Still frame from John Moyer's Footage of India, ca. 1965 |
Moyer was the U.S. consul in Calcutta from 1951 to 1955 and had filmmaking experience going back to the late 1930s. In 1965 he decided to return to India to record motion picture footage for what would become a touring lecture series. The Human Studies Film Archives now holds the original 16mm footage he used in these tours, showing a fascinating and surprisingly well shot look at the country.
Brochure for "India and Her People" |
During Moyer’s return to India he “filmed at Porbundar, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi; at Udaipur, the Venice of India; at Jaipur, the 'pink city'; at Chandigarh, the modern city built by the famous French architect, Le Corbusier.” All of this footage is silent, since Moyer would have projected it while lecturing to the audience live during his touring series. Moyer’s films show more of an emphasis on the people of India than the places, though, with highlights on cultural traditions such as regional dances.
John Moyer with film camera Still frame from John Moyer's Footage of India, ca. 1965 |
The Dalai Lama will be preparing for and conducting a Kalachakra for World Peace in Washington, DC, USA from July 6 to 16. This blog is the first in a series to highlight HSFA’s holdings on Tibet and Buddhism.
Brian Real
Intern, Human Studies Film Archives
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