Original title : La Separation des Isotopes de l’Uranium (Diffusion Gazeuse)

Produced for the Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique before the inauguration of the civil enrichment plant at Tricastin (Eurodif), this film introduces the uranium isotopes and the basic concept of isotope separation, and then gives a sketch of the method of doing it in practice. The military enrichment plant at Pierrelatte, producing uranium of enrichment 90%, is shown in operation. Diffusion–plant equipment, and diffusion barriers and methods of producing them, are shown and discussed, probably in more detail than any official US public–information release, although further detail can be seen in my other film U comme Uranium. The willingness of France to release even this level of information infuriated the US atomic–energy establishment.

The techniques of radiocarbon dating, thermoluminescence dating, neutron activation analysis, and neutron radiography are introduced in their application to identifying how old things are and where they came from. This is fitted into the framework of archeological science, with the aspects of nuclear science being secondary. In other words, the nuclear reactors, radiation detectors, and so on, are decidedly tools for deriving knowledge, rather than the subjects of the knowledge themselves.

Probably the highlight is a brief description of the results obtained by radiocarbon dating, given by Professor Willard F Libby, who received the 1960 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his development of the technique. The narration, by Ned Romero, is utterly stultifying.

This is one of a series of five films, under the general title of “The Magic of the Atom”, produced by the Handel Corporation with the assistance of the United States Atomic Energy Commission. The others are “The Atomic Fingerprint” (1963, covering neutron activation analysis) ; “Atomic Power Production” (1964) ; “Radioisotope Scanning in Medicine” ; and “Atom Smashers”.

The film itself is not in the best of shape, with severe if uneven fading, only partly corrected, scratches, and several bad splices. As usual, the transfer (not considering the film itself) cost me considerable money, and any contributions in aid of defraying that are greatly appreciated.

Touchés par l’Uranium / Drabbad av uran

The subject matter of this documentary is uranium mining in the district around Limoges in France, an activity which is presented as destructive to the environment and human health. Local people who see the industrial activity as beneficial to their communities are shown as victims of wishful thinking at best, or perhaps deliberate deception. As usual in this sort of production, no attempt is made to compare the impacts with those resulting from (for instance) coal mining. The French experience is placed into context of the renewal of proposals to mine for uranium at Ranstad in Sweden.

This telefilm by the well–known Swedish partnership of Hedlund and Tengroth originally aired at 20h20 local time, 28 January 1980, on Sweden’s TV2 (thanks to Per Sundfeldt of the Swedish Film Institute for this information), and we may well assume it was intended to influence the atomic energy referendum of 23 March 1980. The French–dubbed version (under which the original Swedish narration can still be heard in part) presented here carries French film censor certificate 53813.

This film transfer (exclusive of what I paid for the film itself, shipping, et cetera) cost US$468.

The Sacramento L5 Society (chapter NSS) has been holding a series of video conference events they call “Breakfast on the Moon”, during the 50th anniversaries of the Apollo lunar missions, and I was invited to participate in the last one.

You can see the full programme here.

If you’re wondering about the bizarre video quality, I was using what I call my 1970s webcam, a monochrome NTSC closed-circuit TV camera (NASA surplus!) with a plumbicon tube image sensor, connected via a capture device.

Промышленное Получение Электрической Энергии Переменного Тока

Hydroelectric, and coal–fired, nuclear (PWR), and solar steam–electric generating stations are shown briefly, as are isolated Diesel generators. They serve, however, primarily as the background (quite literally) for an in–depth mathematical exploration of the operation of synchronous electromagnetic machines. Circuit schematics, simplified representations of alternators, vector diagrams, and mathematical formulae are superimposed over stills and action shots of the machines they relate to. The interconnexion and network phenomena of transmission and distribution grids are treated much more cursorily, but there is an exploration of the behavior of grid–connected synchronous machines, and the use of the synchroscope is illustrated.

Produced in Kiev, this film has some interesting electronic music. As with my other Soviet educational films, it came on two small reels, but I think I did a good job editing the reel–change point this time.

Captions will be incorporated as soon as feasible.

This film transfer (exclusive of what I paid for the film itself, shipping, et cetera) cost me about US$206.

Scoperta della Radioattività / Endeckung der Radioactivität

This picture covers the period from Roentgen’s discovery of the X–rays in 1895, through about 1905. The existence of the nucleus is said to be revealed by radioactive phenomena, but Rutherford’s epochal alpha–scattering experiment is not depicted. There is a chemical laboratory sequence, to illustrate the work of the Curies, which will give any modern chemist the heebie–jeebies.

The early use of the electroscope for measuring ionizing radiation is well illustrated. and the law of the half–life is developed in multiple ways. The radioactive series is treated somewhat cursorily.

The dramatizations of Röntgen's and Becquerel's experiments on fluorescence do not correspond with other accounts, from which it appears that Roentgen used a barium platinocyanide screen, and Becquerel a beaker of solution of uranium salt, not samples of uranium minerals. Also, Rutherford's discovery of alpha, beta, and gamma rays is accompanied by an incredible mangling of his name.

