Author Archive: Retro

This film shows several important visual artists of the Harlem Renaissance at work.

Long-time New York Yankee star, first baseman Lou Gehrig battles ALS with the help of his wife, and of his teammate, catcher Bill Dickey. The disease cuts short Gehrig’s great baseball career, and kills “The Iron Horse” within a few years.

During WWII, the U.S. government produced numerous documentaries, often under the supervision of Frank Capra, designed to build support for the war. One of the more curious entries in this effort was The Negro Soldier. The structure of the film is that of a black minister who preaches a sermon to his all-black congregation. Over the course of 40 minutes, the minister recounts the contributions of blacks in American military history, from Crispus Attucks and the Boston Massacre to the men who served in WWI, along the way touching on the War of 1812, the Civil War, the exploration of the West and the building of the railroad, the Spanish-American War, and the building of the Panama Canal. Throughout, the filmmakers blend archival footage and Hollywood re-creations to illustrate the preacher’s words, and even include a re-creation of the destruction by the Nazis of a WWI monument in France to African-American soldiers. The film then [...]

THE NEGRO SAILOR was a propaganda film, emphasizing the need for racial harmony for victory. The film was photographed by U.S. Navy camera crews and completed at Columbia Studios.

Notorious Bigfoot researcher Ivan Marx journeys from Arizona to the Artic Circle in order to brush up on folklore regarding the elusive woodland creature and perhaps even capture the hirsute recluse on camera.

The record of an expedition deep into the Malayan jungle.

Actor Bela Lugosi discusses his career, his social life, and his feelings about his most famous role, Count Dracula.

Embark on a scenic journey into exotic Bali in this travelogue that follows sisters Tagel and Grio as preparations for Grio’s wedding offer a tantalizing glimpse at the local customs and traditions. Meanwhile, as the nubile local girls shed their tops in order to stay cool under the scorching sun.

Publicity film by the Ford Motor Company that mixes live action and animation to tell the inside story about Ford parts and service. .