Prelinger Archives

1,921–1,968 of 10,346 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 1936 Pittsburgh Flood (Part II) 1936 · Short · 2 min · Subtitles Footage of the Pittsburgh flood of 1936. Internet Archive Transportation (Bus, Truck, Taxi) 1946 · Film · Subtitles SURVEYS BUS, TRUCK & TAXI METHODS OF TRANSPORTATION. DESCRIBES EXECUTIVE & SUPERVISORY POSITIONS, DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, OPPORTUNITIES & ABILITY TO DEAL… Internet Archive American Cowboy (Part II) 1950 · Film · Subtitles Visits the Roberson Hereford Ranch in Gunnison, Colorado. Includes scenes of a rodeo, the drive to summer pastures and winter feeding in raging blizzards. Internet Archive Health: Your Cleanliness 1953 · Film · Subtitles IMPORTANCE OF CLEANLINESS IN FIELDS OF SCIENCE & MEDICINE AS PROTECTION AGAINST DISEASE. WASHING HANDS, BATHING, SHOWERS, BRUSHING TEETH & HAIR, CARE OF SKIN,… Internet Archive Boats 1938 · Short · 10 min · Subtitles Trip down the Hudson River from Albany to New York City. Internet Archive Chevrolet Leader News (Vol. 3, No. 2) 1937 · Film · Subtitles FISHERMAN GOES OVERBOARD, WRESTLES DEEP-SEA GIANT. Two fishermen on fishing boat spot their prey and clean their harpoon. Man dives in and wrestles with huge… Internet Archive Arabian Nights Jubilee 1961 · Film · Subtitles Some good shots to be logged.Title: "Tupperabia 1961..."Documents Tupperware's annual sales convention: Arabian Nights Jubilee. Bess Meyerson speaks. closeups… Internet Archive Panama by Air (Reel 4) 1914 · Short · 11 min · Subtitles Part of a six-reel film on the construction of the Panama Canal. Internet Archive Gambler's Choice, A 1909 · Film · Subtitles 1909 nickelodeon drama. This is an old Gaumont film about William Sheep, Gambler. Chess pieces move around the board autonomously in a dream sequence. Internet Archive Screen Writer, The 1951 · Film · Subtitles DEPICTS IMPORTANCE OF SCREEN WRITER TO SUCCESS OF MOTION PICTURE. Zero = first title Includes many clips from feature films that must be cleared separately.… Internet Archive Plastics 1944 · Short · 15 min · Subtitles Surveys the growth of the plastic industry, stressing the new materials developed during World War II. Shows the manufacture and fabrication of articles from… Internet Archive Home Movie: 10974: Henry Charles Collection (Prelinger Collection) 1946 · Home movie To come. Internet Archive Study of Negro Artists, A 1936 · Film · Subtitles Reel 1: Black artist painting on easel at Fulton Ferry, near Brooklyn Bridge closeups of hands performing motions related to day jobs visual profiles of:… Internet Archive Study of Negro Artists, A 1936 · Film · Subtitles Reel 1:Black artist painting on easel at Fulton Ferry, near Brooklyn Bridge closeups of hands performing motions related to day jobs visual profiles… Internet Archive Network Broadcasting 1934 · Film · Subtitles Contents. How telephone transmission lines are used to convey network programs to radio stations located in various sections of the country. Opening scenes… Internet Archive Outsider, The 1951 · Short · 11 min · Subtitles The tale of "Susan Jane," the perennial outcast. Internet Archive Lucky Strike Cigarette Commercial: Square Dance 1948 · Commercial · Subtitles Lucky Strike cigarette commercial with stop-motion animation of square-dancing cigarettes. Internet Archive Alchemist in Hollywood, The 1940 · Film · Subtitles "This film was designed to show the chemical end of the motion picture industry. The commentator, with the aid of diagrams, explains the photographic process.… Internet Archive Dingbat Story, The 2026 · Film · Subtitles 21:49:24:27 American flag waving in the wind with text “The Dingbat Story” superimposed over shot. 21:47:53:09 Young men all wearing dark suits with white… Internet Archive Water Boy 1936 · Film · Subtitles " A DRAMATIZATION OF THE COOLING SYSTEM OF THE AUTOMOBILE, SHOWING HOW THE WATER CIRCULATES AROUND THE CYLINDERS, COOLING THEM AND IN TURN BEING COOLED BY THE… Internet Archive Chevrolet Advertising Rings the Bell 1950 · Film · Subtitles 11:22:13:21 VS Hand cut out of cardboard rips through newspaper and rings doorbell Door opens, there stands sticklike figure with SATURDAY EVENING POST cover… Internet Archive Triumph of America 1933 · Film · Subtitles 1933 Chevrolet assembly lines, trees being sawed for lumber production, etc. etc. All kinds of footage of products used to create the Chevrolet car.… Internet Archive What Is a Corporation? 