Prelinger Archives
4,177–4,224 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 Ones | Films for young children by name: nursery rhymes, lullabies, preschool. |
|---|---|
| Kids | Cartoons and animation, children's and family films, and educational films, unless they deal with war, propaganda, crime, horror or drugs, or carry racial caricature. |
| Tweens | Documentaries, science, nature and space, classic comedies, newsreels, commercials and lectures. |
| Teens | Everything else, including anything we cannot tell about; war, crime, horror and westerns go no lower. |
| Adult | Sexual themes (such as the old "sex hygiene" films), gore, surgery, slaughter, atrocity footage. |
Internet Archive
[Gould can 5517]
California Governor James Rolph and friends, photographed in Trinity County, California.
Internet Archive
Fur-Lined Foxhole
Skeletal Entry Title card: "Metropolis: Creator or Destroyer?" Suburbs
Internet Archive
Life Is a Lark at Willow Grove Park
Internet Archive
Lost Landscapes of San Francisco 7
Lost Landscapes of San Francisco 7
Internet Archive
The Experimental Psychology of Vision
Educational film demonstrating phenomena of human vision relating to motion pictures and the perception of movement, light and dark, and optical illusions.…
Internet Archive
American Choice Outtakes, Reel 4
Outtakes from an unfinished film, American Choice. Depicts flowers and flowering trees. Jam Handy Production No. M5473
Internet Archive
Home Movie: 97479: St. Louis Area Family, Reel 11
Viewing notes state: home by river / boats funeral flowers (”Father / Husband”) girls wrestle pheasant farm swimsuits two film shooters picnic wagon ride /…
Internet Archive
Industry on Parade: Serving Those Who Served, Salvaged Skills
0563 PA8200 Industry on Parade: Serving Those Who Served, Salvaged Skills. About vocational rehabilitation programs for disabled veterans and workers. It…
Internet Archive
[News Magazine of the Screen, April]
United Nations forces at 38th parallel in Korea, and many other stories.
Internet Archive
Peoples Collection: Activism 1963-67
Scenes of protests against repression of Buddhists in South Vietnam, for civil rights, and from the Sheraton-Palace Hotel civil rights demonstrations,…
Internet Archive
Clean Waters
Many great stock shots on water pollution and wastewater treatment.
Internet Archive
Her Boy Friend
Silent film comedy. Content warning: This film opens with an intertitle that contains an offensive and outdated expression derived from a racial slur for Roma…
Internet Archive
Visit to Wurlitzer, A
Internet Archive
Winning Against Odds
0586 PA8230 Winning Against Odds
Internet Archive
Father Nile (Egypt)
Good shots of Egyptian pyramids. The Nile River.
Internet Archive
Home Movie: 97484: St. Louis Area Family, Reel 16
Screening notes state: mom’s birthday wedding baby party / anniversary ? new baby gets a bath Easter Egg hunt JARTS (lawn darts) baby on swing more JARTS baby
Internet Archive
Soundie - Stardust
male vocalist unknown. Written By: Mitchell Parish, Hoagy Carmichael
Internet Archive
[Gould can 5483.7: Kinograms Newsreel]
Easter at the White House / 38,000 children attend egg rolling on the lawn / Mrs. Coolidge
Internet Archive
Fallout: When and How to Protect Yourself Against It
Internet Archive
Harpers Bazaar Talks Fashion
Internet Archive
Exploring With the Time Lapse Camera
Skeletal Entry
Internet Archive
Spain in Revolt (R3)
Newsreel compilation on Spanish Civil War.
Internet Archive
[Television Public Service Announcements and Program Promos]
Skeletal entry tv spots in order: - National Safety Council: Winter Driving Safety tips with Julie Bishop (4 spots) - Women's Army Corps - National Guard (2…
Internet Archive
American Choice (Outtakes, Reel 5)
Outtakes from an unfinished film, American Choice. Depicts flowering plants in a large formal garden, including close-ups of flowers. An African American…
Internet Archive
[Griffith Park Relief Workers Demonstration]
Demonstration in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California. Film title indicates: "against city and city officials which caused murder of 100 relief workers in…
Internet Archive
[Home Movies: Ivan Besse collection: Britton, South Dakota 1938-39] (Reel 1)
Internet Archive
How to Make a Telephone Call
Internet Archive
High School Rising (Outtakes, Can 1)
Outtakes from film produced by Camera News, Inc. (aka Newsreel) under the working titie "High School Prison," which likely became, in its release version,…
Internet Archive
Paratroops
Internet Archive
25th Annual Youth Safety Run
Internet Archive
[Coca-Cola, Fanta, Simba & Santiba Commercials]
Internet Archive
Break and Enter
Made by the Newsreel collective in New York City, this film shows "Operation Move-in," in which Puerto Rican and Dominican families actively reclaimed unused,…
Internet Archive
[Pathe Newsreel: Berkeley Fire, 1923]
Berkeley fire of September 17, 1923. Scenes of smoldering homes, smoke and destruction caused by fire.
Internet Archive
How To Take A Test
Summarizes techniques of preparing for and taking examinations.
Internet Archive
Star Gazing
MAN'S SEARCH INTO WONDERS OF UNIVERSE INCLUDING HIGHLIGHTS OF GALILEO'S CAREER.
Internet Archive
Unfinished Rainbows
The film discusses the evolution and significance of aluminum in various industries, highlighting its advantages over other metals, particularly copper. It…
Internet Archive
Pony Farm, The
Internet Archive
Little Forest Ranger
Little Boy plays forest ranger and takes care of sister while parents go away - saves sister from fire
Internet Archive
American Engineer (Letterboxed Anamorphic Version)
This is the letterboxed anamorphic version of the film.
Internet Archive
Golden Opportunity
Skeletal Entry
Internet Archive
[Gould can 5483.7: Kinograms Newsreel]
Easter at the White House / 38,000 children attend egg rolling on the lawn / Mrs. Coolidge
Internet Archive
Government Workers
Part of the "Americans at Work Series."
Internet Archive
Westinghouse Total Electric Home (Long version)
Internet Archive
Fortune in Two Old Trunks, A
Internet Archive
Home Movie: 97500: Travels in Southwest and California
Can marked: Summer 46 #2 Thomas wedding Family in Okla City In country meal Lawton Seattle California Arizona Fort Lawton Ft. Worth Botanical garden
Internet Archive
Desert Empire
Internet Archive
Key to Our Horizons
Explains the importance of the automobile to all sectors of American life and economy. Includes animation of a stream of cars reaching around the moon and…
Internet Archive
William Tell
One-reeler silent drama based on the play by Schiller, with English intertitles. Release date is uncertain. Can notes: "No. 15688 / Drama / 1 Reels / Reel No.…