The Grand Canyon Chronicles (1982)

[Terry]

"Combining science with the creativity of talented filmmakers, this is perhaps the most colorful and fascinating film ever made on the Grand Canyon. Narrated by Orson Welles, it tells of the events and forces that shape the earth, of the appearance of the earliest life forms, plants, and land animals."

https://archive.org/details/thegrandcanyonchronicles

[Le Chiffre]

Nice find, Terry, enjoyable program. I've only been to the Grand Canyon once, about 30 years ago; it's on my bucket list to get back sometime. Glad to see a Wellesian connection. Love those dinosaurs too; I'm a sucker for the old stop-motion animation, even when it's cheesy. What the frick is Welles wearing? Looks like something out of CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT!:

[Terry]

A quilted muumuu? Reminds me of that Gore Vidal quote about Welles' wardrobe at the time consisting of "bifurcated tents."

A shame that the uploader's 16mm projector ran at an inconstant speed, making the music pretty trying. I kinda like that the old reels were turning purple by the time anyone got around to digitally archiving them.

[Le Chiffre]

I wonder if that's the same bifurcated tent as in this pic?:


I've always wondered why the music gets all warbly in some old movies, even though the picture quality looks OK. I've seen that in a few 70mm prints I've seen as well. I figured something deteriorates on the soundtrack strip, but I can't find much info about it online.