"Among the Ten Best, A Christmas at Home, by Edmund Zacher, II. ACL. is a lovely mine of bright gems which glows with all the warmth and color so surely associated with this festive season. Although essentially of slow pace, the film never once loses appeal, as it presents with loving and tender enthusiasm the countless minutiae of beauty which blend into the charm of Christmas at home. Mr. Zacher's color photography, predominantly interior, is crisp and delicately beautiful, while his sensitive selection of material and cunning choice of angles are an unfailing delight. Multiple exposures of such charm and flawless craftsmanship as almost to defy detection adorn his opening and closing sequences, and the entire production is pleasantly scored with appropriate music and sound effects. More than once a previous winner in these annual selections, Mr. Zacher seems not yet to have reached the full measure of his fine skill with camera and film." Movie Makers, Dec. 1935, 534.
"Bringing Kodacolor indoors was the task E. M. Barnard, ACL, set for himself in Christmas 1933, and the result is a 400 foot reel of very charming Christmas studies. One of the few attempts at a complete personal story in color, this picture presents a well photographed and adequately planned film of the youngsters' enjoyment of the holiday. Exposure for interior Kodacolor seems to be no problem to Mr. Barnard, for the majority of his scenes have perfect color rendition as well as very effective and interesting lighting. Some of the studies of his small daughter have an appealing loveliness that is impossible to get in black and white, for they present the very delicate flesh tones with perfect faith as well as the colors of costumes and incidental Christmas background. This film marks a new step in personal indoor filming and leads the way to more extensive use of the color medium by artificial light." Movie Makers, Dec. 1934, 546.
"A short film detailing members of the family attending the baptism of Peter Alexander Alliott" (EAFA Database).
"Miscellaneous scenes of the sea. Includes brief shots of some boats moored in a foreign harbour and various travelling shots of the sea, taken from on board ship. Concludes with family footage of a young girl walking along a garden path, holding hands with two women and a brief shot of a couple of children playing on a swing" (NWFA Online Database).
"The relatively short photoplay, Choosing a Scenario, has been awarded Honorable Mention because it is a smooth and superficially brilliant example of comedy film story making. Originally produced as one of the entries in a group filming contest conducted by the Cinema Club of San Francisco, the picture took first award in that contest for its director, William Palmer. ACL, its cameraman, K. G. Stephens. ACL, and its lone actor, J. Oliver Tucker, ACL. Although comparatively slight in significance, it offers fine photography, intelligent cutting, effective angles and deft acting in telling a clever story with lively tempo." Movie Makers, Dec. 1935, 551.
documentary
"This film shows the Kegg family stripping basswood and birch barks and using the bark to make baskets and canoes." Worldcat.org
"An idol stolen from a Chinese temple and the efforts of a loyal retainer to recover it provide George Kirstein with a novel springboard for the unfolding of this unusual travel film. Subsequent events carry the principals from New York to Chicago, through the Southwest to Los Angeles and Hollywood, up the coast to San Francisco and finally back to New York for restoration of the idol. Far from hindering the sightseeing sequences, Mr. Kirstein's device enhances the presentation of this material. While the camera handling is satisfying throughout, tighter editing would speed up the pace and heighten dramatic interest." Movie Makers, Dec. 1949, 471.
Total Pages: 299
Amateur Cinema