Ephemeral films

1,345–1,392 of 19,486 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 Corn and the Origins of Settled Life in Meso-America, parts 1-2. 1964 · Educational · 21 min · Subtitles Director, Jack Churchill; photographer, Abraham Morochnik, Adam Gifford A presentation of one fragment of evidence used by the archaeologist in his search for… Internet Archive Mission Third Planet : creatures of the land. 1979 · Educational · 13 min During a meteor shower, the robot Ten-Ping and Aarak, a young scientist, are separated from their mother ship and stranded on Earth. While awaiting rescue,… Internet Archive Filmstrip: "The Story of the Nutcracker" 1974 · Educational SOUND FILMSTRIP IS AN AT-RISK MEDIA FORMAT. I am the only person on earth preserving American filmstrips. The media format is largely forgotten and very… Internet Archive Amos & Andy in Rassling Match 1934 · Cartoon One of two cartoons produced by the Van Beuren Studios based on the Amos 'n' Andy radio series (1928–1960). (This film is frequently listed as "The Rasslin'… Internet Archive DOPE 479 2005 · Film · Subtitles Bird flu, Murtha on Iraq, O'Reilly invites terrorists, Gene McC, Richard Pryor. See scans of liner notes for detailed content. Internet Archive DOPE 047 1987 · Film · Subtitles Need geriatric drug treatment, Contra drugs, poem about beatniks, Our World 1960, AIDS confidentiality, menopause, Reagan cig ad, Ted Kennedy on AIDS, Tim… Internet Archive Freedom 2000 1974 · Educational · 20 min Explores some of the problems created by rapid industrial growth and points out that there must be cooperative, honest, and positive response from business,… Internet Archive DOPE 158 1990 · Film · Subtitles NBC Drug War report, corruption, Mark Kleimann, Koppel report Drugs, Crime& Doing Time. See scans of liner notes for detailed content. Internet Archive That Rotten Tea Bag 1964 · Short · 3 min Director, Andy Gurian. A comic short on patriotism and protest, with sober undertones. Made by Andy Gurian of the Mosholu - Montefiore Community Center. This… Internet Archive Shoot / Don't Shoot 1982 · Educational · 30 min Peter Falk This film offers the opportunity to find out what it's like to be a police officer who faces the dilemma of when to use deadly force. It involves… Internet Archive The Bridge 1944 · Film Internationalist film exploring the economic and political importance of Latin America to the United States. A document of the “Good Neighbor Policy” era, The… Internet Archive Carlo Middione On Working For Justin Herman 2015 · Film Former Redevelopment Agency official Carlo Middione describes working for notorious Agency head Justin Herman and what he was really like. Internet Archive Corruption in Local 2 1978 · Film A rank and file member of Local 2 denounces the rampant corruption and anti-democratic practices of the union leadership under Joe Belardi. Internet Archive Story Of King Midas, The 1953 · Film Animated. Puppet Animation. The old tale of King Midas and his lust and love for gold. This film can be purchased on DVD and higher quality versions of the… Internet Archive Filmstrip: "Going Steady" 1958 · Educational SOUND FILMSTRIP IS AN AT-RISK MEDIA FORMAT. I am the only person on earth preserving American filmstrips. The media format is largely forgotten and very… Internet Archive Salem Witch Trials 1955 · Educational Produced by CBS. Narrated by Walter Cronkite A re-enactment, with on-the-spot interviews of key persons who interpret the events surrounding the Salem Witch… Internet Archive Master Hands 1936 · Film Industrial film detailing the manufacture of automobiles at Chevrolet’s Flint plant. Master Hands shows tool and die making, founding, casting, welding, part… Internet Archive Invisible walls 1969 · Educational · 11 min · Subtitles Records an experiment in proxemic-behavior, demonstrating how unsuspecting subjects react when their personal space is violated. Shows how American patterns… Internet Archive America: 1 -- The New Found Land 1972 · Educational With book by James Shenton Producer, Michael Gill; writer and narrator, Alistair Cooke Explains how the white man got to North America and what he was… Internet Archive Earth Satellites: Explorers of Outer Space 1957 · Film Illustrates the basic principles of space exploration with earth satellites and discusses the present and future uses of such exploration. Live photography… Internet Archive Mole And The Chewing Gum 1969 · Educational · 8 min An animated cartoon in which a mole is unable, even with the help of other animals, to get rid of the piece of chewing gum that is stuck on him. Internet Archive Heat and temperature 1968 · Educational · 12 min · Subtitles Collaborator, Robert Karplus Uses experiments to explain the difference between heat and temperature, and shows how theses quantities are measured Search… Internet Archive The Last of the Cuiva 1971 · Educational Brian Moser, producer The Cuiva Indians of Colombia are nomads, living a Stone Age existence. 600 only are left, and the tribe is dying out Internet Archive Mole And The Bulldozer 1975 · Educational · 6 min The mole is tending his flowers, sharing them with various insects, when to his horror he discovers a set of stakes being used to mark the path of a road to… Internet Archive China.. 