If you are in the mood for a laugh, or just want to watch something different than an ordinary comedy or drama, I recommend the DVDs How to be a Woman and How to be a Man. These DVDs feature educational films shown in classrooms from the 1940s-1980s. The films address topics such as getting a better personality, manners, and growing up. The films are at once funny, shocking, nostalgic, and quite mesmerizing, not only in terms of the attitudes of what defines a woman or man but in terms of fashion, hairstyles, and decor of past decades. Plus, as you watch the various films you see differences in quality of acting and filmmaking techniques.How to Be a Man: Find it in the catalog!
NEW DVD 305.23 HOW
In the segment "Am I Trustworthy?" a boy learns from his dad about how he can be seen as trustworthy by others. He makes a chart of trustworthiness to demonstrate to his dad what he's learned. Other segments include "Act Your Age," "The Other Fellow's Feelings," and "The Show-Off."
"The Show-Off" deals with a classmate who always acts out in order to be the center of attention. Near the end of this film his classmates seem fed up with his behavior, but the film doesn't allow the audience to see what the junior class representatives decide to do about the student.
NEW DVD 305.23 HOW
The film "Growing Girls" recommends to avoid wet feet and getting a chill. In "Let's Make a Sandwich" we are told that potato chips used to be thought of as only picnic food, but now it's acceptable to serve this food at parties.
"As Others See Us" is one of the most weirdly absorbing of the educational films; its theme is that you must avoid embarrassment at all costs because "nothing spoils a good time like uneasiness." Some examples: don't hold up the line in the cafeteria with conversation pieces, use your knife for cutting not tearing, and allow your date to order for the both of you in a restaurant: "At every age it is still a man's world when it comes to giving the order. So you tell your escort and let him tell the waiter. As we said before, you might as well learn this in junior high and avoid embarrassment in the days ahead. It will probably continue to be a man's world when ordering for a long, long time." I wonder what that male narrator would say today if he were to step foot in any given restaurant and find women of all ages ordering for themselves.
I found the film "Girls Are Better Than Ever" so unsettling I stopped watching. This film's theme is about being active and keeping in shape, but it directs a condescending attitude to its female teenage audience. Case in point: A male narrator says, "Do I have to tell you that every day competition is getting younger? And every day in every way you're getting older?" What a good way to demolish self-esteem!
The film "Pattern for Success" starts out annoyingly enough, with a teenage boy asking a girl about her clothing, and whether she makes all her own clothes. Then the segment switches to demonstrate how the teenager makes her own dresses and follows the girl as she uses a pattern to sew her own dress. I was absolutely mesmerized watching as the dress came together step-by-step. To be completely honest watching this film made me want to sign up for a sewing class.