The Silver Screen

This is cool. The National Archives and Google are teaming up to allow unprecedented access to historical film properties for free with just the click of a mouse.

Through a pilot program, U.S. archivist Allen Weinstein has collaborated with Google Video to compile an online library of 103 films, including movies, documentaries and other cinematic creations formerly unavailable to those who can't make the trip to Washington, D.C.

The archives "range from U.S. government newsreels documenting World War II to NASA-produced documentaries on the history of the space program. The earliest film preserved in the archives, 1894's "Carmencita -- Spanish Dance" featuring the famous Spanish gypsy dancer, also is included." Who could resist Carmencita?

I haven't checked it out yet, but it looks like there will be hours of fun to be had here.