Wings to Yugoslavia (1960s PanAm travelogue)

[Your Old Comrade]

WINGS TO YUGOSLAVIA is a Pan American promotional travel film from the 1960s, when the nation was part of the Eastern Bloc. The film takes viewers on a tour of Yugoslavia, a land made up of “six republics, five nations, four languages, three religions, two alphabets, and one desire: independence.” The film begins in Belgrade (01:16) with scenic shots of the Sava and Danube Rivers and the airport. Belgrade is a bustling city, its streets lined with outdoor cafes (01:48) and its markets filled with produce (03:02). Tito Museum and the nearby Memorial to the Unknown Soldier (03:21) are popular places to visit in the city. Sarajevo is a city steeped in history; the film shows the Latin Bridge over the Miljacka River (03:42), the location of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria’s assassination, sparking World War I. The film presents footage of Sarajevo’s rooftops (04:00) and markets (04:20), where Muslims, Catholics, and Orthodox mingle. One of the most popular items at the market is the watermelon (04:48). Next is the city of Mostar, with its famed Stari Most, or “Old Bridge” (05:04). Locals jump off the bridge into the Neretva River below (05:04). Arguably the biggest highlight of any trip to Yugoslavia is a visit to the Dalmatian coast (05:55) and the old city of Dubrovnik (06:14; 07:50) with its coastal fortifications and varied architecture (07:12). Beachgoers enjoy the sand and water of Dubrovnik (08:15), and many will visit the magical island of St. Stefan (08:55). Continuing along the Dalmatian coast is the Bay of Kotor (09:56). Tourists can see these sights by taking boat tours out of Dubrovnik’s harbor (10:18). Another must-see place along the coast is Korcula (10:45), which claims to be the birthplace of Marco Polo. The next destination is the city of Split (11:09), Latin for “Palace.” It is an impressive city on the Adriatic, and is home to the ancient palace of Diocletian (11:45). The palace, which later became a city, boasts massive city gates (12:10), a cathedral that was originally the emperor’s mausoleum, and a café in the large courtyard. A number of Ivan Mestrovic’s sculptures adorn the gardens (13:54) in Split. From Split, the film takes viewers to a majestic waterfall (14:20), connecting a mountain lake with the Krka River. Krka National Park features a number of cascading waterfalls (14:40), and canoeists and kayakers take on the rapids in the area’s rivers (15:38). A great bridge (16:30), part of the highway system, allows victors to see more of Yugoslavia than ever before. Scenes of the agriculture sector (17:28) give viewers more glimpses into rural Yugoslavia, and a woman walking a donkey along a river with an old city in the background (18:03) captures the traditional feel of the region. In some regions, women wear traditional headdresses (18:42), in this case the headdress marks the women as married and from Dalmatia. In the north are beautiful mountains (18:56), and Lake Bled (19:10) is one of the most scenic. Lake Bled, with its island, fine hotels, and geothermal springs keeping the water a pleasant temperature make it a popular destination. The final destination is Zagreb (20:30), with its famous Church of St. Mark (20:41), and its numerous museums, galleries, and cafes—it is the second largest city in Yugoslavia. In Zagreb’s markets, one can find fine wood crafts (21:44). The film ends with talking up the wonderful nightlife scene in Yugoslavia with its different foods, cheap wines, and occasional singing waiter (23:17). Folk dancing (23:59) and modern dancing are extremely popular across the country.

Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we've worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you'd like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below.

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com

[Your Old Comrade]

The country was such a weird hybrid of East and West, a communist one party state next to the conveniences of Western democracy, age-old technology next to the latest of the latest (for the 1960s or 1972 - like in this one). A very interesting place.