Well, we finally hired an extra carrier for the Post Office and I get some days off at last...where is my Time Machine?

(blows off dust, activates to random setting)

Ah, det virker så bekendt for mig...jeg er tilbage i Holland...

I have no idea why "The beautiful Denmark, the country by the Sound and the Belt" released in 1920, has no credits-did State-sponsored tourist films not allow them? It's a shame, because whichever person(s) did the camera work on this leisurely 40 minute travelogue were highly skilled and technically proficient...the tracking, blocking, focus and composition of each scene is vivid and vibrant. In this lovely feature we find-

(takes Deep Breath)

-Copenhagen, including Tivoli Gardens, City Hall Square, the Marble Church, Amalienborg Palace, Dr. Louise's Bridge, Dyrehaven , Zealand, Stevns Klint with Gammel Højerup Church, the Goose Tower in Vordingborg, Fredensborg Castle, Nakkehoved Lighthouse in Gilleleje and Kronborg Castle. There is plenty of footage on the beaches of North Zealand and the rocky coast of Bornholm. On Funen you can see Christiansminde near Svendborg and the ferry to Tåsinge. From Jutland you can see The Silkeborg Lakes, Himmelbjerget, Aalborg, which is connected to Nørresundby by two bridges, Skagen with Holger Drachmann's grave, the west coast of Jutland , Esbjerg with its fishing port, Fanø, Ribe with its cathedral and old houses, Møgeltønder, Schackenborg Castle, Dybbøl and Sønderborg, Galgebakken and Brundlund Castle with the castle mill in Aabenraa, Gråsten Castle, Haderslev, Aarhus Cathedral, Koldinghus and the traffic hub Fredericia, and Vejle.

(Whew!)

This footage was obviously quite well-preserved and in near-perfect condition. Film restorer Vivid History has cleaned and enhanced it even further, correcting Aspect Ratio and motion stabilization, adding synthetic background noise and beautiful color!

I raise my mug of Blood Orange hot cocoa (I can only find it at Easter, darn it!) to Vivid History and all film aficionados everywhere for a much-needed tour after work... Soundtrack, Colorized.

Good God, three months of 8-10 hour shifts delivering mail, no weekends or Holidays off! But at last, at last the flood slows a little-

(Pulls dust cover off Time Machine, hits random destination on 'Whirlwind Tour' Mode)

Oh, at last...clean, fresh air! I'll need a jacket though...

Once again, I have no idea who to thank for this lovely melange of images-the variety of scenes, repetition of the same camera angles and the lack of variation in film quality lead me to believe that this was the work of a single individual, likely on extended Holiday with a decent 28mm camera and portable tripod...

And oh, the places this cameraperson has been! The resulting footage, just under 6 minutes in total, gives us an amazing Speed-tour of the Canadian Provinces circa 1925. We get lightning-fast glimpses of Windsor Street Station in Montreal, then off on the Trans-Canada Limited with stops at Quebec and its historic Chateau Frontenac, Glimpses of Ottawa and downtown Toronto, the scenic Lake Superior region, Kenora, Winnipeg, lovely Saskatoon, Calgary, bustling Edmonton, The Rocky Mountains Park and its palatial resorts, a brief sojourn through Selkirk Ridge...Vancouver with its resorts and bays, tantalizing glimpses of countryside! Touring, Commerce, Riding, Bathing, Fishing, all activities flashing by in a melange of images-Tres Magnifique!

This all-too-brief feature somehow survived over a century in an unknown location until located and restored by the media fan known as Colorful History, who ran a full aspect-ratio and speed correction through AI, along with a lovely effects soundtrack and glorious color! I toast Colorful History with a mug of Sarsaparilla as I enjoy my tiny vacation before a Power Nap and more work work work...Colorized, Soundtrack.

(P.S.-sorry it's been so long, the local Post really is a madhouse...i'll try to publish as I am able...)

Forced into marriage by his uncle, a man decides to fool him by marrying a life-like mechanical doll instead(!!!). This bizarre plot almost seems to succeed-only to go completely off the rails when the Dollmaker's daughter decides to take the automaton's place...

Already known for his historical dramas, early auteur Ernst Lubitsch decided to try something different for his next project, tackling the operetta La Poupée by Edmond Audran (1896). Our 64 minute features opens with an introduction by Lubitsch himself with an artificial cardboard diorama, which then unfolds into a fairy tale full of deliberately artificial sets and a few brief and deliberately crude animations meant to create a deliberately unreal atmosphere. The cast acquits itself well in this film I think, giving this farce a goodly amount of scenery chewing when the gags and stunts call for it, especially the two leads...I honestly can't picture the slightly dim and highly neurotic Lancelot played by anybody but Hermann Thimig after seeing him in action- he could teach Chaplin a thing or two I think! Meanwhile, actress Ossi Oswalda (playing both the mechanical doll and the Dollmaker's daughter Ossi) lights up just about every scene she's in with a combination of adorable elan and childish mischief, and could easily eclipsed the other actors-instead Ms Oswalda seems to be the glue that keeps this comedy on track and moving to a satisfactory conclusion.

