*Footage of this era and subject is rarely available in high-resolution color scans.
Title:
New Zealand — Geothermal Landscapes and Glaciers
REEL ID:
L018R024
RUN TIME:
0:13:38
FORMAT:
16mm motion picture film
FILM TYPE:
Color reversal film (home movie stock)
SOUND:
Silent (no synchronized sound)
PRODUCTION:
Amateur / personal home movie footage
Description:
This home movie documents a family vacation through New Zealand, capturing rural life, geothermal activity, dramatic alpine scenery, and everyday moments of travel. Shot on color 16mm film without synchronized sound, the footage reflects the curiosity and openness of mid-20th-century international tourism.
The journey opens on the road, where a car bears a hand-written sign reading “Wanna talk? We are friendly Americans,” signaling a spirit of openness and cultural exchange. Rural scenes follow with cattle grazing in open fields, sheep moving along roads, and trucks herding livestock through the countryside. Forest sequences show creeks running beneath dense foliage, waterfowl swimming, fish leaping from pools, and ducks gliding across calm water.
Geothermal regions feature prominently. Mud pools bubble and steam, geysers erupt periodically, and steam billows into the sky as people relax in natural hot springs. Village structures nearby anchor these scenes in inhabited geothermal zones, where nature and settlement coexist closely.
Water and coastal travel appear throughout the reel. The family boards a ferry with their vehicle, later enjoying a meal of lobster eaten casually off the hood of their car. Men row a small boat out toward open water on the Tasman Sea, while waterfalls cascade through forested valleys. At one point, a woman examines an abandoned structure, adding a quiet note of exploration and reflection.
Iconic landmarks and natural features appear in succession. The camera captures Wakatipu, known as “the lake that breathes,” and a marker identifying the line halfway between the equator and the South Pole. Alpine scenery dominates with views of Fox Glacier, Franz Josef Glacier, and the peaks of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman rising above surrounding terrain.
Urban and civic life contrasts with wilderness scenes. People ride bicycles down busy city streets, pedestrians cross intersections among varied vehicles, and landscaped neighborhoods display manicured lawns and flowering gardens. Elsewhere, people work together to build a bridge, reinforcing the theme of everyday labor alongside travel.
The reel concludes with shared meals at tables, trains rolling along tracks, clouds drifting over hills and mountains, and the sense of a journey that spans landscapes both remote and lived-in. Preserved as a personal record, this footage offers a rich midcentury portrait of New Zealand—its people, environments, and rhythms of daily life—captured through analog home moviemaking.
Tags:
New Zealand, International travel, Home movies, 16mm film, Color home movies, Silent film, Road trip, Rural life, Cattle, Sheep, Forest streams, Wildlife, Waterfowl, Geothermal activity, Mud pools, Geysers, Hot springs, Steam vents, Ferry crossing, Tasman Sea, Lobster meal, Waterfalls, Abandoned structure, Wakatipu Lake, Equator South Pole marker, Fox Glacier, Franz Josef Glacier, Mount Cook, Mount Tasman, Alpine scenery, City life, Bicycles, Pedestrians, Train travel, Bridge construction, Midcentury travel, Americana abroad, Analog film, Nostalgic footage, Archival travel footage
