Friday, July 13, 2012

Thou shalt not... break the Motion Picture Production Code

(click scan for full size)

Check this truly awesome still that was printed in an issue of LIFE MAGAZINE sometime in the late 1930s as a response to the film censorship regulations in the USA called the Motion Picture Production Code aka the Hays Production Code which came into effect in 1934 and lasted until 1968. Like the Comics Code it was created to ensure that films didn't have a negative or demoralising effect on its viewer.

In the still are listed the basic "Don'ts" described in the code - and if you check the picture every one of them is broken! I would looove this as a poster. I've seen one on an auction site (thanks for the link, Jay) but it was sold in 2008 and I haven't been able to find any others.

4 comments:

  1. Cool photo but it looks like the tommy gun was superimposed.

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  2. You're right, well spotted! It sort of does but... kinda... so what! I mean it would have been superimposed back THEN, not now. You could even say it's cool to discover they tampered with photos even in the 30s. LOL.

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  3. I mean it would have been superimposed back THEN...
    I'm sure you're right about that. It still looks odd to me, though.

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