This Public Domain comedy is fairly well known in Germany even today, not so much in the US-we seem to place more esteem in Lubitsch's later sound productions. Hopefully this will change in time...Silent, Music

Working two jobs 50 hours a week is for the birds-where is my Time Machine? Let's set the dials for a random time and place-bet I end up in the Netherlands again...nope, lost that bet, heh...

As is the case, I have no listing of Credits on this 8 minute feature, so no way of knowing whether we are dealing with multiple camera operators-judging by the consistency of film technique and direction my best guess is independent single operator with a state-of-the-art (for the time) Lumiere-style 35mm portable camera set on a flexible ball-and-joint swivel, allowing for the smooth (if limited) tracking shots. Judging from the transportation involved, our mystery recorder seems to be archiving several related short clips ranging from roughly 1887 to 1904 or so-the steam trains on the elevated line were being phased out shortly after 1905...

This short film features wonderful shots of the "El" elevated railway at Battery Park and crossing Broadway (the steam engines mentioned above), as well as a number of interesting street scenes of Lower Manhattan, Whitehall Street, Twenty Third Street, the Ghetto Fish Market, street vendors being told to move-on by policemen and much more (including a lovely tracking shot of the Flatiron Building). It ends with a long shot of a subway train crossing one of New York's many bridges. Vehicles are almost completely horse-drawn, with the exception of the electric streetcar lines and a dauntless Baker Electric Taxi making an appearance at roughly 6:55 or so...

This well-crafted compilation remained in a frankly incredible state of preservation in the Library of Congress, until media restorer Rick 88888888 ran a copy through an AI for speed correction, proper aspect ratios, minor clean-ups...and the addition of lovely pastel tints and a 'street sounds' background track to enhance the experience.

As I reluctantly set the dial back to 2023 I raise a mug of arabica blend with Italian sweet cream in salute to Rick88888888 and media explorers in general...Colorized, Soundtrack.

Local journalist Jack Mangan interviews legend Bela Lugosi as the latter relaxes on the RMS Queen Elisabeth...

The year is 1951, and horror icon Lugosi has had a long and storied career...arriving in the United States after shooting the low-budget comedy "Vampire Over London" aka "Mother Riley Meets the Vampire", the actor seems to have come to terms with a lifetime of typecasting-indeed, he seems rather grateful that he was in a comedy for a change. Lugosi speaks frankly about his career, typecasting and all, mentions wanting to play Cyrano de Bergerac and mentions a few details of his early plays in Hungary ( if only someone had filmed them for us!). Sadly, the interview was timed by the National Television Guild for just over 4 minutes-one has the impression that Lugosi could easily have gone on for longer...

This interview remained in the NTG Archives for decades (escaping the destruction through recording over the footage that was often the fate of such short features) and is once again available for public consumption by Lugosi fans...B&W, Sound.

BTW, sorry for the increasing delay between Postings-i'm currently working 60+ hours a week with two jobs and had a minor issue with the PC...i'll try to Post a bit more often.

Doctor Alex Zorka (Bela Lugosi ) is the hardest working Mad Scientist in the biz! When the US Government spurns his genius, Zorka decides to take his show on the road...

By this time, the Movie Serial was an established tradition with theater-goers everywhere, and of course Universal Studios wasn't going to let opportunity pass by. With dual Directors Ford Beebe and Saul A. Goodkind working simultaneously, and Universal Studios putting up actors such as Robert Kent , Edward Van Sloan, Dorothy Arnold, Regis Toomey and the incomparable Bela Lugosi, and with a warehouse full of props and stock footage, the studio was able to fill 12 Chapters with mysterious elements, remote weaponry, invisibility belts, invincible robots and more twists than a corkscrew! Lugosi had embraced his unfortunate typecasting at this point, and his scenery-chewing antics lend this serial a frenetic energy lacking in many lesser works...

After its initial release, this serial was re-cut and edited as a film in its own right, turning the 12 chapter serial into a lean and mean 78 minutes of action, thrills and mayhem...Sound, B&W.

Well, i'm off in my Time Machine to witness the incredible resurgence of that Miracle plant, Hemp! Uh, no, i'm going to 1942 USA actually....

