This 1971, Stanley Kubrick film is easily one of the STRANGEST movies I have ever seen. This movie was adapted from Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange, published in 1962. This movie gets special recognition from Hankering for History because it was released into theaters on this day, December 19th, in 1971. A Clockwork Orange was also a cinematic innovator of its time. It achieved the first of many accomplishments. The film was “a first film to” in several categories.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is unique–in my opinion–for two reasons: 1) The Guinness Book of World Records regards the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the “document most translated.” 2) This may be one of the few times when nations from all over the world voted and agreed on one particular subject.
News Coverage of Pres. Truman Assassination Attempt
On November 1, 1950, an assassination attempt against President Harry S. Truman occurred. Two Puerto Rican pro-independence activists, Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola, stormed the Blair House, where President Truman was napping, and exchanged gunfire with police and Secret Service agents. The attempt on the life of President Truman was foiled, but not without the loss of White House Policeman Leslie W. Coffelt.
On this day (October 20), 1951, the Johnny Bright Incident occurred. If you aren’t familiar with this event, it was deemed as a racially motivated attack that took place during a collegiate football game. Johnny Bright, being both black and a talented athlete, pissed off most opponents, especially the players and coaches at Oklahoma A&M. Bright, a remarkable competitor who represented Drake University, was so talented that in the previous year (his junior year), he led the NCAA in total offensive yards. He was a great tailback, possessing both the ability to pass and run with the ball. In his junior year he passed for 1,168 yards and ran for 1,232 yards. At the start of his senior year, he was on the shortlist of players that were Heisman Trophy candidates.
One of the founding fathers of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Jerry Lee Lewis, put out his #1 hit, “Great Balls of Fire,” on this day (Oct 8th), in 1957. This pianist, with god-like talent, recorded “Great Balls of Fire” at Rock ‘n’ Roll headquarters, Sun Studio, in Memphis, Tennessee. Sun Studio recorded some of, if not, the greatest talent of this generation. Along with great single hits, like the aforementioned, Lewis is famous for being part of the Million Dollar Quartet, which consisted of himself, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins. If you aren’t familiar with these names, they are “Great Balls of Fire,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “I Walk the Line,” and “Blue Suede Shoes,” respectively.