U-Matic

Tape #1
Christmas Carnival
12-8-83

U-Matic S tape containing footage shot at the 1983 Christmas Carnival in Cobo Hall. The first half of the tape is silent, while the latter portion features sound.

The tape opens with audio of a Michigan Bell advertisement over a blank picture, followed by a test pattern. The footage of the Christmas Carnival then begins with pans around a large diorama of Santa's reindeer flying among snow-covered pine trees. The display contains several mechanical figures including a polar bear, and several animals swinging on a pole. In addition to the displays, the camera also captures spectators

The camera then moves to a display featuring a castle containing a pair of Ferris wheels, and a dancing elf. Next, in a wide shot of the show, the camera pans across a slide, and several other displays, before arriving back at the castle. Additional shots follow featuring two mechanical elves warming their hands over a fire, a nodding gingerbread man, and two figures on a sled in front of the castle's entrance.

Next, the camera rolls as children slide down a tall spiral-shaped slide. Children are then shown lining up for the slide beside two large ice cream sodas. Afterward, the camera moves to another slide, this one featuring rollers.

The remainder of the tape features Mayor Coleman A. Young seated beside Santa Claus, as children take turns sitting on Santa's lap. This is the portion of the tape that includes audio. Santa asks the children about what they want for Christmas, and also asks the children if they recognize the Mayor. One girl identifies Young as "the president," causing him to laugh. Claus and Young joke that one boy will grow up to be like Joe Frazier. Among the gifts mentioned are clothes, mittens, jeans, an Atari 5200, a baby doll, and a television. Near the end of the tape a man approaches Young and the two speak briefly off camera.

The video is on a 15-minute U-Matic S tape with a handwritten City of Detroit Department of Public Information Video Production label. The tape is housed in a black plastic latching case with a 3M label on in its spine.