http://www.ultraswank.net Retro Living and Design from the 50s, 60s and 70s Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:56:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.ultraswank.net/television/get-smart/ http://www.ultraswank.net/television/get-smart/#comments Wed, 02 Feb 2011 06:51:30 +0000 Katharine Miller http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=3065 Would you believe that Mel Brooks and Buck Henry teamed up to create one of the funniest spy shows of the 1960s? Capitalizing on the success of the James Bond franchise, television networks ordered a slew of espionage-themed programs. The Man From U.N.C.L.E, I Spy, Mission Impossible, and The Avengers brought a new level of [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/television/get-smart/feed/ 1 http://www.ultraswank.net/readable/breathless-homicidal-slime-mutants-%e2%80%93-the-art-of-the-paperback/ http://www.ultraswank.net/readable/breathless-homicidal-slime-mutants-%e2%80%93-the-art-of-the-paperback/#comments Mon, 24 Jan 2011 09:47:06 +0000 Baron von Swankenstein http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=3028 In the 1959 premiere episode of The Twilght Zone, Earl Holliman explores a town completely deserted. After helping himself to some ice cream from the drug store soda fountain, he encounters wire spinner racks full of paperbacks, one of which is filled entirely with copies of the ominously titled “The Last Man on Earth.” In [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/readable/breathless-homicidal-slime-mutants-%e2%80%93-the-art-of-the-paperback/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/film/santa-claus-conquers-the-martians/ http://www.ultraswank.net/film/santa-claus-conquers-the-martians/#comments Sat, 18 Dec 2010 06:34:10 +0000 Jesse Kowalski http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2943 Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964) begins with a hastily prepared animation sequence set to the sonic stylings of children singing “Hooray for Santa Claus.” Once the songs ends, we are told by the newscaster for KID-TV that they have sent a news crew to the North Pole to interview Santa Claus. I got excited [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/film/santa-claus-conquers-the-martians/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/travel/american-postcards-gone-wrong/ http://www.ultraswank.net/travel/american-postcards-gone-wrong/#comments Tue, 05 Oct 2010 05:23:01 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2718 Here are a bunch of fine examples of postcards you probably won’t be sending to your friends and family.. or then again, maybe you might. If you want to see more fun-tastic, creepy, dodgy and simply plain weird examples, head over to Bad Postcards where you will have a whole collection of things gone horribly [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/travel/american-postcards-gone-wrong/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/film/an-homage-to-louis-armstrong/ http://www.ultraswank.net/film/an-homage-to-louis-armstrong/#comments Fri, 13 Aug 2010 07:19:42 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2652 Shot by Academy Award-winning cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond as a modern re-imagining of early silent film, LOUIS is an homage to Louis Armstrong, Charlie Chaplin, beautiful women and the birth of American music. The grand Storyville bordellos, alleys and cemeteries of 1907 New Orleans provide a backdrop of lust, blood and magic for 6 year old [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/film/an-homage-to-louis-armstrong/feed/ 0 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/a-retro-retro-tribute/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/a-retro-retro-tribute/#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2010 05:52:34 +0000 Guest http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2636 I love seeing modern music videos that carry a retro twist. The artists always seem to have so much fun and introducing new audiences to retro fashion and culture is never a bad thing.Those of us interested in dressing up in retro fashions might find it too expensive or too difficult to locate the items [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/a-retro-retro-tribute/feed/ 1 http://www.ultraswank.net/film/thoughts-on-the-silencers/ http://www.ultraswank.net/film/thoughts-on-the-silencers/#comments Fri, 16 Jul 2010 05:32:25 +0000 Jesse Kowalski http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2612 Loosely based on the series of Matt Helm novels by Donald Hamilton, “The Silencers” features Dean Martin as erstwhile counter agent Matt Helm. Not to be confused with the counter agent at Northwest who lost my luggage last week. Helm isn’t a secret agent who spies and stuff, he just causes problems for other spies. [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/film/thoughts-on-the-silencers/feed/ 4 http://www.ultraswank.net/music/its-dinner-time/ http://www.ultraswank.net/music/its-dinner-time/#comments Fri, 25 Jun 2010 05:54:52 +0000 Steven Padal http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2565 Need a compilation of some catchy tunes? Well, you’ve come to the right diner! I was hungry for more lounge music and found “Music for TV Dinners: The Sixties.” For those that don’t know many lounge artists, this is a great compilation with a tasty mix of library music. The album includes artists such as [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/music/its-dinner-time/feed/ 2 http://www.ultraswank.net/film/thoughts-on-barbarella/ http://www.ultraswank.net/film/thoughts-on-barbarella/#comments Fri, 18 Jun 2010 07:34:17 +0000 Jesse Kowalski http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2546 The first memory I have of Jane Fonda is from watching my mother’s copy of Jane Fonda’s 1982 exercise video, aptly titled “Workout,” based on Fonda‘s even more aptly titled LP “Jane Fonda‘s Workout Record.