United States, 1942-the Nation had declared War on Japan for the Pearl Harbor bombing and was therefore obligated to oppose Germany and Italy as well...with imports of hemp from other nations at an all time low, it was up to the US to gear up its homeland production to meet quota on all of those amazing and vital things we made with it. The US Dept of Agriculture was up for it, employing Director Raymond Evans, Cameraman Walter K Scott and Narrator Reuben Ford to educate the American public on the history of the crop, the many uses of same and the proper cultivation of same. By all accounts Hemp production was at an all time high(ahem!) by the close of 1945, and Post-war America was overflowing with a cheaply-grown fiber that could be used for clothing, construction, paper, reinforced anchor ropes and fire hoses, automotive bodywork, etc etc. Prosperity awaited the revitalized Agricultural industry...

So what happened? Well, the War on Drugs happened, and for no apparent reason Hemp (with less than 1% THC) was classified into the same category as Drug-grade Marijuana(5% and better). I'm absolutely certain that the invention of Nylon and Rayon by the Dupont Bros (made from petroleum products and wood pulp respectively, and hideously expensive compared to cheap hemp fibers) had Absolutely Nothing At All with such inclusion of Hemp in the legislation....

Despite the fact that the Federal Government denied all knowledge in 1990 of ever having supported hemp production or even having released this film (okay.....) this 14 minute feature remains in circulation to this day in order to remind us that not all of our History makes it to the classroom-and never did...Sound, B&W.

A world-famous pianist loses both hands in an accident. When new hands are grafted on, he hears rumors that the new appendages once belonged to a murderer...

Director Robert Wiene, already famous for The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (1920) and Genuine (also 1920) tackles identity, body dysphoria and the human soul in this 153 minute Expressionist film based on the Maurice Renard novel. Despite the masterful camerawork, fluid motion and frankly amazing shadowplay at work in this feature, a movie such as this lives or dies on its actors-and with such players as Alexandra Sorina, Fritz Strassny and Fritz Kortner present, this film is in good hands (so to speak, ahem). But the horror of this film is a deeply personal one-and of course the astonishing Conrad Veidt (who has never IMHO given less than his all to a part) lends his talent to showing Paul Orlac at his most helpless, despairing and fearful, truly pulling the audience headlong into the story alongside him... On its U.S. release in 1928, Variety wrote "Were it not for Veidt's masterly characterization, The Hands of Orlac would be an absurd fantasy in the old-time mystery-thriller class".

This film was re-released upon a full restoration in 1995, with new a score by composer Paul Mercer, and once again made available to the viewing public...enjoy! Silent, B&W.

Working 55+ hour jobs lately-time for a Time Jaunt and I don't care where!
(spins dial)
Huh, this machine really likes the Netherlands when i'm not guiding it-not that I mind....

Scheveningen is a fishing village on the Dutch North Sea coast bordering the city of The Hague. It was visited in the late 1920's by our Mystery Cameraperson (alas, as is common on these touring shorts we have no credits available) with a decent camera for the day, steady hands and a professional technique. This ten-and-a-half-minute feature shows the viewer traders bidding for freshly caught fish, barrels of fish being filled and handled, children hanging about and pinching chunks of ice that have broken off huge ice bars, women making and repairing nets, nets being laid out to dry using horses and carts, fish being cleaned and hung on metal rods to be smoked. Aside from one motorized cargo carrier transportation seems limited to pedestrian, horse and bicycle, with the ships being shown relying primarily on sail with steam boilers for back-up...

This short film remained in a decent state of preservation in the Beeld En Geluid until found by Media Restorer Rick88888888, who used AI technology to correct Aspect Ratios and Speed, fill in minor flaws and add glorious Color and background noise! I raise a mug of spiced cider to Rick88888888 and all media restorers everywhere for my brief vacation before another shift here in 2023....Soundtrack, Colorized.

A blatant pickpocket seems to have it in mind to drive the local police completely mad with his abilities as a Living Cartoon...

The year is 1909, and early auteur Segundo de Chomon is still at his creative peak, still working for Pathe Studios-and whose amazing short features are still in demand and generating income for the studio. This feature, just over 9 minutes long, shows off nearly every physical and camera trick Chomon has mastered to date-jump cuts, fades, tracking shots, fluid and graceful stop-motion techniques, and even a crude 'cut-and-paste' animation onto existing stock...between the subject matter, the animation and the strangely modern comedic timing, i'm rather convinced that this piece was one of the inspirations for Mack Sennet and his 'Keystone Cops' short films, Charlie Chaplain and his Modern Times 'machinery' sequences...and possibly even the later Monty Python comedy troupe...

Shortly after this and a handful of other features, Chomon would start up Iberico Films in Barcelona in 1910, and do piece work for other studios until his death in 1929. But the Pathe Era was IMHO his most productive period-and luckily most of these features survived the ravages of time to entertain us still...Music, B&W.

