The Light Bulb Conspiracy
Director Cosima Dannoritzer
Countries Spain, France
Duration 75 min
Synopsis
Does the ever-lasting light bulb really exist? How can a computer chip ‘kill' a product? Why are millions of computers shipped round the world to be dumped rather than repaired? How did two New York artists extend the life of millions of iPods? Using rare archive footage and hitherto unseen internal company documents, this film traces the untold story of Planned Obsolescence, from its invention in the 1920s - when a world-wide cartel agreed to limit the life span of incandescent light bulbs - to the mysterious disappearance of ladder-proof nylon stockings in the 1940s and present-day stories involving cutting edge electronics with inbuilt 'death dates'. 'The Light Bulb Conspiracy' charts the growing spirit of resistance amongst consumers, and asks: What are the alternatives if the modern economy and the planet are to survive?
Does the ever-lasting light bulb really exist? How can a computer chip ‘kill' a product? Why are millions of computers shipped round the world to be dumped rather than repaired? How did two New York artists extend the life of millions of iPods? Using rare archive footage and hitherto unseen internal company documents, this film traces the untold story of Planned Obsolescence, from its invention in the 1920s - when a world-wide cartel agreed to limit the life span of incandescent light bulbs - to the mysterious disappearance of ladder-proof nylon stockings in the 1940s and present-day stories involving cutting edge electronics with inbuilt 'death dates'. 'The Light Bulb Conspiracy' charts the growing spirit of resistance amongst consumers, and asks: What are the alternatives if the modern economy and the planet are to survive?