When the Sands opened on December 15, 1952, it represented Las Vegas’ introduction to modern casino and hotel design. But the world wasn’t ready for it yet, as 1952 was a tender year for mid-century modern architecture: the Korean War was still being fought, Truman was still U.S. President. Few of the familiar signifiers of… Continue reading Sands Hotel and Casino Sign in Las Vegas Was Mid-Century Perfection
Category: 1960s
Cutaways from the 1960s (1960 to 1969).
Midcentury Modern Lovefest with 1961’s “Bachelor in Paradise”
If you love midcentury modern style and you’re feeling down, few things are better than screening 1961’s Bachelor in Paradise, with Bob Hope and Lana Turner. This is not a witty movie; it is not important or classic at all. But it is a film that oozes delightful MCM-ness from every crack and pore. In fact, so… Continue reading Midcentury Modern Lovefest with 1961’s “Bachelor in Paradise”
Arthur Tress: Best Photographer You’ve Never Heard Of
His name doesn’t provoke instant recognition to the photo layperson like Diane Arbus’ name does, but Arthur Tress has been diligently putting out fantastic images for the last half-century-plus that have some of the same nightmare-ish quality. This first photo, Flood Dream, is a part of a series in a book called Dream Collector 1972… Continue reading Arthur Tress: Best Photographer You’ve Never Heard Of
Golden Age of the Intercom
Remember the great age of home intercoms? I don’t either! That’s because in the 1960s and 1970s, home intercoms were not found in your typical suburban house. Unless your family were “people of means,” as your Mom or Dad might have referred to your rich neighbors, you didn’t have one–sadly enough. Those neighbors with the sprawling,… Continue reading Golden Age of the Intercom
Planet of the Apes (1968) Set Design
Depicting a harsh and dystopian world (at least for the humans), “Planet of the Apes” has become an unlikely film franchise spanning over half a century. The original “Apes” from 1968 has some of the most fantastical, caveman-chic sets of any of the films. Art Directors William Creber and Jack Martin Smith were charged with… Continue reading Planet of the Apes (1968) Set Design