One movie, anyway. "Hopscotch" is one of my all-time favorite movies. My old videotape of it deteriorated from overuse before my vcr quit working, and I haven't obtained a decent dvd player so I haven't bothered to get it on that already transient medium. For these reasons I haven't seen it all the way through for a number of years.
Hulu to the rescue, by way of imdb.
It's a cold-war story of a CIA field agent relegated to a desk who decides instead to write his memoirs. It's very humorous and fast-paced, as he outwits his pursuers without harming them It's full of clever dialogue and has an enjoyable classical soundtrack. It took me a few years to find the Mozart Rondo in D featured in some of the chase scenes.
Obviously in 1980 a character writing a book meant typewriters: He starts out on what looks like an Olivetti Studio 45 but I can't be certain. It definitely appears to be an Olivetti product.
When he goes on the run, he switches to a Lettera 32.
Nice to see a Studio 45 and Lettera 32 in a movie.
ReplyDeleteI would use a Lettera 32 on the lam.
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting part of this post for me is that you had worn out your VCR but haven't bothered to get a DVD player, which, as you say -- is an 'already transient medium'.
ReplyDeleteWill we be collecting DVD players in 20 years?
I feel ill-used by the consumer electronics industry. I had Beta for years, then caved in to VHS when I "had to," and I've already seen dvd turn into another pointless two-party system, the winner of which will soon be rendered obsolete by 3D or whatever kills that in two years.
ReplyDeleteI resent the streaming from the cloud for its nickel-and-diming, plus standards come and go just as frequently online. As you can see it's a sore point all around. I don't see why it should be impossible to view my materials twenty years hence. That's what I worry about with e-readers too.
The 'computers' on the Terry Gilliam film Brazil. You'll recognise what they are based on. :)
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, tremendous movie to see. it's a classic. Though mildly...disturbing, haha.