Rittenhouse 8mm movies
This video is for open viewing but not for distribution or re-publication without permission. Unless specified otherwise, Copyright(c) Harry Briley Living Trust
I collected Jack's 8mm home movie mini-reels he filmed (in color) and the tourist-oriented commercial silent shorts (in black and white) that he purchased during 1956-1960. I found a working antique 8mm projector in 2000 for this project. Films for the home did not have a sound track and carried forward the silent era techniques of the 1920s
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YouTube deleted the full Rittenhouse video due to my use of a 3-minute generic jungle bird sound track newly purchased by a new owner from the former out-of-business producer.
A REVISED set of videos (taken from that full video) are in the works. Stay tuned. (2/1/2020 - Harry) |
I projected the fragile original mini-reels onto a flat white wall while my RCA VHS camera hummed alongside. Charlotte visited that June which had provided the impetus for the project. I interviewed her with a portable cassette deck between us on the sofa while we watched the raw footage on VHS. She had not seen these home movies for over 30 years. Things got busy with Anne's decline in health and only in June 2011 (eleven years later) did I edit and merge the interview audio track, background music, and sound effects. Charlotte's health was declining and I sent her a DVD copy ... which unfortunately she never watched to my knowledge. She died 18 months later at age 90.
Rev.4/7/2015 - Copyright(c)2014-2015 Harry Briley
Rev.4/7/2015 - Copyright(c)2014-2015 Harry Briley
Historians may enjoy the middle third, family kin may enjoy the first third, and hopefully most will enjoy my sound track additions to the silent films of that era. The contents include:
- First 15 minutes - The children (David, Doug, Susan, Anne) at outings (Youell's Farm, Chimayo, Langtry, Galveston Beach, White Sands, Houston home)
- Window Rock, AZ; Gallup Indian Inter-Tribal Cermonial 1957 (every August)
- An earlier rare Blackhawk Film of Indian dances (Zuni, Kiowa, Jemez buffalo dance, Apache crown dance, Eagle dance, Jemez harvest dance, Hoop dance, War dance)
- Monument Valley, UT; Aztec, NM
- At 30 minute mark - Colorado Tourism Film: Mesa Verde (colors faded to reddish tint) but show activities now forbidden among ruins!
- Narrow Guage Steam engine train from Durango to Chama to Antonito on a evaluation trip by state and local officials. When it went down to Santa Fe, Charlotte knew it as the "Chili Route"
- Susan's senior girl scout trip in 1970 to Mexico City and nearby archeological sites.
- Castle Film: "The Great Train Ride"
- Castle Film pair: "Here Comes the Circus!" and "Fun at the Circus!", both of which highlight famous animal trainer Clyde Beatty.
- Hollywood Entertainment Film: A Disney studio Mickey Mouse silent short which I presume had sound in its theater version.