Image Union: All night

Image Union's late-night special from 1:45-2:37 a.m. Features a collection of "films and video tapes you don't usually see on TV": various short films, commercials, viewer phone calls, music, and interviews.

0:00Copy video clip URL Voices shout “Power to the people.” Title card: “Why don’t you live for the people. Why don’t you struggle for the people. why don’t you die for the people.” -Fred Hampton, born Aug. 30, 1948.

0:33Copy video clip URL Title for the Image Union. “This is a special edition of Image Union; films and video tapes you don’t usually see on TV. We want to broadcast your comments on the film you’ve just seen.”

0:49Copy video clip URL Blinking words “call now” and a number on the screen. An announcer implores viewers to call now, but to make their comments brief.

1:12Copy video clip URL Long satirical public service announcement from the power company.

3:29Copy video clip URL Image Union title card comes up. “And now to your comments. Here’s Image Union producer Tom Weinberg with your first call.”

4:20Copy video clip URL Cut to footage of a car coming down a neighborhood street lined  buildings that have fallen into disrepair. More viewers call in as the audio is broadcast over different angles of houses and children walking in and out of their doors.

8:52Copy video clip URL Cut to close-up of waves lapping on the shore. Brief credits read: “Electronic Visualization by Jane Veeder and Philip Morton.”

10:10Copy video clip URL Picture becomes distorted. Viewers continue to call in and offer their comments.

10:56Copy video clip URL Weinberg apologizes for the audio issues with the phone calls. He says that they will cut to some atrocious commercials, as voted on by viewers. The picture is again recognizable as waves on the shore.

11:49Copy video clip URL A talking sun kicks off an almost painfully bright commercial for Sundrop, the “SUN-sational” soft drink.

12:19Copy video clip URL A couple takes a drive, narrowly avoiding an accident with a construction truck. But it’s okay, because they’re living the good life while drinking Champagne Velvet Beer.

13:15Copy video clip URL “When I get up in the morning, my mouth sleeps in late.” Lavoris Pucker Power promises to fix that problem.

13:45Copy video clip URL Tavern Pale Beer promises that you will get everything you ever wanted with their coupons, found on every bottle.

15:37Copy video clip URL An epic bike chase ensues as a young boy tries to get away from two bullies. Thanks to the new AMF Roadmaster he escapes in the nick of time.

16:36Copy video clip URL If you believe in what you want, order a Billy brand beer. “You might like it.”

17:07Copy video clip URL Thank You Brand Pudding claims that their pudding is “better than yours.”

17:28Copy video clip URL Hill’s dog food is not just full of real meat, but vitamins and minerals as well.

17:57Copy video clip URL Eckrich Hotdogs convinces a family to shower their mother with compliments.

18:33Copy video clip URL Title card: “Down in Uptown.” Film by Mike Bacarella, John Becker, Jim Doherty, Phyllis Johnson, Pat Owen, and Suzana Peric. A narrator introduces two films, both set in the Uptown area. The first film is a fantasy called “Down in Uptown.” The next is a look at the area’s main thoroughfare, Argyle Street.

19:12Copy video clip URL The film switches to black and white as a camera pans a sign reading “Uptown.” A woman walks through alley ways as strange characters watch and pester her. The woman does not respond kindly. As she continues to antagonize, a man in a trench coat and hat begins to follow her. A policeman starts foaming at the mouth, and a group on the street start to play New Orleans brass music, then trip over a homeless man. She finally walks into a grungy bar where the trench coat man catches up to her.

24:39Copy video clip URL Title card: “Argyle Walk.”

24:50Copy video clip URL Camera cuts to footage of apartments and businesses on Argyle Street.

25:28Copy video clip URL A man interviews an officer named Frank about changes on Argyle Street in the last three or four months. “I’ve noticed a great deal of change east of Sheridan Road on Argyle… I’ve been noticing a lot of new people moving into the area. A lot of older people moving out of the area. Less ‘desirables’ moving out of the area.”

26:37Copy video clip URL A new man speaks to the camera. “Nowadays it’s tough… I’d say the situation is deteriorating to a certain extent.”

27:15Copy video clip URL A group of men talk about the diversity in the area. “As far as conflict [between the races], we don’t have that.” “I think they’re trying to move all of the poor people out to the suburbs, and bring the rich people back in.”

28:17Copy video clip URL A man talks about there being a lot of trouble after 6pm.

28:53Copy video clip URL The camera interviews youth in the area. They talk about gangs. “Ain’t no gang-banging in the winter time. We don’t give nobody else trouble they don’t give us trouble. What we’d like to have… is maybe a little center… maybe that’d keep them off the streets.” “People are afraid to walk down the street now.”

31:10Copy video clip URL Producer credits. “This production made possible by Communications for Change.”

31:30Copy video clip URL Image Union cartoon. Call now flashes on the screen.

32:04Copy video clip URL A short film by George Eastman talks about computer animation. He points out how computers can generate the basic drawing, then artists can go back in and add more by hand.

36:03Copy video clip URL Image Union producer Tom Weinberg takes more phone calls. Audio is hard to discern.

36:45Copy video clip URL Title card: “Waiting.”

36:56Copy video clip URL Stylized images of the city flash across the screen as more viewer phone calls are aired.

40:18Copy video clip URL A jazz tune wails over continued stylized images of the city

41:43Copy video clip URL Brief credits.

41:50Copy video clip URL “Fenton Foobars” by Jamie (Jay) Fenton. Abstract animation set to music and sound effects.

48:40Copy video clip URL Audio of an audience applauding. On screen, cars come down a street at night time.

49:12Copy video clip URL Cut to Chicago skyline at dawn.

49:44Copy video clip URL Title card: “Chicago Breakdown.” The sun continues to rise over Lake Michigan and related areas to the soothing sounds of string instruments and birds calling in the distance.

51:18Copy video clip URL Cut to a man on a run through the snow, then a woman walks alongside a pool.

51:40Copy video clip URL Somewhat abrupt cut to black.

51:48Copy video clip URL End