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SCOPITONE: You must see this to believe it

Marc Chevalier

Gone Home
Messages
18,192
Location
Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
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Matt Deckard introduced me to the wonder that was SCOPITONE. I still haven’t recovered. That’s right: those big, boxy 1960s jukeboxes with a movie screen attached. Slide into your favorite bar or cocktail lounge, drop in your change and stare at a ‘60s “video.” Marvel at the wackiness! Let your mind be blown! Watch all three of the videos; each has its own unique charm. (They really should show these contraptions on Mad Men.)





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[YOUTUBE] <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/n3z4sTKn-f0&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/n3z4sTKn-f0&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]




[YOUTUBE] <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2Rgbg0INRD4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2Rgbg0INRD4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]



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feltfan

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,190
Location
Oakland, CA, USA
There's a guy here in the SF Bay Area who collects Scopitones.

Many years ago he had a screening- I think it was at the Roxie
in SF's Mission district. A whole night of them. Cool stuff.
 

Matt Deckard

Man of Action
Messages
10,045
Location
A devout capitalist in Los Angeles CA.
There's no Wackiness Marc. Just genuine wholesome fun for the entire crowd huddling around the screen at the bar in Europe in the 60s.

I went to searching for Scopitones when MTV and VH1 stopped showing music videos.

Oh how I miss music videos.

I see your's and raise you Comic strip, Sado Maso and Bonnie and Clyde.

Click to believe \/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URr37OUyC6I



Amazing off the bat
[YOUTUBE]d997f1HhtJE[/YOUTUBE]


It gets good about a minute in. \/
[YOUTUBE]alVpPohskS4[/YOUTUBE]


Let's write some music and see if Seth at Puzzle Pictures can help us out!
 

Marc Chevalier

Gone Home
Messages
18,192
Location
Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
.




Every man, woman, child and family pet in our hemisphere must see Scopitones. "Bunnnnyyy aaannnd Claaaaaiiiiidddde...."




This one could keep a whole army of colonial Freudians busy:



[YOUTUBE]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AbePZ_G7ZAQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AbePZ_G7ZAQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]



.


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Marc Chevalier

Gone Home
Messages
18,192
Location
Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
Another convert. :eusa_clap


Whatever happened to Kid Burbank? He really had a way with pestles ...


Behold the mighty Scopitone 450 (presumably better than the Scopitone 449) ... and its less popular rival (despite Frankie Avalon), the Cinebox:




Scopitone450.jpg
----------------
frankie_avalon_small.jpg






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dhermann1

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,154
Location
Da Bronx, NY, USA
Can't see the videos here at work, but I'll check them out later.
But it does bring back . . . amusing . . . memories of Camp LeJeune, NC in 1967. Our base Enlisted Men's Club had one. there was one particular film, to the tune of "Here Comes My Baby, Here She Comes Now", that featured a lady who was so cantilevered as to defy gravity. She was very "big" among the marines of H&S Company.
 

"Skeet" McD

Practically Family
Messages
755
Location
Essex Co., Mass'tts
dhermann1 said:
Can't see the videos here at work, but I'll check them out later....But it does bring back . . . amusing . . . memories of Camp LeJeune, NC in 1967.

EXCELLENT call, DH...but then, you seem to know what you're dealing with ;)

"Skeet"
 

Matt Deckard

Man of Action
Messages
10,045
Location
A devout capitalist in Los Angeles CA.
I've always been impressed with how many of the Scopitones are a shot by shot visual translation of a song. Too often do modern musicians go for gimmicks to give you an ethereal idea of what they mean where as with a Scopitone, a snake is a snake. And when they mention it they show it to you so to confirm the fact. It's quite DEVO of the era.
 

Matt Deckard

Man of Action
Messages
10,045
Location
A devout capitalist in Los Angeles CA.
It's obvious by the video that the Scotsman and the women are hunting for Watermelon. Showing the actual discovery of watermelon in the hot hot jungle would have made for an easier video yes, so we have to accept this as an evolution to where they are eluding to the idea of watermelon presence without paying off with an actual shot of the product, putting all the focus on the man preparing their food after the hunt. Which I believe to be watermelon seeds.
 

Mysterious Mose

Practically Family
Messages
516
Location
Gone.
High boots, high hair, high voice.
[YOUTUBE]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yhZ2sBdCUhA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yhZ2sBdCUhA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]
 

Carlisle Blues

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,154
Location
Beautiful Horse Country
Fun!!!!!:D


[YOUTUBE]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BoBFO7jfetA&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BoBFO7jfetA&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]
 

Mysterious Mose

Practically Family
Messages
516
Location
Gone.
Karaoke!
[YOUTUBE]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JpxMdtEu5cI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JpxMdtEu5cI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]
 

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