COME TO THE FAIR

This black and white film highlights the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows Park, Queens, New York. It opens with The Pieta! by Michelangelo, created in 1499 and on display in the Vatican Pavilion (:09-:18), followed by inside the General Motors’ Futurama 2 ride (:19-:54). The opening credits are shown with the Unisphere, presented by United States Steel (:57), shown again at (1:36). Crowds solemnly pass by the white marble statue of The Pieta! (1:51-2:11). The Gondola Ride (2:17) provide views of such things as Malaysia (2:29), with the Brass Rail Snackbar designed by Victor Lundy in the background. We see scenes inside the pavilions, such as India’s sculptures (2:38-2:55), Japan’s fans and lanterns (2:56-3:06), Africa’s drummers and dancers (3:07-3:37), Hawaii’s Hula dancers (3:38-4:02), and Spain’s dancers (4:03-4:46). More gondola views are shown (4:52-5:05). The IBM Pavilion (5:12) has people fill out a punch card with their birthdays, which are fed into a computer, and a newspaper headline from that day appears (5:18-5:35). The seats of the People Wall are lifted into the grandstand of the IBM Pavilion where a movie about computers is shown (5:37-6:02). People drive an antique reproduction at the Avis Car Ride (6:13) while the AMF (American Machine & Foundry Company) monorail (6:17) passes next to the U.S. Rubber Ferris Wheel featuring a giant tire (6:21). Sinclair sponsored a pavilion of dinosaurs (6:30) and GM sponsored Futurama (6:33-8:17). Disney characters include Goofy and Mickey Mouse (8:25). Shown again is the Unisphere with its fountain display (8:56). The story of the Pieta’s coming to America began in the fall of 1962, when His Eminence Francis Cardinal Spellman asked Pope John XXIII to permit Michelangelo’s magnificent sculpture to be placed on exhibit in the proposed Vatican Pavilion at the New York World’s Fair. Good Pope John agreed to the request and added that he would also loan, for the same purpose, as a gesture of appreciation for all America had done for the rest of the world, the ancient statue of Christ, the Good Shepherd. Pope Paul VI confirmed the actions of his predecessor [who died in 1963] and on the night of April 2, 1964, carefully packed to withstand the rigors of a long land and sea voyage, the Pieta left the Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican City for the first time since Michelangelo placed it there.

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Transcription

the greatness of the past the marvels of the present the wonders of the future they are the many faces of the New York World's Fair it is a window on the world the world of yesterday the world of today the world of tomorrow and millions will come to look through this window from many places and from countless countries they come the young and the old and at the New York World's Fair there will be something to see and to remember for one and burrow there is from the past the Pieta chiseled out of a block of white marble by Michelangelo four hundred and sixty-six years ago the strivings of man his ambitions his achievements his aspirations are all mirrored in this the biggest World's Fair in history Malaysia is only one of 66 countries represented in the international area the pavilions and their exhibits provide a grand tour of the globe the theme of the fair is peace to understanding a theme that finds meaning and expression in the people who meet and mingle at this the crossroads of the world primitive exotic exciting sounds they are here they're everywhere visitors will come see and be enchanter from the ground and from on high in the exhibits that make up the industrial area industry and science displayed the technology and triumph of the free American society for young visitors the wonders and workings of computers are demonstrated in a special way year month and day of birth are fed into a computer and in a matter of seconds a newspaper headline appears from that day month and year a people wall lifts still other visitors into a unique theater hundreds of feet in the air here in the darkness the audience can see and marvel at the myriad ways it means in which computers serve mankind every pavilion and exhibit has something to do see and joy and photograph time is telescopes from the distant past to the far future to equatorial jungles where laser beams cut through trees for a giant machine a factory on wheels grinds up stumps and jungle growth setting the firm foundation forming the surface slabs setting them in place and completing the paving of a roadway through the jungle near the oceans floor scientists study firsthand long hidden secrets of the deep and in this wondrous underwater world guests spend a weekend at the hotel Atlantis in the kingdom of the sea finally the towering buildings and bright lights of the city of tomorrow where classes of urban living rise over freeways and vehicles electronically paced travel routes safely swiftly efficiently giant terminals serve sections of the city make public transportation more convenient and from a lower level covered moving walks radiate to shopping areas that are truly marketplaces of the world a place of new beauty new strength this city of tomorrow future present fast these are put a few of the faces of the New York World's Fair for each and all who come to the fair there will be some special face place sight sound 30 million people and more will take away with them 30 million memories and more and as each day and each visit ends the memories and the moments will linger on to be treasured and to be cherished for a lifetime

Sources

YouTube channel: PeriscopeFilm · video ↗ — title, year, format, description, catalog record, video

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