A brief view of the Brendel home movies

  As I wrote last week, I was asked to present another reel of the El Brendel home movies at Cinefest in Syracuse, New York over the past weekend and while I am still writing my review of that incredible weekend, I thought I'd share a bit of the home movie I showed with all my readers.

yes, that is yours truly introducing the Brendel reel at Cinefest
(photo credit: Kylie Pierce)

  When I was getting ready to figure out what I was going to screen this year, I made video files of two reels which I thought might be in contention. The video below is a section I edited out, added some opening and closing titles, some sound effects and music and uploaded it for all to see. The quality is not the best, but I think it came out pretty darn good!

  

  The film is from the "gags" reel (so written by El on the can itself) and contains just that, El working out comedy bits in front of the camera and then editing them together to watch and we assume, show others. This one I've titled "The Hitchhiker" and the film edge code is dated 1939. I can only assume this may have been filmed near the Brendel home at 11106 Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles where he and Flo lived during this period. I couldn't see any street signs or any other markers so it's just an assumption. To keep the mysteries building, this is the only section on the entire reel which is in black and white, the rest is Kodachrome. Enjoy!