I had feared that the combination of segments with a deliberately “antiqued” look, and natural fading, would pose the transfer house a difficult problem, but the color seems to have come out quite well.

Produced by the “Institut für Film und Bild in Wissenschaft und Unterricht” (Institute for Film and Images in Science and Instruction), Munich, in cooperation with the OEEC (Organization for European Economic Cooperation, now OECD, “Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development”) and the ICEF (International Council for Educational Films, now ICEM, “International Council for Educational Media”). I regard it as extremely likely that this film exists in German, and probably other European languages.

Captions will be incorporated as soon as feasible.

This film transfer (exclusive of what I paid for the film itself, shipping, et cetera) cost me about US$216.

This is my Dad talking about the electric–assist bicycle he built using kit parts and a frame he got at a garage sale, and about his experiences riding it the other day. He was a competitive bicycle racer in his youth, but these days he’s grateful for a boost.

Электроэнергетика и Перспективы её Развития

The overall theme of this film is that electricity and electrification are not merely powerful contributors to the progress of the USSR from agrarian backwardness to modernity, but a central unifying element of Soviet life. The narration constantly loops back to Lenin’s famous GOELRO Plan.

The ubiquity of electricity in modern life, and its applications in agriculture and industry, are highlighted. A retrospective of the electrification of the USSR then begins.

Great emphasis is placed on hydroelectric stations as a triumph of Soviet industry and a fullfilment of Lenin’s vision, and on nuclear power as the next phase. In addition to a variety of nuclear power stations, beginning with Obninsk, the Atommash PWR factory is shown. Long–distance power transmission and the MIR system of interties with the COMECON countries are integrated with a discussion of dispatching and the diurnal variation of load. This also provides an opportunity to introduce the use of pumped hydro for load balancing.

A discussion of future and alternative energy sources begins with research toward thermonuclear energy, especially the famous TOKAMAK, which (by way of the plasma physics connexion) then brings in work on MHD generation. Geothermal, wind, and solar–thermal power systems are all briefly illustrated.

The film concludes with a montage of construction scenes of hydroelectric and nuclear plants, and long distance transmission lines.

There is some interesting electronic music during the “1980s” sequence.

Captions will be incorporated as soon as feasible.

This film transfer (exclusive of what I paid for the film itself, shipping, et cetera) cost US$280.

The title of this film is a play on words which I just am not quite creative enough to render into English. Firstly, “noyau” can mean the bobbin on which cinema film is wound, or it can mean the core of a nuclear reactor, or it can mean the nucleus of an atom. “Pellicule” means film ― but it’s also the name of the dog!

Overall, what we have here is a view of a PWR nuclear power station and its operations. It was intended for schools, and comes with a teacher’s guide booklet, which I need to scan. Apparently it won an award at a documentary and educational film festival.

The film was made shortly before Fessenheim, the first of the French PWR stations built under the Messmer Plan, came into operation. Tihange (unit 1), in the French–speaking part of Belgium, built by Framatome, stands in. There is also what appears to be a fairly long insert sequence from another film, showing the Creusot Forge factory for reactor pressure vessels, and the fabrication of one of the Fessenheim vessels (which, we are told, required three years) and its transport and installation.

Captions will be incorporated as soon as feasible.

This film transfer (exclusive of what I paid for the film itself, shipping, et cetera) cost about US$280.

Атомная Электроэнергетика

Grade 10 educational film from the USSR, purchased from a seller in Ukraine just about the time of the invasion.

The concept of the chain reaction, and control using boron absorbing rods, is animated, and the function of a moderator is illustrated using colliding balls as well as animation. The importance of plutonium breeding is emphasized : it is estimated that the uranium–235 will be exhausted within 300 years. Animations and an elaborate model are introduced to illustrate the breeding process, and the overall concept of the breeder reactor with plutonium formation in the blanket zone.

The camera gets access to channel–type (RBMK), pressurized–water (VVER), and fast–breeder plants, and briefly uranium–enrichment and fuel–reprocessing facilities. Control rooms, instrumentation (including tape drives), fueling machines, reactor operating floors, and turbine halls at various plants are seen. Operations seen include manual fueling, and radiation protection surveys inside and outside the plant.

In addition to the construction of high–tension transmission lines by helicopter and camel, the seawater desalting plant at Shevchenko (Aktau, Kazakhstan) is shown as an example of the non–electrical use of nuclear energy.

There are a number of shots of trains, carrying passengers, coal and oil, partly to illustrate the use of energy, and partly the volume of fuel required to support a modern industrial society. Coal production and hydroelectric dams are also shown.

Credits at the end give tantalizing hints of some other films we could hope to find, including “Топка 21 Века”, “A Furnace for the 21st Century”.

Exposure is all over the place, which seems to be typical for Soviet B&W films. Reel change (for some reason it was disseminated as two small reels in one box) at 10:05 is a trifle rough, which is at least partly my unskilful use of ffmpeg.

Captions will be incorporated as soon as feasible.