The Newsreel

[happyfilmluvguy]

During the 1920s, 1930s, 40s, and 50s, before television, the news was brought to us through the picture show, before the film, by itself, before a cartoon, and after or during a short subject (I might have this wrong). Here's an example of a newsreel dated December 24th, 1941, made by Universal Pictures. NEWSREEL

What do you know about newsreels? Do you have other examples of a newsreel? Perhaps you were featured in a new news reel of some kind? What do you think of the newsreel, compared to the approach by other forms of media that brings you news throughout the world?

The newspaper vs visual news?

The magazine vs. visual news?

PLEASE NO COMMENTS ON THE NEWS MEDIA'S CURRENT SUBJECTS

 

[Jay]

Newsreels kick ass. Incidently now would be a perfect time to bring them back. It's a good way to force-feed people important information on what's going on in the world. And what better place than a movie theater? For instance, I have a 30 year old cousin who neither watches the news or reads a newspaper. I'm 18 and I don't think I couldn't follow along. I mean I want to be informed of whats going on.

 

[DeeDub]

I remember newsreels.

They used to show a newsreel between shows at the walk-in and the drive-in both. To be fair, they probably weren't any more informative than the stories on TV news today, but I enjoyed them.

You can find some newsreels on the Internet Archive at http://www.archive.org/details/universal_newsreels and in the Prelinger Archives at http://www.archive.org/details/prelinger

 

[LizzieMaine]

A book worth reading on this subject is "The American Newsreel," by Raymond Fielding, published in the mid-seventies, but reissued a few years back. It's a detailed history of each of the five major US newsreel companies, and an analysis of their own particular biases.

For a look at newsreels from a British point of view, take a look at http://www.britishpathe.com

From an exhibition point of view, I don't think it's likely we'll ever see freestanding newsreels again -- there's simply nowhere to fit them into the program, in an era where feature pictures regularly run two hours or more. The "Selected Short Subjects" policy worked best when features were in the 70-minute range. However, some of the multiplex chains already run newsreely programs as part of their preshow filler -- they're full of ads, and the stories are focused on fluffy showbiz stuff, but the format could just as easily be used for hard news if the packagers were so inclined.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

One thing I appreciate about those old newsreels, which I recall seeing in theatres when I was a small child, is that they now are valuable as moving history.

When you watch TV and see a historical event or a biography on someone from earlier in the 20th century, notice how many clipping and interviews come from old newsreels.

I once saw a bio on Amelia Earhardt and realized that, without those old newsreels capturing her flights and interviews, etc., the bio would have been sorely lacking.

karol

 

[Smithy]

For anyone after newsreels, visit:

www.movietone.com

You have to register but it's free and then you can search nearly all their archives and watch their old newsreels about whatever you search for.

Brilliant site!