When I saw this poster on “If Charlie Parker…” I had to reproduce it. I must have been about nine years old when I saw Destination Moon, with it’s George Pal special effects and Robert Heinlein story (and a cameo by Woody Woodpecker). It totally convinced me that I had to be an astronaut when I grew up. But did I achieve that goal? That’s a matter of perception. I’m fairly confident I advanced beyond the rank of Space Cadet.
The secret word is Ingnition
... and I bet you've been in orbit more than a few times!
ReplyDeletep.s. word verification code is "synasted" - it could almost be apt adjective!
For some of us of a certain age, the black & white sci-fi and horror films of the '40s, '50s and early '60s had a deep resonance that crept into our dreams. For me it was an English version of Godzilla called The Giant Behemoth. Despite the low budget effects, it was strangely realistic. Later, as a young, practicing consciousness cadet in the late '60s, it was Carnival of Souls (1963 originally I believe) that scared the shit outta me on late night TV. Black & white remains a powerful aesthetic. It's like watching shadows.
ReplyDeleteWV - sulcor - As in "The Thing That Came From Sulcor"
The Giant Behemoth became a nine cult among the small boys at my school. We insisted on pronouncing it "Beer-Moth."
ReplyDelete(Destination Moon was, in fact, in super-garish color. There was another black and white space opera at the time called Rocketship XM that was in b&w, and no one should forget the beauty of Abbot & Costello Go To Mars. Really.)
There's an Abbott & Costello flick called The Time Of Their Lives where Lou plays a ghost and there's a scene that -- oddly -- was the single scariest for a period of my childhood.
ReplyDeleteWM - pyrooe - Py-Rooooooooooooooooooooe!
There were two kinds of space-explorations begun in the Sixties and I hold the Inner was every bit as valid.
ReplyDeleteInteresting pronounciation of "behemoth" - you weren't at St. Custard's by any chance?
Too funny Mick. Flesh Gordon was the movie that made me want to become an astronaut.
ReplyDelete