Battle of The Bulges! 1941
"Various shots of gorgeous 1940s glamour girls in swimsuits and high heels using exercise machines in a gym. The machines are "the latest mechanised units" of the kind that massage away lumps and bumps (supposedly) on legs, tummies and bottoms. Great footage for showing exercising machines and typical 1940s swimsuits and hairstyles. Fast swing music on soundtrack.
Final shots show the girls using a variety of exercise apparatus including exercise bike, rowing machine and a kind of rotating tombola that seems to be massaging a girl's stomach and nether regions - fancy!"
CONTRIBUTOR
Simon PerkinsSHARE
British Pathe releases 85,000 films on YouTube
"Newsreel archive British Pathé has uploaded its entire collection of 85,000 historic films, in high resolution, to its YouTube channel. This unprecedented release of vintage news reports and cinemagazines is part of a drive to make the archive more accessible to viewers all over the world.
'Our hope is that everyone, everywhere who has a computer will see these films and enjoy them,' says Alastair White, General Manager of British Pathé. 'This archive is a treasure trove unrivalled in historical and cultural significance that should never be forgotten. Uploading the films to YouTube seemed like the best way to make sure of that.'
British Pathé was once a dominant feature of the British cinema experience, renowned for first–class reporting and an informative yet uniquely entertaining style. It is now considered to be the finest newsreel archive in existence. Spanning the years from 1896 to 1976, the collection includes footage–not only from Britain, but from around the globe–ofmajor events, famous faces, fashion trends, travel, sport and culture. The archive is particularly strong in its coverage of the First and Second World Wars.
Alastair White continues: 'Whether you're looking for coverage of the Royal Family, the Titanic, the destruction of the Hindenburg, or quirky stories about British pastimes, it'll be there on our channel. You can lose yourself for hours.'
This project is being managed by German company Mediakraft, which has been responsible for numerous past YouTube successes. The company will be creating new content using British Pathé material, in English and in foreign languages."
(The British Pathé Archive, 17 April 2014)
CONTRIBUTOR
Simon PerkinsSHARE
Jean Tinguely: Art, Machines and Motion
"Jean Tinguely exhibited in a show titled 'Art, Machines and Motion' at the Kaplan Gallery, London, in November 1959. In conjunction with that exhibition, Tinguely held a conference and performance at the Institute of Contemporary Art on November 16 titled 'Static, Static, Static! Be Static!' During the event, 1.5 km of paper drawn by two cyclists on his meta–matic bicycle were spread through the audience while Tinguely read his theory of movement and machines simultaneously heard on radio in Paris."
(Rosemary O'Neill, p.159)
Rosemary O'Neill (2011). Total Art and Fluxus in Nice. "Art and Visual Culture on the French Riviera, 1956–1971: The Ecole De Nice", Ashgate Publishing Limited.
CONTRIBUTOR
Simon PerkinsSHARE
Futuristic fashions: Eve, A.D. 2000!
"Futuristic fashions 1939 style include a dress that can be adapted for day or evening wear, complete with sun–visor (and African–American maid), and a dress made of transparent net with a towering 60s–style hairdo (wouldn't look out of place on a millennium catwalk). The next two outfits are pretty transparent too; then a bridal gown with a cellophane veil and another adaptable dress.
The suit for the man of 2000 looks like a boiler suit with wide chain mail over the top. A circular aerial is worn on the head, to pick up signals for his mobile phone and radio. He also has two natty silver boxes attached to his belt 'for coins, keys and candy for cuties'. The beard is marcel–waved and he has buns of hair at the side of his head. Not a particularly manly look!"
(British Pathé)
CONTRIBUTOR
Simon PerkinsSHARE
The NFSA Life In Australia Series
Fig.1 James Jeffrey (1966). "Life In Australia: Adelaide": 20.25 Minutes. Made by The Commonwealth Film Unit / Department of Immigration 1966. Directed by James Jeffrey. A picture of life in the South Australian capital of Adelaide in the mid 1960s, social, commercial and recreational.
Fig.2 "Life In Australia: Brisbane", Fig.3 "Guide To Canberra", Fig.4 "Darwin – Doorway To Australia", Fig.5 "Life In Australia: Hobart", Fig.6 "Life In Australia: Melbourne", Fig.7 "Life In Australia: Perth", Fig.8 "Life In Australia: Sydney".
CONTRIBUTOR
Simon PerkinsSHARE
