Treasures III: Social Issues in American Film, 1900-1934 is the first DVD set to explore the social activism of movies during their first decades. The 12-1/4 hour anthology brings together 48 films from this era when virtually no issue was too controversial for the big screen. None of the works has been available before on quality video. For an illustrated brochure (PDF file) listing the contents, click here.

The line-up includes 4 features—Redskin (1929), a 2-color Technicolor racial tolerance epic filmed on location at Canyon de Chelly and Acoma Pueblo; The Soul of Youth (1920), directed by William Desmond Taylor (and featuring juvenile justice reformer Judge Ben Lindsey playing himself); Where Are My Children? (1916), the Lois Weber anti-abortion, pro-birth control classic; and The Godless Girl (1928), Cecil B. De Mille's sensational exposé of juvenile reformatories. Also showcased are comedies, serial episodes, cartoons, newsreel stories, melodramas, and documentaries covering topics ranging from immigration to the vote for women. Among the rarities are The Black Hand (the earliest movie about the Mafia), The Crime of Carelessness (giving management's version of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire), Manhattan Trade School for Girls (filmed at the innovative women-run educational institution), the first surviving film by an American trade union, and The Cost of Carelessness (an early classroom traffic safety film). The anthology samples Hollywood productions as well as advocacy films from businesses, government agencies, and reform groups. The films are accompanied by new music and audio commentary as well as an extensive book of program notes. To read the introduction to this book, click here.

The third in the NFPF award-winning Treasures series, Treasures III draws from the preservation work of the America's foremost early film archives—George Eastman House, the Library of Congress, the Museum of Modern Art, the National Archives, and the UCLA Film & Television Archive. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences contributed technical support. The set is made possible from grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Film Preservation Board of the Library of Congress. Net proceeds will support further film preservation.

The 4-disc collection is curated by Scott Simmon and designed by Jennifer Grey. The music is curated by Martin Marks and features 16 instrumental ensembles. Contributing compositions are Allen Feinstein, Stephen Horne, Martin Marks, Michael Miller, Brian Robison, Elena Ruehr, Charles Shadle, and G. Scott Vercoe. For a full list of musicians, click here.

Like the other DVDs from the NFPF, Treasures III celebrates decades of preservation work and offers a reminder that America's archives hold many more such astonishing films that will be seen only with further public support.

Attention: Treasures III Customers Outside North America
An encoding error on the first run of Treasures III sets may affect some DVD users living outside North America.  The DVDs were mistakenly coded “Region 1” instead of “Region 0.”  The encoding will not affect Treasures III viewers living in Canada or the United States or using multi-region players.

The NFPF will be happy to replace the discs of any Treasures III customer living outside of Canada or the United States who has experienced problems.  Just fax, mail, or email the NFPF a copy of your purchase receipt along with your contact information. For a replacement request form, click here. The NFPF deeply regrets this inconvenience for international users.