Inaugurating its reviews of films, The Journal of Fluid mechanics remarked that “The works of the U.S. National Committee for Fluid Mechanics Films is now well known.... Films on fluid mechanics have been made before now by other people, but the scale of this programme, the quality of the Committee's work, and the wide distribution of the products make these films a notable development in the academic world. Already the impact on the teaching of fluid mechanics in colleges and universities has been considerable, and it is likely that films are here to stay as a regular teaching aid. Fluid mechanics is photogenic subject; and the Committee has opened out eyes to what can be done by an effective combination of thought and money.”
This volume contains notes from 21 of the 22 major 16-mm sound films prepared under the direction of the NCFMF and covering nearly all of the fundamental phenomena of fluid motions. The book also briefly describes 133 four-minute 8-mm silent film loops which illustrate a particular experiment of phenomena.
The film notes foe the 16-mm sound films follow the film scripts closely—with some elaboration of detail—and are liberally illustrated with experimental scenes from the films. “With the 'film in print,'” remarks Ascher Shapiro, “the reader can relive the film... he can recapture the phenomena, the motion, and the vividness of the film, but he can do so at his own speed, without being pressured by the pace of the film.” The notes can also be used independently of the films and are significantly interesting in themselves—providing continuity to the subject matter which is inevitably lost in one film showing.
