''Gizmo!'' is a 1977

documentary film A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

produced and directed by Howard Smith about improbable inventions, and uses old

newsreel A newsreel is a form of short documentary film, containing news, news stories and items of topical interest, that was prevalent between the 1910s and the mid 1970s. Typically presented in a Movie theater, cinema, newsreels were a source of cu ...

footage about these inventions. Early examples of

parkour Parkour () is an athletic Training#Physical training, training discipline or sport in which practitioners (called ''traceurs'') attempt to get from one point to another in the fastest and most efficient way possible, without assisting equipment ...

and buildering are also featured, including footage of an urban

acrobat Acrobatics () is the performance of human feats of balance, agility, and motor coordination. Acrobatic skills are used in performing arts, sporting events, and martial arts. Extensive use of acrobatic skills are most often performed in acro d ...

, John Ciampa (the "Brooklyn Tarzan"), Frank "Cannonball" Richards and a

stuntman A stunt performer, often called a stuntman or stuntwoman and occasionally stuntperson or stunt-person, is a trained professional who performs daring acts, often as a career. Stunt performers usually appear in films or on television, as opposed ...

, Arnim Dahl.

External links

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"Gizmo!" description and reviewFilm clip from "Gizmo!""Gizmo!" on archive.org
1977 films Documentary films about technology Films directed by Howard Smith 1977 documentary films American documentary films 1970s English-language films 1970s American films English-language documentary films {{sci-documentary-film-stub