What Classics Did You See Last Week? (5 June to 11 June 2017
Jun 11, 2017 21:16:55 GMT
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Post by Matthew the Swordsman on Jun 11, 2017 21:16:55 GMT
On 5 June 2017, I went on a mini-marathon of films by Britain's Central Office of Information, watching six shorts by them.
During the week I watched a lot of episodes of the 1960s U.S. game show "Password" on YouTube, featuring notable celebrity guests. I also watched some episodes via its "best of" DVD release.
Also during the week I watched two extremely obscure Australian documentary films. Both of these were uploaded to YouTube by the respective copyright holder.
Film:
Men of the World (1950, UK, 10 minutes) - 7.5/10. This is entertaining propaganda for the British army. The film shows training exercises as well as recreational activities.
Children Growing Up with Other People (1947, UK, 21 minutes) - 7.5/10. An educational film about the emotional development of children. To me, the most interesting aspect of this film are its glimpses of post-war Britain and its living standards.
Oxford (1958, UK, 20 minutes) - 8/10. Well-filmed, nicely-done documentary about Oxford University.
Out of the Groove (1950, UK, 10 minutes) - 7.5/10. More propaganda for the British army, this time aimed at women. Actually rather relaxing to watch (which is not what you'd expect for this kind of film). The best thing about this film is the fact that it is filmed in colour. OK, so it ain't Technicolor, but it's still lovely 1950s colour film.
Your Children's Sleep (1948, UK, 22 minutes) - 8/10, this is an educational film about children and their sleeping troubles, but I give it a high rating because the direction is excellent. Seriously, it's like someone wanted to make an artistic educational film or something like that. The director, Jane Massy, is listed as having directed only two films on IMDb, though a Google search reveals that at least two other films were directed by her. I wonder if her other films have any merit.
Come Saturday (1949, UK, 30 minutes) - 8/10. Film showing various recreational activities, including: various sports, singing at a bar, dancing, going on a boat wide, etc...it's remarkable just how old-fashioned late-1940s Britain was.
Royal Visit Tasmania (1954, Australia, 45 minutes) - 7/10. If one considers 45 minutes to be feature-length, then this is probably the most obscure Australian feature film of the 1950s, since it didn't have a page on IMDb until I made one for it. It is a documentary about the visit of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband to Tasmania in 1954, filmed in colour. The problems with the film are the poor narration and rough editing, and the film runs too long for the subject matter. Nevertheless, it is interesting to watch. Believe it or not, this was intended to be a classroom film (and thus is probably one of the longest films of that genre)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbSQWSGEfmM
Spotlight On Australian Ballet (1948, Australia, 48 minutes) - 8/10. Documentary about the history of Australian ballet, including its struggles during the 1940s. Includes excerpts from various ballets. When originally released, this was shown as a "b movie", being the second feature at the cinemas it was shown at.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky9i9aRh-Y4
Television:
"Password" - Bill Cullen & Dorothy Collins (telecast: 30 January 1962, 26 minutes) - 7/10. I like this classy game show very much, but this episode is poorly played. Mind you, I do like the celebrity guests very much.
"Password" - Shelley Berman & Arlene Francis (telecast: 13 February 1962, 25 minutes) - 8/10. Includes a funny moment that I'm surprised got past the censors.
"Password" - Abe Burrows & Dina Merrill (telecast 20 February 1962, 25 minutes) - 8/10. Well-played episode of this prime-time game show. I'm so glad Goodson-Todman kept the prime-time episodes of this series (a shame that most of the CBS daytime and ABC daytime episodes are lost, though).
"Password" - Ginger Rogers & Orson Bean (telecast 6 March 1962, 25 minutes) - 8/10. Such a simple show, yet so enjoyable. Ginger Rogers seems to be enjoying herself, and although getting older, she still looked glamorous.
"Password" - Carol Burnett & Darren McGavin (telecast 13 March 1962, 25 minutes) - 7.5/10.
Password" - Betsy Palmer & Peter Lind Hayes (telecast 20 March 1962, 25 minutes) - 8/10. Amusing episode. One thing I find interesting is that, even though the show was pre-recorded, they left in a goof where part of the set falls off...I like that they left in things like that back then.
"Password" - Ann Sothern & Alan King (telecast 3 April 1962, 25 minutes) - 7.5/10. Nice episode. I enjoyed it.
"Password" - Susan Strasberg & Van Johnson (telecast 10 April 1962, 25 minutes) - 7/10. Not bad, but geez, Van Johnson plays the game very poorly.
"Password" - Kitty Carlisle & Jack Carter (telecast: 17 April 1962, 25 minutes) - 8/10. Another relaxing episode.
"Password" - Carroll Baker & Bennett Cerf (telecast 24 April 1962, 25 minutes) - 8/10. I always like it when Bennett Cerf appears in something.
"Password" - Dick Van Dyke & Betsy Palmer (telecast 8 January 1962, 27 minutes) - 8/10.
"Password" - Jackie Cooper & Jayne Meadows (telecast 15 January 1962, 25 minutes) - 8/10. This show is seriously addictive.
"Password" - Pat Carroll & Johnny Carson (telecast: 23 January 1962, 26 minutes) - 7.5/10. Pat Carroll sure did appear on TV a lot.
"Password" - James Mason & Jane Fonda (telecast: 27 March 1962, 26 minutes) - 8/10. Jane Fonda takes the game very seriously, while James Mason seems quite relaxed.
