Kahuna
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 270
- Location
- Moscow, ID
Not long ago I found a VHS tape of a program called "The March of Time" in a thrift store. Apparently they were produced from 1935 to 1951 as kind of a newsreel feature to show in movie houses before the main event. This particular tape had features on men's and women's fashion, boxing, travel, etc. from the years 1945 to 1950. It looked pretty interesting so I bought it but didn't have time to view it till today. Wow, great stuff! Judging by today's standards it probably wouldn't be considered a paragon of journalistic integrity since nearly all the spoken parts that were captured on film were clearly staged but what a treasure trove of golden era history, cars, music & fashion. Hats and ties abound!
After watching I decided to Google to see if perhaps the program had made its way to DVD. Unfortunately not yet but I did find that a large number of the programs have been restored and can be watched for free here (no affiliation with the web site): http://www.hboarchives.com/apps/searchlibrary/ctl/marchoftime
The bad part is, you have to register to see them. The good part is, it's worth it. So far I've watched:
Leadbelly (1935) - a program about the folk/blues singer with a rare appearance from folk archivist John Lomax.
Highway Homes (1936) - for all you vintage trailerites, here's a program about travel trailers from the very beginning of the industry.
Birth of Swing (1937) - a film about the popularity of swing music and the reunion of the Original Dixieland Jass Band.
The 49th State (1937) - a look at the territory of Hawaii circa 1937 and the move to make it a state.
So far it's all been worth watching, clear vids (unfortunately there's a time countdown block obscuring part of the screen), and lots of good shots of houses, cars, fashion, hats, etc. from the era. If you're interested in the way things looked back then this is a good place to start. Not every program has been restored but the web site says they're working on it so it may pay to check back from time to time.
After watching I decided to Google to see if perhaps the program had made its way to DVD. Unfortunately not yet but I did find that a large number of the programs have been restored and can be watched for free here (no affiliation with the web site): http://www.hboarchives.com/apps/searchlibrary/ctl/marchoftime
The bad part is, you have to register to see them. The good part is, it's worth it. So far I've watched:
Leadbelly (1935) - a program about the folk/blues singer with a rare appearance from folk archivist John Lomax.
Highway Homes (1936) - for all you vintage trailerites, here's a program about travel trailers from the very beginning of the industry.
Birth of Swing (1937) - a film about the popularity of swing music and the reunion of the Original Dixieland Jass Band.
The 49th State (1937) - a look at the territory of Hawaii circa 1937 and the move to make it a state.
So far it's all been worth watching, clear vids (unfortunately there's a time countdown block obscuring part of the screen), and lots of good shots of houses, cars, fashion, hats, etc. from the era. If you're interested in the way things looked back then this is a good place to start. Not every program has been restored but the web site says they're working on it so it may pay to check back from time to time.
