I've just been watching 2001 A Space Odyssey. There's so much to say about Kubrick's meisterwerk so I'll start with something quite banal, but something I love to see in films, food or more precisely, meals. I think that add an essential human quality.
There are a number of meals in 2001, ranging from Moon Base executive delicacies to Moon Bus space chicken sandwiches, but it is the plastic tray meals that I'm particularly fond of. These are eaten by the two astronauts of Discovery One, Dr's Bowman and Poole.
There is something totally futuristic about these compact white plastic trays filled with coloured pastes and part of a future I felt sure we'd be enjoying by now. I suppose plastics where part of the white hot technological revolution of the 1960's in a way we just don't view them now. Plastic household items were icons of the future back then and I remember my Mum proudly storing food in Tupperware pots in the fridge. Tupperware was synonymous with a brighter cleaner tomorrow and there were front room parties to celebrate its usefulness. Sadly I never got to go to one. You?
The closest I've got to Kubrick's beautiful white trays in my 52 years are a set of gorgeous orange camping trays stacked and strapped together and very similar to these on Etsy [mine are buried in the loft somewhere!]
The modern 'ready meal' is the posh progeny of TV dinners and hold nothing of their futuristic charm. Or is this my nostalgic bias? Does anyone else like TV dinners?
I don't want to even think about my childhood passion for tv dinners, but I can tell you the Arne Jacobsen silverware used by Poole and Bowman is still available today:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.momastore.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_Arne-Jacobsen-Flatware_10451_10001_49725_-1_26669_26672
How often I've been tempted to shell out for this! I used to question the logic of why they'd be using those metal utensils instead of recyclable plasticware. But on the other hand, a few sets of durable metal implements that could be washed and sanitized would be more practical than something that needed to be melted and refabricated. And it would certainly be more aesthetically pleasing for the astronauts than plastic spoons for several years!
I need the zero g toilet, but havent got time to read all those instructions!
ReplyDeleteDon't think we had too many TV dinners as kids, as in the full meat and two veg in one pack thing but I do remember the extremely thin sliced "Birdseye Roast Beef In Gravy" in its little foil tray and lid. That was such an exciting treat back then!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of plastic containers, we used to get these little individual trifles and mousse pots back then, especially on a Friday.
The little containers were quite nicely molded into some interesting shapes and when cleaned out came in handy for assorted space dwellings and even spaceships for my little astronauts!
Ah, happy times!
Even growing up in the '50s, TV dinners weren't a real big part of our life. Yes, we had them (in their iconic aluminum compartmented tray), but they weren't pervasive. Mom even had a set of folding 'TV Trays' for those times when we were allowed to eat while watching TV vs eating in the kitchen around the table. I vaguely remember a couple of Tupperware parties being held at our house. Although mom wasn't a Tupperware sales person she did allow a couple of parties to be hosted in hte house. Somewhere in the multitude of flotsam and jetsam in this house I believe I still have our original Tupperware homemade egg nog mixer from the '60s.
ReplyDeleteRemember picnics with Tupperware- with its platicky smell it flavoured everything- drinks and sandwiches!
ReplyDeleteEviled- Interested to know someone else recycled plastic containers as bases for small astronauts!
Sorry, should read "plasticky"!
ReplyDeleteAndy, my mum had this Tupperware container for orange juice/orange squash and it had this round snap lid held on with a thin tab of plastic, it was rather like the hatch on a submarine.
ReplyDeleteI used to drop a toy ladder in there and it made a great nuclear fallout shelter when buried in the ground with just the lid showing!
LOL!