Hollywood Novelties, 1930-1938 (DVD)

This collection presents a grab-bag of ultra-rare short subjects.

The World Parade: "California Picture Book" (1941): A sweeping overview of the Golden State, showcasing both its natural wonders, including Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park and the Monterey Peninsula, as well as its cities including Beverly Hills and Hollywood.

Carnival Show (1938): "The show starts right away!" announces carnival barker Clyde Hagar in this 1938 short as he introduces such popular acts as Three De Lovelies, Cotton Club Tramp Band, and Jan Peerce as an opera-singing hot dog vendor.

Samovar Serenade (1939): Codolbon and his Gypsy Orchestra present an evening of traditional Russian songs and dances as performed by the Moscow Choir, Karavaeff, and Luba Malina.

Whirls and Girls (1929): Mack Sennett produced and directed this fast-paced 1929 comedy short starring funnyman Andy Clyde as a hen-pecked husband who is kicked out of his house by his wife.

The Adventure Parade: "Wing, Claw & Fang" (1951): A fun-filled showcase of several remarkable animals that display amazing intelligence and surprising skills.

The Alchemist in Hollywood (1940): "The modern motion picture brings you romance, education, entertainment" This documentary short pays tribute to those who toil at motion-picture laboratories, whose painstaking artistry and wizardry creates the magic of the movies.

• documentary