Hello there and thanks for dropping by to check out this first posting of the Pop Culture Retrorama site. Pardon the dust as we slowly get everything in order. A very good question might be what is Pop Culture Retrorama? The short answer is a destination for all those that like to share their memories and joy of things of the past – in particular those memories that pertain to the vast offerings of pop culture. Do you fondly recall the likes of the Nintendo Entertainment System or the Playstation – when MTV and Saturday cartoons were must see TV – or how it felt when you walked out of your local movie theater humming Huey Lewis and the News’ Power of Love or My Heart Will Go On from 1997’s Titanic? If the answer to any of those questions is yes then you most certainly get the idea of what the Pop Culture Retrorama site is all about.
You are going to need a little dab of Cube Lube on that!
Now for a little longer answer to what is Pop Culture Retrorama, friends. For nearly a decade I was lucky enough to be part of the Retroist site – thanks to that iconic site I was able to share my love of all things retro and retro related. That included creating a handful of podcasts that covered all manner of subjects – like the Saturday Frights Podcast, where I could tackle my love of horror movie and TV shows. Or the Diary of an Arcade Employee podcast as I am fortunate enough to work at a thriving retrocade in my neck of the woods – I thought others would like to hear about the history and details of those classic arcade titles. With Retro Radio Memories I share my love of Old Time Radio shows such as The Shadow, Lights Out, and Suspense to name a few. The Projectionist’s Sinister Tales of Terror is a curious one as it features my co-host from Saturday Frights, that shadowy cinephile known as the Projectionist – sharing some creepy stories he has managed to collect concerning what goes down around his “Haunted Drive-In”. Then of course there is the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast which deals with what you think – all things retro related in pop culture – Conan the Barbarian, The Banana Splits, DC Comic’s Starman, and even The New Scooby-Doo Movies to name a few of the subjects I’ve covered so far.
So in one way the Pop Culture Retrorama site is a way for me to host the podcasts that I’ve had a hand in helping to create. But more importantly, it is my desire to take a little of what I learned from The Retroist, continuing to enjoy that feeling of sharing not just my memories of pop culture but to also let others share their own thoughts and memories. Because in almost a decades worth of writing I’ve come to the conclusion that there is nothing greater than our past experiences and the desire to share them – so hop on down to the Pop Culture Retrorama vault and share some of your own memories!
Friends, we have a very special episode for all three of the podcasts, a bonus episode as it were, that is meant to act as not only my official announcement but explanation for why I am retiring. I hope you will understand that for the past 12 years that I have been fortunate enough to be considered a blogger, writer, and podcaster…I have realized recently that I am very tired. I need more however than just a break or vacation from writing daily articles and producing podcasts – I truly need to step away from the laptop and microphone – it is the appropriate time to look back at what I, as well as my fellow Pop Culture Retrorama colleagues have accomplished.
As I state on the podcast itself, I am very proud of what Allison Venezio-Preston, Ashley Thomas, Rockford Jay, Earl Green, Brett Weiss, IseeRobots, Javier Ojst, Rob O’Hara, and Gary Burton have accomplished with this site. And while I will soon shutter the Pop Culture Retrorama site and step away from writing in general, I am extremely happy to announce that Earl Green has generously offered to host not only the content on this site – but any future articles that the Pop Culture Retrorama colleagues might decide to write – on theLogBook.com. So, while I am slipping into the shadows, Pop Culture Retrorama will most assuredly live on.
I do hope that those of you who have been so kind as to visit this page, or even remember my work on the Retroist, understand that I did not come to the decision to retire lightly. Having said that, it feels like this is right path to take, thanks in no small part to my new career.
Many thanks to all of you. You have made something that I originally tackled as a hobby feel far more important, giving me a desire to write over 6000 articles and produce over 300 podcasts in the past 11 -12 years. I am grateful for your time and support, but more importantly your friendship.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
“Good morning, and in case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!”
Friends, although it took much longer than anticipated to deliver the eighteen episodes that made up season three of the Saturday Frights podcast, we have finally reached the end of the line. What better way to celebrate the 100th episode of the show than tackling an important movie that we’ve attempted to cover three or four times in the past. While you might consider it something of a spoiler, I will tell you that the Projectionist and I actually do get to discuss 1984’s Gremlins on this go around. In addition I will give you a heads up that this podcast is far, far longer than the standard show. It just seemed that for the 100th episode of the podcast, a feat that has taken a little over six years to accomplish, that we should attempt to blow the doors off our previous episodes.
Obviously with a film like Gremlins, we are fortunate to have an abundance of information on the making of the movie. In fact there might actually be too much information to share, we ended up cherry picking the trivia we felt would interest you Fright Fans the most. Including a bit of information from the Gremlins reunion for Empire magazine, with Nick De Semlyen chatting with the likes of Joe Dante (The Howling), Zach Galligan (Waxwork), Dick Miller (Chopping Mall), Chris Walas (The Fly), as well as Rick Baker (An American Werewolf in London).
As I share in the podcast itself, Gremlins was a movie that I was extremly hyped about seeing, when it was originally released to theaters on June 8th of 1984. As is discussed on the show, the backlash from parent groups over both Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as well as Gremlins, caused none other than Steven Spielberg to help create the PG-13 rating.
There is a lot to cover on this 100th episode of the Saturday Frights podcast, but before we get to show, I thought I should give a huge thank you to some special guests:
Ashley Thomas aka The Nerdy Blogger has her work frequently featured on Fangirlish as well as the Sci-Fi 5 podcast. The daily five minute podcast that provides the best in sci-fi, fantasy, and horror history – produced by Roddenberry Entertainment.
We also are lucky enough to have the esteemed Earl Green join us on this special episode of the podcast. Earl is no stranger to the Sci-Fi 5 podcast himself, as well as running The Log Book.com – one of the longest running sites on the internet focusing on everything pop culture.
Last but certainly not least is Rockford Jay, my co-host on the Saturday Frights Facebook page – who does his level best to help me keep a lid on the madness of the Vault. He manages to share his love of retro horror on a nearly daily basis, and I am sad to add is frequently the target of the Projectionist’s schemes and explosive temper.
Without further ado, please join the Projectionist and myself at the Haunted Drive-In, as we discuss 1984’s Gremlins. As always we want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to listen to the show, and hope that you have enjoyed season three of the podcast.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
Subscribe to the Saturday Frights Podcast:
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Friends, it is the start of the work week for many of you, so why not get it off to a fright start? At least we hope you will choose to listen to the brand new episode of the Saturday Frights podcast, with the subject of this episode being a 1985 segment of the CBS The Twilight Zone revival series entitled “Examination Day”. A rather memorable offering from the first attempt at capturing the lightning in the bottle of Rod Serling’s original 1959 television series. One that as I mention in the podcast itself was able to leave me shaken, with the segment itself being talked about in class at school the following Monday.
The Twilight Zone segment “Examination Day” is based on an 1958 short story of the same name by Henry Slesar, who was a prolific author, selling his stories in numerous magazines in the mid-fifties. Although the Projectionist and I discuss it on the show, his writing actually attracted the attention of Alfred Hitchcock himself, which is how Slesar found himself writing for such television series as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, in addition to Serling’s The Twilight Zone to name just a few. Which was right in Slesar’s wheelhouse as he was quite fond of delivering ironic twist endings in his work.
“Examination Day” concerns a young boy by the name of Richard “Dickie” Jordan Jr, played by Over the Top‘s David Mendenhall, who is looking forward to taking his Government mandated exam.While the young boy shows no outward signs of being concerned or that anything is amiss, why do his parents Richard (Christopher Allport) and Ruth (Elizabeth Norment) seem so scared?
Without further ado, please join the Projectionist and myself at the Haunted Drive-In, as we discuss “Examination Day” on the Saturday Frights podcast. As always we want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to listen to the show, and hope that you are enjoying season three of the podcast so far.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
Subscribe to the Saturday Frights Podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Saturday Frights Podcast (MP3)
Friends, last week over at the SHOW ‘N TELL PICTURESOUND VIEWER CLUB on Facebook, a member shared a link to Superman in The Flying Firefighter for the iconic GE Show ‘N Tell phono viewer. Just one in a series of DC Super Heroes film strip and 33 1/3 record combos produced by CBS Toys back in 1983, along with other DC characters such as Batman, Wonder Woman, and even the Justice League.
I have talked about the awesomeness that was the GE Show ‘N Tell phono viewer in a previous article, in which I was able to share some of the other stories produced for the combination filmstrip viewer/projector and record player. A ‘toy’ that lasted a remarkably long time, first being produced by General Electric in ’64 and lasting until the early ’80s, being released under a few brand names. And while I was never fortunate enough to obtain a GE Show ‘N Tell phono viewer for myself, I certainly enjoyed the model that was in the kindergarten class of my youth.
Besides the likes of DC Super Heroes, other ‘Picturesound programs’ included Marvel Super Heroes, Sesame Street, The Shirt Tales, Hello Kitty, The Berenstain Bears, and even adaptations of popular Disney films and animated shorts.
Of course the 33 1/3 records provided in the Picturesound programs meant the stories were generally kept to under 4 minutes in length, with the B side of the record offering music or in the case of Superman in The Flying Firefighter, something entitled Aerobic Adventures: Sailing Through Space.
The synopsis for Superman in The Flying Firefighter is by necessity pretty simple. While receiving an award for reporter of the year, Clark Kent must excuse himself and respond to the threat of a massive fire. On the scene, he learns of a small boy who is still within the burning building, the child was scared by the firefighters in their gas masks and gear. It is up to Superman to save the day and pass along some words of wisdom in the process!
“We don’t get a lot of things to really care about.”
Friends, that is one of the very memorable lines from the recently released trailer for Pig, the upcoming film starring Nicolas Cage (Willy’s Wonderland, Leaving Las Vegas) as a truffle forager who finds his cherished truffle-hunting pig stolen. It seems that Cage’s character of Rob, who was once a well-known and possibly celebrated chef, tracks the kidnappers from his backwoods home to the city. Sites such as Entertainment Weekly as well as others have been quick to compare Pig to the likes of John Wick. Personally I think we are going to see something quite a bit more somber in Cage’s performance when the film is released to theaters on July 16th.
“…I remember every person I ever served. You live your life for them, and they don’t even see you.”
I think that is another exceptional line from the trailer, one that stands out for all of us that have spent the majority of our lives in the hospitality industry. While we do not have enough to go on from the trailer itself of course, I cannot help but feel that Rob might have lost his wife, something that made him snap and has caused him to retreat from society and isolate himself. The only comfort in his life now is the quiet of the woods and his pet pig, who I dearly hope is somehow okay by the end of the film… although I highly doubt that will be the case.
Pig is directed by Michael Sarnoski (Olympia) who co-wrote the screenplay with Vanessa Block. Besides featuring the talents of Cage, the movie also boasts the likes of Alex Wolff (Hereditary), Adam Arkin (Northern Exposure), David Knell (Total Recall), and Nina Belforte (Wuthering Heights) to name a few.
In closing out this article, I really do think that Pig looks like a solid film, plus it gave me the excuse to share that clip from Freakazoid. And as I am now employed at the local movie theater, I will admit there is a part of me that looks forward to a patron stepping up to the box office and saying, “One adult for Pig?”
Hey there, Pop Culture Retrorama fans! Ashley Thomas aka The Nerdy Blogger here, getting back to my reviews of Marvel Comics’ 1995 Gargoyles series. In the time since my review of Gargoyles #4, I was able to secure the remaining 3 issues of the Marvel Gargoyles run that I was missing, so I’ll be able to give you the full rundown of the series here on the Pop Culture Retrorama!
Let me give you a brief teaser on the plot of Gargoyles #5, and this time, no spoilers! After that, I’ll share a few scans. We’ve got lots of great time capsule ads for this book, so let’s get started. Enjoy my synopsis of “Venus in Stone!”
“Venus in Stone!” starts off with Elisa bidding her younger sister Beth goodbye at the airport. After Beth’s brush with the gargoyles in the last issue, she was more than ready to head back to school in Phoenix. After they say farewell, Elisa gives the gargoyle gang the rundown on the “discreet raid” she and Goliath are going to lead to what they suspect is a Xanatos Gen-U-Tech lab. What will they find? You’ll have to read Gargoyles #5 to find out!
Here are a few of my favorite panels from Gargoyles #5 and some delightful ads.
Beth Maza’s brush with the gargoyles really shook her up, but Broadway, undeterred, had to say goodbye.
Gargoyles #5 wasn’t one of the books I had as a kid. If I had, I’d have learned the word, “slatternly,” which is a word I didn’t learn until I was in college! It amuses me that this is a book for kids, but it doesn’t dumb down the vocabulary. The Gargoyles cartoon played a huge role in my literary education. I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me that the comic book would expand the vocabulary of its young readership.
I didn’t get into tabletop RPGs until I was an adult (thank you, satanic panic!), so whenever I run across ads for RPGs in older comics, I always stop to take a closer look. Take a peek at this ad for the Palladium RPG series! I’d definitely love to check out that Robotech book.
We didn’t frequent our local Pizza Hut too often when I was growing up, so I was interested to see this ad for their “Munch Down Meal” promo with the Mascot Misfits. They look kind of like sports-themed MadBalls to me. Did you ever snag one of these? I’d love to know what they were like.
Occasionally, we’d go to McDonald’s when my sister and I were out running errands with our mom. I want to say that I was able to secure either the Hobgoblin or Doc Ock toy while McDonald’s had these premiums from the 1994 Spider-man animated series, but I could potentially be conflating these with my Spider-man action figures. The fact that they took out a double-page spread is very impressive to me!
I definitely drank more than my fair share of Kool-Aid growing up. Truthfully, I still drink a fair amount of it as an adult! We were more of a Kool-Aid packet family than Bursts though, so sadly, I don’t think I ever got my paws on these super cool Spider-man collector cards.
Finally, the back cover of Gargoyles #5 features a promo for Fleer Ultra trading cards from the 1995 Casper movie. They made trading cards for practically everything back in the day and I definitely watched that Casper movie. I don’t think I got to catch Casper in the theater, but I did get it on VHS for Christmas that year. I remember being so jealous of Christina Ricci, getting to kiss Devon Sawa at the end of the film. Then, the lucky duck got to kiss him AGAIN later that year in Now and Then, which I lamented in my review of Now and Then on Fangirlish a few weeks ago.
I digress.
Anyway, I never snagged any of the Casper trading cards back in the day. I feel like I had trading cards for nearly everything else though!
Scan from my comic
That’s all I’ve got for Gargoyles #5! Thanks for your patience with me, as there was much more time between reviews than I intended. Stay tuned for my review of Gargoyles #6!
In the meantime, I’d love it if you’d recommend to me a few good episodes of the show Hill Street Blues. If you’ll recall, in my review of Gargoyles #1, I mentioned that Gargoyles creator Greg Weisman listed Hill Street Blues as influential in the creation of the Gargoyles series. I’d love to get a feel for the show and learn more about one of my favorite shows’ influences!
Friends, one of the things about returning to the theater that I’ve had to come to terms with is a strict no cell phone policy. While we of course are allowed to use our phones during our breaks and such, it understandable why they wouldn’t want a patron to walk up to the concession stand and see someone tapping on their phone. I bring all of this up because it does mean that I manage to miss out on some pretty important pop culture news, such as the fact that Netflix released an incredible trailer for Masters of the Universe: Revelation a few days ago. One that like that quite impressive fan made montage trailer we shared last year featuring ‘80s cartoon heroes, makes great use of Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out For a Hero”. Executive Produced an co-created by Kevin Smith, prepare yourself for the first look at Netflix’s Masters of the Universe: Revelation, which as I understand it is a continuation of the iconic Filmation series.
Man-At-Arms punching Trap Jaw in the side of the head, He-Man riding Stridor, Tri-Klops causing havoc while flying what looks like a Sky Sled, and an older Orko wielding far more powerful magic than we’ve seen him cast before. There is a lot to take in with that trailer for Masters of the Universe: Revelation, but I have to say that it looks quite epic as well as fun.
You might be very interested to know that there is an embarrassment of riches in regards to the voice actors that have been tapped for the new animated series. He-Man will be voiced by Chris Wood (Supergirl) with the legendary Mark Hamill providing the voice for the infamous Skeletor. It seems to be something of an animated Batman voice actor reunion as Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) will voice Mer-Man, Diedrich Bader (Batman: The Brave and the Bold) is Trap Jaw, Henry Rollins (Batman Beyond) portrays Tri-Klops, and Kevin Michael Richardson (The Batman) is Beast Man to point out just a few.
In all fairness, that is just the tip of the iceberg with the cast of Masters of the Universe: Revelation, but I am happy to share that Alan Oppenheimer who was the original voice of Skeletor in the Filmation series, has been included in the show as the heroic Moss Man. Thankfully we do not have too long to wait before we get to see the series itself, at least the first half of the first season. In fact while the trailer reveals that the animated show will debut on July 23rd, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kevin Smith let it slip that an aftershow will be also be produced featuring many of the cast from the series.
We would love to hear what you think of the trailer, let us know in the comment section!
Friends, for as long as I can remember I have always been a fan of classic animation, whether that be theatrical shorts from Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies, Silly Symphony, or those Saturday morning and weekday afternoon cartoon series of my youth. That is of course why when Gary Burton asked if I might be interested in being a co-host on his podcast about animation, I readily agreed to join the Toon In podcast. At that time we were having an issue getting our schedules to coincide so I asked if I might use the name of the show for a series of articles on the Retroist. Not just because Toon In is a brilliant title for a cartoon related podcast, but in addition I hoped that it might help drum up some interest for the then upcoming show.
All my joking aside by using that GIF taken from 1982’s The Toy, while the Toon In articles might have been a little more popular on the Retroist than here on the PCR site, we had to put the idea for the podcast on the back burner while we attempted to figure out a proper format for the show.
Having said all of that, you can probably imagine how absolutely gobsmacked I was when the Cuphead game was announced. Combining my love of classic animation similar to the Fleischer produced Popeye cartoons with video games – I truly started counting down the days until it was finally released on September 29th of 2017.
When Cuphead debuted for Microsoft Windows as well as the Xbox One, I was blown away by how beautiful the side-scrolling run and gun title looked, it truly was like a playable classic theatrical short. I was also taken aback by just how difficult the title was compared to the standard games being released. Like legions of other Cuphead fans though I totally accepted the challenge of the game, always giving it just one more shot at trying to clear a particular level. And that usually resulted in my failing over and over and over again…
Even with those gamers who were turned off by the difficulty level of the game, it seems that everyone fell in love with the characters from the title. All manner of merchandise for Cuphead has been released in the four years since it was released, including T-Shirts, Funko Pops, plush dolls, and apparently an upcoming animated series from Netflix. So enjoy this short teaser clip from the soon to be released The Cuphead Show!
That was none other than Emmy award wining Wayne Brady providing his voice as King Dice, and online it has been stated that Tru Valentino (Fast & Furious Spy Racers) will voice the titular Cuphead, with Frank Todaro (Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy) as Mugman. There has been no official trailer or release date for The Cuphead Show! as of yet, but we will be sure to pass along the information when it is made available.
Friends, I am afraid that yet again we have managed to deliver a new episode of the Saturday Frights podcast a couple of days later than intended. In all honesty it has to do with the new job and the strain of attempting to find the necessary free time to devote to the show. Having said that though, we do have a very special episode of the podcast for you today, as the Projectionist and I are joined by three friends on this show. Fellow PCR authors who were kind enough to share their top 5 horror soundtrack picks with you, focusing on memorable music from all manner of film and television shows. I am willing to bet there are going to be a few on the lists provided today by our guests that you may not be familiar with!
Joining us to share her top 5 horror soundtracks is none other than Ashley Thomas aka The Nerdy Blogger, whose work is frequently featured on Fangirlish as well as the Sci-Fi 5 podcast. The daily five minute podcast that provides the best in sci-fi, fantasy, and horror history – produced by Roddenberry Entertainment.
We also are lucky enough to have the esteemed Earl Green join us on this special episode of the podcast. Earl is no stranger to the Sci-Fi 5 podcast himself, as well as running The Log Book.com – one of the longest running sites on the internet focusing on everything pop culture.
Last but certainly not least is Rockford Jay, my co-host on the Saturday Frights Facebook page – who does his level best to help me keep a lid on the madness of the Vault. He manages to share his love of retro horror on a nearly daily basis, and I am sad to add is frequently the target of the Projectionist’s schemes and explosive temper.
Without further ado, please join the Projectionist and myself at the Haunted Drive-In, as we discuss the top 5 horror soundtracks on the Saturday Frights podcast. As always we want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to listen to the show, and hope that you are enjoying season three of the podcast so far.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
Subscribe to the Saturday Frights Podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Saturday Frights Podcast (MP3)
Friends, I have just finished watching The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, not in the theater this time but at work through the HBO Max streaming service. I have been in love with the horror cinematic universe started with 2013’s The Conjuring, which has managed to produced spin-off series such as Annabelle, The Nun, The Curse of La Llorona, with more films reportedly on the way. While I obviously would have enjoyed the opportunity to catch this eighth entry in the Conjuring cinematic universe at the local movie theater, my weekend job just doesn’t make that possible, so huddling in the back office I was able to catch the third Conjuring film with one of my best friends. Which I have to admit I was glad I didn’t have to watch it by myself – because the tension and scares in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It are raised to an entirely new level. As always in my non-spoiler reviews, I will be focusing on what you see in the trailers, but I will go ahead and tell you that the filmmakers and the cast really knock it out of the park with this one.
Both The Conjuring as well as The Conjuring 2 were directed by James Wan (Saw, Aquaman), with the original film being co-written by twin brothers Chad and Carey W. Hayes (House of Wax), based on a treatment by Tony DeRosa-Grund. The treatment was written by De-Rosa-Grund after he was inspired to get a film project in development, thanks to having an audio tape played from the Perron Family case by the real life Ed Warren. With The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, due to scheduling conflicts Wan handed over the directing reins to Michael Chaves (The Curse of La Llorona), although he provided the story idea that was turned into a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (The Walking Dead). The third film in The Conjuring series is also based on a real life event, this time focusing on the Connecticut trial held in 1981, where Arne Cheyenne Johnson made history by being the first person in a United States court case to claim that he killed someone while under demonic possession.
Just as I mentioned in the recent review for A Quiet Place Part 2, the latest Conjuring film has an incredibly tense opening sequence. We find Ed and Lorraine Warren, exceptionally portrayed once again by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, with the aid of the Glatzel Family and a priest attempting to perform an exorcism on 8-year-old David Glaztel (Julian Hilliard). It appears that they are successful, although it comes at a personal cost to both the Warrens and Arne Johnson (Ruairi O’Conno), who is the boyfriend of Debbie Glaztel (Sarah Catherine Hook).
A few days after the exorcism, Arne is possibly experiencing hallucinations and begins to behave oddly… resulting in the murder of a landlord. The Warrens are contacted and attempt to aid Arne after his arrest, pledging to investigate what they believe might have been a possession, which leads them to the horrifying realization this is not random… the Glaztels were targeted… cursed.
The previous two films in the Conjuring series have focused on both hauntings and possession, the third film however presents something entirely new by adding a human antagonist along with the demonic entity introduced at the beginning of the movie. This naturally ramps up the tension as both the Warrens and others begin to unravel a very dark plot that is affecting a handful of families – it becomes a race against time to try and uncover who is behind all of this pain and death.
Of course the reason that the Conjuring films are just so good are the performances delivered by Farmiga and Wilson, they have an amazing chemistry together and the screenwriters have ground the supernatural elements by focusing on how much the two characters love each other. It is the characters devotion to each other, mirroring the real life relationship of the Warrens as I understand it, that are the anchor of these three films. But you can be assured that the rest of the cast in this latest film deliver strong performances too, in particular though the spotlight should be shined on the performance by John Noble (Fringe), who portrays a character who has seen the power of evil in his younger days as a priest.
In closing out this article, if The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It ends up being the last film in the series, it is a proper way to see off the characters of Ed and Lorraine. I do hope however that we will be seeing more Conjuring movies in the coming years. So, if you are looking for an entertaining film chock-full of chills and thrills with likeable and memorable characters, why not check out The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It in theaters or on HBO Max today?
Friends, the other evening after finishing my shift at the movie theater, I was able to check out A Quiet Place 2, the first film I have been able to watch since becoming an employee as a matter of fact. I had to work very hard to not get spoiled by anything, this was especially tough when acting as an usher, preparing to thank the patrons as they are leaving the auditoriums means that there are times I am standing in front of an open door with the last few minutes of the film playing. With a bit of luck as well as the fact I had some very understanding co-workers, I managed to stay away from anything that would ruin the film before I had a chance to see it. It has been a long wait to see A Quiet Place Part 2 and while I will only touch upon what you might see in the trailers for the film, I can honestly say that I personally felt it was worth the wait.
A Quiet Place Part 2 sheds some light on the origins of the sound sensitive monsters that seem to have rendered the world into a nearly silent post-apocalyptic place. I realize that there are hints given in the first film about where the monsters came from, if memory serves there are newspapers and notes written on the dry-erase board that Lee Abbott (John Krasinski) has set up in his family’s house. But after a pretty intense opening that gives us a glimpse of what it was like when the monsters first arrived in the town of Millbrook, as well as introducing an important new character, the film picks up right after the ending of the 2018 movie. And while the Abbotts might have a way to fight back against the monsters now, thanks to Regan’s (Millicent Simmonds) cochlear implant providing painful feedback to the violent creatures – they cannot stay at the farm due to the fire in the barn and the flooding in the house.
Emily Blunt, who delivers an incredibly strong performance as Evelyn Abbott, must attempt to protect her two teenage children, Regan and Marcus (Noah Jupe), and now a newborn baby in a world where just a rattled glass could bring quick death. It is Regan who notices a lone signal fire in the distant, offering the possibility of other survivors willing to lend them aid. But has a world of silence and the strain of just trying to live one more day without alerting the roaming monsters just changed humanity too much?
That is a very important question posed in A Quiet Place 2, and something that the Abbotts are confronted with when they reach Emmet, played by Cillian Murphy, who is holed up at an old steel foundry. It is pretty evident right from their first meeting that Emmet has prepped the place to not only be alerted of any of the monsters nosing around, but he’s barricaded more than the foundry, the man has done his best to pretty much distance himself from any feelings or connections to the outside world.
Being a post-apocalyptic world isn’t just because of the monsters, the end of the world can bring out the worst in people, even those folks who might have once been neighbors. But the takeaway from the film, which was written and directed by Krasinski, is that there is always hope or at the very least doing the right thing is worth fighting for. A Quiet Place 2 is a rare movie sequel that feels like a logical continuation of the story that delivers thrills and chills as well as plenty of heart. The performances from the entire cast are fantastic but I think special praise needs to be given to Millicent Simmonds, not only does her character carry the weight of the majority of the movie, but she is deftly able to hold her own with the likes of Cillian Murphy (28 Days Later, Peaky Blinders).
In closing out this article, if you liked A Quiet Place, you should do your best to head out to theater and check out the sequel for yourself. Here is hoping that the film will continue to do good business, that way we might get a trilogy out of the series.
Friends, we do apologize about the tardiness of this episode of the Saturday Frights podcast, I am afraid that the new work schedule has thrown a monkey wrench into the usual recording plans. This week though, the Projectionist and I tackle our first episode of The X-Files, that long-running series featuring the exploits of special agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. As brought up in the show itself, this episode was suggested by a listener, and after we presented a poll of the Top 5 scary episodes of The X-Files, the Vault staff as well as the Saturday Frights Facebook group picked the 1993 episode entitled “Squeeze”. In all honesty I really thought it was going to be “Home” that won the poll, especially considering that it caused so much controversy when it originally aired that it was banned from being broadcast again for quite some time.
As this is the first time we’ve talked about The X-Files on the podcast, we have a bit of interesting trivia to share about the creation of the series. In addition to some things you might not have know about “Squeeze”, including a little trouble behind the scenes during the production of the episode. Or how the screenwriters, James Wong and Glen Morgan, were inspired to write the episode featuring the mutant serial killer and fan favorite Eugene Victor Tooms (Doug Hutchinson). In addition to how their popular Final Destination film series was based off what originally had been intended to be an episode of The X-Files. In fact I provide a quote in this episode from an interview with Jeffrey Reddick at Den of Geek on how it would have played out if it had been made into an X-Files episode.
Without further ado, please join the Projectionist and myself at the Haunted Drive-In as we discuss 1993’s “Squeeze” on the Saturday Frights podcast. As always we want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to listen to the show, and hope that you are enjoying season three of the podcast so far.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
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Friends, the fifth entry in the classic Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe belongs to Aegeus – an arch-nemesis of Wonder Woman! While some of the other characters from DC Comics that we have so far shared in this Who’s Who series of articles, I either knew well or at least had a passing knowledge of, I must admit that I knew nothing of Aegeus before I picked up the first issue. Furthermore, as I have mentioned in the previous articles, while TheOfficial Handbook of the Marvel Universe might have beaten their long-time competitor to the punch by three whole years – Marv Wolfman, Len Wein, and Robert Greenberger in my opinion topped the Marvel version in both quality and range of characters they featured in their encyclopedic series. The trio managed to fill 26 issues with an all-encompassing roster of major as well as minor characters of the DC Universe, the latter of which in my humble opinion is the category that Aegeus happens to fall into.
IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ROCKFORD JAY COLLECTION.
The character of Nikos Aegeus made his first appearance in the pages of Wonder Woman #297, which was published in November of 1982 in a story entitled “Thunder on the Wind”. I must also point out that particular issue featured an incredible cover by Michael Kaluta (who I’ve talked about in The Shadow episode of the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast) and also featured a back-up tale involving the Huntress, in addition to a story involving Superman aiding He-Man and the other Masters of the Universe in defending Eternia.
Back to Aegeus though, the character was co-created by Dan Mishkin, Gene Colan, and Frank McLaughlin – although I’ve seen online where it says that Curt Swan also had a hand in the creation. Mishkin along with Gary Cohn and Ernie Colon were also responsible for co-creating the cult favorite comic series, Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld for DC Comics as well as joining with artist Paris Cullins to produce the Blue Devil comic book series. Gene Colan however might possibly be best known for his work at Marvel Comics with the legendary Tomb of Dracula but he would also co-create the Falcon and even Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel. Frank McLaughlin not only helped create the character of Judomaster for Charlton Comics but he worked on the Gil Thorp newspaper comic strip too.
