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Following the 1980s Film Alphabet, artist Stephen Wildish has created a new alphabet poster for the movies of the 1960s. I’ve only studied this a few minutes, so there are a couple I haven’t deciphered yet. It’s not that I don’t recall the movies, it’s more that I just can’t remember the titles. Link -via Laughing Squid
In the 1960s, music videos were shown in coin-operated machines from a French company called Scopitone. Strange and somewhat exotic visuals were added to pop songs to draw viewers to the machines, which were introduced to the US in 1964. Collector’s Weekly talked to Scopitone film collector Bob Orlowsky, who not only gives us the history of these “visual jukeboxes,” but also shares some of the videos from those days. Link
It’s hard to believe that people once thought we’d all be living in domes by the year 2000, but this delightful retro article from Popular Science confirms that the future is a lot squarer than people in the 60s and 70s thought it would be. The geodesic dome was the brainchild of R. Buckminster Fuller, who felt that the simplicity of design and ease with which it could be built would catch on like wildfire across the country, and claimed rather ambitiously that it could replace all manner of traditional housing. However, Fuller hadn’t taken the cost of repairs into consideration, nor the problems that would be encountered bringing the dome up to code, and the awkward shape of the panels made replacing them a real pain, so the geodesic dome fad fell along the wayside, becoming nothing more than a vision of the future that was never meant to be. If you want to read more about the “dome of the future”, follow the link to PopSci, where you’ll find lots more info, and pages from past Popular Science articles detailing the rise and fall of the housing dome fad.
Ah, The Addams Family! Although this show lasted only two years — 1964 through 1966 — it has endured as a pop culture phenomenon, spawning movies, cartoons, revivals, and comics. Let’s take a look at some things you might not know about that show.
1. The show was preceded by the one-panel cartoons of Charles Addams, which made their debut in The New Yorker in 1937. These works of dark humor featured the same characters that would later grace the show. Addams was known as a man of ghoulish if playful interests, and his house was filled with instruments of torture and medieval weapons, particularly crossbows. He hoped to someday put his crossbow collection to practical use:
“I have this fantasy,” he said, smiling, “A robber breaks into my apartment and just as he comes through the door, I get him — right through the neck. Always through the neck.”
2. John Astin, who played Gomez Addams, was initially offered the role of Lurch.
3. Astin’s crazed, maniacal look as Gomez Addams had prior service. While living in a rough neighborhood of New York City, he would get between his apartment and the subway station safely by acting a bit deranged. No one bothered him.
4. Fans sometimes stop Astin, speak French to him, and expect him to react as Gomez did when Morticia spoke the language of love. Ringo Starr from The Beatles once grabbed Astin’s arm and started kissing up its length before Astin stopped him from going past his elbow.
5. Ted Cassidy released a 45 rpm single consisting of a dance song called “The Lurch”. Here he is demonstrating it on a 1965 episode of the variety show Shindig!
more …
Cinematical has a list of ideas for making movies based on classic 20th century TV shows. A couple of these I’d never seen, but I definitely remember tuning in to see Martin Landau and company fight to survive each week on Moonbase Alpha (Space:1999, pictured).
The list includes Earth 2, The Six Million Dollar Man, and others with video clips of their opening sequences. Here’s author Kevin Kelley’s take on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century:
We just want to see Buck back on the big screen, where he has never really been (the original TV pilot was edited into a theatrical release). Toss some up and coming young star with good looks and a strong chin in this, and revamp everything. Just keep the cool laser pistols in it, and for god’s sake don’t let Buck disco.
An impressive fan-made intro to that show… Link to Cinematical.
Back in the l960s when the watchword was "better living through chemistry," furniture manufacturers created an impervious vinyl upholstery and named it Naugahyde.
To encourage consumers to buy it, some advertising folks came up with the Naugahyde monster campaign: "The Nauga is ugly. But his vinyl hide is beautiful." Those clever Mad Men!
Link – via pzrservices
From the Upcoming Queue, submitted by Marilyn Terrell.
