1940s
The Private Life of a Cat
And now, 20+ minutes of kitties, from Maya Deren's husband, Alexander Hammid.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Mar 24, 2009 -
Comments (10)
Category: Documentaries, Cats, 1940s
Maya Deren’s AT LAND
Learn more about Maya Deren here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Mar 16, 2009 -
Comments (3)
Category: Art, Performance Art, Surrealism, Movies, Sexuality, Bohemians, Beatniks, Hippies and Slackers, 1940s
Donald Duck in THE PLASTICS INVENTOR
So it's Donald Duck who's responsible for a world choking in plastic gimcracks!
Posted By: Paul - Sun Mar 15, 2009 -
Comments (5)
Category: Technology, Cartoons, Documentaries, 1940s
Weekend in Havana
Can you sing as fast as Carmen Miranda does in this tune, "Rebola a Bola," from WEEKEND IN HAVANA?I found the Portuguese lyrics and had Google translate them. The eccentric result is to be found after the jump: original line in Portuguese followed by English "translation."
More in extended >>
Posted By: Paul - Sat Feb 21, 2009 -
Comments (2)
Category: Fashion, Human Marvels, Movies, Music, 1940s, South America
Bad Luck Blackie
We all know that cartoon genius Tex Avery was an utter madman in his animation. But BAD LUCK BLACKIE strikes me as the most bizzare and surreal example of his art that I've ever seen.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Feb 20, 2009 -
Comments (10)
Category: Pop Art, Surrealism, Cartoons, Cats, Dogs, 1940s
Follies of the Mad Men #56
A special "two-fer" installment of the Follies thread. Two splendid representations of our friends, the Native Americans, from within the lifetimes of many WU readers.
They hate cheap cigars, but are experts in premium house paints.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Feb 16, 2009 -
Comments (10)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Stereotypes and Cliches, 1940s, Native Americans
Cobra Woman
I saw Maria Montez's COBRA WOMAN about a year ago. But I had to buy an all-regions DVD player and order the DVD from England, since it's unavailable here. But the expense was worth it, as I think you'll agree after you watch the trailer.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Feb 16, 2009 -
Comments (7)
Category: Animals, Magic and Illusions and Sleight of Hand, Movies, Pop Culture, Stereotypes and Cliches, 1940s
Young Man Standing on His Head
From the Feb. 9, 1948 issue of Life magazine:For years sensitive citizens have loudly deplored the antique ugliness of the country's older state capitols. Now a hardheaded young Chicagoan named John G. Nichols, who appears upside down all over these two pages, has discarded words for drastic action. To illustrate his monumental distaste for the architecture of most state capitols he has managed to have his picture taken standing on his head before all 48 of them... He stood on his head in rain, snow, slush and mud and often had a terrible time getting people to take his picture. "They thought I was crazy," he explains modestly.
Posted By: Alex - Fri Feb 06, 2009 -
Comments (14)
Category: Architecture, 1940s
The Flying Serpent
You have never experienced the wonders of the cinema until you have seen Vampire Quetzalcoatl in THE FLYING SERPENT. Thanks goodness our radio-star mystery writer is on hand to solve the crime--after allowing several pals to die needlessly in what can only be a bid to boost his show's ratings.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Feb 04, 2009 -
Comments (3)
Category: Movies, 1940s, Fictional Monsters
The Red Flannel Festival
In 2009, all WU readers are commanded to attend Michigan's Red Flannel Festival, where natives parade in public in their longjohns.Here's the history of the tradition, taken from the Festival's homepage.
It all began in 1936 in the midst of "the worst winter in years." The whole country suffered in the grip of heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures. A New York feature writer bemoaned the "fact" that, "Here we are in the midst of an old- fashioned winter and there are no red flannels in the USA to go with it."
The local newspaper, The Cedar Springs Clipper, owned and edited by "The Clipper Gals" Nina Babcock and Grace Hamilton answered the writer with a RED HOT editorial stating: "Just because Sak's Fifth Avenue does not carry red flannels, it doesn't follow that no one in the country does. CEDAR SPRINGS' merchants have red flannels!"
The story was picked up by The Associated Press and orders began pouring in from all over the USA.
Seeing the possibility of at least a few years of publicity because of our famous “drop seaters" and lumbering history, a "RED FLANNEL DAY" was planned for the fall of 1939. After the closure of the Red Flannel Factory in 1994, the citizens became concerned as to the fate of their beloved Red Flannels and of the Red Flannel Festival. However, due to the love of their community legacy, volunteers rallied to keep the Red Flannel Festival tradition alive. It has continued to be an annual event, held the last weekend in September and the first weekend in October. The production of Red Flannel garments was reestablished and they are available to purchase in Cedar Springs.
And here are some shots from early on, courtesy of the Life Photo Archive
Posted By: Paul - Mon Feb 02, 2009 -
Comments (6)
Category: Customs, Holidays, Parades and Festivals, Regionalism, Fetishes, Underwear, 1940s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |