1956

FILM In 1956, movies were mass entertainment all around the post-war world but output was dominated by the USA1 across all genres. I never knew that The King and I, High Society, The Ten Commandments, and Around the World in 80 Days were all from 1956 but it’s not important. It’s a mixed bag, but with movies such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Forbidden Planet we can see a fear of the other due to the Cold War. These are all US movies but Japan had Crazed Fruit, Early Spring (Ozu), and Godzilla, King of the Monsters! There doesn’t seem to have been much middle ground but maybe it simply hasn’t aged as well. MUSIC Once again, the US was a major cultural force. In January Elvis Presley made his television debut with Heartbreak Hotel and in June sang Hound Dog. Bill Hayley sang See You Later, Alligator, Little Richard sang Long Tall Sally. You can get a feel for it from just those three.2 1956 was the first Eurovision Song Contest. In the world of classical music there doesn’t…