"THUNDERHEADS OVER THE PACIFIC" PRE-WWII ASIA TRAVELOGUE HONG KONG THAILAND SINGAPORE 32814

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Created by Darrel Brady, who famously filmed the sinking of a British merchant ship at the outset of WWII, "Thunderheads Over the Pacific" was funded by the Minneapolis-Moline farm equipment company as part of their public outreach. It likely dates to 1940. A rare document of the Pacific just prior to the involvement of the United States of America in WWII, "Thunderheads" is an important historical document the exact details of which remain obscure. Part travelogue, part warning of the future clash with Japan, "Thunderheads" is impressive in scope and story. Features rare color images of the Philippines, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.

Title card reads THUNDERHEADS OVER THE PACIFIC followed by other production credits (:08-:24) Sky shots, water as a ship sails along it at dusk, as Darrel Brady explains about how he filmed a U-boat sinking a merchant ship. Survivors are shown (:25-2:00). Now, Brady is going to the Far East. A map is shown of the USA across the Pacific. The Philippines are featured. Chief officials wander and are filmed. Americanization is shown on billboards. The water buffalo roams. Manila harbor. Marriage customs discussed. USA flag and a Manilla hotel with American tourists. Hotel swimming pool (2:00-4:57) Getting on a steamship bound for Hong Kong. On board are foreign emissaries, diplomats and businessmen. Men play a game onboard the ship. Men pose with a woman and pretend to fight over her, swim in a pool on the boat. Men prepare a rescue boat. Babies wander the boat (4:58-6:24). Map shows a boat, an arrow, and Hong Kong as the destination. The filmmakers arrive in Hong Kong, some of the rolling hills are filmed - this is rare footage normally not permitted to be seen. A Royal Navy mine layer and sampans are in the harbor. A diver surveys the harbor for a new defense dock. It's very hot in Hong Kong (6:24-9:30). Ferry sign. Fish are sold. Chinese temple, dentist. Letter writers, barber shaves a head, flower market, oriental soda jerk. Lots of rare city and rural footage. More boats in a harbor (9:31-12:15). Refugee camp at the foot of a cliff, children walk (12:16-12:47). Map, we are near Singapore. In Singapore, soldier points at a sign: "U.S. in War on Britain's Side?" Streets are cluttered. A snake charmer. Landmines and barbed wire coat the beaches. Trench system for a possible invasion. An art exhibit, Chinese woman walks. A Chinese actress is escorted by the filmmakers - she works at The Happy World, Ltd (a club). They film an odd dance in which neither partner touches. A Chinese opera star, a cobra snake charmer. The filmmakers host a beauty contest. A jitterbug contest. The winner is chosen of the beauty contest (12:48-17:15). North part of the country, Crown Prince of Singapore and his giant home. A waterfall near their home. People frolic in the clean water (17:16-18:07). Next is Batavia, the capital of the Dutch West Indies. Winding streets and canals. People drink and swim in the same water. A nude man plays near the water. People tend their boats and jump into the water. Open air markets. Air raid shelters. Crowded streets, lots of people. Colonial troops march. Troops prepare for war tactics. Horses, war uniforms. Troops advance in an open field and practice. Gas masks are used. Troops head for cover and slowly advance. Young Dutch officers are shown. Turret guns are shown and set up. Antitank guns. Lots of troop footage (18:07-22:06). Island of Java, Jakarta, Indonesia. People, farmers wander. Very slow everyday life. City of Jocjakarta. Famous ruins. Old temples are visited. Animals wander through. Elephant idols. The children mock Hitler with Swastikas. Troops guard the Sultan and his harem. The Sultan greeted Brady, the harem women are filmed (22:07-26:21) Surabaya is next. Fertile and productive land. Bali is featured, visited by a canoe. Gliding across the water to Bali as the canoe rocks (26:22-27:19). Australia is next. An Australian farm is visited and they have a tractor from Minnesota in the USA. The farmer uses the tractor and plows his fields. A train ride to the barren desert where the Aborigines live. Sheep ranch is visited, horses help herd. Rural communities. A very old tractor from the USA being used in this foreign land. A brand new tractor is featured for quite a while. Springtime in Australia. Sydney harbor. Fishermen (27:20-35:16). The filmmakers boarded a freighter and went back towards the USA. They love seeing America (35:17-36:01)

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com