Some of the records in our database link to videos that you can watch. Click on the films below.
"A bridge party invite a mysterious stranger to make up a fourth at their table, only to be unpleasantly surprised by his card tricks. When their fourth player arrives late, the strange interloper disappears, leaving an oddly familiar Joker in his place" National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive.
Watch: Via National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive
"Fowl is Fare is a documentary showing how Long Island ducks are prepared for market. Unusual angles and tight editing keep the film moving" PSA Journal, Aug. 1967, 37.
Watch: Fowl is Fare featured in Image Union Episode 0032 (1:09-8:00)
"A South Shore High School student film that is an allegory on the wastefulness of war and the duplicity of those who wage it. Filmmaker Wayne Williams, who was 17 at the time, cuts back and forth between a chess game and a guerrilla theater war game to underscore the sense of importance of the fighters and the cynicism of those who control their lives - and deaths." Chicago Film Archives
Watch: chicagofilmarchives.org
"A group of children learn in school that tomorrow will be “Woman’s Day”, the equivalent of our “Mother’s Day”, then the humorous story unfolds in a delightful and charming manner of how two small boys decide to celebrate this occasion. An amateur film made by a Russian filmmaker and distributed by the Society of Amateur Cinematographers (SAC). All title cards are in Russian." Chicago Film Archives
Watch: chicagofilmarchives.org
The G.R.A.M.C. holds an open house on November 1, 1961. This film documents the event, showing amateur filmmakers dining, conversing with one another, and examining cameras.
Watch: via the G.R.A.M.C. Film Library
"A short amateur narrative, featuring locals in cameo roles, about a husband who tries to teach his wife a lesson by staging a fake robbery." filmpreservation.org
Watch: via YouTube
"Local sights and events in the White Rock area, such as parades, celebrations at the International Peace Arch, fashion show, recreational activities, etc." British Columbia Archives.
Watch: Via White Rock Museum, YouTube
"A humorous film about group exercises and volleyball at the Turnverein gymnasium, Portland, Oregon. Produced by "Miller Picture Corruption Ink" under the auspices of the Amateur Cinema League, probably as a Christmas present for Miller's friends. Appearing: Members of the Portland Turnverein." Oregon Historical Society.
Watch: via Oregon Historical Society (YouTube)
Documental sobre la política y ciudadanía euskalduna durante los años 70. El autor hace un recorrido por diferentes acontecimientos inscritos en los procesos de lucha y represión que tuvieron lugar durante el franquismo y primeros años de democracia.
Documentary about the Basque politics and citizens during the 70's. The filmmaker goes through different events inscribed in the struggle processes and the repression that took place during Franco's dictatorship and the first years of democracy.
Watch: Via Miguel Ángel Quintana's Vimeo Channel
"A parody of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet," produced and directed by James Blue while he was an undergraduate student at the University of Oregon." Knight Library.
Watch: via the Knight Library (YouTube)
"A short travelogue film of Havana, Cuba shot for the Metro Movie Club, a Chicago amateur film club." Chicago Film Archives.
Watch: via Chicago Film Archives
"2 part travelogue film of Hawaii capturing the scenery, resources and people of the islands. Part 1 visits to a lava flow and other natural wonders such as Haleakala Creater and a black sand beach as well as numerous shores and valleys along the way. Stop motion animation of a toy car or ship tracks a change in location. Part 2 features footage of tropical flowers, picking coconuts, family picnic, farming and factory processing pineapple, Hula dance performances, surfing and canoeing competitions, and sunsets."
Watch: Part 1 via Chicago Film Archives
Watch: Part 2 via Chicago Film Archives
"2 part edited travel footage taken in numerous Hawaiian locations. Focuses on events and people as well as the natural scenery. Includes traditional dancing, a festival and a visit to an aquarium as well as religious locations." Chicago Film Archives.
Watch: Part 1 via Chicago Film Archives
Watch: Part 2 via Chicago Film Archives
"A colonial scene in the U.S. An old lady sits astride a bell while a man in blackface, wig, and livery pulls the bell rope. From an upper door emerges an old man, dressed as a dandy, who tips his hat to the woman as he walks down stairs grinning. Others leave the same door and walk down the same stairs: a shabby man, a cop, and, several times, the same dandy. The man in blackface hangs himself; the dandy continues to smile. A bell tolls, a grave beckons. In the dark, the dandy plays the piano. Is he Death?" IMDb.
Orson Welles' filmmaking debut, which was co-directed by William Vance. An amateur production, Welles later described the film as a parody of surrealist cinema and the films of Jean Cocteau and Luis Buñuel.
