cherson@nonode.DEC (07/15/85)
Judging from most people's reviews of "Back to the Future", it seems to be a decently made movie, etc. But the entire genre of movies dealing with the '50's brings up a disturbing fact, that Hollywood is trying to impart that the fifties was a good era in our history, people really had unlimited fun and today's youth shouldn't be afraid to emulate it in their lifestyles. The truth of the matter is that the fifties was the most blackest periods of American history. Many people's lives were ruined as a result of institutionalized paranoia. Great talents were not allowed to flourish on the stage, screen and in literature. Mutual hate and suspicion was the rule of the day rather than the exception. Sterility in family life was promoted through television shows such as "Father Knows Best" ( what a title! the guy was a jerk!). It was no accident that tv shows such as "The Honeymooners", and "Life of Riley", whose principles held such lowly proletarian jobs as a bus driver and aircraft worker, went off the air in the early fifties only to be replaced by the smiling Jim Anderson/ Ward Cleaver types. If your father didn't have that "respectable" office job than you'd be influenced to be ashamed of him, worse yet if members of your family spoke English with a foreign accent! The only positive product of the '50's was the music. It was great and it provided the only outlet for true emotions. But Rock n' Roll can not alter the image of an era and this is where Hollywood makes it's mistakes. I suppose that living in the electronic '50's (the present), where the general passivity of Americans parelling that of the chronological '50's makes it easy for Hollywood to peddle that grade B garbage (I'm not regarding Back to the Future as garbage). Those of you out in netland should be aware of how a medium such as the movies can be subtly used to impart a social message. David Cherson
tw8023@pyuxii.UUCP (T Wheeler) (07/16/85)
If all you have seen of the 50's is episodes of 'Leave It to Beaver' then I suggest your all wet. This kind of argument belongs in net.flame. You don't know what your talking about when it comes to real life in the 50's. If you wasn't there bozo, don't knock it. TCW
mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate) (07/17/85)
In article <3113@decwrl.UUCP> cherson@nonode.DEC writes: >Judging from most people's reviews of "Back to the Future", it seems to be a >decently made movie, etc. But the entire genre of movies dealing with the >'50's brings up a disturbing fact, that Hollywood is trying to impart that >the fifties was a good era in our history, people really had unlimited fun >and today's youth shouldn't be afraid to emulate it in their lifestyles. >The truth of the matter is that the fifties was the most blackest periods of >American history. Many people's lives were ruined as a result of >institutionalized paranoia. Great talents were not allowed to flourish on >the stage, screen and in literature. Mutual hate and suspicion was the rule > >The only positive product of the '50's was the music. It was great and it >provided the only outlet for true emotions. But Rock n' Roll can not alter >the image of an era and this is where Hollywood makes it's mistakes. > >I suppose that living in the electronic '50's (the present), where the >general passivity of Americans parelling that of the chronological '50's >makes it easy for Hollywood to peddle that grade B garbage (I'm not >regarding Back to the Future as garbage). I think the continued popularity of '50s culture is due to several factors. There are some obvious parallels in the national consciousness. The fact that we are not seeing lots of movies about McCarthy or other paranoia IN THEATRES is an indication that the current movie-going generation isn't interested in hearing about how awful we were. Remember too that this is the era of their parents; _Back to the Future_ obviously makes lots of hay with this, but it isn't the only one. I think that 20-30 years down the road, our own era will be looked upon with nostalgia-- especially when compared with the late 60s and early 70s. Kids are not all that comfortable with movies exposing the national character. That's for older folks, and, just in passing, I think it very significant that American public television spends so much time on the evils of the previous generation. But most kids aren't ready to deal with that until well into high school. So I'm not too worried. People need a little optimism, and the movies are a fine place to get it. Charley Wingate
rance@cornell.UUCP (W. Rance Cleaveland) (07/17/85)
> > Judging from most people's reviews of "Back to the Future", it seems to be a > decently made movie, etc. But the entire genre of movies dealing with the > '50's brings up a disturbing fact, that Hollywood is trying to impart that > the fifties was a good era in our history, people really had unlimited fun and > today's youth shouldn't be afraid to emulate it in their lifestyles. > Well, hmm, in light of "The Big Chill" couldn't we also say that Hollywood is trying to induce 60s idolatry? I think that lots and lots of movies try to pluck sentimental strings in all sorts of people by gazing nostalgically backwards.... > > The only positive product of the '50's was the music. It was great and it > provided the only outlet for true emotions. But Rock n' Roll can not alter > the image of an era and this is where Hollywood makes it's mistakes. > This statement is crap, pure and simple. Don't you know that 1954 was the lauching point of the civil rights movement? Or maybe you're unaware of a certain Supreme Court case involving a Brown and a Board of Education. Maybe you're also unfamiliar with a certain school of artistic endeavor which provided us with a framework for gazing unblinkingly at the underside of life and realizing that it too has a certain esthetic sense to it. Take a bow, Jack Kerouac and Allen (sp?) Ginsburg. And, of course, economic pro- gress never matters at all, right? The 50s featured, of course, on of the most vile politicians on record (rot in hell, Joe McCarthy), but as a result of the oppressive and paternalistic mainstream, a very prolific underground developed.... And without the 50s, we sure as hell would not have had the 60s. Rance Cleaveland
johnston@uiucdcsb.Uiuc.ARPA (07/17/85)
What's all this about the '50s? I was there and I thought the '50s were
great! Well, I wasn't really there for the *whole* '50s. Oh, alright,
only nine months. But they were a great nine months! Or so I'm told.
