This film is part of Free

Scientific Tit-bits

Pioneer filmmaker Percy Smith makes an appearance in this fragmentary compilation of scientific experiments

1917 5 mins Silent

Overview

During WWI filmmakers were obliged to repurpose existing films to make up for the shortage of new material for the cinemas, and Charles Urban's Kineto brand recycled his education subjects repeatedly. This scrappy reel includes, among several other items, a clip from The Nation's Food, a documentary on the overseas origins of Britain's food, and a glimpse of pioneer filmmaker Percy Smith examining a tear drop under the microscope. The nitrate decomposition which has affected the film stock even adds to the mystique.