In the Public Realm May 19, 2006

TSA Spring 2006 Film and Video Series
Glass Room, Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queen's Park, Toronto

Friday May 19, 7:30pm
In the Public Realm
The City, d. Ralph Steiner & Willard Van Dyke, narr. Lewis Mumford (1939, 32', DVD, b/w, English)
The Dynamic American City, d. Frederick Baskaw (195?, 27', DVD, col, English)
American Look, d. anon. (1958, 28', DVD, col, English)

These three educational / propaganda films that straddle the second world war begin by describing the state of chaotic cities and urban sprawl with a critical eye to progress. Early planning strategies such as the destruction of "blighted" neighbourhoods, autocentric planning, and suburban sprawl are proposed. The trilogy ends with the optimistic Populuxe film on the 1950s automotive, industrial, interior, and architectural design. These films are all in the public realm, and were downloaded off the net.