Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site umcp-cs.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!umcp-cs!mangoe From: mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate) Newsgroups: net.movies Subject: Re: Back to the '50's? Message-ID: <878@umcp-cs.UUCP> Date: Tue, 16-Jul-85 18:01:23 EDT Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.878 Posted: Tue Jul 16 18:01:23 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 18-Jul-85 06:10:12 EDT References: <3113@decwrl.UUCP> Organization: U of Maryland, Computer Science Dept., College Park, MD Lines: 42 In article <3113@decwrl.UUCP> cherson@nonode.DEC writes: >Judging from most people's reviews of "Back to the Future", it seems to be a >decently made movie, etc. But the entire genre of movies dealing with the >'50's brings up a disturbing fact, that Hollywood is trying to impart that >the fifties was a good era in our history, people really had unlimited fun >and today's youth shouldn't be afraid to emulate it in their lifestyles. >The truth of the matter is that the fifties was the most blackest periods of >American history. Many people's lives were ruined as a result of >institutionalized paranoia. Great talents were not allowed to flourish on >the stage, screen and in literature. Mutual hate and suspicion was the rule > >The only positive product of the '50's was the music. It was great and it >provided the only outlet for true emotions. But Rock n' Roll can not alter >the image of an era and this is where Hollywood makes it's mistakes. > >I suppose that living in the electronic '50's (the present), where the >general passivity of Americans parelling that of the chronological '50's >makes it easy for Hollywood to peddle that grade B garbage (I'm not >regarding Back to the Future as garbage). I think the continued popularity of '50s culture is due to several factors. There are some obvious parallels in the national consciousness. The fact that we are not seeing lots of movies about McCarthy or other paranoia IN THEATRES is an indication that the current movie-going generation isn't interested in hearing about how awful we were. Remember too that this is the era of their parents; _Back to the Future_ obviously makes lots of hay with this, but it isn't the only one. I think that 20-30 years down the road, our own era will be looked upon with nostalgia-- especially when compared with the late 60s and early 70s. Kids are not all that comfortable with movies exposing the national character. That's for older folks, and, just in passing, I think it very significant that American public television spends so much time on the evils of the previous generation. But most kids aren't ready to deal with that until well into high school. So I'm not too worried. People need a little optimism, and the movies are a fine place to get it. Charley Wingate