"Ralph O. Lund, whether he knows it or not, has adopted the same narrative technique used earlier in a nature film (The Gannets) whereby one of the wild creatures being pictured becomes the narrator. In Monarchs of the Mountain Tops, Mr. Lund's "Pete Smith" is an agile and bewhiskered mountain goat. His recurring comments enliven considerably the producer's study of the flora and fauna of Glacier National Park." Movie Makers, Dec. 1953, 334.
"Money to Burn, believe it or not, comes from Scotland, where, if you can believe it, they burn money. But not until it is worn out and counted by a series of bank tellers. Then it goes up in smoke in this well-put together documentary" PSA Journal, Aug. 1967, 37.
"Monkey's of the Snow Mountain is a touching film of northern Japan produced by Masatoshi Okochi of Japan. You will never believe how sorry you can feel for a tribe of monkeys in 15 minutes of snow, snow and more snow. The film is in color, mostly white. It took four years to film the seasonal cycle in its fullest. Here we have suffering not only by the subjects of the film but by the film maker as well. In spite of that, you'll enjoy it" PSA Journal, Nov. 1969, 57.
"doc. turistico"/touristic documentary
"Kenneth L. Lockwood is a newcomer to the tourney of Ten Best competition, but with Monterey Peninsula he seems to serve notice that his is a name with which to reckon. There is, throughout his immaculate 8mm. Kodachrome, a feeling of craftsmanship and care. Add to these fundamentals an unerring sense of composition and a nice eye for the importance of human interest — and you have an award winner in the making. Mr. Lockwood brings to the screen not only the windblown cedars and sun drenched missions, familiar symbols of the Monterey foreshore, but the life of its waterfront as well, redolent of fish, tarred nets and crabs steaming in a deep bellied kettle. One looks forward with interest to further work from this talented initiate." Movie Makers, Dec. 1942, 508.
(Catalan): Film a mig camí entre el film d'argument (un pelegrí cec marxa amb els peus descalços fins a Montserrat, acompanyat d´un nen, i quan hi arriba es produeix un miracle i recupera la vista) i el film documental (escenes diverses de Montserrat i els diferents mitjans de transport per arribar-hi: cotxe, carrilet, cremallera i funicular, etc.).
Film devoted to the famous Montserrat mountain in Catalonia that blends fiction (a blind pilgrim walks barefoot to Montserrat, accompanied by a child, and when he arrives a miracle occurs, and he regains his sight) and documentary styles (various scenes from Montserrat and the different means of transport to get there: car, rail, rack and funicular, etc.). [Description from the Filmoteca de Catalunya catalog]
"'Moods of Nature' by Paul Brunford, recently won a prize in the Institute of Amateur Cinematographers' contest in England. Not only does Brunford show a fine sense of rhythm, but a keen eye for composition and a splendid sense of cutting and dramatic values in nature. This picture merely deals with a storm arising and then subsiding. Brunford uses both water and earth to show this. The smashing waves, bending trees and waving wheatfields combine to create his drama. His photography however, is something for which he is to be especially congratulated." American Cinematographer, Jan. 1936, 24.
"With great imagination and feeling for color and composition, the maker of this film has captured the moods and beauty of the countryside of New Zealand in its fall and winter dress. The most unusual colors bring an ethereal quality to the film, and to the uninitiated, a desire to visit this beautiful land" PSA Journal, Oct. 1963, 41.
Total Pages: 295
Amateur Cinema