Lost Landscapes of Detroit @ MOCAD, Feb 10, 7pm

[Kathleen]

This looks interesting!!!


Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 7PM
MOCAD is proud to present
Films from Prelinger Archives: Lost Landscapes of Detroit
Admission: Free
LOST LANDSCAPES OF DETROIT; an eclectic montage of rediscovered and rarely-seen archival film clips exhibiting life; cityscapes, labor and leisure from ‘vanishing Detroit’, as captured by amateurs, newsreel cameramen and industrial filmmakers from the 1920’s to the 1960’s. Lost Landscapes aims to offer Detroiters imagery of Detroit's past, free from any sense of nostalgia, in an attempt to provide subject for contemplation as the people of the city build towards a new future.

Unlike most film screenings, Lost Landscapes relies on audience participation for the soundtrack – interaction with the films is encouraged, as questions are shouted out, observations are shared and mysterious locations are identified.

“How we remember and record the past reveals much about how we address the future� points out archivist Rick Prelinger, who will be on hand to preface the screening with a brief talk on the value of ephemeral films, on the changing nature of historical memory, and what consequences will arise from the emerging massive matrix of personal records.

Prelinger began collecting ephemeral films -- advertising, educational, industrial, and amateur works -- in 1983. In 2002, his collection of over 200,000 items was acquired by the Library of Congress; many key films are available online at the Internet Archive. In 2004 Rick and spouse Megan opened the Prelinger Library in downtown San Francisco, which includes over 60,000 pieces of print ephemera, books, periodicals, maps and zines and is open to the public.

http://www.mocadetroit.org/upcomingevents.html

[Kathleen]

Still on for tonight!!

http://boingboing.net/2010/01/27/los...apes-of-d.html

http://www.freep.com/article/2010020...at-old-Detroit-

http://www.thecarconnection.com/mart...pes-of-detroit

[Kathleen]

It was interesting!!! And it played for a SRO crowd.

This is an interactive experience, starting with an introduction by Rick Prelinger and intermingled with some narration enhanced by audience commentary including identification of sites and events.

The film is expected to be posted on the Internet Archive site soon so that all can watch.

Hello to fellow Forumers NeilR, Cooper, Valkyrias, and MsAmericana, who I saw in the crowd. And to the Lurker wearing the Tom's Tavern Babe Ruth Birthday tshirt!! Others?

[cman710]

Sounds like a really interesting event, Kathleen. I'll have to try to be sure to watch the film once it has been posted online.

[lafayette]

We were so disappointed. We got there, there wasn't even standing room only left, so we left, after struggling for a long time to even find parking, then traipsing through the snow from a far away parking spot. They were turning lots of people away. We were seriously bummed. And even had we been standing in the back, I don't know if we'd wanted to stay. The screen was too small for a room that size.

They could easily show this again at MOCAD, and they should charge a nominal fee this time, a couple bucks. They could raise some decent change for a good cause and tap into all the people who are interested in this subject, which was such a large group they had to turn people away.

[Kathleen]

Thanks for the insight, Lafayette. Inside we knew it was crowded...actually overcrowded...and I did wonder where everyone was parking out there.

I had arrived just before 6:30 and the MOCAD parking lot was pretty full, but I was able to get a seat up front. Still we had no idea that so many were turned away.

Certainly I agree that MOCAD could charge a nominal fee, and maybe even schedule two showings just like the DFT!!

[lafayette]

Where online is this Internet Archive?

[Kathleen]

http://www.archive.org/details/movies

I believe that is where Rick intends to post the video. I'll keep checking and will post when it is available.

[BMH]

Hello, sorry to anyone who did not get in to the screening. Unfortunately it wasn't easy to screen the film another time because Rick was only in town for the one evening and our advance agreement was for the one screening. neither of us expected quite the response that we got. We actually rented more chairs for the night to accommodate a larger crowd but we did not anticipate the kind of crowd that we got. We tried to fit everyone we could but, as I am sure those that got in could testify, there was absolutely no more room for the good people. Thanks to everyone who made it out and endless apologies. We will do it again with an entirely new program next year and multiple screenings have already been arranged.

Thanks to everyone who made the eveinng wonderful!

[Kathleen]

Thanks, BMH, for addressing the situation. We appreciate you taking our comments to heart, and that you are planning to bring back Rick for more screenings and will work to make the experience accommodate all who want to attend. Again, I have to say it was awesome!!

Welcome to the Forum!

[terryh]

No no no no I missed It, its not fair! Whens it coming back? My Detroit historical side is fixated and fascinated by footage of Detroits past.....

[MattH]

Rick Prelinger released the film under a Creative Commons Attribution + Non Commercial license, so I've uploaded a torrent of the video for anyone who would like to download it: link to torrent [[700MB MP4)

I won't be able to keep the seeder online forever, so please help share if you can!

[Kathleen]

As promised, Rick has posted the Lost Landscapes of Detroit to the Internet Archive where he posts many of his video and home movie treasures:
http://www.archive.org/details/LostL...sOfDetroit2010

Thanks to Koko for the alert!!

[detroitjim]

Really cool video !.!.!.!. Its an hour and five minutes long. Lots of views of buildings that have been razed. Some cool old DPD videos too.

At the same time kind of sickening though ,seeing how great it was and how shitty it is now.

http://www.archive.org/details/LostL...sOfDetroit2010