As is stated in the character’s entry in Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe, which features artwork by Don Heck by the way (Iron Man, The Avengers):
Full Name: Niko Aegeus Occupation: Terrorist Marital Status: Single Known Relatives: None Group Affiliation: None Base of Operation: Greece First Appearance: Wonder Woman #297 Height: 5’10” Weight: 175lbs. Eyes: Blue Hair: Black
As we are introduced to Nikos Aegeus in the story “Thunder on the Wind”, it is through a summons of Diana to return to Paradise Island by her Mother, Hippolyta – Queen of the Amazons. She shows a disturbing vision to her daughter of a possible future where many of their fellow Amazonians fall to some great threat, which of course Wonder Woman vows to track down and stop.
The threat happens to be making itself known at that moment in Athens, Greece, as a poor ambassador is brutally executed by Nikos Aegeus. Realizing the murder will undoubtedly attract the attention of the authorities, Nikos and his fellow terrorists decide to hide out among some ancient ruins upon what they believe to be a deserted island. Only to find out that the ruins aren’t really deserted at all, as the single resident is none other than Bellerophon, the Greek Hero punished for his attempt to fly to Mount Olympus.
The origin of Aegeus pauses there as we find out that days have passed with Diana Prince still attempting to locate the source of the threat her Mother sensed. She is doing this in her military role at the Pentagon as Captain Diana Prince but isn’t coming up with anything, which is when Steve Trevor invites her to participate in an inter-service combat exercise between the Air Force and Navy. During this exercise though is when Aegeus decides to make himself known, appearing in the sky atop the mighty Pegasus and striking down Trevor’s plane with a thunderbolt of Zeus that he fires from a magical bow.
Thankfully for Steve though Diana calls forth her invisible jet to help him land his plane while she confronts Aegeus. The encounter doesn’t go exactly as you might imagine as Aegeus is more amused than concerned by the heroine lassoing his flying steed. Wonder Woman attempts to force Pegasus to land but it is then revealed that it can only be controlled by Aegeus. Before she can reach her foe the villain uses one of Zeus’ bolts to teleport safely away, and when Wonder Woman goes to check on Trevor, as the issue ends we learn that Aegeus has whisked him away as his prisoner.
It would be in the pages of Wonder Woman #298 where it is revealed that Bellerophon is merely using Aegeus to help him achieve vengeance against the Gods of Olympus, Zeus in particular. Blinded and shunned by mankind, Bellerophon waited for the likes of Nikos Aegeus to arrive, and the reason he instructed the now magically augmented terrorist into capturing Trevor was to learn the location of Paradise Island. Doing so in an attempt to gain access to the Purple Ray of the Amazons, which can give Bellerophon back his eyesight and even restore his youth.
The conclusion of Aegeus’ origin story was in issue #299 of the Wonder Woman comic book. I’ll cut to the chase and let you know that not only does the Princess of Paradise Island best the still formidable Bellerophon but she also thoroughly trounces Aegeus… after a mighty swing of a tree up against the side of his head. However, the villain is able to make an escape with the aid of his single remaining thunderbolt of Zeus, vowing vengeance of course in the process.
As the Powers & Weapons section of Aegeus’ entry in the Who’s Who points out, Wonder Woman’s foe returns after managing to acquire the six daggers of Vulcan, which happen to be weapons that are able to cut and penetrate almost all objects, including our heroine’s lasso of truth and her bracelets!
Closing out this article, you might be interested to know that shortly after Aegeus was given the spotlight in the Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe, the character was wiped out – one of the many victims of the Multiverse collapsing courtesy of the Crisis on Infinite Earths maxi-series. Since that time however, versions of Nikos Aegeus have made appearances in both the 2010 New Earth and 2015 Prime Earth versions of the Wonder Woman comic book series.
Friends, it would appear that 2021 is a very important year for all of us Godzilla fans. Not only did we have the extremely enjoyable and thrilling Godzilla vs. Kong to enjoy a couple of months ago, but apparently a brand new ride based on Godzilla opened up in the Seibuen theme park located in Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan. The ride which is entitled Godzilla the Ride: Giant Monsters Ultimate Battle debuted on May 19th, certainly a fantastic way to mark the theme park reopening, after closing their gates to the public much like Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood and Florida due to the worldwide pandemic. Godzilla the Ride offers fans of the legendary Kaiju a unique opportunity, finding themselves caught in an attack on Tokyo by the monstrous and always frightening King Ghidorah. In fact as this short video by Luminous points out, the designs of both Godzilla and his foe boast new designs, although I will have to say I think they look quite similar to what we’ve seen from the MonsterVerse film series by Legendary.
It appears that Godzilla the Ride was filmed using not only miniature vehicles and buildings, which obviously is a wonderful throwback to the early Toho films, but it was directed by Takashi Yamazaki. The director is perhaps best known for his Always: Sunset on Third Street trilogy, with the second film containing a dream sequence featuring Godzilla by the way. But he has also helmed the likes of 2010’s live action Space Battleship Yamato as well as the astounding CGI animated feature Lupin III: The First back in 2019.
Now then, I think to set up the scenario for Godzilla the Ride I will leave you with the press release provided by Sci-Fi Japan:
“Built on a small hill seen from the shopping area of a Tokyo street sits a movie theater loved by the people of the city. The everyday peace of life as usual is disrupted when a mysterious giant creature, King Ghidorah, suddenly appears in Tokyo.
King Ghidorah moves toward Saitama, knocking down buildings in its path. Then, an emergency broadcast announces that another giant monster is approaching.
The park guests are instructed to get into the deluxe armored vehicles of the “Special Disaster Countermeasures” (特災対, Toku Wazawai Tai) response unit. But, when they are caught up in the unbelievable fight between Godzilla and King Ghidorah, will they be able to escape to safety?”
In closing out this article I must give a tip of the hat to Brad Miska of Bloody Disgusting for the heads up on Godzilla the Ride. I hope that the video doesn’t get yanked any time soon as it is the only way many of us will be able to experience the new thrill ride for ourselves.
Friends, you might have possibly noticed over the last couple of weeks that I have not been sharing new articles every day like I normally do. The reason for this is I have a brand new job, one that takes up the majority of the evening, and in complete honesty when I return home I find I am a little too tired to write. While in the past, thanks to the arcade as well as my job at the hotel, it afforded me ample opportunity to crack open the laptop and work on a post or the script for the podcasts… I am afraid that type of behavior would be frowned upon at the local movie theater in my neck of the woods.
“Hey, anybody seen a ghost?”
That is correct, although it has been quite some time since I last wore the vest, I am once again working at a movie theater. Things as you can imagine have changed in the past 26 years, not the least of which is helping to make sure the auditoriums are safe by disinfecting the seating. The added benefit of wearing that apparatus in the above photograph is that you not only get to feel like a member of the Ghostbusters but you can subject your co-workers to numerous quotes from the films.
One of the things I am quite happy to report that has NOT changed though is how much fun it is to talk with patrons about movies while serving them at the concession stand. It has been an absolute joy to see how very excited movie goers are at getting the chance to return to the theater once again, to enjoy the likes of A Quiet Place Part II, Mortal Kombat, Godzilla vs. Kong, and others.
That joy naturally extends to chatting with my co-workers before and after the movies begin, while we busy ourselves with restocking, cleaning, and further training. And when I have been assigned the role of usher, as I patrol the theater sweeping up popcorn from the floor and making sure all is well in the auditoriums and bathrooms – I also like to take a second and look at the movie posters on display in the hallways.
Which brings us around to the point of this article, the other day a brand new poster design as well as a trailer for Disney’s upcoming Jungle Cruise film were revealed. At first glance I thought the beautiful poster below, shared on the official Jungle Cruise Twitter feed, was done by the legendary Drew Struzan, but that is not the case as the artist was quick to clarify on his own feed. Most fans believe that it is the talented Kyle Lambert who is responsible for this eye-catching new poster.
The brand new trailer for Jungle Cruise promises quite a bit of thrills and supernatural action, promising a throwback to the serials that inspired Steven Spielberg and George Lucas to create Raiders of the Lost Ark. It also seems to boast some familiar elements from such popular movies as The Mummy, Pirates of the Caribbean, and possibly even 1951’s The African Queen.
Jungle Cruise is scheduled to be released at the end of July and I am quite looking forward to joining Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Emily Blunt, Paul Giamatti, and Jack Whitehall on a thrilling adventure.
From the press release:
“Inspired by the famous Disneyland theme park ride, Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” is an adventure-filled, rollicking thrill-ride down the Amazon with wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff and intrepid researcher Dr. Lily Houghton. Lily travels from London, England to the Amazon jungle and enlists Frank’s questionable services to guide her downriver on La Quila—his ramshackle-but-charming boat. Lily is determined to uncover an ancient tree with unparalleled healing abilities—possessing the power to change the future of medicine. Thrust on this epic quest together, the unlikely duo encounters innumerable dangers and supernatural forces, all lurking in the deceptive beauty of the lush rainforest. But as the secrets of the lost tree unfold, the stakes reach even higher for Lily and Frank and their fate—and mankind’s—hangs in the balance.
Jaume Collet-Serra directs the film, which stars Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Edgar Ramírez and Jack Whitehall, with Jesse Plemons, and Paul Giamatti. The producers are John Davis and John Fox of Davis Entertainment; Dwayne Johnson, Hiram Garcia and Dany Garcia of Seven Bucks Productions; and Beau Flynn of Flynn Picture Co., with Scott Sheldon and Doug Merrifield serving as executive producers. The story is by John Norville & Josh Goldstein and Glenn Ficarra & John Requa, and the screenplay is by Michael Green and Glenn Ficarra & John Requa. Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” releases in U.S. theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access on July 30, 2021.”
Friends, just like in numerous comic books over the years, it is an amazing thing to see crossovers take place in the Marvel and DC cinematic universe. And while it might be more commonplace in the comics from where the iconic characters of the Avengers and Justice League got their start, it still feels like something special when we see it take place on the big screen. However, it was an almost common occurrence taking place in the golden age of animation with many of the Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes animated shorts. Having said that though it generally saw the pairing up of characters such as Bugs Bunny with Daffy Duck, or even Porky Pig and Daffy. And while I absolutely love classic animation, I freely admit that until a few days ago I had never seen or heard of the 1965 short titled The Wild Chase. That was thanks to a post from Jerry Beck’s Cartoon Research Facebook page, my mind was completely blown when I realized it teamed up not just the Road Runner and Speedy Gonzales in a race but Wile E. Coyote and Sylvester the Cat in an attempt to stop them.
The Wild Chase was originally released to theaters on February 27th of 1965, and while distributed by Warner Bros., the animation itself was handled by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises. The Merrie Melodies short was co-directed by the legendary Friz Freleng and Hawley Pratt, the duo who were responsible for creating the animated intro for 1963’s The Pink Panther film.
I obviously have to point out that the DePatie-Freleng animation style is a little jarring, even when compared with the more stylized approach used by Warner Bros. Cartoons in ’62. And I am no expert but it certainly looks to me like some of the gags used in The Wild Chase were similar to those found in the shorts directed by Chuck Jones.
Doing a quick search online it appears that quite a few fans of animation are less than thrilled with The Wild Chase, especially with the animation. I can understand that viewpoint, but as I’m no historian I am thrilled to find an animated short that I’ve not had the pleasure of seeing before. In addition to the fact that even though they come to an explosive end, when all is said and done it was Wile E. Coyote and Sylvester the Cat who won the race. I am going to assume this was done as to avoid any fans of the Road Runner or Speedy Gonzales being upset at which of the two might have proven to be the fastest?
Friends, it has been a little bit since we’ve last had a Retro Radio Memories article to share with you. I thought instead of going with some classic old time radio goodness though, we would once again enjoy an offering from Michael Hanson’s iconic Mindwebs series. The radio series originated at WHA radio in Madison, Wisconsin in the ’70s and presented science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories by some of the most celebrated writers of the day. Just a small list of those whose work was chosen by Hanson include Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, Ursula K. Le Guin, H.P. Lovecraft, Raymond Chandler, as well as Kit Reed. It is the last author whose story is the subject of the episode of Mindwebs today, a science fiction tale with a dark twist called “The Food Farm”.
Kit Reed, who was born Lillian Hyde Craig, had her first short story published in the April issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction back in 1958. Entitled “The Wait”, the tale involves a teenager who finds herself in a field amongst other women, curiously sitting on small boxes, a ritual known as ‘The Wait’.
“The Food Farm” was originally published in 1967 and focuses on a teenager named Nelly. Besides ‘plugging in’ to enjoy the music of a celebrity known as Tommy Fango, her greatest comfort in life is food. The young girl appears to have an eating disorder however, going so far as to steal out in the middle of the night to obtain food by any means necessary, from panhandling to perhaps selling herself to strangers. Her parents take drastic measures to attempt to curtail her eating but have no luck, shockingly resorting to having their daughter forcibly taken away to a most curious farm. Bordering on starvation from lack of food and a chemical regimen, the titular farm is place where affluent families might send their daughters to insure they will lost weight, so as not to be an embarrassment any longer.
Let us learn of the fate of Nelly and the others imprisoned at “The Food Farm” courtesy of Michael Hanson’s Mindwebs.
You might be interest to know that his episode of Mindwebs was narrated by Jay Meredith Fitts. Let us know what you think of the story in the comments below.
Friends, when you think back to 1988’s cult classic Mac and Me, what are the first things that pop into your mind? For myself I would say Coca-Cola as well as the fact there is absolutely an incredible dance number held in the lobby of a McDonald’s restaurant. Which I promise that I will share with you before I get to the gist of this article. Another thing that most people will remember about Mac and Me is the sheer amount of product placement found throughout the movie, that even includes the original trailer, which just so happened to feature Ronald McDonald.
Now if you’ve not had the pleasure of seeing the film before, there is a good reason that Ronald McDonald appeared in that ad. For one thing he does make an appearance in the film itself but the producer of Mac and Me, R.J. Louis, happened to have worked with Ronald McDonald House Charities in the past. To say nothing of actually having a hand in the advertising for the restaurant chain. As I understand it, there are conflicting reports on whether McDonald’s actually co-funded the film along with Coca-Cola – honestly, none of that matters. Because what truly matters is that the Ronald McDonald House Charities received a portion of the money from the ticket sales for Mac and Me. Plus there is that awesome dance sequence that I’ve been talking about… if you want to know what it was like growing up in the ’80s just watch this clip, it really is a wonder we ever accomplished anything we were dancing so much.
Okay, now as you saw from the trailer at the top of the article, Eric (Jade Calegory) develops a bond with MAC (Mysterious Alien Creature) as they attempt to find the alien’s lost Family. Which is why the young boy of course puts himself in harm’s way when the local Police began firing on the confused aliens outside of a grocery store. In the clip below you will see how things played out in the version of the film seen by American audiences.
It is implied that Eric is caught in the explosion in that version of Mac and Me. The Japanese audiences saw a wildly different version of the film however, thankfully we can see that alternate version of the scene. I think you will agree it is pretty bugnuts, it is just all very bizarre that the scene was even shot this way in the first place.
Friends, it was 50 years ago today that American International Pictures (AIP) released The Abominable Dr. Phibes to theaters, one of the absolute best Vincent Price films ever made. While that might be a personal opinion, I stand by it, knowing full well that Price appeared in such classic films as The Fly, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Last Man on Earth, and House of Wax to name just a few of his memorable roles. The Abominable Dr. Phibes is an extremely dark comedy with an embarrassment of riches in the solid cast of actors that included the likes of Joseph Cotten, Virginia North,Terry-Thomas, Peter Jeffrey, Hugh Griffith, Aubrey Woods, Norman Jones and many others. It is a rare film indeed where you will find yourself actively rooting for the villain, thanks of course in no small part to the abundance of charisma on display by Price throughout the picture.
If you’ve not had the pleasure of seeing The Abominable Dr. Phibes for yourself, it happens to concern Dr. Anton Phibes (Price), a brilliant inventor and former concert organist believed dead after a horrible car accident. The wreck that disfigured him and forced him to fake his own demise in Switzerland, was due to the news of the passing of his wife, Victoria (Caroline Munro). The medical staff that were in attendance, who truly attempted to save the poor woman are the targets of Phibe’s revenge – using his expertise in theology to bring upon the Ten Plagues of Egypt upon their heads.
Directed by Robert Fuest (The Avengers) and co-written by James Whiton (Murder by Phone) and William Goldstein (The Amazing Dobermans), The Abominable Dr. Phibes received generally favorable reviews when it was released 50 years ago. At the very least it proved successful enough that it warranted a sequel, with Dr. Phibes Rises Again being released in July of the following year. To say nothing of the fact that many attempts at sequels and reboots have been attempted since, including a television series pitch in ’72 entitled The Sinister Dr. Phibes – where it certainly sounds like Phibes would have used his genius and vast resources to exact punishment on various evil doers.
Tell me that Vincent Price wouldn’t have been perfect for that series?
In closing out this article, here is to 50 amazing years of The Abominable Dr. Phibes, a film that gave us one of Price’s most memorable characters and performances. And if you happen to be a huge Dr. Phibes fan… or is that Phan… you might be interested to know that William Goldstein as well as his son have written a book series featuring the character and his origins.
You might also be interested to know that The Abominable Dr. Phibes was the subject of one of the early episodes of the Saturday Frights podcast.
Friends, we have a brand new episode of the Saturday Frights podcast for you this morning, the subject of the show is a listener request. The Projectionist and I talk about the 1985 Amazing Stories episode entitled “Mummy Daddy”, one of the more comedic offerings from that particular TV anthology series. Although on this episode we might not have been unable to uncover quite as much information on “Mummy Daddy” as we did with The Birds, the Projectionist and I found out some surprising information on how long Universal was attempting to reboot 1932’s The Mummy. Including a rather surprising list of talented writers and directors that were approached before Stephen Sommers was tapped to bring 1999’s The Mummy to the big screen.
Although we have tackled Amazing Stories in past podcasts, both “Remote Control Man” and “Mirror, Mirror” as a matter of fact, we do provide a brief history on the television show itself – including its link to the long-running magazine of the same name.
In addition it might surprise you to learn that Amazing Stories wasn’t a huge hit when it was originally aired on NBC. Not even the legion of talented people in front of and behind the camera, attracted to the series thanks to Executive Producers Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, and Frank Marshall, were able to capture the necessary audience for Universal Television and NBC to support it beyond two seasons. Although having said that, and as we touch upon in the show itself, Amazing Stories did manage to earn quite a few Emmy nominations.
If you happen to be a huge fan of “Mummy Daddy” by the way, I think you will be interested to know that the teleplay written by Earl Pomerantz happens to be available to purchase on eBay at this very moment. Assuming of course that you have the spare change to afford such a unique collectible.
Without further ado, please join the Projectionist and myself at the Haunted Drive-In as we discuss 1985’s “Mummy Daddy” on the Saturday Frights podcast. As always we want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to listen to the show, and hope that you are enjoying season three of the podcast.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
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Friends, come this October there are a few things that all of us ‘Autumn People’ should be looking forward to. From the changing of the leaves and the merry glow of jack o’lanterns, to decorating our homes after paying a couple of visits to the Spirit Halloween stores. And if we are lucky we should also be sitting comfortably in theaters watching the likes of the Guillermo del Toro produced Antlers as well as Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho… oh… there is also the MUCH anticipated Halloween Kills too!
But as was revealed last week, there is yet another reason to get excited about October, because it will be around that time that General Mills releases their brand new Monster Mash cereal. A flavorful mashing of marshmallows from Count Chocula, Frute Brute, Fruity Yummy Mummy, Frankenberry, and of course the greatest General Mills Monster Cereal ever produced – Boo Berry!
Just in time too, as this year happens to mark the 50th anniversary of the General Mills Monster Cereals. It was back in March of 1971 that Franken Berry and Count Chocula hit store shelves, with the esteemed Boo Berry making his debut the following year. Fruite Brute as the cereal was originally called made its arrival in 1974 and managed to be produced until 1982. Fruity Yummy Mummy though was actually the newest Monster Cereal from General Mills, hitting store shelves in 1988 and being shoved back into his sarcophagus by 1990.
The fandom for the General Mills Monster Cereals is pretty large and quite loyal, waiting patiently every year for when Franken Berry, Boo Berry, and Count Chocula are released – a chance to enjoy that delicious treat once again. And while we do not know when the Monster Mash cereal will be released this year, at the very least from the Walmart site we have this information:
“CEREAL: Berry-flavored frosted cereal with frightfully-fun marshmallows. MASH-UP OF ALL MONSTERS CEREALS: For the first time ever, pieces from all Monster Cereals are together in one bowl. RETRO DESIGN: Classic character designs to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Monster Cereals (including the return of Yummy Mummy and Frute Brute). MONSTER MASH EDITION: Special edition box that takes you to the Monster Cereals remake of the Monster Mash song. MONSTER CEREAL HISTORY: Learn when all the Monsters stepped onto the scene and rocked the world.”
In closing out this article, a big thank you to Cerealously on Twitter for sharing the box art for the General Mills Monster Mash cereal!
Friends, Warp Warp is an arcade title that I literally didn’t know existed until it was rolled into the arcade about six years ago. And while it was released to arcades in North America by Rock-Ola, it was in actually developed by the legendary Namco. In fact I singled out Warp Warp as one of the early episodes of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast, a show that at the moment holds the record for being the shortest I’ve ever produced for that series. As at the time of recording the episode I was unable to find out really any information on those responsible for creating the arcade game.
When I first started playing Warp Warp I was quite amazed by its seemingly simple gameplay, although like many of the golden age arcade titles there is a beguiling amount of strategy needed to play it well. What I was not aware of when I was first introduced to the game was that my fellow PCR author, the esteemed Earl Green was also quite the fan of Warp Warp. Back in those early days of the Arkadia Retrocade, Earl managed to pop in for a visit with his two charming children, so that the two of us could participate in a Warp Warp challenge. It should come as no surprise at all though that when the dust had cleared, Earl had severely trounced me on the game.
Warp Warp besides being the subject of one of the Diary podcasts was also tackled by Earl Green on his Phosphor Dot Fossils series of videos on YouTube, all the way back in 2019 as a matter of fact. In the nearly 13 minute presentation, Earl gives a rundown on the basics of the game, as always allowing you to check out the game in action while he is playing. Best of all though is that he includes his personal memories of where and when he first encountered Warp Warp in his youth.
Friends, on this Retro Records offering we are going to be revisiting those two mascots used by the much missed Burger Chef restaurants, I am of course referring to Burger Chef and his teenage sidekick Jeff. In a previous Retro Records article I touched upon why I have such fond memories of the restaurant itself, it had a little to do with the fact they were offering 4 Star Wars posters back in ’78, to say nothing of their patented Fun Meal. I should add while the fast food restaurant closed its last location in 1996, it did beat McDonald’s Happy Meal to the punch by about seven years. With the Burger Chef Fun Meal you would receive some kind of small toy or collectible, in addition to your burger and even a dessert. I think those of us of a certain age will begrudgingly admit that McDonald’s really did one better with their Happy Meal, although having said that, I cannot ever recall them offering Flexi-disc records like Burger Chef did.
It wasn’t just because of Star Wars that I was so fond of Burger Chef, as I’ve mentioned before it had more than a little to do with the fact they had a cast of characters made up of monsters. There was Burgerilla the Ape, Count Fangburger, Wolfburger the Werewolf, Crankenburger, and of course Cackleburger the Witch. And while it is quite true that my Father could rarely afford to take us out to eat at Burger Chef, I think it ended up making those times we did visit all the more special.
The Flexi-discs that were offered by Burger Chef were 33 1/3 records, with a running time of under five minutes long, but they did allowe for Burger Chef and Jeff to interact with those monster inspired characters. You might be interested to know that Burger Chef was voiced by the late and great Paul Winchell. Whose voice I think you might recognize from the incredible amount of Saturday morning and children’s programming that he lent his voice to over the years. Just a few of his notable roles include voicing the likes of Gargamel in the Smurfs, Fleegle Beagle in The Banana Splits, as well as Dick Dastardly for many of the Hanna-Barbera produced animated series.
Friends, I hope you weren’t alarmed by that signal in the sky today, I can assure you that all is well and that it just means we have a brand new Super-Blog Team-Up. That time when the finest collection of bloggers and podcasters unite to discuss a subject that is too large for just one site. In this case it happens to concern comic book, comic strip, movies, television series, and even music that relate to doctors. While some of my esteemed Super-Blog Team-Up members will be sharing articles relating to the likes of such characters as Marvel’s Doctor Voodoo and the tortured Dr. Bruce Banner – I have decided to discuss an interesting character from DC Comics. Dr. Thirteen the Ghost Breaker, a man who decided to take it upon himself to prove to those in the DC Universe that the supernatural doesn’t exist, that there is always a rational explanation. That is a big order to fill when you consider the likes of The Spectre as well as the Phantom Stranger are wandering around.
The Spectre is quite possibly the last DC character you want to upset.
The creation of Dr. Thirteen the Ghost Breaker, who is also known as Dr. Terrence (Terrance) Thirteen is interesting to say the least, a mystery worthy of the character’s “…razor sharp powers of observation and his keen analytical mind.” The character made his first appearance in the pages of the November 1951 issues of Star Spangled Comics in a story entitled “I Talked with the Dead”. And while it is known that the character was co-created and illustrated by Leonard Starr (Little Orphan Annie) and that the editor-in-chief at the time was Whitney Ellsworth (Congo Bill) – it is not known who actually wrote that debut story for Dr. Thirteen.
The origin for Dr. Thirteen presented in “I Talked with the Dead” sheds some backstory on how Terrence Thirteen took an oath handed down by his Father before his untimely death, to embrace reason above all and rebuke the supernatural and expose them as being fraudulent. It turns out that the Thirteen family has something of a tragic history, as their ancestors were accused of witchcraft and sorcery for embracing of science, having said that though it appears as if members of the family are often murdered or die prematurely.
As part of that sacred oath though, Terrence agreed to return to his family home of Doomsbury Hall at midnight on New Year’s Eve to see if he could make contact with his late Father. Bringing his fiance Marie with him to visit Doomsbury Hall, calling out and asking questions that were supplied by his Father – the duo are shocked to hear the elder Thirteen’s voice answering them. Dr. Thirteen however is true to his word, and after a quick investigation discovers a tape recorder hidden in a grandfather clock. It turns out that this was a test, one helped along by Marie, who swore to the elder Thirteen that she would challenge his Son’s oath. Having passed the test, the two leave Doomsbury Hall and prepare to get to the bottom of the so called “Curse of Thirteen”.
Dr. Thirteen ended up marrying Marie and thanks to their investigations into supposed supernatural happenings, Terrence decided to set up operations in an office in the city as a professional “Ghost Breaker”. It would appear that the two had a successful career, one that once found Dr. Thirteen investigating Wayne Manor, a case that eventually revealed a connection to the Man-Bat. Another time he found himself trying to debunk the vengeful and extremely powerful Spectre, which seems like a really stupid thing to do. Things would change though when Terrence crossed paths with the likes of the Phantom Stranger, as he was unable to explain away the supernatural abilities of the paranormal hero – especially when the entity stepped in to save Terrence and Marie on a few occasions.
COMIC BOOK IMAGES COURTESY OF THE ROCKFORD JAY COLLECTION.
In the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths era, Dr. Thirteen would retire and begin a new career as a popular writer, detailing his adventures in debunking the supernatural. In addition, Marie and Terrence in the post-Crisis stories have a daughter named Traci… who happens to be a sorceress. It probably goes without saying that Dr. Thirteen the Ghost Breaker is less than thrilled about this situation, right?
Check in on the other Super-Blog Team-Up participants and their “THE DOCTOR IS IN” offerings:
Friends, in this day and age when the internet makes nearly everything known, it is indeed a joy to be able to stumble upon little nuggets of pop culture goodness you haven’t seen before. Case in point is this public service announcement, which originally aired in May of 1967 in the United Kingdom and focuses on the subject of road safety. It happens to feature none other than Adam West as the Caped Crusader , yes, we can now thrill to Batman demonstrating the Kerb Drill aka the Green Cross Code with the help of some willing British children.
At the time of the Kerb Drill’s release, the extremely popular Batman television series had probably just wrapped up its second season on ABC. Adam West’s appearance as Batman in this public service announcement probably has something to do with the fact that Batman: The Movie had been released in the UK in December of ’66. Although with the popularity of the television show, which was shown on Saturday and Sunday afternoons in the UK, is it any wonder that they recruited Adam West to speak to the kids about road safety?
Within the brief minute long PSA, Batman kindly explains that he has taken a quick holiday from Gotham City, to take in the sights of London and enjoy a breather from crime fighting as well. Although the Caped Crusader wants children to know that there is one danger they can never take a break from, the daily threat of vehicular traffic, and the need for them to obey traffic laws. Obviously it is up to Batman to explain the importance of the Kerb Drill, demonstrating it to a group of nearby children.
Not only is the Kerb Drill PSA rather charming and delightful, it was also considered for quite a while to be lost. It was in fact uncovered by the Birmingham based Kaleidoscope organization, a group dedicated to tracking down lost UK television rarities such as this public service announcement. Which as I understand it, when first shared in 2018 it marked the first time in 50 years that the Kerb Drill PSA was seen by the public at large.
Friends, we are shining the spotlight today on Adam Strange, the fourth entry in the fondly remembered Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe encyclopedic series. Not to belittle the other entries featured in our series of Who’s Who articles so far, but my initial feelings when I realized we would be tackling this science fiction hero is to state that we finally have our first entry in that 1985 compendium that isn’t a B-list character. Having said that though, while I truly love the character of Adam Strange, I will have to admit that he was probably seen as a second-stringer in the DC Universe by both fans as well as his creators. But that was what made the Who’s Who series so great – for 26 issues – Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, and Robert Greenberger made sure that many such characters were honored with an entry. As a way to celebrate those artists and writers who had helped forge the legacy of DC Comics fifty years earlier at the time Who’s Who was published. And as would be proven in Adam Strange’s first appearance, he certainly lived up to his moniker of ‘The Man of Two Worlds’.
Adam Strange was created by Julius ‘Julie’ Schwartz and Murphy Anderson, first appearing in Showcase #17 in a story entitled “Secret of the Eternal City” from back in 1958. Schwartz was a legendary editor – with some notable personal issues I am sad to say – who helped to usher in the Silver Age version of the Flash and Green Lantern. In addition he helped both Dennis “Denny” O’Neil and Neal Adams make their mark with none other than Batman. Anderson had a long history with DC Comics and was a very well regarded inker, it turns out he had first crack at the cover of Showcase #17, but Schwartz rejected it, instead getting the equally legendary Gil Kane to step in and provide the artwork that graced the comic itself. However Schwartz did like the costume design that Anderson came up with and it’s more or less stayed the same since 1958.
