Short in Length and Quality
Mr. B Natural (1956)
Inducted 2018
The goal of any sponsored film should be to highlight the sponsor’s product in a way that makes those watching possibly want to purchase it. When Conn hired Kling Film Productions to make a film highlighting its line of CONNstellation brass band instruments, it succeeded in highlighting the instruments, but possibly failed in getting many people to want to buy them.
This short seeks to convince parents that their square children could become ‘hip’ and ‘with it’ if they only loved them enough to buy them a Conn instrument. We get introduced to the wonders of junior high school band by “Mr. B Natural” who is actually played by a woman. The freakish nymph invades the bedroom of the young impressionable Buzz, who introduces him to the joy of fitting in by getting your father to buy you a trumpet.
Aside from the nightmarish pixie man/woman, the worst thing about this short film is the bad lesson it teaches children- you must fit in if you want to be happy. That it recommends joining the band to become ‘hip’ just makes things even more ridiculous.
