Churchill Films

When Ellen and Paul’s son Josh introduces his new girlfriend at their 25th anniversary party, no one suspects that it is the beginning of the end for this happy family. The new girlfriend is Liz, Ellen’s former student, who left the university, some years before, after Ellen called her out in class for her radical ideology.

In this fictional documentary, U.S. prisons are at capacity, and President Nixon declares a state of emergency. All new prisoners, most of whom are connected to the antiwar movement, are now given the choice of jail time or spending three days in Punishment Park, where they will be hunted for sport by federal authorities. The prisoners invariably choose the latter option, but learn that, between the desert heat and the brutal police officers, their chances of survival are slim.

Ralph the mouse lives at the Mountain View Inn and loves his motorcycle. When the inn becomes overriden with mice and Ralph's friend Matt the bellboy must leave, Ralph asks his other friend Ryan to take him to school as part of a plan to help Matt.

A breath-taking experience that lets the viewer glimpse the thrill of pitting oneself against great elemental forces - and succeeding. In a comparison among four sports (skateboarding, surfing, skiing and hang gliding, the similarities of handling body movement are elaborated. A "fall line" is the straightest, fastest line downward - whether it be down wave, slope or air corridor. The comparative ways in which a body acts to slow the descent and adapt to the unexpected are shown on land, air and water. Makes us aware that these exhilarating sports have been made possible by new technologies, and illustrates that challenging experiences need not necessarily be competitive or affect the environment adversely. An excellent motivational film. Champion surfer, Nat Young, compares body movements in four relatively new sports: skateboarding, surfing, skiing, and hang gliding. They all use the fall-line...the shortest way from the top to the bottom. 16mm

Join Ralph on a string of adventures after he runs away from home at the Mountain View Inn, and makes a new friend.

It looks like young Keith Gridley will have a lonely summer, until he meets a talking mouse named Ralph. Ralph takes an immediate liking to Keith's toy motorcycle and can ride it just by making a motor noise. Ralph even acts heroically when Keith comes down with a nasty fever, while dodging cats, owls and a guest's noisy dog.

A quick, unabashed look at the downside of "kids' cereals" and hard-sell marketing, through the fictional brand Sooper Goop; an overpriced, overprocessed, candied, chemically-enriched, bad excuse for nutrition. (Not to mention a here-today, gone-tomorrow one; by the end, Sooper Goop is already being outsold by Eatum Sweetum, made from a different grain, but with the same drawbacks.) Kid-friendly, with a lesson easy to understand, and impossible to forget.

Orson Welles — with contributions from scientists George Wald, Carl Sagan, and others — examines the possibility and implications of extraterrestrial life. In examining our perceptions of alien 'martians' from his "War of the Worlds" broadcast, to then-modern explorations of Mars, this film from NASA provides a unique glimpse at life on earth, and elsewhere in the universe.

Carried by a rich narration from Orson Welles, this rarely seen 1973 animated adaptation of Plato’s 'allegory of the cave' populates the tale with haunting human figures, bringing retro-surreal life to the parable.

Old Uncle Elephant does his best to cheer Arnie up until his missing parents return. Provides viewers with some gentle lessons about caring.

Talking germs and objects teach kids the importance of proper hygiene.

The daughter of a divorced couple wages her own custody battle. After her natural mother dies in an accident, a teenager sues her natural father for the right to live with her disabled step-dad.

Claymation adventures based on the popular children's book series of Frog and Toad by author Arnold Lobel.

A mouse caught by a hungry weasel must think of ways to delay the prospect of becoming lunch. Includes all four stories from the book: 'Bees & the Mud', 'Two Large Stones', 'The Crickets' and 'The Thorn Bush'.

Claymation adventures with the characters from the popular children's book.

A boy and a tree grow old together.

Pete and Sandy get permission to go trick-or-treating by promising to avoid mischief. So, they inveigle two younger boys to play a prank.

The adventures of a cat who endures the indignation of a busy family and the dangers of being lost in a big city.

This creative educational film by Pieter Van Deusen features a variety of string instruments performed by noted musicians such as Shamim Ahmed Kahn. This film was part of a music film series for Churchill Films: Wind Sounds, Percussion Sounds, and an offshoot film by Pieter with Les Blank entitled Christopher Tree.

A presentation on the causes and effects of stroke points out that the brain is susceptible to damage from diseases of the arteries, particularly, stroke. The mechanisms that set the conditions for a stroke are explained with emphasis on hardening of the arteries and blood clots. If a stroke occurs it will affect certain functions controlled by the brain. The functions (speech, memory, muscular control) affected will depend upon the location of the stroke in the brain. Once a stroke has occurred rehabilitation through physical therapy can help. Basic lifestyle changes, which may be required if there is a family history of stroke, include having regular medical checkups, exercising. learning to relax, eating balanced meals (lower in fat and cholesterol), and stopping smoking.