Eat your K rations and like it

February 15, 2014 12:54 AM

Hundreds of newsreel and publicity films from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s -- the golden era of instructional, scientific, government, and industry films -- are now available on YouTube via users like Ella's Archive (focusing on transport and technology), Val73TV4 (British Council portraits of English towns & more), NuclearVault (war and diplomacy) and others.

How about starting with The Big Delivery Wagon (1951) a Heinz-sponsored spot about nationwide food distribution? Or ‪Native Foods: Commandments For Health (1945)‬, a U.S. Navy animated training film featuring Private McGillicuddy, who neither likes Vienna sausage nor seems to know that local foods are full of "poison more treacherous than a Jap warlord." Maybe Choosing For Happiness (1950) has some choice dating tips for even today's women? Or show your kid Defense Against Invasion (1943) in which a doctor explains to a fearful child exactly why he ought to get immunized.
posted by spamandkimchi (5 comments total)

Choosing for happiness was surprisingly thoughtful and even a little wry - the aside about the young man who prefers math to dating who would need additional help. The only truly dated line was the line about spanking her which was meant mostly in jest but within a context of physical violence. Mary's advice to Eve seemed to be basically keep dating around, find someone who you like, are attracted to and respect, and Eve had good reasons to say no to the ones she did date, except for the last where she was being the ass in comparison to the first guy. Put 'em in modern clothes and settings and 95% of that would pass for a reasonable dating guide now.
posted by viggorlijah at 4:54 AM on February 15, 2014

Mike Nelson just awoke from a deep sleep, uncertain why but knowing that there is work to be done.
posted by Pope Guilty at 5:17 AM on February 15, 2014 [3 favorites]

EAT FOR HEALTH
posted by The Whelk at 6:42 AM on February 15, 2014

Holy cow. Choosing for Happiness was mild enough, except for this scene:

SHE: You're so inconsiderate!
HE: Look who's talking! Why, someone oughta take you across his knee and give you a good spanking. Might make you more human.
SHE: Maybe you're the one to do it!
HE: Maybe, but I doubt it.

HER FRIEND: He sounds like the best of all!

These are the moments where I thank the stars that I did not have to live through that era.
posted by Miko at 7:50 AM on February 15, 2014

Commandments For Health had a very unexpected last two seconds. No wonder Private McGillicuddy doesn't care for those suspicious Vienna sausages....
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 8:51 AM on February 15, 2014 [1 favorite]