A Quaint Old Town

Last night I saw Capote. It was an excellent movie, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone that's read In Cold Blood. But in the first 15 minutes, I found myself getting distracted by the period costume and, mostly, the cars. Where do all these 1960-era vehicles in mint condition come from?

I started picturing a small town somewhere out West, where all of the citizens have signed an agreement with Hollywood to keep buildings and cars in perfect historical condition. Maybe somewhere in Montana is 1960-ville. Where all of the cars people drive were made between 1960 and 1970. All of the residents wear 1960s-style clothes and have 1960s-style hair. They talk about McCarthyism and Martin Luther King's march on the capital.

In return for their endless preparation and constant readiness for Hollywood to descend on their town whenever a 1960s-era movie is filmed, the townspeople get certain perks. Because the town is subsidized by Hollywood, they pay no taxes. Any Beatles, Bob Dylan, or Woodstock artist albums are free. If you or your child grows up to look like a 1960s celebrity such as Truman Capote or Allan Ginsberg, you are given a bonus if you agree to maintain this likeness in case this person is required to make a brief appearance in an upcoming movie.

Modern-day reality does intrude at times. The youth are still required to be taught at current standards, and every family is allowed a room in their house for HD TVs, CD players, and a computer. When they go on vacation, they're amazed by the pace of modern life, and are happy to retreat back to the relative peace and quiet of 1960s-ville. If they're looking for something a little less traumatic, Hollywood has also extended them a 20% discount on travel to 1970s City, Ohio, or WWII, Idaho.