Remember when going to see a flick and not only was a feature film presented, but a short subject, a cartoon, and newsreels were shown? All for the price of one admission?

Today they have been replaced with endless commercial messages. Because movie-goers don’t see enough advertising. Some of the worst advertising in the world is now shown prior to the screening of the multi-multi-million dollar cinema-graphic extravaganzas.

I wonder what goes thru the mind of an advertiser when sitting in a semi-dark theater and the slide show featuring their business appears? Because that’s what most theater advertising is: a slideshow sideshow. Right before the block-buster is played. Do they really think the message sticks? Guess so. P.T. Barnum was right.

Onward.

Here’s a short subject film on Costa Rica from 1947… which was a great year (my birth year.)

This is a fun video to watch even if you don’t intend to visit or live in Costa Rica. It’s full of hyperbole and a half… eg: the airport “is regarded as one of the best in the world” and the roads “are some of the best in the world.”

HAR. The roads MAY have been good back then, but I’m tellin’ ya, they haven’t kept pace. The airport has kept pace and is very modern and up to date. There is even talk of adding another (there are two) international airport just down the road from our place in Orotina.

By 2026.

Maybe.

Back to the video… check out the swim suit babes! Classic styling.

James A FitzPatrick, the narrator,made a lot of these TravelTalks for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and was involved in over 300 other travel short subjects.

He billed  himself as The Voice of The Globe.

He had a straight-forward answer for critics of his Pollyana view of the places he visited:

I made my pictures at a time when travel was almost impossible for the average person. I believe I showed people what they would have wanted to see if they could have gone themselves. For years I had a travel agency, too. I don’t recall anyone ever requesting a tour of slums and prisons.

You tell ’em Fitz.

Thanks to WeLoveCostaRica.com for the tip.