Friday, March 23, 2007

Films you should see but probally never will: The Monitors

"If you don't like air pollution, war, body odor, hard pizza rolls, exercise, hairy musicians, sexy blonds, tooth decay, smiling heroes, population explosion... you'll love The Monitors"

"The Earth is taken over by The Monitors, aliens who run it like hall monitors in a 1950's high school, with overtones of Big Brother. The film follows the progress of the human underground rebellion. The twist is that as the film goes on, the audience's sympathies shift to the aliens, who are basically benevolent. When the humans manage to oust them, it's back to corruption and bribery by the usual suspects. -Phil Olenick

Little else is know about this brilliant sixties science fiction political fairy story, but there is a great write up on 1000misspenthours:

"Taking the form of immaculately groomed men in black topcoats and bowler hats who speak in soothing monotones, the Monitors install themselves as a sort of global police department, enforcing peace, cooperation, reason, and tranquility all over the inhabited world. Obviously, they can�t do so indefinitely without humanity�s cooperation, and so the Monitors flood the airwaves with tacky public service announcements in which various people extol the influence of the aliens upon their lives.

Hey there fun seekers. You know what I like about the Monitors? well, They've got no sex drive, and because they don't like to get involved. and because they just sit and watch things, and because they don't get excited much, and well, they are just my kind of guys.

Naturally, all these TV and radio spots are accompanied by upbeat little jingles of the sort that modern viewers may have trouble believing really did represent the state of the art of broadcast advertising in the late 1960s."

The Monitors are here oh boy! The Moooonitooooooooooorrrs! They're loved by young and old� hurray! They cured the common cold� oh boy!

The start of this surreal film begins with electronic chorus that sings a peaceful if not somewhat troubling song:

We are here to serve humanity, here to reafirm gentillity, wipe away from fear to sanity, care-ful-ly promote tanquilty, grant us neither gifts or gratitude.

If you listen carefully when helicopters fly over you can still make out thier pre-recorded message blaring over the loudspeakers. I wish they would come back.

....The monitors are your friends, depend on the Monitors..




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