Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post: Trolling for Customs at Night Continue reading the Original Blog Post
Really interesting to see the people and shops "back in the day." I was surprised how old a 15 year old Model A looks on the street. The newer cars look clean and shiny, I get that, but the older rides mostly look "grungy" and uncared for.
Right? Back when a Model A was just an older car for somebody on a budget. Keep in mind that there was no U.S. production cars built for the public between early 1942 and August of 1945, so demand was really pent up by early '46 when this footage was shot...
The mid thirties coupes and convertibles still really catch my eye, and the odd sedan delivery. The model A shape is undeniable. Lots of stores selling just one item- furs, shoes, flowers, news stands were well stocked and lots of movie theatres. Pretty cool…
Interesting how much paper trash- litter- is there in the gutters. See @ 1:40, and 1:58 for instance. Lady Bird Johnson had not launched her beautify America project yet. She might have been on to something.
Did you catch the Hollywood flippers on all four corners of the '39 sedan driving behind the truck at 3:28? Those caps always look so cool in motion at night. Now that I've watched the cars, I gotta watch it again just to focus on the signs. Lots of neat neon. Also, I don't think there was a person on the street that wasn't dressed to the nines. Or at least to the nines by today's standards (I suppose back then they were just "dressed").
Hello, This was an interesting way to light up a night time photo session. The old street lights gave a brighter than a dark street situation, which it was in any days of early driving. It stayed that way until those bright “yellow-orange-ish” sodium lights that hit the scene and lit up the whole intersections. Then as those lights grew, night time photography could be done in a brighter subject area. Even without a flash or continuous fill light. One level before the "orangish" Sodium street lights take over of all intersections in So Cal. Taken from the dash board of our 327 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery. Ektachrome slide film set at 1 sec timing with base supports on the dash for some jiggle free photos. Plus, at 2 sec, and 3 second trial shooting experiments is how night shots came out back then. Probably taken in early May… Mother’s Day Cards attached sign, not permanent. Noticed a lot of people, especially men looking at the camera, but quickly hiding or look away, as if they should not be there on the street being recorded. But one lady in the Hudson intersection looks irritated at the "light" intrusion. 1940-41 Hudson two tone paint with small center hubcaps Jnaki Either the photo process brings out different colors for tops and fenders, or there seem to be a lot of two toned cars. The fender is darker than the body of the car, sedan or coupe. Down the same street block, a 1932 Ford b400 sedan looks modified including blackwalls with shiny spokes. Nice find of an unusual movie to take night shots… YRMV
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