Looney Lens: Pas de deux

Here's another of the Looney Lens shorts that Al Brick shot in 1924. It shows two men shaking hands, moving their feet, and shaking their midriffs, distorted by what appears to be an extreme 'goldfish bowl' lens.

In reality, the careful observer will notice the undistorted body parts just outside the center of the action. That makes it clear to the observer that Brick is shooting into a mirror, probably one that is globular itself. The real trick, aside from the amusing distortion, is where he placed the camera to avoid being seen.

Brick spent most of his career shooting for the Fox newsreels. He was the only man who got shots of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.