I just came across some more old, mesmerizing footage that needed to be shared. In this montage of home movie clips, we get to see what the Bay Area was like more than 50 years ago. I love the decidedly retro, supersaturated, and almost grainy look and feel of the 16mm footage. It actually invokes a strange feeling of nostalgia in me; one that makes me wish that I was alive back then to see all of it first hand.

Although the footage alone is compelling enough, it’s the accompanying song that really sets this apart from the pack. The name of it is “Alone in Kyoto” by Air, which may or may not be familiar to you; it was used in the soundtrack of the critically-acclaimed 2003 film Lost in Translation, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson.

The priceless shot in this is the one with the silhouetted man smoking a cigar while overlooking the entire city. In this shot we can make out major landmarks in the background like the Bay Bridge, Coit Tower, and the Ferry Building.

Video credit: Jeff Altman