectivity, gives the impression of completeness in setting forth a single theme, although the material is both voluminous and varied. Here, also, is an interpretation of the epic idea behind the foreign participation in this great American exposition, the vision of peace, which has since been so rudely interrupted. Mr. Sebring takes his camera through the streets of peace, literally, and we see one after another of the foreign buildings and exhibits at the Fair; we also look at the different national celebrations in the Court of Peace. The visit of the King and Queen of England is recorded in considerable detail. After a scene of children of many lands uniting in a gathering in the Children's World, we find the pointed query as to what these youngsters will make of the "world of tomorrow," and the picture closes with distinguished shots of the United States Building, with its flag and the word "Peace," which appears on its façade. Mr. Sebring's titling is admirable, both in wording and in execution. His Kodachrome exposures have less good moments, but his camera handling is otherwise pleasing. Here is a workmanlike and finished recording of a great international event." Movie Makers, Dec. 1939, 635-636.
"The Suicide Race by Frederick C. Harshbarger, a PSA member of Colton, Calif. Fritz has used his past multi-winning talents to present this most unusual equestrian event that most people don't even know exists, much less have witnessed. This 11-minute 16mm film was awarded an Honorable Mention" PSA Journal, Nov. 1970, 38.
"Sunstruck, by George Mesaros, is a bright genre study of the American beach scene at its colorful, everyday best. There are the sun bathers and the sand babies, the athletes and the antics, and, above all else, the incomparably lithesome and lovely American girl. Mr. Mesaros has caught them all. in sparkling cinematography and with a pleasing selection of camera viewpoints. He has added to these a brace of brief and farcical skits which are well played and well directed. Sprightly music, shrewdly keyed to the varied sequences, rounds out the film's effect. Sunstruck, as suggested in its own foreword, is "gay, glamorous and often goofy."" Movie Makers, Dec. 1944, 496.
"Donald H. Kelly has cast a comic strip character in Superman Goes West, integrating travel sequences and comedy with great success. While the magnificent cinematographic record of a Western trip is the most engaging factor of the film, the entertainment value of the Superman motif cannot be minimized. The fictional hero is shown to be the consuming interest of a small boy passenger on the trip. The lad proceeds to read Superman comics under varying conditions, despite a changing background of allegedly awe inspiring scenery. One dream sequence with a Superman flavor is a triumph of trick cinematography." Movie Makers, Dec. 1943, 478.
"Short wide screen amateur film made by George Ives, a Chicago Metro Movie Club member, and edited by Kenosha Cine Club member Ron Doerring. A corresponding 1/4" audio reel for this title is also housed at CFA, but has yet to be digitally transferred" Chicago Film Archives.
"Symphony Of The Village: Bert Seckendorf and his Cine Special camera have caught the colorful activities of Greenwich Village in one of the best color documentaries on this subject made to date. This famed New York spot, with its renowned artists, artisans and craftsmen, is revealed in all its gay, Bohemian color as the camera chronicles the activities of sidewalk artists, potters, ceramists, wood carvers and makers of novelty jewelry. The excellent titling knits together all the scenes and sequences into another top-notch picture for which this filmer has become famous in amateur circles." American Cinematographer, May. 1951, 190-2.
Total Pages: 22
Amateur Cinema