8mm Forum: US Cable TV

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Topic: US Cable TV

Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted February 09, 2008 10:34 AM

I have a question from the UK for our friends across the pond. What's so special about US cable television?

In almost every American movie where a weary, much travelled, car-load of passengers need to stop for the night, they usually pick a Motel where "Cable TV" is advertised on the neon display.

"Oh, look, Dad, they've got cable, let's stop here."

Is it because the ordinary television channels are so awful?

Maurice

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Maurice

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Claus Harding
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1149
From: Washington DC
Registered: Oct 2006

posted February 09, 2008 11:35 AM

Well, it's all relative....

With cable, you can get commercial-free channels, so that is at least an improvement, unless you enjoy the talentless talent shows, the fake reality series, or the humor-less sitcoms.

Especially when cable was 'new', you would have lots of roadside motels have signs like "Free HBO" or "Cable TV" to attract the weary traveller, who knew he could look forward to a program without interruptions.

This was also in the days when network programming was pretty staid, with things like 'Dallas' on in the evenings, and lots of sitcoms. None of the 'improvement' of reality TV existed.

You can occationally still see the "Cable" sign if you drive South and get enough 'out of the way' to the outskirts of some small town.

The motel sign before that was "Color TV!" The current and future ones are "Free Internet" and "Wi-Fi" [Big Grin]

Best,
Claus.

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"Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)

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David Kilderry
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 963
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Registered: Feb 2006

posted February 09, 2008 07:12 PM

On road trips I love looking for those old Colour TV signs at motels. Sometimes you see coin operated massage beds as well! I must admit during my travels around the country cable would often make the difference, especially if they had the boxing that all dissappeared off free to air here years ago.

I don't haver cable at home any more, not enough time to watch Super 8!

David

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted February 10, 2008 01:16 PM

This talk of Motel signs reminds me of one we saw about 3 years ago. After hurricane Charley had wrecked our house, hurricane Francis appeared 10 days later and the Weather people were predicting a much worse secenario for Orlando than even Charley had wrought. Since we could not use our house, we decided to drive North to get away from Francis. We were driving up through north Florida looking for a place to stay, when we spotted this little motel with a big banner sign outside it that read:
'NEW - CLEAN SHEETS'
I swear this is true! Anyway it gave us a much needed laugh at the time. [Smile]

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