#35239 - 02/08/10 09:17 AM
Bizarre Little Films
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Jake999
senior member
Registered: 11/02/08
Posts: 2174
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Back in the 1950s and early 1960's there were some bizarre little films that you might want to check out, not because they are good, but because they were fledgeling little attempts to deal with things on an almost "off broadway" level, eventally making their way to TV. By "things," I mean the quirky and sometimes metaphysical.
1. The Twonky (1953)
A college professor finds that his new television set is not what it seems, but an alien come to control his life. "Twonky" is a word that means "I don't know what it is." Don't look for complicated plot lines... Hans Conried is the star, but special mention has to go to Myron McCormick who explains the concept of a Twonky in a flat tone that would make Ben Stein look like he was on speed. (McCormick would later go on to be the bumbling Training NCO Orvil King in NO TIME FOR SARGEANTS with Andy Griffith... another slightly bizarre flick.
2. HARVEY (1950)
It's a story about an invisible friend... in this case a Pooka, taking the shape of a 6' tall invisible Rabbit named Harvey, seen only by Elwood P. Doud, played by Jimmy Stewart. Harvey shows up and comedy ensues... no. You never see Harvey. He's invisible. Pay attention.
3. ZOTZ
Professor Jonathan Jones finds the ZOTZ! coin, and discovers its awesome powers. He attempts to make the secret available to the US government, but is brushed off as a lunatic. Jones has some fun with the power of Zotz. The discovery becomes the interest of foreign agents, who attempt to steal the secret any way they can. Tom Poston is Dr. Jones. There's a funny scene where he's looking at the ZOTZ! coin and reading the incantation from a book to make it work, not realizing that all of the actions necessary to activate it are happening.
These will all be very hard to find these days. None of them are Oscar quality, but look and listen and you might just find a gem or two.
_________________________
Bury your dead, pick up your weapon and soldier on.
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#35241 - 02/08/10 09:36 AM
Re: Bizarre Little Films
[Re: Jake999]
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Psychotic
stranger
Registered: 01/15/10
Posts: 16
Loc: New York
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they seem quite intresing. ill be sure to check them out when i get the chance
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#35504 - 02/12/10 01:09 AM
Re: Bizarre Little Films
[Re: Jake999]
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Michael A.Aquino
veteran member
Registered: 09/28/08
Posts: 1247
Loc: San Francisco, CA, USA
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Back in the 1950s and early 1960's there were some bizarre little films that you might want to check out, not because they are good, but because they were fledgling little attempts to deal with things on an almost "off broadway" level, eventally making their way to TV. By "things," I mean the quirky and sometimes metaphysical.
This brought to mind the original series of The Outer Limits, which was a fascinating effort to deal with speculative sci-fi concepts. Not to be confused with the recent slick revival-series, which is much more lavish but lacks the innocence and creepiness of the original. This little book tells the detailed backstory of all the original episodes, as well as the mindset of creator Joseph Stefano. There is also a more lavish update. Annoyingly both are out-of-print and expensive. I don't think I'd spring for one at these prices, but if you see a copy at a good price, and like the series, grab it. In the meantime, see the "1960s Classic Episodes" area of the above-linked series website.
"There is nothing wrong with your television set ..." 
_________________________
Michael A. Aquino
[On Ignore: Dan_Dread, 6Satan6Archist6, Caladrius, MindFux]
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#35551 - 02/12/10 01:35 PM
One Step Beyond & Sci Fi Theater
[Re: Jake999]
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Michael A.Aquino
veteran member
Registered: 09/28/08
Posts: 1247
Loc: San Francisco, CA, USA
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The Outer Limits (original series) was definitely a great one for all kinds of imaginative twists and turns to a story. Another one that I used to sneak a look at whenever I could was the series ONE STEP BEYOND with John Newland. It was only on from about 1959-1961, so I was supposed to be in bed at that hour... school tomorrow and all of that.
Right! Several clips of 1SB on YouTube. The show also had a superb soundtrack by Harry Lubin, of which there are some clickable samples here. "Fear" was the front/end title piece, and "Weird" was played when the spooky thing of the episode happened. I remember "Jungle Aire": a jazz musician snuck into a voodoo ceremony to steal their music, was caught and warned not to use it. He did, of course (this is a piece of his version), whereupon the Loa showed up and, well ...
