| Description |
1 videodisc : sd., col., b&w ; 4 3/4 in. |
| System Details |
DVD. |
| Note |
Title from container. |
| Summary |
Features five short films produced from the 1940's to 1960's which celebrate nothing less than the backbone of this great country -- that's right, American Industry! In Made in the U.S.A. a group from a small-town think people should stop buying from overseas and only purchase items made in America. A magician makes them eat their words by making every foreign-made part vanish from a good ol' American Automobile. Anything that has raw materials from "one of 58 foreign countries" simply disappears until the car's nothing but a worthless wreck! |
| Contents |
Mr. Withers stops the clock / Edgar Stehli, James Broderick (1956) -- The Builders (1954) -- Made in the U.S.A. -- Land of the free -- Call it free. |
| Note |
Mr. Withers Stops the Clock (color) begins with a deceptively normal glimpse of average Americans getting ready to take a plane trip until -- oh no! -- the Middle City airport is closed and eerily empty! Why? Because Mr. Withers (EDGAR STEHLI of 4D Man), a magical but cranky old man (who's apparently also been dead for many years), has made all the airport workers disappear -- except for a single air-traffic controller (JAMES BRODERICK of Alice's Restaurant) -- simply because he hates progress. Especially when progress involves those darn "flying machines." Air traffic, communications, mail, commerce, and even air defense comes to a screeching halt which ends up affecting the entire country in this wacky 1956 tribute to American Air Transportation. |
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The Builders (color) opens with a beautiful painting of a futuristic Jetsons-like city -- made by an architectural student whose teacher wants to flunk him because his ideas are "too far-fetched." So the Dean intercedes and tells the student all about a new construction tool that will someday make his futuristic city a reality: steel-wire mesh inside concrete (or "welded wire fabric" if you want to get fancy about it). Wow. Hey, c'mon, it's 1954! |
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Made in the U.S.A. (b&w) is yet another short with a Twilight Zone feel. A group of small-town bigots think people should stop buying from overseas and only purchase items made in America: "The less we have to do with foreigners, the better!" Oh yeah? A magician makes them eat their words by making every foreign-made part vanish from a good ol' American Automobile. Poof! There go the tires! Then the paint, seats, engine... anything that has raw materials from "one of 58 foreign countries" simply disappears until the car's nothing but a worthless wreck! Oops. Presented by the "Committee on International Economic Policy." |
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Land of the Free (b&w) is a patriotic pre-WWII stock-footage ode to American Capitalism that'll make everyone want to stand up and say The Pledge of Allegiance. What makes this country so great? "We operate 34% of the world's railroads! We drive 70% of all the automobiles that roll along the world's highways! We enjoy the convenience of half of all the telephones in service!" And, of course, "We listen to 45% of all the radio sets in existence!" |
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Call It Free (color) encourages service-station attendants to look for ways of selling the customer things they may not know they need. To wit: "a dizzy dame" pulls into Herb Hoskins' service station for some gas, but Herb sells her oil, a new fan belt, spark plugs, and all kinds of additional items. Later, when her husband gets the bill, he gets so mad that he shows up at the service station ready for a fight. Ah, but that's when Herb tells them all about the lurking cartoon dangers of "Captain Jinx." Yessiree, it's American Capitalism in action! |
| Subject |
United States -- Civilization -- 1945-
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United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century.
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Popular culture -- United States -- 20th century.
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Capitalism -- United States.
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Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States -- Drama.
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City planning -- United States -- Drama.
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International trade -- Economic aspects -- Drama.
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Automobiles -- Equipment and supplies -- Marketing -- Drama.
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Service stations -- United States -- Employees -- Drama.
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| Added Author |
Stehli, Edgar, 1884-1973.
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Broderick, James, 1927-1982.
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Something Weird Video (Firm)
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| Added Title |
Lifestyles USA. Vol. 19 |
| Music No. |
35652 Something Weird Video |
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