Ephemeral films

385–432 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 Chesapeake borne 1985 · Educational · 59 min · Subtitles From WorldCat: Observes life along Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. Shows how the bay and the region's main industry, crabbing,… Internet Archive Shake Hands with Danger 1975 · Film Safety film for heavy equipment operators that was commissioned by the construction equipment manufacturer. Reminding workers to follow procedures and stay… Internet Archive The Women of Summer 1985 · Educational · 59 min The Women of Summer SummaryReveals that from 1921 to 1938, 1700 blue collar women participat./ia ma controversial and inspired educational experiment known as… Internet Archive Great Railway Journeys of The World Coast to Coast 1981 · Educational · 31 min · Subtitles Great Railway Journeys of The World Coast to Coast Reel 1 Writer Ludovic Kennedy reflects on the future of railways in North America at a time when passenger… Internet Archive Mythology of Greece and Rome 1969 · Educational · 15 min · Subtitles Examines the myths of Ancient Greece and Rome as stories about gods and man invented in an attempt to explain natural phenomena and man's behavior. Includes… Internet Archive Classic Dope 5 1994 · Film · Subtitles August 1994. Rolling Stones, Love Is Strong. Woodstock ’94 rave. Crime bill voted down, Repubs want harsher shit. Kristi Yamaguchi wins ice dance. Aerosmith… Internet Archive Civil rights movement: the North 1966 · Educational · 23 min · Subtitles Adapted from the NBC News presentation entitled The American revolution of 1963 With teacher's guide Summary Depicts the tense ./iasphere of race relations in… Internet Archive Hellen Keller in her story 1956 · Educational · 28 min · Subtitles From Case: F- 50810 C -1 From WorldCat: Helen Keller plays herself as this film traces her career from birth to age seventy-six, showing in detail how the… Internet Archive Watercolor 1967 · Educational · 13 min · Subtitles With teacher's guide Illustrates the unique characteristics of watercolor as a painting medium and the many ways in which it may be used from simple pan… Internet Archive DOPE 084 1988 · Film · Subtitles Koppel Report 13 Sept 88 "National Town Meeting on Legalization of Drugs" Jesse Jackson, William Buckley, Koop. Ch. 7 local report on legalization phone poll… Internet Archive Drive In intermission 13 Short · 5 min All the popcorn and candy at the snack bar. Complete intermission film. Suggestion: insert clip between two movies when making a double feature dvd. Internet Archive French Village 1979 · Educational French title: Le Village--un village French conversations without subtitles or narration Presents a brief overview of various French lifestyles in both the… Internet Archive Theories on the origin of life 1969 · Educational · 13 min · Subtitles Author, Cyril Ponnamperuma Discusses four theories which explain the origin of life Search Educational Film Journals at Media History Project for references… Internet Archive The Redwoods. 1967 · Educational · 20 min · Subtitles Surveys the future of a vanishing forest of Sequoia Sempervirens, a link to the age of the dinosaurs, a testament to nature's awesome power to create, and of… Internet Archive Roots: 6 -- The Choice 1977 · Educational At Bell's persuasion, Toby becomes Dr. Reynold's driver. Grateful for all she has done for him, Kunta is drawn to Bell and marries her. A meeting with an… Internet Archive Nobody's victim 1972 · Educational · 20 min · Subtitles With teacher's guide Shows women how to cope with physical assault. Warns against dangerous situations, such as walking alone at night and driving alone, and… Internet Archive The Long Search: 3 -- Buddhism: Footprint of the Buddha 1977 · Educational · 28 min · Subtitles The Long Search: 3 -- Buddhism: Footprint of the Buddha, Reel 1 Reel 2 available here A look at how Buddhism is practiced in Sri Lanka and India. A religion… Internet Archive The Search for Ulysses 1966 · Educational · 51 min · Subtitles The Search for Ulysses Search Educational Film Journals at Media History Project for references to this film SummaryBritish sailor and scholar Ernle Bradford… Internet Archive Cracked Up (Closed Captions) 1987 · Film · Subtitles "Seventeen-year-old track star, John Owens, has never used any drug stronger than pot, until he meets an older woman who introduces him to crack cocaine. He… Internet Archive How To Be A Ballerina 1995 · Film "...this fun and informative video demonstrates some simple but beautiful ballet movements that you can learn at home..." Internet Archive Project Mercury Freedom 7 Film Documents the first American manned space mission. Covers the training, preparation, launching, and recovery of astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr. for the first… Internet Archive America:5 -- Gone West 1972 · Educational · 53 min · Subtitles America:5 Gone West Search Educational Film Journals at Media History Project for references to this film Summary Presents Alistair./ia metadaexplains the… Internet Archive The Rise and fall of the Great Lakes. 