Life Magazine (1963) provides glimpses on 'movie culture' in Nigeria
An hour ago the postman rang and
delivered my first acquisition of the new year – a 1963 edition of the
US-American magazine Life that I have been unable to locate at the local
libraries. So, thanks to Abebooks and a Canadian trader here was my first good
surprise of the year (after hearing that another of my heroes, John Berger died
yesterday).
Why do I tell you about an old
edition of an American lifestyle magazine, you ask?
Well, this is a special edition
devoted to the movies - 'A Moving Mirror of Modern Times,' as the editorial has
it – and its scope extends beyond the usual suspects in North America and
Europe. Some of the reporting about the movies and their reception in the 'rest'
of the world may feel patronising to contemporary readers but it provides some
glimpses nevertheless. And, some of them on cinema culture and in particular
the role of the United States Information Agency in Nigeria. I'll get back to
this issue of Life Magazine at some point in more detail, but for now I'll leave you with two photographs that I
quickly (and therefore badly, i.e. forgive the quality) reproduce here (I'll
get better scans next time I go to the library).