1972 · Educational · 19 min Narrated by Theodore White Traces Chinese history after the end of World War II, showing the Communist victory and the flight of the Nationalists to Taiwan in… Internet Archive The Ascent of Man: 11 -- Knowledge or Certainty 1974 · Educational In Spanish Also issued as videorecording Producer and director, Adrian Malone; writer and narrator, Jacob Bronowski Considers the moral dilemma that… Internet Archive DOPE 129 1989 · Film · Subtitles coke, heroin, British moonshine, Black tar, coffee prices, teen AIDS, Drug War week 4, AIDS quilt, love potion, acid rock See scans of liner notes for… Internet Archive Autumn Across America 1970 · Educational · 44 min Autumn Across America Search Educational Film Journals at Media History Project for references to this film Summary Travels across the continent to observe… Internet Archive Somebody Waiting 1972 · Educational · 24 min Somebody Waiting SummaryExamines hospitalized children with severe cerebral dysfunction who are among the most physically, emotionally and mentally… Internet Archive Filmstrip: "Care For Two: Baby and You (1977 Edition)" 1977 · Educational SOUND FILMSTRIP IS AN AT-RISK MEDIA FORMAT. I am the only person on earth preserving American filmstrips. The media format is largely forgotten and very… Internet Archive Drive-in: Opening Film runs about a minute.suggestion; insert clip at the very beginning when creating drive-in dvd Internet Archive Six American Families: The Burks of Georgia 1976 · Educational · 59 min · Subtitles Also issued as videotape Producers and directors, David Maysles, Albert Maysles, Ellen Hovde, Muffie Meyer; writer and narrator, Paul Wilkes Documents the… Internet Archive Mole and the Music 1976 · Educational · 5 min Tells a story about a mole's love for music which helps sustain him when he has to make a new record from scratch after breaking his favorite copy. For… Internet Archive Introduction to the Cathode Ray Oscilloscope 1970 · Educational STUDY GUIDE AVAILABLE HERE (LINK) Just as a microscope might symbolize science in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the cathoderay oscilloscope… Internet Archive Dangerous noise. 1968 · Educational · 15 min · Subtitles Produced by The Netherlands Information Service Examines the physical and psychological effects of noise levels at airports and similar places. Discusses… Internet Archive Cannonball 1984 · Educational Title from data sheet Based on the book: Cannonball Simp / John Burningham Intended audience: Ages 5-7 Issued also as videorecording Without narration,… Internet Archive DOPE 279 1997 · Film · Subtitles Deneuve Smoke Opium, A&E Prohibition, Elvis meets Nixon, Princess Diana Dead, Mother Teresa, HBO "Flashback",PEP Study, Science Fiction. See scans of liner… Internet Archive Drive-in: Coming Soon-Fri,Sat,Sun-Color Swirl Film runs only a few seconds. suggestion; insert clip directly before any trailers when creating drive-in dvd. Internet Archive Learn To Spell 1988 · Educational "...brings children a classroom-like video interactive program that updates the time tested 3x5 card learning method of repetition of basic spelling… Internet Archive Airplane Trip By Jet, An 1960 · Film Depicts jet airplane flight of a boy and girl (and their dog) from New York to San Francisco. Shows many of the activities performed by airline personnel… Internet Archive Filmstrip: "Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary, Part 1" 1980 · Educational SOUND FILMSTRIP IS AN AT-RISK MEDIA FORMAT. I am the only person on earth preserving American filmstrips. The media format is largely forgotten and very… Internet Archive A Non-Euclidean Universe 1977 · Educational · 26 min Produced by the BBC for the British Open University Looks at the Euclidean axioms condensed into a diagrammatic form and asks whether they are independent.… Internet Archive The Legend of John Henry 1974 · Cartoon CREDITS: Director, Sam Weiss; score sung by Roberta Flack SUMMARY: An animated story which explores the life of the legendary John Henry, a Black man who… Internet Archive How To Squeeze More Miles From Your Car 1976 · Educational · 13 min Reveals some of the tricks motorists can use to increase their car mileage. Includes driving, car maintenance, and car buying hints. Internet Archive The Adams Chronicles: 1 -- John Adams: Lawyer (1758-1770) 1976 · Educational · 59 min Title from data sheet Prepared in conjunction with Jack Shepherd's book entitled The Adams chronicles Also issued as videorecording Details John Adams' ups… Internet Archive DOPE 052 1987 · Film · Subtitles PCP series, Kew Gardens, Reagan vs constitution, Smugglers Blues, AIDS kids, tobacco, crack, Miami police corrupt, Cairo hookah, Ozone layer, Klute, crack in… Internet Archive Rene Yanez On Day Of The Dead 2017 · Film Longtime artist and curator Rene Ya ñez describes how in 1972 he and his colleague Ralph Maradiaga helped launch the San Francisco version of Day of the Dead… Internet Archive Stop The Draft Week Oakland 50th Anniversary October 18 2017 2017 · Film T he California Historical Society, Shaping San Francisco, and the Oakland Public Library, Main Branch, host a panel discussion that explores the intentions,…