Home Movies (1944)

PACE 310 HOME MOVIES FOR AUGUST REVIEWS... of cAmateur film A By | H. SCHOEN T/>f Girls Carry On is the prophetic title of an interesting 200 foot 8mm. Kodachrome picture that had its origin in the often discussed question: "What will happen to our movie club, should our husbands go to war?" Producers are the wives of the officers of the Inglewood (Calif.) Movie Club, and the picture indicates they gave more than ordinary consideration to the probability that one day their husbands might gc off to war. "Naturally," they said, "we would carry on with the club until you returned," to which some of the less chivalrous skeptically replied: "And make pictures?" Taking up this challenge, the girls decided to show the brawn and muscle membership they could make pictures as good as theirs. The Girls Carry On resulted. The basis of the story is che fact only the women club members remain, and as the picture opens, one of them is shown returning from market and stopping at the mailbox for letters. A notice from the club calls her attention to date of next meeting and we next see interior of home where club meeting is to be held. The hostess is tidying things up around the room, w hen the doorbell rings. She admits her fellow members, each of whom has brought along some item of movie equipment. The secretary calls meeting to order while assistant, seated next to her, emptys purse of contents, then files nails while minutes are being read. Another member is called upon to give a talk on use of exposure meter. Her disinterested audience are shown gossiping, examining hostess' wardrobe of clothes, and otherwise conducting themselves as fen ales are supposed to do at any social gathering. The lecture ended, the women scramble for the buffet supper, then play cards, the gossiping continuing. The continuity is well developed, but the comedy effect of the women ignoring the lecturer, could have been pointed up considerably through use of more reaction shots and spoken titles. The photography is masterfully done with good lighting noted in all interior shots. Only criticism in the titling is that letters of main title should have been larger and that there should have been a few more spoken titles to give the comedy situations greater effect. The picture, as a whole, however, demonstrates good all-around movie making and definitely proves what it set out to prove — that the ladies can make just as good pictures as the men. It has been awarded Home Movies' 3 -Star Merit Leader. f*?ranucs, 200 feet 8mm. Kodachrome, produced by Lorin E. Smith of the Long Beach (California) Cinema Club, was intended as a well-rounded document of home ceramic industry, but it falls short of its goal through failure to picture more effectively the interesting processes by which clay is converted into beautiful ceramic art. The picture begins with the visit of a young lady to the home of the potter and his wife. Examining some of the ceramics on display, the visitor asks where the clay is obtained. As the woman answers this question, the scene dissolves to show her and husband gathering clay in the hills near Elsinore, Calif. The woman then suggests to her visitor that they go to the workshop and watch her husband at work. They enter the shop, and here some of the steps of forming pottery, the glazing, and firing are shown. The final sequence shows a display room, some closeups of some of the colorful figures and pottery, and the visitor's departure. The reviewers were of the opinion that the picture was well photographed, but that more footage should be devoted to a study of pottery making and general ceramics. There is too much footage devoted to scenes of people talking and these scenes are slow-paced and retard interest. Some cutting in these sequences would materially improve the picture. Composition and execution of titles was generally good. However, a general fault is the cutting-in of titles before or after persons are seen talking. Properly, these titles should be cut-in in the middle of such scenes, so that persons are shown beginning and ending speech only. In spite of the criticisms noted here, the picture nevertheless rates the 3 -Star Merit Leader awarded it because of general planning of continuity, good photography and title production that went into it. M) Day is a record of the life of a baby from dawn 'til dusk, but so effectively pictured as to make it one of the most outstanding in its class. Most of the credit is due its maker, C. J. Dobrowski of Los Angeles, for his unusual camera ability which promises seme interesting pictures in the future. Interesting opening titles get the film off to a good start with nice lettering and clever hand-drawn illustrations. The picture begins with camera panning about the nursery, finally coming to rest upon the child, awake and lying in its crib. Hands reach in and remove the child and, thereafter, he is shown — always in closeup — being dressed, fed, at play, being fed again, napping, being bathed, romping with mother, then put to bed for the night. Closing of picture is effectively handled with mother, being shown for first time, snapping out room lights and closing door as she exits from room to fade out the picture. Photography is excellent throughout with some of the finest lighting of interiors yet to be seen in an amateur picture. Dobrowski's use of a spotlight in one scene of child being fed is an excellent demonstration of the advantages of using this auxiliary type of lighting equipment. The picture is replete with professional photographic touches such as smooth camera movement, fades and dissolves. A well executed dissolve of a clock changing hours makes an effective transition shot to bridge the passage of time between two sequences. The picture is effectively backgrounded with a Victor recording, "Music Box," which is played continuously during screening of the picture. Home Movies' 3 -Star Merit Leader was awarded Mr. Dobrowski for his fine cinematic effort which runs 200 feet in 1 6mm. Kodachrome. • EVERY fil mcr of amateur movieswhether a subscribed or not, is ini ited to submit his films to the editors for review and helpful criticism. This free service applies to any type of picture whether it be your first movie or a pretentious photoplay effort. Aim of this service is to help you make better pictures. Reiieued films will be rated 1 , 2 or ) stars. Those rating, 2 or j stars will receii e Free an animated leader mdicatn e of its merit. Best film reviewed each month will recciic a special certificate auard as the Motie of the Month. All films are returned promptly b\ insured express together with merit leaders and special analysis report.