File puptcrit/puptcrit.1001, message 355


From: edwinphoenix-AT-aol.com
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:44:38 EST
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] puptcrit Digest, Vol 63, Issue 16


I think of the old 50s sci-fi films I saw on the big theatre screen, back 
when most of us had 21 inch b & w TVs, and many of the films in theatres were 
in b & w.  A lot of the effects were cheesy by today's standards, sometimes 
the acting was not up to par, but of course that is what we had, and being 
kids, we were not so critical.  They took us  away from the thoughts of 
school, bad weather, maybe not enough money to jingle in our pockets - I 
remember when my allowance was 25 cents per week!  I could go to the movies, see 
two cowboy flicks, or jungle adventure flicks, see a chapter of Captain 
Marvel, Batman or Superman serial, and buy a box of popcorn or a Coke.  And I was 
happy.  Wichita, Kansas was a very active town in the late 30s and 40s (I am 
giving away my age here!) and my Dad had a good job at Beech Aircraft Co. 
My late brother was president of the local I.B.M. ring (International 
Brotherhood of Magicians) at age 17 and was demonstrator for a local magic shop.  
We saw stage shows with Spike Jones, Blackstone (Sr.) the magician, Jack 
Gwynne, Ormond McGill, Tarbell (all magicians) Dr. Silkini and his Asylum of 
Horrors, and on and on.  We did not have TV until we moved to an ancestral home 
in Iowa.  We were less critical then.  We had fascinating films with Errol 
Flynn, Olivia DeHavilland, Bette Davis, Fred and Ginger, Gene Tierney (wow!) 
and so many more.  These people were real stars. We did not know about 
every time someone had too much to drink and was indiscreet, we did not know or 
care about who they were sleeping with.  They were special folks, and we 
looked up to them.  Now it seems, some people just love to talk about the 
tawdry.  And we've lost a lot, I think.  Too many films, not enough quality. Oh, 
my favorite cartoons were Geo. Pal's Puppetoons, with Jasper and the 
scarecrow, and all in beautiful color, labor-intensive stop-motion.  we will not 
see there like again.  Ed Rogers
_______________________________________________
List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit
Archives: http://www.driftline.org

   

Driftline Main Page

 

Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005