"Frank E. Gunnell has used a novel continuity motif in Mohawk Pals that ties together what otherwise would be a rambling film story. Two boys are shown doing their "homework," and the final assignment is to write a composition on vacations. The film then pictures the summer adventures at Lake Mohawk of the two boys and a girl of similar age. From time to time, there are inserted shots of the boys writing, and sentences from their compositions are cleverly double exposed at the bottom of the frame, to serve as subtitles for the film. The cinematography is immaculate, and the youngsters appear without self consciousness in their various pursuits of fun on a summer vacation." Movie Makers, Dec. 1944, 496.
"Exciting times at Southport, as racing cars hurtle around a course laid out on the sands, in this short reel by filmmaker George Jesse Turner. The town has an impressive history of motor racing - before the famous Brooklands circuit opened in 1907, cars raced each other through Southport streets, though this proved too disruptive, and the sport was wisely relocated to the town's sandy beaches." (BFI Player)
"A down mountain ski run, etched against a filtered sky and set in a world of fantastic snow shapes and incredible beauty, is the theme of Mount Zao, which was filmed on the Japanese mountain of that name. Khoji Tsukamoto has mastered the technique of back lighting the dramatic turns, stems and jumps of a down mountain run so that they are framed against luminous clouds of powdered snow. The ski runners are always preceded by an ubiquitous cameraman who has invariably chosen the most effective angle for each scene of his closely knit sequences. The result is as smooth a picture of skiing as the screen has seen. In sequencing, editing and the nuances of tempo, this film is near the top. And particularly praiseworthy is the way in which the cameraman has involved backgrounds of astonishing natural beauty with foregrounds of interest compelling action." Movie Makers, Dec. 1937, 603, 626.
"Take a man who wants to play golf and his wife who wishes to see the sights on a family vacation and you have the simple plot of Nantucket Turnabout. Richard Elms treats the idea with a freshness, however, that lifts it from the usual vacation film class. Through the mechanism of the wife's desire to visit historical places, some lovely views of Nantucket are logically inserted in the film, while the husband wearily tags after her as his prepayment for a chance to play golf. The eventual golf game ends with the wife, fresh after her sight seeing, winning easily, while the exhausted husband repeatedly drives to the rough, far into the final sunset." Movie Makers, Dec. 1945, 496.
"In this film record set in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside, sheep shearing and other farming activities take second place to fun. Whether swimming and splashing in a stream, feeding lambs, or taking a rowing boat out on the lake, there is plenty to keep children - and adults - busy. And of course we mustn't forget that essential outdoor activity - a picnic in the sunshine and fresh air." (BFI Player)
"Whitehall Newsreel featuring : Morecambe Baths opened on 27th July 1936, with a civic ceremony and female models. Followed by footage of football in Christy Park (Morecambe) then General Evangeline Booth addressing a crowd; cuts to firemen and the gutted timber yard of Hustler's Sawmills; cuts to Remembrance service and procession. Finishes with dancers dressed as sailors. Interspersed with seafront shots." (NWFA Online Archive)
"New England Holiday is the kind of travel film any movie maker should be proud to produce. Replete with human interest and a warm feeling of good fun, this two reel record is distinguished by a wealth of splendid compositions and natural camera treatment. Albert F. Watts has lavished on such typically New England subjects as Gloucester harbor, the fishing fleet or a clam bake the sensitive feeling of an artist for line and mass and the alert understanding of cinematics of a genuine movie maker. Smoothly integrated sequences have been edited with unerring suavity and liveliness, comprising a whole which is both vital and lovely to look at. The production is fundamentally weakened only by a selection of title wordings considerably less spirited and effective than the films which they accompany." Movie Makers, Dec. 1938, 620.
"Scenes of a men's single match taking place at the Northern Lawn Tennis Club in Didsbury. A seated crowd watch the game from the side lines. Concludes with a group of 7-8 adults and a young child walking through a garden gate and along a path towards the camera." (NWFA Online Database)
"An amateur film made by and starring the husband and wife duo, John & Evelyn Kibar. After Mrs. Kibar asks Mr. Kibar to throw away his old collectables, or “junk,” Mr. Kibar begins reflecting on past travels. Only later do we find out this travel sequence is actually just a dream." Chicago Film Archives
"documentario"/documentary
Total Pages: 13
Amateur Cinema