For those of you who saw the posts about the Disneyland home movies taken in 1956, only a year after the park opened will most likely appreciate that the author of those videos have found another treasure from his grandparents home movie archive, San Francisco in 1958. The movie guides us around a few urban scenes, trolley cars and the Golden Gate bridge among many other things. The scene from inside the trolley car reminds me of Alfred Hitchcock's movie Vertigo made in the same year. Let's hope that he next time finds a home movie from New York around the same period. Mad Men anyone?
Anyone who has ever enjoyed a movie at a drive-in theater in the US back in its heydays, knows that seeing the movie was just one part of the enjoyment. Families made the drive-in a weekend adventure, filled with food, laughter and goodies that dad picked up from the concession stand during the intermission. These intermissions were mainly a product of a Chicago based company called Filmack Studios, that has been in business since 1919 and are still alive today.
Often they debranded the beverages and treats seen in the short films so no manufacturer was favored over another, it also made production cheaper and in a way timeless, seeing that many of these intermission rolls were seen up until the late 1970s in many theaters. Animation was usually preferred for these clips and many of them were designed by Rocky & Bullwinkle creator Jay Ward. The intermission ran on a 5 or 10 minute reel and with every minute it would remind its patrons how long until the feature movie starts. Above is a example on one of these 10 minute intermissions circa 1960, styled to make it look like more authentic. Which was your favorite intermission movie?
Good news! The author of the home movie shot at Disneyland in 1956 decided to post some more retro video goodness for all of us! In this clip we see glimpses from Adventureland, which is a cowboy and Indians themed area of the park. I believe it has changed a lot of the years though. Which is your favorite area of Disneyland?
A digitally restored home movie shot at Disneyland, California in 1956. Not only was the park only a year old but Walt Disney him self can be seen in the beginning shaking hands with the author's grand mother. I really love how vivid, colorful and happy everything looks like. The post war optimism and friendliness really shines through the lens and into your heart. See the second part here. [Thanks Cam]
Gröna Lund in Stockholm is one of a handful amusement parks in Sweden. It might not be the biggest one, but it is certainly the oldest. Built in 1883, on the seashore overlooking the masses of water that divides Stockholm into something that sometimes is referred to as the Swedish version of Venice. Over exaggerated perhaps, but there is some truth in the claim. I my self have visited the amusement park a couple of times when I was younger, but strangely never when I lived in Stockholm. Isn't it funny how you miss out on certain things when you have them so close by?
The park has changed little over the years, seeing it doesn't have any land to expand on. The rides and various buildings have obviously been updated and changed, but the 19th Century look and feeling still overlooks the park. Gröna Lund does not only offer fun rides, but also restaurants and stages for performing. Musical celebrities such as Louis Armstrong, Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Paul Anka and ABBA have all graced the park over the years. Here are a bunch of historical photographs that depicts the overall look and feel of Gröna Lund in the 1950s and 1960s. Which type of amusement ride is your favorite?
Winter is almost upon us in northern Europe, but these newly found postcards of retro Sweden brings back kitschy summer vibes that are sure to warm anyone. Those of you with sharp eyes might spot that a few of the cards depict Sweden pre-1967, when we still had left-side traffic. Native Swedes might even recognize some or all of the places. But for those who aren't in the know, they represent Värnamo, Kramfors along with the two suburbs Vällingby and Huddinge outside of Stockholm. Which street scene looks the most inviting or... boring? Continue reading to see all the images.
I am strangely fascinated by the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California. Built in 1955 along with the park it was actually not operated by the Walt Disney Company until 1988 due to the building of the park had tapped Walt Disney for most of his financial resources. The Hotel has obviously been rebuilt, added to and updated over the decades but it still features the original space-age styled monorail from the 1960s (with updated trains). For anyone who want to know more about the construction, design and architecture of the hotel I highly recommend that you dig into the The Disneyland Hotel book which features photos, scans of brochures and lots of other swanky ephemera from yesteryear Anaheim. Has anyone of you stayed at the resort back in the 1960s and 1970s? Do tell us about it.
The Post Office Tower (later British Telecom Tower) was built in the early 1960s on commission by the General Post Office to be used to carry groovy signals across London. It raises almost 180 meters over the ground and once had both a observation deck, cocktail bar and a restaurant at the top. Sadly, the observation deck was closed down in 1971 after a bomb exploded in the mens toilet and the restaurant was closed in 1980 leaving London without any revolving restaurant that can be found in most big cities around Europe. If you want to view London from above today, the London Eye offers a spectacular view. The embedded movie below was made around the opening of the tower and takes you on a kitsch and interesting tour around it.
Ultra Swank takes you back in time into the kitsch, chic and swank living of the 50s to the 70s. We mainly focus on the design, architecture and the lifestyle of the happy-go-lucky and space-age-living mentality from that era - but also on the mood music that takes you back to happier times. Ultra Swank is run by Chris who resides in Sweden. More | Contact
If you miss the old days when television was black and white and the television-sets were anything but dull looking, LG has a treat in store for you! They call it “The LG Serie 1 Retro Classic TV” and comes with a 4:3 ratio 14 inch display screen which can be tuned to either color [...]
This is the third post in my series about my favorite architects from the golden days of architecture. We are going back to Scandinavian design again, allow me to introduce Arne Jacobsen, one of the forefathers of Danish Modernism and Functionalism.
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