Reviews

Poorly filmed clip that proves nothing. Now that practically everyone carries a high-res camera in their cellphone, you'd think that somebody would come up with a film with clearer images than this cultural artifact. The supposed footprints linked to this event don't even match the gate or probable weight of the film's subject. Physical evidence is required to classify this film as a documentary or a drama or a comedy. The hyping of this clip did play a small role in taking our culture down the road to the current time where pseudoscience infotainment dominates the cable "documentary" channels with cryptozoology, paranormal sensationalism, alien abductions and other fantasms. Considering the attention awarded to this blip of a film, imagine what excitement any actual physical evidence would bring.

The Dave Fleischer and Seymour Kneitel directed Screen Song is actually 10 and 1/2 minutes long. The first 3 and 1/2minutes, and last 1 and 1/4 minutes are nice Fleischer animation of the period depicting animals at the zoo devouring the peanut vendor's wares. In between is 5 and 3/4 minute live action follow-the-bouncing-ball sing along of "The Peanut Vendor" and "I Am a Gay Caballero" featuring the notable Mexicana singer-dancer named Armida Vendrell. A listing for the 2 minute stop-motion animated film pictured above and discussed in other reviews can be found on imdb under "Experimental Animation 1933" . It was directed by Len Lye, and features "The Peanut Vendor" performed by Red Nichols and His Five Pennies.

My 7th grade class watched this entertaining and informative gem before our tour of the Bethlehem Steel plant. The visit included views of multiple towering blast furnaces as well as the recently constructed BOF (basic oxygen furnace). Alas, the mill is no longer operating, however this time-capsule of mid-20th Century American industrial hegemony remains. Disney created this short industrial cartoon documentary for the American Iron and Steel Institute. The science and history of turning iron into steel are presented by the effusive Donald Duck, in possibly his most demanding roll.

Dead Birds is an informative and affecting ethnographic film that records the culture of the Dani people of New Guinea. The most striking characteristic of this group is a highly ritualized warfare. Daily life is depicted with great empathy. The scenes of the children emulating their elder's ways are particularly memorable. This film was a favorite of my elementary school class in the late 60's, and I searched for a copy for years. It has recently been released on DVD (with extra footage) by Documentary Education Resources in Massachusetts. This film should be seen by anyone who enjoyed 'Nanook of the North'. The same debates about "real" vs. "staged" events exist about both films. Both have been selected to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. Both depict cultures that have been altered permanently by contact with the outside world (during and after the filming).