High Museum of Art: Films

As part of the Summer Movies theme for this week, I’ll be scouring YouTube for clips. Enjoy!

YouTube Diversions

Esther Williams was discovered by an MGM scout in Billy Rose’s Aquacade and became a star with Bathing Beauty (1942). Here she is in all her spangled glory. Note the water lily sequence (and the green and pink color scheme), a nice tie to the Monet exhibition currently on view at the High.

Coney Island was America’s playground and was at its hot-dog-eating, sunbathing, boardwalk-strolling, rollercoaster-riding height in the 1930s and 40s. Before air conditioning, suburban sprawl, and urban blight took its toll it was an amazing scene.

Wacky Edwardians invent new ways to pass the long summer afternoons in this clip from the British Film Institute’s fab website.

Ecstatic romance…exotic dances…exciting music in the world’s lushest paradise of song!  Check out Elvis in a tight white shirt and trunks, surrounded by blazing tiki torches and gyrating guys ‘n gals in Norman Taurog’s Blue Hawaii (1961.)