Ah, 1938 Pismo Beach and all the clams we...can...huh. Way too many hills for a beach-let's check for clogs in the tachyon filters again-hold on, is that a race? Screw maintenance, where's my binoculars?

Early in the Summer of 1904, several car owners-driving one or more early Daimlers, Mercedes, Pierce and even Stanley Steamers and a few bicyclists-decided on a friendly endurance challenge up and down the very steep( and high-altitude, literally 'above the clouds') Mt. Washington Roadway in New Hampshire. As far as we know there were no manufacturers or monied interests backing the contests, and the reward may have been only bragging rights-but enough of a stir was generated that early director W.G.'Billy' Bitzer of the American Mutoscope and Biograph Co. decided to set up some cameras to film the event...

Film technology was in its infancy in 1904 and both the lack of tracking and focusing shots show, as do the lack of proper lighting and weather filters-none of which were available yet. Even so, the stationary cameras capture the thrill of early driving, pitting driving skill and early engines against the narrow, washboard roads of the age, with no guide rails to catch them and only pure technique keeping the drivers from fatal falls...a few horsepower struggling against high elevations on a pitted wagon trail...and who the heck was riding those bicycles up a mountain, and what the heck do they feed those guys?

This eight-and-a-half-minute feature made the rounds in theaters for many years, and was recreated from paper prints from the Library of Congress-an analogue technique that I am utterly fascinated by. So as I re-seal my Tachyon Filters I hoist my mug of very hot chocolate to the archivists and restorers everywhere for my brief New Hampshire vacation...Silent, B&W.

Oh Lord, I hate Temporal Storms! Feels like I lost two weeks or more in there...time to land and see when and where I am and recalibrate my....cablecars? Hills and valley? Fog? Oh yes I know this place...

This lovely nine minute feature appears to have been assembled from shots taken from roughly 1921 to 1927 and assembled into a single work at a later date-there is a subtle evolution in automotive styles and the Radio KFC sign wasn't up until 1924. The subject is San Francisco, mostly Powell and Market Streets and the nearby neighborhoods, completely rebuilt and thriving with the tragic 1906 earthquake now a distant memory...the camera shows clear, sunny skies for the most part, with one slightly overcast and foggy one for comparison at about 2:00 to 2:15 (also the earliest footage). At this point the automobile has all but fully taken the place of the horse-drawn conveyance-but pedestrians still outnumber vehicles...and of course San Francisco is dominated by the public electric cablecar systems which even today have yet to fade away completely. The camera technology has improved enough that we are treated to steady and detailed panning and tracking shots moving up and down the glorious multi-story buildings, rotational aerial panoramas at rooftop level and mid-range shots of people and vehicles just going about their day...

This footage remained in a frankly amazing state of preservation in the famous Prellinger Archives-until found by the media restorer known as NASS, who ran the assembled footage through a Neural Net to correct Aspect Ratio and Speed, clean up minor artifacting-and of course add a 'soundtrack' of ambient noise and bring the film into the Age of Color! As I sit here with lemonade in hand and sandwich in the other, I raise glass in hand to NASS and all of those others who made this nine minute vacation possible...Soundtrack, Colorized.

(works on malfunctioning Time Machine for 11 days)
(finds hairline fracture in Temporal Oscillation Inhibitor)

RIGHT. One more time, World's Fair 1939 or bust....YES! Finally! First stop-Norman Bel Geddes' Futurama Exhibit so that I may see what 1960 holds...I know, I have a Time Machine, but this is the fun way...

It would seem that sponsor General Motors was so pleased with Geddes vision of innovation that they decided to create a preview/promotional film on the subject-and the uncredited Director decided to toss in a History lesson to boot! Starting with a quick summary of 'Man's constant technological promise', we start with a bit of picturesque stock footage, eventually segueing to a typical rural area full of such modern 1939 conveniences as kerosene lanterns and wood stoves, eventually moving into automobiles, paved roads and refrigerators. By the time we get to the Futurama exhibit itself, we are 8 minutes into this 23 minute feature-it does give us a nice overview though, and a lovely shift from black-and-white footage and into early Technicolor...

Once we get to see this massive, mobile exhibit though, it does not disappoint. We see modern, automated farms with modern conveniences and power-though the Narrator assumed most of these would still be privately owned (sob!). The roads of the future are full of off-ramps and multiple lanes (yep!) full of aerodynamic bubble cars with autopilots and safer than ever before! (er.....). Planned communities abound, mixing rural and urban environments, parks on skyscraper roofs,a nearby circular airport with Dirigible hangers (ummm....) elevated sidewalks (alas!) and an end to Ghettos and Poverty Forever! Jobs for all! (AAAAARGHHH!!!!!)

Er, sorry....the exhibit itself is glorious, and I only wish that Norman Bel Geddes' optimistic vision of 1960 had come completely true-but at least King Rose Archives kept this lovely short feature in near-perfect condition for our viewing pleasure, and to remind us that it's still okay to dream...Sound, Color.

All right, the calibrations on my Time Machine are complete...1939 World's Fair or BUST-
(puts out several small fires)
Sigh. Bust it is-oh well, let's unpack the picnic basket and see where and when we landed...

The years of 1900-1901 were the literal birth of film technology. A few short years previously (1895) the Lumiere Brothers had begun the first forays into the medium in 45-55 second bursts of celluloid. Early Adopters Sagar Mitchell and James Kenyon took one look at the budding technology and decided to spend the next few decades shooting documentaries. This short feature, just shy of six minutes, shows the teams of Working Poor leaving their businesses and heading home. The early camera technology was crude and immobile in 1901, lending itself to stationary shots primarily-though the Mitchell and Kenyon team do manage to achieve what was possibly the very first Tracking Shot with a custom-built swivel mount attachment. A few short years ahead would result in far more mobility...in addition, the very concept of 'moving pictures' was bleeding-edge technology in 1901, and several of the filmed subjects aren't quite sure what to make of the device-others-such as the children mugging for the camera, a sandwich-board man getting free advertising (likely the very first filmed Ad in history!) and the two lads putting on a sparring match-seem to know exactly what this new medium was for! Shooting locations include Pendlebury Colliery, Alfred Butterworth and Sons of Hollinwood and Parkgate Iron and Steel in Rotherham. ...

These bits of the Mitchell and Kenyon collection remained archived in an adequate state of preservation-until found by the incomparable team of Denis Shiryaev and Guy Jones, who corrected speed and aspect ratio, reformatted for error-correction and added glorious color and an 'effects' soundtrack, releasing the improved product back into the Wild for our enjoyment!

So while re-calibrating my Chronal Oscillator yet again I raise a mug of French Roast to Denis Shiryaev, Guy Jones and media restorers everywhere...Colorized, Soundtrack.

An underworld mastermind has invented a device that allows him to kill by radio control! They seek the Czar's jewels! Now if we only knew who this 'Whispering Shadow' was...

The early 1930's saw the rise of a new type of film-the Serial. These very short, interlocking films were shown as previews for an accompanying feature, usually 12-20 episodes of 10-15 minutes apiece, rewarding regular customers with a 'free movie' for their loyalty. The attention-getting episodes, often high in melodrama and action, usually ended in Cliffhangers and often spent the first 2-3 minutes of the next episode resolving the Cliffhanger before moving forward...if a serial proved popular it might be re-shown a few years later-or, as in this case, re-cut into a Feature Film and a new release cycle.

One of the earliest examples of this medium, the Whispering Shadow boasted a pretty decent cast of quality actors (The incomparable Bela Lugosi, Malcolm McGregor, Viva Tattersall, Robert Warwick, Lloyd Whitlock among others) two Directors shooting consecutive scenes back-to-back on different sets ( Colbert Clark and Albert Herman). The resulting feature ended up being just under 4 hours of gunplay, fistfights, mysterious deaths, animated shadows, massive banks of ominous machinery-and more red herrings than a Norwegian cannery! This second, edited release clocks in at a lean and mean 63 minutes and, if anything, is even more fast paced...

So, is it any good? IMHO The Whispering Shadow is no Citizen Kane-what is? But despite a slight unevenness of sound in a few of the location shots, I thoroughly enjoyed myself with this video equivalent of a Pulp Magazine . But feel free to judge for yourself...B&W, Sound.

Local Entertainment journalist Dorothy West interviews rising Superstar Bela Lugosi, fresh off of his success in Dracula (1931). ...

'Intimate Interviews' was a regular feature in the early Hollywood scene, and Dorothy West was the go-to interviewer for up-and-coming stars just coming to the attention of the Public. This six-and-a-half minute interview shows Lugosi at his best, showcasing a wit and charm he was not allowed to show in his seminal role. Sadly, his visions of performing Romantic Comedies did not come true, alas....under the pleasantries Lugosi drops hints of his past as a WWI veteran, his approach to acting and his disdain of casual society...

The ending, of course, was most certainly staged...B&W, Sound.

Okay, final tweaks to my new Chronal Stabilizer are complete, so let's shoot for the 1939 World's Fair....DRAT. Entschuldigen Sie bitte? Was und wo bin ich? Berlin? Wow...

