Cinematic Era: 1950 Vintage

Educational short film

Short docufilm about Anna.

Margherita Gardens. Experimental shots from the swing ride.

The first color film to feature the legend Mae Nak Phra Khanong.

Welcome to the ultimate experience in discovering real food. Welcome to an innovative new series presented by the celebrated international chef Sonja Lee. One or two basic ingredients are investigated in each program, one new country each time.

The educational film, The Magic of Sulphur, is a color film describing how sulfur is found and some of its uses.

This United States Air Force film describes and demonstrates an experimental method for enabling a heavy bomber to tow its own fighter-escort aircraft to the target and back. Special wing-tip connectors allow a B-29 Superfortress piston-engined bomber, with minimal extra fuel usage, to tow two F-84 jet fighter aircraft.

This film explores various tourist destinations along the famous "Rocky Mountain Rocket" line. The streamlined “Rocket” trains (numbers 7 and 8) ran from Chicago, Illinois to Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado from 1939 to 1966. The journey was scheduled as 19.5 hours. Rock Island used an EMC E6 and EMC AB6 diesel to haul the train.

At one time New York City had many "Els", or elevated trains. By 1950, however, there were few left. This short showcases one of the few remaining ones, the Third Avenue El, which ran from the Bronx to Brooklyn.

British documentary on training to become a pilot.

Logo of hand holding a globe. Africa - various scenes: Jungle, trees, swamp, elephants, a deer, a monkey, a snake, snow-capped mountain, fast flowing river, barren landscape. Man beating drum. Camera pans around an African village. Camera pans along a row of seated African natives. The witch doctor dances in the centre of the group. A waterfall. Wildlife. A small paddle boat on a river. MS the natives and white safari man on-board. Men carrying boxes on their heads through the jungle. Several vies of the Conga river. Man climbing palm tree and cutting down the fruit. Boy fires bow and arrow. Men carry palms through the jungle. A man lights a fire by rubbing sticks together. Natives at work extracting palm oil from fruit by traditional methods.

Narrated by Bill Slater, this short black & white educational film is about sporting and outdoor activities on the majestic Hudson River in New York State.

Documentary short on car crashes.

A look at the Chevrolet cars.

The US Army looks at educational programs from the American Friends Service Committee.

Typical example of discovery and tourism documentary, with strong propaganda accents. This is the good life for the settlers of Beira, in the centre of Mozambique. The city is modern and developing. Leisure activities ‘like in Europe’ are beach, golf, aviation, dancing. In this “Portuguese city of the future”, the director managed to show only a few Mozambicans running through the image.

A BAFTA award winning documentary looking at post war social, political and religious conditions in Japan.

Denver Sutton's hand-painted films. This rarely seen cluster of four (?) films dates from 1949 - 1950.

A Jorge Caro's animation short film.

British Pathé news reel showcasing Christmas around the world in 1950

The first breast-cancer-awareness film released for wide distribution, produced by the American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, and U.S. Public Health Service.

Document about the progress and winners of the Youth Creativity Competition organized in 1949 by the Czechoslovak Youth Association.

BAMPFA presents a selection of digital copies of hand-painted glass transparencies she made while teaching at California College of Arts and Crafts. Curator Terry Cannon described them as “akin to viewing a shimmering stained-glass window.” As they were difficult to present in public venues, Arledge also documented them in several of her films, including Interior Garden II.

For three years, West Berlin is dependent on electricity from the Soviet zone. "City out of Darkness" describes the conditions before, during and after the Berlin blockade.

Likens a good conversation to a volleyball game. Considers the requirements of a good conversation-courtesy, contributing, following the subject and careful listening. Explains how conversational skills can be improved.

A short cartoon promoting the collection of bones and showing what can be made from them.

A series about Johnny and his talking dog, Mr. Do Right. Each presents a message concerning good health, social habits, safety and conduct. Includes "Always eat a good breakfast", "Don't get overtired" and"Always keep a window open in a heated room".

The wonders of long-distance telephone communications

Discusses a young woman's negative appraisal of each new man she meets. Ultimately, she learns that self-analysis must come first, that she must accept the possibility of making certain changes in herself and fewer demands on other people.

Little Jimmy has a lemonade stand, and wants to run it all by himself. Soon he finds out, however, that his other activities are beginning to cut into the time he can spend at the lemonade stand, and that he will need help in running it.

Jane is a happy teenage girl who is totally (and somewhat disturbingly) devoted to her family. She takes care of their needs before her own, and is overjoyed to do so. Her thoughtfulness is rewarded when she is presented with a new dress.

Social guidance film showing how necessary self-reliance is to all successful endeavors and happiness.

Bob, the star of the high school basketball team, is accused of stealing money out from his teammate Ben's locker. Things look bleak for Bob, until a surprise twist puts a different spin on things.

This twenty-eight minute short was produced by the National Institute of Mental Health and is a warning to parents about putting too much stress on their kids or punishing the kids for not living up to the parent's dream.

Discusses the child's major emotions--fear, curiosity, anger, jealousy, and joy--and points out the principal characteristics of each.

1950 Jim Davis short

In this silent short film a young man (John Straford) falls asleep at work. During a nightmare, his ladder attacks.

Cycling proficiency for children and the dangers of cyclists turning right are communicated by means of simple 2D cel animation, a necessarily cost effective technique given that production budgets for television 'fillers' were always on the modest side.

Bollywood 1950

Aquatic House Party is a 1949 short film produced by Jack Eaton. It won an Oscar for Best Short Subject (One-Reel) at the 22nd Academy Awards. This short is about a visionary indoor/outdoor combo swimming pool in a California home that is equipped with cutting edge modern mid-20th century features.