Friday, August 17, 2018

Memory of Road Trip - 1952


I found a reel containing 275-feet of developed 8-mm film at a thrift store in Phoenix.  Pencil markings on the film canister said: Phoenix 1952.   Curious to know what I would find on the reel, I sent it off to a lab to get it digitally scanned.  

What was eventually revealed was an (unknown) family's road trip to Phoenix, Arizona in 1952.  The beginning of the film provides a clue that it was winter; based on 'slush' I observed along the side of the road somewhere in Louisiana. Thus this trip was a winter family vacation to the sunshine state of Arizona.  

The film runs 27-minutes; starting with images from Louisiana, then shots from
Texas via the Alamo, continuing west with a good portion of the images taken at the Coolidge Dam (Arizona).  The family finally ends up in Phoenix.  


A woman relaxes, as Camelback Mountain looms in the background
(1952 - Phoenix, Arizona)

So what to do with film of unknown origin(?)  I will eventually post this film online as a public resource for historical reflection and artistic re-purposing, by those finding interest. 

I will examine the film closely to see what part of the film can be used as an 'element' in any of my current or future film projects.

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