Instructional Videos/Social Guidance Films

[Kitty]

Have you ever seen a color Coronet film? Here's 1946's The Nature of Color, filmed in surprisingly beautiful Kodachrome. I want those sheep figurines. They are the cutest!!

This also reminds me of one of my favorite Edison films—probably one of the first educational films, The Wonders of Magnetism (1915). Unfortunately, it does not seem to be one YouTube.

I think it used to be!! I really think you've shared it somewhere before.

[Kitty]

Here's a 2-fer, although the real gem is the first one. I learned a LOT about cars in 1974 from this video. The second video compares Ford and Chevy vans. It would only be interesting if you had an affinity for vans.
Tell me what you think. I have some thoughts to share about it, but I don't want it to spoil the content too much. The first video, (the good one) is about 9 minutes long.
1974 GENERAL MOTORS PROMO FILM FOR SAFETY BELTS / SEAT BELTS & GM VANS VS. ECONOLINE
https://youtu.be/rNhzuCK_yE0

[donnie]

On the seat belt one, it’s funny to think that all that had to be explained at some point, it seems so second-nature now. I actually think this video might have made the whole thing seem more complicated than it was in reality. Or maybe it *was* more complicated: I didn’t have any idea they made them at one time where the engine would be inoperable without buckling; I can see how that would have been highly annoying to drivers at that time. The bypass switch was a new one on me, too.

The van one is pretty convincing in terms of the advantages of the Chevy. In spite of that, I think the Econolines were probably more popular.

I wonder how and where these films were shown?

[Kitty]

On the seat belt one, it’s funny to think that all that had to be explained at some point, it seems so second-nature now. I actually think this video might have made the whole thing seem more complicated than it was in reality. Or maybe it *was* more complicated: I didn’t have any idea they made them at one time where the engine would be inoperable without buckling; I can see how that would have been highly annoying to drivers at that time. The bypass switch was a new one on me, too.

The van one is pretty convincing in terms of the advantages of the Chevy. In spite of that, I think the Econolines were probably more popular.

I wonder how and where these films were shown?

The first video imploring us to use our seat belt was 10 years (1964) before the *genious* seat belt interlock system (1974). It wasn't complicated until they made a law that all cars had to have this feature.
They obviously knew that the invention was faulty: They even had an easy-to-reach reset button in case it *did* malfunction. It was a seriously diabolical plot. They even made it so they couldn't tamper with the button. People were so angry about it, that they had to retract the law, which is what they did for the next year.

This girl is a little weird. Why is she staring at the screen with such a weird look on her face in that one scene toward the beginning? Also, who is that guy? Her dad, I hope.

Regarding where they were shown, I think they probably were promo films inside the dealership to advertise.

[donnie]

This girl is a little weird. Why is she staring at the screen with such a weird look on her face in that one scene toward the beginning? Also, who is that guy? Her dad, I hope.

I guess she's looking at the narrator—who isn't there...hmm.
I wondered about the man in the suit as well. Maybe it is her father, but the narrator calls him a "friend." Hmmmmm...creepy?

[Kitty]

I wondered about the man in the suit as well. Maybe it is her father, but the narrator calls him a "friend." Hmmmmm...creepy?

Quite.

[donnie]

I found this one a little puzzling. The gist seems to be that the girl's failed relationships are all her fault, but to me the men she's dating are the problem. I'm also not sure exactly what the message of the film overall is - ? What do you think?
Choosing For Happiness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocL1JXrBleA

[donnie]

Here's another one that's a little confusing. I'm not sure I'm seeing the connection between Barbara's habits and her lack of acceptance by the upper-crust group. I do think I'd have worn a different sweater, though.
Habit Patterns (1954)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GTBMGUUz6I

[donnie]

Of all the Coronets I’ve seen yet, I believe this is probably the most unrealistically idealistic. (Does that phrase make sense? ) In fact, both the student and the principal are so perfect, they must come from another planet.
Act Your Age
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M7dSCbAQR5k

[Kitty]

I found this one a little puzzling. The gist seems to be that the girl's failed relationships are all her fault, but to me the men she's dating are the problem. I'm also not sure exactly what the message of the film overall is - ? What do you think?
Choosing For Happiness

First of all, somehow exercising is a bad idea. She didn't tell her she HAD to diet and exercise. She just suggested it, and I don't think she said it in a condescending way.

With Boyfriend #1, he's so self absorbed and seemed to ignore her always. Was she really supposed to put up with that? Alone time is very important. I don't think she was wrong at all if she didn't like that. I would say that she maybe could have talked with him privately and reasoned with him, telling him how she felt, but, again, she said they never had any alone time, so how was that to happen?

With Boyfriend #2, the boy seemed nice… until he says “You’re different from other girls.” That’s a big red flag right there. “You’re almost like a man.” WHAT!? Yes, every girl wants to hear that. What a sweet talker! It seems to me that maybe he doesn’t like girls, after all. Now, she is being a little bit mean when she says it that way about his interest in math.

With Boyfriend #3, she’s being a bit pushy here, with the judgmental way she asks if carpentry is his idea of fun. Now, she didn’t say he NEVER left the shop, he just never WANTED to leave it. I never want to leave my house, and with this social distancing right now, it’s just as well, isn’t it? I’m right with him. Actually, I think he’d be my type of guy. He knows how to make things, and even wants to include me in his interests, too, offering for me to help paint. Then we’d go on the lake with the boat that he made…. Sigh… Steve…. *clasps hands under chin in dreamy eyed bliss* ahem, on with the next boyfriend!

With Boyfriend #4, Now, with John, he made the mistake of not warning her that he had to take the car back early. She was being very inconsiderate when he told her suddenly, although I don’t blame her for being a little annoyed. He was being inconsiderate by not telling her in the beginning that he had borrowed the car, and she was being inconsiderate because, even knowing it wasn’t his car, she told him to stay, anyway. Why couldn’t she try to compromise, and suggest that they hang out in the neighborhood or at the malt shop after he dropped the car off? The spanking comment would have been the nail in the coffin for me. “I think he was the best of all!” the cousin said. No way! He’d gone too far with his words, and she thought he was best of all? By the way, that is a super cute bathing suit that she’s wearing! Wait, why is he fully clothed without a bathing suit?

Honestly, I don’t know what the point is. I originally thought they were condemning Eve, because she was so picky with her men. But, really, Eve doesn’t seem so unhappy, does she?

By the way, I went back and put the names of all the videos in each post. For some reason we didn't do that with all of them, and some of them were deleted from youtube. I figured some of them out, thanks to our comments, but I couldn't replace every one. Speaking of which, the second of the three you posted is now deleted, and of course, I don't know what it was called. Can you replace that?
Oh! And you had had posted the Six-Star Knives video before, apparently. At least I'm not the only one reposting content here!