- Title: Air-Conditioned Eden
- Date: 25th April 1995
- Summary: TIKI-CON: FROM HULA GIRLS TO HAWAIIAN SHIRTS - FROM TROPICAL DRINKS TO THE KON TIKI; THE AIR-CONDITIONED EDEN EXAMINES HOW POST-WAR AMERICA WENT COCONUTS FOR POLYNESIAN CULTURE. SPARKED BY THE MUSICAL SOUTH PACIFIC AND HAWAII'S IMPENDING STATEHOOD, THE CONSERVATIVE, REPRESSED AMERICA OF THE 1950'S SOUGHT RELEASE THROUGH AN ERSATZ CULT OF THE PRIMITIVE. THERE WERE TIKI RESTAURANTS, TIKI HOTELS, TIKI FILMS AND TIKI MUSIC - ALL DESIGNED TO CREATE THE ILLUSION OF A SENSUAL SOUTH SEAS PARADISE. THROUGH INTERVIEWS WITH TIKI TOTEMS SUCH AS JAMES MICHENER, AUTHOR OF TALES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC (WHICH LATER BECAME THE MUSICAL SOUTH PACIFIC), AND CULT MUSICIAN MARTIN DENNY (WHO CREATED THE 'EXOTICA' SOUND BY ADDING BIRD CALLS TO HIS ARRANGEMENTS), THE AIR-CONDITIONED EDEN EXPLORES HOW AND WHY MODERN MAN ATEMPTS TO APPROPRIATE PARADISE.
- Description:FROM HOOLA HOOPS TO PINA COLADAS - THE INVENTION OF HAWAII CULTURE. FOR BEACH WEEKEND - WHITSUN '95.
- Broadcaster:Channel 4
- Collection: Channel 4
- Genre:Documentary and Factual
- Producer:Planet Rapido Ltd.
- Programme Episode:Episode 1
- Transmission Date:25/04/1995
- Rights:On Request
- Decade: 1990s