Ephemeral films

2,689–2,736 of 19,487 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 Listen to Britain 1942 · Educational · 20 min Photographed by H.E. Fowle ; recorded by Ken Cameron ; assistant director, Joe Mendoza ; production manager, Dora Wright ; forward by Leonard Brockington Date… Internet Archive Tiny Water Animals 1931 · Film A drop of water is studied under a microscope. Shows rotifers, protozoa, cilia, paramecia, bristle worms, and small snails. Describes the cilia's reproductive… Internet Archive The Sea 1962 · Educational With teacher's guide Collaborator, Ralph Buchsbaum; producer, Michael Birch Also issued in b&w Depicts the interrelationships between living things in the… Internet Archive Vietnam: The Battle Of Khe Sanh 1987 · Film "Actual Department of Defense combat footage of the battle of Khe Sanh" -- description from box. Internet Archive 1950s CHINESE CIVIL WAR DOCUMENTARY MAO ZEDONG VS. CHIANG KAI-SHEK KMT VS CCP ARMY 88614 Documentary Hosted by Walter Cronkite, this fragmentary 1950s documentary is about the Chinese Civil War, between the Chinese Nationalist party – the Guomingdang (KMT)… Internet Archive Primate Growth and Development: A Gorilla's First Year 1967 · Educational · 22 min · Subtitles Shows growth and development through the first year of Alvila, a lowland gorilla born in the San Diego Zoo. Comparisons are made at various stages between the… Internet Archive Can Animals Think 1950 · Film The degree of intelligence with which a variety of animals solve deliberately-posed problems is shown as proof that animals do not act on instinct only. Part… Internet Archive Your Friend The Water - Clean Or Dirty 1954 · Film An animated cartoon of a little boy who learns the factors behind a good supply of pure water, as well as the conditions which produce dirty, polluted water.… Internet Archive DOPE 381 2003 · Film · Subtitles Ed Rosenthal Trial, Marijuana Logs, WAMM bust See scans of liner notes for detailed content. Internet Archive The Crab Nebula 1972 · Educational · 59 min The Crab Nebula Contrasts and compares the effect of two kinds of dam-building -- that done by beavers, and that done by human engineers. Points out how man… Internet Archive The Light of the 21st Century 1979 · Educational · 52 min The Light of the 21st Century Traces the development of lasers and discusses their applications in the fields of medicine, dentistry, construction, and… Internet Archive Medieval Crusades 1955 · Educational With film guide Producer, Milan Herzog; collaborator, Kenneth M. Setton; adviser, Jacques Haquard Intermediate grades through high school Issued also in… Internet Archive Operation Teapot - Tesla 28633 GMX 2017 · Film Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwpPDp01GNg Uploader: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Upload date: 2017-03-13 Internet Archive DOPE 446 2004 · Film · Subtitles Elvis Drugs, Pot Clubs, Gay Marriage, Reefer Madness Bush on pot, Miles Davis, Steroids, Angel Raich. See scans of liner notes for detailed content. Internet Archive Dope 126 1989 · Film · Subtitles Response to Bush, Cocaine, Colombia, Crack Babies, Ethnicity of Drugs, ACLU. See scans of liner notes for detailed content. Internet Archive History of Space Travel, Episode 11: Apollo 16, Nothing So Hidden Film Episode 11 of the History of Space Travel reviews the documentary account of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission and the exploration of the highland region of… Internet Archive The Raven 1982 · Educational Engravings by Gustave Dore, music by Maurice Ravel Gregg Morton A dramatic interpretation of Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven", written by Poe at a time… Internet Archive The Violinist 1959 · Educational A man learns that he must suffer in order to play his violin. Shows his relationship with music, dog, and himself Director, writer and music, Ernest Pintoff… Internet Archive Drive-in: Coming Attractions-Marquee Film runs only a few seconds. suggestion; insert clip directly before any trailers when creating drive-in dvd. Internet Archive Enterprise 1948 · Film Film sponsored by the Troy, New York–based manufacturer of Arrow shirts to explain its reasons for moving its business down south. Enterprise tells the true… Internet Archive Fusion Welding 1972 · Educational · 11 min Fusion Welding Search Educational Film Journals at Media History Project for references to this film SummaryUses close - up action shots and animation to… Internet Archive Danger is your companion Short · 16 min Shows what is being done to create an awareness of accident situations and to train people to give emergency first aid when accidents occur. To license this… Internet Archive DOPE 376 2003 · Film · Subtitles "Help me, I can't"-ABC WAMM Suit, Afghan O, Ed Rosenthal See scans of liner notes for detailed content. Internet Archive Operations with whole numbers. 