- Gary Johnston
USENET: ...!{pur_ee,ihnp4,convex}!uiucdcs!johnston
CSNET: johnston%uiuc@csnet-relay.arpa
ARPA: johnston@uiuc.arpaadams@plx.UUCP (Robert Adams) (07/19/85)
> In article <3113@decwrl.UUCP> cherson@nonode.DEC writes: > > >Judging from most people's reviews of "Back to the Future", it seems to be a > >decently made movie, etc. But the entire genre of movies dealing with the > >'50's brings up a disturbing fact, that Hollywood is trying to impart that > >the fifties was a good era in our history, people really had unlimited fun > >and today's youth shouldn't be afraid to emulate it in their lifestyles. > > >The truth of the matter is that the fifties was the most blackest periods of > >American history. Many people's lives were ruined as a result of > >institutionalized paranoia. Great talents were not allowed to flourish on > >the stage, screen and in literature. Mutual hate and suspicion was the rule > > > > Charley Wingate replies > I think that 20-30 years down the road, our own era will be looked upon with > nostalgia-- especially when compared with the late 60s and early 70s. I had always been my contention that the people that decide what is to be made into movies are in their 40's. Thus when they hanker after their youth, it tends to be 20 years in the past. We've had 50's stuff in the movies and media for many years now (above movie, record collections for sale, ...) and now as people age we'll get the 60's with the Beatles and paisly designs. "Hankering after one's youth" doesn't include reality of the political environment (the old folks are bothering with that) but with the interaction of teenagers with each other and even this is stylize and idealized. Therefore, the grease head in the tea-shirt has a heart of gold and, in the future, the LSD trip will lead to bitter sweet realizations. ..!{decvax,ucbvax}!sun!plx!adams -- Robert Adams
gadfly@ihu1m.UUCP (Gadfly) (07/19/85)
-- > If all you have seen of the 50's is episodes of 'Leave It to Beaver' > then I suggest your all wet. This kind of argument belongs in > net.flame. You don't know what your talking about when it comes to > real life in the 50's. If you wasn't there bozo, don't knock it. > TCW Well, I was there, and I do knock it. But the 50's were nothing like the 80's. It was sleepy, not apathetic, and stuff happened gradually. People knew how to read. There are many legitimate political comparisons with the 80's, but if I had a choice, I'd take the 50's. Again. And so, of course, would a lot of movie producers. -- *** *** JE MAINTIENDRAI ***** ***** ****** ****** 19 Jul 85 [1 Thermidor An CXCIII] ken perlow ***** ***** (312)979-7753 ** ** ** ** ..ihnp4!iwsl8!ken *** ***
csdf@mit-vax.UUCP (Charles Forsythe) (07/20/85)
>I had always been my contention that the people that decide what is >to be made into movies are in their 40's. Thus when they hanker after >[50's based movies will give way to 60's based movies] Nice idea, but I disagree. The descision makers are in their 40's, but the ticket buyers are in their teens. As mentioned in the "Back to the 50's" article, the 50's image of being just "a simple, swell, happy" time to live sells. LSD tripping just doesn't appeal to the health-concious yuppie mentality. Sitting in the back seat of a '52 Chevy and drinking some booze is "nauty fun" and therefore, has appeal. LSD, campus riots and anti-war rally's irratate the yuppie child who believes "that the Contras in Nicaragua are the moral equivalent of our founding fathers." I think that the 50's values are just selling well. -- Charles Forsythe CSDF@MIT-VAX "Don't get bogged down with details, just eat the stupid peice of paper." -Rev. Wang Zeep