Blast from the past

A jukebox with visuals!

Site: Scopitones

Time magazine informed readers in 1964 of the revolutionary Scopitone Machine — a jukebox with visuals! For just a quarter you could choose one of 36 musical movies in “delirious colour and hi-fi Scooby-ooby-doo.” They were in at least 500 bars, restaurants and servicemen’s clubs across the US. But it was in France and Europe where they took off.

At Scopitones.com you can watch more than 40 of these classic early videos. Skinny French chanteuses, goofy floppy-haired boys and big buxom American starlets abound. See and hear Les Surfs, Petula Clark, Sylvie Vartan, Julie Driscoll and January Jones! You would swear gay boys and girls directed all the videos.

Favourites include “Comic Strip” featuring the sly Serge Gainsbourg sauntering through a room filled with balloons as a brunette Brigitte Bardot (in pink tights and a cape) sings “Shabam! Pow! Blop! Whizz!” But “Web Of Love” with bombed blonde-shell Joi Lansing writhing in a soundstage voodoo cauldron and seductively caressing a dancing boy snake is the charmer.

Read More About:
Culture, Toronto

Keep Reading

Samantha Josephs in front of the cover of 'Carrying'

Samantha Josephs gets dirty

The author of “Carrying” talks writing erotica, trans pregnancy—and her novel’s upcoming movie adaptation
A cartoon of two people standing close together; one is holding a puppy, the other is holding a book

How a Canadian kids’ book became the centre of a U.S. Supreme Court case

“Pride Puppy” was written to highlight the joy of Pride. It became a political flashpoint
A cartoon of people raising their fists with police officers facing them. There are flowers in the background

Queer censorship isn’t new in Canada, but we’ve won the fight before

Key figures from censorship fights in the 20th century reflect on what we can learn from them today
A cartoon of a nondescript personified animal riding a horse

Trans Albertans are strong. We aren’t going anywhere

Trans Albertans reflect on what makes their home province special, even in the wake of Premier Danielle Smith’s legislative attacks and book restrictions
Advertisement