Gizmo!

I saw this film in the 70's (on PBS i believe) and remember laughing out loud at the unlikely inventions offered up with earnestness and enthusiasm by their slightly delusional inventors(before watching them go wrong, horribly wrong). Great b/w vintage footage. Its like America's Funniest Home Video's for The New Yorker readers.

Gizmo is a tribute to humankind's pursuit of progress and the inventive spirit. "Invention" in this film is a pretty loose term - you see strange contraptions, and you also see people doing amazing (and odd) things with their bodies. Most of the footage is in black and white and looks like it was gathered from old newsreels. Unforgettable sequences include flying machines complete with flapping wings, "human flies" climbing skyscrapers without ropes, a whiskey distillery that ages whiskey "100 million times faster than nature", and the topper is a woman who has rediscovered what she calls the "ancient greek cosmic laws of flight". This film is pure magic - I have watched it countless times and I laugh just thinking about some of the scenes. So many of the people in this film should have tried their inventions out before calling the newspaper out to film them. Some of the failures are just spectacular! Also definitely worth mentioning is the soundtrack which is fantastic. Almost every segment of the film is accompanied by a great song which helps to set the mood and really adds to its replay value. If you come across a copy of Gizmo, definitely check it out - adults and children will both really enjoy it.

One of the great documentaries of the 1970s . Manages to be both extremely amusing and fascinating thanks to an excellent collection of archival film clips ,a fine narration and some truly inspired original music. The message is clear. Don't knock the guy who comes up with some crazy invention because his next attempt at the same gadget could sell a million. The whole thing aims to celebrate the pioneering spirit of those who dare to attempt the seemingly impossible whether it be for the genuine advancement of their fellow humans or just to provide a few much-needed laughs to lighten up the world in which they live. A truly memorable and positive viewing experience which all students of documentary-making should see.

I love this movie/documentary. The first time I saw it was when VHS videos first became available to rent in my area in the late 1970's or early 1980's. The soundtrack is compelling and the end when they play the Canon inspired me so much I talked my then fiancé to use this for our wedding.

However, one thing has bothered me for decades. And now that I've finally been able to get a copy of the movie and the internet has been invented ...

I've had many discussions with friends who've seen the moving regarding the opening dedication and the comments at the end of the movie.

What the heck is the narrator saying?

Is it a different language? Is he just making up words? "crianisus", "those who craminate in this movie", "man's rexiphor"?

Someone must know.

I absolutely LOVED this movie! Some of the inventions really cracked me up.My favorite scenes were the buildings being blown up.It looked like they were shrinking.I wonder what that weird liquid was and why the people were dry when they climbed out of it.What was the deal with the guy at the very beginning of the movie making farting noises with his hands.Just how was that supposed to help mankind?Anyway the scenes with people trying to fly was my second favorite.This movie lets you know that everyone messes up once and awhile and you shouldn't give up!