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Collection Guide
Collection Title:
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Creative Film Society collection.
Collection 31
Collection Overview

Title:

Creative Film Society collection

Creator/Contributor:

Creative Film Society, creator

Abstract:

This collection consists of approximately 825 individual film titles primarily of independent and experimental shorts of such film artists as Arthur Lipsett, Rautis, Norman McLaren, Peter Foldes, Alan Septoff, David Perry, Kathy Strickland, Pat Sullivan, Paul Dopff, Baur, Dick Corben, Rene Jodoin, Patricia Marx, Charles Fischer, Scott Bartlett, Robert Swarthe and John Mayer, Dave Fleischer, James W. Horne, Frank Olvey and Robert Brown, Norman Gollin, Bill Norton and Steve Rosen, Venezia, Leonard Henny, Rick Friedberg, Mary Ellen Bute, James Glover, Ben Van Meter, Russell Kingston, Kevin Rafferty, Bruce Green, Peter Spoecker, Robert Swarthe and John Mayer, Len Lye, Paulmichel Mielche, Howard Lester, Walerian Borowczyk, Rob Thompson, Stuart Kusher, David Brain, Chuck Menville and Len Janson, Larry Secrist, Christopher McCulloch, Dick Harber, Ryan Larkin, Leonard Lipton, Paul von Shreiber, Robert Green, Bud Fisher, Jerry Fairbanks, Paul Golding, Tom Desimone, and Libby. The collection also includes the following full length features: Animal crackers (1930), Citizen Kane (1941), Hell's angels (1930), Killing of a Chinese bookie (1976), Nosferatu (1921), Opening night (1977), Phantom of the Opera (1925), Reefer madness (1936), Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928), The lady from Shanghai (1947), The navigator (1924), The passion of Joan of Arc (1928), Woman under the influence (1974). The bulk of the collection consists of 16 mm. safety prints with a small number of 35 mm. safety prints.

Date:

approximately 1920-1980 (issued)

Subject:

Creative Film Society -- Archives
Rental libraries -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources

Note:

ADVANCED NOTICE REQUIRED FOR VIEWING MATERIALS ONSITE. Inquire at the Archive Research and Study Center for further information (email: arsc@ucla.edu).
Materials entirely in English.
The Creative Film Society (CFS) was formed in 1957 by Robert Pike primarily to distribute independent and experimental short films, with an emphasis on filmmakers in the Southern California region. Well-known filmmakers whose works were distributed by CFS included Scott Bartlett, Stan Brakhage, Mary Ellen Bute, Charles and Ray Eames, Len Lye, Stan Vaderbeek, and John Whitney, as well as a number of student filmmakers from the Los Angeles area. CFS also distributed a number of entertainment films, including Betty Boop cartoons by Max Fleischer, silent comedies by Mack Sennett, and films featuring Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, W.C. Fields, and Abbott and Costello. Classic feature films distributed by CFS included The battleship Potemkin (1925), The Blue Angel (1930), The General (1927), The gold rush (1925), The last laugh (1924), Metropolis (1927), The phantom of the Opera (1925), and Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928). After Robert Pike's death in 1974, his widow, Angeline Pike, continued to operate Creative Film Society until 1999, when she stopped distributing films and donated the bulk of the CFS library to the UCLA Film & Television Archive. In most cases, Mrs. Pike was able to donate two prints of each title, one for use and one for conservation.
Copyright has not been assigned to the UCLA Film & Television Archive.
Inventory list of individual titles available. Inquire at the Archive Research and Study Center.
Gift; Angeline Pike; June 1999.

Type:

motion picture
Silent films.
Personal/independent films and video.
Shorts.
Animation.
Features.

Physical Description:

approximately 1500 film reels.

Language:

English

Identifier:

Collection 31

Origin:

United States

Copyright Note:

ADVANCED NOTICE REQUIRED FOR VIEWING MATERIALS ONSITE. Inquire at the Archive Research and Study Center for further information (email: arsc@ucla.edu).
Copyright has not been assigned to the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

Related Item:

Animal crackers (Motion picture : 1930)
Citizen Kane
Hell's angels (1930)
Killing of a Chinese bookie
Nosferatu (1921)
Opening night (Motion picture : 1927)
Phantom of the Opera (Motion picture : 1925)
Burning question
Steamboat Bill, Jr
Lady from Shanghai
Navigator (Motion picture : 1924)
Passion of Joan of Arc
Woman under the influence