The Found Slide File, Vol. 1

Hello! Welcome to the first of many installments of The Found Slide File! A hearty introduction is in order, and what better introduction from these smiling American capitalists, probably at a proletariat sporting event?

The story starts, as so many Capwell stories do, with a junk sale. My father, who is employed by none other than Jolly Joe Timmer, was at Jolly Joe's Grove, in beautiful Pt. Philip, assisting on a delightful afternoon of polka, long bathroom lines, and dancing old people. Joe, never one to say no to a chance for a few extra bucks, has a table of things for sale at the grove - old shoes, hand lotion, Dinty Moore beef stew, you name it. Well, long story short, on this table, was a huge binder of very weird, very random, and very 1980s slides, each organized in sets of four or five related images. My dad traded a pair of five lb. barbells for it. Best as any of us can tell, these were some kind of publicity stills, maybe for trade shows, or movie theatres. Anyone have an idea?

The first set I will share with you (the above image is frame #1, of 4) is one of TWO oddly propaganda-esque groups of slides from the Soviet Union, I guess to try to boost tourism. I always make up the soundtracks in my head to these, since the audio is long gone. Enjoy!

So after they suck you in with the happy Americans, they go right for the jugular with a nice big illustration of the constitution. What's actually in the constitution is not important, but hey! They're just like us! WE have a constitution! Maybe these reds aren't so bad after all.


They even have off-center photographs of what one could only assume is some sort of capitol building! Sure looks cold, though. And look at all those flags! What's the number of the Soviet tourism bureau, again? I'm ready to book my trip.
And what's the triumphant final slide, to show us that the Iron Curtain is nothing but a myth? Why, it's President Reagan, chillaxin' with Mr. Gorbachev! He's just hanging out, enjoying a nice conversation about a potted plant, eyeing Mikhail's kickin' wristwatch, and letting all of us here stateside know that things are a-ok.

Really, this is a set of pictures that could do with just a tiny bit more information. I guess it's about diplomacy, or the iron will of the people, or America's frivolous patriotism in the face of such insurmountable monolithic government buildings, I really have no idea. Stay tuned next week for the second installment of "Russian Supermen Are Our Superiors" - there's even a picture of some kickass '80s eastern bloc pocket calculators!