1969 · Educational · 22 min · Subtitles Shows that meaningful instruction in mathematics is dependent on multiple approaches, varied materials, diagnosis, and practice. Demonstrates procedures for… Internet Archive Will the Fishing Have to Stop? 1976 · Educational · 33 min Also issued as videocassette Discusses the fast-approaching threat of disastrous fish shortages due to indiscrimination and unlimited ocean fishing, and… Internet Archive Blues Maker 1969 · Film Shows Mississippi blues singer, Fred Mc Dowell, singing and talking about his blues. Includes scenes of the area which helped to shape his country blues. This… Internet Archive Quality Milk 1930 · Film Stresses the importance of a healthy, accredited herd, correct feeding and sanitary practices in the production of milk. This film can be purchased on DVD and… Internet Archive Eye of the Beholder 1955 · Educational Dramatizes twelve hours in the life of an artist who becomes involved in the murder of a girl. Shows how he appears to five different people, pointing out… Internet Archive NASA Images 2 1987 · Film This video is the second in a four part series that contains historic images of the United States’ space program. This episode for grades 4 to 12 includes two… Internet Archive 1976 COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FILM "COMPUTERS AND TRANSPORTATION" 91764 Film ‘Computers and Transportation’ is a future-looking, 1976 short educational film which analyze the rapid technological advances in computer systems, and then… Internet Archive Bell on a Deer 1987 · Cartoon Title from data sheet Animation, Shanghai Animation Studio ; film editor, Rick Cottle ; narrator, Ivars Mikelson Kindergarten through intermediate grades… Internet Archive DOPE 434 2004 · Film · Subtitles Elvis drugs, Pot Clubs, Gay Marriage, Reefer Madness Bush on pot, Miles Davis, Steroids, Angel Raich. See scans of liner notes for detailed content. Internet Archive Drive-in: And-Colorswirl Film runs only a few seconds. suggestion; insert clip between any 2 trailers when creating drive-in dvd Internet Archive Weather by Numbers (1966) 1966 · Educational · 29 min Shows how Dr Joseph Smagorinsky and his colleagues at the Environmental Science Services Administration experiment with mathematical equations and computers… Internet Archive Untouched Land: Pre-columbian America to 1492 (1965) 1966 · Educational · 25 min Untouched Land: Pre-columbian America to 1492 Describes recordings as a teaching tool to be used in an inquiry approach to the teaching of social studies at… Internet Archive Indian Countdown (from Drive-In Movie Ads) Commercial Category: Drive-In Movie Ads Title: Indian Countdown (from Drive-In Movie Ads) Length- :39 Sound: Yes Color Description: Short countdown clips used in between… Internet Archive [Amateur Film - Friends Apple Harvest Festival 1948] 1948 · Home movie [Amateur Film - Friends Apple Harvest Festival 1948] This film can be purchased on DVD and higher quality versions of the film can be purchased for stock… Internet Archive DOPE 478 2005 · Film · Subtitles Gay marriage veto, Rosa Parks, White Sox win series. See scans of liner notes for detailed content. Internet Archive India: Introduction To Its History 1957 · Film Describes the nature and impact of major religions in India, artistic monuments and contributions of each dynasty and cultural development of the people in… Internet Archive Jerry Pulls the Strings 1938 · Film Advertisement for vacuum-packed canned coffee that was produced primarily for screening at the 1939–40 New York World’s Fair. In the narrative a young… Internet Archive A Case of Spring Fever 1940 · Film Advertising short for Chevrolet combining live action and animation. The film relates the story of Gilbert Willoughby, who, exasperated by his stubborn… Internet Archive Watercolor Painting: Imaginative Designs with Alex Ross 1973 · Educational · 20 min With study guide Artist Alex Ross explains how he creates arresting patterns of vivid color. Shows how he applies acrylic paint to a textured media board Internet Archive Why We Have Laws: Shiver, Gobble, and Snore 1971 · Educational With teacher's guide An animated story introducing the basic concept of laws. Concludes that no one can live peacefully without rules, and that if people… Internet Archive DOPE 475 2005 · Film · Subtitles Bob Dylan, Al-Quaeda, Lodi, Meth + HIV. See scans of liner notes for detailed content. Internet Archive THE SECRET LAND OPERATION HIGHJUMP U.S. NAVY ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION 1946 ADMIRAL RICHARD E. BYRD (on two reels) 24972 Documentary The Secret Land is a 1948 American documentary film about an American expedition code-named "Operation High Jump" to explore Antarctica. It won the Academy… Internet Archive Three Fox Fables 1984 · Cartoon Title from data sheet Animators, Stephen Boyer, Julia Bunn, Ray Toy ; film editor, Paul Buchbinder ; narrator, Russ Reed Intended audience: Primary through… Internet Archive Drive-in: Feature Presentation-Warner Theatres Film runs only a few seconds. suggestion; insert clip directly before first feature when creating drive-in dvd Internet Archive The Middleton Family at the New York World’s Fair 1939 · Film Drama illustrating the contribution of free enterprise, technology, and Westinghouse products to the American way of life. The Middleton Family at the New…