I recommend heading over to Internet Archive (http://www.archive.org), and spend some time in their Prelinger Archives. The Prelinger Archives is filled with classic propaganda films, like Destination Earth (1956), a short film about martians who are held under a facist dictator, come to earth, discover oil, and overthrow their facist leader with the capitalist principles that oil consumption facilitates. Yeah, I wish I was making this stuff up.
All of the films available at the Prelinger Archives fell into the public domain, and thus are available for free.
Prelinger Archives also contain a set of social guidance films from the 1950’s-1970’s explaining to teens and young adults socially acceptable behavior. If you can get around the subtle racism (everyone in the films is white), underlying sexism (girls who park in cars with boys are outcasts, while the boys who park with them are not), and the blatant homophobia (see Boys Beware, which directly associates homosexuality with pedophilia), the films are pretty funny. Let me make it clear that I don’t find racism, sexism, or homophobia at all humorous - but the films are so reactionary that they can almost come across as a parody of 1950’s traditionalism.
My personal favorite, however, is a little conformity piece called Are You Popular? (1947).
I don’t know about you, but here my are favorite quotes:
Now, why do they invite Carolynn to join their group when Ginny wasn’t welcome? Is it because they like the way she looks and dresses? Because she seems as interested in girls as in boys?
Even in 1947, I imagine that would make a young woman very popular. Or this gem:
Carolyn and her mother have found one way a girl can repay a boy for entertaining her. A bite to eat at her house will save him money. Perhaps they’ll bring another couple home. Won’t that be fun?
There’s nothing funnier than a complete lack of understanding of concepts like innuendo and double entendre. Did they have that kind of humor back in the 1940’s and 1950’s?
I’m really trying to avoid turning this site into a YouTube linking, live-journal style blog. Unfortunately, the things I’m most involved in right now require some public restraint until the processes finish - or at least, until my involvement in said processes finish. Or until somone pisses me off to the point where I feel obligated to rant, which is the most likely scenerio - and I already have a rant in the queue for such an occassion. Jennifer, in all her wisdom, really had to reign me in a bit and remind me that I shouldn’t say anything here that I wouldn’t want to see in the newspaper… yet.
So couple of items to keep you busy.
First, if you don’t read Belle’s Blog (http://lawandletters.blogspot.com), then you are really missing out. I think you’d be hard pressed to find a more articulate blog on the web. Of course, she’s getting accolades from people far more important than me, so I’ll not praise her too much for fear of jumping on a bandwagon with those who are out of my league. It’s important to know one’s role.
I will also direct you to a band I discovered while browsing MySpace: The Majestic Twelve, with major props to a single entitled Condoleezza, Check My Posse. Their entire album, along with the single, is available as a free download (and if you like it, you can purchase a CD via PayPal). I expect the RIAA to file a lawsuit against them for infringing on their own copyright. That’s the RIAA: protecting musicians from themselves.
In other news, MySpace is useful for something other than a way for college girls to get back at their parents.
Finally, here’s yet another YouTube video - a hysterical parody of the immigration debate.
Published on Wednesday, 17 May 2006 .
Jennifer, our friend Nicole, and I spent last Thursday at Magic Mountain in celebration of Jennifer’s birthday. I think about 14 years has passed since I was last there - back when I enjoyed doing things that scared the shit out of me. Thankfully, my constitution on rollercoasters is still holds up, although there was one rollercoaster called X that really put me to the test.
So you might ask, “Why Magic Mountain?” Well, I think it’s because Jennifer’s having more trouble dealing with getting older than I am.
And then Saturday it was off to West Hollywood, or what my politically-correct father calls the “happy” part of Los Angeles, to get away for a day. Jennifer likes the clubs in that area, so that’s where her and I went to really celebrate her birthday. Say what you want about gay clubs, I never get a drink that fast from a male bartender at a straight club. On the other hand, male bartenders at straight clubs wear shirts - so it’s a mixed bag, uh… I mean give and take, no, no… I mean… nevermind.
Joking aside, it was pretty good time.
Two things that I have against the experience, though: a well Martini should never cost $12. And if you are going to charge $12 for a well Martini, then I should never - never, ever, ever - have to listen to that damned Kelly Clarkson “Since You’ve Been Gone” song. If I have to hear that song, then you should pay me for the drink.
Way too much went down this week, so I haven’t really had time or energy to post. I’m hoping to begin regular updates again soon.
The whole “do it yourself” internet video has really busted wide open. Yes, there is a some good stuff out there, but most of it is proof that people should really stay away from video cameras.
Case in point…
Have you ever wondered what the Trinity Broadcasting Network, the rap group N.W.A., and porn quality cinematography would look like if it were somehow merged together?
Warning: If you think you are safe from profanity because he’s holding a bible, you are DEAD wrong.
