archive.org

September 10, 2002 10:09 AM

archive.org recently launched films, audio, software, and text in addition to the wayback machine. The comic goldmine and best find of the new archive has to be the public domain sex ed films from the 1950s, part of the Prelinger Archives.
posted by mathowie (10 comments total)

"So Timmy, do you like gladiator movies?"
posted by yhbc at 10:13 AM on September 10, 2002

Those educational films have been a part of this site for a while now, although it looks as if the site has been under construction...getting a face-lift. My favorite film of the educational films is As Boys Grow, which includes this excellent passage-

"Say, you know something?"
"No, what?"
"I had a wet dream last night."
"Wet dream? What's that?"
"Oh, you know, when sperm comes out of your penis."
"Sperm?"
"Yeah. Sort of a sticky stuff...."

Now, other than the fact that this conversation would probably NEVER happen....It's pretty damn funny to see two teenage boys speak those lines...
posted by bradth27 at 10:27 AM on September 10, 2002

"And you know what comes out then???"
"What?"
"SPAM!!!"
posted by almostcool at 10:31 AM on September 10, 2002

Oops, I forgot to mention my other favorite propoganda piece..... My Japan.

This film is possibly the most horrific example of anti-Japanese propoganda I have ever seen.
posted by bradth27 at 10:33 AM on September 10, 2002

How is archive.org paying for all this bandwidth, sans bubble?
posted by BentPenguin at 10:36 AM on September 10, 2002

I'm a big fan of scare films and have watched (far more) than my share. If you want own some, the best place to go is Something Weird Video. An excellent book on the subject is Ken Smith's Mental Hygiene: Classroom Films 1945-1970. And, if I may self-post for a moment, there's a nice little article out there by yours truly.
posted by Polo Mr. Polo at 10:41 AM on September 10, 2002

Another good source is AV Geeks, run by a friend of mine (and of Prelinger's) who regularly shows 16mm films from his huge collection in NC. He sells edited collections of some of his favorites, both at his own site and at Amazon.

bradth27, if you like "As Boys Grow," you'll really love "The ABCs of Sex Education for Trainables."
posted by mediareport at 11:30 AM on September 10, 2002

Oooo... I've seen the Trainables one! I'm not easily wigged out, but even I cringed at the scene where the "trainable" (read: mentally handicapped folks who can be taught) kept masturbating herself through her dress.
posted by Polo Mr. Polo at 11:52 AM on September 10, 2002

Wow, groovy finds Matt and gang...distractions, ya know I love them. :)
posted by dejah420 at 12:00 PM on September 10, 2002

I'm not easily wigged out, but even I cringed at the scene where the "trainable" (read: mentally handicapped folks who can be taught) kept masturbating herself through her dress.

Skip at AV Geeks has a film that's a how-to of sex itself (not sex education) for handicapped people. It's designed to help folks without the use of their legs, e.g., rediscover sexuality as a fun and pleasurable part of life. Makes sense, right? But for some reason the nakedness of it tends to freak folks out, myself included at first. But it's really a great, honest, caring film, even if the non-handicapped world isn't ready for it.
posted by mediareport at 6:11 PM on September 10, 2002