Back in 1910, with the First World War but a distant nightmare used to scare errant children and the gypsies, France used to think it was quite the big deal. Actually, it kinda was. Still somehow coasting off the (partial) success of Napoleon 100-odd years previous, France spent its casual time mastering the art of diplomacy, creating Impressionism and colonising Algeria. All in a lazy Sunday afternoon for the French. And all afternoons were lazy for the French. Because that’s what they were: lazy, good for nothing shi-
[SCENE MISSING]
But sometimes they also liked to indulge in the odd bit of soothsaying, and the National Library of France has a pretty awesome collection of drawings from 1910 depicting what an artist named Villemard presumed life would be like come the year 2000. And what an era it would have been. Rocket shoes? You bet! (Obviously these predictions came from people who had never studied the cautionary tales of Wile E. Coyote)
They also appeared to believe that we would develop a strange fascination with stationary horses. Either way, I am LOVING the guy on the left’s hat.
This one’s entitled ‘Heating With Radium’. I can think of at least two things wrong with that title, at least one of which involves the rapid death of everyone in the picture.
All in all, an accurate portrayal for how things will almost surely appear in the year 2000. Yep. That Beyond 2000 show got it all wrong. Let’s get us some radium.
/Luke
[via Paleo-Future, where the rest of this quite excellent set can be checked out]
10 responses so far ↓
1 Taylor // Oct 29, 2009 at 1:12 am
Omigosh, I didn’t know anyone else remembered that Beyond 2000 show!! Did that annoying Henry Tennenbaum host it there, too? Because he’s trapped on local San Francisco TV now and he’s rankles me like nothing else!
Regardless! I love these sketches and want to know where the hell my bat-winged flying car is and why the flying firefighters haven’t caught on yet!
Heating with Radium is hilarious and I love how the motorized skates have a dude wiping out in the background. Yep…French fail!
2 Cassie // Oct 29, 2009 at 6:13 pm
We’d all certainly be significantly more dapper.
3 felise // Oct 29, 2009 at 9:19 pm
where the crap are our jetpacks!?
4 Taylor // Oct 30, 2009 at 12:43 am
Maybe we’d all be like Mr B, the Gentleman Rhymer, bustin’ out jams on our Banjoleles!
Think I’m joking? Google the guy!
5 Willian! // Nov 2, 2009 at 3:30 pm
STATIONARY HORSE!
6 Dan // Nov 4, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Come to think of it, heating by radium could explain a lot about the French. And the English, for that matter. But, hell, we love their hideously disfigured features and funny words like “je suis” and “fortnight”.
Also, I wish we still dressed like that. If I wore my suit everywhere, people would assume I was a lawyer and pelt eggs at me.
7 Kia // Nov 4, 2009 at 5:21 pm
I think it’s funny no-one predicted the lack of clothing in the future! We’ve gone from baring an ankle being a bit of a shock to the Nanas and branding you a heathen sauce pot to these days having to shave pubes and never sit down cause the jeans are cut so low! Woot!
I predict 2100 – we all walk around virtually naked (clothes by then have become not a necessity but a quirky accessory) and we all wear a pretty collar that surrounds our bodies with a pleasant climate. Yay! I’m ordering my pair of futuristic perv binocular sunnies in advance!
8 erin // Nov 8, 2009 at 3:14 pm
hurry up and update!! I need something to read!
9 Bato // Nov 19, 2009 at 9:53 am
Considering 75% of the french electricity is produced by nuclear plants and that the majority of french people use electric heaters, the radium one is not THAT far off
10 Ben // Nov 24, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Why has the somwhat ambitious died????
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