Maul of America

What Color Is Your Parachute?

One of the storylines developed in The Phantom involves the partners' plans for SCDP to finally get that second floor office space Pete Campbell lied about to clients in last season's Public Relations. A quick elevator conversation between Joan and Harry (although Joan denies it) reveals that space has become available on the 38th floor because a parachute company is vacating the premises.

Therefore, Season 5 of Mad Men, a series which uses the image of a falling man as one of its major motifs, comes to a close establishing that there are NO parachutes left in the building. This could be foreshadowing of bad things in Season 6. To wit: The Phantom ends with a montage accompanied by the titular theme song from the 1967 Bond film You Only Live Twice. Dick Whitman/Don Draper, who has already lived his two lives, seems to be attempting to embark on a third just before the abrupt and ominous final cut to black.

Also posted at Basket of Kisses...

It's a Jungle Out There

Two 1966 movie reference are allegories for the domestic tribulations experienced by Don/Megan and Roger/Jane in in Far Away Places.  One film, The Naked Prey, is a study in savagery that takes place in Africa.  Born Free, set on the same continent, takes a much softer view of surviving in the wild.  Abe mentions The Naked Prey before getting into a heated argument with Peggy at the opening of  the episode.  Later, Peggy has a drug induced encounter with another man while watching a screening of Born Free.

That both of these films are part of Peggy's storyline establish her as a focal point for the relationship struggles of the respective married couples depicted in the episode.

...Full Post at Basket of Kisses

Star Trek's Maiden Voyage

As the original Star Trek was referenced in Deborah's post, "Key Demographics," I think it's worth mentioning that Thursday, September 8, 1966 marked the launch of Star Trek on NBC. Two pilots had been produced for NBC before executives gave creator Gene Roddenberry the green light. The first pilot was "The Cage" starring Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Christopher Pike with Majel Barrett playing his female first officer, "Number One." Complaining that it was too "cerebral" (NBC basically wanted a Western set in space) a second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before," was made which introduced William Shatner as "Captain James R. Kirk" (the "R" later becoming "T"). It did the trick.

In the first episode to actually air, The Man Trap, the crew of the the Enterprise is threatened by a shape-shifting alien salt vampire.

However, this was not the first regular episode to be filmed. NBC probably ran this one first because it wanted to launch the show with an outing featuring a garden-variety sci-fi creature.Thus, The Man Trap is not about either of the two leads, Captain Kirk or Mr. Spock. Instead the story centers on Dr. McCoy, played by DeForest Kelly, whose name would not be displayed on the opening credits until the following season.

...Full Post at Basket of Kisses

You Only Live Twice

Author’s Note: This is a reworking of a piece I wrote a few years ago which seemed relevant for Season 5 of Mad Men.

Released in October of 1966, John Frankenheimer’s Seconds has an intriguing premise that Don Draper could certainly identify with. In fact, it would probably strike too close to home.

Wealthy, bored and middle aged, Arthur Hamilton (John Randolph) is coerced by a secret organization to start a new life. A sort of witness relocation program on steroids, this organization, referred to as “the Company” (no relation to the CIA), sells its well-to-do clients the process of “rebirth” as a different person. This includes staging their death (complete with a corpse) and extensive physical alterations performed by a master plastic surgeon. The customer ends up with a new identity and the dream job of their choice. Thus, with the Company’s help, banker Arthur Hamilton “dies” in a hotel fire and becomes artist Tony Wilson (Rock Hudson).

Though not perfect, Seconds is a powerful film that was underrated (if not ignored) when first released. In fact, it got booed at a Cannes screening. The story is very bleak. And James Wong Howe’s innovative and unusual visual style may have been too off-putting for the masses. Also, moviegoers probably found it hard to accept Rock Hudson, best known for light, romantic Doris Day comedies, in a dark and depressing thriller. Even Frankenheimer did not want to cast Hudson as Wilson.

In retrospect, Hudson was the perfect choice... (Full Post At Basket of Kisses)

Safety First

A really neat moment from A Little Kiss occurs in Don's car as drops the children off with Betty and Henry. Bringing his vehicle to a stop, he reaches out an arm to keep the kids (ALL THREE crammed in the front seat) from flying into the dashboard   If you grew up in the 60's and 70's like me, you probably remember your parents doing this all the time even though it wouldn't be effective in a really serious accident.

This nostalgic moment also dovetails (intentionally, I think) with another quick piece of dialog delivered later at SDCP...Full Post at Basket of Kisses

The Right to Remain Silent

Even casual viewers of Law and Order know that the half-way point of virtually every episode has been reached when one of the police leads informs the "perp" of their "rights" (often accompanied by a sarcastic quip):

You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney present now and during any future questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you free of charge if you wish.

This staple, even boilerplate, scene common from police procedurals is a result of the historic U.S. Supreme Court decision in Miranda v. Arizona made on June 13, 1966.

...Full Post at Basket of Kisses (including a very ironic historical twist!)

"Niche"

In A Little Kiss, while trying to calm down an extremely distressed Pete Campbell (his nose bloodied after a run-in with that damn support beam), the always unflappable Ken Cosgrove tries to put things in perspective for his colleague. Cosgrove quickly charts out the optimistic business course he expects their careers to follow: "piddly" accounts, then mid-sized ones before moving on to "niche companies." Niche companies are those that deliberately specialize in a very specific and narrow line of business.

However, Ken pronounces the word "niche" as it's commonly said today: "neesh." It struck me as a possible anachronism.

...Full Post at Basket of Kisses

Life of the Party

“Zou Bisou Bisou” was trending on Twitter today as a result of Jessica Paré's (Megan) cover version of the song performed on last night's Season 5 opener of Mad Men as the centerpiece of Don's surprise birthday party scene.

Prepared for the interest, AMC is already offering a clever limited-edition vinyl version of Paré’s rendition from on their website for $6.98.  Given the deliberate choice of the song because of its banality, which is borne out in the episode by the reaction of other party goers, actually paying seven bucks for the number seems akin to forking over $10 for a DVD of the "Elaine dance" from Seinfield.

From 1962: Gillian Hill's version of Zou Bisou Bisou:

 

Cold Calling: A Single Man

2009's A Single Man depicts the pivotal events that take place in the life of the title character on November 30, 1962.  Colin Firth is excellent as an English professor, George Falconer, who is going through a severe depression after the death of his partner, Jim (Matthew Goode), eight months previously.

Through Falconer, the film explores the depths of emotions faced by individuals who are forced to deal with loss.  While other attempts to present same-sex subject matter in television and movies are often self-conscious and veer into melodrama, director Tom Ford takes a matter-of-fact approach to the relationship at center of the story. This allows the audience to empathize more with its universal themes.

...Full Post at Basket of Kisses.

Natural Selection (Mad Men 413)

A scene about half-way through "Tommorrowland," Mad Men's Season 4 finale, pointedly shows Bobby and Sally, on their California trip, having a heated "debate" in a restaurant about evolution. As with most spats between young siblings, things get heated and Sally knocks over her milkshake. At that moment, observing her calm response to the strawberry mess, Don seems to cement his choice of Megan over Faye. This illustrates a naturalistic (almost Darwinistic) motif that is developed throughout the episode.

...Full Post at Basket of Kisses