"Spanning the upper and narrower part of the State of Idaho from east to west, the Salmon River provides the original blueprint for one-way traffic. You either end up in western Idaho — or at the bottom of the river. Frank E. Gunnell ended up in Idaho. His coverage of this adventurous journey in The Salmon — River Of No Return is complete, carefully planned and splendidly competent. One becomes thoroughly familiar with the great, flat-bottomed barge, guided by giant sweeps fore and aft, in which the hazardous rapids of the Salmon are surmounted. One is charmed, even fascinated, by the deserted mining huts along the river and the few forlorn characters who still live amid this rocky wilderness. The Salmon — River Of No Return is a leisurely and well made record of a unique vacation adventure." Movie Makers, Dec. 1948, 492.
"To present, on 8mm. Kodachrome, where the problem of definition in distant shots is made more difficult by the greater screen enlargement in projection, a serious and satisfying architectural study of a structure that extends not a few hundred feet into the air, but thousands of feet horizontally, is a task that calls for skill in movie making. Raymond O'Connell, in San Francisco — Oakland Bay Bridge, has exhibited that skill and has to his credit, in this film, a definite accomplishment. The study is rendered comprehensible to the audience, at the very outset, by the use of a model of the bridge, which is introduced in the course of the picture, with excellent effect. In several instances, one passes from a shot of the model to another of the actual structure from the same angle, and so easily that it is possible to forget the cinematic labor put forth in finding a vantage point for the camera to show exactly what was needed. Of especial merit are shots of the changing pattern of the cables, made from a moving motor car, which provide a fine essay in abstract design." Movie Makers, Dec. 1938, 620.
"Footage of the Behrens family on holiday in Sandsend; June 1925. Includes various scenes of the family on the beach - Two men are seen wading through the sea, carrying a man and a boy to dry land. A large rowing boat is seen anchored in the background. - Three little girls stand on top of a sand castle, trying desperately to keep their feet dry, while a young boy shovels sand around them in an attempt to keep the in coming tide at bay. - A group of women are seen standing on a breezy hillside, dressed in outdoor clothing, carrying rucksacks and walking sticks. The film also features a brief shot of a London North Eastern Railway (L.N.E.R.) steam train departing from a platform" (NWFA Online Database).
"A travelogue extolling the virtues of New England as a vacation spot. The film shows people swimming at York Beach; visiting a lighthouse; going deep-sea fishing on the "Pearl" with Captain Brewer and visiting Bald Head Cliff for clams, and Cape Neddick for a close-up look at marine life. The tourists appearing in the film may be the Crawley family. York Beach is located in Maine" Library and Archives Canada.
"Seeing Switzerland by R. D. Charlton from Alexandra Headland, Queensland, Australia. Roy has been a winner in past PSA competitions and Switzerland's beauty combined with his film making talents emerged in another winning entry this year. This 9-minute 8mm film was awarded a Ten Best Medal and the Foreign Film Award" PSA Journal, Nov. 1970, 38.
The film received the "Sound Award for the most effective use of sound, and the new MPD Documentary Film Award which is being given for the first time this year. The film might be described as a re-created or dramatized documentary and depicts the early life of the settlers who tilled the soil and made a living over a century ago. In the film we meet Will and Maggie McLeod who have just purchased a farm and are returning in their covered wagon from an auction sale where they have purchased several belongings for their new home. Will McLeod was a ship builder in Nova Scotia, but when that industry died down he decided to migrate westward. This film is their story and shows the struggles they encountered and depicts their way of life in those early days. Excellent photography and excellent editing, coupled with good pacing - all of which are typical Ruddell trademarks - blend well together to this top award film" PSA Journal, Sept. 1965, 50.
The film is also known as The Settlers: Early Pioneer Farmers of the Great Lakes Region.
"Shrines of India is by the master film maker, Oscar Horovitz, FPSA, FACL, who has proven year after year that travel films can win awards in competition. This 14-minute trip to India is enlightening as well as entertaining. It's a trip worth taking through the viewfinder of Oscar's camera" PSA Journal, Nov. 1969, 56.
"Siam is a better than average travelog about this oriental country. The narrator is careful to point out the odd and the unusual, while the camera depicts every day events in a subjective manner as well as catching some unusual scenes usually missed by the casual tourist" PSA Journal, Sept. 1964, 51.
"Bringing the flavor of Europe and its people that we all like to remember, Skibet, Danish for ship, tells the story of the building of the G. C. Amdrup, a modern motor vessel with a wooden hull. The saga is carried from cutting the massive tree which becomes the keel of the ship to the final addition of paint and superstructure. Mown in from Denmark to the Danish Consulate in New York City, and from there transported to Movie Makers office, Otto Wilhjelm's film portrays the incredible amount of hand labor used in constructing a ship without the help of modern power equipment, considered a necessity in the United States. It provides the nostalgia of a great individual craftsmanship. As to the G. C. Amdrup herself, it seems safe to say — after watching the solid chunks of wood being sawed, planed and bolted snugly to the crossbeams — that she will be sailing her northern run long after our Victory ships have rusted away." Movie Makers, Dec. 1947, 534.
"Robert P. Kehoe accepted a strong challenge and secured a fine result in filming Snow on the Mountains. Filming so static a subject as snow forms, iced trees and wind storms on a mountain presents a real task of vitalizing the material. Mr. Kehoe has brought weird and beautiful life to the screen. This film, excellently scored to present the musical message suggested by the snow scenes, builds from the pleasantness of subdued ice and snow forms, through the almost animate figures created by winter on trees and bushes, to a breath taking climax of a snow storm on the mountain. Culminating the beautifully edited and intelligently filmed footage is an inspiring sequence of flaming powdered snow, reflecting the full crimson of the sunset. So remarkable is this action that the impression imparted is almost one of a cascade of liquid fire flowing across the screen. In order to secure many of the scenes, Mr. Kehoe stood so long in the snow that it was necessary actually to lift him into a motor car and to remove the cine equipment from his chilled hands at the end of his task." Movie Makers, Dec. 1944, 494.
Total Pages: 36
Amateur Cinema