As in the case of many of these early features, the actual creators (Director, Editor, Cameraperson etc)...given that the 8 minute film has been assembled from shorter fragments filmed from 1900-1910 and stored in the Deutsche Mutoskop und Biograph G.m.b.H archives, the contributors could be myriad. Regardless, the tracking and moving shots were all shot with an incredibly steady hand, with our mystery photographers using carefully-driven carts, cable cars and boats to compensate for lack of self-stabilization in the early tech.

And such sights we are shown...busy streets full of tourists, shoppers and deliverymen, parks and landmarks, waterfront warehouses, apartments and piers, parks and landmarks, architecture from the 15th through the 19th centuries residing cheek-to-jowl, well-dressed folk in suits, dresses and hats of every make and model. The horse-drawn wagon, cable car and the pedestrian are still king in this era, with a rare bicycle or automobile showing itself now and again, and many boats still powered by sail.

This lovely feature remained in the Deutsche Mutoskop und Biograph G.m.b.H archives in a frankly miraculous state of preservation, until discovered by the Media Maven known only as NASS, who ran the footage through an AI in order to:

✔ FPS boost to 60 frames per second
✔ Image resolution boost
✔ Improve video sharpness and brightness
✔Add sound and color!

So as I twiddle with the Chronal Stabilizer again (the Instructions are in Metric but the markings are in Imperial? Huh.) I raise a frothy mug of Vienna Roast with heavy cream to NASS and all film restorers everywhere...Colorized, Soundtrack.

A landlady suspects that her new lodger could be the madman killing women in London. What to do....

This is early auteur Alfred Hitchcock's 3rd known film-and the one that placed him 'on the map'. Upon its release the trade journal Bioscope wrote: "It is possible that this film is the finest British production ever made". Certainly a 71 minute feature of this type needs an accomplished cast, and actors Ivor Novello, June Tripp, Marie Ault, Malcolm Keen and Arthur Chesney each turn in nuanced and stellar performances-but it is Hitchcock's direction IMHO that makes this film, using the close, slightly off-kilter shots that would continue to mark his later career, as well as several astonishing practical stage effects.

This particular print of the film was re-released in 2012 after a full restoration of the print, re-tinting and added score-and entered Public Domain in 2022, allowing me to showcase it here...enjoy! B&W, Soundtrack.

Okay, new parts for my Time Machine, let's shoot for 1939 and the New York World's Fair...drat, still out of calibration, let's see where we are-hold on a minute, is that who I think it is? Let's grab a lawn chair and binoculars...

September 12, 1962-and the United States is losing the Space Race to its economic and ideological rival the Soviet Union. Sputnick was the first satellite in space, Yuri Gargarin the first man in orbit-and things looked grim. It wasn't just the National Pride at stake, though there was that also-the Soviets had the same Atomic Weaponry that we did. Anybody who could reach Outer Space could reach any place on Earth with Nukes-what if the Reds decided to encircle the globe with them in orbit? If they reached the Moon first, would they claim it for the USSR?

Well President John F. Kennedy Jr. decided that the time had come to pull ahead in this Race. He mentioned his intentions to 'reach the Moon before 1970' in a May 25, 1961 speech-but it was this follow-up speech, delivered September 12 of 1962 at Rice University,that truly lit the fire under the American people. More polished, more eloquently delivered and with a more complete grasp of the scope of the project and what needed to happen in order to make it a reality, this second speech succeeded in loosening Congressional purse strings and lit a creative fire under the fledgling NASA. Result? Neil Armstrong walking on the Moon July 21, 1969...

This historic feature was archived and preserved by multitudes of sources-this particular copy, kept in a state of perfect preservation, is available from the US Library of Congress-and as I tinker with my Temporal Emitters I raise a cup of strong, black coffee to the men and women who put us on the Moon, and the President who inspired us...Sound, Color.

Behold the first known film about the most famous feral jungle dweller ever-No, not Mowgli, you in the back row...

After stumbling upon Tarzan's second film [Tarzan and the Golden Lion(1927) ] I just had to hunt down the first one-and I was not disappointed. Director Scott Sidney has a very fluid composition and a surprisingly modern cutting and editing style which makes this hour-long feature just fly by. In addition, I find that using a few cuts from an African Travelogue, some borrowed shots from a New Orleans zoo and shooting on location in the Louisiana bayous makes for a surprisingly decent African jungle. Best of all, the shooting location allowed for an open casting call for local talent, which means that the film is delightfully free of the typical 'blackface' of the time...in addition, the script ( a creation of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Fred Miller and the accomplished Lois Weber ) is remarkably enlightened for the time-the conflicts between Tarzan, the intrepid but clueless English explorers and the not-so-savage natives flow naturally from a series of perfectly logical misunderstandings, and the resultant violence doesn't seem to have any right or wrong parties...

