Yours

Ephemeral films

7,249–7,296 of 19,489 films, free to watch, from the world's open archives.

Where these films come from, and who sees what

Every film here plays from the archive that keeps it: the Internet Archive, Wikimedia Commons, the NASA Image and Video Library, the Library of Congress and Open Images (the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision). Nothing is copied to this site. Each film's page names its archive, links to its page there, and states its licence or status as the archive does.

Archive films carry no age ratings, so each is placed from the collections it sits in and the subjects the archive gives it, cautiously. Sexual content and nudity are left out altogether.

Little OnesFilms for young children by name: nursery rhymes, lullabies, preschool.
KidsCartoons and animation, children's and family films, and educational films, unless they deal with war, propaganda, crime, horror or drugs, or carry racial caricature.
TweensDocumentaries, science, nature and space, classic comedies, newsreels, commercials and lectures.
TeensEverything else, including anything we cannot tell about; war, crime, horror and westerns go no lower.
AdultSexual themes (such as the old "sex hygiene" films), gore, surgery, slaughter, atrocity footage.
Internet Archive Doing Business in Japan: Negotiating a Contract 1976 · Educational · 35 min Provides an analysis of the negotiation process exploring such elements as language and communication, cultural and pragmatic disparities of background,… Internet Archive AFRICAN-AMERICAN “SOUNDIES” COMPILATION: NOBLE SISSLE, DON REDMAN, FATS WALLER (1932-1941) XD44604 Film This compilation reel of two early 1930s Vitaphone “Melody Master” musical featurettes and two 1941 “soundies” features an array of underrepresented black… Internet Archive THE NORTH AMERICAN AVIATION STORY 1950s PROMOTIONAL FILM 77794 Film Made in the late 1940s or early 1950s, this promotional film for North American Aviation is a great historical document of the history of mass produced… Internet Archive Apollo 16 : Nothing So Hidden Short · 28 min Highlights of the Apollo 16 lunar mission, including scenes of ground support activities in Mission Control and the Science Support Room, and samples of the… Internet Archive Dependence: A New Definition 1972 · Educational Producer, director, and writer, Tom Lazarus Explains the psychoanalytic theory of the manner in which people develop healthy dependencies, and tells what… Internet Archive Harambee (Pull Together) 1974 · Educational Harambee is a traditional Swahili chant meaning heave-ho or pull together the slogan for a united Kenya. Harambee Day or Independence Day is celebrated in… Internet Archive BATTLE FOR LENINGRAD, MOSCOW in WWII SOVIET PROPAGANDA FILM 50504 Film This WWII Soviet propaganda film celebrates the heroic defense of Leningrad, Stalingrad and Moscow during 1942-1943 in WWII. You can see the first part of… Internet Archive 1930s MIKIMOTO PEARL COMPANY PROMO FILM PRE-WAR TOKYO JAPAN TRAVELOGUE 22394 Film The footage from the 1930s, probably produced by the Mikimoto Pearl company, showcases the Mikimoto Pearl company pearl-farming operation, starting with the… Internet Archive HOW TO DESTROY GERMAN TANKS WWII WAR DEPARTMENT TRAINING FILM 25804 Film This War Department training film (TF 18-1116) shows the secondary weapons that a tank-hunting team uses to destroy tanks as well as ambush methods that… Internet Archive 1972 LOCKHEED U-2 SPY PLANE TEST FOOTAGE AT EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE DRAGON LADY 81814 Film These silent home movies show rare footage of the Lockheed U-2 Dragon Lady operating at Edwards Air Force Base in California. They are believed to date to… Internet Archive U.S. ARMY IN IRAN DURING WWII LEND-LEASE PERSIAN CORRIDOR SUPPLY OPERATIONS 28674 Film This lengthy silent film (which likely was intended to be narrated by whoever presented it) was prepared by the Persian Gulf Command for Allied and Soviet… Internet Archive NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL DEFENSIVE DRIVING FILM "WHO'S TO BLAME" 78494 Film Dating to the 1960s or early 70s, WHO'S TO BLAME is a classic driver's education film complete with devastating car-into-tree crashes — with crash test… Internet Archive 1938 MUNCY, PENNSYLVANIA RAFT CRASH TRAGEDY (SILENT FILM) "THE LAST RAFT" 19734 Film To read more about the history documented in this film, visit: https://muncyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/last-raft-tragedy/ This rare silent… Internet Archive "ALL ABOARD AMERICA" 1976 U.S. BICENTENNIAL FREEDOM TRAIN PROMOTIONAL FILM 54694 Film All Aboard America is a short 1976 film about the bicentennial celebration train, the American Freedom Train, discussing the project’s inception, design and… Internet Archive OFFICIAL FILMS NEWSREEL 1942 Vol. 2 DOUGLAS MACARTHUR, FLYING TIGERS, BATTLE OF MIDWAY 55754 Newsreel One of a series of newsreels produced by Official Films during WWII, this film features news events of 1942. It begins with coverage of Gen. Douglas… Internet Archive 1973 CHEVROLET CORVETTE HIGH SPEED CRASH TEST w/ AIRBAGS 88514 Film This silent test film shows the results of a high speed crash test on a 1973 Chevrolet Corvette, and features various angles of the impact including shots… Internet Archive TERRYTOON WWII CARTOON BACKYARD BLACKOUT 23940 Cartoon Terrytoons was an animation studio founded by Paul Terry. The studio, located in suburban New Rochelle, New York, operated from 1929 to 1968. The studio… Internet Archive "CAMERA THRILLS OF THE WAR!" WWII CASTLE FILMS NEWSREEL COMBAT FOOTAGE ON LAND, SEA AND AIR 70712 Newsreel Released by Castle Films during WWII, this fabulous "camera thrill" highlights aerial and naval combat, a desperate battle on a South Pacific island between… Internet Archive WWII ABANDON SHIP EVACUATION & SURVIVAL RESTRICTED TRAINING FILM 211964 Film A wartime US Navy training film, narrated by Mike Wallace, that demonstrates techniques for emergency escape from burning and sinking ships. Various… Internet Archive 1963 U.S. ARMY UNIT ADVISOR IN VIETNAM MILITARY ASSISTANCE ADVISORY GROUP (MAAG) FILM 67054 Film This 1963 U.S. Army special bulletin (No. 10) describes “the scope and complexity of assistance given by Army advisers to ARVN officers and troops in their… Internet Archive Ecology Emerges: Juliet Ellis Feature · 58 min One of the interviews done as part of the "Ecology Emeregs oral history project in 2009-2010 by Shaping San Francisco. Juliet Ellis is the executive director… Internet Archive NASA on the Cutting Edge: Our Water Planet From Space 1998 · Film “Our Water Planet From Space” is a videotape of two previously broadcast live interactive shows that explore the world’s oceans. Program 1: Oceans in Motion… Internet Archive " KENNEDYS DON'T CRY " (1975) KENNEDY FAMILY DOCUMENTARY FILM JFK, RFK, JOE KENNEDY P3 XD8666 Documentary “Kennedy’s Don’t Cry” (1975) is a documentary film narrated by actor Cliff Robertson that chronicles the tumultuous private and political lives as well as… Internet Archive U.S. NAVY F-4 PHANTOM PILOT RECRUITING FILM DRILL INSTRUCTOR 25424 Film This U.S. Navy recruiting film entitled PRESSURE POINT was made in 1974 by John J. Hennessy Motion Pictures, with a script by Michael Ross. The film's point… Internet Archive 1970s ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES (IDF) RECRUITING & TRAINING FILM ISRAEL ARMY 25704 Film Aimed at a foreign audience, this Israeli promotional film illustrates the daily life and basic training on a military outpost of the Israel Defense Forces… Internet Archive " LAND OF WHITE ALICE " ALASKA RADIO TELEPHONE & DISTANT EARLY WARNING SYSTEM / DEW LINE MD86444 Film This color educational film is about the introduction of the White Alice Communications Antenna System as well as daily life in Alaska. This was made in 1959.… Internet Archive ABC VIDEO REPORTS TO AMERICA VOL. 1 No. 1 AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURE 77644 Film We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell… Internet Archive “ VIRUSES: THRESHOLD OF LIFE ” 1967 DISEASE & HEALTH EDUCATIONAL FILM PH45664 Educational This 1967 color educational film produced by Coronet, which credits educational collaborator Dr. John E. Kempf, professor of Microbiology at the University of… Internet Archive 20264 Service Songs Film This film highlights two service songs. First, The Caissons Go Rolling Along, sung by Robert Weede and produced by the Office for Emergency Management.… Internet Archive "AIRCRAFT MAGNETO PART 1: THEORY OF FOUR POLE MAGNETO" 48244 Film This color educational film is about an aircraft magneto which is an engine driven electrical generator that uses permanent magnets and coils to produce high… Internet Archive [Productimeter Footage] Film Silent found footage of a counter that turns switches off and on. Some good closeup and assembly line footage. Help us get more films like this online! This… Internet Archive The Making of a Continent: Part 1: Corridors of Time Educational · 30 min · Subtitles Internet Archive NEW RCA 45 RPM RECORD SYSTEM & RECORD PLAYER PROMOTIONAL FILM VINYL RECORDS XD10544a Film This black & white promotional film is about THE RCA VICTOR SYSTEM. There is no copyright at the beginning or end of the film so the date of the production… Internet Archive CONSTRUCTION OF THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE 77994MD Film This documentary, produced by the Portland Cement Association, describes the construction and utility of The Pennsylvania Turnpike, completed October, 1940,… Internet Archive PEOPLES OF THE PHILIPPINES 1940s TRAVELOGUE MOVIE PART 2 32054 Film Produced by Canadian Pacific, which operated a steamship line that serviced Manila, this color film shows stunning views of the Philippines pre-WWII. The… Internet Archive " MOTORCYCLE DRIVING TACTICS " 1970s MOTORCYCLIST TRAINING FILM 65884 Film This 1970s Charles Cahill and Associates film discusses safe driving for motorcyclists, and it features shots of a number of different bikes riding on… Internet Archive Using diagnosis in a mathematics classroom Interview · 14 min · Subtitles Project director, Marilyn N. Suydam ; project consultant, J. Fred Weaver Points out that mathematics instruction can be improved by effectively diagnosing… Internet Archive U.S. NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIER FLIGHT DECK SAFETY TRAINING FILM " DISASTERS DON'T JUST HAPPEN " 81474 Film Made in the wake of deadly accidents aboard the aircraft carriers USS Forrestal (CV-59), USS Enterprise (CVN-65), and USS Oriskany (CV-34), this 1971 U.S.… Internet Archive " THE CREATION AND BEHAVIOR OF RADIO WAVES " 1942 U.S. ARMY SIGNAL CORPS TRAINING FILM XD13914 Film This 1942 black and white, partially animated film was produced by the U.S. Army Signal Corps (USASC) during in collaboration with the Chief of Air Corps… Internet Archive 1950s CIVIL DEFENSE FALLOUT SHELTER SUPPLIES FILM 29072 Film Created in the 1950s this film "Public Shelter Supplies" shows the type of fallout shelter provided by the U.S. Government as part of the Civil Defense… Internet Archive NASA GEMINI & APOLLO PROGRAM ASTRONAUT FLIGHT CREW SUPPORT DIVISION FILM 86144 Film This color educational film produced by NASA about the Flight Crew Support Division is Report #2, dated December 31, 1964. Flight crew support will be needed… Internet Archive Brittle Bones 1982 · Educational · 21 min Title from data sheet Intended audience: Ages 14 through adult Issued also as videorecording Examines osteoporosis, a disease that affects one-quarter of… Internet Archive The New Worlds of Literature 1976 · Educational Kinescope Producer, Elizabeth Wright Evans; narrator, Earl Kelly Ballard High School students, Seattle, dramatize the importance of reading books and the… Internet Archive 1950s U.S. NAVY SCREEN HIGHLIGHTS OPERATION BIG DEAL, USS INDEPENDENCE 20904 Film The first newsreel, titled A NEW GENERATION, shows some of the stunning accomplishments made by the Silent Service in the late 1950's. First, the launching of… Internet Archive AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR WORLD WAR I WWI GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN 29884 Film This 1960s black-and-white documentary is about Australia’s involvement in World War I. Artillery is fired. Australian troops scramble out of trenches. Shells… Internet Archive "THE FIFTH MEXICAN ROAD RACE" 1954 CARRERA PANAMERICANA AUTO RACING DOCUMENTARY 46314 Documentary Presented by MobilOil and dedicated to the memory of Clay Smith, “The Fifth Mexican Road Race” (c.1954) is a color, documentary film about the 5th and final… Internet Archive Speakers with Cleft Palates (1964) 1964 · Educational · 28 min Uses X-ray photography to show the physiological characteristics of the speech of those with cleft palates. Depicts the effect on speech of deviations in the… Internet Archive 1962 " BIOGRAPHY OF THOMAS EDISON " INVENTOR OF LIGHTBULB PHONOGRAPH MOTION PICTURES 45124 Film This black & white film, one of the episodes of the pioneering documentary program "Biography", is about the life of Thomas Edison. Thomas Edison was an…