Walter Futter’s Curiosities (silent, 1930)

This 1930 newsreel footage spans an eclectic range of topics, offering glimpses into cultural practices, innovations, and unique human-animal interactions. It begins with a serene depiction of Japan’s Shizuoka pilgrimage, where pilgrims embark on a four-day climb to cleanse their souls. In France, a mechanical marvel, the pancake-flipping machine, is showcased, capable of producing 300 flapjacks per hour. The scene shifts to Springfield, Massachusetts, highlighting the melodic artistry of carillon bells played in a church tower. A heartwarming segment features a mother cat in the United States adopting and caring for skunks alongside her kittens. The film transitions to Haiti, where it controversially explores voodoo rituals in Port-au-Prince, capturing markets, drumming, dancing, and ceremonies, including unsettling depictions of sacrifice.

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