Also one of my favorites from the late 50's (1955-1957) was SCIENCE FICTION THEATER with its host Truman Bradley, who was a TV commentator in his day job and lent and almost credible attachment to some of the incredible stories. I was always fascinated by the high tech looking things showing in the opening credits... for then, of course I was only 6-8 years old and seeing the wavy lines on an oscilloscope was intriguing.
Also devoted to that show, also ca. 6-8. Like an elementary school science class with shivers. Several pieces of it on YouTube, happily/nostalgically.
_________________________
Michael A. Aquino
[On Ignore: Dan_Dread, 6Satan6Archist6, Caladrius, MindFux]
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#35560 - 02/12/10 02:59 PM
Re: Bizarre Little Films
[Re: Jake999]
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Zorg
stranger
Registered: 08/30/09
Posts: 44
Loc: A Galaxy Far, Far Away
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Back in the 1950s and early 1960's there were some bizarre little films that you might want to check out, not because they are good, but because they were fledgeling little attempts to deal with things on an almost "off broadway" level, eventally making their way to TV. By "things," I mean the quirky and sometimes metaphysical.
2. HARVEY (1950)
It's a story about an invisible friend... in this case a Pooka, taking the shape of a 6' tall invisible Rabbit named Harvey, seen only by Elwood P. Doud, played by Jimmy Stewart. Harvey shows up and comedy ensues... no. You never see Harvey. He's invisible. Pay attention.
Harvey is on the top of my "must see" list.
My favoririte line: "Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, "In this world, Elwood, you must be" - she always called me Elwood - "In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."
_________________________
"The average person thinks he isn’t" Father Lorenzoni
"Plato was a bore."
Friedrich Nietzsche
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#35605 - 02/13/10 03:28 PM
Yo, Rinty!
[Re: Jake999]
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Michael A.Aquino
veteran member
Registered: 09/28/08
Posts: 1247
Loc: San Francisco, CA, USA
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When I was a kid, I had to be in front of the TV to watch Sgt Preston and his mighty dog Yukon King as they battled eviloers in the Alaskan wilds. He was like a one man RCMP superman, and with Yukon King at his side, there was no beer drinkin', back bacon eatin', claim jumpin' bad guy he couldn't beat.
This thread is getting progressively more ECI by the minute. 
_________________________
Michael A. Aquino
[On Ignore: Dan_Dread, 6Satan6Archist6, Caladrius, MindFux]
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#35610 - 02/13/10 08:55 PM
Superglue maybe?
[Re: Jake999]
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Michael A.Aquino
veteran member
Registered: 09/28/08
Posts: 1247
Loc: San Francisco, CA, USA
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What fascinated me about the Republic serials were the hats. Unlike Indiana Jones, who always has to keep grabbing his fedora, the hats of the good & bad guys in the serials always stayed on their heads as though attached with staple guns. Watch the fistfight at the beginning of this Crimson Ghost episode. Eventually the hero does lose his [though he makes certain to restore it afterwards], but the two crooks get thrown all over the room, hit with furniture, etc. and their hats don't budge. This is some serious LBM at work! [Incidentally, the principal bad guy here is Clayton Moore, who would later wear a mask - and a white hat! - as the Lone Ranger.]
Also illustrated at the beginning of this episode is why there was never any physical violence against women. There was no need for it. All you had to do was touch them and they'd faint.
_________________________
Michael A. Aquino
[On Ignore: Dan_Dread, 6Satan6Archist6, Caladrius, MindFux]
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#35611 - 02/13/10 10:00 PM
Re: One Step Beyond & Sci Fi Theater
[Re: Michael A.Aquino]
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Fnord
active member
Registered: 01/11/10
Posts: 718
Loc: Texas
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In the "actual future" of 2010, it's difficult to remember just how rosy and Jetsons-like the future was supposed to be from the perspective of the 1950s.
I wonder about that sometimes...
This country always had some sort of utopia to look forward to that was more or less rooted in the zeitgeist of the day. It was always going to be so much better. These days that positive message seems to have taken a back burner to all of the negative stuff out there.
Not sure which is better.
I love that Disney film... I've watched it youtube about a hundred times over the past few years.
I love advertising art from the 50's and 60's as well... the style of that piece reminds me of some of the stuff on PLAN59. Check out some of the Atomic ranches if you get a chance.
_________________________
Scratching Peace Symbols on Your Tombstone
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#35612 - 02/13/10 11:10 PM
Now baste it with 7Up ...
