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Want to support this channel and help us preserve old films? Visit Visit our website “Alcohol is Dynamite” (1958) black-and-white PSA-style film by Sid Davis Productions that warns against underage drinking. The film was later remade in color in 1967 by Coronet Instructional Films under the same name. Narrated by sports reporter Tom Ullman, The film follows a group of young men who experiment with drinking for the first time. Nonetheless, this “experiment” grows out of hand when they put themselves and others at risk and get involved in a deadly car accident. The film was made in collaboration with the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union of Torrance, California and the Inglewood Police Department. Opening credits, text, title page (0:07). Narration begins, close-up of “Liquor Store” sign before camera pans away to reveal man and two teenagers (Bud and Jack) walking out of liquor/ convenience store (0:30). Close-up of flier detailing legal sale of alcohol on display window, owner tells off Bud and Jack (0:37). Bud and Jack stop Tom Ullman and ask him to buy drinks for them (0:52). Quick animated interlude of alcohol bottle turning into stick of dynamite (1:06). Tom Ullman recounts story of three young men who experimented with alcohol, reenactment footage begins: Young man (Paul) walks around perimeter of brick school building holding guitar case, he pauses and takes a swig from bottle that he had in his coat pocket (1:22). Another young man (Jim) drives with friend (Tip) in 1951 Ford Custom Convertible, pulls into school parking lot, Paul coerces boys into drinking the liquor he had in his coat (1:37). The three teenage boys continue drinking on school stairs (2:31). Animation of human brain explains alcohol’s effect on the frontal lobe (3:01). Jim lays back passed out on stairs, other boys laugh (3:28). Animation explains blood alcohol level and how it leads to drunkenness (3:40). Camera pans gravestones at cemetery (3:59). The three young men sit at table at “Scotty’s” diner, Jim spikes drinks bottle of liquor he hid under his shirt (4:12). Jim’s convertible speeds along road and trails past stop sign on palm-tree lined road (4:33). Jim pulled over by cops driving Inglewood Police Patrol Car 1953 Studebaker on commercial street, officers find empty vodka bottle in the car and arrest Jim (4:38). Exterior Inglewood Police Station, Jim and his father walk out of the police station (4:58). Tip walks out of locker room and meets Paul and Jim on grass sports fields of the high school after being kicked off of basketball team (5:10). The young men and their dates for a dance sit and drinks sodas at a restaurant, Jim spikes drinks (5:47). Waiter catches Jim in the act of spiking drinks, kicks group out (6:35). Group returns to the car, one of the girls continues to drink from bottle before becoming woozy and passing out in passenger seat (6:48). Perspective of driver: Hazy vision, car parks on residential road blurred (7:29). Jim drives sporadically in residential area, narrowly misses vehicle, crashes into brick wall (7:52). First responders load one of the girls into the back of an ambulance (8:06). Jim fails coordination test in front of police officer, arrested at the scene (8:21). Front page of Hollywood Tribune announcing crash (8:49). Paul stands with guitar case with man in suit who gives him notebook, likely Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor/ mentor (8:58). Flashing signs for jewelry businesses on busy commercial street, Jim approaches group of middle-aged men to get next fix of alcohol (9:07). Portrait of Tip overlaid footage from scene of accident (9:16). Footage returns to Tom Ullman and two teenagers, Ullman reveals he is Tip’s father, closing words (9:26). Quick animated interlude of alcohol bottle turning into stick of dynamite plays once more, closing credits, film ends (10:24). This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit
