HISTORY BROUGHT TO LIFE

Year Published: 1950

Creator: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Description: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences or AMPAS was formed in May of 1927 as a professional honorary organization headquartered in Beverly Hills. The organization is commonly known for its annual Academy Award also known as the Oscars. "History Brought to Life" is a historical short presented by members of the motion picture industry in cooperation with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (:08). This silver short; created at the start of the Hollywood Golden Era, turns to the guts of Hollywood with a focus on studio research departments. It shows the tale of those responsible for ensuring set up and costume accurately display the scene and setting of the film. Jerry Hopper directs the feature and Cecil B. DeMille hosts. Hopper was a prominent director active from 1940's to 1970s. Cecile's career produced 70 features and he is commonly known as one of the founding fathers of American cinema. Cecil peers over set with a (:28) watchful eye. He calls cut for the camera (:33). Footage unrolls from various scenes of films based in Egypt including "The Ten Commandments" released in 1956 (:58). Claudette Colbert lounges as Cleopatra in the 1934 release (1:10). Scenes follow from the “Last Days of Pompeii’ a 1935 release (1:24). The set crumbles in flames (1:33). A B-17 Flying Fortress spills its payload (2:12) in archival footage; narration explains history learned in class lives on the movie screen. Film scenes portray the historic flag raising at Iwo Jima (2:18). The Holy Bible appears (2:29). A female librarian pulls a book from the shelf to study (2:44). Extensive research put into cinema during this time period is discussed (2:51) over the stone pillars of the New York library erected in the early 1900's. The librarian hammers on typewriter keys (3:02). Gary Cooper enters from "The Adventure of Marco Polo" released in 1938 (3:23). The dome of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is featured (3:28). Physicists demonstrate how to equip the laboratory (3:33). More footage from the “Last Days of Pompeii” appears (3:37). Farm machinery demonstrates harvesting techniques (3:42) over Kansas wheat. The Bastille is stormed (3:49) in a “Tale of Two Cities’ (3:48). Clifton Webb gets cake in the face in "Sitting Pretty" released 1948 (3:54). Robert Young and Maureen O'Hara (4:11) watch the disaster from the window. Johanna Strauss (4:47) conducts a waltz (4:50). A series of novels by Emile Zola push forward (5:01) including “Human Beast”. Footage follows from the 1936 release “The Story of Louis Pasteur” (5:40). Innovations in the 1930’s movie industry unfold in montage including the Epiphone (6:07), mimeograph (6:13), cement kiln and electric motor (6:16). Images follow from "Edison, The Man" (6:37) the 1940 biographical feature. Abe Lincoln's speech "A House Divided Cannot Stand” from 1858, is reenacted (6:41). Scenes from the 1937 “Fire over England” follows (7:03). Ship hands are taken below deck in “Mutiny on the Bounty” (7:08). Lawrence Oliver delivers a strong performance in the 1948 “Hamlet” release (7:48). Scenes from “Ulysses” released in 1967 follow (8:52). Innovations in the automobile industry (8:59) are mirrored against innovations in the film industry (8:59). A De Havilland flies over (9:03) and a V-2 rocket shoots up (9:10) as the film concludes.

Transcription

e [Music] okay cut camera all right here sir sound okay sir all right print it print it and another page from the past takes form on film to live before your eyes on the motion picture screen a doorway to history past and present opening at your command on eras and events which form the cultural and social herit AG of all of us here in this theater we live once more with those who built the pyramids of gizer pay court to Cleopatra at the Zenith of her beauty and power range overseas still dark with superstitious fear and stand before the cataclysmic end of Empires long in power [Applause] here too we plot with those who fixed momentous dates still carried in our textbooks and fight the battles chronicled on classroom pages [Applause] [Music] and here as well we celebrate great turning points in world affairs which fill the chapters of whole shelves of books among them this the greatest of them all in Motion Pictures the whole recorded span of history is ours in action presented as dramatically as life itself and as authentically since every subject time and place is carefully researched by expert staffs long before the cameras roll with all the world's great information centers to draw upon with access to accumulated knowledge in all fields of human life with agents in all quarters of the world to furnish specialized detail Studio research departments lay the historical foundations on which all else is built foundations upon which scripts and sets are based to show you how the court of kubalak Khan appeared to Marco Polo on his visit there humble yourself Marco Polo before the Majesty of the emperor KU your majesty I humble myself our complete information can be ained on how a present day physicist's laboratory is equipped Studio researchers Supply the decorative detail on the Palace of pontious pilot as well as harvesting techniques in a Kansas wheat field and from the progression of incidents in the storming of the Basel to approve procedures in babysitting or lack of them I have taught him an object lesson as you will observe he doesn't like it I guarantee that he will never throw seral at me or anyone else again ever since history is not all pageantry and spectacle you who sit here also follow it in terms of individuals strong and Vivid personalities whose actions thoughts and feelings colored life in their own day individuals who shaped the course of human Destinies including ours in many varied Realms of life the ideals of the league are not dead just because a few obstructive men now in the saddle say they are the dream of a world United against the awful wastes of War it's too deeply embedded in the hearts of men everywhere thanks to our libraries we can bring you Strauss conducting his own Wales in literature we bring you the words of Emil Zola concerning freedom of expression you will do what is best for yourself mure by leaving me strictly alone to write what I please as at be in science we show you the continuous battle being waged to help Humanity mhm according to zaml viice there has never been a case of childbed fever unless the doctor of Midwife had been in recent contact with a victim of the disease what luck nothing definite try again in not we show you interesting details in the course of famous painters lives as well as examples of their work was in describ wonderful and mysterious it was a sort of God Garden of Eden A Hymn to the beauty of the human form and the praise of nature records of man's achievement in the field of invention are also drawn upon so that they can be presented to you on the screen vividly and accurately he would have been a great man even if he had never invented anything ladies and gentlemen Thomas Alva Edison here too are the words of our Statesman there can be no distinction in the definition of Liberty as between one section and another one class and another one race and another A house divided against itself cannot stand another occasion the personalities whose hysterical fortunes we follow are those created by the genius of man's mind so well conceived and human that they live as strongly as their real life counterparts lying both of you Sergeant put these men in irons irons what for mutineers but we're not mutineers sir when Christian took my ship you remained with him and you'll have to answer for it with him Sergeant take them below and just as accurately miror for us the customs and the flavor of their time and place to be or not to be that is the question whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of Outrageous Fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them in many forms and many gazes then the intricate Mosaic of world history is brought to life here on the screen crystallized with realism and with [Music] [Applause] [Music] Force presented with intimacy color and significance out of the door Peggy Peggy Rob who [Music] was and constantly expanding keeping Pace with man's drive forward from his past through his present with all of his remarkable achievements toward his [Music] future for


1 user has this film:
Periscope Film


Related films: