Yours

Ephemeral films

8,785–8,832 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 " ARMY / NAVY SCREEN MAGAZINE " WWII STEAM LOCOMOTIVES, JAPANESE NEWSREEL, THE FIGHTING DUTCH 71832 Newsreel This newsreel is part of the Army/Navy Screen Magazine, a WWII newsreel program produced from June 1943 until early 1946 by the Army Signal Corps under the… Internet Archive COMBAT BULLETIN 17 INVASION OF SOUTHERN FRANCE 14th AIR FORCE IN CHINA JEEP RAILROAD 26124 Film This 1944 U.S. War Department Combat Bulletin (No. 17) gives viewers a look at Operation Dragoon, the Allied push south after D-Day, Fighting in Burman, and a… Internet Archive AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A RACE CAR DRIVER RODGER WARD 1950s-1960s AUTO RACING 89334 Film Rodger Ward, a dominant race car driver, two-time Indianapolis 500 champion (1959, 1962) and two-tine USAC Championship Car champion (1958, 1962) is the… Internet Archive 1950s FILM HEALTH HEROES SCIENTISTS EDWARD JENNER, LOUIS PASTEUR, ROBERT KOCH 89794 Film Made in 1959, HEALTH HEROES outlines the contributions of Van Leeuwenhoek, Jenner, Pasteur, Koch and Lister in the fight against disease. Van Leeuwenhoek's… Internet Archive NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLES, TRIBAL FAIRS, POW WOWS, ARTS & HANDICRAFTS COMPILATION REEL 90674 Film This reel of mixed 1940s-1960s black & white and color footage compiles various scenes of Native American life, showing mid-20th century indigeonous peoples… Internet Archive KSNN 21st Century Explorers #4: How Can We Travel Faster in Space? Film Episode 4 of 21st Century Explorers looks at how we can travel faster in space. This 60-second video is intended for grades 3-5. Internet Archive STS-43: Postflight Press Conference Talk Press conference with the crew of STS-43 describing mission highlights. To license this film and get a higher quality version for broadcast/film purposes,… Internet Archive The Basilica of St. Mark 1975 · Educational Shows how the mingling of Romanesque and Byzantine currents have produced the Cathedral of Saint Mark in Venice. Emphasises the role of Venice as the… Internet Archive 1974 PORT AUTHORITY OF NEW YORK YEARBOOK FILM WORLD TRADE CENTER LAGUARDIA AIRPORT XD13164 Film This color educational film is about the Port Authority Of New York and was made in 1974. Opening: No opening credits. A bridge into New York City, exterior… Internet Archive “COMMAND PERFORMANCE” 1949 RCA VICTOR 78 RPM & 45 RPM RECORD MANUFACTURING PART 1 XD39044 Film This 1942 black and white film (Part 1 of 2, with a 1949 color finale) offers a fully detailed and carefully narrated look at the process by which a 10”… Internet Archive DOPE 218 Film · Subtitles Frontline, Drug War Has Failed See scans of liner notes for detailed content. Internet Archive German Glider Training/ Sailplanes WWII Era Historic Film 74232 Film This historic German educational film shows flights of sailplanes or gliders. After World War I many gliders were built for sporting purposes in Germany,… Internet Archive THE CHRONICLES OF AMERICA " THE PURITANS " JOHN WINTHROP 1924 YALE UNIVERSITY (SILENT FILM) 10424 Film In 1923 the Yale University Press commissioned films based on the fifty volumes in their "Chronicles of America" book series. Ultimately, only fifteen… Internet Archive “ CALIFORNIA FLIGHT ” 1950 HOME MOVIE TRIP TO LOS ANGELES & SUNSET BLVD. MICKEY COHEN'S 49024 Home movie This short silent home movie was shot by an unknown American traveler. It shows a trip to sunny Los Angeles, California in February of 1950. It opens with the… Internet Archive 1920s TRIP FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO OAHU, HAWAII ABOARD MATSON OCEAN LINER SURFING HOME MOVIE 50154 Home movie Shot in the late 1920s by an unknown tourist, this extraordinary home movie shows a trip to Hawaii aboard a Dollar Lines / Matson ocean liner. Views in Hawaii… Internet Archive "SCREEN MAGAZINE" WOMEN'S FASHION & SPORTS 1951 FILM w/ BETTY GRAY BIKINIS & STICKUM JEWELRY 97444 Film This is a 1951 black and white film called Movie Wonderland. 6116 Glen Tower, Hollywood California. The film opens with the title “Screen Magazine: featuring… Internet Archive Loaded for War -Santa Fe Railroad in World War II Historic Film MD31880 Film Created during WWII by the Santa Fe Railroad, this exceptionally rare color film shows Santa Fe's contribution to the war effort. After December 7th, 1941 the… Internet Archive "AMERICAN LOOK" 1958 TRIBUTE TO AMERICAN DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE & STYLE MD43104 Film Produced in 1958 by Jam Handy Organization (and sponsored by the Chevrolet division of General Motors), “In Appreciation Of Stylist Of America” is a… Internet Archive 1950’S “ BOLD JOURNEY " TV SHOW VOODOO IN HAITI EPISODE WITH STANLEY DASHEW XD14394 Film This film is a part of the TV travelogue series called “Bold Journey”, which aired on ABC and was hosted by Jack Douglas. The episodes ran from 1956-1959 and… Internet Archive 1939 PROFILE OF BOXER JACK DEMPSEY "BIRTH OF A CHAMPION" JESS WILLARD 11594 Film In this “GI Movie Weekly” from Fistic Film (likely from 1939), viewers are treated to the historic fight on 4 July 1919 in Toledo, OH, where young boxer Jack… Internet Archive " THE FRIENDLY SHIP " 1960s OCEAN LINER RMS TRANSVAAL CASTLE UK TO SOUTH AFRICA CRUISE 74392 Film This rare promotional film for the RMS Transvaal Castle dates to the 1960s, and shows the ship on its way to South Africa from Southampton. RMS Transvaal… Internet Archive 1950s PARIS, FRANCE CASTLE FILM TRAVELOGUE EIFFEL TOWER NOTRE DAME LOUVRE ARC DE TRIOMPHE 75142 Film Dating to about 1951, this Castle Film is a profile of Paris, France with just about every famous sight included. It begins with shots of the Eiffel Tower,… Internet Archive STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE STAR WARS RONALD REAGAN SDI PROGRAM 33112 Film High Frontier was a private company that promoted space-based strategic defense against nuclear ICBMs. It was founded by Daniel O. Graham, a retired… Internet Archive WINGS TO YUGOSLAVIA 1960s PAN AM AIRLINES TRAVELOGUE 47454 Film WINGS TO YUGOSLAVIA is a Pan American promotional travel film from the 1960s, when the nation was part of the Eastern Bloc. The film takes viewers on a tour… Internet Archive 1970s SAUDI ARABIA TRAVELOGUE MOVIE 48134 Film The Exxon Corporation offered viewers a glimpse of “Saudi Arabia Today” in this color film. The country at this time was in the process of rapid change, we… Internet Archive PROSPECTING FOR PLACER GOLD 1849 CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH DOCUMENTARY 64444 Documentary Made by Arthur Barr, this short film shows some of the technologies used by prospectors to find gold in the 1849 California Gold Rush. At 2:00 , a prospector… Internet Archive NASA GEMINI IX MISSION PRE-FLIGHT OVERVIEW ED WHITE GENE CERNAN AGENA TARGET VEHICLE 1966 12994 Film This 1960’s color film depicts NASA press conferences and training activity in preparation for the Gemini 9A crewed spaceflight of 1966. It depicts testing of… Internet Archive BOLD JOURNEY ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY LABRADOR THROUGH NW PASSAGE 22164 Film BOLD JOURNEY recounts the voyage of the CCGS Labrador, a Wind-class icebreaker, through the Northwest Passage in 1954. Labrador set sail on her maiden voyage… Internet Archive 1970s U.S. NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM FILM " WINGS OF EAGLES, WINGS OF GOLD " PENSACOLA (Print 2) 25934 Film This film is a color film with B&W clips. Produced by the U.S. Navy and narrated by Rod Serling. A summary of the pioneers of the U.S. Naval Aviators and… Internet Archive "A STORY OF FIGHTER DEVELOPMENT" SUPERMARINE ATTACKER JET SPITFIRE JEFFREY QUILL 84604 Film A Story of Fighter Development is a short film, narrated by Anthony Kimmins, that gives viewers a brief history of British development of fighter aircraft… Internet Archive " ST. LOUIS GATEWAY TO THE WEST " 1960s ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI PROMO & TRAVELOGUE FILM Film This dynamic 1965 promotional film was produced by the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company and gives an introduction to the different points of interest in… Internet Archive B-17 PROPELLER INSTALLATION WWII U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES