General Motors Motorama

The General Motors Motorama was an auto show staged by GM from 1949 to 1961. These automobile extravaganzas were designed to whet public appetite and boost automobile sales with displays of fancy prototypes, concept vehicles and other special or halo models. Motorama grew out of Alfred P. Sloan's yearly industrial luncheons at New York City's Waldorf Astoria, beginning in 1931. They were almost invariably held in conjunction with the New York Auto Show, that for many years was held traditionally in the first week of January.

History

1949

After World War II, the first show, Transportation Unlimited Autorama, was staged again at the Waldorf Astoria, in January 1949. Between the New York City venue and the Boston extension, nearly 600,000 people saw the show. Seven "special" Cadillacs were exhibited including, inter alia, a Series 61 coupe and a Series 62 sedan that were standard except for a special paint finish; also shown were The Caribbean, the Embassy, and the Fleetwood Coupe de Ville, all built on the Series Sixty Special chassis.

Motorama (band)

Motorama is a Russian post-punk band from Rostov-on-Don, Russia. The band was formed in 2005 and named after the film (1991). In a short time it was able to get a broad poularity as for independent group not only in Russia but also abroad. The group has released two EPs and three studio albums. Motorama is known for singles such as "Eyes" , "Alps" , "Ghost" , "Wind In Her Hair" and "To The South".

Musical style and influences

The band performs songs in English only. Vocals of Vladislav Parshin have often been compared with the voice of Ian Curtis, frontman of British band Joy Division. This, and the fact that the first two mini-albums motorama played in a style close to the sound of classic post-punk, led to the fact that the group is often accused of copying the famous British music. The situation has changed with the release of first LP the group Alps, which became the most famous of their works - on this CD appeared intonations of New Wave, and Indie pop, and music in general became more bright and melancholic than depressive.

Motorama (film)

Motorama is a 1991 American surrealistic road film about a ten-year-old runaway boy (played by Jordan Christopher Michael) on a road trip for the purpose of collecting game pieces (cards) from the fictional "Chimera" gas stations in order to spell out the word M-O-T-O-R-A-M-A. By doing so he will supposedly win the grand prize of $500 million. The film features cameos by Drew Barrymore, Flea, Jack Nance, Robert Picardo, Martha Quinn and Meat Loaf. It was written by Joseph Minion screenwriter of After Hours.

Parts of the movie were filmed in and around Lake Powell and the city of Page, Arizona. In one scene, Gus, the title character, is shown driving on top of the Glen Canyon Dam (which is not allowed by the general public). The gated entrance to "Essex", a fictional state in the movie, is actually the service entrance to the Glen Canyon Dam. The Navajo Generating Station near Page is shown in several scenes as well. The strange-looking paper currencies used throughout the film are slightly modified versions of (former) Dutch Guilder notes.