In the late 1950s film jukeboxes were all the rage in France. These jukeboxes, called Scopitones, were supposedly made from surplus WWII airplane parts and played 16mm film reels. The Scopitones made it across the pond in 1964 and made their U.S. debut in the late lamented Ambassador Hotel.
This early French Scopitone from 1958 takes us to the Porte des Lilas Metro Station in 1958 and Serge Gainsbourg acts as the poinçonneur or ticket puncher.
It’s lots of fun and even shows the first and second class cars that are no longer in service. —Eric See