I started off creating a thread called 'Sixties Diary' - which I'm still hoping to do once this post is finished - but ended up getting sidetracked by my usual bitterness about the loss of the past, hence the title. Instead of being creative I drifted into something that's VERY MUCH related to 'Sixties Diary' but isn't what I planned at all. So if you have similar feelings to me about THIS subject, I'd be very interested to read your replies. I inadvertently let off steam during my introduction and now look what's happened!
My idea for the other thread is for us to add as many Popular events as we can for each day of my favourite decade, which, unbelievably (and from my point of view intolerably) began exactly fifty years ago today. How much progress has been made is a matter of opinion. The only example that always comes to mind is Technology. We are clearly much better off than in January 1960 in this regard.
Not only do we have access to probably everything we can think of on the Internet - complete films on YouTube and Google, TV shows we've just missed on BBC and ITV iPlayers, even online dating - but our individual collections of favourite things is capable of being many times larger than people ever dreamed of at the start of the Sixties. Indeed, the new 'DVD Backlog' thread proves our 'cup runneth over' with such good fortune - we have TOO MUCH to cope with, and our dreams now would be to have more time to enjoy them (not attain them, as before).
My problem is that practically everything I have in my room relates to past glories, created by many great and interesting people who've either died or 'moved on'. I can't, or refuse to, out of loyalty to what was produced up to around the mid-1970s, when I was still a child. With people like Sid James, Barbara Mitchell and David Nixon dying not long after this time, I am afraid I've built up an increasing resentment to most of the new stars and whatever they are doing, just because those who've either died or are not as popular as they were are inevitably going to be forgotten.
If I were to describe (as I'm going to do!), a popular young Welsh singer who's currently on TV more than The Prime Minister, or The Queen, you'd naturally think of Katherine Jenkins. but when I was a child that would have been Mary Hopkin. Similarly, the likeable young actor from the Midlands who appears in the Sitcoms I watch isn't Neil Morrissey, as younger people might be thinking, but Richard Beckinsale. Of course it varies ... the similarities between those 'doubles' isn't so apparent with MY choice of leading black actor. Sidney Poitier has always come across as an intelligent and elegant fellow, but today's 'Box-Office draw' is Samuel L. Jackson, who is more intimidating and (often) offensive from what I've seen. Not how I like actors to be. Correct me if I'm wrong.
It's my way of saying I prefer(red) Barbara Windsor as part of the Carry On team rather than the cast of EastEnders. She's "moved on" and I haven't! I must also confess to being easily upset at seeing once-handsome actors and beautiful actresses as they are now. Carol Lynley, who I don't think I've seen in anything more recent than a 1975 Thriller, has been a particularly distressing example of what can happen when 40-50 years can pass since my preferred time in history. I'm constantly being reminded that attractive stars who were in their twenties in the 1960s are now around SEVENTY today, sometmes quite a bit older. Claire Bloom was 29 for most of 1960 and is now 78; Leslie Caron is the same age. I've also seen recent interviews with the likes of Jane Merrow and Stuart Damon, both wonderful to look at in 'The Swinging Sixties' - heartbreaking to see them now.
So, to keep my spirits up, I tend to look back at/catch up with the "past glories" of my favourites, some of whom haven't been seen since that amazing decade. I know it comes across as pathetic but if you watched the films and TV shows, and listened to the records from that time, you'll see that they have just as much justification for being seen or heard now, probably more as they pioneered a lot of what's being copied today. I refuse to believe there are groups around now who'd rate as highly as The Beatles (what, The Killers? Or Green Day, who I keep hearing about but never HEAR?), or directors whose work is as compulsively watchable as Alfred Hitchcock's, so why should I bother? If something from the past can still be enjoyed, I make no apologies for not keeping up with what's hapening now (except at the Forum, or the Cricket if you read last night's message). Do others feel the same way?
i have a similar comfort zone (if it can be called that?) but it's an era long before i was born,i've always had it for as long as i can remember and it has a massive influence on what i watch and what i read. i've absolutely no interest in television/film depicting modern life anymore and get a strange 'homesick' feeling for the era sometimes!
Cornershop, what an interesting and wonderful point of view! That is one thing why we are feeling at home here. Because the good old stuff is not forgotten, but lively discussed on this forum!
We often get the feeling we were born too late (in the 1970s). But maybe if we had lived in the 1950s or 1960s we would have preferred silent movies? Who knows. All we know is that we are hopelessly nostalgic or call it antique or old-fashioned minded. Must admit we haven't watched much on TV for quite some time now, but enjoyed lots of DVDs of old movies or 60s cult tv series.
And whenever trying to arrange with the modern stuff (because friends recommended this or that), it is most depressing and frustrating getting to see almost nothing else than the 'real life' drama of today in whatever format - it's not very entertaining nor amusing!
We probably haven't 'moved on' either, at least not in mind. Sticking to productions of the 1940s to mid 1970s (not counting very few exceptions) and that for over twenty years now. Feeling a bit exotic among average people of today, with many of our friends not even knowing what we're talking about when it comes to favourite films or actors, but at least they accept us being different regarding this. So the internet is a real blessing as you can find other people from all over the world who share your interest for an era long gone by.
Best regards,
Hummies
Many thanks, Hummies. What a brilliant reply! "Great minds think alike" and all that. You're spot-on with the your comments about lack of entertainment and humour these days. A lot of the dramas that I catch a few minutes of have little or no humour in them. There was one a couple of nights ago on ITV called Sleep with Me (2009)* and there wasn't a laugh to be found! This is why those ITC shows are so special to me. They clearly wanted to entertain and are still very much loved.
I hope, in the next few minutes, that this 'tradition' continues as I am about to watch Gideon's Way for the very first time. I took it for granted that the show was in black-and-white, but having seen the image galleries, where all the photographs are in colour, it seems I've been proved wrong. Just played the first few seconds and it IS in black-and-white, yet all the stills are in colour
Thanks also to Jaycad for being interested enough to reply. I really wasn't expecting to start this thread, it just turned out that way.
Goodnight.
* You won't find me linking too many 2009 films here!
name='Hummies']
We often get the feeling we were born too late (in the 1970s). But maybe if we had lived in the 1950s or 1960s we would have preferred silent movies?
Speaking as someone who was born in the late '30's, and was a regular filmgoer by the late '40's/early '50's, I can assure you that I was never interested in silent movies. I loved the stars of the '30's, 40's and '50's, and still do.
The reason why those stars are still so popular is because their films have been shown regularly on TV since the 1950's. Then with the advent of videos and DVD's, most of the stars of that era are available at the flick of a switch. It must have been terrible for fans of the silent stars who practically disappeared overnight, with a few exceptions. There must have been a lot of resentment at the time towards the new crop of newcomers who were soon to become the legends of the talkies for the next 50 years or more. Now that a lot of the silent films are available on tape or disc, we can see just how luminous some of those great silent stars were.
My 'Collecting Zone' spreads from the 1930s and reaches across to the late 1970s, but there is also a fair bit of subsequent stuff in there, and some modern films. Whilst I enjoy my peak period, I have to acknowledge that the world didn't stop in 1979 and to think so would deny some very creative people who have emerged after that date and even (dare I suggest?) in the 'modern' era.
Like many people here my 'Comfort Zone' is the 1960s - even though I only vaguely remember a lot of it I did get a lot of exposure to it from a very young age as there was a big age gap between my Mum and my youngest uncle and he always used to look after us, so we got a lot of that stuff from him.
I have to say that seeing my icons from the 60s as they are now doesn't upset that zone of mine; I enjoy seeing them now and hearing their memories of that time (thanks to DVD extras!). Better yet I like to chat to them face-to-face where possible and let them know that their efforts from back then are very much appreciated now - I also like to ask them what they are doing next!
Life moves on - time catches up with us all - and a lot of these folks actually improve with age. I recall talking to Bettine Le Beau a year or so ago and her life has changed so much since she was an accoutrement to Benny Hil et al. An amazing lady!
As you can see, I think that no matter what we can have a foot in both camps and take the best from both worlds...
Smudge
name='jaycad']i have a similar comfort zone (if it can be called that?) but it's an era long before i was born,i've always had it for as long as i can remember and it has a massive influence on what i watch and what i read. i've absolutely no interest in television/film depicting modern life anymore and get a strange 'homesick' feeling for the era sometimes!
The word nostalgia is Greek in origin and means homesick.
name='jaycad']i have a similar comfort zone (if it can be called that?) but it's an era long before i was born,i've always had it for as long as i can remember and it has a massive influence on what i watch and what i read. i've absolutely no interest in television/film depicting modern life anymore and get a strange 'homesick' feeling for the era sometimes!
Same here, i was just a kid in the 1960's but as i get older more and more comes back to me, things seemed more simpler and innocent then, i like most of the Britmovie's made in the early part of the decade, from about 1966 onwards brit films tend to become too 'psychedelic' for my taste.
I love the music of the era also, i'll happily play a 60's compilation CD whilst surfing etc; the bulk of my original record collection dates from 70's/80's and what's there very rarely gets played nowadays, maybe i ought to get rid of it!
I'm also a fan of the 1950's, thank goodness for Film 24..........
i never knew that,although now it looks obvious!name='HUGHJAMPTON']The word nostalgia is Greek in origin and means homesick.
it's strange that i'm nostalgic about an era i've never experienced!
name='Mark O']Same here, i was just a kid in the 1960's but as i get older more and more comes back to me, things seemed more simpler and innocent then, i like most of the Britmovie's made in the early part of the decade, from about 1966 onwards brit films tend to become too 'psychedelic' for my taste.
I love the music of the era also, i'll happily play a 60's compilation CD whilst surfing etc; the bulk of my original record collection dates from 70's/80's and what's there very rarely gets played nowadays, maybe i ought to get rid of it!
I'm also a fan of the 1950's, thank goodness for Film 24..........
most of my music collection is 1960s rock but i've started listening to classical recently as you know,so like yourself,i hardly play the bulk of my collection!
name='jaycad']i never knew that,although now it looks obvious!
it's strange that i'm nostalgic about an era i've never experienced!
most of my music collection is 1960s rock but i've started listening to classical recently as you know,so like yourself,i hardly play the bulk of my collection!
Yup, i listen to mostly classical and film soundtracks now, Classic FM is on if no CD is playing as it is right now!
I think my fave sixties single by a group is Jesamine by The Casuals, I like Amen Corner's stuff also, plus all the girl singers of the time, Dusty and Pet mostly.
I think a lot of people like the sound of "Amen, Corner" judging by some of the posts I've seen recently (or rather haven't seen).
I watched that episode of Gideon's Way and really enjoyed it. It was directed by none other than John (Llewelyn) Moxey! Alfie Bass was great and there were many other familiar faces, who I will enjoy mentioning at Mr. Moxey's thread later.
I feel like I am mostly living in the past... I think it makes life sweeter!
I think so as well, as I'm only just 'a child of the sixties'name='Brief Encounter']I feel like I am mostly living in the past... I think it makes life sweeter!
But having been born in the summer of '67 I didn't get the chance to experiance it originally, but I am now with music, films and as Cornershop said the great ITC series that we aren't getting made now.
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