It is of course the casting that will save or ruin a film-and while True Boardman, Kathleen Kirkham and George B. French acquit themselves quite well, there are a number of standout performances...child actor Gordon Griffith brings an astounding mix of savagery, mischief and courage to his role, though I don't think that the glimpses of underage nudity would fly today. Griffith's adult counterpart, Elmo Lincoln is definitely not what I expected in a Tarzan-seeking a toned and athletic 'hero' a la Johnny Weissmuller, I instead got this tall, muscular towering near giant who I actually believe could wrestle a lion and break its neck. This Tarzan exudes a wild, feral, barely-restrained dangerous menace that I never knew I wanted until Lincoln brought it to the screen. Likewise, Enid Markey makes a delightful Jane Porter, and while she doesn't have very much to do early on, she utterly shines once paired with Elmo Lincoln. Best of all, the Director allows the actors to really lean into their roles-Jane Porter, while adventurous, is also a completely Victorian Englishwoman lost in the jungle with a powerful feral giant, while Tarzan is both besotted and confused by this oddly attractive alien creature that causes a terrifying flood of feelings within. The resulting combination of mutual curiosity, barely restrained lust and paralyzing bewilderment is IMHO perfectly understandable, utterly hilarious-and unexpectedly touching.

My only complaint concerning this fast-paced adventure concerns a few dangling plot twists-not the film's fault, as nearly half of it was lost in a fire after initial release. Luckily, enough remained that careful editing resulted in a complete story. I truly hope that the rest is found and restored...Silent, B&W.

(PARADOX LOOP BROKEN)

Good God, I will never, ever try to use this Time Machine to travel to the Future again! Currently the poor thing's bit damaged, so off to 1985 London for some replacement parts....er, wait a minute....Oké, dit lijkt niet veel op Engeland, waar en wanneer ben ik nu?

It would appear that this lovely 13+minute feature is bereft of credits-sadly this seems to be the normal state of affairs for many early travel films, so there is unfortunately no way to properly credit the filmmaker. And credit is certainly due-whether a professional photographer or a talented amateur, our mystery photographer shows a steady hand, an eye for composition, and a genuine interest in people and events. The province of Zeeland consists of a number of large islands in the South-West of The Netherlands, and our first opening shots are of a fodder harvest, made simple by the relatively new mechanical hay baler. Our photographer then finds themself at a local fair, complete with wagons, horses (mostly the powerful Friesian breed, with a few Gelderland here and there ) competing in ring-jousting and show, relaxing and passing the time...we are later treated to a small, informal parade down the local town square, an unusual form of vertical archery contest, a group of ladies who eagerly show the camera their lacing techniques and jigs as they make a tablecloth, a game played with leather pucks resembling both horseshoes and curling...and ending at a local school playground, where properly supervised children indulge in synchronized exercises. Reactions to the cameraperson and the their 16mm device range from shy smiles to blatant showing off, not a hostile reaction to be found...

This lovely piece of history survived in quite amazing condition in a local Netherlands archive-until found by media restorer Rick88888888, who used AI technology to clean minor damage, correct for speed and aspect ratio, add riotous, vivid color, and a lovely soundtrack from Ukrainian composer Vadim Krakhma for the perfect presentation! As I cool off several circuit boards in preparation for my hop to 1985 London (the Chronal Stabilizer uses parts from a Timex Sinclair of course) I stop and uncork a small jug of sarsaparilla to toast Rick88888888 and all film historians everywhere... Colorized, Soundtrack.

The fever for gold corrupts the hearts of men, and Tarzan, the undisputed lord of the jungle, finds himself betrayed and captured by the denizens of Opar...

Director J.P. McGowan films the second Tarzan film ever created, the first budgeted large enough for decent effects and sound stages, and the only one to star author Edgar Rice Burroughs' son-in-law James Pierce. Nepotism notwithstanding, Pierce does a decent job of it, with co-stars Dorothy Dunbar, Edna Murphy, Frederick Peters, Harold Goodwin and Boris Karloff (in a relatively minor role, alas) giving it their all in this 58-minute feature. Pierce actually plays a dual role in this, both as the Lord of the Jungle and coincidental duplicate Esteban Miranda-in a 'twins' sub-plot that was a lot less cliche back in 1927. Although there are a few regrettable instances of 'ethnic' makeup on Caucasian actors-Karloff among them-most of the inhabitants of both Opar and nearby villages are played by African-American actors, a notable and refreshing change from the normal casting standards of the day. The plot takes nearly no liberties with the source material-and when the script was written by both Hollywood alumni William E. Wing and Edgar Rice Burroughs himself, this is hardly surprising...between the decently-budgeted sets and the Louisiana shooting locations, I doubt that you'll find a better scenery and effects until at least the 1980's...

