vilenciaproductions

"With Their Eyes On The Stars" 1964 Warner Brothers / Vitaphone Prod #3193-A Technicolor Prod #9084 Music and Lyrics Composed and Supervised by John Stewart of The Kingston Trio Sung by The Ridgerunners (Through the courtesy of Quiet Fight Inc.) Music Coordinator Michael Stewart Produced by Cedric Francis Directed by Cal Reed Edited by Tom Downing Technical Assistance by North American Aviation Space and Information System Division This 22 minute Technicolor short film had it's premiere in Downey California January 21, 1964 at the Meralta Theatre John Stewart was at the premiere.

This is such a wonderful excellent patriotic look at the history of the early settlers of America, set to folk music which was popular at that time. The first 11 minutes makes full use of colorful scenes of Americas past showing live action footage using landmarks and the music befitting on what is being shown on the screen. At one point John Glenn is seen walking on a beach at night looking up at the moon! The scene and music fade out, and then fade back in, to the Aerospace part of the film, shot at North American Aviation, Downey plant. Which takes us from blast off to touch down. The Ridgerunners, who perform the music later became "We Five" with their hit "You Were On My Mind" email from his son just today. (June 14, 2022) I had sent Jerry and email telling him that I projected a 16mm print of "With Their Eyes On The Stars" and I was thinking of him. Some other playing on this marvelous folk festival are John Phillips, and Scott McKenzie. My friend and former boss Paul Surratt loved John Stewart and of course wanted to know everything about it. Paul had the soundtrack outtakes to the music which were in John Stewart's personal collection. I first saw this remarkable short film in about 1978. I acquired my first 16mm IB-TECHNICOLOR print of "With Their Eyes On The Stars" and I have loved this little picture ever since. Obviously this was made to promote the space program and getting man to the moon. I know you could upon this reel as propaganda which I am sure it is. But I still love it, I enjoy the music and the footage. They don't know how to make a short film like this anymore! I love all of the travelogues from this time period, they are fun to watch. It makes me want to go back in time! The copy on YouTube looks like crap! Warner Brothers should put a DVD out on the best of these short films.

Bought a clean original 16mm print of this flick from an antique store back east! I enjoyed projecting the picture and I made DVD copies for friends! I am not sure who owns the rights to this film, but I recall it's still under copyright! It's interesting plot because of the use of musical notes translated into code, then into text messages! The counter spy on the ship plays his harmonica into a hidden microphone and the signals are recorded onto an acetate record many miles away and then decoded. It's also a look-a-like identity which the lead character must assimilate another mans identity including becoming left handed! It's a low budget late 40's crime film noir which takes place on the open seas! It's only about one hour long! But that's good! See it on FILM if you can!

When this film was released to the public, the movie theaters were using carbon arc lamps of copper rods the light was very strong and bright and the nitrate film prints looked amazing! Almost 3-D! 35mm films projected in this was had so many advantages that even today with all of our digital technologies - nothing can compare. So when 16mm prints of this film were made, and since the film was shot in dark images, they look very dark and the lamp in a 16mm projector can't accommodate these very dark scenes like the arc lamps. Still worse showings on TV and video and DVD the film in the dark scenes look even worse! We projected an old 16mm print made in 1948, and the print suffered from "Arc Burn" or "Sun Burn" which causes an effect that looks like each frame of film was embossed! No effect on the screen and the print held focus perfectly. This means that the 16mm print we bought was used on a 16mm projector equipped with an arc lamp. Most likely the Navy or Army used this old exchange print. Sadly who knows if 35mm nitrate cut negative still exists? But I give it ten stars just for Eva Gabor, since my old boss and dear friend Richard L. Bare directed her in the Green Acres TV series. This was Eva's seventh screen credit! She was so young! And of course Lenore Aubert, who doesn't love a sexy woman holding a sword! Tan ta ra, cries Mars on bloody rapier! See it on a film print if you can!