Watch: via Archive.org
"A blonde model and the sights of New York divide the honors in Othon Goetz's Her Heart's Desire, a pleasant story of the girl who came to the Big City to model and got married instead. Good city footage is quite rare; Mr. Goetz has succeeded in achieving some startling shots of New York's splendors as he follows the thin thread of his story. It is difficult to believe that this blonde would not have found a job — but she lends glamour to a film that otherwise might show considerable weakness." Movie Makers, Dec. 1949, 470.
Watch: Her Heart's Desire via Chicago Film Archives
"Herbie is an abstract pattern mostly of automobile headlights enough out of focus to cause the viewer to wonder what they are. The judges felt the maker of this film should be commended for synchronizing his sound track to the abstract movements, of the patterns made by the lights" PSA Journal, Aug. 1967, 37.
Watch: YouTube upload of Herbie
"A narrated travelogue addressed to viewers in the U.S. shows life in several small towns surrounding Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. Shows rope making from sisal hemp and traditional textile weaving. Concludes with a visits to the outdoor markets in Santiago Atitlan and Chichicastenango" Indiana University Libraries Moving Image Archive.
Watch: via Indiana University Libraries Moving Image Archive
Documental sobre la metamorfosis del gusano de seda desde su nacimiento hasta su muerte, pasando por todos los procesos morfológicos.
A documentary about the silk worm metamorphosis, from its birth to its death, showing al morphologic processes.
Watch: Via Miguel Ángel Quintana's Vimeo Channel
A woman grows frustrated with her husband's commitment to his various hobbies, which seem to take precedence over their marriage.
Watch: via the G.R.A.M.C. Film Library
En este documental se muestra el proceso de elaboración de una curiosa pieza de artesanía: una botella de cristal rellena de arena de distintos colores, formando así motivos figurativos y geométricos.
This documentary shows the process of making a curious craft piece: a crystal bottle filled by sand of diverse colors that forms new figure and geometrical patterns.
Watch: Via Miguel Ángel Quintana's Vimeo Channel
A man writes a note to inform his wife that he is leaving her. He then goes for a walk, seemingly with grave thoughts on his mind. He encounters sights which inspire him to return home, where he finds his wife in an alarming condition.
Watch: via the G.R.A.M.C. Film Library
A man is angered when he returns home after work and finds that his wife is absent. He goes for a walk and imagines possible reasons for her absence. When he returns from his walk, he finds his wife in an alarming condition.
Watch: via the G.R.A.M.C. Film Library
A man has a petty argument with his wife over her cooking. The argument concludes with the wife declaring "you'll be sorry!" The man goes straight to sleep, but has nightmare visions of his wife dying. When he awakens, the man rushes to check on his wife, who he finds in an alarming condition.
Watch: via the G.R.A.M.C. Film Library
A married couple and a friend go on a fishing trip. The film shows them playfully preparing for the journey, driving to the lake, and partaking in fishing and canoeing.
Watch: via the G.R.A.M.C. Film Library
"A half-horse, half-man pursues a young woman who turns herself into the same figure. Using a spare animation style, Straiton deals with a mythological subject that reveals his personal sense of humour. A beautiful film, set to original music, that is stunning in its simplicity." Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre.
Watch: via YouTube
"The 1938 Seattle film, shot by Iwao Matsushita, features chubby cats playing, eating, and being cuddled by their humans." K5 News.
Watch: via Seattle Channel
"In August 1980, Robbins Barstow and his wife Meg, of Wethersfield, Connecticut, USA, went on a week-long trip to Newfoundland, Canada, to go whalewatching in the North Atlantic waters of Trinity Bay. Join them for exciting, on-the-surface, close encounters with giant humpback whales, and dramatic sightings also of finback and minke whales." Archive.org
Watch: via A/V Geeks (Archive.org)
"Hunting, cast of "Boy," played by Winthrop Rolfe, and "Dog," played by Teddy. Boy, walks with Dog through the forested mountainside, gazes at views over the alley, drinks water from a rushing stream, and kneels to shoot at birds." Notes by (NHF) Chris Reed and Chris Castiglia, June 2013
Watch: Via Northeast Historic Film
"In I Walked a Crooked Trail, O. L. Tapp has lured a good deal of motion and humor out of what must be one of the world's most static subjects — the Arches National Monument. Remembering that story interest is an important part of cinematics, Mr. Tapp has kept his very competent camera trained on continuous human action, letting his travelog unwind itself, very subtly, as a background. The film is limited by the essential triviality of its theme — the unfolding of a practical joke. But within its limits it does very well indeed." Movie Makers, Dec. 1950, 467-468.
Watch: via the University of Utah
"A lyric video to the song "I'll Take Tallulah" from "Ships Ahoy" - the 1942 musical-comedy film produced by MGM, starring Eleanor Powell and Red Skelton. The song is performed by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, while the film was made by amateur filmmaker Robert Davis." Chicago Film Archives.
Watch: via Chicago Film Archives
Total Pages: 9
Amateur Cinema