I wouldn't expect this film to be deep or life-changing...and it wasn't meant to be. But as a fast, entertaining action film in the Pulp tradition? Grab a huge bag of popcorn, beverage of choice and thrill to some Jungle action...Silent, B&W.

I'll be looking for a copy of the earlier 1918 film when I can...

All right, spent most of the weekend working on the Chronal Stabilizer, let's take the Time Machine out for a Micro-jump or two...seems to be in working order again...

Like many of these snippets of history, the creator of this 8 minute feature did not leave a trace of their identity-the camera appears to be 16mm, its operator has a practiced eye and a steady hand, and the tracking shots are amazingly stable for the period, even allowing for later restoration of the film. Judging by the polite and friendly attitudes of all the photographed subjects it is likely that the creator of the short film was a well-known local...our guide treats us to several streets in the aforementioned Kansas City-including the famous Union Station-some locations in Topeka and Tecumseh, a few shots of Council Grove...and some footage of farmland and cattle from Chelsea, Michigan added to the mix. The automobile and bus appear to dominate the roads now (Model T and Model A Ford mostly with a few Chevrolet and Buick here and there) and only a very few horse-drawn wagons here and there. The subjects of this feature all appear to be healthy, decently-dressed and well-fed, human and beast alike. Little did they know that the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl phenomena were on the way...

This footage survived in an amazing state of preservation as part of the Prelinger Archives, until found by the Media Maven known as NASS, who used cutting-edge AI technology to:
-Speed correction to 60 frames per second
- Image resolution boost
- Improve video sharpness and brightness
- Add color
-add sound.

I raise a glass of sweet tea with lemon to NASS and others like them for thier tireless preservation of the past...Colorized, Soundtrack.

The classic 1883 novel by Carlo Collodi is brought to life on the big screen for the first time in known history...

Early Italian director Giulio Antamoro tackles this classic tale in a relatively compact 53-minute feature, with a fairly lavish production budget for the time, rather prominent Italian actors ( comic actor Ferdinand Guillaume, Augusto Mastripietri and Lea Giunchi whom all IMHO acquit themselves admirably) pretty great Effects for the time and very well-done scenery. Advances in camera technology permit fast and accurate tracking shots and seamless transfer between studio interiors and outdoor lots. The plot differs in some particulars but is mostly faithful to the Collodi book- our nominal Hero will be judged, hanged, swallowed by a whale, taken prisoner by the Indians, saved by Canadian soldiers and, even, returned home mounted on a cannonball that flies through the sky....

This film was considered to be lost to the ages, with only about 6 minutes remaining in terrible condition- but in 1994 the original negative was found at Cineteca Italiana in Milan, and nearly-perfect copies were made available to the Public once more...Grazie, Italy, Grazie...Silent w/English subtitles, B&W.

A week of overtime on Traffic Control has prevented me from tinkering with my Time Machine-but at last I have my new Chronal Stabilizer installed! Let's take a trip....huh. Well, at least the Whirlwind Tour setting is limited to one continent now (grabs screwdriver)...

I have no information at all on B. Krinitsin, save that he or she possesssed a 16mm camera and did a great deal of filming around the Russian cities and countryside from 1910 to 1913. In this varied tour we see parts of the Moskva River, with nearby warehouses, markets and bazaars. Then we shift to the countryside and several smaller towns, where we encounter production processes in industry and agriculture, gold mining and workers at lunch, a local funeral, he opening of a monument to the poet Ivan Nikitin in nearby Voronezh....a shift later we are at a military training camp, then a tour of a school for the blind, sailors from the Russian Navy racing boats and dancing...another shift finds us at a local parade complete with massive public buffet for the youthful participants. Back to the countryside and we view a fitness contest, local meetings, picnics and walks-a concentrated dose of life in the recently-modernized Russia under Czar Nicholas II, with no one suspecting the Great War a year later, nor the resulting October Revolution of 1917 and the new regime it would bring...

The collected footage would eventually be released as the 50-minute documentary 'Russia That We Haved Saved' in the year 2000. Time had not been kind to the blurred and jittery footage during its stay in the State Film Fund-enter media restorer Guy Jones, who ran the best parts of the travelogue through an advanced AI filter to correct for speed, clean the blurs and scratches, preserve and enhance the classical soundtrack-and release the condensed Public Domain footage in a sprightly 14 minute trot through a land long gone from us. I lift my mug of spiced black tea with cream to Guy Jones and media restorers everywhere for this gift...B&W, Soundtrack.