"Articles in Movie Makers have often advocated experimenting with travel continuities by selecting a single theme and illustrating it with sequences made in many different countries. The entertainment value of this method is beautifully illustrated by Water, filmed by B. H. Blood, ACL. This picture is made up of sequences of water, waterways, wells and ice in a variety of places in the world and ends with a sequence in the home of the maker. Any emphasis on mechanics which this theme might seem to entail is entirely obviated by the dramatically interesting scenes that Mr. Blood selected to illustrate his idea." Movie Makers, Dec. 1932, 561-562.
"The film Water, 400 ft., 16mm which took a first award by the unanimous vote of the judges in a recent interclub movie contest, was drawn from more than 7500 feet of film, exposed over a period of nearly four years. It is a splendid example of the synthesized short subject, shrewdly built up from scattered material around a simple continuity theme. For this film the continuity idea was found in the common phrase, "Water, water everywhere." Scenes of water in many places, in many forms and in many uses were compared and contrasted, each new sequence being connected to the last by a clever and effective title. The film was produced by B. H. Blood, ACL, in Hartford, Conn., who deserves every credit [or his intelligent adaptation of the best features of the professional subject." Movie Makers, July 1932, 322.
"In his one reel film, Girl with a Dress, Clyde Hammond, ACL, has made an appealing and remarkably successful attempt to portray a drama of the spirit rather than of action. Through long weeks of bitter economy a girl accumulates enough money for a new dress. It arrives from the mail order house just in time for a summer's picnic with her friends and, happy in prospect, she wears it proudly. Then, because in it she is more charming than they, her friends will not like it, make mocking fun of her and she leaves them in tears. Stumbling home, she is caught in a shower and the dress is ruined. A simple enough tale, but in its very simplicity and sincerity lie the strength of downright tragedy. It was planned and directed with imagination and played, in its leading role, with definite and sensitive skill." Movie Makers, Dec. 1932, 562.
"I'd Be Delighted To!, directed and photographed by S. Winston Childs, jr., ACL, is that kind of production often planned but seldom made — a film story told entirely in closeups. Presenting the simple incident of a dinner a deux in a gentleman's apartment, the picture runs through 400 feet of brilliantly chosen, strikingly filmed, significant closeups. It is adroit, amusing and sophisticated, and a splendid example of what, with skill and care, can be done in this distinctly advanced amateur filming method." Movie Makers, Dec. 1932, 562.
"Lancashire's Fylde Coast resorts have year-round appeal, as we can see in this reel from the early 1930s. The seaside is not just for swimming and sandcastles; you can feed seagulls at Southport, or slide down sand dunes with your dog, or stroll across Blackpool's wide beaches on a cold day. And, at the time this film was shot, this coastline had many fine piers to enjoy, whatever the weather."(BFI Player)
"Members of the Preston Family on holiday in the Lake District. The film includes various landscape shots of Lake Windermere and the boating activities that take place around the pier and lakeside. Concludes with footage of farm workers stacking hay on to a horse-drawn cart; farm animals grazing in the fields and a man and woman playing with some puppies in a garden." (NWFA Online Database)
"Dog shows are no laughing matter, from the serious faces of the young people in this delightful film, though the dogs themselves are far more enthusiastic about the whole affair. The junior dog owners are clearly not quite in full control of their pets, and the watching crowd in this Cheshire field seems as interested in the camera as in the canine competition." (BFI Player)
"Members of the Preston family on holiday in the Isle of Man. Various locations around the island are visited - including Douglas, Derby Castle and Onchan Head. At Groudle Glen, people are seen having a ride along a miniature railway and a zoo keeper is filmed throwing fish to a hungry sea lion in its concrete enclosure. Further scenes include close up shots of the Laxey Wheel in motion and a manx cat. Concludes with footage of the seafront at Ramsey." (NWFA Online Archive)
"A humorous film about group exercises and volleyball at the Turnverein gymnasium, Portland, Oregon. Produced by "Miller Picture Corruption Ink" under the auspices of the Amateur Cinema League, probably as a Christmas present for Miller's friends. Appearing: Members of the Portland Turnverein." Oregon Historical Society.
"Amateur filmmaker Isaac Higginbotham's take of summer love" Center for Home Movies
"To make clear the entire course of sanitary milk production, from pasture to home table, the State of Illinois Department of Public Health, in Springfield, Ill., is using a two reel, 16mm. film entitled Milk, Its Production and Pasteurization. Produced by Dr. A. C. Baxter, ACL, assistant director of public health, the film presents in interesting and informative sequences the modern technique of dairy farming and the relation of the department to it." Movie Makers, June 1934, 262.
Total Pages: 299
Amateur Cinema