Ephemeral films

1,393–1,440 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 The Ascent of Man: 3 -- The Grain in the Stone 1974 · Educational Producer and director, Adrian Malone; writer and narrator, Jacob Bronowski Focuses on the architectural and building expressions of man, from the Greek… Internet Archive Thunderbirds Music Video 1990 · Film "It's the perfect blend of the hottest music tracks and the most astonishing non-stop aerobatics."-- description from box. Internet Archive Little Blue and Little Yellow 1962 · Educational · 7 min Based on the book of the same title by Leo Lionni Primary grades, intermediate grades Producer-director, David Hilberman ; writer-designer, Leo Lionni… Internet Archive The standardized test--an educational tool. 1961 · Educational · 21 min · Subtitles Shows how an eighth grade teacher adjusts her teaching to the reading skills of her students after using a standardized group test to obtain information about… Internet Archive Drive-in Intermission 5 Film Time to head on over to the snack bar. Suggestion: insert clip between two movies when creating your drive-in dvd. Internet Archive Factory 1970 · Educational Filmed and edited by Mack Obenhaus Captures the dreariness of surroudings and the monotomy of work in a jewelry factory, and focuses on the boredom and… Internet Archive Why does the flea jump? 1965 · Educational · 20 min · Subtitles Consultant: Dr. Manabu Sasa, Institute for Infectious Diseases, Tokyo Shows how scientific analysis and experiments solve the "mystery" of why the flea jumps,… Internet Archive Yangtze Patrol U.S. Navy 1935 · Newsreel · 9 min This rare film features ships of the U.S. Asiatic fleet patroling the Yangtze River. The Asiatic Fleet's gunboats were tasked with protecting American… Internet Archive Red Myth: International Communism 1960 · Film Tells of the international aims of the Communist Party and methods used to achieve them. Explains communist actions in the 1920's and 1930's, the popular… Internet Archive Language of the Camera Eye 1962 · Educational · 29 min Language of the Camera Eye Search Educational Film Journals at Media History Project for references to this film A documentary about the Lascaux Cave… Internet Archive The Children's Story 1981 · Educational Copyright: no reg Copyright notice on film: October Productions, Inc. ; 1981 Title appears on film as: James Clavell's The children's story Director of… Internet Archive Portland Clip 2015 · Film A short film clip from Greta Snider's Portland . Used by permission of the artist Greta Snider. Internet Archive American folk art. 1967 · Educational · 13 min · Subtitles A study of American folk art produced by itinerant American painters in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Shows the simple, primitive, and naively… Internet Archive Russian Communist Revolution 1959 · Educational · 28 min Russian Communist Revolution SummaryDocuments the rise of Russian Comm./ia metadae 20th century and briefly considers methods of combating it. Shows communism… Internet Archive Johnny Appleseed: A Legend of Frontier Life 1954 · Educational · 14 min · Subtitles Johnny Appleseed: A Legend of Frontier Life SummaryDiscusses the life of Johnny Appleseed who./anted to improve the world for all living creatures. A story… Internet Archive Skylab, Program 1: Zero G 1980 · Film Presents experiments in the weightless environment of Skylab illustrating Newton's basic laws of nature and the freedom of body motion. To license this film… Internet Archive DOPE 029 1987 · Film · Subtitles Mike Hammer CBS, Cheech & Chong, Kesey LSD, Ginsberg pot picture, Stanford centenary See scans of liner notes for detailed content. Internet Archive The Cookie Kid 1982 · Educational Title from data sheet Tells about nine-year-old Markita Andrews, who has sold more Girl Scout cookies than anyone in the history of scouting. Through… Internet Archive Meeting Frieda Kahlo and Diego Rivera 2001 · Short Artist Pele DeLappe describes her encounter at age 15 with Frieda Rivera (Kahlo), sitting around painting and smoking cigarettes together, while Diego Rivera… Internet Archive The Jazz Age 1965 · Educational Producer, Henry Salomon ; writers, Henry Salomon, Richard Hauser ; narrator, Fred Allen ; music, Robert Russell Bennett ; film editor, Isaac Kleinerman… Internet Archive One of the Missing 1969 · Educational · 52 min · Subtitles One of the Missing Part 2 Search Educational Film Journals at Media History Project for references to this film Summary Deals with the bizarre fate of a… Internet Archive Drive-in: Spookathon Film runs about a minute. suggestion; insert clip directly before groups of horror movie trailers when creating drive-in dvd Internet Archive Ralph S. Mouse 1990 · Educational Robert Oliveri, Britt Leach, Karen Black, Ray Walston Producers, George McQuilkin and John Clark Matthews ; teleplay by Joe S. Landon ; directed by Thomas G.