Friday, May 04, 2018

Our Navy (The Nitrate Picture Show)

George A. Dorsey, US 1918
Print source: George Eastman Museum, Rochester, NY
Running time: 11 minutes (at 20 frames per second)
Viewed at The Nitrate Picture Show (NPS), George Eastman Museum, The Dryden Theatre, Rochester, 4 May 2018
Philip C. Carli at the piano.

NPS: "About the print: The tinted and toned print displays some dirt and oil, but very little scratching. Shrinkage: 1%"

"About the film: Anthropologist and lieutenant in the US Naval Reserve George Amos Dorsey directed this motion picture showcase of US naval forces, featuring some breathtaking shots of metal behemoths at sea.
" (NPS)

AA: It is stunning to watch a hundred years old print. And to remember that this is the centenary of the armistice of WWI. This is a recruiting film for the navy.

The cinematography is impressive. A magnificent battleship, the pride of the navy, is inaugurated with a bottle of champagne and launched in the sea. There are epic shots. We visit a shipyard and drill exercises on the parade field. We also get to observe submarine chaser fleets, speedboats to catch submarines. A gun is being tested.

The deep focus is engaging. The tinting and toning is refined, not heavy. A memorable viewing experience.

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