Cinetopicalities In Brief No. 128 (1940)

Titles read: CINETOPICALITIES IN BRIEF. Various locations of events. In Sydney, Australia, we see various shots of men taking part in a tree felling contest before a large crowd. The contestants have to chop notches in their tree trunks, then climb to the top and chop the top off. The crowd cheers for the winning lumberjack. In the United States of America we see illusionist Lester Lake getting into a wooden casket or coffin on a platform on a beach. The casket is covered with straw and set alight. Firemen rush out of the fire station on their engine, arrive on the scene and douse the flames. Lester emerges unhurt. Judging from the clothes and hats worn by spectators here I would say that this footage dates from the early 1930s rather than 1940. Perhaps it was too shocking to be seen at the time of filming FILM A VIDEO FROM BRITISH PATHÉ. EXPLORE OUR ONLINE CHANNEL, BRITISH PATHÉ TV. IT S FULL OF GREAT DOCUMENTARIES, FASCINATING INTERVIEWS, AND CLASSIC MOVIES.