I had heard of, but never seen, the US 1950's propaganda movie '
Duck And Cover'. I knew it was appallingly inadequate, like the leaflets and 'public information films' in the UK that suggested setting a mattress at an angle to the wall and hiding the whole family behind it. What I didn't realise was that, in the middle of being totally ineffectual, the entire film was targeted at what look like seven and eight year olds. Was America that ready to be blown up, that they terrified a whole generation? As if my mind was desperate to tangentialise in the middle of all this, I couldn't help noticing how fat and unfit the 'expertly trained fire service' appeared to be. Put it this way, none of them had to tuck their willies out of the way, coming down the pole. Its just under ten minutes long.
Here it is - click on the picture.
If you fancy something just as mindboggling, but in a completely different way, then this next one is a one and a half minute clip from a 1970's TV extravaganza produced in Finland, and is almost hypnotic in its erm,...........
words fail me.
Get the groovy close-up on the fancy footwork, dude.
8 comments:
At the risk of inginiting a trans-atlantic comment war, I could comment that most US film and tv prouctions are aimed at 7 & 8 year olds.
I probably shouldn't though, eh?
;-)
The first film - OH. MY. GOD.
The 2nd film - I think the bloke in white was my ex-husband lol
That first film was fascinating. The clothes, the cars, the fat firemen, and the picnic scene was just priceless.
But seriously, it does make you wonder about the whole context that such warning films were ever produced. How terrifying really.
Atomic Café is a five-star movie in my opinion. Yes, we used to go out in the hallways and sit against the wall with our raincoats over our heads - or in our classrooms under the desks - in case of nuclear attack.
As for the Finns, I think they're sweet. We should not feel we can't have whatever ridiculous kind of fun there is to have. Life is too short.
As usual, I can't get either film to play...I'm thinking it is my dial up connection...Darn it.
I'm always amazed at people who think they're dancing good. They never smile. haha & they surely should!
Duck & cover. It was a regular drill until I was in about the 6th grade. We also had monthly city alarms. They were sounded on the last Friday of every month, just to make sure they worked.
As for the duck & cover, I always assumed it was because we were at war with Vietnam. While I didn't see it as instilling fear, it must have had some part to me thinking the Vietnamese were going to come climbing over the fence of my friends house & kill us.
We'd have to crouch under our desks into a little ball & then put our arms over our ears & hold our heads down until the 'okay' horn went off. I don't remember seeing the turtle cartoon though.
As I watch our country now, the only time one can be certain there will be a 'fear motivator' is if more dirt comes out about the Bush Regime. (It's happened 14 documented times so far, since 9/11)
Melinama - seriously proud that you have commented here!
I disagree though, the Finnish lady looks really full of herself. If this was a wedding video there'd be nothing to it. Its just a mind warping idea that perhaps in Finland in the seventies, you had to be over 40 to be 'hip and trendy' and on TV. And I can dance better than that hehe, can't everyone?
Duck and Cover - scary scary scary, I can't begin to imagine what it did to sensitive minds. As an offline commenter put it - 'no wonder America is such a gun culture.'
Great Cheryl. That fancy footwork looks really cool to me. Yes we certainly knew how to dance in those days.
The only thing missing is the Mick Jagger "clap your hands in front of your face and turn your head to the left" move.
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