Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras
Each year the carnival season begins on January 6 & ends on Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), the day before Ash Wednesday & the beginning of Lent. This presentation explores the origin and history of Mardi Gras in America and the extent of the festivities today. Included are customs & traditions, masquerade balls, street costumes & a variety of parades in both Mobile, Alabama & New Orleans. Originally shot on film.
Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras opening montage (all shots are daytime unless noted otherwise): panning MS crowd at railing on which hang comedy & tragedy theatrical masks; panning MS "Happy Mardi Gras" banner adorned w/ masks; MS dragon costume on street; MS African-American man standing on traffic signal pole, waving to float to toss him beads; TLS Mardi Gras parade float, workers tossing beads; MS young Caucasian woman wearing yellow sweater waving arms in crowd, blowing kisses to float; MS white child wearing winter clothes sitting on shoulder of father wearing mask & turban; MS 2 elderly white women sitting on lawn chairs, looking at beads; MS majorettes in black & yellow costumes; great MS man in scary voodoo witch doctor costume marching; L/a MS Grim Reaper skeleton w/ outstretched arms at bow of float; TLS "Happy Mardi Gras" banner hanging from balcony of Creole Townhouse, French Quarter; H/a TLSs colorful Mardi Gras parade floats, workers tossing beads; MS African-American marching band majorettes, night; MS marching band, night; TLS/MSs Louisiana State University (LSU) float w/ tiger theme, workers throwing beads, night; panning MS crowd clamoring for beads, night; TLSs Royal Court at Mardi Gras Ball, white men & women in extravagant robes & dresses, King & Queen waving scepters at crowd; MS African-American man waving flaming sticks, night; MS black marching band leaders high-stepping in exaggerated manner, night; TLS King & royal subjects waving to crowd from float, night; great slo-mo MSs beads being caught by crowd, night; MS/CUs parade workers in colorful masks & costumes, including a young man dressed as an All-American sexpot in kabuki-like makeup; MS several blacks in silky ancient Egyptian robes, doing the King Tut dance on street; MCU dog in costume; MS white man pushing cart loaded w/ stuffed animals & cheap trinkets; h/a TLS marching band; MS Caucasian cheerleaders w/ feathered hats & silver pompoms, night; TLS flower girl in gown at Ball; TLS float made out like ole' Miss steamboat, night.
Mardi Gras
DO NOT SELL: Intro Credits.
Mardi Gras
Excellent archival B&W Universal newsreel of Mardi Gras celebration in Italy, 1953: TLSs floats, costumes, parade, fanciful moving effigies, merriment. Archival B&W Universal newsreel of Mardi Gras celebration in France, 1950s: rather creepy floats & effigies, floats, costumes, parade; Carnival. Archival newsreel of Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans, 1930s, Canal Street jammed to the gills with people watching floats; workers on floats toss out treats. Panning LS U.S. Navy battleships docked in harbor in Mobile, Alabama. TLS/MSs Mardi Gras floats on parade in Mobile at night, costumed workers tossing beads, coins & Moon Pies. TLS balconies of Creole townhouses in New Orleans, several flags-- including French-- flying. TLSs fa ade of the Cabildo (Louisiana State Museum) in Jackson Square, New Orleans.
Mardi Gras
DO NOT SELL: Illustration of St. Louis Cathedral & Jackson Square, NO.
Mardi Gras
MSs bronze statue of Andrew Jackson on rearing horse in JS, NO. Tilting 3/4 view TLS St. Louis Cathedral slightly obscured by trees. Great panning LS Double-Gallery house at rear of green grove.
Mardi Gras
DO NOT SELL: Archival illustrations of Mardi Gras, 19th century.
Mardi Gras
Archival B&W TLS of King Rex on float in Mardi Gras parade, 1950s. H/a TLS King Rex on float, 1985.
Mardi Gras
DO NOT SELL: Archival Mardi Gras poster, circa 1886.
Mardi Gras
H/a TLS Mardi Gras parade float pulled by tractor. TLSs all-black Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure organization floats, workers tossing goodies while King Zulu presides.
Mardi Gras
DO NOT SELL: Archival illustrations & stills of Royal Queens in Courts of Rex & Felix.
Mardi Gras
TLS queen wearing massive feather headdress waving to subjects from float, night. TLSs dancing at Royal Court Society Ball. TLS Scottish pipe band marching in parade, night; bagpipes & kilts. MSs African-American & Caucasian children at parades. TLS clowns tossing rings from float.
Mardi Gras
DO NOT SELL: Archival still of children's society ball.
Mardi Gras
MS banner-- "Hey Mister! Throw Me Something! Bet ya can't hit this!" Panning TLS float making turn onto Canal Street parade route, crowd waving eagerly for favors. MSs men standing on traffic lights, begging to float workers for goodies to be tossed to them. MS blond white woman sitting on man's shoulders in crowd, waving to float. MSs costumed Caucasian & African-American-- some of whom curiously wear blackface-- float workers tossing beads & coins to crowd. Great TLS of Elvis themed float, night, though the grim-faced papier mache head looks more like Travolta than the King. TLS/MSs colorful float, costumed workers tossing coins (doubloons) to eager crowd, night. Panning CU colored plastic coins. MSs crowd catching beads thrown from floats, night. TLS LSU Tigers float, night. Great MSs float crews in creepy masks & costumes, night.
Mardi Gras
TLS/MSs Caucasian men & women in fancy, regal, glittery costumes at masquerade ball; showy spectacle, stage balls; some costumes feature flowing trains; h/a TLS/LSs crowd mingling & dancing at invitation-only Mardi Gras Ball, some folks in costumes, others in formal evening wear. TLS Endymion's "A Very Good Year" float with giant head (creepy blinking eyes) on parade, night. TLS float with four ominously giant heads of the Beatles (John, Paul, George, Ringo & a large Ludwig bass drum), night. TLS/MSs parade floats w/ large papier mache depictions of skulls, cow, owl, Santa Claus, the Grim Reaper, Abraham Lincoln, & a leprechaun.
Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras in the French Quarter: MS three Caucasian women w/ blue makeup & hair; MS 3 white adults in glittery, showy costumes; TLSs large crowd begging for beads tossed from balconies of Creole Townhouses; MS old white man in white tuxedo playing snare drum & cowbell while woman in similar outfit tap dances (street musicians, performers); MS man dressed as Satan (devil costume, though he looks more like a superhero) w/ drunk buddies; panning MS 2 intentionally-pasty white men & woman dressed in musty 17th century French royalty costumes, resembling ghouls fresh from an Anne Rice novel; MSs tiny costumed schnauzer dog following man with female blow-up sex doll on his shoulders. MCU large gold & silver Comedy & Tragedy theater masks. MS two male workers removing "Rex" letters from railing. MCU dual-faced clock. Panning LS empty city street in New Orleans. TLS sanitation worker sweeping street. TLSs beads hanging from trees, power lines; street car (trolley) passes through frame of one shot. MSs construction crews taking apart grandstand. TLS/MSs sanitation crews sweeping rubbish & garbage from streets.
Mardi Gras
DO NOT SELL: End Credits.