Surreally-earnest instructional films from the 40s, 50s, 60s

Gareth Branwyn 7:15 am Tue Dec 29, 2020

What retro-fresh hell is this? Old TV Time is a YouTube channel dedicated to cultural and industrial instructional films from the 1940s and 50s (and 60s and 70s).

From advice on dating (directed at boys), properly behaving at a restaurant (directed at girls), and how to suppress "strong feelings" so that you don't end up in "wrong behavior" and "miss your chance at love" (also directed at girls) to setting up disaster hospitals, the miracles of cotton, and community health.

Looking at these today is bizarre, creepy, and unnerving. The blatant sexism, the moral certitude, the strictures of conformity, the blinding whiteness of it all. It is no wonder that such films have long been fodder for surreal, neo-dada, punk, and industrial art.

If the acting in this one seems particularly chewy, it's because it was designed to teach the hearing-impaired how to read lips (but the difference between this and many others is… subtle).

Image: Screengrab

Looking back on Kolchak: The Night Stalker 50 years later

As a teen keenly interested in the weird, the fantastical, and the occult, and driven by fantasies of becoming an investigative reporter, the 1972 made-for-TV movie, Kolchak: The Night Stalker… READ THE REST
Who's the Boss? is getting a reboot

When have modern sitcom reboots/ reunions ever failed? That question isn't rhetorical; I'm actually curious. Because to my recollection, I can't think of a single time, in recent memory, where… READ THE REST
The seven-decade success of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner

A few nights ago, my wife and I stumbled upon this RerunZone segment on the history of the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons. We had a surprising amount… READ THE REST
Don't miss this Cyber Week Deal on the Helios Paffuto heated unisex vest for only $74.97

TL;DR: As the cold weather intensifies, you'll want to be prepared for those bone-chilling temperatures. Don't sleep on this Extended Cyber Monday price drop because the Helios Paffuto Heated Unisex Vest with… READ THE REST
Learn Spanish with this Rosetta Stone lifetime subscription for under $99

TL;DR: Learn Latin American Spanish with this lifetime subscription to Rosetta Stone for only $95.99 (Reg. $299) and save $203 with code SAVENOW at checkout. Spanish is one of the most spoken and popular languages… READ THE REST
Get this refurbished Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 for only $399.97 as part of our Extended Cyber Monday savings event

TL;DR: Our Extended Cyber Monday savings event is here, and if you're in need of a laptop upgrade, this new-to-you, but previously-owned machine is a more affordable option. Don't let this… READ THE REST