Looking for nuggets on archive.org

m_dejean

There's a lot of interesting stuff to be found there if you've got the patience. I know a lot of y'all already know all about it, but for all the people whose radar it slipped under, here are a few of the things that a random movie search might bring forth:---ALL TOGETHEREarly 70s US Navy recruiting film narrated by the late Lou Rawls, directed at young black people tired of their limited prospects. Goddamn, Lou had a great voice! The funky music is by Port Authority ??? the US Navy???s Soul Band.---RHYTHM & BLUES REVIEWAnother copy. Smaller size, but apparently with better audio and syncMusical variety show filmed at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem in 1955, featuring Willie Bryant, Freddie Robinson, Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, Faye Adams, Bill Bailey, Herb Jeffries, Amos Milburn, Sarah Vaughan, Nipsey Russell, Big Joe Turner, Martha Davis, Little Buck, Nat 'King' Cole, Mantan Moreland, Cab Calloway and Ruth Brown---COMMAND PERFORMANCEShows the process of pressing shellac 78s at the Camden plant for RCA Victor in 1942. An interesting look into the technicalities of wax manufacturing back in the days.---STOP DRIVING US CRAZYChristian animated short from 1955 about the virtues of safe driving set to music by Benny Golson with Art Blakey & His Jazz Messengers!! A martian named Rusty comes down to earth and discovers the earthlings poor driving skills. ---MURDER ON LENOX AVE Soapish drama set in Harlem, but blues legend Mamie Smith makes it worth watching. Just wish she would have done more singing.---CAN I GET AN AMENAn 'audio installation' tracing the history of the classic break "Amen Brother" by The Winstons from it's original context to it's huge importance as a ubiquitous sample in hiphop and drum'n'bass. Somewhat dry, and it might has well been strictly audio, since the visual side is just the camera filming a record being played. The-Breaks goes academic. ---REEFER MADNESSThe well-known 1938 movie about the evils of marijuana.---I even stumbled across Mr. Otis Funkmeyer and his band featuring Leslie Rochelle playing "Express Yourself" live at the Baggott Inn last year.

Danno3000

Thanks for the post. Tomorrow I join the navy, but only if they'll let me grow an afro. I could listen to Rawls read the phonebook and find it captivating.

m_dejean

"Listen to me, man - I'm Lou Rawls"

You gotta love how Lou makes the US Navy sound hip and happening.