Bliadhna 1925 - 76

This rare fashion film is an exquisite showcase of Sonia Delaunay’s ‘Simultaneous’ dresses and fabrics, quite possibly made at the artist’s Parisian studio and home at 19 Boulevard Malesherbes. Dating around 1926-7 and filmed using the tricolor additive Keller-Dorian process (later also known as ‘Kodacolor cine film’), the film presents Delaunay’s geometric designs in rich colours. Having gradually shifted focus from painting to textile and clothing design in the early 1920s, and advocating the production of unique, one-off pieces, Delaunay treated her design work – and quite clearly also this film production – as an extension of her artistic practice. The film was one vehicle with which to make her case that there should be no hierarchy between fine and decorative arts (among other things, Delaunay used the film in her lectures about the influence of painting on clothing design).

A 1925 film.

A 1925 film.

Residences, offices, funeral homes, and Native Americans in Muskogee, OK.

“An engineering graduate of Yale University, Theodore Case assisted Lee de Forest in developing sound-on-film called “Phonofilm.” Falling out with de Forest, Case and associate E.I. Sponable then built a laboratory behind Case’s family home in Auburn, New York, where they developed their own optical sound film system. Sold to William Fox, it was commercially exploited as “Movietone” with sensational results.” —David Shepard

American Short Film, Comedy

An Aesop's Fables with flying fish and flying hot dogs....

Man on a ladder holding a bucket and a brush puts up a poster for the British Empire Exhibition - "Why not go to Wembley?". Jerry walks along reading a newspaper. In a thought bubble above his head we can see that he is thinking about horse racing, the tote and money (I think!). He's so deep in thought that he knocks the poster man off his ladder. The man is very angry and knocks Jerry over with his brush. Jerry sees stars.

A documentary about a home for the sick and elderly.

It's 1925 on the River Thames and Jack Beresford cruises to an easy victory in The Gold Cup - so easy his opponent, American Walter Hoover, is out of view. Beresford had successfully defended the title he won in 1924, the same year he won his first of three Olympic gold medals. Beresford, CBE, is one of Britain's most outstanding rowers and his streak of winning five medals in five consecutive Olympic Games was only beaten Sir Steve Redgrave at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

A Christmas message from Topical Budget featuring two camels.

According to Yomota Inuhiko's What is Japanese Cinema?, this is the first film produced by a Taiwanese person in Taiwan (circa 1925).

A commercial promoting Sana margarine. A painter's hand adds two skinny boys to a painting. The boys have a sausage and a wandering dog steals it from them. In a while, another two younger, but also skinny boys, playing at American Indians, join the chase after the dog, running away with the sausage. The older boys, however, finally pursue the younger boys instead of the dog, who eats the sausage in the meantime. The younger boys run into a factory complex in the Prague neighbourhood of Hlubočepy. A well-nurtured cook welcomes them and feeds the hungry and skinny boys almost to the verge of bursting. When the older pursuers arrive, they are surprised how fast the two younger boys gained weight. The concluding text of the commercial claims: "Every proper boy must feed on margarine."

A commercial promoting products from the Schicht company. Two gentlemen in suits enter a laundry and dispute over the soaking linen which washing powder is better - Radion, or Schichtal. Their discussion gradually develops into an argument and finally into a fistfight. The next frames present a collage composed of photographs of the washing powder Schichtal, a seductive sphinx and a little head of a man accompanied by text recommending products from the Schicht company (Radion, Schichtal, Kalodont, Elida and Ceres). The commercial for the Czechoslovak-based Schicht company was filmed abroad. Information as to whether the film was submitted for censorship is unknown. The title originates from the text presented at the beginning of the commercial and the year of production was estimated.

A farm owner had a son, Vivia, who played with a settler's daughter. The two grew up together and became very fond of each other; over time, their friendship blossomed into love. Then the father sent the boy to study in the capital. Gigi suffered greatly from his absence and spent her time waiting for his return. Finally, the big day arrived: she learned that the boy was returning. He did return, but he was accompanied by someone else: to marry a girl from the capital. As soon as he arrived, the boy sent for Gigi to introduce her to his wife. This is where the story reached its climax; Gigi resisted the news of the wedding, but could not withstand the final blow. The pain was so great that Gigi poisoned herself and died.

Documentary about syphilis and venereal diseases, presenting in its sad truth the horrific consequences of venereal diseases, affecting the intimate organs of men and women.

A 1925 newsreel showing the celebrations for St. Catherine’s Day on the streets of Paris.