15 May 2021
The Ghost of the Neolithic
In summer 2003, when the heatwave hit in Europe, in Switzerland, the glacier below the Schnidejoch pass, released a mysterious object: a piece of a Neolithic quiver.
Switzerland the Beautiful
In this Traveltalk series short we learn that four million ethnic French, German and Italian people live in Switzerland. The Alps and their important part in the country's history is noted. We view vividly-coloured alpine wildflowers which cover the mountain meadows in the spring. We see rushing mountain streams, fed by melting snows, and then learn of colourful alpine chalets and traditional wood-carving amongst other highlights.
Top Billed Cast
James A. FitzPatrick Narrator (voice)
Similar movies
The Ghost of the Neolithic The Ghost of the Neolithic Tscharniblues II 
Tscharniblues II 24 Jan 2019
Tscharniblues II
Bern, 1979: a tower block called Tscharnergut. Together with a few friends (among them famous Swiss actor Stefan Kurt), director Aron Nick's father and uncle shoot the idealistic Super 8 film "Dr Tscharniblues" ("The Tscharni Blues") – a wild, unvarnished self-portrait of their generation. 40 years later, Nick gathers the friends at Tscharnergut and asks what has happened to them and their ideals in the meantime. What have the achieved? What have they lost? Past, present, and future clash and form a journey of personal disappointments, hopes, and a collective search for identity. In "Tscharniblues II," Aron Nick discovers a kind of friendship that can weather anything.
Alpine Saga 
Alpine Saga 19 Oct 2006
Alpine Saga
Award-winning director Langjahr returns to his beloved Alps to document a group of people continuing the legacy of their forefathers. Every year on Swiss National day, August 1, the Wildheuer climb up the steep mountain of the «Hinteren Heubrig», fitted out with scythes and wearing wooden shoes with spikes, just as their ancestors did before them. They are part of a generation who have lived with the challenges of nature and survived it. In his film, Langjahr's poetic realism gives an insight into these people's experience of the simple life, the very foundation of human existence.
St. Helena and Its 'Man of Destiny' 
St. Helena and Its 'Man of Destiny' 08 Jul 1936
St. Helena and Its 'Man of Destiny'
The remote island of St. Helena, a British possession located in the south Atlantic, is perhaps best known as where Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled/imprisoned for the final six years of his life and where he died in 1821. His legacy on the island remains today, despite his body being disinterred and moved back to France in 1840. His home was at Longwood, one area of the island now ceded to the French in respect of its former resident. The island was discovered and named by the Portuguese in 1502. Until the British took over, many other European countries had or wanted possession of the island because of its location along natural trade routes. Jamestown is the island's only port, named after King James. With 4,000 inhabitants, St. Helena is self supporting, growing primarily potatoes and flax. However, its primary economic generator is the sale of the rare St. Helena postage stamp.
Madeira: 'Isle of Romance' 
Madeira: 'Isle of Romance' 01 Oct 1938
Madeira: 'Isle of Romance'
This Traveltalk short takes the viewer to Madeira Island, the largest of the group of Madeira islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
Shrines of Yucatan 
Shrines of Yucatan 24 Feb 1945
Shrines of Yucatan
A visit to the structures built by the ancient Mayans at Chichén Itzá, on the Yucatán Peninsula.
Glimpses of Guatemala 
Glimpses of Guatemala 09 Feb 1946
Glimpses of Guatemala
We begin this short visit to Guatemala at the port town of Livingstone, then journey up the Rio Dulce. We stop to watch men tap the trees, harvest the sap, and load the product onto small planes. At a local market, we see indigenous life much as it's been for hundreds of years. Then it's back to the coast, to the prosperous Isla de Flores, a trading island.
Singapore and Jahore 
Singapore and Jahore 31 Dec 1938
Singapore and Jahore
A visit to Singapore, an essential port city in Britain's empire, established in 1813 when Raffles negotiated its separation from the independent Malay state of Jahor. The camera observes Singapore's traditional neighborhoods, trade, and small craft, which are dominated by people of Chinese ancestry. Then, we drive the modern causeway to Jahor's small capital, Johor Bahru, for a look at imposing buildings and a visit to the grounds of the sultan. The sultan's son invites the crew in, and we meet the sultan, "H.H." himself. The narrator relates the sultan's commitment to commerce, economic well-being, and tolerance, stemming in part from his European education.
