This is an unusual and old film with a macabre spin on Action Man/ GI Joe toys from the National Film Board of Canada. Looking at the date, 1966, it was made when the toys were first out in the shops.
No doubt you'll decide for yourself what you make of this if you watch it.
I understand the debate about military toys generally and its one I have come across often having a grandson.
All I can say is that personally my own Sixties and early Seventies childhood was completely filled with Action Man and I loved every minute of it. I reckon I turned out more or less OK too now I'm in my Sixties.
This link won't play in the US, but I vaguely recall TOYS from my college film festival days. Definitely Anti-War, and thats a good message for people. The argument always was, do military toys aggravate or appease war-like tendencies in children? Nowadays the argument seems pretty naive, as we see ourselves on the edge of the final, apocalyptic war to end all wars, and we realize what Man really is - a killing machine! SFZ
ReplyDeleteHow odd, its a Canadian link. Yes, its a difficult subject SF. We appear to be a belligerent species but not all of us are warmongers.
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