Culver City,
California
x
Balaton II
Maker: Unknown
Date Made: 1970s
Country: German Democratic Republic; Hungary
Materials: super 8mm; silent; color
Measurements: 156 ft; 47.5488 m
Duration: 11:32
Accession Number: 2010.705.005
Vacation to Lake Balaton. Passengers walk from train station past small cottages. Poolside scene: multiple pools with children, teenagers, mixed group with adults wading. Child with red inner tube learns to swim; group of young men throws soccer ball. Particular attention paid to trio of women in black bathing suits and woman with white hair. [Small hole in second transitional frame before the splice] Cars parked at exterior of pool complex; view of grounds, including gardens. [Splice] People dry off with towels in garden area. Group tosses multicolored ball across net in large pool; others wade and walk in shallow pools. Views of sunbathers on crowded lawns. [Splice] Different swimming area by complex of older buildings, one with dome. Perhaps Lake Hévíz, a thermal pool. Group sits on steps leading into water; woman in red plays with child (perhaps same one learning to swim earlier in reel). White-haired woman swims out towards float. Man waves at camera as he swims and floats on his back. [Splice] Man holds child, who smiles at the camera. Short interlude of a lily pond. Back at pool; two small boys play near red and white swimming ring. People sunbathe beside a building. View of gardens. [Splice] Baroque architectural details of arched gateway to Festetics Palace, now Helikon Castle Museum, located in the town of Keszthely, Zala county. Details of palace and gardens, with crowds of people strolling. [Splice] View beyond palace walls to Keszthely church. Another angle on palace gateway followed by view of family (child, man, woman, white-haired woman) walking on street. Large white sign reads “Fizeto Parkola” (paid parking). View of large building with thatched and small hut-like structures to the side. View of lake and shoreline. Close-up of “Posta Keszthely” (Keszthely Post office) insignia and red postal box. View of Gothic parish church in Keszthely, built on site of former 12th-13th century church by Palatine Istevan Lackfi. View of busy pedestrian scene around building complex; colorful cars leave parking lot; close-up of tall red flowers. [Splice] View of buses, white-haired woman near tall red flowers. More details of parish church, including Mother and Child fresco above door. Street scene with “Balatonfüred” directional sign. Landmark with Soviet star on top and Holy Trinity Statue. More views of street away from the main square. [Splice] Sign reads "Auf Wiedersehen," "viszontlátásra," "See You Again," and "Do videnja" with town landscape in background. Views of building and town landscape from an elevation. [Splice] Small child with short, curly hair; short, lace-edged dress; red shoes; and a red toy truck walks past cameraperson. Child plays in flat, sandy area with small blue toy. Exterior view of small white house with laundry hung on a line. German Shepherd dog tethered beside house. Woman in floral-patterned dress walks out of house and picks vegetables or herbs from near laundryline. Man briefly walks out of and back into house.