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Dept of Civil Defense[Rural Civil Defense TV Spots 1965] (1965)

Public service announcements by the U.S. Civil Defense office inform farmers what to do in case of nuclear attack using marionettes.


This movie is part of the collection: A/V Geeks

Producer: Dept of Civil Defense
Audio/Visual: sound, color
Keywords: civil defense; atomic; puppets

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: penelope kelly - - April 29, 2009
Subject: rural civil defense
wonderful trip in the way-back machine

this video is from 1965, but even in the 50's elementary school we watched 'movies' on what to do to survive a nuclear attack.

even then, in elementary school,i knew this was hooey. my plan for an attack was that i was going to run home to be with my mommy.

remember: to protect from radiation, make a wall of straw. :-)

Reviewer: DJ Psychomike - - April 10, 2009
Subject: See it to believe it, and even then who can believe it?
Mind boggling. Loved it.

Reviewer: reeljockey - - March 23, 2009
Subject: Lazy editing?
Aside from the random squirrel, the best part is when that guy falls down the stairs and the camera just lingers as he lies motionless. Its almost as if you're waiting for him to get back up but then he just lies there and you say "No, he's dead...".

Reviewer: preleenger - - September 22, 2008
Subject: Squirrel?
So.... did anyone notice the random squirrel? I couldn't stop laughing! Do you think this might have been a subliminal message to get everyone packing things away with the "preparedness" of a squirrel? It was great!

Reviewer: RHM94611 - - April 22, 2008
Subject: I remember these!
Wow! It was great to see these again. These were shown on TV on Saturday and Sunday Mornings when I was a kid along with the 4H television programing. I bet a lot of people watching this clip don't even know that during the 60's Saturday morning TV was educational for kids before the cartoons came on. We had 4H TV, Red Cross TV, Disaster Preparedness lessons on TV and a ton of government PSAs. I wish to heck that this would happen again until everyone actually knows and understands that when disaster strikes your local, county, state, and federal government expect you to TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND YOUR NEIGHBORS for a minimum of 72 hours and a maximum of 2 weeks depending on the size of the diaster. The horrible disasters in the south would not have been so bad if people were much better informed about what is actually expected of them.

Reviewer: Crod Rootnum - - January 16, 2008
Subject: Nukes and farm animals.
Okay. I have the shelter set up in the barn so that the animals are safe, we can breed with each other and start a new hybrid race. I have been walking up and down the street with the sandwich board. Now, I have to label everything around me with helpful signs. So much to do, so little time!

Reviewer: Real Kold War Kid - - October 17, 2007
Subject: Creepy Marionettes
Well, when these PSAs were designed, obviously the creepiness factor was considered to get people to pay attention.

That "farmer" could scare little kids, and seeing as how many PSAs are shown only at night, imagine the fun you would have trying to get Junior to go to sleep without the light on to protect him from the puppet farmer.

And what was the deal with that cardboard rat? Does that mean that after 14 days are up, and everything is blown to hell and gone, that you shouldn't worry, Farmer Hank Hill, you can eat the vermin that would be running around? MMMUMM! Rat vittles is good eatin'!

Reviewer: FlyingSquidStudios - - April 15, 2007
Subject: Thunderbirds it ain't
A series of helpful[?] ads to instruct farmers how to survive a nuclear attack. Not only would this not help the farmers, considering how slowly he goes down the stairs, it doesn't even help puppets.

Filmed in less-than-super marionation. Puppet design by Mrs. McGreevy's Third Grade Class.

Reviewer: Neck Breather - - February 20, 2007
Subject: Look, even the marionettes are preparing!
PUPPETS BEWARE! The humans just might be serious about nuclear destruction, and wood is NO exception. 4 out of 5 stars simply because the puppet did not paint himself white, protecting him from blast effects, and contrary to my hopes a marionette mushroom cloud on strings failed to appear. I love these films, but sometimes I wish they'd take just that little step further into the ridiculous.