This alcohol awareness film “Dial A-L-C-O-H-O-L” features the story of young people who are working at hotline for alcoholics. It shows how they attempt to assist peers struggling with issues related to alcohol consumption such as drinking and driving. This episode is a part of a series which aired on television from 1976 to 1980, as part of an awareness campaign.

The film opens with various shots of young adults on rotary telephones at the hotline station for ‘Dial Alcohol’ (:15). The story begins with a party in the lot of a pizza restaurant as youth swill beer and swallow pizza (:34). Another car swings in the lot (:53). A young couple argues as the female; Sonya, questions a friend named RJ over his consumption of alcohol (1:31). RJ jumps into the driver seat as Sonya attempts to stop him (1:48). RJ smashes his white Mazda into trash cans (2:26). His father questions his drinking (2:45). The phone rings at the ALS Auto Shop (3:04) as Sonya calls from the hotline over her car. One of the hotline operators takes a call (4:23). She and Sonya discuss the difficulty with addressing drinking and driving among friends (5:01). At the auto shop, RJ and a peer discuss the party from the evening before which landed RJ in trouble with his family (5:57). The mechanic bitterly informs RJ a drunk driver had killed his brother (6:29). Sonya’s Volkswagen Beatles bends down the road (6:39) for the auto shop. Sonya follows RJ to confront about his drinking (7:33). Sonya details the process of a police stop when a driver is suspected of being under the influence (8:11). The balloon test is conducted (8:24). The mobile alcohol van of Fairfax police force arrives (8:43). The percentage of alcohol in the blood is recorded (9:14). Back at the hotline (9:46), an operator details the alcohol content and effect on driving with various forms of alcohol (9:53). A study is conducted using a gymnast, a balance beam and a ginger ale mix drink (10:05). She explains how the alcohol affects her (10:39) after each drink. RJ decides to refrain from attending another party (12:39). Sonya suggests RJ set himself up with the Alcohol Safety Action Program to earn his father’s trust (13:53). The mechanic who lost his brother over a drinking and driving incident sits with RJ (14:20). Youth gather for a party (14:50). Cans of Schmidt’s are passed around (15:44). A blonde swills his third drink in the first hour (15:50). Another call comes in at the hotline (16:16). Police arrive on the doorstep of the house party (18:04) over a noise complaint. This clears the party out, forcing the youth to drive (19:06). A woman named Barb from the party calls the hotline (20:05). They discuss options as the designated driver is overly intoxicated (20:50). They decide the only sober attendees of the party should take the intoxicated home (21:26). Barb informs the drink drivers (21:53) of the plan. One of the men refuses to allow the designated sober driver to take him and his partner home (22:20) as he has become overly aggressive. The drunk driver is pulled over (23:28). A tow truck carts the van (24:00) to the auto shop (24:24). RJ hears the news that Bill had been placed under arrest. RJ and Sonya wash Sonya’s car (24:58) as they discuss the outcome of the evening. RJ decides to join the Alcohol Safety Action Program (26:08) and is able to drive his car again (26:15). Sonya and RJ meet for a date (26:58) as his old drinking buddies roll up to invite him to the party. Sonya jumps out of the car to stop the drunk driver now encouraged by previous events to intervene (27:17). The film was produced by the Northern Virginia Educational Telecommunications Association (27:29) for the US Department of Health Education and Welfare (27:33) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Motion picture films don’t last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we’ve worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies — including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you’d like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below.

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com