Francis Thompson, Inc.

City Out of Wilderness is a 1974 American short documentary film produced by Francis Thompson. Produced by the United States Capitol Historical Society, it chronicles the history and evolution of Washington, D.C., from its very beginnings to the then-modern era of the 1970s. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject.

Created for the 1982 World's Fair, ENERGY! ENERGY! takes us in spectacular leaps from 17th century, where muscle power was the principle energy source, through the early use of wind and water mills, and we experience the coming of the Industrial Revolution, the steam engine, and the motor car. The film portrays the vitality and the problems of our modern technological society and our dependence upon fossil fuels while it explores dramatic new possibilities for the future.