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The Celluloid History of Beatniks and Reform School Girls

Michael Barson's new book, Lost, Lonely and Vicious, collects promotional postcards of B movies from the late 1940s through the early '60s. He says these films were all sizzle, and were tame compared to their lurid, sensationalistic descriptions.

09:46
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Other segments from the episode on February 1, 1989

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, February 1, 1989: Interview with Claribel Algeria; Review of Marimolin's self-titled album; Interview with Michael Barson; Review of Whoopi Goldberg's one-woman show …
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27:49

Exile, Poet and Writer Claribel Alegria

Alegria was raised by left-leaning parents. As a young woman, she left El Salvador to study in the United States, and then to report on the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. Later, she was denied entry into her home country. Alegria joins Fresh Air to talk about her writing and life as an exile.

Interview
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06:33

An Adventurous Duo Performs New Music

The group Marimolin comprises marimba player Nancy Zeltsman and violinist Sharan Leventhal. Their self-titled album features new compositions written especially for them. Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz says it's delightful, and hopes the duo finds success.

Review
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03:54

An Actress "Living on the Edge of Chaos"

Whoopi Goldberg's one-woman show leans heavily on celebrity impersonations and a character named Fontaine -- a black man who expounds on various social issues affecting the African American community. But these monologues are often divorced from narrative context, and lose their power. Critic Laurie Stone says she's more impressed by Goldberg's action movie roles, and what her presence in movie does for black actors.

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17:51

The Evolution of the Teenager.

Michael Barson is the author of the new book "Teenage Confidential: An Illustrated History of the American Teen (Chronicle Books, illustrated by Steven Heller). The book traces the evolution of the "teen" and the concept of the "teenager" which didn't exist before World War 2. The book also collects teenage artifacts, like movie posters, magazine covers, and advertisements.

Interview
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14:49

The Pop Culture Residue of the Cold War.

Now that the Cold War's over, Pop culture scholar Michael Barson has written "Better Dead Than Red! A Nostalgic Look At The Golden Years Of Russiaphobia, Red-Baiting, And Other Commie Madness." (Hyperion) It's a look at how popular culture fueled public hysteria during the cold war -- from the Children's Crusade Against Communism bubble gum card series to the Hollywood production "I was a Communist for the F-B-I." By the way... the book is due to arrive in stores on Mayday 1992.

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52:30

Daughter of Warhol star looks back on a bohemian childhood in the Chelsea Hotel

Alexandra Auder's mother, Viva, was one of Andy Warhol's muses. Growing up in Warhol's orbit meant Auder's childhood was an unusual one. For several years, Viva, Auder and Auder's younger half-sister, Gaby Hoffmann, lived in the Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan. It was was famous for having been home to Leonard Cohen, Dylan Thomas, Virgil Thomson, and Bob Dylan, among others.

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43:04

This fake 'Jury Duty' really put James Marsden's improv chops on trial

In the series Jury Duty, a solar contractor named Ronald Gladden has agreed to participate in what he believes is a documentary about the experience of being a juror--but what Ronald doesn't know is that the whole thing is fake.

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08:26

This Romanian film about immigration and vanishing jobs hits close to home

R.M.N. is based on an actual 2020 event in Ditrău, Romania, where 1,800 villagers voted to expel three Sri Lankans who worked at their local bakery.

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