"King Bookie: John Cowart set himself a tremendous goal in undertaking the production of this dramatic film, which has to do with bank robbers. But thanks to his zeal, his all around ability in movie making, the sincerity and cooperation of his amateur cast, and the cooperation of local merchants who happily contributed the use of their business establishments for locations, he has turned out a highly creditable production. The picture opens with a girl, unwittingly involved in the robbery, relating to an attorney events of the story which is pictured in retrospect. King Bookie is an underworld character who plots the crime, involves several others, some of whom meet death by his gun when the proceeds are retrieved from one gang member who sought to double-cross King Bookie. Narration, dialogue and musical score are a commendable effort of sound-on-film recording." American Cinematographer, May. 1951, 190.
"Monarch Butterfly Story: This film, with its carefully written and recorded narration, is equally meticulous in its photography which chronicles the life-cycle of the Monarch butterfly from egg to adult. Major Anderson and his wife Claire Louise have collaborated in producing one of the finest studies of insect life ever produced by a non-professional film maker, and already one large educational film distributor is negotiating for its purchase. Employing two Bolex H-16 cameras, the Andersons have produced several excellent sequences in time-lapse photography aided by equipment home-made for the purpose by Mr. Anderson. The picture opens with scenes showing adult Monarchs in natual habitat. Interesting facts regarding the butterfly are told in the narration. Then the egg-laying period is shown, followed by closeups of the egg, hatching of the pupa, and it ultimate growth to an adult through the various stages of metamorphosis natural to the Monarch. It is the meticulous ultra-closeup photography and the perfectly executed time-lapse camera work that gives this production its class, and easily makes it one of the best 16mm color films of the year." American Cinematographer, May. 1951, 190.
"Our Friendly Enemies: This unique title has its origin in the fact that the Seminoles are the only native American Indians who have never signed a peace treaty with the government. Ralph E. Gray has chronicled in color with his 16mm Cine Special camera the contemporary life of the Seminoles living in Florida, picturing their activities against the backdrop of modern-day living and habits. Gray's reputation for camera and good editing has resulted in very professional results on the screen. Narration and sound effects on the recorded track round out the superior treatment of this better than average amateur effort." American Cinematographer, May 1951, 190.
"Paradise Honolulu: Nobuo Miyaoka, using a Cine Special camera and Kodachrome film, has documented contemporary life in Honolulu as have perhaps few cine cameraists in recent years. The picture is essentially newsreel in style and depends upon titles to convey that which is not clear in the pictorial action. But interest is sustained in the careful selection of subject matter and the manner in which it has been photographed. A highlight is the fine night photography in color of Honolulu's annual lantern parade." American Cinematographer, May. 1951, 190.
"Sea Theme: M. R. Weinstein, J. C. Couffer and Conrad Hall have collaborated in the production of a thematic and quite pictorial account of a young couple with a sailboat at sea. The variety of moods are enhanced by the carefully chosen musical score, which has been combined with the film. The picture begins by showing the youth and girl loafing in the sun on the ship's deck. A breeze springs up and they go into action setting sails and the wheel for a cruise in the bay. The camera follows the craft, both in long shot and intimate medium on-deck shots as it churns through the water, runs into a calm, then again bends to the breeze and returns to port at dusk. Consistency of photographic quality is a highlight and the sound recording is quite professional. The picture was filmed with a Bolex H-16 camera and a variety of four lenses." American Cinematographer, May 1951, 190.
"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.
"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.
"Seashore plant and animal life (e.g., crustaceans, anemones, worms, octopus, jellyfish, etc.)" (BC Archives)
Also exists in a shorter version called Sea Creatures, which was probably edited from the original film for classroom use in 1969..
"Fred Hudson and Donal Michalsky of Los Angeles combined their talents to produce on black-and-white film the origin of a mountain storm and its eventual metamorphosis as a turbulent stream of water. The storm is depicted in gathering clouds moving swiftly among mountain peaks, thanks to ultra-speed photography. Highly artistic shots of the first raindrops falling on a pool indicate the break of the storm, and the camera then records in excellent rainfall shots the progression of the storm, forming of rivulets and their eventual building up to a mountain stream. The various moods are enhanced by the theme music on the sound track, excellently recorded." American Cinematographer, May 1951, 192.
"This humorous-sounding title suggests nothing of this film's content which has to do with a vacuum cleaner salesman and his tribulations when he is forced to pose as a woman, when a girl friend's husband arrives home unexpectedly. Both the exterior and interior shots are carefully exposed and a moderatly good editing job combines to make this a better than average effort." American Cinematographer, May 1951, 192.
Total Pages: 299
Amateur Cinema