… Internet Archive Bighorn With John Denver 1975 · Educational · 26 min Bighorn With John Denver reel 2 Considers the habitat and behavior of the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. Shows how the life of the sheep is being threatened by… Internet Archive Filmstrip: "Opiates and Hallucinogens" 1989 · 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 Pompeii And Vesuvius 1950 · Film Pictures an actual eruption of Mt Vesuvius and the ruins of the city of Pompeii destroyed in 79 A D. Shows life in present-day Naples. This film can be… Internet Archive Filmstrip: "Identifying and Differentiating" 1973 · 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 Everest North Wall 1982 · Educational Title from data sheet Narrator, Robert Redford Intended audience: General Documents a 1982 attempt by an American climbing team to scale the north face of… Internet Archive DOPE 148 1990 · Film · Subtitles Firing Line Legalization debate (3/26/90) Buckley, Dennis, Glaser, Rangel, Bush, AIDS, US Army Chem, Weapons, Quilt Documentary See scans of liner notes for… Internet Archive Learning Good Manners 2000 · Film "As Seen on TV. Good Table Manners! Telephone Etiquette! Plus: Thank You Notes Making Introductions Respect for Property & More Everyday Etiquette!" "Ages… Internet Archive The Painted Door 1984 · Educational Based on a short story of the same name by Sinclair Ross A tale of loneliness, love, and death involving a farmer, his wife, and their bachelor neighbor… Internet Archive "COORDINATED ASW PART I" 1970s U.S. NAVY ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE TRAINING FILM 20894a 1976 · Short · 18 min "Co-ordinated Anti-Submarine Warfare" (1970s) discusses how surface ships, aircraft and submarines work together to unravel the submarine threat. The film… Internet Archive Butterflies 1990 · Educational This film uses colorful close-up and time-lapse photography to teach students about butterflies Internet Archive Young at Heart 1987 · Educational Louis Gothelf, Reva Shwayder Producers and directors, Sue Marx and Pamela Conn Junior high school - adults A widow and widower, both artists in their… Internet Archive DOPE 223 1993 · Film · Subtitles Needle Exchange, Pot Legalize, 60 mins heroin, DEA series, Tim Leary interview, Billie Holiday, Joe McNamara, Karen Norman, Craig Noble pot film. See scans of… Internet Archive Auxiliary views: Single auxiliaries 1947 · Educational · 22 min · Subtitles Supplementary filmstrip of the same title also available Correlated with the book Engineering drawing, by Thomas E. French Summary Reviews orthographic… Internet Archive Hopscotch 1987 · Educational · 11 min · Subtitles With study guide Uses animation to describe an eager but socially inept little boy and his attempts to win the friendship of two children. Explains that he is… Internet Archive Piet Mondriaan: A Film Essay 1980 · Educational Produced in collaboration with Municipal Museum and Art Gallery, the Hague; director and producer, Nico Crama An exploration of the work of Mondriaan, an… Internet Archive A Bear Called Paddington 1977 · Cartoon Adapted from the book of the same title by Michael Bond Director-animator, Ivor Wood; narrator, Michael Hordern Please look after this bear.--A bear in hot… Internet Archive The World at War 16 -- Inside the Reiclt Germany 1940 - 1944 1940 · Educational · 29 min · Subtitles A study of what the war meant to the civilian population of Germany. "If you are all under the same bombs it didn't really matter whether your neighbor was a… Internet Archive The Hundred days 1966 · Educational · 18 min · Subtitles Telecast on the ABC-TV documentary program FDR With teacher's guide Describes conditions in the United States when poverty and unemployment plagued the… Internet Archive DOPE 159 1990 · Film · Subtitles George Weil on drug war, Minnie the Moocher, Marilyn Chambers, coke money, AIDS funding slashed, Carrie Fisher, Air Amerika, Kentucky pot crop, Abuse of… Internet Archive Etosha: Place of Dry Water 1980 · Educational Title from data sheet Issued also as videorecording Records the wildlife in Etosha, a preserve surrounding a huge dry lake bed in the southwest African… Internet Archive Filmstrip: "The Stomach" 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 Filmstrip: "Advice On Lice And Life Part 2" 1985 · 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 The Structure of the news film story 1972 · Educational · 20 min · Subtitles Uses a CBS news report from Vietnam to illustrate and explain for students of journalism how a news film story is produced Senior high through adult Summary… Internet Archive Invisible Hands 1975 · Educational · 15 min Singer Vikki Carr demonstrates the forerunner of today's phonograph, the automatic musical instrument. She explains the hidden mechanisms whereby priceless… Internet Archive Biography of a Rookie: Willie Davis 1964 · Educational · 53 min Biography of a Rookie: Willie Davis Search Educational Film Journals at Media History Project for references to this film Summary Follows the career of Willie…