"A young girl and an Australian terrier named Frisco are the ingredients of Calling Frisco, a sound on film story in which the speech is mostly from the dog's point of view. The film flows smoothly through typical scenes of a day's activities of eating and going to market and playing, ending in a dramatic climax in which Frisco protects his young mistress by warning off an intruder. Imaginative viewpoints and pleasant interior lighting are employed throughout. The dog's simple tricks are well pictured without being obtrusive, while the scene in which a bouncing ball lands in a goldfish tank, with its accompanying sound track, has the creative fantasy of Disney. Cyril Stevens has made a jolly film. " Movie Makers, Dec. 1948, 493.
"A successful man living in a great metropolis is increasing awareness of the unjust social reality that lives in the absurdity. This immerses him in a uneasiness that sinks into alcoholism and depression. In his wandering through the streets viewer gets to be the unfortunate suicide of another victim of the meaninglessness of life, which will produce a series of dreamlike hallucinations bordering on the madness. In a stroke of consciousness of his misfortune, he does run aimlessly without course. Devastated, to the dawn, with the light of the dawn he sees to be reborn the hope personified in an innocent girl who stretches the hand donating bread" Internet Archive.
"Warren S. Doremus has evinced fresh imagination in The Call of the Lonely Wood, a dramatic story of a venture into the unknown by a young man who has only a sketchy map to guide him. He fails of his goal on the first attempt, but he sets out once more after recovery from exposure and exhaustion. The hurdles he overcomes and the excitement of his discovery of each of the three triangles that serve as clews are convincingly pictured and supplemented by a well written narrative that is dramatically presented. Interesting dissolve effects support the mysterious quality of the film's theme, and suspense is maintained by excellent cutting and editing. A well rounded musical score was arranged by Arthur Brown, and Robert Carabell played the main role with competence." Movie Makers, Dec. 1944, 494-495.
"Portrait of Calhoun School, founded in 1892, and its vocational work among rural African Americans of Lowndes County, Alabama. The film shows the living conditions of the poor and illustrates how the school makes a difference in health education, agriculture, and road construction." The Field Guide to Sponsored Films.
"Esther Cooke showed intelligence and imagination in organizing the material of this travel study of Scotland, so that even the least observant should get from it a truly representative feeling of that doughty land. Well written titles serve as titles should, to infuse in the film pertinent data not shown in the scenes; technically, a less fussy style of title lettering would have been an improvement. Mrs. Cooke's slight camera unsteadiness in scenes of the King and Queen of England at the Scottish festival was understandable, for undoubtedly tripods were barred from that event. There were, however, a few other uneven shots that seemed to us questionable in value. Restrained use of bagpipe recordings highlight a generally effective musical score." Movie Makers, Dec. 1949, 469.
Total Pages: 299
Amateur Cinema