Interestingly enough the creation of Adam Strange came about due to a mandate by editorial director Irwin Donenfield, as he felt that DC Comics needed some new heroes, science-fiction ones at that. So he presented a choice to both Schwartz and fellow editor Jack Schiff, one of the men would help create a sci-fi hero set in present day and the other would tackle a character that hailed from the far future. Schiff had first choice and chose to go with the future hero, co-creating Rick Starr aka Space Ranger, along with writers Edward Hamilton, Gardner Fox, and artist Bob Brown.
Schwartz, after giving the task of writing the Adam Strange stories to Fox for Showcase #17 through #19, then gave the penciling job to Mike Sekowsky. It was perhaps a surprise to all involved when Adam Strange wound up capturing the interest of the readers, so much so that he began a long run in the series entitled Mystery in Space (47 issues straight). The art chores for that comic book series went to none other than Carmine Infantino, with inking handled by Murphy Anderson. As a matter of fact the two also provided the illustration used for Strange’s entry in the Who’s Who.
IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ROCKFORD JAY COLLECTION.
As stated in the entry for the first volume of the Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe:
Alter Ego: Adam Strange Occupation: Archaeologist Marital Status: Married Known Relatives: Alanna (Wife), Sardath (father-in-law) Group Affiliation: None Base of Operations: Ranagar, City on Rann, third planet of Alpha Centauri First Appearance:SHOWCASE #17 Height: 6′ Weight: 175lbs. Eyes: Blue Hair: Blond
We are introduced to Adam Strange in “Secret of the Eternal City” moments after the archaeologist has discovered the lost Inca city of Caramanga – deep in the jungles of Peru. Exploring the ancient city, Adam manages to find the buried treasure of the last Emperor of the Incas – Atahualpa. Seconds later though his joy at discovering such a find is soured when some understandably angry Incas decide to halt any attempt at his sharing the news… by hurling spears and firing arrows at him. Adam begins running and dodging the projectiles, stopping momentarily at the edge of a cliff before deciding to take his chances by leaping across the chasm. Which is fortuitous as at the height of his frantic jump for safety from the Incas he is struck by what we will later learn is a Zeta-Beam.
I’m beginning to wonder if George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and Lawrence Kasdan didn’t read Showcase # 17!
Strange finds himself whisked from the jungles of Peru to the jungles of Rann, with his life still in peril as a dinosaur-like beast chases him. Suddenly a futuristic flying vehicle appears and manages to capture the beast with a giant net in the nick of time. It is then that Adam comes face to face with his first citizen from the city of Ranagar, Alanna, the daughter of the brilliant scientist known as Sardath. Strange senses that Alanna means him no harm even though he can’t actually understand her language, and finds himself being flown back to the city, where thanks to a device called the Menticizer he instantly learns their language. After spending a little time answering questions from Sardath – Adam learns that the Zeta-Beam was originally intended as a means of communication between Rann and the Earth.
After explaining to Strange the reason for his arrival on Rann, Alanna is more than happy to give Adam a tour of some the cities and features of the planet. While in an open market the duo are shocked to see the arrival of three space craft, it turns out that Rann has no spaceships of its own, and quickly the vessels begin to launch an attack. They turn out to be an alien invading race known as the Eternals, because they gained eternal life from a metal called Vitatron, collected from a meteor that crashed on their home planet in the past. Unfortunately overuse throughout the centuries has depleted the precious ore, they have arrived on Rann because their sensors are picking up a deposit of the metal somewhere on the planet. Alanna informs Strange that she has a theory that the desired metal is located in the city of Samakand, a mysterious place that appears for a brief period of time every 25 years.
The young Woman is quite correct and the scientists of Samakand reveal they do have a block of Vitatron in their possession. They too have used it to prolong their own life but in the hopes that one day upon their return to Rann they will find conflict and war completely eliminated. With the threat of the Eternals as they arrive at Samakand to claim the Vitatron, the scientist decide to aid Alanna and Strange by lending them an experimental vessel that can travel into the fourth dimension. Strange leads the Eternals on a chase into the fourth dimension, both Adam and Alanna abandon the vessel, landing safely thanks to personal jet packs. Leaving the aggressive alien race trapped in the fourth dimension courtesy of the tech of the scientists of Samakand.
Perhaps Adam Strange would be celebrated as a hero of Rann upon his return with Alanna, but it’s then that the Zeta-Beam wears off and he is transported back to the jungles of Peru. As “Secret of the Eternal City” comes to an end, we can take some small comfort in the knowledge that Strange was at least given the location of the next Zeta-Beam strike. Knowing that soon Adam will be able to see Alanna and Sardath once again and experience a new intergalactic adventure on the planet Rann!
Friends, back in 1997 when director Paul Verhoeven (RoboCop) released Starship Troopers to theaters, he and screenwriter Edward Neumeier were doing more than delivering an adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein’s classic if controversial science fiction novel of the same name. In fact it seemed to me while sitting in the auditorium on opening night that the filmmakers had actually delivered a subversively black comedy, which was managing to tweak the nose of the source material itself a little. Having said that however it certainly felt like I was in the minority when reading the reviews for the film, it seemed like a few critics were missing the point of how Neumeier and Verhoeven were showing the rather alarming fascist nature of the Terran Federation – from the symbols and uniforms of the military to those memorable “Would You Like To Know More” ads.
Besides some incredible CGI and practical effects, Starship Troopers also happened to feature a pretty talented cast of actors from Clancy Brown (The Mortuary Collection), Michael Ironside (Scanners), Dean Norris (Breaking Bad), Jake Busey (The Frighteners), Dina Meyer (DragonHeart), and Casper Van Dien (Sleepy Hollow) to name a few.
However, as this short film entitled Far Alamo proves, with the use of digital effects we can see the likes of Clint Eastwood as well as other iconic and legendary western film stars attempt to defend a future Alamo from an invasion of Arachnids!
Far Alamo is courtesy of Fabrice Mathieu who took elements and characters from such films as both the 1960 The Alamo and the criminally overlooked 2004 version. In addition to A Fistful of Dollars, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, My Name is Nobody, and The Magnificent Seven among others.
Besides using obvious captures from Starship Troopers, Mathieu also incorporated elements from the direct-to-DVD Starship Troopers: Marauder and the CGI animated Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars. To say nothing of editing themes from movies composed by James Horner, Ennio Morricone, and Dimitri Tiomkin. Although it was rather surprising that Mathieu didn’t take the opportunity to share some of exceptional score from Starship Troopers by the late and great Basil Poledouris.
Friends, this week in particular has been extremely busy for me due to my work schedule, a reason that this week’s Saturday Frights podcast is unfortunately running late. I bring this up as it is my excuse for not being aware that a teaser trailer for Stranger Things season 4 had been released on YouTube. It was thanks to Rockford Jay, my fellow Pop Culture Retrorama colleague and contributor, who was kind enough to throw me a link to the trailer. Although there is probably very little chance that we will be lucky enough to catch the fourth season of Stranger Things on Netflix this year – you should probably consider the teaser videos below as definite SPOILER territory.
It certainly seems like some of the storyline for Stranger Things Season 4 is going to delve into the backstory of Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) at the former Hawkins National Laboratory. And while we were introduced to Eight (Linnea Berthelsen) in the second season of the incredibly popular Netflix series, that teaser hinted at there being quite a few ‘special’ children in Dr. Martin Brenner’s (Matthew Modine) ‘care’. In fact although it might prove to be nothing more than a red herring, it seems like the shot below hints at something important – as the slots that are filled include the numbers four, seven, and eight.
In addition to the Magic 8-Ball featured in the teaser trailer, it appears that the camera lingers on the child stacking the red blocks, actually there is a lot of red, right? As a matter of fact that fortune-telling toy and other items the children were playing with can briefly be seen in this short Hawkins National Laboratory video that was uploaded on Wednesday – as well as some disturbing imagery from the “Rainbow Room”.
Although I am not exactly sure that the Duffer Brothers and Netflix are trying to give us a clue to the new season – I should point out that in the description of the video it simply states:
“002/004”
Which could very well just mean this is the second Stranger Things Season 4 trailer, or perhaps it is a mistake and it hints that we are getting two more glimpses at the upcoming series? Whatever the reason for the mystery, I am grateful to have the chance to get excited about a new season of Stranger Things.
Friends, the other evening as I was closing things down for the night here at the Vault, Rockford Jay happened to share a YouTube video for 1959’s “El Paso” by Marty Robbins. The Grammy Award winning tune that tells the story of a gunslinger who slays another cowboy over the affections of Feleena, a dancer at Rosa’s Cantina, and in turn is gunned down himself later by a posse when he attempts to return to her. The song was written by Robbins and was included on his October 1959 album entitled Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs, released as a single the following month with “The Running Gun” featured on the B-Side.
I am sure that there are a lot of you Fallout: New Vegas fans out that remember hearing Robbins’ song “Big Iron” on your Pip-Boy 3000 courtesy of Radio New Vegas, Mojave Music Radio, and the Black Mountain Radio stations. I bring that up as that was one of the twelve songs featured on Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs, along with “Cool Water”, which you might be familiar with if you’ve seen 2018’s The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. Although that stunning soundtrack features a cover by the esteemed Tim Blake Nelson, who portrays the titular character of the film.
“Cool Water…”
You might find it interesting that it has been said that Robbins named the character of Feleena after a friend of his in school, although I highly doubt that the future songwriter and singer had to ever slap leather in his youth. As a matter of fact Marty Robbins would go on to write two more songs focusing on the events of “El Paso”. Starting with 1966’s “Feleena (From El Paso)”, the songwriter tells the early life and tragic fate of the dancer at Rosa’s Cantina – spoiler – but she picks up the gun of her lover and kills herself. Although it would seem that the two are reunited of sorts, they can be said to wander the town forevermore as spirits – heard by the townsfolk but never seen.
With 1976’s “El Paso City”, the songwriter basically recaps the events of the first song as he is flying over the city, mentioning that he remembers hearing the tune long ago. As the song continues though it is revealed that he seems to be the reincarnated gunslinger, as he’s never been to the city but he knows the old paths that the cowboy traveled on. In addition to frequently hearing a voice calling him to El Paso City – with another voice warning him that he might find his death there.
While “El Paso” continues to be a popular song, it was back in 1980 for an NBC special entitled Comedy Is Not Pretty! that Steve Martin proved that the tune could be improved on by adding chimpanzees, an elephant, Shetland ponies, and an Orangutan.
Friends, as most of you are already aware, today happens to be May the 4th – that day when the majority of fans choose to celebrate the lasting legacy of the Star Wars franchise. The celebration also seems to manage to tempt many of us to pry open our wallets for some fantastic merchandise, to say nothing of the fact that Disney+ has released both a brand new Star Wars inspired short for The Simpsons as well as the eagerly awaited first episode of the Star Wars: The Bad Batch animated series.
Originally I had played around with the idea of naming these new articles something like Pop Culture Combat, a silly tip of the hat to the likes of Mortal Kombat, but after talking it over with my fellow Pop Culture Retrorama Colleagues… we agreed that was a rather aggressive name to use, right?
So, with these Pop Culture Poll articles we will be taking two Pop Culture characters or properties, talk a bit about them (which is no different from what we usually do) and ask you the reader to tell us in the comments or on social media which is the winner in the proposed situation. And as today is May the 4th, I thought the first poll should be between two of the feared bounty heroes that were first introduced in 1980’s Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back.
The Corellian bounty hunter known as Dengar is widely recognized for leaving a path of destruction in his wake while hunting his targets. Thanks to the excellent Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series, we learn that Dengar and Bossk were working as bounty hunters during the three-year war that took place between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. In fact the duo worked for the bounty hunter syndicate on Tatooine known as Krayt’s Claw, along with the teenage Boba Fett who was the leader of the group.
Dengar it would seem as the Galactic Civil War came to an end had no qualms with augmenting his natural talents, honed as a gladiator in his early years, by undergoing cybernetic improvements. And while it has not been stated outright, there is a character in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker that bears a striking resemblance to Dengar, but is called Rothgar Deng.
The feared Bossk is a Trandoshan and the son of Cradossk, a famed bounty hunter in his own right who ended up making a good pile of credits working with the Empire during the Galactic Civil War. It has been said that Bossk’s first act upon being hatched on Trandosha was to devour the eggs of his other siblings. And while Bossk would be trained as a bounty hunter by his father, it would seem there is bad blood between the two, with some online sources stating that it involved the younger Trandoshan not being able to capture Han Solo and Chewbacca. It is noteworthy that the Trandoshans and Wookies have a long-standing rivalry, as the reptilian species delights in hunting, capturing, and skinning their prey to be used a gruesome trophies.
Make no mistake about it, the Trandoshans are extremely capable warriors and hunters, known just as much for their fierce nature as their cruelty. Although having said that Bossk would wind up acting as a mentor/bodyguard of sorts to a young Boba Fett, even sticking by the teenager during their period of incarceration in the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center on Coruscant to protect him. After escaping the prison the two would stay together as a team when Boba founded the Krayt’s Claw syndicate, although the two bounty hunters would find their paths finally diverging, only to meet up again when answering a job from none other than Darth Vader. The job being offered by the Dark Lord of the Sith was to locate the Millennium Falcon and capture those aboard… but no disintegrations.
Like with Dengar, Bossk ended up working for Jabba the Hutt and can be briefly glimpsed in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – although as I understand it, in Star Wars canon as it is now, it is unknown whether the Trandoshan survived the rescue of Han Solo and the destruction of Jabba’s sail barge.
Enjoy this informative video focusing on Bossk and past lore now under the Star Wars Legends line of books, comics, and other media.
In closing out this article, let us say that both Dengar and Bossk are hired to bring in Preens B’oola, the Twi’lek criminal located on Corellia. Who do you personally think would be the one to succeed in capturing the target?
Today’s game – and training video – is all about selling! No high pressure sales, or obnoxious sales pitch, but about identifying needs, building relationships, and maximizing the video game experience for guests!
It’s also about a white girl trying ridiculously hard to sound Hip Hop, but also about selling video games!
Friends, it has been far too long since I last tackled an entry in the ongoing look back at Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe, time just managed to slip away from me it would seem. Which is most assuredly something that the third entry in the first issue of the Who’s Who series would know all about, as Abra Kadabra hails from the 64th Century. Before we dive into the history of the character though, here is a brief recap on the Who’s Who series.
Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe originally saw publication back in 1985 and the initial 26 issue run was a rather amazing deep dive into the then current history of the characters of DC Comics. The series was headed up by Len Wein (Swamp Thing), Marv Wolfman (The New Teen Titans), and Robert Greenberger (Starlog). And for those of us of a certain age the Who’s Who series was a beloved guide into the rich lore of the Golden and Silver Age characters of DC Comics – many who can still be found appearing in recent animated and live action series. Such as Abra Kadabra who showed up in the 18th episode of Season 3 of The Flash and was played by David Dastmalchian.
Abra Kadabra first appeared in The Flash #128 in May of 1962 and was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, the duo also co-created the characters of Detective Chimp, Elongated Man, and The Phantom Stranger among others. Broome would be hired by DC Comics in 1946, his first story is assumed to be “The City of Shifting Sand” in All-Flash #22. Infantino would join with DC about a year later and the first story he illustrated from a script by Robert Kanigher (Co-Creator of Sgt. Rock) was entitled “The Black Canary”, it was a Johnny Thunder feature and was the first appearance of Black Canary, who began as a villain but would show up as a member of the Justice Society of America just a few issues later!
IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ROCKFORD JAY COLLECTION.
The entry for Abra Kadabra in the first volume of the Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe lists this personal data:
Alter Ego: Unknown
Occupation: Former Stage Magician, now Professional Criminal
Marital Status: Unknown
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: None
Base of Operations: 20th and 64th Century Earth
First Appearance:TheFlash #128
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 195 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black
As we learn in his first appearance, Abra Kadabra is a devoted practitioner of stage magic in the year 6363, while it is commendable that the magician is devoted to his craft, the technology of the era has rendered it all but obsolete. This is something that is obviously distressing to Abra, although upon hearing that scientists have managed to develop a working time machine, the scoundrel decides that it is time to travel back to the 20th Century with his advanced technology, where a stage magician might properly find both an audience and admiration. Upon entering the lab Abra uses the “Hypno-Ray” installed within the gem-flower he wears on the lapel of his suit, stunning the scientists just long enough to get into the time machine and whisk himself away to the Central City of the 20th Century. The trip back in time will only work once, especially since the machine is destroyed when the stage magician arrives at his destination.
Abra Kadabra wastes little time in trying to impress an audience, performing sleight of hand on a busy street corner, while they are indeed impressed they fail to applaud. The offended stage magician then turns his Hypno-Ray on those gathered before him to force their cheers and clapping. And although it is not specifically stated, it is highly suggested that he uses that piece of technology dishonestly to obtain enough enough money to pay for a theater – unfortunately his big debut is overlooked thanks to the final game of the World Series.
Realizing that he needs to come up with an exceptional way to capture the attention of the public, Abra decides to steal the Statue of Freedom during its dedication at the Central City park. Barry Allen is in attendance at the event but as he is about to change into his Flash costume, the magician once again uses that Hypno-Ray to paralyze the stunned audience before teleporting away. This daring daylight heist gets the attention of newspapers as well as the Flash, but Abra Kadabra has no plans of slowing down just yet, showing up at the Central City library to steal (teleport) the oldest book ever printed. The Flash almost reaches the villain before he is blasted by the magician’s Hypno-Ray once again, forced to stomp his feet and clap his hands while Abra gets away.
Embolden by getting away with his crimes as well as showing up the Flash, the magician realizes that the hero could be a true threat to his crime sprees. Abra Kadabra decides to lay a trap for the speedster by publicly announcing that he will host a free exhibition – in addition to performing the greatest magic trick ever seen. When the Flash shows up at the theater to arrest the magician, Abra uses his ‘magic’ to rocket Barry Allen sans costume into space, thankfully the hero’s speed aura protects him while hurtling through the solar system. Landing upon an asteroid, the speedster runs so fast that he is able to launch himself back to Earth.
In an attempt to track Abra Kadabra down, the speedster vibrates until he matches the radiation left behind by the magicians ‘magic’. Upon finding where Abra is holed up, the Flash moves faster than light, physically placing the villain smack dab in front of his own paralyzing Hypno-Ray. The Flash not only returns all of the items that Abra Kadabra stole but deposits the paralyzed trickster in jail, wondering where the magician came from and how he came by his dangerous abilities.
In closing out this article, it should come as no surprise that Abra Kadabra eventually shrugs off that paralyzation beam and has managed to become a recurring thorn in the Flash’s side since his debut 59 years ago in the pages of The Flash #128. Over the years the villain has managed to obtain actual magical abilities instead of just relying on his superior technology – courtesy of making a deal with the demon Neron in exchange for his soul during the Underworld Unleashed mini-series event.
Friends, I was killing some time at work the other day by visiting Bloody Disgusting, which is an excellent source of horror news for all of you Fright Fans. I was reading an editorial from Luiz H. C. regarding Jurassic Park: Trespasser, the rather infamous computer game from DreamWorks Interactive and Electronic Arts that was released in 1998 and acted as a sequel to the events of The Lost World: Jurassic Park. The game even featured the vocal talents of both Minnie Driver (Grosse Pointe Blank) as well as Richard Attenborough (The Great Escape). However, the article also happened to mention two other games that were based off of the Jurassic Park films, and while I knew of 1997’s Chaos Island: The Lost World as I owned it… I had no recollection at all of Warpath: Jurassic Park which was released on October 31st of 1999.
As during that time I was employed at the local Suncoast Motion Picture Company in the mall and was able to frequently visit the EB Games and the FYE stores, just a few doors down the hall, I really do not understand how I missed Warpath: Jurassic Park. Especially considering that it looks a little similar to an arcade title that I absolutely loved back in the day, 1994’s Primal Rage by Atari!
Warpath: Jurassic Park was developed by Black Ops Entertainment and released by Electronic Arts and DreamWorks Interactive for the PlayStation, the fighting game offered 7 modes of play ranging from arcade to a museum feature that let you learn about the dinosaurs themselves. At the beginning of the game, a player had to choose from eight dinosaurs, although as I understand it when beating the arcade mode an additional six dinosaurs would be made available in the select screen.
It might surprise you to learn that Velociraptor is not an option in this Jurassic Park fighting game, but considering the size of the dinosaur I suppose it is understandable. Having said that however, a player could choose the Megaraptor in addition to Acrocanthosaurus, Albertosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, Cryolophosaurus, Giganotosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Spinosaurus, Stygimoloch, Styracosaurus, Suchomimus, Triceratops, and of course Tyrannosaurus.
If you have an hour and a half of free time, you can watch a playthrough of Warpath: Jurassic Park!
Friends, it was just a few days ago that we saw the conclusion of the all too brief second season of Shudder’s Creepshow. Although it has to be said that over the nine stories or segments that made up Season 2, the love for classic monsters and horror films was most assuredly front and center. This season started off strong with the absolutely fantastic segments “Monster Kid” and “Public Television of the Dead”, with the latter basically being a continuation of the Evil Dead franchise. Having said that however is the staggering amount of horror alumni that Creepshow landed for this second go around, just a few notable actors include Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator), Kevin Dillon (The Blob), Ted Raimi (Evil Dead II), Ali Larter (Final Destination), Keith David (The Thing), Ryan Kwanten (Dead Silence), as well as Justin Long (Jeepers Creepers).
The iconic Greg Nicotero (Day of the Dead, The Walking Dead) wears many hats on Creepshow, being the showrunner, in addition to a writer, and director. In fact he directed the Season 2 finale entitled “Night of the Living Late Show”, from a script by Dana Gould (The Simpsons) – who just so happened to have starred in the Season 1 segment “Skinwalkers”. While the Season 2 finale benefits from having such actors as Long, D’Arcy Carden (The Good Place), and Hannah Fierman (V/H/S) in it’s ranks, it is the fact that it revolves around 1972’s Horror Express that is the really incredible part!
I will not be going into full spoilers as this article is not exactly a review of “Night of the Living Late Show”. But the basic gist of the story though is that Simon (Long) is an inventor who has created something revolutionary that he calls the immersopod, a virtual reality device that possesses hundreds of cameras that aid in inserting a user into any film they might desire. In the case of Simon, that means he can enjoy being an extra in Horror Express, interacting with the characters played by the late and great Christopher Lee as well as Peter Cushing. The advanced technological marvel that Simon has created though allows for total sensory input, meaning you can be an active participant in whichever movie you might choose.
As was touched on in both the original novel by Ernest Cline and the 2018 Ready Player One film adaptation, that type of virtual escape if it existed in the real world could be extremely addictive. At least that appears to be the case with Simon who quickly begins to ignore his wife, Renee (Carden), in favor of the affections of Countess Irina Petrovska, who was played by Silvia Tortosa in 1972’s Horror Express but is doubled by Fierman in this segment. Throughout the story though it is revealed that perhaps Simon hasn’t been honest with Renee for quite some time… and the poor woman might have had enough of it.
“Night of the Living Late Show” really does pull off some impressive merging of Long’s character of Simon and Renee into Horror Express, while it might not always come off without a hitch, considering the low budget of the Creepshow series it is an impressive feat nonetheless.
In closing out this article, I want to say that this second season of Creepshow has proved entertaining and I hope that we will have many more seasons of the series to look forward to in the years to come. Of course with any anthology series there were some stories that were better than others, but I wouldn’t say that any segment was outright a failure when all is said and done. And for what it is worth, Shudder has already given the green light to a third season of Creepshow – one can’t hope that come this October that we might be getting a treat instead of a trick, right?
Friends, while it is true that the Projectionist and I just tackled Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds on the latest Saturday Frights podcast, that doesn’t mean that the iconic director was the first to adapt the original story by Daphne du Maurier. Ten years before Hitchcock put the likes of Tippi Hedren and Rod Taylor and the citizens of Bodega Bay in peril by the unexpected attacks of the birds, it was Lux Radio Theatre that featured an hour long adaptation that starred Herbert Marshall (Foreign Correspondent) in the role of John Waite, the narrator and main protagonist for the episode.
Like most adaptations, the script for the radio play by James Cole takes some liberties with the source material. For one thing the main character of Maurier’s story is named Nat Hocken and whose occupation is as a part-time farm hand. In the thrilling Lux Radio Theatre version however, Waite happens to be a writer by profession and resides with his Family in a modest home on the Dover coast. It is his journal that is being read from during the episode, giving us a firsthand account of the uprising of the birds. Beginning with multiple odd occurrences to the Waite Family and their neighbors, eventually becoming an all out aggressive avian assault by the end of the episode.
You might be interested to know that the Lux Radio Theatre began as a radio program that would adapt popular Broadway productions, being first broadcast on October 14th of 1934 and would continue until June 7th of 1955. As I understand it, after two seasons of popular radio plays, the format changed to adapting motion pictures and eventually stories like The Birds.
A legion of talented actors would appear on the show, often in adaptation of the films they were currently starring in after those first two seasons. Just a few include the likes of James Stewart (Winchester ’73), Bette Davis (Burnt Offerings), William Powell and Myrna Loy (The Thin Man), Errol Flynn (The Adventures of Robin Hood), as well as Fay Wray (King Kong).
In addition the long running radio series also found itself becoming just as popular when it made the jump to television as the Lux Video Theatre on October 2nd of 1950. Beginning on CBS it would jump to NBC in 1953, featuring none other than James Mason (Salem’s Lot) as host for the 1954 – 1955 season, and would last until 1957.
Friends, for this week’s Toon In offering we are not going with the traditional cell animation for this go around, but a classic 1947 bit of “stop-motion” animation courtesy of the George Pal Studio. One of his popular Puppetoon series of theatrical shorts, 8 of which you might be interested to learn were Oscar nominations. That includes Tubby the Tuba which was originally released to movie theaters back on July 11th of 1947, although I must point out that the Academy Award went to Tweetie Pie, which happened to be the very first Merrie Melodies animated short to feature the characters of Sylvester and Tweety Bird.
To be fair, the Puppetoon series was a subgenre of stop-motion animation called replacement animation. A technique where the animator uses multiple premade parts on the stop-motion model, many time those will involve facial features, with the artist just snapping them on and off. For a fantastic example of the replacement animation style, one need only recall the exceptional The Nightmare Before Christmas from back in 1993 or Coraline from 2009.
When all was said and done, around 70 Puppetoonshorts were created between 1932 until 1948, George Pal would have done more however but the cost of making them soared after World War II. As I have read online it has been reported that a theatrical short animated this way would take thousands and thousands of carved parts. Although the ceasing of making such animated shorts ended up being a boon for Pal, as he would go on to become a director of such live action films as 1960’s The Time Machine – which did in fact feature stop-motion animation.
In Tubby the Tuba we are introduced to a cast of characters that make up an anthropomorphic orchestra. The titular character is not happy though as he feels left out of the fun of playing beautiful melodies like those his fellow instruments provide. All seems lost for Tubby until he happens to come across a very helpful frog, who on seeing how depressed he has become gifts him with a tune that is appropriate for a tuba. The question of course is will this be enough to impress the conductor of the orchestra?
You might be interested to know that Tubby the Tuba was based off a 1945 song of the same name by Paul Tripp and George Kleinsinger, with the Puppetoon short featuring narration by Victor Jory (Gone with the Wind).
Friends, in the over ten years that I have been writing online, from my original blog to the Retroist and now with Pop Culture Retrorama, I think that I have successfully gotten across the point that I am a fan of horror. It has always been my go-to genre thanks to being raised as a Monster Kid on the likes of the Universal Monsters, The Twilight Zone, Creepy magazines, and Weird War Tales comic books to name a few. However it always seemed like that besides my Father, the rest of my family and friends never cared to discuss any of the horror movies that I saw on the weekends. That changed though when Gremlins was released to theaters on June 8th of 1984, because it seemed like every where I went I could find people to talk about the film.
Of course let us not forget that almost everywhere you went after the film was released you could also buy merchandise such as toys, video games, clothing, and Ralston Gremlins cereal!
Here is a fun fact for you, the first actor featured in that television commercial is Jonathan Ward (Charles in Charge), who would also appear in the excellent 1985 Twilight Zone episode entitled “The Shadow Man”. Which just so happened to have been helmed by none other than Gremlins‘ director Joe Dante – which for what it might be worth was featured in an earlier episode of the Saturday Frights podcast.
Which brings us back around to the subject for this article, this Gremlins promotional documentary which as I understand it was produced by Laurent Bouzereau (The Warriors) and features behind the scenes footage captured by the iconic Mick Garris (Fantasy Film Festival, Nightmare Cinema). Both Garris and Dante are two directors that I greatly admire, so it is a blast to get to see the latter kidding around with the likes of Hoyt Axton and John Louie on the set. In addition to featuring brief interviews with Steven Spielberg, Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, as well as Chris Walas – who was responsible for the design of the hilarious yet deadly titular creatures of the film.
Friends, we have a brand new episode of the Saturday Frights podcast for you today, and this time the Projectionist and I are tackling yet another classic picture. Most of you Fright Fans might recall that on the last show we discussed 1981’s The Howling… well… on this episode we are talking about 1963’s The Birds. While Alfred Hitchcock most definitely has legions of fans when it comes to his films and even his popular and long running television series, it kind of seems like a lot of people are rather dismissive of The Birds. That is something that the Projectionist and I bring up in this episode, in addition to possibly providing a little more background information than usual on the making of the film.
Although we do mention it in the episode itself, The Birds wasn’t exactly well regarded when it was originally released on March 29th of 1963. That might have had something to do with the box office success of Psycho in 1960, the popularity of which seems to have also caused Hitchcock to spend a couple of years attempting to find just the right movie to be his next project. And The Birds turned out to be a pretty daunting film to bring to the big screen, with a much bigger cast and lots of special effects.
I think it is safe to say that Alfred Hitchcock was up to the task though, although the film did have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the cast. From Tippi Hedren (Marnie) as the lead to the likes of Rod Taylor (The Time Machine), Jessica Tandy (Driving Miss Daisy), Veronica Cartwright (Alien), and Suzanne Pleshette (The Bob Newhart Show) to name just a few.
We thank you as always for taking the time out of your busy schedule to listen to the show, so without further ado, let us all take a trip to Bodega Bay… but beware of The Birds!
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
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Friends, it has been a little while since we’ve had a new Retro Radio Memories offering. This time we are going to be enjoying an episode from the Dark Fantasy series entitled “Pennsylvania Turnpike”, which was originally broadcast on March 20th of 1942. For what it might be worth, we have actually shined the spotlight on Dark Fantasy in the past, with “W is for Werewolf“, but that story focused on a couple visiting a private island and getting involved with lycanthropy. “Pennsylvania Turnpike” would have made a nice episode to adapt for The Twilight Zone television series!