"Password" - Sally Ann Howes & George Montgomery (telecast: 1 May 1962, 25 minutes) - 7/10. Poorly-played, although it has a few funny moments, and there's a couple topical moments that I found interesting.
During the week I watched a lot of episodes of the 1960s U.S. game show "Password" on YouTube, featuring notable celebrity guests. I also watched some episodes via its "best of" DVD release.
Also during the week I watched two extremely obscure Australian documentary films. Both of these were uploaded to YouTube by the respective copyright holder.
Film:
Men of the World (1950, UK, 10 minutes) - 7.5/10. This is entertaining propaganda for the British army. The film shows training exercises as well as recreational activities.
Children Growing Up with Other People (1947, UK, 21 minutes) - 7.5/10. An educational film about the emotional development of children. To me, the most interesting aspect of this film are its glimpses of post-war Britain and its living standards.
Oxford (1958, UK, 20 minutes) - 8/10. Well-filmed, nicely-done documentary about Oxford University.
Out of the Groove (1950, UK, 10 minutes) - 7.5/10. More propaganda for the British army, this time aimed at women. Actually rather relaxing to watch (which is not what you'd expect for this kind of film). The best thing about this film is the fact that it is filmed in colour. OK, so it ain't Technicolor, but it's still lovely 1950s colour film.
Your Children's Sleep (1948, UK, 22 minutes) - 8/10, this is an educational film about children and their sleeping troubles, but I give it a high rating because the direction is excellent. Seriously, it's like someone wanted to make an artistic educational film or something like that. The director, Jane Massy, is listed as having directed only two films on IMDb, though a Google search reveals that at least two other films were directed by her. I wonder if her other films have any merit.
Come Saturday (1949, UK, 30 minutes) - 8/10. Film showing various recreational activities, including: various sports, singing at a bar, dancing, going on a boat wide, etc...it's remarkable just how old-fashioned late-1940s Britain was.
Royal Visit Tasmania (1954, Australia, 45 minutes) - 7/10. If one considers 45 minutes to be feature-length, then this is probably the most obscure Australian feature film of the 1950s, since it didn't have a page on IMDb until I made one for it. It is a documentary about the visit of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband to Tasmania in 1954, filmed in colour. The problems with the film are the poor narration and rough editing, and the film runs too long for the subject matter. Nevertheless, it is interesting to watch. Believe it or not, this was intended to be a classroom film (and thus is probably one of the longest films of that genre)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbSQWSGEfmM
Spotlight On Australian Ballet (1948, Australia, 48 minutes) - 8/10. Documentary about the history of Australian ballet, including its struggles during the 1940s. Includes excerpts from various ballets. When originally released, this was shown as a "b movie", being the second feature at the cinemas it was shown at.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky9i9aRh-Y4
Television:
"Password" - Bill Cullen & Dorothy Collins (telecast: 30 January 1962, 26 minutes) - 7/10. I like this classy game show very much, but this episode is poorly played. Mind you, I do like the celebrity guests very much.
"Password" - Shelley Berman & Arlene Francis (telecast: 13 February 1962, 25 minutes) - 8/10. Includes a funny moment that I'm surprised got past the censors.
"Password" - Abe Burrows & Dina Merrill (telecast 20 February 1962, 25 minutes) - 8/10. Well-played episode of this prime-time game show. I'm so glad Goodson-Todman kept the prime-time episodes of this series (a shame that most of the CBS daytime and ABC daytime episodes are lost, though).
"Password" - Ginger Rogers & Orson Bean (telecast 6 March 1962, 25 minutes) - 8/10. Such a simple show, yet so enjoyable. Ginger Rogers seems to be enjoying herself, and although getting older, she still looked glamorous.
"Password" - Carol Burnett & Darren McGavin (telecast 13 March 1962, 25 minutes) - 7.5/10.
Password" - Betsy Palmer & Peter Lind Hayes (telecast 20 March 1962, 25 minutes) - 8/10. Amusing episode. One thing I find interesting is that, even though the show was pre-recorded, they left in a goof where part of the set falls off...I like that they left in things like that back then.
"Password" - Ann Sothern & Alan King (telecast 3 April 1962, 25 minutes) - 7.5/10. Nice episode. I enjoyed it.
"Password" - Susan Strasberg & Van Johnson (telecast 10 April 1962, 25 minutes) - 7/10. Not bad, but geez, Van Johnson plays the game very poorly.
"Password" - Kitty Carlisle & Jack Carter (telecast: 17 April 1962, 25 minutes) - 8/10. Another relaxing episode.
"Password" - Carroll Baker & Bennett Cerf (telecast 24 April 1962, 25 minutes) - 8/10. I always like it when Bennett Cerf appears in something.
"Password" - Dick Van Dyke & Betsy Palmer (telecast 8 January 1962, 27 minutes) - 8/10.
"Password" - Jackie Cooper & Jayne Meadows (telecast 15 January 1962, 25 minutes) - 8/10. This show is seriously addictive.
"Password" - Pat Carroll & Johnny Carson (telecast: 23 January 1962, 26 minutes) - 7.5/10. Pat Carroll sure did appear on TV a lot.
"Password" - James Mason & Jane Fonda (telecast: 27 March 1962, 26 minutes) - 8/10. Jane Fonda takes the game very seriously, while James Mason seems quite relaxed.
"Password" - Sally Ann Howes & George Montgomery (telecast: 1 May 1962, 25 minutes) - 7/10. Poorly-played, although it has a few funny moments, and there's a couple topical moments that I found interesting.