Axion Estin

Axion Estin in Jerusalem Street Scenes – November, 1929

This “Axion Estin” clip a small part of perhaps the earliest sound footage of Jerusalem street scenes filmed from November 9-19, 1929 by Movietone. Unfortunately the complete video (Jerusalem Street Scenes – Nov 1929) is unavailable. This complete video is now listed as “private”.

The scenes of the original complete film were taken with early Movietone sound cameras. This footage was very raw but it captured all sorts of city atmosphere: various locations, locals talk to the cameras, street markets, cattle dealers, and religious ceremonies. In the original, first section they seem to be documenting landmarks in Jerusalem for English and French audiences. As always the casual passerby are the real star of the show.

Just this clip Axion Estin can be downloaded from YouTube and reposted.

Axion estin (Greek: Ἄξιον ἐστίν,) or It is Truly Meet, is a a magnification of and a Hymn to Mary which is chanted in the Divine Services of the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches – composed in honor of the Theotokos (i.e. the Virgin Mary).

For Comparison Axion Estin by Greek singer Petros Gaitanos

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Movietone News

Newspaper ad from a fully equipped theater in Tacoma, Washington, showing The Jazz Singer, on Vitaphone, and a Fox newsreel, on Movietone, together on the same bill. (Public Domain)

Movietone News was a newsreel that ran from 1928 to 1963 in the United States. Under the name British Movietone News, it also ran in the United Kingdom from 1929 to 1979. [“We hope you will enjoy exploring the British Movietone collection. Please feel free to share our content with friends and embed onto your own websites and social media forums” On British Movietone YouTube channels where you can view, link to, or embed videos.]

Movietone News evolved from an earlier newsreel established by Fox Films called Fox News which was founded in 1919. It produced silent newsreels. When Fox entered talkies with Mother Knows Best, the name Fox Movietone was applied to Fox’s sound productions.