1949 · Film · Subtitles DISCUSSES PRINCIPAL FORMS OF BUSINESS OWNERSHIP: SINGLE PROPRIETORSHIP, PARTNERSHIP & CORPORATION, AND EXPLAINS ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF EACH. Takes a… Internet Archive Builders Of The Broad Highway 1 Film · Subtitles Frith Films presents, Builders Of The Broad Highway, Part 1. Produced and Photographed by Emily Benton Firth, Commentator Don McNamara. Internet Archive Emergency School Bus Evacuation 1976 · Film · Subtitles Teaches youngsters basic understanding of all procedures for evacuating a school bus under emergency conditions. Shot in Carlsbad, California, there are some… Internet Archive Apples: From Seedling to Market 1950 · Film · Subtitles This film shows the activities at an apple orchard in the Pacific Northwest. Although the orchard specializes in Delicious apples, a man is shown planting… Internet Archive Soundie - Lamp Of Memory 1944 · Film · Subtitles directed by Reginald LeBorg, stars Yvonne DeCarlo Internet Archive You're Growing Up 1955 · Film · Subtitles Deals with some of the complicated physical and emotional processes of growing up. Four major periods of physical growth are considered: birth to age three,… Internet Archive #Bfl O {ggGX = STwWcfl x 2s4 (Calvin Workshop) 1963 · Film · Subtitles 01:21:22 Scenes of monkey using typewriter VO: "The laws of probability plus chance indicate that if an infinite number of monkeys are given typewriters and… Internet Archive Nursing 1942 · Short · 10 min · Subtitles Careers for women and men. Internet Archive Automotive Service 1940 · Film · Subtitles Contents. Impressions of the different jobs in automotive service and suggestions on training leading to entrance and to advancement in the trade. Views of an… Internet Archive Frank and His Dog 1952 · Short · 5 min · Subtitles Tells the story of how Penny, Frank's dog, feels neglected when his master is too busy to play with him. Penny chases a cat up a tree, but Frank forgives him… Internet Archive Profile: Jamison Handy (Part I) 1961 · Short · 21 min · Subtitles Interview with Jam Handy (1886-1983), pioneer producer of sponsored and industrial films. The program, hosted by WWJ-TV host Bob Leslie, has low sound level… Internet Archive Animals in the Service of Man (Part II) Short · 11 min · Subtitles Presented by American Humane Assocation, produced by United Specialists, Inc., narrated by Lowell Thomas. 0645 PA8768 Animals in the Service of Man Internet Archive Why Study Home Economics? 1955 · Film · Subtitles Presents two teen-age girls as they learn how a knowledge of homemaking can contribute to the enrichment of life. They also learn about the vocational… Internet Archive Close Call, A 1914 · Film · Subtitles Some good shots to be logged. Young boy and girl exploring outdoors, near coast (Santa Monica?) Little girl falls down cliff Internet Archive Duck Farming 1920 · Film · Subtitles "A Tendor Milk-fed Duck, done to a turn", feather pluckers (funny!), 34 pounds of feed will raise a duck of 5 pounds dressed! ducks to the right of me, ducks… Internet Archive Communications Primer, A Short · 21 min · Subtitles PA9049 Communications Primer, A 16 Eastmancolor print Internet Archive Preventing the Spread of Disease 1940 · Film · Subtitles Shows how communities can prevent the spread of disease by providing safe water and milk supplies, sewage disposal facilities and anti-fly measures. Shows how… Internet Archive You and Your Family 1946 · Film · Subtitles When Mary's family refuses to let her go out on a date, what should she do? What happens when family members shirk their chores? How can Bill and his father… Internet Archive Overs and Outs 1964 · Short · 10 min · Subtitles Industrial film bloopers. Internet Archive Industry on Parade (Can 3a) 1950 · Film · Subtitles Many stock shots to be logged. Contains a number of episodes of Industry on Parade spliced together. Mining diatomite (celite) at Johns-Manville Corporation.… Internet Archive [Television Commercials Not Made By Me] Commercial · Subtitles [The following titles and shotlists may be elsewhere on PA-0649; this description may therefore need revision after viewing.] Tape 0649 [New Film] [Untitled]… Internet Archive Nothing to Argue About 1953 · Film · Subtitles Promoting the Raytheon television set. Salesman pays sales call on skeptical family and convinces each member in turn. Discussion of tuning, UHF, and picture… Internet Archive About Faces 1941 · Short · 10 min · Subtitles State of the American people's teeth during the Great Depression. Internet Archive Xerox 2400: What's the Difference? 1967 · Film · Subtitles The film showcases the efficiency of the Xerox 2400 duplicator, which can produce 40 copies of a one-page document in minutes compared to the lengthy… Internet Archive Study of Negro Artists, A 1936 · Film · Subtitles Reel 1: Black artist painting on easel at Fulton Ferry, near Brooklyn Bridge closeups of hands performing motions related to day jobs visual profiles of:… Internet Archive Movie About Movies, A 1960 · Film · Subtitles Produced by an industrial and commercial film producer in Hellam, Pennsylvania (near York). Shows many aspects of film production, postproduction, shooting,…