Documentary about how a wealthy family from Barcelona spends the last year of the Spanish Civil War, from the Francoist point of view. The film includes very rare footage of everyday life during the war, as well as reenacted scenes shot after the end of the conflict, and the use of stop motion and archival materials.
"It is a platitude that there is more in Mexico than meets the eye. In Quaint Old Mexico, however, Guy Nelli proves that there is far more in Mexico than usually meets the camera. Mr. Nelli presents the gradual awakening of Mexico, as the farmers drive their produce to market, with a startling sense of early morning atmosphere; market scenes are developed lucidly and effectively. The high peak of the film is reached with a most remarkable sequence of religious festival shots, as virtually an entire village re-enacts the Stations of the Cross. The intense religious emotion evident in these scenes has rarely been caught for the screen. Mr. Nelli's film is outstanding for its fresh approach and, above all, for the natural and casual quality of its shots." Movie Makers, Dec. 1946, 488.
"When one lives near the inland water, a boat is a necessity for a visit to the store. While Father is shopping, the young son takes a boat on an exploration in the land of monkeys, birds, alligators, zebras camels, giraffes, and other exciting game. Although he has a gun, his shooting is done with camera. An adventure that could be enjoyed by any boy. His return to the wharf is timed with the return of his Father and homeward bound, surrounded by the dense jungle" PSA Journal, Oct. 1962, 36.
"As part of the general program of heart research, studies are being made to determine how the body's blood pressure can compensate for sudden and extreme differences in elevation. At the San Diego Zoo, the long-necked animals - the giraffe, the horse and the llama - are used in this research project. By surgical procedure, devices are inserted in the animal's body which measure and record the external actions and the internal natural control mechanism of the heart. The information compiled from these studies will aid greatly in man's effort to understand the complexities of the body" PSA Journal, Oct. 1963, 41.
"The imaginative experiments with animated clay figures begun last year in No Credit have, in this year's Proem, proved out as a suave and wholly integrated art form. The unique and wholly delightful work of Leonard Tregillus and Ralph Luce, jr., has here come handsomely of age — both technically and creatively. Proem, conceived as a preface to the theme of Carroll's Through the Looking Glass, is of far greater filmic stature than its already rented status permits it to be rated." Movie Makers, Dec. 1949, 470.
"A humorous experiment in the art of making a lip sync motion picture with magnetic sound. Even short productions can overcome the producer with startling results. Dr. Crane's "Production Able" indicates the first of a series and we are already looking forward to "Production Baker". Many will recall his "Show of Hands" in the 1958 Contest" PSA Journal, Nov. 1959, 47.
"Problems in the Pounding Surf is an animated cartoon of a little dog's antics in the ocean. Entered in a previous film competition, judges in that event stated "A truly fabulous animation film, extremely competent timing and use of line with good overall humor." So our judges were not alone in their praise of this workmanship. What our judges did not know and won't know until they read these words here is that the maker of this film, Dale Ramsey, is only 15 years old" PSA Journal, Aug. 1967, 37-38.
Total Pages: 299
Amateur Cinema