So, I'm going to take a moment to comment on the "Reality" docuemntaries. Not the structured ones like Thin Blue Line, or the history specials by Ken Burns, there are some docs that were/are more about post film editing, and just follow people through experiences. This isn't even the 28/35/43 Up series, this is Hands on a Hard Body



Which was filmed in 1998. It was a movie about a stand-off (literally) where the last (wo)man standing with their hand on the hard body truch gets to keep it. It was an annual event (this was the second year) and takes place in a working class town. The documentary follows all the participants desires (and for some serious need) to try and win the truck, while delaying the knowledge of the vicotr until the end.

It is sort of like the more contemporary Spellbound



Which was another impressive exploration of individual landscapes. Spellbound, however, follows a culture with a long standing tradition, vs. Hard Body that is literally an introduced "Special Event" in much the same was contestants getting stuck on an island (with the victor being the last one standing) in Survivor is. In fact, I have suspicions Hard Body may have been one of the inspirational sources for the flagship reality series that kicked off all other reality series.

I don't really know of any other documentaries that fall into this category, so would love to discuss it. There is a pretty rich film tradition that predates or coincides with the current reality series trend, but I think the films, being low bidget and much calmer, tend to be far more introspective about motive, need, and lifestyle when it comes to the participants.

Hi Dolcey,
FYI- early 60's TV had Queen for a Day. Each of several 'cases' would pitch a tale of woe before an audience and then ask for money to buy the things needed to remedy their individual calamities.. The narrative part was engrossing, then the audience would clap on an applause meter to determine the winner... Oddly the audience seemed to select whoever asked for the most money, regardless of level of need.. A typical tale was for a house-wife to ask for a new washer and dryer plus soap to replace the used ones that got washed off the front porch when the creek flooded.. It used to sound a bit like Appalahian ER on SNL does now.. But it was reality at its bases..
cheers..

Thanks Gardenia, I'm going to look into if they are available on dvd and maybe check them out. I'm actually kind of interested in how film production and television approached these questions. I think its a big part of media sales today. Trying to understand how the personal interest story got marketed as "reality." And how "reality" was marketed in the first place. Usually, I would guess, around travesty.

The late 50's and early 60's are so interesting in their tireless building of American consumption. I still remeber the first time I learned about the General Electric architectural contest that pretty much designed the ideal American suburban home. It all comes through in their television productions, since I believe it was after WWII that we slowly transitioned from radio to television. I want to see how early programmes handled that transfer.

The money is hillarious. Who ever asked for the most got it. Gee, I would do swell on that show. I really need to go shopping. I haven't purchased anything new in at least two months. :violin: Can someone please help me out?


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