1970 · Educational · 17 min · Subtitles With teacher's guide Also issued as videocassette Producer, Joseph Koenig; director, script writer, and photographer, William Mason; scientific advisor,… Internet Archive Case of the Bermuda Triangle 1977 · Educational · 52 min Also issued as videocassette Producer, Graham Massey Investigates the various myths, stories, and theories that describe and attempt to explain the… Internet Archive This year, next year, sometime 1962 · Educational · 17 min · Subtitles "Made with the cooperation of the Marlborough Day Hospital, St. John's Wood, London." Date is production date Summary Describes the work of Dr Joshua Bierer,… Internet Archive Predators Of The WIld: Hunters & The Hunted 1992 · Film · Subtitles "See the predators, their most lethal tactics and their last resorts when desperation sets in" -- description from box. Internet Archive Nuclear Theory and Energy 1985 · Educational · 24 min · Subtitles Describes atomic nucleus reactions which release energy and thereby change the structure of matter itself. Tells how the radioactivity, nuclear fission, and… Internet Archive " GIRL TO WOMAN " 1975 HUMAN GROWTH, PUBERTY & ADOLESCENCE SOCIAL GUIDANCE FILM XD7770 Film “Girl to WOMAN, revised” (1975) is an education film detailing the changes young women and their bodies go through during puberty. A Churchill Film, this… Internet Archive Why Doesn't Cathy Eat Breakfast? 1972 · Short · 4 min This film shows us possible reasons that Cathy might not be eating breakfast every morning, but ultimately asks that we, the audience, "stop the projector and… Internet Archive The Story of menstruation. Motion picture 1946 · Educational · 10 min · Subtitles Through animated drawings and diagrams explains the physiology of menstruation, suggests methods of care and hygiene, and encourages a healthy attitude toward… Internet Archive Angkor, the lost city 1961 · Educational · 12 min · Subtitles Commentator, Noel Stone Art director, Pierre L'Amare ; photographers, Don Wilder, Roger Moride, Roy Nolan Internet Archive Robotics: The Future Is Now! 1984 · Educational Title from data sheet William Shatner High school through adults Introduces viewers to the amazing world of robotics. Focuses on the industrial robot,… Internet Archive MYSTERY Drug Refs 1994 · Film · Subtitles MYSTERY: MAIGRET & THE NIGHT CLUB DANCER 11-17-94, (morphine addicted countess), with Poirot, “Affair at the Victory Ball,” (cocaine, Coco)“The Chocolate Box”… Internet Archive Discovering texture 1979 · Educational · 17 min · Subtitles With study guide Explains that every surface has texture and that an object may have several textures. Points out that we learn about textures by touching the… Internet Archive AIDS 87 OCT Intimate Contact 1987 · Film · Subtitles AIDS, Intimate Contact, Designing Women. See scans of liner notes for detailed content. Internet Archive The Day the Universe Changed: 4 Printing Transforms Knowledge 1985 · Educational · 53 min VHS Written and presented by James Burke; produced by the BBC and RKO Pictures Observes that the invention of printing and the advent of cheap paper forever… Internet Archive Karl Marx: The Spectre of Marxism 1983 · Educational · 24 min · Subtitles Karl Marx: The Spectre of Marxism Reel 2 Reel 1 available here Critical reappraisal of Marxist doctrine in theory and practice in the last one hundred years.… Internet Archive Classic Dope 13 1995 · Film · Subtitles August 1995. HempTeeV (1994) “Hemp for Victory” intercut with stoned dudes, Chrissie Hind, Hemp Faire GG Park. Simple minds hypnotized in opium den. Tom Petty… Internet Archive DOPE 153 1990 · Film · Subtitles Computer Drug Tests, Electric Forum War on Drugs, AIDS tripling, Michael Bell. See scans of liner notes for detailed content. Internet Archive 220 Blues 1970 · Educational · 16 min · Subtitles Questions the value of integration in a system that is run by whites. Tells the story of Sonny, a Black high school athlete who is looking forward to an… Internet Archive Solar radiation 2: The earth's atmosphere. 1968 · Educational · 20 min · Subtitles Describes the spectral distribution of incoming solar radiation, the outgoing infrared terrestrial radiation, and the interactions of these two types of… Internet Archive Flight of Apollo 7 Short · 14 min Shows the first manned mission in the U.S. Apollo manned lunar landing program. Shows three astronauts living and working aboard the Apollo command module… Internet Archive Japanese Internment 1942 · Film scenes of Japanese-Americans being shipped out of the Fillmore on their way to "internment". Internet Archive Harry Hay on Language and Labels in the 1930s Short · 6 min Another clip from the 1996 video interview with Mattachine Society founder Harry Hay in which he describes the absence of language to describes gays in the… Internet Archive What's Under Your Hood? (2nd) 1973 · Film Uses model engine, animation and simple narration to answer questions about the major automobile parts and how and why they do function. This film can be… Internet Archive Down and Out 1971 · Film While attempting to show us the common hazards which cause workers to lose their balance, this film has more slapstick than most Three Stooges shorts - the… Internet Archive Curious George 1982 · Educational The Man in the Yellow Hat catches little money George in the jungle and brings him back to Civilization, where his inquisitive nature constantly gets him into… Internet Archive Vincent Van Gogh: A Self Portrait 1968 · Educational · 44 min · Subtitles An intensive exploration into the life and works of Vincent van Gogh. Introduces details from his personnel correspondence and shows many of his paintings and…