Synopsis
Part of a six-reel film on the construction of the Panama Canal.
Uploader's description on archive.org
Details
- Running time
- 12 minutes
- Collection
- Prelinger Archives
- Internet Archive item
- Panamaby1914
Subjects on the Internet Archive
- Panama Canal
- Central America
- Civil engineering
Reviews on the Internet Archive
★★★★★ · Why This Movie Is Significant! · Brent Blue · 2008-12-21
This movie is the first motion picture shot from an aircraft. It is remarkably steady since it was taken with a hand crank camera from an open cockpit aircraft at about 80 miles an hour. I have the only intact six panel poster for the movie in Jackson WY. Anyone in the area is welcome to drop by Emerg+A+Care to see the poster.
★★★ · Panama by Air · Christine Hennig · 2003-01-11
This is mostly dull, blurry aerial footage of the newly-built Panama Canal, with historical interest about all that can be said for it. But it has an unexpectedly exciting ending, as the plane runs out of gas and plunges 800 feet into the ocean. Fortunately, the pilot was able to execute a safe water landing and lots of Panamanians help pull the plane out of the water. At the very end, we get to see the Panamanians mugging for the newfangled movie camera. This ending gives us a glimpse of a time when film, airplanes, and the Panama Canal were all new, which makes the film more interesting…
★ · Wee! Panama by air! · Spuzz · 2004-01-13
In Part 4 of a sure to be a riveting series, we see blurry, bland images of Panama while the canal was being built. About the only thing that is interesting about this film is the private dock the town of Colon built for itself. At the very end, quite by magic, the plane they were riding in gets into technical problems, instead of crashing to the ground, they make it out alive, oh happy happy joy.
