Ephemeral films

289–336 of 19,488 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 Hubble Video Tour Of The Universe Film A “video tour” of images and discoveries made possible by the Hubble Space Telescope progresses from near Earth with the first servicing mission through… Internet Archive Japanese calligraphy. 1957 · Educational · 16 min · Subtitles Examines Japanese language symbols in art, rediscovered by the painter Pierre Alechinsky. Abstract Western art is compared to Japanese art, which has been… Internet Archive Excretory systems in animals. 1971 · Educational · 16 min · Subtitles Author and editor, George Vuke; photographers, George Vuke, Tom Held Compares the excretory systems of a variety of phyla. Points out principal excretory… Internet Archive Not Me Alone: Preparation for Childbirth 1970 · Educational · 31 min Presents one couple's experience with childbirth preparation classes, breathing exercises, labor, and delivery of their baby using the Lamaze technique, with… Internet Archive Directed by John Ford 1971 · Educational Producers, George Stevens, Jr., James R. Silke; director, Peter Bogdanovich; narrator, Orson Welles Reviews the achievements of director John Ford in a… Internet Archive Democracy 1945 · Film Presents nature of meaning of democracy; develops keen appreciation for meaning of democracy by analyzing 4 major concepts on which exists substantial body of… Internet Archive Electronic labyrinth. 1967 · Educational · 15 min Formerly entitled THX 1138 4 EB Presents a nightmare impression of a world in which a man is trying to escape a computerized world which constantly tracks his… Internet Archive 1906 Burn map 1995 · Cartoon animated map showing the three days of the Great San Francisco fire of 1906 that followed the earthquake. Internet Archive Soapy The Germ Fighter 1951 · Film Young Billy Martin has to learn that being clean isnt the same as being a sissy. One night, a giant, talking cake of soap wearing tights and a puffy-sleeved… Internet Archive The Anderson Platoon 1969 · Educational · 1 h 4 min Documents the life of a small group of GI's as they fight against an unseen enemy in the jungle of Vietnam. Search Educational Film Journals at Media History… Internet Archive Filmstrip: "Part 4: Editing and Printing" 1978 · 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 Barbara's Problem Dogs 1982 · Educational · 25 min · Subtitles Barbara's Problem Dogs Reel 2 Reel 1 available here Dog trainer Barbara Woodhouse demonstrates remedies for common canine behavior problems such as car… Internet Archive Mistakes Fitness Buffs Make 1993 · Film · Subtitles "Topics covered: Carbohydrate loading; Drinking sports drinks versus water during exercise; Caffeine and fitness; Exercise machines; Indoor versus outdoor… Internet Archive Doomsday for Pests 1946 · Short · 14 min Promotional piece for Sherwin-Williams DDT preparation - Pestroy. To license this film and get a higher quality version for broadcast/film purposes, contact… Internet Archive Vietnam: The Air War 1987 · Film "You are there via actual footage of dogfights, bombing raids, strafing runs, and planning sessions."-- description from box. Internet Archive Anglo-Saxon England. 1971 · Educational · 22 min · Subtitles Archeological adviser, Stanley E. West Outlines English history from the end of Roman rule around 410 to the Norman invasion in 1066. Presents the various… Internet Archive "Hollywood Snapshots" 1922 · Film A tour of Filmdom with glimpses of celebrities Ramon Novarro, Jack Warner, Max Linder, and Vola Vale. Preserved in collaboration with the New Zealand Film… Internet Archive Darrell Rogers On Hippies And Beatniks And Hippie Hill 2016 · Film · Subtitles San Francisco native (b. 1945) and resident Darrell Rogers describes the exciting and incomparable "scene" at Hippie Hill, where he was a dancer during the… Internet Archive Breast Self-Examination 1950 · Film First breast-cancer-awareness film released for wide distribution. Promoting self-examination as an early detection technique, the film shows women how to… Internet Archive Toot, Whistle, Plunk, and Boom 1959 · Educational · 10 min Originally released in 35 mm. in 1953 With teacher guide Directors, C. August Nichols, Ward Kimball; story, Dick Huemer; animators, Ward Kimball, Julius… Internet Archive 1999 A.D. 1967 · Film A whimsical yet serious-minded look into the future sponsored by the appliance and radio manufacturer. In the “1999 House of Tomorrow,” each family member’s… Internet Archive Propaganda Techniques 1949 · Film Shows methods of recognizing and evaluating propaganda and encourages adoption of a judicious, critical attitude toward it. Chuck would like to know whether… Internet Archive Apollo 13: "Houston, We've Got A Problem" 1970 · Film This video contains historical footage of the flight of Apollo-13, the fifth Lunar Mission and the third spacecraft that was to land on the Moon. Apollo-13’s… Internet Archive Boys and Girls 1983 · Educational Title from data sheet Adapted from the short story of the same name by Alice Munro A foreign film (Canada) Intended audience: Ages 10-18 Issued also as… Internet Archive Australia's Animal Mysteries 1983 · Educational · 59 min · Subtitles Title from data sheet