The Cold War Comes Home
Over the weekend we dug out some old color 8mm film shot by my dad while he was in the navy. There were other reels in the box, mostly having to do with me as a toddler, but I was more interested in the navy footage. I remember seeing the movies when I was a kid, but it's been years. I only watched a couple of them because the film has become a tad brittle over the years and I didn't want to take a chance on damaging it before I can get it transferred to DV.
My dad served on a fast attack submarine during the height of the Cold War, and he has some amazing stories. The movies really help me to put myself in his shoes forty-five some-odd years ago, and they are amazing. After looking at them again as an adult, I suddenly realized from where I got my photojournalist's eye. My dad was a natural. The footage is well-composed as well as exposed, and it was damned interesting.
He told me about how they had to land a helicopter on the deck of the sub after a crewman had gone crazy, and then showed me the footage of the helicopter landing on the deck! He told me about the Russian fishing trawler that they caught sailing around the Rock of Gibraltar, but it was no fishing boat. They identified it as being packed from bow to stern with electronic listening equipment. Then he showed me the footage of the Russian ship with the Rock of Gibraltar in the background.
There was footage of him walking on the deck of the sub when he was a mere lad, and a ton of great movies showing amazing sights such as the Parthenon, the Coliseum, various ports in Italy, the French Riviera, and so much more. I was in awe.
I can't wait to get the rest of the film transferred so I can edit it together in Final Cut...
(I have always wanted to be a sailor)
My dad served on a fast attack submarine during the height of the Cold War, and he has some amazing stories. The movies really help me to put myself in his shoes forty-five some-odd years ago, and they are amazing. After looking at them again as an adult, I suddenly realized from where I got my photojournalist's eye. My dad was a natural. The footage is well-composed as well as exposed, and it was damned interesting.
He told me about how they had to land a helicopter on the deck of the sub after a crewman had gone crazy, and then showed me the footage of the helicopter landing on the deck! He told me about the Russian fishing trawler that they caught sailing around the Rock of Gibraltar, but it was no fishing boat. They identified it as being packed from bow to stern with electronic listening equipment. Then he showed me the footage of the Russian ship with the Rock of Gibraltar in the background.
There was footage of him walking on the deck of the sub when he was a mere lad, and a ton of great movies showing amazing sights such as the Parthenon, the Coliseum, various ports in Italy, the French Riviera, and so much more. I was in awe.
I can't wait to get the rest of the film transferred so I can edit it together in Final Cut...
(I have always wanted to be a sailor)