Sometimes a post just falls into one's lap...at least it does for me. This one, for example. I was on boingboing.net and ran across something called a Scopitone. This really threw me, because I'm old enough to remember these machines. But, I don't. Supposedly they were popular in the 60's, and were offshoots of a similar Italian machine. Don't ask me the particulars, cuz I'm too damn lazy to look them up. Not to mention, I am interested in the bloody things only as objects d'post.
Simply put, Scopitones were invented in France (the Italians and the Mafia will argue this point, however---I insert this here for obvious reasons---my mama didn't raise no fool---actually my mama didn't exactly raise me---but that's another, more complicated and not as amusing post). They---Scopitones, not the Mafia---were made from surplus War War II airplane parts. They were basically juke boxes with videos...so to speak. Now don't take me to task because I didn't do proper research before inserting peds into oral places. I use the term video, generically. Films, I don't know. People singing...and such. Scopitones are considered the forerunners to music videos.
So being the thorough and professional blogger maven that I am, I went looking for examples...and Great Mediocrity did I find some. So many that I found it difficult to choose one. But I did. No, I chose two. If the first one doesn't grab you, then try the second...they are close in quality and...sexual content. And, as intelliwench points out, highly sexist. However, the props are top drawer...ahem.
First somebody named Joi Lansing (get it? Joi...a play on JOY...clever huh?) singing "Web of Love":
And now, January Jones in, count them, 5 Bikinis and one full, singing "Up A Lazy River" (with several bimbos and no oar):
If this peaks your interest and you find the subject scintillating, you can find more here: http://scopitones.com/
Me, I'm fini with it (that's Italian, Tony...as in Soprano).
