08-12-2018, 03:57 PM
Last night ruth and I went to the BFI to see Terry Gilliam's 1985 film "Brazil".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil_(1985_film)
There a lot of vintage technology in the film. At the start there are several TVs that are similar to Bush TV22 though not quite right for any of TV22/32/62. Throughout the film there are computer terminals. These comprise an old teleprinter (it said in the notes that these were bought as surplus for £25 each). I don't know enough to work out the model. They were used with their covers removed. Above each was a small (5"?) screen viewed via fresnel magnifier. The screen was just a bare CRT and scan coils, with a cable loom going down into the teleprinter. The proper EHT lead and general appearance led me to think that these were fully practical. In other words they were actually running as CRT monitors with real images.
The technology is all rather fallible. A genuine bug is a major part of the plot. A dead fly falls into one of the teleprinters which causes the authorities to arrest the wrong man. This is the basis of most of the plot.
Towards the end, an interrogation scene is set inside what looked like a cooling tower. Turns out it was at the now demolished Croydon power station. Ikea is there now. A number of roads in the are have "electrical" names. There is also a Brazil Close, presumably in reference to the film. Hesterman Way presumably refers to CH Merz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hesterman_Merz I had to look that one up.
There is a lot of ducting in the film. From tiny 1" stuff to massive 12"+.
Neither of us had seen the film before. Well worth watching.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil_(1985_film)
There a lot of vintage technology in the film. At the start there are several TVs that are similar to Bush TV22 though not quite right for any of TV22/32/62. Throughout the film there are computer terminals. These comprise an old teleprinter (it said in the notes that these were bought as surplus for £25 each). I don't know enough to work out the model. They were used with their covers removed. Above each was a small (5"?) screen viewed via fresnel magnifier. The screen was just a bare CRT and scan coils, with a cable loom going down into the teleprinter. The proper EHT lead and general appearance led me to think that these were fully practical. In other words they were actually running as CRT monitors with real images.
The technology is all rather fallible. A genuine bug is a major part of the plot. A dead fly falls into one of the teleprinters which causes the authorities to arrest the wrong man. This is the basis of most of the plot.
Towards the end, an interrogation scene is set inside what looked like a cooling tower. Turns out it was at the now demolished Croydon power station. Ikea is there now. A number of roads in the are have "electrical" names. There is also a Brazil Close, presumably in reference to the film. Hesterman Way presumably refers to CH Merz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hesterman_Merz I had to look that one up.
There is a lot of ducting in the film. From tiny 1" stuff to massive 12"+.
Neither of us had seen the film before. Well worth watching.
www.borinsky.co.uk Jeffrey Borinsky www.becg.tv