I was a latecomer to the Dark Fantasy series, in fact I found out about it thanks to my time writing at the Retroist. Debuting on station WKY in Oklahoma City on November 14th of 1941, it would be carried on NBC affiliate radio stations for a total of 31 episodes until June 19th of 1942. Although two of those episodes include a lost show entitled “Curare” and the final broadcast was a second reading of “The Devil Tree”, which was originally broadcast on December 5th of ’41.
In “Pennsylvania Turnpike” we are introduced to a most curious stranger. At the beginning of the radio show, we find out that this ‘old’ man has all sorts of bizarre mannerisms. From the way he is dressed to the coins he carries on him, in addition to the the fact he has never heard of a sandwich. It would certainly seem like this man is from a different period of time, which is of course exactly the case – no spoilers there, you will hear for yourself he is quite up front about the whole situation. Of course the question is why this man would appear in modern times? The desire for justice can be a powerful force, friends… perhaps strong enough even to sustain a person until they can right a past wrong? Although having said that, like with The Twilight Zone on a rare occasion, an innocent person might be targeted.
So turn down the lights if you are able and find out what is going down on the “Pennsylvania Turnpike”, courtesy of Dark Fantasy as well as the Old Time Radio Researchers Group.
While I have said it before in regards to Old Time Radio programming, it does bear repeating that it still is a valid form of entertainment. It’s ability, at least in the case of shows like Dark Fantasy to give us the creeps 80 years later – that is something pretty incredible, right?
Friends, Brett Weiss wanted to pass along this essay from his upcoming book, The NES Omnibus: The Nintendo Entertainment System And Its Games, Volume 2 (M -Z) which has begun a Kickstarter campaign.
Super Mario Bros. 2 Essay by Shane Stein, executive producer of The Game Chasers Movie Excerpted from Brett Weiss’s forthcoming book, The NES Omnibus: The Nintendo Entertainment System and Its Games, Volume 2 (M-Z), NOW ON KICKSTARTER.
We often make seemingly innocuous decisions that end up profoundly affecting us far in the future. These can be recognized only in hindsight, and we all likely have many such instances to marvel over and be thankful for. In my case, perhaps the most significant such episode involves the NES.
Virtually every kid who touched a control pad in the late ’80s loved Super Mario Bros. In late 1988, as whispers grew that a sequel soon would be headed to stores, anticipation around my neighborhood and at school (I had just started fifth grade) was, to put it mildly, off the charts. And on that first school day after Super Mario Bros. 2’s release date, I vividly recall sitting with my friends at lunch when a kid named Jake, who was a grade below me, ran up to our table, unzipped his backpack, and triumphantly pulled out the boxed treasure his parents must have just purchased for him. The facial expressions of everyone at our table revealed a singular shared reaction: You are so lucky!!
Now, Jake and I were not close pals at the time; friendly, yes, but I really only knew him because he was my good friend Mike’s first cousin. Indeed, he probably raced to our lunch table simply to ask Mike to play the game together after school. But at that moment, with little hope of soon owning SMB2 myself (I usually received NES games only on birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions), I knew exactly who I needed to hang out with, and pronto. And sure enough, I ended up playing plenty of Nintendo with Jake going forward.
Notwithstanding this superficial beginning, Jake and I quickly became close friends, and remain so to this day. Twelve years after our initial bonding over SMB2, he and I attended a party where he introduced me to an attractive brunette named Tracey, who I asked out after five minutes of conversation. She and I went to dinner two nights later and have been together since, marrying in 2003 and becoming parents to three wonderful kids.
I’ve already of course told him plenty, but thank you again, Jake. And thank you, Mario. My princess was indeed in the right castle.
The NES Omnibus: The Nintendo Entertainment System and Its Games, Volume 2 (M-Z) is a fun and informative look at ALL the original Nintendo Entertainment System games released in the US starting with the letters M-Z. More than 360 games are featured, including such iconic titles as Metroid, Super Mario Bros., and Tetris, as well as such hidden gems and cult classics as Mighty Final Fight, Trog!, and River City Ransom. In addition to thorough gameplay descriptions, the book includes box art, screenshots, reviews, fun facts, historical data, memories from the author, vintage magazine ads and quotes, and, best of all, nostalgic stories about many of the games from programmers, authors, YouTube celebs, filmmakers, and other industry insiders. Contributing authors include “8-Bit” Eric, Chris “The Irate Gamer” Bores, and John “Gamester81” Lester, among many other noteworthy gamers. Each game gets at least one full page of coverage in this gorgeous hardcover coffee table book.
Friends, I hope you are more than ready to take a trip back to 1982 with Video Games: A Public Perspective, which was a public service video for communities worried about video games and arcades. During the Golden Age of the arcades it is certainly easy to see why Atari would spend the effort to produce and fund the nearly 20 minute long PSA, the older people who are interviewed at the beginning of the video itself sum up a lot of the fears that were running rampant back in the day.
As was demonstrated in that video by Patrick Scott Patterson, it’s not like video game worries have ever truly ceased to be a concern for panic among certain groups. Before I dive into why you should set aside your time to watch Video Games: A Public Perspective though, I need to point out that until yesterday I didn’t even know it existed. It was all thanks to the historians over at Atarimania who have shared the 1982 Atari community awareness pamphlet, which besides offering a VHS copy of the public service announcement, also added the option for an industry spokesperson to appear in front of a concerned community group to discuss any lingering fears.
Now I feel that bit of Atari history is worthy of a post all on it’s own, to demonstrate how the legendary game company was trying to get out ahead of the very same fears that managed to cause pinball to be banned for so many years in most cities. Having said all of that however, Video Games: A Public Perspective also happens to provide an amazing look back at the Golden Age of arcades and video games. In addition it also features interviews with the likes of Dona Bailey, who of course designed the Atari classic Centipede back in 1981. Bailey just so happens to live in my neck of the woods, although as far as I am aware, she has yet to pay a visit to the arcade I work at.
Perhaps what is most surprising in the video though is how many level-headed concerns as well as solutions are brought up in Video Games: A Public Perspective. Granted most of them fall on the side of pro-video games, but my favorite comes from Vinnie Settembre – who looks like he could whip up a mean pizza!
Friends, when The Night Stalker was aired as the ABC Movie of the Week on the evening of January 11th of 1972, it was a massive success to say the very least. It managed to earn a 33.2 rating and a 54 share of the television viewers that night, the highest rating for an original television movie for that time. The lion’s share of credit for the popularity of that made-for-TV movie goes to the late and great Darren McGavin as Carl Kolchak, a former Chicago newspaper reporter who has been sacked from the major papers and finds himself working in Las Vegas. Which is how the hapless Kolchak finds himself stumbling onto the biggest case of his career, a serial killer that is in fact… a vampire.
Of course it didn’t hurt The Night Stalker that it featured a slew of solid character actors like Simon Oakland, Ralph Meeker, Claude Akins, Elisha Cook Jr., Carol Lynley, and Barry Atwater to name just a few. Not to mention the fact that it was based off an excellent and at that point unpublished novel by Jeff Rice, with none other than Richard Matheson (I Am Legend, The Twilight Zone) adapting the story into an incredible screenplay.
The popularity of that 1972 TV movie led to 1973’s The Night Strangler, in this made-for-TV film Carl Kolchak finds himself running afoul of a serial killer in Seattle, Washington – one that is using his victims to prolong his own life and has been doing so for over a century.
It would have been an amazing bit of trivia to share on the Saturday Frights podcast, when the Projectionist and I tackled The Night Stalker on an early episode. But there was in fact a third TV movie written by William F. Nolan (Logan’s Run), based on a story idea by Matheson. Entitled The Night Killers, it would have taken place in Hawaii with Kolchak stumbling upon a UFO, people being replaced by androids, and a plot for aliens to take over the Earth. ABC decided that the popularity of the character however was better suited for a television series, with the first episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker airing on September 13th of 1974.
It was in 1974 when this interview between David Moore of KBAK-TV in Bakersfield, California and the legendary Darren McGavin took place. It sounds like it was just before the first episode aired and it sure seems to me that McGavin is excited about returning to the role of Carl Kolchak. My only complaint is that I wish this interview would have run for at least half an hour, as it is an absolute pleasure to witness the charm and wit of McGavin.
Friends, it was while writing for the Retroist that I learned there is an all-important question for fans of classic science fiction and horror B-movies with a sense of humor… Joel or Mike? I can recall being taken aback by just how passionate some Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans were when it came to which host they preferred. Although no battle lines were drawn in the sand that I can recall, some of the comments on the article were at the very least strongly worded. Having said that however I believe that the majority of MSTies know that both Joel Hodgson and Micheal J. Nelson are equally fantastic, as is Jonah Ray who joined the ranks of Human hosts thanks to the two seasons streamed on Netflix. But it was 25 years ago today that Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie was released to the big screen… at least 26 theaters were lucky enough to receive the film that is.
I happened to be working at a local movie theater when Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie was advertised to come out on April 19th of 1996. As the theater was literally run by cinephiles, we immediately began planning on how we would decorate the theater in an effort to promote the film. There was even talk of making a cardboard cut out of Mike, Tom Servo (Kevin Murphy), and Crow T. Robot (Trace Beaulieu), painting it black and placing it on the partition in front of the screen. And then one day we received instructions from the home office to remove the posters from the lobby as we wouldn’t be carrying the film.
Thanks to an oral history article by Adam Carston for The A.V. Club published earlier this afternoon, I found out some interesting facts about what the process was like for the cast and writers of MST3K to make the jump to the big screen. Such as the fact that the attempt to make a movie began when Joel Hodgson was with the show, it was one of the reasons he eventually decided to step away from the series he had created with the 107th episode – Mitchell!
I don’t think that I am spoiling that A.V. Club article too much to say that overall the experience working on the film version of MST3K wasn’t the best for the cast and crew. Although it certainly sounds like there were some high points, such as getting the opportunity to sit in a screening room and checking out the vast catalog of Universal Pictures movies and TV shows. One of the most surprising things was that they entertained the notion of possibly riffing the likes of Kolchak: The Night Stalker as well as Night Gallery.
My first chance though to see Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie was when it was released to video stores in October of 1996. I have to be totally honest and admit that I was a little hesitant about the fact they were riffing on This Island Earth. I get a little defensive when it comes to anything related to the Universal Monster pantheon, a roster that the iconic Metaluna Mutant in the film is part of. Having said all of that however, I was giggling in a matter of minutes after the film had started.
In closing out this article, here is to 25 years of Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie. With a new and already successful Kickstarter campaign underway that is attempting to raise the necessary funds to produce new episodes without the assistance of a network, it looks like we will all be enjoying MST3K for some time to come.
Friends, I have talked about my love of The Prisoner television show in past articles and podcasts over the years, something about the 1967 science fiction/spy thriller which was co-created and starred Patrick McGoohan (Braveheart) really clicked with me. It might have had a little something to do with the fact that my Father would continuously tell me about the show while I was growing up, the ambiguity of the actual meaning of the series made it seem incredibly fascinating. It was after High School though when I was working at a mom and pop video store that I learned the cult classic TV show was being offered on VHS by Columbia House. As I had disposable income at that time in my life I quickly signed up and wound up purchasing all 17 episodes of The Prisoner, and while I have most assuredly picked up the series on both DVD as well as Blu-ray over the years, I’ve managed to hold onto those Columbia House video cassettes out of a sense of nostalgia.
After watching “The Arrival”, the groundbreaking first episode of The Prisoner, I was absolutely hooked and did my level best to share it with friends and even co-workers. Although much like when the series originally aired it was met with varying degrees of acceptance, from outright ridicule to thankfully a few seeing what made the show so amazing.
For such a remarkable cult television series however it has always been a little shocking how little official merchandise has been produced for fans to purchase. While there have been numerous books on the creation of the show as well as a few comic books, novelizations, soundtracks, and of course clothing based on the series for fans to pick up… what has really been missing is an action figure line.
With the subject matter of The Prisoner TV series, you can understand why toy manufacturers weren’t exactly beating down the door in 1967. But thanks to the Kickstarter by Wandering Planet Toys, one that has already been fully funded I should add, we can finally add multiple plastic versions of McGoohan’s Number 6 to our shelves – to say nothing of obtaining the nightmarish Rover and of course the Eric Portman version of Number 2.
Make sure to check out the Kickstarter which has 37 days left for you to find time to back the project. There are multiple levels of pledges from a single Number 6 action figure to a two-pack set based off of the episode entitled “The Schizoid Man”. Wandering Planet Toys has pointed out that these officially licensed action figures for The Prisoner are just the first wave, hopefully this Kickstarter will be a massive success and we might see even more iconic Number 2’s or perhaps a two-pack set based on the episode “Living in Harmony”?
Friends, before Back to the Future Part II was released on November 22nd of 1989, there was a behind the scenes special aired on NBC on the evening of November 17th. One that happened to be hosted by the late and great Leslie Nielsen, who was experiencing a rise in popularity thanks to 1988’s The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!. Although Nielsen obviously had nothing to do with either Back to the Future or it’s 1989 sequel, he was a fantastic choice to act as host for the television event. During the airing of the 1985 film as I understand it, Nielsen would narrate and host the behind the scenes segments from both films – keeping in mind at the time it was a complete secret that Back to the Future Part II ended in a cliffhanger!
I am not sure what I was doing the night the Back to the Future Part II special was shown, but until I stumbled across that video, I have never had the pleasure of seeing it before. Which is curious as I was and still am a huge fan of the trilogy of films, in fact I am that odd duck that really loves Back to the Future Part III more than the other two movies.
While I might have missed that NBC special on TV I was most definitely at the first Saturday matinee showing of the highly anticipated sequel to Back to the Future. And while even in my youth I did my best to avoid spoilers for films, I broke the rule and picked up the novelization for Back to the Future Part II the day before seeing the movie. Judging by the reaction of that packed auditorium when the ‘To Be Continued’ title popped up on the screen, I was the only one who knew that Marty and Doc’s adventures weren’t quite over. The massive groan that came from the crowd turned to grumblings as the majority of them rose from their seats and started to head for the door… just seconds before they rushed back to their seats as the teaser for Back to the Future Part III began.
Now before I end this article on that 1989 Back to the Future Part II special, I would be criminally remiss if I didn’t point out that if you are a fan of the films, you need to check out this interview with the esteemed Rob Klein – pop culture historian and archivist extraordinaire!
Friends, I was extremely lucky to have the chance to visit Walt Disney World in Orlando at a very early age. It was the Summer before I was to begin first grade and my Grandparents felt a trip to Walt Disney World was in order, taking a leisurely drive from our neck of the woods to Orlando, Florida. All in the comfort of a rather large RV, although we made plenty of stops to stretch our legs and visit one or two roadside attractions as well as a few beaches (Perhaps I might share the jellyfish or snake story one of these days). It was a magical trip to say the very least although it did confuse my Grandparents why I was absolutely terrified during the Snow White’s Adventures ride, covering my eyes with my hands and refusing to remove them until it was over. Having said that however I could not get enough of The Haunted Mansion, dragging them into the queue over and over again, cackling with joy as we rode our Doom Buggy through that delightful and welcome home for the 999 happy haunts that reside within.
You tell them, Madame Leota!
And while I was able to experience the thrill of The Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World two additional times in my life, I have not yet had the pleasure of visiting Disneyland in Anaheim, California. But thanks to the Disney Parks blog, it was revealed that when the theme park reopens at the end of April, the Disneyland Haunted Mansion is going to have a few new additions. From a portrait entitled “April to December” that will now proudly hang in the portrait hallway to additional monuments to beloved pets such as Old Flybait the frog (“He Croaked”) outside of the mansion.
In fact thanks to the Disney Parks YouTube channel you can get a brief look at what to expect when Disneyland reopens on April 30th. As a bonus it appears that the video is narrated by none other than Disney Imagineer Kim Irvine, who just so happens to be the daughter of Leota Toombs, the original Imagineer who provided the face of Madame Leota and the voice of the Ghostess in the final scene of The Haunted Mansion!
Friends, one of my most cherished childhood toys was the Fisher-Price Movie Viewer Theater, which I believe was released back in 1977. The handheld movie viewer which was originally released in ’73 was obviously easier to take to school or on car trips, but it was that 1977 Movie Viewer Theater though that captured my heart. Thanks to being able to not just watch the Super 8 mm shorts on the much larger screen of the viewer, but I could also flip a dial and cast the moving images on a nearby blank wall or sheet. I am extremely happy to say that not only is that beloved toy still in my collection but it is in working order, to say nothing of the fact that I now possess nearly a complete collection of those Fisher-Price film cartridges.
As I understand it, Kenner actually beat Fisher-Price to the punch back in 1973 with the Cassette Movie Projector, although they didn’t stop there. Just two years later they would produce the Snoopy Drive-In Movie Theater as well as the handheld Snoopy Movie Viewer. While I believe that four Peanuts shorts were made for the Fisher-Price Viewer and Theater, Kenner would produce a total of 12 cartridges in their line.
Considering that I frequently discuss the local drive-in theater of my youth on the Saturday Frights podcast, it probably won’t surprise you to learn that I was blown away when I received the Snoopy Drive-In Movie Theater as a kid. From the plastic Snoopy sitting in his car looking up at the ‘drive-in’ screen to the fact that Woodstock was running the concession stand, it just managed to always make me smile.
Interestingly enough, besides those 12 carts focusing on Peanuts characters, Kenner also ended up releasing six cartridges for The Six Million Dollar Man as well as film carts for the likes of Speed Buggy, Grape Ape, and Scooby-Doo among other Hanna-Barbera cartoons.
“Bring on Godzilla!”
Sadly my Snoopy Drive-In Movie Theater is no longer functioning, and I assure you that my finger hovers over the ‘Buy It Now’ button when looking on eBay, but at least we can enjoy watching it in action thanks to this YouTube video!
Friends, after finishing up that article the other evening on release of the Army of the Dead trailer, which as I pointed out was wise to use Kenny Roger’s popular “The Gambler” tune during the preview, I had the hankering to pull out his 1978 album of the same name. As I was sitting listening to the LP I couldn’t help but think back to when I first heard it at my grandparents on a weekend long ago. Which also reminded me of the time that Kenny Rogers was the special guest on The Muppet Show, a beloved television series that I would watch while spending the weekends with my grandfather and grandmother. While I was not the biggest fan of country and western music as a kid, it was these weekends with my grandparents that I did develop a love for the likes of Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Horton, The Oakridge Boys, Dolly Parton, and of course Kenny Rogers.
To be completely honest, my grandfather wasn’t exactly a fan of The Muppet Show, I think he found it to be far too silly. He would either fall asleep on the couch while it was playing or he would tinker on his motorcycle out in the garage when I was watching the show. I do remember him paying attention though when Kenny Rogers appeared on the October 1979 episode of the series, ending up performing “Love Lifted Me” from the 1975 album of the same name in addition to “The Gambler”.
The character of the Gambler during the segment was performed by the late and great Jerry Nelson. The talented puppeteer who brought us the likes of Count von Count and the original Mr. Snuffleupagus on Sesame Street, as well as Sgt. Floyd Pepper, Crazy Harry, and Uncle Deadly on The Muppet Show – to name just a very few of the characters he brought to life in the 47 years he was active as a performer.
You might be interested to know that Kenny Rogers was not the first artist to record “The Gambler”, that honor goes to Don Schlitz who also wrote the song back in August of 1976. As I understand it, Schlitz tried to get other artists and labels interested in the song for two years before Bobby Bare ended up recording it for his album entitled Bare. Besides Schlitz and Bare, Johnny Cash would release it on his Gone Baby album. The tune however didn’t take off until Kenny Rogers recorded a cover of it for his sixth studio album which he entitled The Gambler, so if you are keeping count that is four artists who recorded and released the song in 1978 alone.
Kenny Rogers would earn a Grammy for Song of the Year and Best Male Country Vocal Performance, to say nothing of the fact that “The Gambler” would reach #1 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs as well as nabbing the number 3 spot for Adult Contemporary and even taking the 16th slot on their Hot 100 list.
Friends, earlier today Netflix released the official trailer for the upcoming Zack Snyder directed Army of the Dead, which looks like it is ready to double down on zombie action and thrills when it pits Dave Bautista against a horde of the living dead in Las Vegas. This is actually the first of three projects though in this new ‘Army’ zombie cinematic universe scheduled to hit Netflix. As there is also an upcoming anime series entitled Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas as well as a prequel film called Army of Thieves.
Snyder is no stranger though to the zombie genre thanks to 2004’s Dawn of the Dead, itself a remake of the classic 1978 film by the late and great George A. Romero. I was one of those many fans of Romero’s work that looked on the screenplay by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) as well as the trailer for the remake of the movie with a healthy does of skepticism. Being a huge fan of the zombie genre though, I scheduled a day off from work so I could catch the first showing… and ten minutes after it began I was grinning ear to ear and planning on catching the second matinee as well. That opening to the Zack Snyder version of Dawn of the Dead managed to give you a slice of normalcy and calm before aggressively letting you see it all get swept away overnight.
Perhaps the most surprising fact of 2004’s Dawn of the Dead was just how much fun it was – it was a still a horror film to be sure – but Snyder and Gunn definitely provided some dark laughs and action to go along with the zombie carnage. And judging by the trailer for Army of the Dead it is a return to form for Snyder, especially with the “Always Bet on Dead” tagline as seen on the official poster. Word of warning though before you check out the trailer for yourself, there is a brief moment of SALTY language, but thankfully it doesn’t cross the PG-13 line. And kudos by the way to the filmmaker for using the 1978 cover of “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers in the trailer below!
Dave Bautista plays Scott Walker, a former soldier who leads a team of mercenaries into the remains of Las Vegas in the hopes of securing $200 million dollars locked in a vault. Not only does the group have to contend with what looks like intelligent zombies and an undead tiger, but they only have 32 hours before a nuclear bomb is dropped on Las Vegas. If you listen closely to the news report at the beginning of that trailer, the city that never sleeps has been walled off to prevent the zombie hordes from spreading. So I think it’s safe to say that the $50 million pay out will still go a long way for Walker and his team… assuming any of them survive the job, right?
In addition to Bautista, the film also stars Theo Rossi (Luke Cage), Ella Purnell (Sweetbitter), Tig Notaro (One Mississippi), Ana de la Reguera (Goliath), Hiroyuki Sanada (Westworld), Omari Hardwick (Kick-Ass), Matthias Schweighöfer (You Are Wanted), Raúl Castillo (Ghost Tape), Nora Arnezeder (Safe House), Garret Dillahunt (Deadwood), and Samantha Win (Mortal Kombat: Legacy).
As I understand it from reading online, Army of the Dead will be released in select theaters beginning on May 14th with it hitting Netflix one week later.
Back To The Future was one of the original ReAction figure licenses back during the heyday of Super 7’s partnership with Funko. But after that heyday – with saw Back To The Future figures sharing retail peg space with licenses like Universal Studios’ classic movie monsters, Firefly, The Fifth Element and classic Star Trek, the two companies went their separate ways, with Super 7 retaining the ReAction brand and its aim to produce “Kenner-style” action figures for unlikely pop culture brands. Recent years have seen ReAction not only deliver long-overdue action figure lines for cult classic movies, but music brand such as Slayer, Wu-Tang Clan, and yes, they even did an action figure of Lemmy from MotÖrhead. A while, back, they even went further into the future with a line of figures from Back To The Future Part II.
Images courtesy Super7
But the original has not been forgotten, and now Marty and Doc are back in a variety of guises not previously produced in ReAction’s original Back To The Future line. Marty is available in two forms – as we meet him at the beginning of the movie, in the company of Einstein, the world’s first time-traveling dog (take that, K-9!), and in his full head-to-toe hazmat suit when he pays his father George a visit in the past as “Darth Vader of the planet Vulcan”. Doc Brown is back as well, both in his own hazmat gear from the beginning of the movie, and in his younger 1958 form, complete with his elaborate mind-reading helmet (“this thing doesn’t work!”). Best of all, the packaging has been rethought so that it forms a kind of diptych – the Back To The Future figures’ cardboard backing cards show the left half of the time-traveling DeLorean, while the Back To The Future Part II cards show the right half. (For those of us who like to leave a figure or two on the card here and there, this makes a great display piece.)
Images courtesy Super7
The only thing that would make this package sweeter would be a DeLorean to scale, complete with flux capacitor and Mr. Fusion. Hint, hint, ReAction. Get on that. (The sad fact is…we probably shouldn’t hold our collective breath, because it may well be more expensive to license the likeness of a DeLorean DMC-12 than to license the likenesses of Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Maybe they can borrow Luke’s landspeeder or the Batmobile and upgrade those for time travel? Use your imagination, kids. That’s what action figures are for!)
Friends, a surprising number of articles on this site have focused on my love of the Mortal Kombat video game series. And in almost every single one of those posts that I have written I do make a point that while I absolutely adore the lore of that series of games, comic books, animated series, and films… you would probably be hard pressed to find a worse player at fighting games than myself. Having said that I am extremely excited to check out the live action film set to debut on HBO Max as well as in select theaters starting on April 23rd, having been moved back a week from it’s original release date of April 16th (Most folks think that was to give Godzilla vs. Kong a little more breathing room at the box office). To help make that additional week wait a little more bearable, the main theme for the upcoming Mortal Kombat film has been released to help you make your morning just a little more enjoyable. The theme song which is composed by Benjamin Wallfisch (The Invisible Man, Blade Runner 2049) and entitled “Techno Syndrome 2021” as a nod to the 1994 track from Mortal Kombat: The Album by The Immortals.
Working at the retro arcade in my neck of the woods, I am willing to bet you will understand why we are pretty excited about seeing the new movie for ourselves. Although I am saving sharing my experience with 1995 film for a future Pop Culture Retrorama or possibly Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast, I can tell you that I was sitting in the auditorium on opening night… and I might have been the oldest person there. That probably had a little something to do with the fact that the Paul W. S. Anderson adaptation of the game had secured a PG-13 rating. With the upcoming movie by Simon McQuoid it has received an R rating for “strong bloody violence and language throughout, and some crude references.”
IGN As a matter of fact released a short behind the scenes video just a few days, giving us fans of Mortal Kombat a few more glimpses at what we can expect next week when the film is released. Although as I understand it, the complete soundtrack for Mortal Kombat by Benjamin Wallfisch is going to be released on April 16th.
VIDEO AND ARTICLE IMAGE PROVIDED BY IGN… also… HOLY COW – That’s Kabal!
Friends, you might not have realized it but yesterday marked the 40th anniversary of The Howling, the classic werewolf picture directed by the legendary Joe Dante (Gremlins, Small Soldiers). And while I do wish we could have released this latest episode of the Saturday Frights podcast on the actual anniversary, as you will be able to hear for yourself, things at the Haunted Drive-In have kept the Projectionist and I pretty busy. Although considering the running time for this particular episode of the podcast, I feel it is safe to say that we had quite a bit to say about the making of The Howling as well as the embarrassment of riches it possesses in regards to the cast, both newcomers and a staggering number of character actors and surprise cameos.
As mentioned in the episode itself, when The Howling was released on April 10th of 1981, it marked one of four films to play in theaters that year that dealt with werewolves. And it might surprise you to learn that some of the effects for Joe Dante’s modern take on the creatures of lore and legend were begun by Rick Baker (King Kong, Ghost Story) who had to go work on An American Werewolf in London – handing over the job to Rob Bottin of John Carpenter’s The Thing fame.
From classic animated shorts by Ub Iwerks to the fact that many of the characters in The Howling are named after film directors who made their own werewolf films, there is a lot of ground to cover. So without further ado we hope you will grab your favorite snack and beverage and join us as we tackle 1981’s The Howling on the Saturday Frights podcast.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
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I don’t know about you, but I LOVED Jem back in the day. I was very small, probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-5 years old watching the show. Most of it went over my head, but I loved the music and all the color that came with each episode of Jem. That show was, and still is, truly outrageous. I had a Jem wristwatch, and while I never had any of the Jem dolls, my sister and I did get at least one of Mattel’s answer to Jem–Midge from Barbie and the Rockers. I can’t say with 100% certainty, but it’s even possible that the long-dormant subconscious influence of Jem led me to pursue music as a middle and high schooler. I still play music as an adult, and I may or may not have Jem to thank for it.
When I was in college, I happened upon a box set of seasons one and two of Jem at my local Borders Books. This was after the set was out of print and I had some textbook buyback money burning a hole in my pocket and some end-of-the-school-year steam to blow off. Needless to say, I snatched up that DVD set like a mom going after the last Cabbage Patch Kid on the day after Thanksgiving. That summer, my best friend and I spent an entire day watching through several discs of the set, munching on snacks, and laughing hysterically at the cheesy delight and unabashed ridiculousness that is Jem.
Lines such as, “Jem, how does it feel to be the first rock star to win the Indy 500?” and song lyrics like, “We wear a sarong, but it looks so wrong!” from the song, “Misfits in Hawaii” brought the biggest laughs for us. Truth be told, I laughed just writing that down.
Adventure Con, Knoxville, TN 2008
A few years later, we were fortunate enough to actually meet the voice of Jem herself–Samantha Newark–at our local comic convention. Ms. Newark is one of the kindest celebrities I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. She took time to speak to everyone, take pictures, shake hands, and genuinely seemed to enjoy meeting her fans. As you can see in the photo, we were quite ecstatic to have met our childhood idol.
Getting to watch Jem again as an adult reignited my love for the series. In fact, I turned Jem on my TV last Saturday morning, just because I was feeling nostalgic. By the way, you can watch the entire series for free with ads right now on Tubi TV via the web or your favorite streaming device, along with several other classic 80s Saturday morning cartoons.
All of this is to say, imagine my delight when I learned this week that Super7 is adding Jem and Pizzazz of The Misfits to their ReAction figure line! Jem comes dressed in her trademark pink dress and microphone, while Pizzazz is rocking out with her guitar, fully ready to shred the competition. The figures have 5 points of articulation and come packed in holographic packaging! Appropriate, right? These figures will set you back about $18 each.
Have you gotten your hands on these truly outrageous figures yet? I know I’ll be hitting up my local comic shop for a set soon. Thanks to Earl Green for sharing the link to the announcement for this release.
Were you a Jem Girl or a Jem Boy? Once you’re a Jem Girl (or Jem Boy), you’re never the same, you know. Do you have fond memories of Jem? Share them with us in the comments.
Friends, while we fans of Ghostbusters were understandably freaking out yesterday over the release of a clip from the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife, it seems that Nintendo and Bandai Namco dropped an exclusive new title for the Nintendo Switch. A 99-player online battle royale featuring an updated version of the iconic Pac-Man, appropriately enough entitled Pac-Man 99. Did I mention that it is absolutely free for members of Nintendo Switch Online?
I assume that Pac-Man 99 has been released as part of the continuing 40th anniversary celebration of Pac-Man, which began on May 22nd of last year, proving the arcade icon shows no signs of slowing down since his initial debut.
