Century 21 Calling (1964)

★★★★★ · A Total Blast! · Spuzz · 2003-02-26

A very interesting look into the future, back in the 1965 Worlds Fair in Seattle, with phone features we now take for granted today being first introduced, like Call forwarding, Call answer, three way calling. Nearly every one of these features we now have. I say nearly, as we havent quite perfected the phone to turn on the oven for us. Having gotten THAT out of our way, this film features simply one of the most obnoxious couples EVER. While it's certainly fun to see 1964 Seattle, I was constantly distracted by the hammy acting of the couple (especially the girl, who almost shrieks in…

★★★★★ · Century 21 Exposition - the Seattle's World Fair · op712 · 2003-04-14

August of 1962, I went to this World's Fair as a child, and I can relate to these two young adults portrayed in this film from Bell Telephone Systems. Wandering over the fairgrounds with my parents, visiting and witnessing the sights and sounds of this great mecca for the State of Washington. I did witness the exhibits in the Bell Telephone building (since my mother worked for MaBell, I can relate to what was portrayed in this building) and marvel of the displays and presentations that is so presented in this film. The trip up to the observation deck of the Space Needle was the highlight of…

★★★★★ · A Nostalgia for the Future · beautymuse · 2007-07-15

I was 10 and I was there at the Fair, in my own back yard: Seattle. For six months I thought that Century 21 was the way things were and were going to be. Air cars! Smart pills! The emerging wonders of new technology and space exploration. I was given a pass and I went every day I could, especially inthe summer. The Space Needle 8x and the cathedral-like U.S. Science Pavillion 16x, where I bought paperbacks of One, Two, Three...Infinity by George Gamov and Science and the Modern World by A.N.Whitehead. I saw a million dollars worth of $1.00, C21 memorial coins all together in a transparent…

★★★★★ · futurama · MediaWhore · 2004-05-11

Its funny how I'm still amazed by all of these gizmos and gadgets they show in this movie even though our technicalogical progression has grown so much since then

★★★★★ · Terrific Time Capsule · Steve Baldwin · 2004-05-15

I agree with the reviewer who stated that he continues to be amazed at the unearthly power of 1964's Central Office - a system that can "almost think for itself". The eeriest part of this film was the strange, elegiac theme song that appears at the end, while our young pair are staring up at the Sky Dome. Now that we're in the 21st Century, it seems to be an age tottering on the brink. But back in '64, "Century 21" was a wonderful thing, and this theme song captures the euphoria perfectly. No, the future ain't what it used to be.

★★★★★ · Thank you! · GenXVicki · 2023-11-26

Beautiful piece of mid century modern history. Love seeing the old phones and equipment when they were brand new. And the Space Needle when it was still piece of an amusement park feature.