The films are often used as b roll[?] in documentary films, for instance the social guidance film The Terrible Truth[?] appears, desaturated in Ron Mann[?]'s film Grass[?] as an example of what he perceives as hysteria over drug abuse, as well as an example of the slippery slope fallacy.
Prelinger and other film archivists generally consider the films interesting for their sociological or anthropological value: for instance, a mental hygiene film instructing children to be careful of strangers may seem laughable by today's standards, but the film may show important aspects of society which were documented unintentionally: hairstyles, popular fashions, landscapes, technological advances, etc.
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