5056 Dream archetypes snap past in rapid succession in this smart little movie. Vehicles stall and behave strangely, a baby is left in a car, odd objects are gathered and left behind. We have all had these dreams, and they are portrayed here with humor and insight. The classic images of old San Francisco and Oakland enhance the experience. Remarkable and amusing liichief 2003-07-07 23:57:23 2003-07-07 23:57:23 5 5336 An interesting porthole into the ideas media had in the early 20th century. I wonder about how many of these films were made and if the same locations was used in each movie. Amusing action in the background with the "gawkers" looking on and in one scene, it appears that a "Crowd Control" officer is trying to get in on the act. Tribune Mr. Dan 2003-07-24 11:20:55 2003-07-24 11:20:55 4 9930 A fascinating variation of the classic maternal anxiety dream. A couple pack their baby in a laundry basket in the back of what looks like a Model T for a trip from Oakland to a picnic in Marin. The car starts to “act queerly” on its way to San Francisco, and when they get there they discover the basket is empty. The young mother, who has a somewhat bohemian quality, is dressed like a flapper. When the she goes to feed the baby (and discovers he’s gone), she pulls out a baby bottle—the “New Women” of this generation weren’t interested in breast feeding, even in their dreams. Her husband is in a suit and tie—they’re both awfully dressed up for a picnic—but I think that kind of formality was actually customary for the time. The street scenes we see in San Francisco and Oakland have a more dreamlike quality than the facts of the mother’s dream itself. Illogical as the dream is, its novelty is surpassed by the inexplicable sense of time passing that the cityscapes in this silent film convey. The facts behind the film—an offer of from a newspaper to send in a dream and see it filmed for $25.00—make it all the more surreal. Baby in a Basket Marysz 2004-02-28 21:08:01 2004-02-26 20:23:00 5 10440 A fascinating little piece that plays like Mack Sennett working from a script by Luis Bunuel. Very warm, likeable and for lack of a better word, dream-like. Any psych professionals want to take a crack at this? I'm particularly curious about the significance of the fish....Highly recommended! Excellent trafalgar 2004-03-14 21:02:29 2004-03-14 21:01:46 5 10445 The automobiles, street cars, the clothes, the buildings, all reminders of an allegedly simpler time in Oakland and San Francisco, much of which is now gone. I haven't yet figured out where they shot all the Oakland scenes. The couple's house is still there and appears to be still in good shape although the neighborhood has gone downhill. When the baby is discovered to have disappeared it's interesting to see that the father panics and the mother remains calm and collected. The baby is very cute. He'd be about 81 or 82 now. I wonder if he's still among us. Time capsule on film Mendax 2004-03-15 01:33:18 2004-03-15 01:33:18 4 20200 incredibly charming! a gem ilalounge 2004-09-03 18:16:44 2004-09-03 18:16:44 5 23891 If it is not difficult or dangerous, would you take a picture of that house and post it here? It would be fascinating to see a "then and now" snapshot. Avid Fan Attention: Mendax Avid_Fan 2004-10-31 08:05:23 2004-10-31 08:04:50 4 This very early dramatization of a dream involving a woman who has lost sight of her quiet baby is notable for several reasons. Like most dreams, it is grounded in the mundane, but contains plenty of surreal elements; geographical barriers are easily transcended, serious occurrences such as the baby's operation of the auto are regarded rather flippantly by the other individuals, and curious circumstances serve to hinder the dreamer's ability to assert control over the world that she has conceived. Video manipulation techniques are used to enhance the experience. The film is reminiscent of a Kafka story, and is a fascinating artifact of silent cinema. An excursion that won't soon be forgotten 5 GE_Pretzel 2006-03-21 16:35:20 2006-03-21 16:35:20 This 1924 film was very original. I enjoyed it despite there was no sound or color. The vintage scenes just added to the production. The concept of filming the best dream sent in would probably go over on TV now. Excellent idea, film well done 5 ERD 2006-03-21 20:27:18 2006-03-21 20:27:18 One of the hightlights of the Prelinger archive. Being a fan of Surreal/Unusual films, I really enjoyed this. Do any other films from this series still exist? I loved seeing a snap-shot of the 1920's, That alone makes the film worth watching. Excellent! Robin_1990 2008-03-01 21:56:51 2008-03-01 21:56:51 5 If you Google the address that's shown at 00:24, you'll get a street view of that house. It's the same house you see in the scene that starts at 00:54. Looks exactly the same to this day. Not much has changed MFD32 2009-02-06 03:53:20 2009-02-06 03:53:20 4 11 4.64