“ Hot off the heels of early ‘80s HBO mainstays “Nine to Five” and “On Golden Pond,” Fonda appeared on the [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/film/thoughts-on-barbarella/feed/ 2 http://www.ultraswank.net/fashion/1950s-skincare-for-women/ http://www.ultraswank.net/fashion/1950s-skincare-for-women/#comments Wed, 28 Apr 2010 05:41:03 +0000 Guest http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=2137 Dishwashing liquid commercials vary in their subject matter. Either they take an eco-friendly approach, tug at your heartstrings by demonstrating how they save animals affected by an oil spill, or they show the product’s grease-cutting power. The Palmolive brand has come a long way from its origins as a beauty product. The above ad from [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/fashion/1950s-skincare-for-women/feed/ 1 http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/san-francisco-in-1958/ http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/san-francisco-in-1958/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:34:03 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=1996 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 [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/san-francisco-in-1958/feed/ 5 http://www.ultraswank.net/design/return-of-the-retro-kitchen-appliances/ http://www.ultraswank.net/design/return-of-the-retro-kitchen-appliances/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:14:02 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=1991 American company Big Chill came up with the brilliant idea of launching a line of kitchen appliances that have modern functionality, efficiency and dependability but that look like they are straight out of the 50s. If you always wanted that pink retro kitchen, here’s your chance – with the added bonus that you don’t have [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/design/return-of-the-retro-kitchen-appliances/feed/ 5 http://www.ultraswank.net/kitsch/swedish-jet-fighter-marketing-from-the-50s/ http://www.ultraswank.net/kitsch/swedish-jet-fighter-marketing-from-the-50s/#comments Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:36:43 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=1706 Short funky Swedish documentary about the development of the state-of-the-art Royal Swedish Air force jet fighter “Draken“. Built and developed by Swedish car maker Saab in the early 1950s, this video takes us on a brief journey on how the plane was developed and tested before its maiden flight in 1955. Also pay attention to [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/kitsch/swedish-jet-fighter-marketing-from-the-50s/feed/ 3 http://www.ultraswank.net/inspiration/1960s-vintage-inspired-photosets/ http://www.ultraswank.net/inspiration/1960s-vintage-inspired-photosets/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:25:47 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=1599 Lisa Predko, a professional photographer from Chicago and lover of all things vintage sends me these lovely 1960s inspired photos that instantly transports you back 50 years or so, to a more fun, colorful and playful time. I love the the attention to detail and color and if you are fascinated by the space age [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/inspiration/1960s-vintage-inspired-photosets/feed/ 4 http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/kitschy-swedish-postcards-from-the-1960s/ http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/kitschy-swedish-postcards-from-the-1960s/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:26:57 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=1554 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 [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/roadtrip/kitschy-swedish-postcards-from-the-1960s/feed/ 2 http://www.ultraswank.net/readable/1965-spacemen-yearbook/ http://www.ultraswank.net/readable/1965-spacemen-yearbook/#comments Fri, 04 Sep 2009 05:48:51 +0000 Guest http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=1247 Spacemen Magazine was a relatively short-lived publication. It was published from July 1961 to July 1965 and was a spin off from the more successful “Famous Monsters of Filmland.” Both were edited by the late Forrest J. Ackerman and Published by James Warren. The cover art for the 1965 Yearbook was by well-known comic book [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/readable/1965-spacemen-yearbook/feed/ 1 http://www.ultraswank.net/science/disneys-house-of-the-future/ http://www.ultraswank.net/science/disneys-house-of-the-future/#comments Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:33:37 +0000 Chris http://www.ultraswank.net/?p=1026 This is the House of the Future (or Plastic House of the Future) at Disneyland, California circa 1957 – where you could get a glimpse of what the future held in technology and comfort in the year 1986. Look at all those fancy buttons all over the place, I crave more buttons in my apartment [...]]]> http://www.ultraswank.net/science/disneys-house-of-the-future/feed/ 5