Sunday, May 24, 2009

Montreal Expo, 1967

Today we'll take a little detour so that I can share some slides from "Expo '67" in Montreal! It is not as fondly remembered as the '64 New York Fair, but it was attendance was huge - - according to Wikipedia, "...It is considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with over 50 million visitors and 62 nations participating." Zowie! We'll see if any of my readers care!e

First up is this photo of the German Pavilion. "A glance at the striking silhouette of the German Pavilion inevitably invites a closer look. Its roof, supported by eight steel masts, of which the highest soars 120 feet into the sky, is made of a steel net lined with a 100,000-sq. ft. translucent plastic skin." Skin, cooooool.


Look at them funny trees, ma! Why, that's the Canadian Pulp and Paper Industry Pavilion! Whoo-hoo, did somebody say PULP? I'm so there. "Forests affect Man and his World profoundly. Paper, for which the forests produce raw material, is the principal tool Man uses to record his thoughts." Paper, I remember that stuff. I think I saw a picture of some on my computer.


And it only makes sense that more Canadian fun would be nearby, namely the Canadian Pacific - Cominco Pavilion. Visitors to this pavilion "... will see a completely new dimension in the art of motion pictures. Francis Thompson and Alexander Hammid, who produced an outstanding award-winning film for the New York World's Fair, have used a new multi-camera film technique and spent 18 months traveling across Canada to produce a charmingly humorous film on Canadian youth against a background of some of the country's most beautiful scenery."

8 comments:

TokyoMagic! said...

Yay...World's Fairs! I don't know too much about this one except that it had a monorail and some sort of large sphere that I think is still standing. Would love to see more from this fair....if you got more!

Chiana said...

There was somethin' Mexican there... at least, I don't think sombreros are often seen in Montreal otherwise! Bottom pic. Oh and the boy on the (farthest) left and guy in the middle look like they're related, the same gallant stride. :P

Silly Maj, check your mailbox... the one outside. You remember! Sure to be overflowing now with lotsa paper advertisements. All record the same great thought of man: "Give us your money!"

It'd probably be neat to see that film, all the more so to me because it'd be a relic of the '60s. But I'm crazy that way! Not so crazy as to wear banana yellow pants like I see glaring out in the top pic...

Very neat "net" roof. I feel myself inevitably invited to take a closer look.

Katella Gate said...

These buildings all look very temporary.

WalterSobchak said...

"It is not as fondly remembered as the '64 New York Fair, but it was attendance was huge..."

In Canada, Expo '67 is seen much as the New York fair is seen here. It is considered the height of the peaceful, industrial mid-century society and featured fantastic space age architecture. It also celebrated the centennial of Dominion.

Much like the New York fair, Expo is celebrated as the height of mid-century 'innocence' before economic and social problems caused societal upheaval. The US became mired in Vietnam and was torn with the struggle for civil rights, while Canada has struggled with Quebec's Quiet Revolution and the growth of separatism.

Oh, and the fair gave it's name to Canada's first major league baseball team, the late, lamented Montreal Expos.

Chiana said...

Thanks for the added perspective Walter. :)

Nancy said...

love World's Fair fare....

i havent seen many pictures of this one...the Canadian forest reminds me of the "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" movie (its a favorite of mine)

that tent thingy is very cool :)

The Viewliner Limited said...

Any Worlds Fair pic is great. I love the Canadian Pacific - Cominco Pavilion. Classic architecture.

Anonymous said...

I was there at the age of 4. Thanks for the memories.