International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1931)

— 499 — an intimate knowledge of the cave-dwellings of Spain and Southern France, recently showed at Frankfort the French film " L'Homme et l'Art il y a vingt mille ans," the first film reconstructing life in prehistoric times. The same review mentions a film made by the documentary section of Ufa: " How All and Wolfi made friends." The film shows how dogs, cats, monkeys and many other animals can by kindness and patience be taught to modify their natural instincts and live amicably together. Film Kurier (Berlin, March 21st) announces the premiere at Munich of a big historical film " Sphynx Crescent Cross," illustrating the successive civilisations of Palestine, their rise, apogee and decline; the advent of the Christian era and modern civilisation is given special emphasis. According to Tagesbote (Briinn), Ufa has recently completed an instructional " talkie," " The Mysteries of Vegetable Life," under the art direction of Dr. Ulrich K. T. Schultz. The film consists of a conversation between a woman painter and a botanist, the latter 's explanations being illustrated by pictures taken by the accelerating process. The growth of plants, their straining towards the light, their struggle for existence, sexual life, etc., are all effectively demonstrated in this film. The Cinema (London, April 1st) is informed that an Egyptian sarcophagus has been opened at the Ermitage Museum in Paris for the purpose of filming the process of mummypreservation. The mummy was wrapped in two hundred pieces of cloth and from an inscription found on one it is supposed that the body is that of an Egyptian priest. By reason of its historic character, " St. Anthony of Padua," made in Rome to celebrate the sixth centenary of the great miracle-worker, may also be reckoned among instructional films. Instructional cinematography continues to derive nourishment from documentary films. In Cineopse (March) M. Michel Coissac speaks of documentary films already made and of one to be made by the Citroen mission, which is about to make a study tour of Asia. Documentary films are not made without danger and difficulty; they have their heroes and their martyrs. Thus we learn from the newspapers that twenty members of a film party which proceeded to the Arctic regions on board the Viking for the purpose of filming seals were killed by an explosion on board. According to The Film Club (New York, March 16th) Mr. B. Pollard has completed a documentary sound-film, entitled " The Voice of the Jungle." Film Kurier (Berlin, March 16th) mentions the exhibition of a big documentary film made during a long tour of the Balkans, Asia Minor, Siberia, Mongolia, Japan, North and South America ending up with France and Germany. The Agenzia Film (Rome, March 19th) is informed that a sound-film mission under the famous director Tourine has started for Eastern Asia, where it will make a sound-film with the title of " The Jews in the Virgin Forest." In the area of the River Amur it seems that there is a settlement of 5000 Jews from the Ukraine and the purpose of the film will be to record the laborious efforts of these settlers to bring this vast tract into cultivation* Neptune (Antwerp, March 1st) mentions a film " Latitude 700, 22" " made by two Frenchmen, George Le Fevre and Rene Ginet during a trip to Scaresby Bay in a fishing-boat. According to L'Ami du Peuple (Paris, March 20th), the Marquis de Wavrin, after making a film " The Unknown Heart of South America," has made others on the Galapagos Islands and on the upper tributaries of the Amazon, whither he proceeded with the object of studying native life. Mention is made in Le Cinema (Paris, March) of a documentary sound-film " Un