Alamo Theatre Facade Before & After,
NHF Photo
Thanks to the generous support of friends, members, a $20,000 gift from the Davis Family Foundation, and a Maine Community Enterprise grant awarded by the Town of Bucksport, Northeast Historic Film was able to complete the renovation of the Alamo Theatre's facade in December. Personalized bricks purchased by donors to the project will soon be installed around the Theatre's Main Street entrance.
Click on the image above to see a larger image of the new brickwork.
August 11, 2-6 pm
Maine Historical Society
489 Congress Street
Portland, Maine
Home Movie Day, a worldwide celebration of amateur film, marks its fifth anniversary on August 11. Each year, more international cities participate in the event, and for the third year, Northeast Historic Film will present Home Movie Day in collaboration with the Maine Historical Society in Portland. Home Movie Day shows how personal and family films offer a unique view of decades past, and are an essential part of cultural history. A number of amateur films have been selected by the Library of Congress National Film Registry, including the most famous home movie ever made, Abraham Zapruder's document of the JFK assassination.
Less dramatically, amateur moviemakers capture a unique view of a particular time and place -- something as simple and bittersweet as how a downtown street may have changed over the decades. Home Movie Day aspires to get these films out of the closet and transcend their insular reputation, and show how much fun they really can be. This is an opportunity for the public, who may have home movies they haven't seen in the last 20 to 80 years, to bring them to this informal screening, where Northeast Historic Film's staff will help assess their condition, give tips on long-term film care, and even project a reel or two for all to enjoy. The event at the Maine Historical Society will be equipped to handle 8mm, Super-8 and 16mm film and the open screening will maintain a rotation that's fair to all participants. Admission is free, and folks can drop in with or without films any time during the afternoon.
For additional information, visit www.homemovieday.com
Northeast Historic Film has been awarded an $8,460 cash grant by the National Film Preservation Foundation to preserve the 1946 agricultural title, Trail to Better Dairying. The film, from NHF's Hancock County Extension Collection, chronicles 4-H Clubbers in action, with tips on dairy cow care and views of downtown Ellsworth and the Blue Hill Fair. What makes the project such an intriguing preservation challenge is the accompanying soundtrack on five 78rpm lacquer discs. After much consideration on the most appropriate method, it was decided to be true to the original reversal film elements, producing a silent 16mm internegative and answer print. The audio restoration will be conducted independently, with new video masters and access copies containing both the picture and sound in synchronization.