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Shock Corridor Cinema Presents, Hell's Highway: The True Story Of Highway Safety Films (2002) + Highway Safety Shorts

Tue. May 24th 2005 9pm
Shock Corridor Cinema presents: Hell's Highway: The True Story of Highway Safety Films (2002, 90 min.). Weirdly nostalgic and unapologetically polemic documentary that uncovers the fear mongering, at times gruesome discourse of driver education films produced in the US between 1959-1979. These films were intially shown in highschools and driver education classes in an effort to promote safety and tame the reckless testosterone of teenage males. What they illustrate to a contemporary audience is the extent to which the culture industry will go to promote sociatal benevolence and rule abiding citizens.

Hell's highway will be particularly satisfying for ephemeral/educational film enthusiasts and browsers of the Prellinger Archives web site. Featuring a close look at some of the genre's most revered titles including: Teenicide, Wheels of Tragedy and Mechanized Death. Interviews with enthusiasts of the genre including Prellinger himself.

Followed by 20 minutes of excerpts from actual driver ed films and other ephemeral works produced by The Highway Safety Foundation, the production company solely responsible for creating the driver ed film movement.

(please note new start time for summer season).