The Prelinger Archives, recently acquired by the Library of Congress, is a one-of-a-kind repository for over 60,000 “sponsored films” – shorts made over the past hundred years by private business, governments, organizations, and anyone else outside the Hollywood system. Ranging from “Duck and Cover” Cold War relics to corporate training films to private propaganda campaigns [a favorite, “Steel: Man’s Servant”] the Archives are an invaluable record of 20th Century society, for better or worse.

Published last month by the National Film Preservation Foundation, The Field Guide to Sponsored Films is a 152-page overview of some of the most notable movies from the Prelinger Archive, with a brief synopsis and whatever history is relevant to understanding the piece. Many from the guide are viewable on archive.org, but be careful: once you start watching “What To Do On A Date?” or “This Is Hormel” you may never stop.

Link to the Prelinger Archives on archive.org
Link to download The Field Guide to Sponsored Films at filmpreservation.org

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See Also: Make Your Own Skis,Wireless for the Developing World,Levitation,

This entry was posted by Jeffrey Goodman on Wednesday, February 14th, 2007 at 10:46 am and is filed under Design, Social Change, Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.