Sitka and Juneau: 'A Tale of Two Cities' 
Sitka and Juneau: 'A Tale of Two Cities' 13 Apr 1940
Sitka and Juneau: 'A Tale of Two Cities'
This Traveltalk series short takes the viewer to Alaska, focusing on the cities of Sitka and Juneau.
Special Flight 
Special Flight 06 Aug 2011
Special Flight
Switzerland still carries out special flights, where passengers, dressed in diapers and helmets, are chained to their seats for 40 hours at worst. They are accompanied by police officers and immigration officials. The passengers are flown to their native countries, where they haven't set foot in in up to twenty years, and where their lives might be in danger. Children, wives and work are left behind in Switzerland. Near Geneva, in Frambois prison, live 25 illegal immigrants waiting for deportation. They are offered an opportunity to say goodbye to their families and return to their native countries on a regular flight, escorted by plain-clothes police officers. If they refuse this offer, the special flight is arranged fast and unexpectedly. The stories behind the locked cells are truly heartbreaking.
The Inside Passage 
The Inside Passage 04 Oct 1941
The Inside Passage
This Traveltalk series short looks at what was then the Alaska Territory, which according to the film, was being looked at as a potential home to millions of refugees from World War II.
Historic Maryland 
Historic Maryland 27 Dec 1941
Historic Maryland
This Traveltalk series short highlights such Maryland destinations as Baltimore, Johns Hopkins, Annapolis, and Fort McHenry.
Picturesque Patzcuaro 
Picturesque Patzcuaro 23 May 1942
Picturesque Patzcuaro
Lake Patzcuaro, located 230 miles west of Mexico City, is one of the highest and most picturesque bodies of water in Mexico. The heritage of the indigenous peoples of the area, the Tarascans, still prevails, such as the production of lacquer-ware handicrafts, and the means of hunting and fishing, the latter which uses nets shaped like large butterfly wings. Although most current day Tarascans are Roman Catholic, they have not totally abandoned their indigenous pagan gods. On Janitzio, one of the many islands in the lake, stands a large statue commemorating José María Morelos, a prominent figure in Mexican liberation and a great benefactor to the Tarascans. Janitzio is also the inspiration for many famous paintings. The town of Tzintzuntzan just inland from the lake's shore acts as the regional center for the market and for festivals.
Wandering Here and There 
Wandering Here and There 14 Dec 1944
Wandering Here and There
This Traveltalk series short visits various places around the United States. At the first stop, we admire the natural beauty of Crater Lake in Oregon. The next stop is the open pit copper mine at Bingham Canyon, Utah, the world's largest copper mine. We then spend time in Hannibal, Missouri, the hometown of author Mark Twain. After a short visit to a log-rolling contest in Washington State, we cross the country to get a view of Washington, DC from across the Potomac River. The final stop on this tour is Arlington National Cemetery, where we see the Tomb of the Unknown, Arlington House, and the mast of the USS Maine, which was sunk in 1898 in Havana Harbor.
Seeing El Salvador 
Seeing El Salvador 30 Mar 1945
Seeing El Salvador
This Traveltalk series short starts in San Salvador, El Salvador's capital, emphasizing the Spanish architectural heritage. We then go to the Izalco Volcano, which was created in 1770 by an eruption of the Santa Ana Volcano. The focus then shifts to the country's agriculture. The two main products are coffee and henequen, a plant with tough, fibrous leaves used to make rope, baskets, and other products.
Modern Guatemala City 
Modern Guatemala City 25 Aug 1945
Modern Guatemala City
This FitzPatrick Traveltalk short visits Guatemala City, touching upon its sights, customs, and history.
Cavalcade of San Francisco 
Cavalcade of San Francisco 28 Sep 1940
Cavalcade of San Francisco
This Traveltalk series short celebrates San Francisco, past and present.
Glimpses of Peru 
Glimpses of Peru 04 Sep 1937
Glimpses of Peru
This Traveltalk series short brings us to Lima, Peru where we see a modern city.
Chile, Land of Charm 
Chile, Land of Charm 30 Oct 1937
Chile, Land of Charm
This documentary short features Chile's history, culture, and customs.
Rocky Mountain Grandeur 
Rocky Mountain Grandeur 21 Jun 1937
Rocky Mountain Grandeur
This Traveltalk short visits Rocky Mountain National Park and a nearby dude ranch in Colorado.