As a people, we have an innate, near-Borgesian, affinity for the surreal.
Which may, or may not, be entirely subconscious.
I'm in the middle of the audiobook of Carrie Fisher's Wishful Drinking, which is partly a total squicky trainwreck and partly genius gutbusting funny.
And that makes this, below, even trippier and more inspiringly godawful tacky than it already is.
Debbie Reynolds, b. El Paso, in the first American Scopitone video. Made, not so incidentally, by her own Harmon-ee Productions company.
What fun!
I poked around youtube a bit looking for other Scopitone. One called Pussycat a GoGo was actually flagged for adult content even though it would be tame by MTV standards.
Posted by: racymind | February 18, 2009 at 04:31
That was awesome, Virgotex! I didn't know Debbie was a Texan. You're lucky to be able to claim her, cheesiness and all. Singin' In The Rain alone would have been enough to make me a fan. Her appearance in Connie and Carla made me even more of one.
And, for the record, I heart many things Texan. Particularly my grandmother.
Posted by: BuggyQ | February 18, 2009 at 08:45
You just can't have enough tulle, stillettos, and dancers whilst interpreting a humble folk song.
not to mention the way she makes "love between your brothers and your sisters" sound...
Posted by: virgotex | February 18, 2009 at 08:45
Me thinks the message of the song doesn't match the big-band swing style.
Posted by: MapleStreet | February 18, 2009 at 09:17
That vid reminds me, I need to find "That Thing You Do" on DVD...Tom Hanks (or his Production Design team 'captured' the era!) :)
Posted by: Elspeth R | February 18, 2009 at 09:32
made for las vegas.
Posted by: pansypoo | February 18, 2009 at 13:01
Elspeth. Right! "That Thing You do" is one of my favorites. I love the...joy... you see in the film when they first figure out they have a hit.
Also, Singing in the Rain, is so wonderful.
"Dignity, always dignity."
Posted by: spocko | February 18, 2009 at 16:02