Early Settlers of New England, an educational film produced in 1940, observes the daily lives of English settlers in the establishment of Naumkeag. Located along the Massachusetts coast, subsistence in the small village came from fishing, “abandoned” corn and goat milk. As more colonists arrived and the infrastructure built-out, the town was re-christened Salem. Salem […]
MORE ...This short, a swingy rendition of the classic jazz standard Sweet Sue, Just You, includes chorus lines, neat harmonies, and loads of tap dancing. A Broadway-like number set to film, this short played in 1940s movie theaters between the Bugs Bunny cartoon and a B-movie. A popular song composed in 1928 by Victor Young and […]
MORE ...1945’s March of Progress, produced by the Key System, a privately owned streetcar system owned by business magnate Francis “Borax” Smith, lays out a selective albeit fascinating historical view of a growing California. Take a trip from the early years of Spanish missions and Gold Rush boomtowns to the modern era, where cities like San Francisco […]
MORE ...Before SeaWorld and Marineland, the carneys of Wakulla Springs, Florida began training unsuspecting marine life to perform impressive tricks before a paying audience. Take Aqua Frolics, for instance, a short entertaining review of the growing popularity of water sports from the 1940’s. And could you blame the captive seals and dolphins for gladly tolerating […]
MORE ...On the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November, every two years, citizens of the United States cast their vote to choose their local, state, and federal government. In 1944, businesses temporarily closed so the man on the street could have the time and focus to make their voice heard. As a poll worker […]
MORE ...And now for something completely different … Enjoy Weirdo Video’s interpretation of Tom Waits’ “Pasties and a G-String (At the Two O’Clock Club)” from his 1976 classic album Small Change. Inspired by Waits’ Bukowski-infused lowlife lyrics, our editors have strung together authentic footage from actual vintage girlie films and real burlesque shows, evoking the whimsically […]
MORE ...Belo Horizante is short documentary produced by The Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs in 1949. The OCIAA, established by FDR in 1940, had a stated mission to focus on strengthening ties in defense, economics, policy, and culture between the United States and Latin America. In the film, Belo Horizante is heralded as one of […]
MORE ...“A sturdy tree of liberty with shade for all.” – Benjamin Franklin Although artistic license is taken in dramatizing the events, much of the “dialogue originates in the correspondence of the principals.” Experience a nation being planned and made for the first time in world history. We join the momentous occasion in New York City […]
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