Camera, Joe Seamens ; editor, Lisa Palattella ; music, Gerald Fired Intended audience: General Issued also as videorecording Shows… Internet Archive The Last Great Race on Earth 1982 · Educational · 53 min · Subtitles The Last Great Race on Earth Search Educational Film Journals at Media History Project for references to this film Summary Documents the 19./ia mearod Trail… Internet Archive Drive-in: Our Feature Presentation-Color Swirl Film runs only a few seconds. suggestion; insert clip directly before first feature when creating drive-in dvd Internet Archive Fashion Horizons 1940 · Educational · Subtitles Combines airplane trips and fashion. Heavy on the fashion. • 42:93- 1:04:38 Still shot of a shiny silver airplane floating in the sky above the clouds—the… Internet Archive Psychiatric Interview No. 18: Evaluation for Diagnosis 1967 · Educational Shows a brief interview with a young man, a student, who demonstrates negativism in a catatonic schizophrenic Internet Archive San Francisco celebrates VE Day 1918 1930 · Film Newsreel footage from the Market Street celebration of the end of WWI in San Francisco, 1918. Internet Archive The Hunters. [Motion picture] 1958 · Educational · 44 min Director, John Marshall in collaboration with Robert Gardner; narrator and photographer, John Marshall A study of the life and culture of primitive African… Internet Archive Watch 'em Work: Wheels, Wings and Moving Things 1994 · Film "Non-stop Video Action in The Exciting World Of Motion. For Boys and Girls ages 3-8"-- description from box. Internet Archive The Hunters [Motion picture] 1958 · Educational · 28 min Summary Presents a study of the life and culture of primitive African Bushmen as portrayed through the experiences of four aborigines and the giraffe which… Internet Archive Those Wonderful Dogs 1989 · Educational · 59 min · Subtitles From WorldCat: A beautifully photographed documentary about dogs: dogs' herding skills, dogs helping handicapped persons, dogs in combat, dogs in rescue… Internet Archive American music, from folk to jazz and pop. 1967 · Educational · 20 min · Subtitles Commentary by Duke Ellington Traces lesser streams of American music such as the hoedown, square dance, and hillbilly song. Tex Ritter at Nashville's Grand… Internet Archive Verniers 1941 · Educational · 18 min Verniers Search Educational Film Journals at Media History Project for references to this film SummaryUses animation to tell the principles of the Vernier… Internet Archive Trick or Treat 1952 · Educational The cartoon, which takes place on Halloween night, follows a series of pranks between Donald Duck and his nephews with Witch Hazel. Internet Archive LIFE IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM; VOLUME I; THE HUNTERS AND THE HUNTED 1995 · Film · Subtitles " The constant and unending search for tender, fresh grasses drives hundreds of thousands of wildebeests and zebras towards the fertile lands of the Masai… Internet Archive The Great Wall Of China 2000 · Film · Subtitles "...Meet a photographer whose passion for the Great Wall has driven him to uncover thousands of forgotten miles of the barrier built by China's dynasties." Internet Archive Ab Isolator Workout 1994 · Film · Subtitles "Tony Little's Ab Isolator Workout provides the ultimate abdominal workout. Tony's workout, used in conjunction with the Ab Isolator, delivers a target and… Internet Archive English X-ray film. 1964 · Educational · 13 min · Subtitles Articulatory movements are shown by X-ray techniques. Prepared scripts illustrate selected phonetic features in the phonemic contrasts of the language, ending… Internet Archive Kiss Me Petruchio 1983 · Educational · 58 min Title from data sheet Meryl Streep, Raul Julia Made in 1979 Intended audience: Ages 14 through adult Issued also as videorecording Observes a performance… Internet Archive Major Religions of the World: Development and Rituals 1953 · Educational · 19 min Major Religions of the World: Development and Rituals An animated training film which reviews the basic principles of salesmanship and demonstrates an… Internet Archive Russian Right Stuff: The Mission 1991 · Film · Subtitles " U.S. Space Shuttle missions usually last about one week: the former Soviet Union typically sent cosmonauts to its MIR trained station for six months. NOVA… Internet Archive Bucky O'Hare: On The Blink 1991 · Film · Subtitles " the Koalas of Rigel 5 have been enslaved by the merciless Toads, who've turned the Koalas' home world into a resort for Toad Officers. Attempting to thwart… Internet Archive Pathé News, No. 15? 1922 · Newsreel Early complete issue of the American newsreel, with stories on the veterans' bonus and election of Pope Pius XI. P reserved with the collaboration of the… Internet Archive America: 4--Inventing a Nation 1972 · Educational · 50 min · Subtitles America: 4--Inventing a Nation "The American Constitution, said 19th century British statesman William Gladstone, is 'the most wonderful work ever struck off… Internet Archive America: 8--Money on the Land 1972 · Educational · 53 min · Subtitles America: 8--Money on the Land reel 2 Deals with the industrialization of the United States. Early inventors, like Edison, as well as lucky prospectors, found…