Considering that it is a 99-player battle royale, it shouldn’t shock you to learn that there are a few new bells and whistles added to the overall gameplay. For one thing you are going to have to be worried about more than just the likes of Inky, Blinky, Pinky, and Clyde. The biggest threat now will come from your fellow online players, who are going to be doing their level best to throw obstacles in your path such as the Jammer Pac-Man. Whenever a player gulps down a Power Pellet and then runs down and eats a ghost, a Jammer Pac-Man will be sent to one of the 99 other players. These moving obstacles resemble a ghost-like version of Pac-Man and roam freely through the maze, if a player comes in contact with one however it will slow them down considerably – making them the perfect target for the roving band of ghosts.
Also in the mazes are what Pac-Man 99 describes as Sleeping Ghosts, these smaller chain of ghosts can be gobbled up by the player at any time, with each one attaching itself to either Inky, Blinky, Pinky, or Clyde. After swallowing one of the Power Pellets though, all of the attached ghosts will also turn blue and can be gobbled up by the player, which of course sends a slew of the Jammer Pac-Man to an opponent.
Pac-Man 99 offers up power-ups for a player to use to keep in the game, like a speed boost, or even the option to hurl more of those Jammer Pac-Man to opponents who are on the verge of losing their match. There is more though, while the standard version of the game is available free of charge to Nintendo Switch Online members, you can pick up DLC packs – which offers additional play modes or even allows you to change the game theme to resemble other classic Bandai Namco titles like Dig Dug, Galaga, New Rally-X, and many others.
Friends, as a fan of the Ghostbusters franchise, from the original film in 1984 to the various animated series, toys, video games, and more – one of the hardest things to accept in 2020 was seeing Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife keep getting pushed back further and further from the originally scheduled release date. Of course with the pandemic it is more than understandable why the film studios decided that it wasn’t best to release any of their big pictures at the time, what with some theaters just now getting the chance to open their doors back up to the public. Having said that however I have been anxiously awaiting the proposed release date of November 11 of this year to finally check out Ghostbusters: Afterlife… or at the very least a new trailer since the last one was released back in December of 2019.
Now I personally feel that there is a whole lot of affection for the Ghostbusters series in that trailer, in fact that is pretty much exactly what I said when I first wrote an article about it. It makes a lot of sense though considering that Jason Reitman (Juno) is the son of Ivan Reitman (Heavy Metal, Stripes), who of course directed the first two films in the franchise.
In addition Ghostbusters: Afterlife, while I do firmly believe is going to act as a passing of the torch to a new generation, is allowing for a reunion of the the original surviving cast members as I understand it. Although it is somewhat heartbreaking to think of the likes of Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, Sigourney Weaver, and Bill Murray getting back together without the legendary Harold Ramis… I think that trailer totally plays it’s hand in that Ghostbusters: Afterlife is honoring the actor and his character of Egon Spengler.
That is a long way around to the point of this article, earlier this afternoon a short video was released to the official Ghostbusters YouTube channel, a reveal of a familiar character from the original film. Well, sort of, because as Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd) is about to find out when he is introduced to the Mini-Pufts… sweet, sweet and horrifying carnage is afoot.
I absolutely love the Terminator 2: Judgement Day reference in that clip, but the gleeful way the Mini-Pufts go about setting themselves on fire is so very creepy. Although I am going to have to crib from one of the comments from the video, it is nice to see that people weren’t put off on the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man brand after the icon was used as the form to bring about the end of the World by Gozer, right?
Friends and roamin’ countrymen, lend me your ears, because I have soundtrack news to pour into them. That’s actually kind of a disturbing image now that I type out the words. Ever said something where it sounded a lot more clever before you said it out loud? This may be one of those cases. But hey, soundtrack news.
La-La Land Records has unleashed a brand new box set from what would now be called the Irwin Allen Cinematic Universe, and this is three discs’ worth of music from one of my favorite Irwin Allen TV series of the sixties – The Time Tunnel! I honestly never figured out how this show didn’t catch on like Lost In Space, or how it missed out on at least a two-season run like Land Of The Giants, because I love a good time travel show. And if it’s a good time travel show with good music, all the better! This box set covers early episodes such as “Rendezvous With Yesterday”, “One Way To The Moon”, “The Day The Sky Fell”, “Crack Of Doom” and others. That means music from such ’60s TV mainstays as Johnny Williams (I wonder whatever happened with his career?), Lyn Murray, Paul Sawtell, and Robert Drasnin. There are even bonus tracks, including alternate takes and, of course, several permutations of Williams’ memorable theme music. Over three hours of music from the series in all, with the promising “Volume 1” subtitle hinting at more to come! Only 1,000 copies of the set are being pressed, so you better snatch one up now – or be working on a reliable means of time travel so future you can come back to the present and snatch one up now. Really, snatching one up now is your only option, no matter how you slice it.
Jason’s back and he’s brought tunes – La-La Land is also rolling out a limited edition score release for Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan, the first score in the Friday franchise with no involvement from composer Harry Manfredini. Part VIII was the first chapter scored entirely by Fred Mollin, who had composed additional music for Part VII and had scored the Friday TV spinoff. Not only does this release feature Mollin’s first solo film score for the franchise, but four songs featured in the movie, which haven’t featured on any prior releases. 2,000 copies of this soundtrack will be released.
La-La Land has been plenty busy this year, with some earlier 2021 releases still available, including the first-ever release of Quincy Jones’ score from the 1967 Robert Wagner golfing movie Banning (3000 copies), Christopher Young’s music from 1998’s Hard Rain (1000 copies), and one of my early favorites among this year’s soundtrack releases, the 2-CD set of music from the second season of The Orville, featuring music by John Debney, Joel McNeely, and Andrew Cottee, a release with epic widescreen sci-fi action music that, frankly, makes me wish that season three of The Orville would hurry up and get here.
Intrada Records has also been busy; their most recent releases are the world premiere CD release of Jerry Goldsmith’s score from 1959’s Face Of A Fugitive, an expanded 2-CD release of Michael Kamen’s score from Company Business, Elmer Bernstein’s score from Legal Eagles, and a 2-CD collection of music from Frank DeVol’s The Flight Of The Phoenix.
And our friends at Dragon’s Domain continue to be a powerhouse as far as releasing underappreciated scores – such as Joel Goldsmith’s score from Vampirella, Fredric Ensign Teetsel’s music from Adventures In Dinosaur City, and the third volume of the Mark Snow collection, gathering two Snow TV movie scores (Murder Between Friends and Shadows Of Desire) in one place.
In the realm of digital releases, very much like the first season (but not the second season) of The Mandalorian, the Disney Plus Marvel series Wandavision had a soundtrack release for each new episode. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier seems not to have followed this pattern, however; watch this space for news of any eventual release of that show’s music.
And lastly – an apology for not doing a great job keeping score so far in 2021! As some of you might have heard, I’ve been writing, editing, and occasionally even hosting a new podcast at the Roddenberry Podcast Network called Sci-Fi 5 – five minutes of science fiction history poured into your ears every weekday. Generally, if you hear a segment about a TV show that didn’t last long but had amazing theme music, I probably wrote that bit. Give it a listen and a follow if you like what you hear – and I’ll try to do a better job of staying on top of this year’s soundtrack releases.
Every time I believe I’ve found “the best training video ever” (or is it Best Training Video Ever?), I find something else that just totally unseats it.
Friends, it feels like it has only been just a few days since we uploaded a brand new episode of the Saturday Frights podcast. That is probably because it was actually only three days ago when the Projectionist and I covered the 2006 adaptation of Stephen King’s “Battleground” from the TNT Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King television mini-series. I made mention in the podcast post that we had intended to have a new episode of the podcast out for the just released Godzilla vs. Kong, so we just knuckled down and decided to get another show in the can.
With Godzilla vs. Kong having just been released on HBO Max as well as to theaters, it won’t shock you to learn that we steered from discussing anything that might be considered full spoilers. We did our level best to keep the episode focused on the beginning moments of the film that you can see in the official trailer – although I will have to admit we might have touched on elements that could be considered minor spoilers, such as talking about certain characters.
In this episode you will hear about the special screening we had at the Haunted Drive-In for Godzilla vs. Kong… as well as how wrapped up I got in the confrontation between Kong and Godzilla. In addition I shared a very interesting connection with this movie and the previous Legendary Godzilla films, courtesy of an interview shared by Collider – although you should only check that link out AFTER you have seen the movie for yourself.
As always we truly appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to give the podcast a listen. So without further ado, prepare yourself for a trip to Skull Island and beyond as you get ready for the epic brawl that is Godzilla vs. Kong!
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
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Friends, it was a half-century ago today that the Rankin and Bass stop motion animated classic Here Comes Peter Cottontail was first broadcast on ABC. While I did not catch it when it was first aired as I hadn’t been born, Here Comes Peter Cottontail was a Holiday favorite of mine when I was growing up. In the days before a VCR or the internet made it possible to enjoy pretty much everything at our convenience, we only had one shot to see TV specials before we were forced to wait an entire year for it to be rebroadcast again. And for what it might be worth, I can recall watching this at my Grandparents a number of times in my youth, followed of course by sitting at the kitchen table and carefully dyeing Easter Eggs. In addition as I will share a little later in the article, watching Here Comes Peter Cottontail one year led to a very memorable and surprisingly scary experience.
Here Comes Peter Cottontail was inspired by two different sources, the first was the iconic tune of the same name written by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins, the same duo responsible for the slightly more popular “Here Comes Santa Claus” as well as the “Frosty the Snowman” Holiday songs. Thanks to the popularity of the Santa Claus tune, recorded by Gene Autry and released in 1947, the ‘Singing Cowboy’ would be tapped again to record “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” and “Frosty the Snowman” three years later. It might surprise you to learn that it was the song celebrating the busy Easter Bunny that fared better of the two on the Billboard charts, with it hitting the #3 spot for Hot Country Singles and nabbing the #5 slot on the Hot 100 list.
The second source that inspired the Rankin and Bass TV special came from the 1957 children’s story entitled The Easter Bunny That Overslept by Priscilla Friedrich, Otto Friedrich, and Adrienne Adams. In the case of the book, the titular Easter Bunny manages to miss the Holiday completely and spends the remainder of the book trying to deliver his stock of eggs during the remaining Holidays, finding out that children are less likely to accept them during the likes of the 4th of July. The teleplay for the television special adds a few additional elements and was written by Romeo Muller (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) and Thornton W. Burgess (Fables of the Green Forest).
Not from Here Comes Peter Cottontail… I just like to share classic animation.
It might interest you to know that Here Comes Peter Cottontail was released just a mere four months after another Rankin and Bass Holiday classic, Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town. Which as was pointed out in an article by Greg Ehrbar for the Cartoon Research site, this would most assuredly mean that Rankin and Bass were working on this Easter TV special at the same time as the latter. While Kizo Nagashima (The Wacky World of Mother Goose) is credited with being the Animagic (stop-motion) supervisor, the iconic songs were written by Maury Laws and Jules Bass who provided 6 original tunes for the Easter special.
The story for Here Comes Peter Cottontail concerns the titular character receiving the honor of being elected to the position of the official Easter Bunny, even though he exhibits less than stellar characteristics. The problem is that Peter has a rival of sorts in January Q. Irontail, who has no interest in spreading happiness but wants to be elected to the position so he can enact his revenge on children all over the world for the loss of his tail, which was severed when a child ran over it while roller skating. Irontail proposes a competition to see who can deliver the most Easter Eggs the following day, the winner will be the rabbit who is granted the title and position of Easter Bunny.
Thanks to some underhanded shenanigans by Irontail, Peter manages to sleep through the day, and the contest is won by the devious January who proceeds to transform the Easter Holiday into something more suitable for Halloween.
So it is up to Peter Cottontail to somehow fix the mess that his carelessness has caused and take his rightful place as the official Easter Bunny. This is accomplished by meeting and teaming up with a colorful cast of characters, including some other Holiday guardians and the use of… a time machine?
I would certainly be remiss if I didn’t take a moment and point out that Here Comes Peter Cottontail benefits greatly from the fantastic cast of voice actors that were tapped for the production. Danny Kaye (White Christmas) lent his voice to not just Seymour S. Sassafras, the narrator for the special but Antoine and Colonel Wellington B. Bunny as well. In addition there is Casey Kasem (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!) as Peter Cottontail, Paul Frees (The Haunted Mansion), Joan Gardner (Snorks), and of course the one and only Vincent Price as January Q. Irontail.
Which leads us to the scary experience I had in my youth one year after watching Here Comes Peter Cottontail. As a kid I would always spend the weekends at my Grandparents, for this particular Easter though it was extra special as my cousins happened to be visiting. Growing up as a Monster Kid there was certainly nothing about the Rankin and Bass TV special that would have unnerved me, but as we were quite frankly hopped up on sugar we laid in bed talking about the show. And then from outside of our window we heard something, it sounded just like the clanking of January Q. Irontail’s tail, followed by a shadow on the blinds of what appeared to be a rabbit hopping past the window. We ducked our heads under the covers and waited for that clanking sound to go away and after long minutes we dared to take a peek, thankfully everything was quiet after that and even with that unexpected fright we soon fell asleep.
The following morning we excitedly related the story to our Family and were told it was just our imagination and the amount of sugar we had consumed. To this day I do not believe that was the case, for one thing while hunting for Easter eggs that morning after breakfast, I found a small coffee can with a few nails hidden behind the short hedges in front of the bedroom window. I am absolutely positive that our uncles were the culprits, overhearing us talking about Here Comes Peter Cottontail in bed, with the shadow of the rabbit passing the window being just a little hand shadow puppetry.
So in closing out this overly long article, here is to 50 years of Here Comes Peter Cottontail, a Holiday special that is delightfully unique and fun as when it first aired. From all of us at the Pop Culture Retrorama site, we hope you have a very safe and happy holiday!
Friends, long before Lee Majors was getting involved with the likes of Deadites and playing Brock Williams, the Father of Ashley J. Williams (Bruce Campbell) in Ash vs Evil Dead, he was probably better known for portraying either Colt Seavers in The Fall Guy or Colonel Steve Austin in The Six Million Dollar Man. In my household it was the latter that was must see TV, and I have very fond memories of sitting in the middle of the living room with my Father and watching both The Six Million Dollar Man as well as the spin-off series The Bionic Woman. And while in my past articles I have frequently pointed out that money was incredibly tight when I was growing up, I can also vividly remember the joy when my Father purchased one of the Kenner Steve Austin dolls for me, not from a department store but at the local gas station down the street from our house.
I can tell you that I went absolutely everywhere with that Six Million Dollar Man doll, I was scoping out folks all the time with the patented “bionic eye” on the toy. A gimmick allowing children to look through a small hole in the back of the doll’s head to see through the built-in wide angle lens. Or pressing the button on the back of the toy to cause Colonel Steve Austin to use his bionic strength to lift an engine block. While I may not have been lucky enough to get that Bionic Transport and Repair Station, at the very least I did lay my hands on The Six Million Dollar Man Power Records LP from back in 1976.
Featuring some pretty exceptional cover artwork by Neal Adams (Batman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow), the LP contained 4 stories following the exploits of Steve Austin with “Birth of the Bionic Man”, “The Man from the Future”, “Bionic Berseker”, and “The Iron Heart”.
It is that last story that we are sharing today, it involves Steve Austin being sent to the fictional country of Valmaria by Oscar Goldman, his friend and the director of OSI. Valmaria is ruled over by a man named King Sydor, who appears to be something of a tyrant and curiously enough insists that Steve accept his daughter’s hand in marriage upon arrival on the threat of execution if he should refuse. Princess Syla however is able to make her Father see reason when Steve understandably passes on the chance to marry the complete stranger and our hero is thrown into prison instead of being killed outright. But it turns out that a revolt has begun in Valmaria, and a mob quickly storms the palace and kidnaps the princess. Can the Six Million Dollar Man find a peaceful solution before it is too late?
Friends, to start off our first Saturday Frights podcast for the month of April, the Projectionist and I have chosen to discuss the 2006 adaptation of Stephen King’s short story entitled “Battleground”. Which as you might already know was one of eight episodes featured in the TNT television mini-series Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King. As we point out in the podcast itself, this 4 week event was a pretty big deal back in the day, a lot of that had to do with the caliber of actors they managed to nab for the episodes. Just a few include Tom Berenger (Platoon), Kim Delaney (NYPD Blue), William H. Macy (Fargo), and for “Battleground” there is the esteemed William Hurt (Altered States).
The story for “Battleground” concerns a hired killer by the name of Jason Renshaw (Hurt) who finds himself under siege in his apartment by a most unlikely army, one made of plastic but bent on dispatching the assassin at all costs.
The teleplay for “Battleground” happens to have been written by Richard Christian Matheson (Masters of Horror) and was directed by Brian Henson (Labyrinth). The episode not only is nearly devoid of any spoken dialogue but features some rather incredible special effects, they were so impressive that they managed to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special. In fact you can see how much work into this episode thanks to this short behind the scenes video.
As always we appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to listen to the Saturday Frights podcast. Especially with the vast number of quality podcasts being offered these days, so without further ado, prepare to enter the “Battleground”!
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
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Friends, with the release yesterday of the highly anticipated Godzilla vs. Kong from Legendary and Warner Bros. Pictures, the promised confrontation hinted at in 2017’s Kong: Skull Island and 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters has arrived. As a matter of fact if everything had gone according to plan, you would be hearing a non-spoiler review of Godzilla vs. Kong on a new episode of the Saturday Frights podcast today, however it was not to be… you’ll just have to wait a few more days to learn what we thought of the new film.
Having said that though I thought today might be the perfect time to remind you of two animated series that featured the adventures of Godzilla and Kong. In this case that would be the late ’90s Godzilla: The Series as well as Kong: The Animated Series from the early ’00s, both shows interestingly enough found themselves being aired on Fox Kids.
Godzilla: The Series ran for two season on Fox Kids beginning on September 12th of 1998, with the last new episode airing on June 15th of 2001. A continuation from the events that took place in the big budget reboot attempt by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin of Independence Day fame. While Godzilla was not a box office bomb, the amount of revenue earned by the live action feature wasn’t enough for TriStar Pictures to invest in continuing the film series. And while the movie wasn’t exactly met with open arms from longtime Godzilla fans, the animated series turned out to be surprisingly popular.
The show followed the exploits of Dr. Nick Tatopulos, voiced by Ian Ziering (Beverely Hills 90210), who it is revealed found one egg that was left intact after the bombing of Madison Square Garden. The egg hatches and the new Godzilla imprints itself on Nick, who as a founding member of H.E.A.T. (Humanitarian Environmental Analysis Team) takes care of and trains the giant Kaiju to protect humanity from the increasing number of mutated creatures who have begun to appear all over the World.
The popularity of Godzilla: The Series led to two different Game Boy Color titles being released, with Godzilla: The Series published in 1999 and Godzilla: The Series – Monster Wars the following year. In addition there were plans for Trendmasters to produced a toy line for the animated series in ’99 but it appears the line was cancelled before it went into mass production. At the very least we have this unaired TV spot for the proposed toy line, featuring Godzilla and Cyber-Godzilla, the latter being the alien resurrected corpse of the Godzilla from the live action film!
As I understand it, the popularity of Godzilla: The Series did not go unnoticed, which is why Kong: The Animated Series was put into production. Airing as part of the BKN block of animated shows in 2000, the American-Canadian series would jump over to Fox Kids in 2001, where the first 13 episodes were aired over the Summer. Kong: The Animated Series would eventually be brought to Toon Disney in 2005, to take advantage of the hype for the then upcoming Peter Jackson helmed remake of King Kong.
Kong: The Animated Series focused on the friendship between a young man named Jason Jenkins and a cloned version of King Kong, from samples taken by Jason’s grandmother, Dr. Lorna Jenkins, after the tragic death of the Kaiju by the squadron of biplanes during the incident at the Empire State Building. Thanks to the Cyber-Link technology invented by his Grandmother, Jason is able to merge on a genetic level with Kong and lend his intelligence and martial arts skills to the giant ape. Interestingly enough the show explains that this merging is not an easy balance to maintain, each personality is attempting to become the dominant one, so this link cannot be maintained for a great period of time.
The main antagonist in the series is an evil scientist by the name of Professor Ramon De La Porta, who manages to steal Dr. Lorna Jenkins’ Cyber-Link, which he uses on various animals to create Kaiju strong enough to battle Kong. In addition the Professor is after the Primal Stones located on Kong Island, powerful artifacts that were originally used to imprison a demon named Chiros the Destroyer. With the Primal Stones in the Professor’s possession he would be able to take over the world, so it is up to Jason and his friends with the help of Kong to put an end to those plans.
Kong: The Animated Series released two direct-to-video films after the television series came to an end. The first was Kong: King of Atlantis in 2005 and the second was Kong: Return to the Jungle and was released two years later. In addition the animated series managed to have two games developed and produced for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance, the 2002 game was based on the television show while the 2005 title was based on the first animated film.
So there you have it, a look at Godzilla: The Series and Kong: The Animated Series. You might be interested to know that the latter is available to watch from that official YouTube channel link, a nice way to while away the hours before you can head out and see Godzilla vs. Kong for yourself.
Let us know in the comments if you remember watching these animated series, or if perhaps you preferred The King Kong Show from the late ’60s or even 1978’s Godzilla cartoon instead?
Friends, in 1985 Mattel arranged to have characters like He-Man, Man-At-Arms, Skeletor, She-Ra, Angella, and others from the Masters of the Universe and Princess of Power toyline appear at Universal Studios Hollywood for two weeks. In addition to providing exciting photo opportunities for children and their families, if you were lucky enough to be the age of 4 to 11 when visiting the heroes and villains from Eternia and Etheria – you would receive a free action figure!
I can only imagine how many children were lined up for the event on those two special weeks between December 21st and January 5th. To say nothing of how many figures that Mattel must have handed out during the visit of those heroes and villains. When all is said and done there is very little information to be had about the event. Besides a quick post from theStudioTour.com, which states that the event was held on two weekends between February 8th – 10th as well as February 15th – 17th. Perhaps it was popular enough that Mattel and Universal Studios brought back the event? Although that site does provide a few photographs from when He-Man and others showed up at Universal Studios, the majority of them from the Masters Cast site. If you consider yourself a fan of the Filmation Studios He-Man and The Masters of the Universe animated series, I think you need to visit the latter site and read the heartwarming post by Lioncourt. While he doesn’t discuss the Universal Studios Hollywood event, you will see a few more photographs of it, but most importantly you will be able to hear the special audio message recorded by He-Man (John Erwin) and Cringer (Alan Oppenheimer) and mailed to a then six-year-old and quite ill Lioncourt.
As that audio message will prove – both John and Alan most assuredly were worthy of the powers of Castle Grayskull.
I sincerely doubt that the 1985 Universal Studios Hollywood TV Spot aired in my neck of the woods, which might have been a small blessing as I didn’t know what I was missing. If I had access to a working time machine though, you better believe that I would take the time to pose with Man-At-Arms and He-Man. If you were lucky enough to attend the event we would love to hear about it in the comments section!
Friends, in the nearly 100 episodes of The Saturday Frights podcast, the Projectionist and I have managed to discuss quite a few classic episodes of both The Twilight Zone as well as Night Gallery. From “The Obsolete Man“, “Cool Air“, “The Changing of The Guard“, to the extremely emotional “They’re Tearing Down Tim Riley’s Bar” and more. It is my honest belief that Rod Serling, the creator and host of both The Twilight Zone and Night Gallery, was one of the greatest writers in television history. Using the genres of science fiction, fantasy and horror, Serling and other writers were quite often able to tackle the social issues of the day… many of which are sadly just as relevant today. That is why the likes of the original Twilight Zone episodes in particular feel so timeless, they might very well be in black and white but they are still powerful thanks to the astounding writing from not just the likes of Serling (who would write or adapt 92 of the 156 episodes) but Charles Beaumont, Richard Matheson, George Clayton Johnson, Jerry Sohl, and Ray Bradbury among others. To say nothing of the legions of talented people in front of and behind the camera, say like Bill Mumy (Lost in Space, Babylon 5) – who starred in “Long Distance Phone Call”, “It’s A Good Life”, and “In Praise of Pip”. Be warned there is just a brief moment of SALTY language in the interview.
It was in 1969 on the night of November 8th that the film pilot for Night Gallery was aired on NBC, featuring three memorable segments that included the likes of Roddy McDowall, Ossie Davies, Joan Crawford, Tom Bosley, Richard Kiley, and Barry Atwater to point out just a few of the talented actors. The Night Gallery television series would debut a little over a year later on December 16th of 1970, with the first season actually running only six episodes – although each episode generally included two segments with a humorous or macabre short in the mix. I have read that following the first season, Serling found he didn’t have as much control of the series as he thought, although he did continue to submit teleplays and act as host for the show.
Rod Serling was not a fan of these shorts that were tacked on by Night Gallery producer Jack Laird (Ben Casey, The Dark Secret of Harvest Home), which would lead into a commercial break or even the end of the episode. Serling was quoted in Nicholas Parisi’s Rod Serling: His Life, Work, and Imagination:
“I thought they [the blackout sketches] distorted the thread of what we were trying to do on Night Gallery. I don’t think one can show Edgar Allan Poe and then come back with Flip Wilson for 34 seconds. I just don’t think they fit.”
It would seem to be the lack of creative or artistic control that understandably bothered Rod Serling the most, especially considering what he was afforded with The Twilight Zone. Having said that however it isn’t like he didn’t find himself having to defend that series from the suits at CBS in addition to the sponsors for the five seasons it aired. In fact creative control on Night Gallery is exactly what Serling brings up in this 1972 interview on The Dick Cavett Show – one that also happens to feature Arthur C. Clarke and Cassie Mackin as guests.
In closing out this article, you might be interested to know that this episode of The Dick Cavett Show originally aired on the evening of July 12th of 1972. Which means that the interview took place between the end of the second and beginning of the third and final season of Night Gallery.
Friends, much like in 1982 the sheer amount of classic and cult classic films that were released in 1984 are astounding. Ghostbusters, The Terminator, Amadeus, The NeverEnding Story, Gremlins, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Night of the Comet, Streets of Fire, and The Last Starfighter are just a very few of the movies released for that year. And in similar fashion as 1982’s TRON the box office take of The Last Starfighter was enough to save it from being a flop but did not generate enough revenue to warrant an immediate sequel. In addition these happen to be two films that are near and dear to my heart, to say nothing of the latter being something of a snapshot of my youth.
I grew up in small and sleepy little town, just down the street from a trailer park, where most entertainment was to be had at the local gas station on the weekends. From ice cream, to picking up a comic book off the rusty spinner rack, and of course playing video games. As far as I know however I was never a contender for being recruited to defend the Universe from the invading forces of Xur and the Ko-Dan Armada. No matter how much Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator or Time Pilot might have made me feel like Alex Rogan in the film.
Over the years there has been talk of a sequel or even a reboot of The Last Starfighter but nothing has materialized as of yet. Although just a few days ago there was an article from Josh Weiss for SYFY Wire that revealed that we might be getting a sequel and possibly sooner than we might realize. From that article which also provided a sizzle reel for the proposed sequel entitled The Last Starfighters, Gary Whitta (Star Wars Rebels, Mouse Guard) who is the attached screenwriter said:
“[We are] right on the one-yard line,” he said. “After pushing the boulder uphill for years, we are very, very close … I believe it will happen.”
The Last Starfighters sizzle reel is quite remarkable, set to storyboards which have been illustrated by Matt Allsopp and it benefits from a reworked version of the memorable theme from Craig Safan by Chris Tilton (Fringe, Assassin’s Creed: Unity). Whitta has been able to work with Jonathan Betuel, the writer of the 1984 screenplay – which is fantastic news as I think the sizzle reel proves that the two will be able to deliver a film script that is a worthy successor to The Last Starfighter.
In closing out this article on The Last Starfighters, I will admit I teared up pretty hard at the end of the sizzle reel with Tilton’s score playing over those lines from the 1984 film between Lance Guest’s Alex Rogan and the late and great Robert Preston’s Centauri. So, here is to hoping that in the near future we will be able to see a new generation of Starfighters piloting a fleet of Gunstars on the big screen, protecting the Universe from whatever intergalactic threats might pop up.
Friends, having the benefit of being an employee at that Arkadia Retrocade in my neck of the woods, it probably won’t surprise you to learn that we keep our eyes and ears open for anything retro related. Shea Mathis, the owner and manager of the arcade has spent nearly nine years doing his best to make a visit feel like stepping into a living time capsule. Vintage posters ranging from The A-Team to Tiffany can be found on display as well as plenty of cherished toys from the ’70s and ’80s. That doesn’t mean that some exciting news doesn’t manage to slip under the radar, case in point the fact that Pizza Hut has begun to offer limited edition Pac-Man boxes as part of their ten dollar Tastemaker pizza deal. One that allows fans to play a special Pizza Hut themed Pac-Man game on their phone, right on the top of the pizza box by way of a QR code.
I certainly don’t mean to question Craig Robinson, as the actor, musician, and singer is far more accomplished and knowledgeable than I am on a great many things… but in that commercial it sounds like he first experienced Pac-Man two years after it was originally released to arcades. Perhaps he was saying that it was in 1982 when he became a master Pac-Man player? Or there is a very strong probability that I am just thinking about a humorous Pizza Hut commercial way, way too much.
At the Arkadia Retrocade we too are fans of the iconic character co-created by Toru Iwatani, in fact as I have mentioned on numerous Diary of An Arcade Employee podcasts, the Pac-Man family of arcade titles are prominently featured in the showcase row of games upon entering the arcade.
All of this is a roundabout way of saying that when closing the arcade down for the night this past Thursday, we made sure to order some Pizza Hut carry-out. Before digging into the pizzas though we took a few minutes to enjoy a couple of rounds of the “Pizza Hut Arcade” Pac-Man game.
I wouldn’t be too surprised if the top of this limited edition box doesn’t somehow manage to be displayed somewhere at the arcade.
Friends, until the release of Star Wars in 1982 to the home market on the likes of VHS, LaserDisc, Betamax, CED VideoDisc, and even the European based Video 2000 videocassette, the only way to enjoy the first entry in the original trilogy was to catch it in theaters in limited re-release engagements. As I understand it there were four times that the original Star Wars returned to theaters, with the first being in ’78 and then the following year, as well as in ’81 and then for the last time on August 13th of 1982.
