Annette Cook was a 15-year-old Grady High School student on a mission – to get Atlanta to shut the h-e-double-hockey-sticks up!
This little video was made in 1974 to educate us on the possible health damages of environmental noise pollution, but instead I was mesmerized by the absolutely beautifully-shot scenes of Annette biking through Atlanta in her dark cape and white knit gloves.
Most of the noise generated in Atlanta, circa 1974, seems to be the result of the relentless construction of Portman’s urban utopia – I think that’s Harris Tower of Peachtree Center that’s being built in some parts of this film? Doesn’t matter, because the most dangerous decibel level Annette encounters actually happens at this trippy dance party in a church – as Annette describes it, “You can physically feel it.” FAR OUT!!
This is exactly what it is like if you listen to WABE’s Atlanta Sounds way too loud! Try it!
(Oh, P.S. and unrelated, do you know we have a Facebook page you can like right this minute? Do you know how badly we need your approval?)
Previously: Vintage city
Tags: capes, Grady High School, sound pollution
DEEP CUT! where’d you find this? god that cape is creepy. did you notice how she never actually suggested a way to cut back on noise pollution?
She’s a high school sophomore! Give her a break, Dr. Thesis Advisor!
Seriously. I’m impressed she was studying the city’s noise and interacting with the bearded, haberdashed downtown gentlemen a la Dian Fossey. How many of us were making high-quality documentaries with long-pan shots when we were 15?
I think the more important question is where is she now? Investigative journalism, hmm?
I would love to know how y’all dig up your old video footage. My husband is from Atlanta/Gwinnett County and was in some local bank commercials as a kid in the 70′s, got any ideas how to find them?