Definitive document of pre-World War II futuristic utopian thinking, as envisioned by General Motors. Documents the “Futurama” exhibit in GM’s “Highways and Horizons” pavilion at the World’s Fair, which looks ahead to the “wonder world of 1960.”
Shotlist
Ken Smith sez: This film was put together by General Motors to trumpet their “Highways and Horizons” exhibit (which included the Futurama) at the 1939-40 New York World’s Fair. It opens in b&w, as a wistful, utopian narrator explains how Americans are always striving for “new horizons,” and “new ways of doing things.” Then the film turns color, and we are taken into the G.M. pavilion, where we slowly pan over “the wonder world of 1960” — an immense, miniature diorama designed by Norman Bel Geddes. An eerie organ-of-the-future plays as the narrator shows us an autocentric world — complete with 100 mph freeways and city traffic systems “designed to bypass undesirable slum areas.” “Does it seem strange? Unbelievable?” the narrator asks, as we look at a world that is unbelievable almost 35 years after it was supposed to exist. “We are all interested in the future, for that is where we will spend the rest of our lives!” An evocation of an abundant future and a unique little piece of film history.
¥ 20:34:28:18- 20:34:51:00
Series of driving POV shots. We move forward on various paths and roads starting with a grassy path, dissolving to a dirt road, next a road that looks as though its got wooden planks, then a wooden bridge, and finally we veer off to another narrow dirt road. All that’s seen in this sequence are the roads and the rugged land surrounding them.
¥ 20:35:02:10- 20:35:10:15
Short but excellent driving POV first past a woman using a water pump in her front yard and next to a visceral image of children running towards their schoolhouse.
¥ 20:36:23:20- 20:36:31:18
Short but nice driving POV. We see out the top corner of the passenger’s window which gives us a view of the beautiful desert we rapidly drive by as well as the interior of the car.
¥ 20:37:44:10- 20:38:16:10
Series of driving POV up hills/mountains and around hair pin turns. We drive by green hills, rocky desert areas, snowy pine trees, and gently rolling hills all the while coming dangerously close to the edge. Sometimes dizzying as we round the turns.
¥ 20:40:13:24- 20:40:29:25
Excellent pan of crowds at the 1939/40 New York World’s Fair waiting to get inside of the General Motors building. As the camera pans the people in line (several of whom look at the camera), the film changes from black and white to Technicolor. A man waves at the camera as it continues to pan the area.
¥ 20:40:57:15- 20:41:10:10
More footage of lines going into the Futurama exhibit in the General Motors building. This time we view the area where the line wraps around several levels. As the camera pans the line, it is clear that the lines were intended to be part of the architecture of the building.
FUTURISM NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR AUTOMOBILES TRANSPORTATION GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION EXPOSITIONS EXHIBITS SCIENCE PROGRESS World’s Fairs (New York, 1939) Futurism Surrealism Time travel Models Highways Interchanges (highways) Highways (futuristic) Automobiles Transportation Horses Wagons (horse-drawn) Wagons (covered) Schools (rural) Schoolhouses Factories Industry Neon signs Signs (neon) Bridges Driving General Motors Corp. (sponsor) General Motors Corp. Futurama exhibit, New York World’s Fair (1939) Infrastructure
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