I'd like to share with all of you a Youtube video I found today on the internet. It's only been viewed about 500 times so far, but it is such an interesting bit of history that I just have to share it with everyone.
The video is almost like a piece of David Lynch-esque surrealism. It's a portend for the future religious right. It also features John Wayne. It didn't get aired much during the '64 campaign as Goldwater distanced himself from it and it received horrible reviews.
This is the conclusion to the ad (entitled "Choice"), which was 30 minutes in total length. But the final 2 minutes are a pretty good representation of what it probably was like. There are more clips after the jump.
I was reading civil defense history on the internet ( http://www.conelrad.com/... ) about the infamous "Daisy Ad" and while reading that page, I found out about the ad "Choice". It's rather ineffective into getting people to vote for Goldwater -- the Republican candidate is presented as moralistic and old-fashioned, while the Democrats are presented as fun-loving, swinging hipsters.
Perhaps the most famous Goldwater commercial is one that has rarely been seen by anyone then or since. It is a 30-minute film entitled CHOICE that was spearheaded by Citizens for Goldwater-Miller public relations manager Rus Walton and sponsored by the hastily created front group "Mothers for Moral America" (whose elite membership included Nancy Reagan and Mrs. Buddy Ebsen). The film was intended to be a devastating indictment of Lyndon Johnson's America (as represented by topless models, race riots and Twist dancers) and a celebration of Goldwater's America (as represented by Plymouth Rock, colonial patriots and astronauts). After negative accounts of the film began cropping up in the press, the candidate himself branded the film racist and vetoed its airing. One Republican activist defied Goldwater's order and coordinated the program's broadcast on a local Los Angeles television channel. The movie, which is narrated by Raymond Massey and features a cameo by John Wayne, is so bizarre and its production history so fascinating, CONELRAD will be devoting a special feature to it in the coming months complete with video excerpts.
Here are more excerpts from the 30 minute ad:
http://www.youtube.com/... (not safe for work -- actually features nudity)
http://www.youtube.com/...
http://www.youtube.com/...
The Republicans at the time had produced a piece of exploitation film art in hopes of shocking the electorate into voting for Goldwater.
An interesting curio, indeed. I love this, it's so retro.
Perhaps this is not much of a diary, but I thought that I would share this with everyone.