Free feature films courtesy of the Internet Archive

[Brian]

The Internet Archive, a non-profit organization that is archiving digital content of historical significance, has added feature films to its expansive collection of moving images.

This collection houses a number of classic public domain feature films and shorts, now available for viewing and downloading at the Internet Archive.

One of the Feature Films collection's most notable movies is Stanley Donen's 1963 Hitchcock-esque thriller Charade. This movie is in the public domain due to the failure to put the copyright notice in the released print, which was required at the time the movie was released.

In addition to feature films, the Moving Images Archive includes the Computer Chronicles, Film Chest Vintage Cartoons, the Prelinger Archives of ephemeral advertising, educational, industrial, and amateur films, and many other collections of movies and videos.

If you're looking for video content to load up and watch on your PDA, smartphone, or portable media player, the Moving Images Archive has over 19,000 items in the archive. Video formats available for download include MPEG2 and MPEG4. The Moving Images collection is free and open for everyone to use.

The Internet Archive contains approximately 1 petabyte of data in all collections. If you want to watch or listen to an interview of Brewster Kahle, the Internet Archive Founder, he's Robert X. Cringely's guest in Episode #3 of NerdTV.

Related: Open Content Alliance launched, NerdTV now officially on the air

[Bob Russell]

You may have to dig a bit, but there are some really great movies here. A couple of David Niven movies for example. Personally, I love the old movies, and among a lot of duds (especially the really old ones) there is some really great stuff. And there's so many that I don't think you are likely to run out of possibilities. What a great site!

[Gatton]

Originally Posted by BobR

You may have to dig a bit, but there are some really great movies here. A couple of David Niven movies for example. Personally, I love the old movies, and among a lot of duds (especially the really old ones) there is some really great stuff. And there's so many that I don't think you are likely to run out of possibilities. What a great site!

Agreed! I am constantly amazed at the efforts of those folks at the archive. I only recently found out about all the live music on there in association with the etree folks. If you're a Grateful Dead fan you'll be in heaven.

http://www.archive.org/audio/etreelisting-browse.php

As for films I was happy to see Buster Keaton represented. If you always wondered what the fuss was about when it comes to silent films I heartily recommend you try The General. You'll cringe in a couple of places when you see the stunts that guy did himself. No cgi here you young punks

http://www.archive.org/details/TheGeneral

[rsperberg]

Originally Posted by Brian

One of the Feature Films collection's most notable movies is Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 thriller Charade.

Hitchcock is so associated with the thriller that your attributing this film to him is understandable, but it was directed by Stanley Donen, not Hitch.

[Brian]

Originally Posted by rsperberg

Hitchcock is so associated with the thriller that your attributing this film to him is understandable, but it was directed by Stanley Donen, not Hitch.

Thanks for pointing that out, fixed.

Brian