The Secret Cinema presents
TOP SECRET: FILMS YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO SEE
On Thursday, November 8, the Secret Cinema will present a program of short films never intended for viewing by the general public. It will screen at University City's Rotunda, as part of their monthly free film series.
TOP SECRET: FILMS YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO SEE showcases films produced to convey private information from the government, the military and big business, instructional or motivational in nature, to carefully targeted audiences of battle forces in the field, farmers, middle management and wholesale buyers of products. Spanning from World War II through the 1970s, these forgotten reels reveal long hidden and often surprising views of mid-century America. At least one of these films was originally marked as containing "Restricted" information (and for all we know it is still officially restricted!).
There will be one complete program, starting at 8:00 pm. Admission is FREE.
As always with Secret Cinema events, the films will be shown using real film (not video) projected on a giant screen.
Just a few highlights of TOP SECRET: FILMS YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO SEE are:
ARMY-AIR FORCE COMBAT DIGEST #53 (1944) - A weekly newsreel made just for soldiers, bringing news, developments in the war, and aerial footage of bombing missions right to the barracks via portable 16mm projectors. This episode is from October 4, 1944.
CULL FOR PROFIT (1951) - Made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, this color educational film argues in favor of eugenics in egg farming, advising farmers to carefully remove from their coops hens that are lower egg producers. It might have just as easily been called KILL FOR PROFIT.
COCA COLA: OPERATION TIGER (1975?) - This corporate motivational film was made to instill pride and passion in the hearts of Coca Cola bottlers and their delivery men, in hope that they would take extra care when setting up store displays of the "beautiful red and white labels" on countless cases of Coca Cola. It was part of a 1970s campaign secretly titled "Operation Tiger," and attempted to inspire these men to become fierce kings of the soft drink jungle. A rare view from inside the belly of the carbonated corporate beast!
RECOGNITION OF AFV'S (1943) - Adapted by the U.S. Signal Corps from a British training film, this short aims to teach soldiers a valuable lesson: how to distinguish Allied tanks (or Armored Fighting Vehicles) from those of the enemy.
1104 SUTTON ROAD (1958) - Motivational dramatization shows the story of a dissatisfied factory worker who imagines what it would be like to become foreman or the company president. He learns that every employee must be productive to succeed. Sponsored by the Champion Paper and Fibre Company, with blazing Technicolor views of home and workplace life.
Plus much more!
This Secret Cinema program is a slightly modified version of one previously presented in 2011, at Moore College of Art and at Stephen Parr’s Oddball Film & Video in San Francisco.
SECRET CINEMA WEBSITE: http://www.thesecretcinema.com