Watch Battle of the Centuries

This "Pictoreel" studies a "fantastical world of romance in which tragedy reigns supreme." Or so says the narrator of our setting, a mere "old tree stump" that hides a termite city. Their insect society is divided between workers and soldiers, the latter seen fiercely defending the home-front from attempted invasion by the termites' archenemy, the ant. A microscopic camera allowed this fascinating glimpse of tiny critter life, years before Walt Disney waded into the nature-doc game with his popular "True-Life Adventures" series. - Dennis Harvey