Thread: Sleeks... When did they start?

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What photo shoot was this set up for????? High heels running a roadster on the flats??????

Dave,

It was for display purposes only.

I have to give Faith credit for all she is doing... Very valliant effort on her part, and I appreciate her enthusiasm. However with that said, I think she is too far out of touch with reality to pull of a production of this level and make it believable. It is probably a combination of several things including that she is not originally from the U.S. and that she only reciently bacame interested in the Hot Rod culture. I am not saying this to be mean, but I don't think there is any way that you can "study up" enough to really understand something that you did not actually live.

I have looked at some of her photo stills from the movie, and having been involved in my fair share of professional video productions there are just too many things that are not right and are "out of place"...

One easy example to point out is that in one photo still we see Johnny's Mom returning home from the drug store in a brand new Cadilliac. Next shot is Johnny's Mom inside the home in her kitchen where there is a framed Hod Rod Magazine on the wall behind her, a DP bottle used as a vase, and a Rose Bowl button and toy car on shelves above the sink. OK how many of you are still following me here?...

In 1955 most family's lived in single-car households where Mom rairly had her own car. In 1955 middle class familys did not drive around in brand new Caddys and certinly not for the second car. I based the fact that Johnny comes from a middle class home based on the set used for the Kitchen scene and the fact that Mom was using a DP bottle as a bud vase.
Hot Rod Magazine on the wall - give me a break! Any self-respecting Cadilliac driving All-American Mother would never allow something as low-brow as a HR Mag to be framed and hung in a family area!

I have to admit that I was not around in 1955 so maybe I am wrong, maybe those of you who were can help me out here. I do know that no matter how good the movie plot might be, I get way too distracted on details that are out of place to ever enjoy a movie where the sets are not authentic.

I doubt that Faith will read this, but if she does I hope that she does not take it as negative, but will consider getting a real historian to help be an advisor on the film. I hate to see someone but so much effort into something like this then miss the mark.

Is it just me or have you guys noticed this too?...

Dave Brisco

Lots of info is on the internet & in past movies...
two really good general ' hot rod culture movies are , IMO...
" Thunder Road, & The Last Picture Show "..
first of all lots of direct specular hard lighting, and needless to say B & W, carry it off really well.. just my two pecos...
...have FAITH will PREVAIL..
-41-

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

I will admit she has considerable enthusiasm, and she's worked (and spent) hard to take what seemed to be a tired car and make it better. For that she deserves credit.

Ok, I'll give ya that....But why all the drama???? Hot Rods are for Hot Rodders, not soap operas..... I guess I never have been a movie type. As Toy Dave said, the inaccuracies generally are such a distraction that the movie itself seems to do little but make a mockery of things... I figure if you haven't lived life as a Hot Rodder, no use trying to explain it to you in a movie or other method, you aren't going to understand anyway.... America Grafitti was almost ok, right up til the time Harrison Ford tried to sing.....c'mon, things just ain't that way.... I guess for me it just comes down to the fact that I hate to see someone who doesn't have a great deal of "been there, done that" experience as a Hot Rodder trying to get rich and famous with some inaccurate portrayal of how they think things were..... Just like reality tv, most car movies have very little to do with reality....

PS---if the picture above is supposed to be something to do with a movie in the mid to late 50's, better switch that alternator for a generator and replace the red 8MM plug wires with some black Packard wires and Rajay clips.....

My stay at home Mother had her own new car in 1955 ... a red & white 1955 Ford Crown Victoria ... ... Dad drove a 1940 Ford pickup ...

Most movies have some historical mistakes. Even big budget ones. I saw a John Wayne movie where he was driving a 47 or 48 Ford ... before Pearl Harbor was attacked ( December the 7th 1941 ) ...

Hopefully, the errors will not be too bad in the Spades flick.

Originally Posted by Deuce

Most movies have some historical mistakes. Even big budget ones. I saw a John Wayne movie where he was driving a 47 or 48 Ford ... before Pearl Harbor was attacked ( December the 7th 1941 ) ...

I remember that one. In fact it was just on TCM a month ago or so. I about choked when I saw the Ford way ahead of it's time.

"In Harm's Way," I believe, and that's not the only goof. Motion pictures are dripping with them - especially civil war movies.

From http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059309/goofs

Anachronisms: Powell drives a 1946 Ford convertible in 1941.

Anachronisms: M-151 "Jeep"-type vehicles used in many scenes were from the 1960s not 1940s. Note horizontal grill bars.

Just a couple of follow up notes...

Dave, I don't believe that Faith believes she is going to become rich and famous from this project or is really trying to. She reminds me of a few of my friends that will fall "head over heels" for something. I am sure this is a lobor of love. I think it is quite evident that whatever she is into consumes her, like her love afair with her roadster. I admire her enthuiasm and wish her all the luck in the world, but from my experience most things take more than luck and enthuiasm to be a success!

BTW: Faith did say that the photo above had nothing to do with the movie. I belive that she does understand her target market (guys) and knows that photos of a cool hot rod and a pretty girl will garner plenty of attention.

Deuce = Upper Middle Class in 1955!!!

I agree that all movies make mistakes for some reason or another. Regardless of budget the tone of a good movie will reflect the mentality of the era it is ment to be staged in. Looks to me like they are using props just becase they come from the right time frame, but not really in the manner that they would have been used at the time.

Henry = The devil is in the details! I am a self proclaimed history buff and love civil war history. My favorite Civil War era movies are the ones that get the storyline right. I think trying to do a historically based movie, especially one where many of the audience members actually lived and experienced the era, with a limited amount of knowledge is a gamble at best.

I guess the point that I was making was - with all the effort Faith is putting into this production, I would hate for it to come off as "cheesy" based on too many missed details! Hell, look at how much greif you guys gave her on this thread for asking about sleeks! See my point?

Dave Brisco

Yeah, it's a tough crowd around here.... Guess I'll just never have a lot of interest in movies with actors pretending to be Hot Rodders----or Hot Rodders pretending to be actors for that matter!!!!!!! Being out in the shop every day working on them, and having been around through the 60's is far better then watching someone's depiction of how they think things were...regardless of their enthusiasm or motivation.... Just a bit cynical in my old age, I guess.

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

.... Just a bit cynical in my old age, I guess.

Ya think???!!!

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

Ya think???!!!

Let's just say it's been brought to my attention!!!! --and I agreed and assured them I was going to do absolutely NOTHING about it!!!!

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

salt lick

.....LOL

Well, I see on the other forum that they are now soliciting for donations to make the movie. Seems a little strange to me, but now it has become "our Hot Rod movie" according to this web page:

www.bettatalk.com/donations.htm


I wonder if "our" movie will pay back any of the donations if it actually comes to the screen and turns a profit?


Don

I am still very curious about the 'sleeks' typo, error, misinterpretation . . .

Faith seemed to have a good command of the English language, or at least from what I have read of her journal offerings on this site. Maybe a few typos here and there . . .

But 'sleeks' - where did that come from??????

So. California dialect has been influenced by south of the border, eh Pedro?