[Re: Fnord]
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Michael A.Aquino
veteran member
Registered: 09/28/08
Posts: 1247
Loc: San Francisco, CA, USA
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I love advertising art from the 50's and 60's as well... the style of that piece reminds me of some of the stuff on PLAN59. Check out some of the Atomic ranches if you get a chance.
That's a neato-keeno website, and gets a bookmark alongside this one, wherein you can mourn some of the 1950s' cooking that no longer tempts our palates, and the mysteries of women's underwear elastic failure.
_________________________
Michael A. Aquino
[On Ignore: Dan_Dread, 6Satan6Archist6, Caladrius, MindFux]
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#35613 - 02/13/10 11:16 PM
Re: Superglue maybe?
[Re: Michael A.Aquino]
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Mr Chips
stranger
Registered: 08/06/09
Posts: 12
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The effect wasn't just in the Republic serials. As a kid, I noticed that Star Trek's Spock rarely had a hair out of place. The man could have a wool cap jerked off his head... but it wouldn't mess up his hair. I think he went through a wind storm once and had a lock of hair move a little. Great hair spray, I guess... 
Though I'm in my early 40s, I'm familiar with many of the shows mentioned in this thread. Sgt. Preston or The Lone Ranger were early morning favorites in my state during the 70s; I watched those shows every school day morning at 6am while eating breakfast. In fact, we had a B/W set then, and it was only recently that, while watching a rare colorized episode of The Lone Ranger, did I realize Kemosabe's outfit is an interesting shade of blue that probably would have raised eyebrows in the real West.
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#40249 - 07/14/10 03:41 PM
Re: Yo, Rinty!
[Re: Jake999]
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Dakota
Banned
pledge
Registered: 12/23/09
Posts: 60
Loc: Michigan
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This was really freaky to me a long time ago, but I like it so much.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moIblQWM0lo
I want to meet those people, and speak to them. I love freaks so much, I guess it's because I appear so normal yet I am a freak even with the freaks. Ever felt like that, it's like a dualism of freak-ism and normal-ism.
I wanted to kissed this armless girl one time, and I befriended her before she left to Germany. Then I befriended this mentally retarded man, and speak to him when most people ignore him. We were laughing about the porn star Jenna Jameson, since I was a fan of her at the time.
Freaks make the world go round.
Edited by Dakota (07/14/10 03:47 PM)
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#40255 - 07/14/10 04:27 PM
Kemosabe
[Re: Mr Chips]
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Michael A.Aquino
veteran member
Registered: 09/28/08
Posts: 1247
Loc: San Francisco, CA, USA
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... it was only recently that, while watching a rare colorized episode of The Lone Ranger, did I realize Kemosabe's outfit is an interesting shade of blue that probably would have raised eyebrows in the real West.
Well, it was only later in life that the LR learned the meaning of "Kemosabe". 
As for that baby-blue, pre-spandex outfit, they did much the same thing for the poor crew in the first Star Trek movie, in which they all looked like they were running around in their jammies. The uniforms got more high-school-band in subsequent films.
I have to say that I am curious why, in either space or war films, no matter in what environment or what kind of weather, the men always wear full battledress uniforms and the women always wear low-cut tank tops. This must be a variation on the principle in cop movies that in every murder investigation it is necessary to visit a strip club at least once. 
_________________________
Michael A. Aquino
[On Ignore: Dan_Dread, 6Satan6Archist6, Caladrius, MindFux]
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#40296 - 07/15/10 02:00 PM
Re: Kemosabe
[Re: Michael A.Aquino]
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Dimitri
veteran member
Registered: 07/13/08
Posts: 1357
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I have to say that I am curious why, in either space or war films, no matter in what environment or what kind of weather, the men always wear full battledress uniforms and the women always wear low-cut tank tops. This must be a variation on the principle in cop movies that in every murder investigation it is necessary to visit a strip club at least once
Didn't you know? According to almost any professional sf-geek or gamer, the power of a male caracter gets higher the more shiny and fitter the suits get. For women the rule is as follows: the less they wear the stronger they are...
Always have been a fan of retro-horror or SF-movies. I quite liked "The head that wouldn't die". It had something simple yet fascinating. Although the end was a little predictable. The very first film from Alice in Wonderland is quite bizar if being used to the "modern" remakes or disney interpretations.
Edited by Dimitri (07/15/10 02:08 PM)
_________________________
You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.
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