The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

LOOKING at the LITERATURE FILMS ON ART by William Mck. Chapman (Ed.) The American Federation of Arts in association with the Spaeth Foundation. The American Federation of Arts, 1083 5th Ave., New York 28, N. Y. 1952. 160 pages. $4.00 ($3.20 to AFA members). Learning involves discovering. Discovery requires insight, which, being compounded of imagination, is born of wonderment and awe. Thus, another word for art is perhaps awe. An art film, then, in some respects must encompass awe. Art films divide into four kinds: films about art techniques, films about individual artists, films that interpret works of art, and films that, by their own magical wondrous quality, elicit awe and are works of art. In this new handbook (a complete revision of an earlier one issued by the American Federation of Art), Mr. Chapman has selected 450 16mm art films, briefly described their contents, and listed producer, distribution, rental and sale price, length, etc., together with a directory of film sources. All of this comprises one half the volume. The other half contains six excellent essays concerning the nontheatrical film: College Use of Films on Art (by Dr. H. W. Janson), Creative Programming (by Perry Miller), Films on Art in .the Art Museum (by Patrick Malone), The Art and Craft Film in General Education (by Dr. Charles D. Gaitskell), A Short History of the Art Film (by Arthur Knight), and Pioneering in Films on Art (by Iris Barry). Besides merely showing how cumbersome the old slide and buzzer lecture seems next to the art film, or explaining why the art film is not merely an illustrated lecture on art, these essays attempt to compute and evalute its contribution toward cultural exchange in today's world. The writers are also concerned with practical problems in planning for wider use of this fast-growing medium in schools, clubs, and museums. The book is likely to prove invaluable to all users of Ifft films: adult education directors, art instruction departments (on all levels), museum directors, camp directors, teachers of crafts, photography and architecture, and, remote as it may seem, even to teachers of history, archaeology, modern languages, and medieval life. The manual might be improved by listing references to the Educational Film Guide and other film indexes or film-reviewing periodicals since, in its present form, the annotations convey the judgments of one man. A word about the format of the book: typographically, the book is a thing of beauty. — Nathan Resnick, Director of Libraries, Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York OTHER BOOKS RECEIVED ENRICHING THE CURRICULUM THROUGH MOTION PICTURES by Wesley C. Meierhenry (Ed.). University (»f Nebraska Press, 14B Architectural Hall, Lincoln, Nebraska. 1952. 256 pages. $4.00. (To be reviewed in the October Ed Screen.) PLANNING SCHOOLS FOR USE OF AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS, NO. 1, CLASSROOMS by Irene F. Cypher (Chairman), W. H. Durr, Harvey J. Woltman, Kenneth L. Bowers, Ann Hyer (Ed.). Department of AudioVisual Instruction, N.E.A., 1201 16th St., N.W., Washington 6, D.C. 1952. 40 pages. $1.00. buiDE TO FILMS IN ECONOMIC EDUCATION. Produced in cooperation with the Joint Council on Economic Education. Department of Audio-Visual Instruction, N.E.A., 1201 16th St., N.W., Washington 6, D.C. 1952. 50 pages. $1.00. BETTER LEARNING THROUGH CURRENT MATERIALS. Edited by Lucien Kinney and Katharine Dresden. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. Revised Edition, 1952. 215 pages. $3.00. ooUl/^ Onte/ie^ It's my Job to help guide students iii their choice of a vocation. Tops among my tools are YOUR LIFE WORK Films ... the complete film series on job information. It's a problem, as you well know, to get the star half-back to investigate the printer's trade . . . the teaching profession . . . or any of the multitude'of ways to earn a living. Your guidance work can produce results . . . easier . . . with this better, visual technique. Now you can strike a spark of interest /irrf with factual, appealing YOUR LIFE WORK Films. \/nte today for information , , . learn how classroom teacher* and counselors alike are using these Important Aid» to Important Learning. CARL F. MAHNKE PRODUCTIONS 215 East Third Street 0«« Meine* 9. lews More than half of TV stations in operation are S.O.S. customers for Motion Picture Production Equipment If FCC has given your school an Educafional TV AUocafion, we are your Source Of Supply! Here, under one roof, you will find all your needs for producing, processing, recording and editing motion picture films. Tell us, when you go on the air, what you want to do, and what you want to spend. Educational discounts on most items! At left is just a partial list of the many items you'U find at S.O.S. • Animation Sfands • Auricon Cameras • Books, Technical • Booms, Microphones • Cameras, Professional • Colortran Lights • Film Cabinets • Film Cleaners • Film Editing Equipt. • Film Lab Equipt. • Film Printers • Film Processors • MAGNECORDERS • Motors, Camera • Moviola Editors • Readers, Sound • Recorders, Film, Tape • Sound Cameras • Studio Lights ft Spots • Synchronizers • Tripods, Camera • Zoomar Lenses Develop Your Own Films with BRIDGAMATIC Show your spot newsreels, sports events, etc. same day as filmed. A dependable, true one-man lab — anybody can operate it! Self contained automatic processors l&mm or li/3Smm, reversal and color. Prices start at $1095. Write for BRIDGAMATIC data ■i^-Sustainlne Members University Film Producers Association S.O.S. CINEMA SUPPLY CORP. D»pt. N. Ml W. 52nd St.. NEW YORK 19. Cab/*: SOSOUND Seplfimber, 1 952 Writing for more Information? Mention EDUCATIONAL SCREEN. 291