TRAINING FILM FLYING FORTRESS 92464 Film Dating to 1944, this War Department training film "B-17 Propeller Installation" was created in cooperation with Boeing Aircraft. The film was intended for… Internet Archive Mrs T and Her Cabbage Patch 1941 · Documentary · 11 min A 1941 British documentary about a community restaurant in wartime. It also emphasises the importance of growing vegetables at home. The film was directed by… Internet Archive COPPER KENNECOTT COPPER COMPANY INDUSTRIAL FILM BINGHAM MINE UTAH MD78024 Film This color educational film is about Copper and to promote Kennecott's Bingham Mine. This is circa 1970s. No copyright on file and research couldn't find the… Internet Archive 1970s NASA FILMS APOLLO SOYUZ MISSION OVERVIEW & SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION PROFILE 59114 Film Produced by NASA contractor Rockwell International, this circa 1978 film was made shortly before the successful Apollo-Soyuz space mission. It is followed by… Internet Archive 1962 LUFTHANSA AIRLINES “COUNTERFEIT TRAITOR” HOLLYWOOD PRODUCTION DOC w/ WILLIAM HOLDEN XD4567 Film This 1962 color film for Lufthansa German Airlines documents logistical issues of air transport encountered during the making of Paramount’s international… Internet Archive USE OF 16mm EDUCATIONAL FILMS IN THE CLASSROOM 1950s PROMOTIONAL MOVIE 60034 Educational The film BRINGING THE WORLD TO YOUR CLASSROOM is a Demonstration Sound Film produced by Erpi Classroom Films Inc (:11). It depicts scenes from a few of the… Internet Archive MT. SURIBACHI FLAG RAISING COMBAT CAMERA SGT. WILLIAM GENAUST IWO JIMA WORLD WAR II 81364 Film This raw, silent footage from Iwo Jima includes some of the most famous motion picture film shot in WWII: the second U.S. flag raising on top of Mount… Internet Archive GLIMPSES OF PICTURESQUE GERMANY 85414 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 1944 GERMAN GUN CAMERA FILMS FW-190 vs. B-17s, B-24s WWII AIR RAIDS OVER GERMANY 29794 Film This silent film footage is from the gun cameras of German fighter planes intercepting Allied aircraft including B-17s in the skies of Europe. The films were… Internet Archive 1941 OFFICIAL FILMS NEWSREEL VOL. 2 DOUGLAS XB-19 BATTLE OF ATLANTIC WWII EASTERN FRONT 84724b Newsreel This film shows newsreel highlights of 1941 and is an Official Films presentation (:07). It provides footage of the Douglas XB-19’s first flight as well as… Internet Archive "OPPORTUNITY UNLIMITED" ESSO STANDARD OIL SERVICE STATION MANAGEMENT TRAINING FILM 87814 Film This color ESSO training film "Opportunity Unlimited" is about how to improve business at an Esso service station. It also shows some of the ESSO and ATLAS… Internet Archive PHYSICS OF SOUND & ACOUSTICS "A LOOK AT SOUND" 1970s SCIENCE FILM MAGNETIC TAPE RECORDING Film This mid-1970s documentary “A Look at Sound” is part of the “Life Around Us” series and was directed by Tom Spain, and narrated by Dan Ingram. A man topples a… Internet Archive “ AMERICA’S CALL TO ARMS ” WWII USA HOME FRONT NEWSREEL ARSENAL OF DEMOCRACY 70972 Newsreel This black-and-white Castle Film newsreel created at the outset of WWII shows the changes in United States factories and personnel as the war effort ramped… Internet Archive 1961 HORRIFIC DRIVER'S EDUCATION FILM MECHANIZED DEATH PRINT 2 4380 Educational Created in 1961 by the Highway Safety Foundation and Safety Enterprises, Inc., MECHANIZED DEATH is a legendary driver's education scare film that underscores… Internet Archive Traffic Violation Stops Film Traffic Violation Stops Examines the scope of permissible police conduct in cases where a motorist is stopped for a traffic violation. California law is… Internet Archive X-15 ROCKET RESEARCH AIRCRAFT PROGRAM OVERVIEW 48464 Film This official NASA film covers the X-15 rocket research aircraft program of the 1960s. Though undated, references in the narrative suggest this film was made… Internet Archive THE MYSTERY OF EASTER ISLAND RAPA NUI 1940s DOCUMENTARY FILM 53534 Documentary Produced by Simmel-Meservey and with a story by Jackson Winter, THE MYSTERY OF EASTER ISLAND is an obscure documentary look at the stone statues that populate…