Speech: Stage Fright and What to Do About It (1949)

★★★★★ · Fabulous example of early training movie · markgee · 2006-11-01

As one of several instructors at the Naval Officer Indoctrination School in Newport, RI, in the late 1960's, I used this training film to help students prepare for their mandatory speech. Although it was a little less "dated" then than now, it made it's points through humor appropriate to the times (1949). Every class I taught laughed as heartily as I still do every time I see this film. Everything we see in the movie reminds me of military training films, inlcuding the apparel and culture of the times (including someone in the audience smoking a cigarette!). Made during the cold war when we…

★★★★ · Snake Handling · Wilford B. Wolf · 2003-05-18

Another in the Speech series (Platform Posture and Appearence from MST3k being the most famous), this film focuses on how to handle stage fright. It is hard to tell how humourous they intended the film to be, but the film is pretty unintentionally funny, especially recounting Fred's fears (watch for a great pratfall). This film actually has some pretty decent content, but is so over the top that it is hard to take it completely seriously.

★★★★ · Eeek! Snakes on Stage! Eek! Hairy Knuckles! · Spuzz · 2005-06-15

Fred gets all worried when he is chosen to make a speech about his trip to Alaska. "Why is Fred so worried?" tha narrator asks.. Is it because someone might shoot him? Snakes in the crowd? No, it's his own self confidence, and this film essentially asks the audience to just slap yourself in the face, make your speech ahead of time and dress properly then all will be well. Sure. A bit of a fantasy here.