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#103115 05/12/03 12:22 AM
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sorry for this non-word post, but I've been trying to find something for quite some time, and I thought maybe someone here might be able to help.
as a child in the late 60's and early 70's in the US, we were shown documentary films about various scientific topics and large-scale building projects such as the Hoover Dam. these were on 16mm film and the general memories I have of these films are so strong, that I'd like to see if they are available on video or DVD. I seem to remember them being produced by Bell Laboratories, or some such company, though it may have been NBC, or another network. The Hoover Dam show had a theme song that sang "They Said It Couldn't Be Done" with a stirring melody.

anyway, I've searched with every keyword and phrase I can think of, and only come across one reference to a Hoover Dam video, with no indication to the producers, etc.

does anyone else remember these films?

feeling a bit sentimental...





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#103116 05/12/03 01:55 AM
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Dear etaoin: how well I remember "The Plow That Broke The Plains" and some of the other documentaries, made I think by the WPA or some similar governmental agency. I wouldn't be surprised if they were preserved somehow, they were so very educational.


#103117 05/12/03 01:56 AM
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Well, Sweetheart, here's one listing, though it is a 1936 edition; I'm thinking it isn't likely to be the one you mean, but it's the first one I've come to that wasn't the 1999 one.
http://www.hoover.archives.gov/giftshop/Booksvideos/books-videos.htm

Hmm--here's one, same year, but says it's 35 min., where the above one said 20.
http://www.facets.org/movies/6690

There's a guy who has a column that appears in our Saturday paper: The Incredible Inman, I think is the name of the column. If you have him, or someone like him, in your paper, I suggest you write and ask. This guy can come up with the right movie when people write little more than, "I remember that I saw this movie in about 1955; there was a lady, dark-haired or maybe blonde, who did something with some man". I'll bet he could find your documentary!


#103118 05/12/03 02:02 AM
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Dear etaoin: I searched for "documentary film the plow that broke the plains, and got a number of URLs about that one film. If you search using same words, you should find out how to locate the film you want.
http://newdeal.feri.org/nchs/lesson01.htm


#103119 05/12/03 08:52 AM
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You also might go through your state library. Anything they have in their archives that isn't in a restricted collection you'd be able to get through your school library with inter-library loan.


#103120 05/12/03 09:18 AM
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thanks for the great ideas, Bill, Jackie and WW! now I can't wait for after school. and I'll check with my school librarian and she what she can dig up...





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#103121 05/12/03 01:04 PM
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now I can't wait for after school.

Isn't really nice to see a teacher who has something in common with his pupils?


#103122 05/12/03 06:35 PM
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I'm just guessing, but you might try the Smithsonian, too, in case any of the other ideas don't work out.



What sane person could live in this world and not be crazy? -Ursula K. Le Guin, author (1929- )
#103123 05/12/03 07:25 PM
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woody guthry, and other artist were hired by the WPA to write work song about the WPA projects.. (Woody wrote 'Roll on Columbia', among others for the grand culee dam on the columbia river- (washington/oregon) )

as Woody traveled across america (which he had done before, since he was born in oklahoma when it was still indian territory, not a state, but his first wife and family (not arlo,) lived in NYC (where he came to live again, and eventually died) he couldn't help be impressed by this country.

He had originally penned "this land is your land, this land is my land" as a socilist/communist complaint song.. (he was inspired by and particulary ired by "god bless america" which was a pop hit in the 1930's, and very sappy) but he couldn't keep it up.. and he changed the verses, to the beautiful song most american know today. some of the late verses (there are about 30 verses to the song, it is rare to see them all published) do retain a socialist theme.

i don't know the song, but it wouldn't surprize me if it was a one commissioned by the WPA for the dam. I don't know if woody guthry wrote songs for the hover dam.
(but he was very pleased about the work on grand culee, and thought it was very smart of the government to pay artist like himself to commemorate great acheavements with songs.)



#103124 05/12/03 07:44 PM
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good thought, van, thanks.

Helen, I used to sing "Roll on Columbia" with my elementary students, and a few other Guthrie songs; it hadn't occured to me that the theme song of this documentary might be an actual song, rather than just being penned for the film. I'll check in to that.
we just sang "This Land is Your Land" for an Arbor Day ceremony, and I had to stop myself from printing out the 7 or 8 verses I had access to... we sang the first three, which are wonderful, and I didn't get in trouble...


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