But to the point of this article, the Star Wars fans who were lucky enough to have access to a Super 8 film projector in 1977 could enjoy selected scenes released by Ken Films to the home market. There were three versions of Super 8 reels offered to the public by Ken Films, black and white as well as silent, a color edition with no sound, or color with the addition of sound. The scenes offered on the Super 8 reels were of Luke Skywalker being told about his Father and the ways of the Force by Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine. Then followed by Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Luke, plus R2-D2 and C-3PO making their escape from the Death Star. Concluding with the thrilling TIE Fighter attack on the Millennium Falcon as they make good their escape to the rebel base on Yavin 4.
With the popularity of Star Wars it will probably not surprise you to learn that the Super 8 reels sold very, very well indeed. So much so that Ken Films produced two more reels of selected scenes afterwards that were twice the length of their initial offering, resulting in about half an hour of 1977’s Star Wars when all was said and done.
The reason for this article is that the other day before I went to work at the arcade, I received a message from Gary Burton, not only a fellow author on this site but the chief technician at the Arkadia Retrocade. Gary asked if I might be able to come in just a little earlier than normal because he had picked up something at an antique store that he felt I would get a kick out of. That turned out to be something of an understatement as he powered up his 1973 Kodak Moviedeck 435 film projector and showed me the 1977 black and white Star Wars reel he had picked up earlier in the week. While possessing no sound, the scenes did provide subtitles so that the viewers could make sense of the highly abridged story of the classic 1977 film.
In closing out this article, there was one other way to enjoy Star Wars at home back in ’77, and that was thanks to the excellent film cartridges and viewer released by Kenner. However if you would like to see the black and white Ken Films version of Star Wars for yourself, I found this copy that was uploaded on YouTube.
Friends, I became a fan of the James Bond franchise rather late in life. I have shared in past articles that my first foray into the series was thanks to 1973’s Live and Let Die, which not only was the first film that I saw starring the late and great Yaphet Kotto, but it was also the debut feature for Roger Moore as secret agent 007. It wasn’t until after former Remington Steele star Pierce Brosnan took over the role from Timothy Dalton that I really started to get into the franchise. Part of that has to do with the fact that I was able to get my hands on the original James Bond books by Ian Fleming, although I also had one of my best friends demand that I watch From Russia with Love after work one evening and I’ve been hooked ever since.
Over 26 official films, assuming we are going to be lucky enough to see No Time to Die, there have been six actors to take on the mantle of 007. To be fair it was David Niven (The Pink Panther) that played a retired version of the character in 1967’s Casino Royale, but I am under the impression the spy comedy is not considered canon.
There have been many actors over the years though that were considered for the role of James Bond, a few of those even managed to have a screen test. Thanks to Rockford Jay we have some videos to check out featuring the screen tests for the likes of Sam Neill (In the Mouth of Madness), James Brolin (Westworld), and ex-rugby player Roger Green.
We are going to start with Green, who was up for the role of 007 after George Lazenby’s turn in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. From reading online it sounds as if Roger Green was looked on favorably as the next Bond, but Sean Connery was coaxed out of his retirement from the character for 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever. For Green’s screen test he would be partnered up with stuntman and actor Bob Simmons, who would work on ten of the Bond films starting with Dr. No in 1962. In addition the test featured Imogen Hassall (When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth) as the young woman who is witness to Bond’s deadly fighting skills.
James Brolin was not only up for the part of 007 but actually was hired to play the character for 1983’s Octopussy, after Roger Moore decided to leave the franchise after For Your Eyes Only, which was the fifth time he had played the character. As I understand it though an issue arose behind the scenes of the picture between the producers of the film, they were concerned that Brolin wouldn’t be able to draw in crowds with the likes of Sean Connery returning to the role in a rival Bond film with 1983’s Never Say Never Again. That is why Roger Moore was brought back to the series – in the hopes that he could compete against the star power of Connery. That gamble seems to have paid off as Octopussy would rake in about 20 million more at the box office than Never Say Never Again!
It was 1985’s A View to a Kill that would be the final Roger Moore film in the Bond series. Before the part went to Timothy Dalton (The Lion in Winter, Flash Gordon) though it was offered to the likes of Pierce Brosnan as well as Sam Neill. Thanks to a contract issue with NBC, audiences wouldn’t get a chance to see Brosnan play the role of 007 until eight years later with GoldenEye. Sam Neill while reluctantly agreeing to a screen test never wanted the role in the first place, which might have worked out for the best, if he had been tied up in contracts with a series of James Bond films he might not have been able to appear in 1993’s Jurassic Park, right?
Friends, instead of the usual retro horror films or TV anthologies, for this episode of the Saturday Frights podcast we are going to be tackling the recently released Horror/Thriller entitled Son. As pointed out in the episode itself, since this is a brand new movie, the Projectionist and I do not go into full spoilers – in fact hopefully we have given just enough of a breakdown of the synopsis to make you want to head out to the theater or rent Son for yourself. I am going to share with you the trailer for the picture, directed as well as written by Ivan Kavanagh (The Canal) but I personally think it might give just a little too much away, so consider it SPOILER territory.
Son stars the likes of Andi Matichak (Halloween), Luke David Blumm (The Walking Dead), and Emilie Hirsch (The Autopsy of Jane Doe) among other talented actors. It is a pretty dark and intense film, one sure to please all of you Fright Fans wanting something that is not only a little spooky but quite emotional too. And as mentioned on our podcast, we have to thank Leone D’Antonio, Trevor Shand, and Lauren Shand of The Boo Crew podcast for the heads up on Son!
As always we sincerely appreciate you taking time of your busy schedule to listen to the show, especially with the difficulties in the schedule of late. Without further ado, turn down the lights if you are able and join us as we discuss Son.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
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Friends, would you believe that today marks the 30th radical anniversary of the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze? I am having a bit of a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that this movie is now three decades old, as I remember clearly being excited about seeing the film and continuing to celebrate my love of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I have shared in past articles how my friends and even some members of my Family were all about ‘Turtle Power‘ at the time, but there was another reason I was anxious to see the movie. In the trailers for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze, it was revealed that none other than David Warner (The Omen, TRON) was cast as the scientist who is tied to the origins of Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Master Splinter.
Due to the massive and unexpected popularity of the 1990 live action film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze was rushed into production almost immediately, being released a little less than a year after the first movie. As I’ve read online, it seems that Golden Harvest, which was one of the production companies that backed the first three live action films was concerned that the popularity of the Turtles might end as quickly as it began – so they wanted to strike while the iron was hot. They really had nothing to fear though as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze managed to rake in over 132 million dollars on a budget of 25 million – that surely bought a whole lot of pizza.
As I understand it, the original intention besides having the Shredder return for revenge was to have this film serve as the live action debut of Bebop and Rocksteady, the mutant henchmen who serve the Shredder. It looks like it was TMNT creators Eastman and Laird who didn’t agree with that idea, they also didn’t think the Shredder should return for the sequel but their concerns were overruled by the producers on that latter issue. That is why Tokka and Rahzar were created for the movie, to serve as the mutated muscle for the leader of the Foot Clan. You might be interested to know that the legendary Frank Welker (The New Scooby-Doo Movies, TheTransformers) voiced both of the new characters. On the subject of voice actors, were you aware that Kevin Clash (Elmo of Sesame Street) was the lead puppeteer and voice actor for Master Splinter?
“He always brings up the connection with Elmo.”
Of course how can we possibly celebrate 30 years of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze without shining the spotlight on the “Ninja Rap” by Vanilla Ice. I was able to catch the first matinee showing of the movie before I had to head to work, and I can tell you the theater was absolutely sold out, not a vacant seat to be had. When Vanilla Ice appeared in the film the mostly juvenile audience in the auditorium lost their minds, screaming and clapping their hands in excitement.
So, here is to three decades of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze. Now get out there and join the celebration by picking up a giant pizza and showing off your best “Ninja Rap” moves!
Friends, I was working at a local movie theater when Lake Placid was originally released on July 16th of 1999. Being an employee of the theater meant that we were able to watch the preview showings the night before the film was set to debut, in an age before digital projectors and movies, the point was to make sure that the film was properly spliced and had no issues. Looking back on that time, the majority of us working at the theater would be considered cinephiles, we looked at screening a movie as part of the job. I mean, even when working the concession stand you would be asked what films were worth checking out, how could you recommend a film without having seen it?
“And in they’d come entering a palace, like in a dream, like in heaven.”
As I have shared on various Saturday Frights podcasts, one of my favorite subgenres of horror is animal horror like with Willard, Day of the Animals, or of course Alligator. So I was quite excited to check out Lake Placid, especially after we started showing the trailer – it promised to have some gallows humor and a whole lot of giant crocodile-fueled carnage.
In the late hours of July 15th, after the very last movie had played and we did our rounds to lock up the theater for the night, it was time to grab our snacks and prepare for Lake Placid. By this time I had already been with the theater for a good number of years which meant I was allowed to have guests at the screenings, so I invited two of my best friends. The lights went down and we settled in… and were completely taken aback by how much of a comedy the movie truly was. I suppose all three of us were thinking this was going to lean much more into the horror aspects of a giant crocodile running loose, because we left a little after it was revealed that Betty White’s foul-mouthed character of Mrs. Bickerman was responsible for feeding the ‘monster’.
Now before you begin to mull over the idea to lead me blindfolded to the edge of Black Lake, I eventually warmed to the film, enjoying it for what it was intended to be. The one thing I always enjoyed though was the special effects in the film, including the impressive 30-foot animatronic crocodile that was created by the Stan Winston Studios. In fact thanks to the official YouTube channel for the Stan Winston School of Character Arts you can get a quick look at the making of the ‘monster’ of Lake Placid.
Friends, a couple of weeks back, one of the friends of the Diary of An Arcade Employee Facebook page was kind enough to send me a link to this snapshot of life back in 1981 at the Omni International Complex in Atlanta, Georgia. The video which is a little over nine minutes of B-roll footage for a local news station gives a welcome look back at the complex, in addition to families enjoying an indoor skating rink as well as an arcade that appears to have been called Electronic America. Considering that I work at the Arkadia Retroarcade during the week and with the aforementioned podcast, it is the video games and pinball table footage that I enjoy the most. You can see everything from Cinematronic’s Star Castle, Midway Games’ Space Zap and Galaxian, to a few choice Atari games like Basketball, Asteroids, and even their enormous Hercules pinball table.
As I understand it, the Omni International Complex opened back in 1976, featuring the ice skating rink in addition to a smattering of restaurants and some shops as well as a high-end hotel for visitors to enjoy. Although perhaps the most impressive element when the Omni opened it’s doors to the public has to be that it was the home of an indoor theme park – The World of Sid and Marty Krofft!
The World of Sid and Marty Krofft was a short-lived dream from the two iconic television show creators, from reading about it online it seems that it remained in operation for less than a year. However it sounds like it was a magical park nonetheless with characters and settings inspired by H.R. Pufnstuff, Lidsville, and Sigmund and the Sea Monsters. And as you will hear from this interview with the Krofft brothers, it sort of sounds like the odds were stacked against them from the beginning, with technical issues as well as the location of the theme park.
Getting a chance to see the Omni International Complex in 1981 is definitely a treat, especially with the amount of classic titles in the footage focusing on the arcade. But the sad truth is the reason for the B-roll footage appears to be in conjunction with the horrifying Atlanta child murders at that time. Which I assume is why you see so many Police officers strolling the Omni International Complex, not to mention the folks in the arcade being questioned about having a valid ID.
Friends, considering that earlier this morning the first episode for the much anticipated The Falcon and The Winter Soldier premiered, it seemed like the perfect time to share this classic Power Records offering. Captain America and the Falcon: And The Phoenix Shall Arise was originally released back in 1974 – an adaptation of the December 1973 issue of Captain America #168 which was entitled “…And A Phoenix Shall Arise!”. I am not sure why the name change for the Power Records release because the story is still the same one by Roy Thomas (All-Star Squadron) and Tony Isabella (Black Lightning, Ghost Rider) with artwork provided by Sal Buscema (The Incredible Hulk).
Although I’m not planning on doing a review of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, I do have to say that first episode is incredibly solid. If you are obviously a fan of the the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I think you are going to dig it.
The story for Captain America And The Falcon: And The Phoenix Shall Arise finds both Captain America and the Falcon on a nightly patrol, but the latter can’t help but notice that his friend and partner is acting like something is weighing heavily on his mind. It turns out that Steve Rogers is feeling like a man out of time more than usual this evening, due to events that found him fighting against another Captain America just 12 issues earlier. The Falcon tries to get his buddy to snap out of it, but they are interrupted by a sudden attack from a costumed villain calling himself – you guessed it – the Phoenix. A bad guy that has a connection with an old foe of Captain America and a reason to want to wipe out the star-spangled Avenger once and for all.
So put aside a little over fifteen minutes and enjoy 1974’s Captain America And The Falcon: And The Phoenix Shall Arise!
Friends, when Philip Kaufman’s remake of Invasions of the Body Snatchers was released to theaters on December 22nd of 1978, it played in a mere 445 theaters and by the time it had completed it’s run it had managed to earn 24.9 million against a budget of 3.5 million dollars. Not too shabby a return for 1978 but perhaps even more impressive is that the Kaufman (The Right Stuff) helmed filmed managed to be one of the rare cases were a remake was just as good or perhaps even better than the original film, the classic 1956 picture starring Kevin McCarthy.
While it should be mentioned that not all critics at the time were impressed with Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the majority seemed to enjoy it even if they saw it as just a bit of entertaining fluff. As mentioned in a very early episode of the Saturday Frights podcast, while it played at the local Drive-In theater of my youth, I didn’t catch it until a couple of years later after it had been released on the Movie Channel. Both my Father and I were quite impressed with the remake, the slow burn of what first appears to be a citywide wave of paranoia quickly dives into a satisfying science fiction/horror scenario. Or perhaps it would be better described as being a solid entry in the apocalypse genre?
In some of those original reviews for the movie I was shocked to find that Philip Kaufman’s direction was pointed out as being lacking, personally I think he did a fantastic job. Kudos to the screenplay by W.D. Richter (Big Trouble in Little China) as well, although it doesn’t hurt that the source material, the 1954 The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney is equally entertaining. You might be interested to know that the story first saw print in serialized form in the pages of Colliers Magazine, it wouldn’t be until the following year that Dell Books would publish it as a novel.
The 1978 Invasion of the Body Snatchers remake is particularly enjoyable thanks to the extremely talented cast that Kaufman assembled. You have the likes of Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Veronica Cartwright, Jeff Goldblum, Art Hindle, and Leonard Nimoy. The late and great Nimoy in particular manages to pretty much steal every single scene he is in, which is saying something considering the amount of talent I just mentioned.
But what about Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel, what did they think of the picture? Thanks to this uploaded segment of Sneak Previews we can find out for ourselves!
In closing out this article, if you happen to take the time and listen to that episode of the Saturday Frights podcast – please bear in mind it was at a time that we were attempting something different with the audio presentation for the character of the Projectionist.
Friends, just the other day the sad news was shared that Henry Darrow (The Hitcher, Zorro) had passed away and just now online I saw that the iconic Yaphet Kotto has just been confirmed to have passed away at the age of 81. Both of these hit hard as they were incredibly talented actors, although we can take some small comfort that they left behind a rich legacy of film and television roles to enjoy over the years. In addition both men were discussed on separate episodes of the Saturday Frights Podcast, with Darrow appearing in the memorable “Cool Air” segment of Night Gallery and Kotto of course playing Parker in Ridley Scott’s Alien.
The cornbread really was pretty bad.
Yaphet Kotto got his start in acting at an early age, as I understand it he was cast in a production of Othello at the age of 19 before landing on Broadway with The Great White Hope. It was only four years later when Yaphet Kotto was cast in his very first film, an uncredited part in the Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin Western/Comedy entitled 4 for Texas. The actor would continue to appear in film as well as television with the likes of The Big Valley, The Thomas Crown Affair, 5 Card Stud (Another western with Dean Martin), Mannix, Night Gallery, before he landed the role of Dr. Kananga aka Mr. Big in 1973’s Live and Let Die. Not only was this the very first James Bond film I saw but also the first movie I caught with Kotto and Roger Moore too – although I saw the movie during a Bond marathon at my local Drive-In about five years after it was originally released.
That marathon was just a couple of years before I caught 1979’s Alien on the Movie Channel, while that science fiction/horror masterpiece is most assuredly an ensemble picture – I think it’s safe to say that Kotto’s performance as Parker was most assuredly memorable. And as you will hear from the actor himself, it was a role he was not just thankful for but one that managed to change his life.
Judging by his Internet Movie Database page the actor was constantly working it would seem, a few additional highlights from his career include The A-Team, Warning Sign, The Running Man, and Midnight Run. Although he might best be remembered for his role as Al Giardello in the long-running Homicide: Life on the Street.
I realize that I always say it at the end of these articles honoring actors and entertainers we’ve lost, but there is absolutely no enjoyment at having to write them. However as I have already said at the beginning of the article – we do have an amazing amount of work from Yaphet Kotto to enjoy as his legacy. Please feel free to share some of your personal favorite roles of the actor in the comments section.
“We will dims the lights in the auditorium in his honor.”
Friends, it was about four or possibly five years ago that Gary Burton proposed an idea for a podcast called Toon In. This was back when we were both fortunate enough to be part of the Retroist stable of writers and contributors, including Allison Venezio-Preston as well as Earl Green and many others. Gary’s wonderful idea for the podcast was to have the two of us, with another friend acting as third chair, to tackle everything from classic Looney Tunes animated shorts to Batman: The Animated Series. A show that would provide some of the more interesting history of a particular animated short but also offer a running commentary on the chosen subject itself. We were able to get two episodes of the podcast in the can before we had to put the show on the back-burner due to conflicting recording schedules. Until we are able to get the new podcast off the ground, Gary has been gracious enough over the years to allow me to use the podcast name for my continuing series of articles on animation. One of those shorts I had earmarked for the podcast was this 1935’s Merrie Melodies offering entitled I Haven’t Got a Hat. Which just so happens to be the debut animated short of none other than Porky Pig.
I Haven’t Got a Hat was originally released to theaters on March 2nd of 1935, although you might be interested to know the titular song was published in sheet music form the previous year, written by Buddy Bernier and Bob Emmerich. However the song was also recorded for the live action Tickets, Please musical short film that, according to the Internet Movie Database, was released six month later and performed by The Three Sizzlers.
Not to besmirch the talents of those trio of singers but I absolutely feel that the version in I Haven’t Got a Hat which was performed by Bernice Hansen is the superior version. While that classic short was the introduction of Porky Pig (Joe Dougherty) it has to be pointed out that the silent characters of Oliver Owl and Beans the Cat are meant to be the stars of the cartoon. Although it would be the Porky who would become the breakout star when all was said and done – appearing just three months later in Into Your Dance.
In closing out this article I want to share that I first saw I Haven’t Got a Hat one early morning while waiting for the school bus on WTBS. The way that Oliver Owl treats Beans the Cat in regards to not sharing his candy always upset me – I can’t say I blame the latter for wanting to get a little revenge.
A huge thanks as always to the indispensable Jerry Beck’s Cartoon Research site!
Friends, you might be aware that the iconic William Shatner is currently hosting a television series on the History Channel entitled The UnXplained. A show that focuses on the multitude of mysteries in our world ranging from serial killers, cryptozoology to tales of deadly weather phenomenon and more. In some ways it feels a little like another memorable television series that another Star Trek cast member hosted, I am of course referring to In Search Of… which featured the late and great Leonard Nimoy as host and narrator.
However it seems that in 1986, around the same time that William Shatner was starring in T.J. Hooker on television as well as appearing in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, he managed to appear in an educational film called Mysteries Of The Way We Feel. Meant to be showed in the classroom in an effort to help children understand how their emotions might make them behave and the proper way to try and control their more negative emotions. In addition, the short film also had Shatner carrying on a conversation with an owl in a crystal ball named Wisdom – who sounds more than a little like Nimoy but is credited as Joe Vincent.
ARTICLE IMAGE PROVIDED BY Retrontario.
Examples shared in the short film include how anger can exacerbate a situation in a classroom or cause property damage when feeling the need to rage (Maybe Bruce Banner should have watched this). Mysteries Of The Way We Feel also shows examples of why children should beware of strangers and the dangers of crossing the street – plus why following the rules is always a good idea and the importance of understanding how to make an important decision.
I will admit that I found Mysteries Of The Way We Feel to be a pretty charming educational film thanks to the fun that William Shatner appears to be having. In closing out this article though, the abrupt ending of the short film plays out like a horror movie!
Friends, the other day while I was killing some time on Facebook I came across this LEGO Ideas proposal for a set based on the Escher room scene from Jim Henson’s Labyrinth. I was very much a fan of the film on first catching it on a Saturday matinee after it’s release on June 27th of 1986. As I have admitted in other articles over the years, I was and still am a devotee of the work of Jim Henson and the studio he founded, I think the overall design by Brian Froud really raised the bar on Labyrinth. In addition it didn’t hurt that the screenplay was handled by the late and great Terry Jones of Monty Python fame, from a story by both Henson as well as Dennis Lee (Fraggle Rock).
Of course having said all of that, I would be criminally remiss if I didn’t point out the fact that both Jennifer Connelly (The Rocketeer) and David Bowie deliver the goods with their performances, especially considering they are surrounded by all manner of puppets and creature effects throughout the film. The latter also helped elevate the picture with 5 original songs, to say nothing of the sweeping and beautiful score by the iconic Trevor Jones (Excalibur, The Last of the Mohicans).
Sadly the truth of the matter is that the Henson directed Labyrinth failed to initially find the audience it needed to become a box office success. On a budget of 25 million dollars it only managed to secure half of it’s cost back, at least from the take here in the States. As the years passed it has managed to obtain a cult following, you can probably find T-Shirts and other collectibles at your local Hot Topic store these days. The truth of the matter is that even with new comic book series and graphic novels, a smattering of action figures and even a board game, all of us fans of the 1986 film still want so much more.
Thanks to the amazing work of LEGO enthusiast Colonel Attentive Candy who submitted this LEGO Labyrinth set to LEGO Ideas, we have the opportunity to help push the project into a reality. If 10,000 votes are collected for the project, which is made up of 3,000 LEGO pieces, the set will be reviewed officially by experts. Which then of course means that someday in the near future we might be seeing this particular LEGO set on store shelves, which as I understand it is how we got LEGO versions of Voltron, The Flintstones, and even the Disney Steamboat Willie set!
At the time of writing this article, the project has already received 3,000 votes, so only 7,000 more are needed to push the project over the finish line. Not an impossible task by any means, especially if it is shared on social media. But why not take about 30 minutes out of your busy schedule and let the creator discuss the project with Joshua Hanlon of Beyond the Brick?
Friends, like many of us of a certain age, I too was swept up in the Turtlemania that was spawned by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic series. Thanks to a fellow student I was clued into the adventures of the ‘Heroes in a Half Shell’ just before the five-part animated miniseries was broadcast on December 14th of 1987. That syndicated miniseries was popular enough to land a full series that began it’s ten season run on October 1st of 1988, with the last episode of the long-running show being released on November 2nd of 1996. Thanks to the addition of an equally long-running toy line by Playmate Toys, Turtle Power was going strong and fans could buy shirts, bed sheets, canned pasta, cereal, and of course Crunchabungas. In addition the popularity of Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael meant they would be featured in a slew of video games, starting with the iconic 1989 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game by Konami!
The arcade title would be ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990 as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game, two years after the notorious side-scrolling game by Ultra Games (which was actually Konami) had been released. The port even managed to included two additional levels with brand new bosses at the end of those stages, no doubt in an attempt to keep things fresh for Players who might be too familiar with the 1989 arcade game.
Which is why the announcement yesterday of the upcoming release for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is so exciting. Not only is it a throwback to the 4-player beat ’em up classic from Konami but it was developed by Tribute Games, the game studio responsible for the amazing Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game.
From the press release:
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge features groundbreaking gameplay rooted in timeless classic brawling mechanics, brought to you by the beat ’em-up experts at Dotemu (Streets of Rage 4) and Tribute Games (part of the studio used to work on Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game and TMNT Game Boy Advance). Bash your way through gorgeous pixel art environments and slay tons of hellacious enemies with your favorite Turtle, each with his own skills and moves – making each run unique! Choose a fighter, use radical combos to defeat your opponents and experience intense combats loaded with breathtaking action and outrageous ninja abilities. Stay sharp as you face off against Shredder and his faithful Foot Clan alone, or grab your best buds and play with up to four players simultaneously!”
So without further ado, enjoy the official Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge reveal trailer – which just so happens to include a cover of the animated series theme by Mike Patton!
Friends, thanks to the weekday reruns of the classic Star Trek TV series, I was already a big fan of the crew of the the starship Enterprise when Star Trek: The Motion Picture was released to theaters on December 8th of 1979. I have some fond memories of seeing the film at our local movie theater in my youth, for one thing I was allowed to buy a Captain Kirk pin – after I was informed the Scotty pins were all sold out.
Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry got the ball rolling on an attempt to bring the crew of the Enterprise to the big screen shortly after the NBC series was cancelled. It turns out by 1975 there were multiple tries to find the appropriate screenplay for the proposed film, although as 1977 rolled around the focus was shifted from a movie to a new television project. Which was just in time for the success of a little film called Star Wars as well as Close Encounters of the Third Kind to make it big at the box office. The amount of money those two films earned at the box office was more than enough to get Paramount Pictures thinking about a Star Trek film all over again.
The 1978 press conference announcement for Star Trek: The Motion Picture proposed the budget for the film would be 15 million dollars, but when all was said and done it has been reported to have cost 44 million. And while the film brought in 139 million dollars at the end of it’s box office run, which was less than the studio had anticipated, it at the very least gave them confidence in producing a second feature – at a reduced budget.
“We are cutting the paychecks for this film, Bill.”
Were you aware though that the premiere for Star Trek: The Motion Picture was held at the MacArthur Theater in Washington, D.C.? On the evening of December 6th of ’79, the theater that originally opened it’s doors to the public on December 25th of 1946, hosted the cast and crew of the film. And thanks to this video being uploaded on YouTube you can travel back to that night and enjoy interviews with the likes of Gene Roddenberry, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner and more.
Friends, last Friday saw the release of Boss Level on Hulu, the latest film from Joe Carnahan (Smokin’ Aces, The A-Team) which stars the likes of Frank Grillo (The Grey), Naomi Watts (Twin Peaks), and features Michelle Yeoh (Star Trek: Discovery) as well as Mel Gibson (Lethal Weapon) to name just a few of the talented cast that are featured in the movie. Last evening I had the chance to watch it for myself and was incredibly impressed by this science fiction/action film that successfully delivers laughs in addition to a surprisingly moving story. While naturally it shares the basic premise of such films as 1993’s Groundhog Day and 2017’s Happy Death Day – I can assure you that Boss Level stands firmly on it’s own and is quite entertaining to boot. I will start my non-spoiler review after the trailer – although be warned that the preview does contain a moment of SALTY LANGUAGE.
The synopsis for Boss Level on first glance is rather simple, Roy Pulver (Grillo) who is a former Delta Force soldier, is forced to relive the exact same day over and over and over again. Although from the first few seconds he opens his eyes, his life is in jeopardy from a motley collection of assassins who are dead set on killing him by shooting, stabbing, decapitating, and blowing Roy up, which hits the reset button and he has to try and survive all over again. As Roy explains in the action packed opening moments of the film, there are sometimes minor differences in how things play out – no matter what though the day will end with his violent death.
Learning from his deaths over and over allows Roy to most of the time keep ahead of the gang of assassins that have been hired to take him out. Although in particular it seems like the sword-wielding Guan Yin (Selina Lo) humorously has the ability to catch Pulver off guard. While the prospect of getting the chance to redo a very bad day might sound slightly tempting, the film does a great job of showing just how much pain Roy has to go through in his attempt to just live as long as he possibly can. A result of which has left him jaded and resigned to his bizarre and violent reoccurring fate – that is until he realizes that he has perhaps been given an extraordinary gift and opportunity. One involving Jemma Wells (Watts), his estranged wife and head scientist at Dynow Labs, which is headed up by Colonel Clive Ventor (Gibson). Although before Pulver attempts to tackle the ‘boss level’ he is going to need to learn a few more specialized skills, say like studying with master swordsman Dai Feng (Yeoh). Which certainly makes having all the time in the World a useful ability to possess to learn and better oneself , right?
Boss Level handles the majority of the violence in a humorous and over-the-top manner, one that definitely manages to deliver an exciting thrill ride of a film. But as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, it also provides a moving story, in addition to possessing a few surprising shout outs to some classic video games like Street Fighter II, Galaga, Pac-Man, and Robotron: 2084 to name a few.
In closing out this article, if you have Hulu and are looking for a fun film to watch – why not check out Joe Carnahan’s Boss Level tonight?
Friends, some pretty exciting retro video game news dropped on Saturday – three of the luminaries of the Golden Age of Activision have decided to join up and form the Audacity Games studio. David Crane as well as Garry and David Kitchen have started up the new company to produce new titles for retro gaming systems – including the likes of the Atari 2600 and more.
Activision as you probably are already aware was formed all the way back on October 1st of 1979 – when David Crane along with Larry Kaplan (Kaboom!), Alan Miller (Robot Tank), and Bob Whitehead (Chopper Command) decided to leave Atari. The reason being that the game designers felt they should be getting some of the vast profits that Atari was raking in on the games they came up with, in addition to being given credit for the games themselves. When those requests were not met, the four decided to finish up their business with Atari and create their own company, with Activision becoming the first third-party developer.
David Crane might be best known for 1982’s Pitfall!, the record-breaking cartridge published by Activision that has been said to have sold over 4 million copies. Garry Kitchen not only had a hand in the port of Donkey Kong to the 2600 but also created the likes of Keystone Kapers and Pressure Cooker for Activision. Dan Kitchen created Crackpots for the iconic third-party developer in addition to working on River Raid II and Ghostbusters II among others. It bears pointing out that a handful of the nearly 50 titles produced by Activision have managed to be discussed on the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – including Pressure Cooker, River Raid, and even a Top 5 episode.
Here is the official press release announcement for Audacity Games:
“Today, former Activision Co-Founder David Crane and ex-Activision Game Designers Garry and Dan Kitchen announced that they have partnered to form Audacity Games, Inc., a video game publisher focused on designing and publishing boxed game products for a variety of retro game systems, starting with the Atari® 2600™ Video Computer System™.
“With the popularity of retro video games, we saw an opportunity to create new titles for these still popular systems”, Audacity Games co-founder Garry Kitchen said, “and it gives us all a chance to design games again for the platforms that helped launch our careers.” Co-founder David Crane added, “For years our fans have been asking us to create new games. We heard you, and have decided to do just that. I have always said that I have as much fun making games as others do playing them, and the retro game systems are my favorites.”
