Watching History Move in The March of Time, Vol. 1, No. 2

Is it worth your time?

If you have any interest in how history was packaged for moviegoers back in the day, then absolutely. It is snappy, loud, and doesn't waste a second. If you need a movie with a clear plot or likable characters, you will probably be checking your watch within five minutes. This isn't really a movie, it is more like a punch to the face from 1935.

The whole thing feels like it is fueled by nothing but black coffee and pure anxiety. You get story after story, and they don't give you time to breathe. It is funny how different this is from the pacing in a standard drama like Young Nowheres. Everything here is just fast.

There is this one segment where the narrator sounds like he is trying to win a shouting contest against a hurricane. It is wild. I actually had to turn my volume down because the urgency was just too much for a Tuesday afternoon.

The footage quality varies a lot. Sometimes it looks like a crisp professional film, and then it cuts to something that looks like it was shot through a dirty window. It makes you feel like you are actually seeing something you weren't supposed to witness. Sort of like the chaos in Hate, but with more suits and hats.

I found myself staring at the background extras in the crowd shots. People in the 30s really had a specific way of standing, didn't they? They all look like they are waiting for a train that is already late. It is a detail you miss if you try to follow the actual story.

Is it better than a comedy like Puddle Pranks? Not really. It is just a different kind of weird. The segments are woven together in a way that feels almost accidental, like the editor just grabbed whatever was on the table and spliced it in.

There is a strange, stiff charm to the whole thing. It is not trying to be art, which is probably why it holds up better than a lot of the 'serious' stuff from that decade. It is just… there. Presenting facts with a lot of attitude.

Don't expect a smooth ride. Some parts are boring as dirt, and then suddenly you are staring at something genuinely haunting. It is messy. I like it that way. 🎥