There’s something about 1960’s print advertising that really sinks the hook. Review any of the era’s popular publications – Life, Time, Newsweek, National Geographic – and you’ll discover an unforgettable selection of images and graphics. American Cinematographer, a trade mag not known for its imaginative design at the time, nonetheless had moments in which it too shined.
Take this two-pager touting the 16mm Eclair NPR in the May 1969 issue. I admit, I may be biased; the featured cinematographer, Richard Moore, was a good friend until his passing in 2009. But there’s something deeper going on that I find interesting. Maybe it’s the big, dramatic close-up or the directness of the pitch. Maybe it’s the amount of text the reader is expected to pour through (something that would never happen today!). I don’t know… Suffice to say, it creates a mood that calls up a time and a place that I was too young to have experienced firsthand. I don’t have any idea who created this ad, but that’s no small achievement for any artist at any time, let alone one that provokes such an effect some fifty-five years later.
For the record, Moore was a terrific guy, one of the best. A co-founder of Panavision, he later became an ASC member and enjoyed long collaborations with directors John Huston and Paul Newman. Generous, friendly, funny, knowledgeable and aware, there are some stats about his earlier career at the top of the page. I’ll follow up with more on him in a future post.
Until then, check this one out. And let me know what you think!
In my youth I poured over these mags, my father produced ads on Madison ave, the house was full of trade magazines. Millimeter was one of the mags that had lavish advertisements that had inspiring bios , exactly like the one above for Mr.Moore. This came out of a time where the experienced professionals where teaching the up and coming talent, the industry was growing and hard work opened doors, thus creating the Golden age of motion pictures. TS
That’s right, Tim…you’ve told me about your Dad, one of the original Mad Men!
I met Richard Moore once when he came by to visit Skip Nicholson at Technicolor, and they were laughing and telling stories about the early days at Panavision. What a fine man.
My favorite camera. I remember this ad and thinking I could live my life with this fine machine on my shoulder.
Russ – How about the Eclair ACL…?