About Retro Gaming: Retro Gaming is a movement to preserve, collect, and enjoy games and game consoles from a simpler time when video games were easy to understand and fun to play. Retro games demonstrate that a game can provide hours of enjoyment without using the latest technology. The buyer of a retro game gets to own a physical part of gaming history rather than a download of a license that can expire at any time. Each of Audacity Games’ products were authored by original retro game designers, designed to be fun to play, and come as physical game cartridges in a collectible box.
About Audacity Games Inc.: Audacity Games is a premium retro-game publisher founded by legendary game designers David Crane, Garry Kitchen and Dan Kitchen. Every game produced by Audacity Games™ is manufactured to order, and each copy is customized with a unique serial number. Every game connects to the internet through your connected mobile device for registering high scores, gives the player a chance to earn a physical high score patch like those from the golden era of 2600 games, and comes in a full-color box with colored label and printed manual to add to your game collection.
About the founders: David Crane, one of the most successful video game designers of all time, is best known for his smash hits PITFALL!™, DRAGSTER™ and GHOSTBUSTERS™ to name just a few. Garry Kitchen’s work spans five decades of successes with such hits as KEYSTONE KAPERS™, PRESSURE COOKER™ and the Atari® 2600™ version of DONKEY KONG™. Dan Kitchen rounds out the trio with over 40 years of game design experience creating such games as CRACKPOTS™, and the Atari® 2600™ versions of KUNG-FU MASTER and GHOSTBUSTERS™.
Atari and Atari 2600 are trademarks of Atari Inc.; All other trademarks, service marks and company names are the property of their respective owners.”
In closing out this article I want to give a big thanks to Earl Green for the heads up on this exciting news. Earl is not only a fellow writer for the Pop Culture Retrorama site but is also behind Phosphor Dot Fossils, the Logbook, in addition to being a key contributor to the Sci-Fi 5 podcast – your daily five minute look at science fiction history.
Friends, I want to give a big thanks to Neil Bolt of Bloody Disgusting for the heads up on Aliens: Fireteam, the latest video game to be set in the Alien universe first introduced by Ridley Scott’s in his 1979 masterpiece of a sci-fi/horror film. Although I think it would be more than fair to point out that Aliens: Fireteam is taking more of a cue from the 1986 James Cameron follow-up, as the game focuses on a 3-Player team of Colonial Marines. Of extreme interest to all of us fans of the terrifying Xenomorphs is that this game has been said to take place 23 years after Alien 3, the rather polarizing movie by David Fincher that was intended to wrap up the story of Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and her encounter with the nightmarish alien species first encountered on LV-426.
With Aliens: Fireteam, the Players take on the roles of a trio of Colonial Marines who are sent to four different locations in the Outer Rims – I am assuming to investigate a distress call sent by human colonies who have found themselves under assault by the Xenomorphs.
That announcement trailer for Aliens: Fireteam was released by Cold Iron Studios just a few days ago. Then to the surprise of everyone, just two days later IGN uploaded an exclusive 25 minute video of a playthrough of a level in the game, which is expected to be released this Summer on Steam, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and the Playstation 4 and Playstation 5. The video features Ryan McCaffrey of IGN as well as Craig Zinkievich and Matt Highison of Cold Iron Studios.
Players will be able to pick from five classes of Colonial Marines ranging from Doc, Technician, Gunner, Demolisher, and Recon (I’m definitely choosing Demolisher). In addition the Players will have to take on over 20 different species of Xenomorphs – and judging from that trailer you might also have to deal with the likes of Synthetics, in particular what might be a series of Working Joe androids from Alien: Isolation.
Friends, I want to give a big tip of the hat to Rob Bricken of io9 for the heads up on the fact that Nickelodeon is preparing to release a brand new series entitled The Barbarian and the Troll. A show set to debut on April 2nd but more importantly one that takes place in the sword and sorcery genre and also happens to feature puppets who are quick to draw weapons and get into fights in taverns. At least that seems to be the case judging by the six minute preview that Nickelodeon released a few days ago, not to mention that The Barbarian and the Troll certainly appears to be very meta in its approach to humor.
The story for the upcoming series focuses on Brendar (voiced by Spencer Grammer of Rick & Morty), a mighty barbarian who finds herself on an epic quest… along with a bridge troll, a talking owl, and possibly a bumbling wizard to battle a demon in the hopes of freeing her brother.
While I am definitely an easy mark when it comes to any entertainment involving puppetry, I suppose we need to chalk that one up to the legacy of Jim Henson and The Muppets, but I believe that preview shows a lot of promise. There were quite a few laugh-out-loud moments, in particular I have to admit that I giggled for a bit when seeing the skeleton minion wearing braces.
The Barbarian and the Troll was co-created by Drew Massey and Mike Mitchell, the former is not only co-writer along with Mitchell but provides the voice for Evan the Troll. In addition Massey has worked on the likes of Men in Black, Muppets Tonight, as well as the overlooked Disney+ series Earth to Ned. Mitchell has been known to provide voice work as well, just a few highlights include Monkeybone, Monsters vs. Aliens, and Megamind. Although having said that he might be better known for his role as a director with Sky High, Trolls, and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part to name just a few.
In closing out this article, it looks like we have a lot of entertainment headed our way in the next couple of weeks. From the just released Pacific Rim: The Black, to the upcoming The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Godzilla vs. Kong, the second season of Shudder’s Creepshow, and now The Barbarian and the Troll.
Friends, it was in 1982 when Mattel toys released the initial first wave of action figures for their new Masters of the Universe toy line, and it was a massive success. Perhaps kids of the day were primed to accept the sword and sorcery setting thanks to the likes of Dragonslayer, The Beastmaster, and Conan the Barbarian to name a few of the movies released during that time. Whatever the reason was, I can definitely tell you that I was bowled over the first time that I laid eyes on both He-Man and Skeletor at a little toy shop in our local mall. While money was extremely tight when growing up, for some reason my Father allowed me to pick out two action figures that afternoon. And my choices that day were limited to only four characters from the Masters of the Universe toy line, the aforementioned He-Man and Skeletor as well as Beast Man and Man-At-Arms. It seemed like a rather easy choice however and both the ‘Most Powerful Man in the Universe’ as well as ‘The Lord of Destruction’ came home with me to begin their long battle of good versus evil.
Thanks to my Grandparents I was gifted the impressive Castle Grayskull playset on my birthday the following year, it stands as was one of the biggest surprises in my youth, I had not asked for it and when I ripped the paper off and saw that beautiful artwork by Rudy Obrero… I started jumping up and down in excitement. And while I may no longer wage epic battles between He-Man and his fellow Masters of the Universe against the evil legions of Skeletor for the fate of Castle Grayskull – those adventures of my youth still echo in this ‘fortress of mystery and power’.
It was two years after that first wave of Masters of the Universe figures had hit shelves when Kid Stuff Records and Tapes released The Thief of Castle Grayskull, a book and cassette tape set. Interestingly enough the read along book is totally the same as the Golden Storybooks version released the previous year, featuring a story by Roger McKenzie with illustrations courtesy of Fred Carrillo. The former might be best known for his work on Warren Publishing’s line of horror magazines like Creepy, Eerie, and even Vampirella, although in addition he did write for both DC and Marvel Comics. Carrillo also worked with Warren Publishing but was perhaps better known for illustrating a slew of the DC Comics horror tiles such as Weird War Tales, Ghosts, and House of Secrets.
The story for The Thief of Castle Grayskull finds He-Man, Teela, Stratos, Man-At-Arms, and Battle Cat with a serious problem – Skeletor has used his magic to summon a vortex that rips Castle Grayskull from the very ground to transport it to the Land of Shadows. Can He-Man and his allies prevail against the threats of a demon army and Skeletor’s minions?
Friends, your mission, if you should choose to accept it is to watch this wonderful 1968 View-Master reel set for the popular Mission: Impossible television program. Curiously enough this delightful View-Master offering is actually based on the thrilling two-part story entitled “The Bunker”. The first episode of which originally aired on CBS on March 2nd of 1969 with the second part of the story being broadcast on March 9th. While the View-Master packet and reels themselves have a copyright date of 1968, I am pretty sure that it would not have been released until after these two episodes had aired – although I can find no record of when the reels were released. At the very least I can share with you that “The Bunker” was from Mission: Impossible‘s third season and were episodes 72 and 73 of the long-running TV series.
While the original leader of the Impossible Mission Force was Dan Briggs, played by Law & Order‘s Steven Hill, it would be the iconic Peter Graves as Jim Phelps that would lead the team beginning on September 10th of 1967 and for the remaining five seasons. And while there were guest stars galore throughout the run of the show, the original core team of IMF agents included Barnard “Barney” Collier (Greg Morris), William “Willy” Armitage (Peter Lupus), Cinnamon Carter (Barbara Bain), and Rollin Hand (Martin Landau). By far my favorite characters from the original team were Collier, who handled all of the mechanical and electronic demands, and Hand – who was a master of disguise, magician, as well as escape artist.
For this View-Master Mission: Impossible reel set adaptation of “The Bunker”, the IMF team must attempt to rescue Dr. Rojak (Milton Selzer) and his wife (Lee Meriwether) from an underground bunker. The scientist is being forced to work on a deadly long-range missile, with the government of his country threatening to kill his wife if he doesn’t produce results. To make matters worse, another government has learned of this and sends in an enemy agent to stop the missile research by any means necessary – can the IMF force rescue the scientist and his wife in time?
Obviously with only a mere 21 images to tell the story, it should go without saying this is an extremely abridged version of the two-part story. If you want to see all of the action and intrigue that “The Bunker” has to offer you can watch it on CBS All Access – which should be transforming into Paramount+ tomorrow – on the 4th of March.
Friends, it has been far too long since the Projectionist and I were able to get a new Saturday Frights podcast produced, but we hope this nearly hour long episode focusing on what we thought were the Top 5 Horror Movies of 2020 will make up for the wait. While I make mention of how trying last year was in the show itself, the truth of the matter is that it managed to be a banner year for quality horror films. In particular as our Top 5 Horror Movies list will bear out, an amazing number of those pictures were courtesy of the Shudder streaming service. If you frequent the Pop Culture Retrorama site on a regular basis you will most assuredly be able to deduce a few of the horror films that made it onto our list, hopefully however we have a few surprises for you.
Whittling down the horror movie releases of 2020 to just a top 5 list was quite a bit harder than you might think, which is why on the show we also present our top three runner-up films. I have a small feeling that as with any top 5 list, there will be one or two movies that you might strongly question with their ranking or perhaps the fact they were left off the main list. The Projectionist and I would love to hear your own selection in the comments section of this article.
“What?! You didn’t choose Freaky?!”
For what it might be worth, on this Top 5 Horror Movies of 2020 episode, I believe we have provided some interesting trivia for each of the films as well as what impressed us the most about the movie in question. In addition we have attempted to give you a brief and non-spoiler synopsis for each of the 5 horror films – at least nothing more than you might see in the trailers for the movies.
As promised in the episode itself, here are the links to an opposing view of one of our Top 5 Horror Movie finalists, courtesy of the esteemed Megan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting. Also we provide a quote from an interview with Fred Topel of the Showbiz Cheat Sheet that is equally worthy of your time to check out. And last but not least – after you’ve listened to our Top 5 Horror Movies of 2020 – you might want to rock out with the Mondo Boys.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
We sincerely appreciate you taking the time to listen to the show and for hanging in there with us, we hope you will enjoy our Top 5 Horror Movies of 2020 episode.
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Friends, for those of us of a certain age, you can probably recall sitting in front of the television set in 1984 and laughing at Clara Peller’s catchphrase of “Where’s the Beef?” in a series of short-lived but very profitable Wendy’s television commercials. The slogan took the country by storm and even found itself as well as Peller’s image slapped on not just the serving trays and the paper sacks at Wendy’s, but also on the likes of hand towels, aprons, collectible plates, lenticular puffy stickers, a plastic bank, and Fleer even released burger-shaped bubble gum that included nine stickers to collect. To say nothing of the fact that Walter Mondale famously used the catch phrase against Gary Hart during a 1984 Democratic presidential primary. Did you know however that Nashville disc jockey and songwriter Coyote McCloud wrote and recorded a hit song featuring Clara Peller that same year?
You might be interested to know that Peller was 81 years young at the time the iconic TV commercials began to air on January 10th of ’84. For 35 years she actually was employed as an manicurist at a beauty salon in Chicago, it wouldn’t be until her 80th birthday though that her career as an actor would begin. That came about thanks to working behind the scenes as a nail technician on the set of a local Chicago barbershop commercial, catching the eye of some of the ad agency representatives overseeing the shoot. They were able to convince Peller to sign a contract and she found herself appearing in such TV spots as for the Massachusetts State Lottery.
Interestingly enough there were two versions of the now famous “Where’s the Beef?” commercial, the one we know with Peller and two other elderly women of course, but there was a similar ad shot and aired featuring three elderly men. Obviously of the two ads the public overwhelmingly preferred the former, with it catapulting Peller into the annals of pop culture stardom through a series of commercials for Wendy’s – who were pleased to find their sales skyrocketing 31% to take in 945 million dollars in 1985.
In closing out this article, I would be sorely remiss if I didn’t remind you that the esteemed Allison Venezio-Preston has a fantastic series of articles on this site focusing on Wendy’s training videos!
Friends, I highly doubt I am fooling anyone with that header, obviously Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) never actually came across the Haddonfield horror known as Michael Myers during their investigation of the X-Files. However that isn’t to say that it wouldn’t be a thrilling crossover to watch if they had, which is of course why this fan-made trailer for X-Files Case: Michael Myers was concocted by Deformed Lunchbox and uploaded to their YouTube channel. Taking scenes from various episodes of the long-running Fox series The X-Files and splicing them with moments from a number of the films in the equally long-running Halloween franchise – giving us a taste of that alternative dimension where Mulder and Scully crossed paths with Michael Myers.
In fact Deformed Lunchbox provided this description for the video itself:
“It’s Halloween, and Agents Mulder and Scully have a case more deadly than they could imagine… In the small town of Haddonfield, a serial killer named Michael Myers has escaped from a mental hospital and is on a gruesome rampage! Following the trail of bodies (mostly teenagers) Mulder and Scully are investigating to no avail. The two are unsuccessful at stopping the invincible boogie man, and they are failing to stop the bloodbath. Will the two agents be able to put at end to Michael Myers, or will they succumb to his carnage?”
In particular I think the music that Deformed Lunchbox used in this fan-made trailer is the icing on the cake. I can truly say that I was a devoted fan of The X-Files in the beginning, much of that was thanks to watching The Adventures of Brisco County Jr., which was the show that aired before the former. Although I must also admit that I walked away from watching the series every single week starting around season 8 – which is the long way around to admitting I am not sure what episodes were used for the trailer.
However I am willing to bet dollars to doughnuts that not only is the original Halloween featured in the fan-made trailer but so is the 1981 sequel as well as Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, Halloween: Resurrection, Rob Zombie’s Halloween, and of course 2018’s Halloween.
In closing out this article, if you recognize scenes from the fan-made trailer by Deformed Lunchbox that we missed, make sure you to point them out in the comments sections.
Friends, back in 2019 there was a game released by Ravensburger that had me stalking the aisles of my local Target and Walmart, the game in question was Horrified and just so happened to be a wonderful Universal Monsters themed board game. While I made plenty of Twitter as well as Instagram posts about playing the game, I failed to write an article about it for the site. I suppose I was too busy trying to save the likes of Abbott and Costello, at least their characters of Chick Young and Wilbur Grey from Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, from the clutches of Count Dracula, the Wolf Man, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon among others.
If you consider yourself a fan of the classic Universal Monsters films, then I can assure you that you need to head out and pick up Horrified today – it is an absolute blast. I bring all of this up as it was announced a couple of days ago on the BoardGameGeek site that Ravensburger is planning on releasing a brand new board game on August 1st of this year. A game that is about a whole different type of horror, as this upcoming board game entitled Alien: Fate of the Nostromo is based on Ridley Scott’s 1979 science fiction/horror masterpiece – Alien.
Alien: Fate of the Nostromo is a co-op game that will task one to five players with attempting to successfully guide the crew members of the iconic starfreighter in completing certain objectives on their turns. Obviously the goal is also to avoid crossing paths with the dreaded Xenomorph, the movement of which sounds like is directed by the drawing of cards. If all of the objectives are completed the Players will then begin a random final mission to bring the game session to an end, although everyone in the game will have to be wary of the morale of the Nostromo’s crew bottoming out as that will grant a victory to the Xenomorph.
IMAGES PROVIDED BY RAVENSBURGER VIA BOARDGAMEGEEK.
The Players understandably can choose Dallas (Tom Skerritt), Brett (Harry Dean Stanton), Lambert (Veronica Cartwright), Parker (Yaphet Kotto), and Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) in Alien: Fate of the Nostromo as Kane is already dead when the game begins. However it appears if you want to make the game session even harder you can let Ash (Ian Holm) lose on the doomed starfreighter, if I understand it correctly he will steal items and help to lower the morale of the crew members.
RAVENSBURGER VIA BOARDGAMEGEEK
In closing out this article, unlike with the excellent Horrified I will be absolutely sure to write up a review of Alien: Fate of the Nostromo when it hits store shelves on August 1st. Until then to pass the time you might be kind enough to listen to the Saturday Frights podcast where the Projectionist and myself tackle 1979’s Alien?
Friends, I have on occasion when writing for the site made a point of mentioning my love of the work of the legendary Ray Bradbury. However I have always found in many of Bradbury’s stories there is a deep sense of melancholy, now there are times when that is slightly obscured by something truly horrific, like in The Playground. Other stories though like with 1951’s “The Fog Horn” approach the sorrow with an sense of doom which results in a story that is all the more moving.
It was in 1951 that Bradbury’s “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms” was first published in The Saturday Evening Post. Yes, the original title for the short story was indeed the same as the one used in the 1953 film. In fact there is some interesting trivia concerning that classic science fiction/horror movie and how Bradbury’s name became attached to it. As told by the author himself In the book entitled Master of the Majicks Vol. 2., Bradbury was quoted about a meeting he had with Hal Chester, the co-founder of Mutual Films who happened to be bankrolling the movie:
“Hal Chester called me in and asked me to read the preliminary script [at this point only a rough draft treatment]. I pointed out the resemblance between it and my short story The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, which had appeared in The Saturday Evening Post during 1951. Chester’s face paled and his jaw dropped when I told him his monster was my monster.”
Bradbury added that by the next day he had received a telegram, an offer to purchase the rights to the story for a rather staggering amount of two thousand dollars. A deal that Bradbury obviously accepted, with the film being able to now add the author’s name to the credits and use the title from the original short story!
Bradbury would alter the title of his popular short story to “The Fog Horn” in his 1953 short story collection, The Golden Apples of the Sun. I have to admit that I personally feel the new title was better than the original, in addition I can’t help but feel perhaps the name change was in the spirit of a nose tweaking.
“The Fog Horn” concerns two men stationed in a remote light house,named Johnny and McDunn. Johnny is a younger man and acts as the narrator for the events of the tale, describing the events of one evening when the mournful wailing sound of the fog horn summons something from the depths.
So dim the lights if you are able and prepare to learn about the mystery and tragedy of “The Fog Horn” – courtesy of Michael Hanson’s Mindwebs!
And if you are still jonesing for some more Ray Bradbury goodness, might I suggest you give a listen to the 14th episode of the Saturday Frights podcast? The subject is The Ray Bradbury Theater adaptation of “Usher II”.
I’m going to be in a new Nintendo documentary, and here you can watch an exclusive scene where me and some others in the industry talk about the importance of Super Mario 64, the groundbreaking N64 game. The documentary, which stars Sean Astin and Wil Wheaton, will debut on the Crackle streaming service March 1, and you can download Crackle for FREE. It is a five-part doc, and this scene is from episode 3.
Friends, it was in 1978 when Kenner toys managed to change the history of action figure and toy lines after securing the license for the first Star Wars film the previous year. Much has been written about how the toy company found itself completely caught off guard by the success of the film as well as the demand for the toys in ’77, although some sources claim the company was hamstrung by Lucas not providing reference material in time for he design of the toy line. Personally I think the truth falls somewhere in the middle, especially if you take a gander at this Nashua Telegraph article from December 17th of 1977. However I firmly believe that Kenner also made history when it released the first 12 figures in the still-impressive Super Powers Collection in 1984.
In a roundabout way the Super Powers Collection came about thanks to the success of the Star Wars line of action figures, vehicles, and playsets. But as Return of the Jedi marked the end of the lucrative line (although they would produce the Droids and Ewoks toys in ’85) and with rival toy company Mattel making a splash with Masters of the Universe, Kenner needed a new concept. And what better concept than one that already had years of mass market appeal – the legion of characters from the pages of DC Comics. After all the likes of Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, Aquaman, and others had been a staple in Saturday morning cartoons since 1973 with the various Super Friends animated series.
Now I personally didn’t get into the Super Powers Collection until the second wave had been released and that was thanks to Kenner producing a figure for none other than Darkseid, which among other Fourth World characters were designed by their creator Jack Kirby. This was also the time I was becoming educated on the history of many of the DC Comics characters thanks to the Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe.
As I understand it, most fans of the Super Powers Collection feel that it was Kenner not sticking with the more recognizable characters that caused the line to peter out after three waves. That might be the case but it would appear that in 1988 the toys were still popular enough to receive four Super Powers cup holders from Burger King.
In closing out this article I can only say how much I truly adored the Super Powers Collection, especially because they were making action figures for the likes of Dr. Fate, Martian Manhunter, Mr. Miracle, and Cyborg. I think it is easily one of the greatest toy lines ever produced, but I would love to hear your personal memories of the toys or the Super Powers cup holders from Burger King in the comments section.
Friends, when Star Wars: Return of the Jedi was released to theaters on May 25th of 1983, there were already a couple of things rabid fans could buy. Off the top of my head I can remember that Kenner had released action figures for the then third and final film in the Star Wars trilogy. I am sure that many of you had similar experiences of standing in the toy aisle looking at the likes of figures such as Klaatu, Emperor’s Royal Guard, Gamorrean Guard, Admiral Ackbar, and Bib Fortuna… and just wondering who the heck these characters were. I naturally was ecstatic to see this new wave of Kenner action figures and after stretching my Father’s patience by studying each and every new character, I finally decided that my first purchase from the Return of the Jedi line would be Bib Fortuna. As this was long before the internet of course, I had no idea what role the Twi’lek (or even that was what his species was called at that point) would play in the film, although the photograph provided on the blister card led me to believe the character was definitely a villain.
“Wise choice, Vic.”
Another collectible that I recall included the Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Official Collector’s Edition magazine, which included a breakdown of the story as well as an incredible amount of behind the scenes information. I obviously did not read the story portion of the magazine until after I had seen the film for myself, right after I begged my Father to take me back to the toy store so I could buy Admiral Ackbar.
“You should have chosen me first.”
After the film had been released you couldn’t swing a Kowakian monkey-lizard without hitting some type of merchandise for Return of the Jedi. Books, records, pencil toppers, activity books, stickers, and of course Presto Magix sets. The last one is something that I recall seeing in great quantities at the local K-Mart stores in my neck of the woods. They were incredibly affordable ways to spend a rainy afternoon, plus they managed to license everything from Dynomutt, Laff-a-Lympics, Masters of the Universe, The Dukes of Hazzard, Batman, Thor, and Star Wars of course.
Generally for a couple of bucks you could create your own stories with some of your favorite TV, Film, and comic book characters. Although you had to be absolutely sure where you wanted to apply the rub-on transfer decal, because once they were on the background card you couldn’t remove them. There were box sets available too, these not only provided more decals to choose from but offered a much larger background card to apply them to.
For a breakdown on more Presto Magix sets and fun, why not take a couple of minutes and watch the esteemed Weird Paul‘s review?
Friends, although I have no doubt whatsoever that in my youth I had heard some of the popular songs of Harry Nilsson, while traveling in the car with my Father, the sad truth of the matter is I wouldn’t have realized it. In fact the first time I ever remember hearing the late and great singer and songwriter was thanks to the animated film adaptation for The Point!, the children’s album which marked the sixth studio album by Nilsson. The ABC Movie of the Week was produced by Murakami-Wolf Films (The Mouse and his Child, Puff the Magic Dragon) with narration and performances by Alan Thicke (Growing Pains) as well as Mike Lookinland (The Brady Bunch). When The Point (notice they took off the exclamation mark) was originally aired on February 2nd of 1971, I was far too young to have caught it, but thanks to it being rebroadcast throughout the ’80s I fell in love with the music of Harry Nilsson long before I was aware of the artist himself.
You will no doubt have noticed that the narrator in that clip was not Alan Thicke but Ringo Starr, that is because the legendary musician lent his voice to the role of narrator for the VHS and DVD releases for The Point. It is a delightful animated movie that we have watched after closing down the arcade on many a night in the past, if you have not had the pleasure of watching the film for yourself I cannot recommend it highly enough.
A little over a year after that animated film premiered, it turns out that Harry Nilsson took part in a special for the BBC entitled The Music of Nilsson, which was presented as one of the In Concert series. Recorded in ’71 but not released until New Year’s Day of 1972, the special allowed Nilsson to perform the likes of “Mr. Richland’s Favorite Song“, “One“, “Gotta Get Up“, and “Coconut” among others. Smarter folks than myself have correctly observed that for the taping of “Coconut“, Nilsson is quite obviously making a nod to the popular sketch comedy act The Nairobi Trio as featured on The Ernie Kovacs Show.
“Coconut” was one of ten songs featured on the 1971 studio album Nilsson Schmilsson, and marked the third single to be released for the LP the following year. The song managed to nab Billboard‘s #66 spot for the top songs released in ’72 and has gone on to be featured in the likes of Reservoir Dogs, The Addams Family, and Hey Arnold!: The Movie.
Friends, while my time at the arcade has been scaled back to one day a week due to the economic impact of the pandemic, I can tell you that even being back that single shift has done much to pick up my spirits. In the nearly nine years that the Arkadia Retrocade has been open for business, my input into the success of the arcade has been tiny, for all intents and purpose it has been to act as doorman or a janitor when the call arises – the joy of working at an arcade in this day and age though is still pretty amazing. Obviously that is one of the reasons I created the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast, in addition to giving me an opportunity to discuss my memories of the arcade and video games of my youth. Which is why my co-worker at the arcade, Gary Burton, the chief technician for Arkadia was quick to send me a recent article by Matt Gardner of Forbes. It was revealed that a rather rare Sega arcade cabinet was discovered out in a field north of Belfast, Ireland by Lee Peters, who as it turns out is a member of a Facebook group who specialize in this particular arcade cabinet. The R360 as is hinted at by the name, allowed a Player to sit inside a circular cockpit, buckled up for safety purposes and spin 360 degrees in any direction. In total it is believed that only up to 200 of these cabinets were ever manufactured by Sega starting in 1990 – in fact it apparently was originally listed as a ride instead of an arcade title.
As I understand it, the R360 was initially released in Japan in ’90 before being given an international push the following year. The game that was most commonly associated with the 2,200 pound cabinet was G-LOC: Air Battle, which allowed a Player to experience it as either a game or as something akin to a thrill ride in demo mode. It should not come as any surprise that it was always intended to be run with an attendant on hand who could manually shut the game down if an issue occurred. In fact thanks to this YouTube video that was uploaded back in 2013 you can see the game in action for yourself – although BE WARNED there is just a bit of salty language as the Player starts up the game itself.
While I am sad to say that it sounds like the remains of the R360 arcade cabinet that was located in that field can’t be salvaged by Peters, it does appear he is still going to attempt to rescue it. You might be interested to know that Sega released a two-player cabinet known as the R360Z in 2015 featuring a game entitled Transformers: Human Alliance, obviously a tie-in with the Michael Bay Transformers films.
In closing out this article I will have to say that as amazing as the R360 and R360Z seem to be, my motion sickness guarantees that I will never be able to play one if I happen across them at an arcade in the future.
Friends, yesterday afternoon saw the release of the first trailer for the upcoming live action Mortal Kombat movie, which is due to be released in both theaters and HBO Max on April 16th. While it is the honest truth that I am most looking forward to seeing Godzilla vs. Kong at the end of March, I would have to rank this new Mortal Kombat film as a close second. During nearly a decade that I was fortunate enough to write for the Retroist, and even on the PCR site, I believe I have made evident my love of the Mortal Kombat series. Having said that I always admit that I am absolutely horrid at the fighting game genre, but I am so very much addicted to the lore of the MK series of games, comic books, and even the criminally overlooked animated series from back in ’96.
I plan on covering the 1995 Mortal Kombat film on a future episode of the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast. Mortal Kombat began as a rather controversial arcade fighting game in 1992, released by Midway Games who had a hand in such classic video games as TRON and Rampage to name a few. But thanks to the hugely popular home ports of the first Mortal Kombat as well as Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat III, the series managed to reach a younger audience that might not have had the luxury of a nearby arcade. Which would explain why back in 1994 Hasbro decided to tackle such a controversial property and produce a line of Mortal Kombat action figures – that could easily fit in with your collection of G.I. Joe toys.
That original live action film managed to obtain a PG-13 rating for violence and some ‘mature’ language. It certainly appears though that the upcoming Mortal Kombat reboot is proud to let folks know it is has earned an R rating for over-the-top violence and what I am sure will be plenty of swear words. The trailer below is courtesy of Entertainment Tonight and not the red band trailer that is available online – it still shows plenty of action and violence however and is courteous enough to bleep out a bit of bad language at the end of the preview.
In closing out this article, I have to say that this new movie looks like quite a bit of fun – hopefully I will be able to watch it at the arcade. In addition I am extremely impressed with the casting of Hiroyuki Sanada (Westworld) as Hanzo Hasashi aka Scoprion. Furthermore I am ecstatic the film is going to be featuring Kung Lao, who is played by Max Huang (Kingsman: The Secret Service, Hitman: Agent 47). I will be sure to share a non-spoiler review of Mortal Kombat after it is released in April.
The three entities known as Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast who are collectively known as The Demons Three are the second entry in the well regarded Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe, which was originally published back in 1985. Over 26 issues were produced and thanks to the likes of Marv Wolfman, Robert Greenberger, and Len Wein – many of us comic book fans became aficionados of the vast history of the then current DC Universe. The sometimes exhaustive Who’s Who were quick to shine the spotlight on the big names such as Batman and Superman but were also quite willing to give the likes of lesser known characters such as Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast a chance in the light too. As the recent Justice League Action animated series frequently did – beginning with the very first episode when it introduced Abnegazr, Rath and Ghast as part of the demonic Brothers Djinn.
Abenegazar, Rath and Ghast were created by none other than Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky for Justice League of America #10 – which saw publication in March of 1962. Gardner Fox in particular had a hand in the creation of not just the Justice League of America but before that in 1940 he managed to create another legendary team of super heroes, the first gathering of heroes in comic books in fact, The Justice Society of America. In addition it is believed that Fox might have worked under many different pseudonyms and had a hand in the co-creation of The Sandman, The Flash (Jay Garrick), as well as Hawkman (Carter Hall).
Mike Sekowsky might best be known for being the artist and co-creator of the Justice League of America beginning with their appearance in The Brave and the Bold #28. Mike would pencil 63 issues of the Justice League of America comic book – in addition to acting as writer, artist and even editor on Wonder Woman beginning in September of 1968. Although Fox and Sekowsky didn’t just create the Demons Three in that issue of Justice League, they also came up with the magically maniacal Felix Faust but we will talk about him more in his own entry.
IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ROCKFORD JAY COLLECTION.
The art chores for Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast’s entry in the Who’s Who is courtesy of both Craig Hamilton as well as Dick Giordano. Interestingly enough it appears that it was around this time that Hamilton got his start at DC – you might know his work better from the extremely popular and quite fantastic Fables series. Giordano was an absolute icon in the sequential arts scene, having worked as an artist and editor for DC Comics among others, and he had a hand in creating the likes of Johnny Thunder and his Thunderbolt, Peacemaker, The Human Target, and Batman’s underworld identity of Matches Malone to name just a few.
The entry for Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast in the first volume of the Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe list this personal data:
Alter Ego: Inapplicable
Occupation: Inapplicable (Although I would have listed troublemakers as their occupation)
Marital Status: Inapplicable
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: None
Base of Operations: 20th Century Earth
First Appearance:Justice League of America #10
Height: Inconsistent
Weight: Inconsistent
Eyes: All Black
Hair: Black (Ghast), none (Abnegazar, Rath)
The Demons Three existed over a billion years ago, lording it over the pre-human species with their magical powers. An intergalactic group of wanderers known as the Timeless Ones, whose job it is to keep cosmic balance, became aware of Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast running rampant – so they imprisoned the trio. But the Demons Three while not as powerful as these Timeless Ones were at the very least more clever as they crafted three mystical talismans that anchored their physical beings to the Earth. The Silver Wheel of Nyorlath, the Green Bell of Uthool, and the Red Jar of Calythos. Even the power of the cosmic Timeless Ones were unable to destroy said artifacts or even remove them from the Earth, so they did their level best to hide them, Ghast was imprisoned beneath the waves in the South Atlantic, Abnegazar is hidden under the desert sands of Sin-Kiang in Western China, and Rath is locked under the ice of the Arctic. It is the villainous Felix Faust with aid from the trapped demons who attempts to use the Justice League to free the trio.
Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast as is pointed out in their entry for the Who’s Who are able to fly through space and even time travel if need be, conjure destructive force bolts, craft various matter, and even bring to life inanimate objects. Shortly after their entry was published it appears that Abnegazar got a little too mouthy with Dr. Fate who slew the demon for his insolence – granted over the years he has apparently managed to cheat death and rejoin his brothers once again.
Besides the Justice League Action animated series the trio showed up in the 1985 The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians in an episode entitled “The Case of the Stolen Super Powers”, which is just a retelling of their and Faust’s first appearance. The Demons Three also made an appearance in the Justice League Unlimited series in an episode called “The Balance”, where Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl take Abnegazar hostage, forcing him to reveal the location of Felix Faust!
Friends, as the Sun begins to set here at the Pop Culture Retrorama Vault, it means my thoughts as usual turn to entertainment with a horror bend. Which in all honesty is not saying much of anything as that really is my go to choice of genre at any given time. Thankfully the likes of Ian Gordon and the stories presented by HorrorBabble fit the bill quite nicely indeed. Not to mention that Gordon’s reading of “The Thing From the Barrens” is timely as my neck of the woods has been hit by Winter Storm Uri, and while we are fortunate to have power at the moment I am definitely snowed in. The cold weather of the arctic plays a key factor in this story by Jim Kjelgaard that was originally published in the pages of the September 1945 issue of Weird Tales.
Jim Kjelgaard would actually write four stories for the Weird Tales pulp magazine, with “The Thing From the Barrens” being his first accepted work and followed by “The Fangs of Tsan-Lo”, “Chanu”, and then “The Man Who Told the Truth”. All of these were written and published in a span of less than a single year – but Kjelgaard was making a name for himself with his other published works including Big Red, Haunt Fox, and Forest Patrol. The writer could definitely be described as being a fan of outdoor life as most of his stories involved animals, dogs in particular, and were written from the view point of the animal in question. While Kjelgaard would find his stories published in additional pulp magazines such as Argosy and Adventure his work would also be featured in The Saturday Evening Post. In fact Walt Disney Productions would go on to adapt his 1945 Big Red novel into a feature film in 1962, starring Walter Pidgeon (Forbidden Planet, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea) and Emile Genest (The Cinicinnati Kid).
The story for “The Thing From the Barrens” concerns a young man named George Malory who resides in North City, who being blessed with an independent income stays in the frigid city to be close to the love of his life, Marcia Davenport. Who happens to be the Daughter of a trapper named Pug, a character and profession that it would appear Malory has no issue with looking down upon. However it is Pug Davenport who encounters a mysterious creature while out in the Barrens – something that leaves behind large and almost duck-like prints and what is described as the trapper as a stick. If someone is to touch this black stick though, they appear to begin floating off the ground, snatched up and taken away… to a grisly fate.
So turn down the lights if you are able and enjoy “The Thing From the Barrens” courtesy of Ian Gordon of HorrorBabble. And if you too are snowbound and decide to go out for a walk, mind you don’t stop to pick up any black sticks.
Friends, the other day you probably saw that there was a reunion of sorts for two of the stars from 1984’s Gremlins – courtesy of a brand new Mountain Dew ad. The humorous commercial features Zach Galligan (Waxwork) reprising his role as Billy Peltzer as well as the adorable Gizmo, who like in the classic Joe Date film is voiced by Howie Mandell (Little Monsters, Bobby’s World). In fact this Mountain Dew commercial is sort of a big thing as it might very well be the last time that Mandell voices the iconic Mogwai – it was revealed last year that he will not voice the character in the upcoming Gremlins: Secrets of The Mogwai animated series on HBO Max. Just in case you haven’t watched the Gremlins Mt. Dew Zero Commerical yet, it gives us a quick look at the life of an older Gizmo and Billy… although perhaps not wiser in this case?
VIDEO AND ARTICLE IMAGES PROVIDED BY Mountain Dew.
Considering what Billy and Kate (Phoebe Cates) and the citizens of Kingston Falls went through in the 1984 film as well as what they experienced in Gremlins 2 – you really can’t fault their daughter for that massive eye-rolling at her Father, right? Furthermore I have to point out I totally need a collectible based off her personal Mogwai – that thing is amazing!
There are quite a few Easter eggs present in the first few seconds of the Mt. Dew Zero commercial – some a little easier to spot than others. First of all you can see a pair of 3D glasses on the coffee table in front of Billy and Gizmo. However if you look in the background in the upper right-hand corner you will see not only the motorcycle helmet that Gizmo hid in but a poster based off Billy’s caricature of Mrs. Deagle (Polly Holliday) from the 1984 film.
Also visible in those openings moments of the commercial, behind the sofa is a red lamp that looks very similar to the one seen in Billy’s bedroom – in addition there is a postcard that I would be willing to bet is from Billy’s parents in Kingston Falls. You can also see an airplane on a shelf which ties into the gremlins lore from World War II – made popular by Roald Dahl in his 1943 book as a matter of fact.
Of course it is easy to spot the Peltzer company logo on Billy’s vest which I assume means that his Father was able to keep working as an inventor of gadgets. But if you look on the wall you can make out a Gremlins poster and below that is a popcorn machine, which might very well be a nod to the movie theater scene in the 1984 film.
After Gizmo spills the Mt. Dew Zero and begins to spawn more Mogwai, we can see that not only has Billy continued to collect comic books but there are architectural drawings on the table. Possibly hinting that Billy has continued to work as an architectural designer for Daniel Clamp, who was played by John Glover (In the Mouth of Madness) in the 1990 sequel.
In closing out this article, I truly hope that this is just the first in a series of Mt. Dew Zero ads featuring Gizmo and Billy. If you spotted more references to either Gremlins or Gremlins 2 – make sure to point them out in the comments section.
Friends, somehow in all of the hustle and bustle of work and preparing for a winter storm, I missed the 40th anniversary for My Bloody Valentine. Which is a shame as I have been a staunch supporter of the Canadian slasher film since it was originally released 4 decades ago on February 11th of 1981. I was not able to catch the movie at the drive-in theater of my youth, but upon seeing it on The Movie Channel it easily became one of my all-time favorite slasher films. My Bloody Valentine is a horror film that ‘when the 14th comes ’round’, as “The Ballad of Harry Warden” tune goes, I will gladly pop into the player for a chance to revisit.
One of the reasons that I am such a fan of My Bloody Valentine is the fact that unlike most of the slashers of that era – the characters were actually quite likeable. You will most definitely care for the majority of the young blue-collar workers of the Hanniger mine as they start to get picked off – the film racing to what was then a somewhat startling conclusion. While the lion’s share of the credit should be given to Neil Affleck (The Simpsons), Lori Hallier (Star Trek: Voyager), and Paul Kelman (Black Roses) as the trio of main characters – even the supporting cast manage to be quite memorable.
Another element that I feel sets My Bloody Valentine apart from other slasher films of the early ’80s is the soundtrack by Paul Zaza (Murder by Decree), in particular the beautifully haunting “The Ballad of Harry Warden” which was composed by Zaza and sung by John McDermott.
When My Bloody Valentine was released by Paramount Pictures in ’81, it didn’t exactly manage to overflow the studio coffers – on a budget of 2.3 million it managed to earn 5.7 during it’s initial theatrical run. While that obviously meant that at the very least it earned back the film’s production costs, what was considered by the studio to be weak returns sadly meant that any hopes for a sequel featuring the iconic character of The Miner and his continuing bloody revenge against the town of Valentine Bluffs were quashed.
As the Projectionist and I discussed on the Saturday Frights podcast episode where we tackled My Bloody Valentine, the film by all accounts was dealt a rather heavy hand when submitted to the review board. This treatment is believed by Director George Milhaka (Eternal Evil) to have been because of the tragic death of John Lennon in December of 1980 – with violence in movies being targeted by the MPAA afterwards. John Dunning who was one of the producers on My Bloody Valentine has gone on record stating he felt that the film was “cut to ribbons” thanks to having to submit the film with more and more edits to the picture each time in an effort to avoid an X-rating.
It would take a staggering 28 years after the original release before fans of My Bloody Valeninte were able to see the film as Milhaka had intended – with Lionsgate producing a special edition DVD and Blu-ray. This also happened to be around the time of their 2009 big budget 3D remake starring Jensen Ackles (Supernatural), Jamie King (Sin City), and Kerr Smith (Final Destination).
In closing out this article, those of us at Pop Culture Retrorama sincerely hope you have a safe and very happy Valentine’s Day. When the sun sets though and perhaps your thoughts turn to horror films – why not join us in celebrating the 40th anniversary of My Bloody Valentine? If you do not have the time to watch the classic slasher though, perhaps you might enjoy listening to episode 81 of the Saturday Frights podcast instead?
Hey there, Pop Culture Retrorama Fans! Ashley Thomas, aka The Nerdy Blogger here. While I am still a bit of a noob when it comes to the horror genre, I do have some familiarity with 1991’s The Silence of the Lambs. The film has quite a history and boasts the only Oscar win for best picture by a horror film. The film celebrates its thirtieth birthday today, so we thought we’d share a few fun facts about The Silence of the Lambs here on the site. Check out the trailer for the film and let’s get started.
Spooky, right? As I mentioned, The Silence of the Lambs not only scored the win for Best Picture at the 1992 Oscars, the film also cleaned up every major category that year–Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The Silence of the Lambs also received nominations for Best Sound and Best Film Editing. The official Oscars channel on YouTube is a treasure trove of award show highlights, but did you know they have playlists for nearly every year of the Academy Awards? You can actually watch every major award given at the 1992 show here, including each win for The Silence of the Lambs.
I’m one of the younger contributors here at the PCR, so I’m afraid that it was probably past my bedtime when the 1992 Oscars aired on television. One thing I noticed while checking out videos of the award show is that a live orchestra performs musical cues, which I’ve not seen in any award show in recent memory, but also that the 1992 show was hosted by funnyman Billy Crystal! That’s a show I’d happily watch any time. Check out his Hannibal Lecter-themed entrance.
I went back and watched each win that Silence got that year. It was fascinating to watch each recipient react differently. Director Jonathan Demme gave a bit of a rambling acceptance speech. Sir Anthony Hopkins accepted his award with a gentle humility, quite in contrast to his character. The producers of Silence accepted the award in stride, with little fuss. Ted Tally offered a brief, but heartfelt acceptance speech for his win in Best Adapted Screenplay. However, I personally was most moved by Jodie Foster’s acceptance speech.
I am perhaps most moved by Foster’s speech because I bear a deep fondness for Clarice Starling. As a southern person, I find positive and affirming portrayals of southern people all too rare in film and television. Foster’s portrayal of the sharp, intuitive Clarice is one I hold up as an example of the best of the south.
Aside from its critical acclaim, I am most captivated by the cinematography and use of color in the film, as well as the dialogue. The conversations between Clarice and Dr. Lecter are utterly fascinating and are made more so by the way the conversations are shot. Whoever is speaking is the focus of the camera. Rarely during their conversations are they shown in the same shot, save for reflection in the glass. I love how when the tension increases, the shot zooms in closer on each person until their face is nearly the entire frame. It’s nearly imperceptible because the dialogue is so compelling, but once you notice it, it’s hard to not see it in other scenes. It is a simple, but brilliant technique and does much to increase the tension without doing anything distracting.
I also love the stark contrast of the white of Hannibal Lecter’s prison uniform whenever the blood flies in the film. While there are some disturbing scenes in this film, I was surprised that the film was markedly less gory than I expected. The fear is achieved off camera, making it worse in your mind’s eye than anything that actually appears on the screen, with a few exceptions, of course.
What do you think about The Silence of the Lambs? Were you able to catch this one in the theater? If you’d like to hear my further thoughts on the film, check out the “Spooky Scary” episode of Dearly Debated, where I discuss the film, along with three other of my favorite horror films with my friends Greg, Nathanael, and Jason.
Until next time, PCR fans, have the lambs stopped screaming?
In case you didn’t know, I write retro gaming reference books. For my recently published book, The NES Omnibus: The Nintendo Entertainment System and Its Games, Volume 1 (A–L), I wanted someone famous to write the foreword. I considered reaching out to actor Sean Astin, who has appeared in gaming documentaries, and The Angry Video Game Nerd, the most influential of all retro gaming YouTubers.
But then Adam F. Goldberg, the creator and producer of The Goldbergs television series, fell into my lap. (Thankfully, he did so metaphorically). My buddy Sean Tiedeman, who directed The King of Arcades (2014), suggested Mr. Goldberg and got me in touch with him. Much to my surprise, Adam was delighted to participate in the project and has been very supportive.
The Goldbergs, which captures the zeitgeist of the 1980s in fun, over-the-top fashion, is an homage to Goldberg’s decidedly nerdy childhood. The show has featured the Nintendo NES prominently, as well as classic ’80s-style arcades. There was even an episode with a Tron theme. Best of all, Goldberg, who co-wrote the screenplay for Fanboys (2009) and has produced several video game documentaries, is an avowed NES fan.
With his super geeky street cred, Goldberg, a gifted writer, had all the potential qualities as a forewordist for a retro gaming book. And, unsurprisingly, he turned in an absolutely killer account of his days growing up with the NES and the impact it had on is obviously fun childhood.
Without further ado, I’m proud to share with Pop Culture Retrorama readers Mr. Goldberg’s fantastic foreword. The dude really loved him some NES.
FOREWORD TO THE NES OMNIBUS VOL. 1
By Adam F. Goldberg
“Dude, look at those graphics! It’s like having an arcade in your house!!!”
Those were the EXACT words I screamed when I laid my eyes on the Nintendo Entertainment System for the very first time. The moment has been vividly burned into my brain. It was January, 1986. I was sleeping over at my friend John Gaines’ house. I assumed we’d spend the night making prank calls, eating Fritos, and playing his ColecoVision, as we did at most of our sixth-grader sleepovers. But my pal had a new game system, one that he boldly declared was infinitely better than ColecoVision, Intellivision, and Atari put together. It was called NINTENDO.
At that point, the system only had a handful of titles to its name—but that didn’t matter—because one of those games was Super Mario Bros. I vividly remember sitting on John’s bed, watching in sheer awe as that little plumber shot fireballs and dodged jellyfish and used drainpipes as warp zones. It really did put Atari to shame. The Mario brothers made Pitfall Harry look like a total ass clown. In that moment, I knew the future had arrived. And it was called Nintendo.
When my mom picked me up the next morning, I was fully converted to a Nintendo kid and never wanted anything more in my life. Just one problem. My frugal father had JUST upgraded me to an Atari 7800 for Hanukkah, which at that moment I thought was the future of gaming. Murray Goldberg could not understand how the new and improved Atari was deemed obsolete a mere two weeks after he purchased it. I desperately tried to explain that the Nintendo had superior graphics and cooler games. Hell, it came with a friggin’ gun that let you hunt ducks and a robot named R.O.B. that…did something. No one really knew, but still! Owning a Nintendo system was like having an arcade in your den! Think of all the quarters our family would save! It pays for itself! What’s not to understand!?
Naturally, my old man refused to make the leap to Nintendo because our family had already invested a pretty penny into the Atari. I had a ton of games, an official Tron joystick, and a sweet hard-shell carrying case to lug around the Atari console. Buying an NES game system was a battle that raged on in the Goldberg house for the next four agonizing years. Luckily, my best friend Chad Kremp lived across the street, and he owned a Commodore 64, which his parents had bought in 1982. The Nintendo upgrade was a much easier sell to his parents. The moment Chad got a Nintendo for his birthday, it meant that I owned a Nintendo by proxy. It didn’t matter that I mostly sat and watched him play. I was thrilled to be Nintendo adjacent, and it was glorious!
I’m proud to say that many of my fondest childhood memories center around playing video games in my best friend’s room. I’m convinced that Chad and I are so deeply bonded largely in part to beating games like Contra, Mega Man II, Kid Icarus, and Metal Gear. Even though, again, I watched most of the time. We had inside jokes for each game. To this day, we still randomly call each other and say, “I’m still in Okinawa,” a reference to how we could never beat the typhoon level of the Karate Kid game. We even came up with our own nonsensical lyrics to the chiptune game soundtracks, my favorite being “RAMMA LAMMA JAMMA!” from the castle level of Super Mario Bros.
Chad and I even spent an entire summer creating our own Legend of Zelda map, planting bombs on every screen to uncover every single secret cave. The idea was to sell photos of our map at school, netting us a pretty petty. Unfortunately, Nintendo Power released an awesome three-page foldout cheat map, instantly destroying our brilliant business scheme. Most people would say that we completely wasted three months of our lives charting a Zelda map, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
The greatest part of creating The Goldbergs TV show is that I’ve met many people on Facebook and Twitter that cite the NES as a formative part of their childhoods as well. I always thought I was alone, but it turns out that being an NES kid is a universal experience. One we all still cherish to this day
Being a NES Kid means you know the Contra Code by heart and you had a subscription to Nintendo Power magazine.
It means you smacked the power pad with your hands because it made the games easier, and you madly blew into the guts of your cartridge when your Nintendo would glitch out.
It means you desperately wanted a Power Glove after seeing The Wizard…even though you never actually ended up buying one.
It means you felt a rush of adrenaline every time your player got into a hockey fist fight in Blades of Steel.
It means you never felt as cool as when you taught a friend the Infinite 1-Ups trick in Super Mario Bros.
It means you bought an NES Advantage because it would help you cheat in Track & Field.
It means you played countless rounds of Ghosts ’n Goblins but never could get past stage one, because “F” that game.
It means you know that repeatedly punching in A-B-B-A gives you endless lives in Ikari Warriors…unless you accidentally reappear behind a wall, which meant game over.
It means you still debate to this day if Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest is better than Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. Not that I actually played either. I just had to sit and watch Chad play. But part two sure looked better!
It means that your friend had an uncle who had a brother who had a second cousin who could actually beat Mike Tyson in Punch-Out!! Of course, you knew this was impossible because you typed in the 007-373-5963 code a million times and still never came close to beating the lightning-fast dude.
In late 1989, we Goldbergs finally became a Nintendo family. My mom was tired of hearing me say, “I’m going over to Chad’s to play Nintendo” every weekend. All Beverly Goldberg ever wanted was to have her kids under her roof, and it drove her bonkers that Nintendo stood in the way. Naturally, my Dad was beyond aggravated that my Atari 7800 had spent the last several years collecting dust in my closet. Thanks to pressure from my smother, Murray Goldberg finally broke down and bought me a Nintendo Entertainment System for my birthday in eighth grade. At long last, I would be playing with power!
For a few months, at least.
In 1991, the Super Nintendo was released, and dammit, I never wanted anything more. Needless to say, my Dad was not receptive to the idea of upgrading our now-obsolete NES to the newer, cooler, 16-bit Super NES. I tried to explain that the SNES actually did have the graphics of arcade games, if not better. Yes, I may have said that when the NES was released—but this time it was true!
Goes without saying, but I never got my Nintendo upgrade and still have my classic NES from 8th grade. To this day, I am still an NES kid and still love those old-school games…even though Chad was the one who actually played them as I sat and watched. Not sure if I mentioned that.
Click here to order an autographed copy of The NES Omnibus: The Nintendo Entertainment System and Its Games, Vol 1 (A – L) from Brett Weiss. In addition you can order a copy of the book from Amazon.
Friends, just the other day the much anticipated horror comedy Willy’s Wonderland was released to video on demand and as I understand it a limited theatrical run. The film was directed by Kevin Lewis (The Method) from a screenplay by G.O. Parsons, who in fact attempted to raise enough funds for a feature film through a 2016 Indiegogo campaign. While the crowdfunding effort wasn’t able to raise enough money for Parsons to direct a movie, he did receive the funds to produce a short film entitled Wally’s Wonderland. It was back in October of 2019 that the script found itself in the hands of Nicolas Cage, who not only stars in Willy’s Wonderland but also acts as producer. I have read online that the iconic actor was attracted to the role of The Janitor in the movie because it was a character that never utters a single line throughout the entire runtime of 88 minutes. That is okay though because Cage’s over-the-top performance as an energy drink-swilling enigma is captivating. At no point is his past touched on but it is readily evident that wherever the Janitor has been before the movie begins – it has prepared him to combat a gang of murderous animatronics within a children’s restaurant.
The plot for Willy’s Wonderland is lean to say the least and it does suffer with a largely unsympathetic group of teenage characters – with most never quite breaking free from being simply fodder for Willy and his gang of animatronic monstrosities to slaughter. In particular there is one scene that in my humble opinion stretches suspension of disbelief, when two characters break from the group to become amorous – even though they know of the horrors and very real danger of the place. But as I have said already, the real draw of Willy’s Wonderland is to watch Nicolas Cage just having a blast with his role as the mysterious Janitor who is equally capable of mopping a floor of oil and blood as ripping the head off an animatronic assailant.
There is little time wasted in the set up of the movie, Cage’s car tires are shredded after running over an oddly placed set of road spikes upon driving into the backwater town of Hayesville – with the incident explained away by the town’s tow truck driver and mechanic (Chris Warner) as having been stolen by the local kids as a prank. And while it will be no trouble to fix the stranger’s vehicle, the insistence of only accepting cash instead of plastic in payment, leads Cage’s character to accept an agreement with Tex Macadoo (Ric Reitz) – to spend the evening cleaning up his closed children’s restaurant and in the morning the car will be delivered all fixed up and ready to go. Left out of the agreement is that the Janitor is expected to be a sacrifice to the likes of Willy the Weasel, Arty the Alligator, Siren Sara, Cammy the Chameleon, Tito the Turtle, Ozzie the Ostrich, Gus the Gorilla, and Knighty Knight.
The Janitor however isn’t exactly alone as it first seems as a young woman named Liv (Emily Tosta), who has a personal connections to the horrors of the former family spot, arrives with her group of friends determined to end the evil of Willy’s Wonderland once and for all. Although Cage’s character may not show any signs of appreciation or even concern for the unsolicited warning about the dark history of the place. But will anyone survive once the sun has set and Willy and his friends spring to life in search of unwary victims?
Willy’s Wonderland has some nice effects and is filled with some dark laughs and plenty of action and bloody carnage. It is not a perfect film by any means but if you are looking for a popcorn movie that you can just sit back and enjoy – it should fit the bill. I suppose it depends on how much you like Nicolas Cage but I feel he most definitely is able to carry the film – although if you are looking for true frights or even jump scares you might be disappointed.
Friends, the other evening as I was getting off work at the arcade I noticed a message from a friend about a new game that had been released. It seems that the legendary no-win training simulation that all cadets at Starfleet Academy must experience, and was made famous in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, is now a free to play online game courtesy of Scopely called appropriately enough Star Trek: Kobayashi Maru. One that is designed to reveal how the potential cadet might react to a situation in which there is no possibility of overcoming defeat (unless you cheat like Kirk). Which as the rather humorous ad for the Stark Trek: Kobayashi Maru game depicts with narration by none other than George Takei… the answer is people do not respond well to failure in the least.
The simulation itself as most of you that visit this site are aware, is named after the civilian vessel in distress in the fictional exercise, which requires a Starfleet Academy cadet to make a very difficult decision in how to react to the request for assistance. Which as was revealed in the 1982 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan film, generally involves finding oneself thrust in a deadly Klingon ambush with only prayer as any sort of advice from then Admiral James T. Kirk.
Now Scopely is well known for more than a few popular mobile games such as Looney Tunes World of Mayhem, The Walking Dead: Road to Survival, but perhaps most importantly Star Trek Fleet Command. Unlike that last title however the Star Trek: Kobayashi Maru game plays more like an old school computer game that you would have enjoyed on the likes of the Commodore 64.
IMAGE PROVIDED BY Star Trek: Kobayashi Maru – Scopely.
The reason that Star Trek: Kobayashi Maru is kind of big news beyond the fact that it is a fun way to waste time is that there are some impressive prizes up for grabs, for the three Players who manage to beat the game in the fastest time. The contest is open until February 25th and the prizes include a lifetime subscription to the upcoming Paramount+ streaming service, an Eaglemoss ship collectables package, and even a Star Trek shop gift card. You can find out more information about the Star Trek: Kobayashi Maru contest by following the link here.
Friends, just last month I shared with you the behind the scenes video from the Stan Winston Studios of their work on 1998’s Small Soldiers. In that article I explained why the family-friendly film from Joe Dante was one of the handful of movies released that year that I just had to see on opening day. A large part of that had to do with of course being enamored with the films of Dante like Piranha, Gremlins, and of course The Howling. The third movie being one of those films I caught at that cherished drive-in theater of my youth, which is why it has been selected as a future Saturday Frights Podcast episode. The other reason I was so excited about the release of Small Soldiers has more to do with just loving toys and action figures in general. Furthermore as the trailers for Small Soldiers hinted at, it most certainly had a bit of a Gremlins vibe, as an experimental military chip brings the Commando Elite to life to wreck havoc on an unsuspecting neighborhood.
It is very interesting that none of the Gorgonites, the opposing toy line in the film is featured in that trailer, right? I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I was disappointed to see the box office take for Small Soldiers after it’s opening weekend. While not a box office bomb by any stretch of the imagination, I had hoped that it would do well enough at least that we would get not just a sequel but more toys for both the Commando Elite and Gorgonites.
Thankfully over the years Small Soldiers has developed a strong cult following. So much so that it was revealed that a remake was in the works, one of the 200 film and television projects that found itself cancelled when 21st Century Fox was bought by Disney back in 2019. With that cult following though characters from the film have found themselves being made into stunningly faithful high-end collectibles – to say nothing of being screen accurate – taken from the Stan Winston Studio molds in some cases. Case in point Nick Nitro (voiced in the film by Clint Walker) from Yu Liang Lee, who produced the head, forearms, and the lower waist for the foot tall collectible from the actual prop molds from the 1998 film.
Although I should point out that official cold cast porcelain figures were produced for Major Chip Hazard (Tommy Lee Jones), Archer (Frank Langella), Insaniac (Michael McKean), and Freakenstein (McKean) by Softgarage Inc. but only sold in Japan. Of course that is no obstacle for a true Small Soldiers fan, right?
Click on the pictures to embiggen!
In closing out this article, I am fortunate enough that one of my friends from the arcade is also a huge Small Soldiers fan. He is the one who was kind enough to bring in these wonderful collectibles for Nick Nitro and Major Chip Hazard so that I could share them with you.
Friends, a couple of days ago while sharing an article on Twitter, I found that Patrick J. Doody posed the question if I remembered a short-lived game show called The Magnificent Marble Machine. The truth of the matter is I had never even heard of it – which seems odd as it did after all manage to feature a giant pinball machine as the main draw of the series. To be fair though when The Magnificent Marble Machine was being broadcast on NBC I was all but a toddler, so perhaps at some point it was on the television as I wheeled around the house in my walker with my Family giving chase?
Thanks to the IMDb listing we know that between 29 and 31 episodes of The Magnificent Marble Machine aired on NBC between July 7th of 1975 and March 12th of ’76. The series itself was the brainchild of both Merrill Heatter and Bob Quigley who would partner up in 1960 to form Heatter-Quigley Productions, with the sole purpose to produce game shows for daytime television. Together the two created the likes of the early ’70s blackjack inspired game show Gambit and the extremely long-running Hollywood Squares to name just a few. Although I was extremely surprised to learn that Heatter-Quigley Productions also had a hand in producing the classic Hanna-Barbera Wacky Races animated series. It turns out that the original idea was that contestants would bet on which of the racers would win the race on the show – with possibly Hanna-Barbera providing animation segments throughout the game show?
The Magnificent Marble Machine featured Art James (Mallrats) as host and before the show would receive some changes in 1976, contestants were teamed up with a celebrity partner. The contestants and celebrities would take turns attempting to solve blank word puzzles – generally relating to then relevant matters in popular culture. The pair who solved five puzzles first would then get to challenge the titular magnificent marble machine, the twelve foot long and 20 foot high pinball table. With the contestant and celebrity partner controlling the flippers by pressing down on oversized buttons. The overall goal was to keep the massive pinball in play for 60 seconds (when the flippers would be disabled) and avoiding the two ‘out’ holes located on the playfield – all the while striking bumpers to win prizes and points. If the pair were able to meet the target score on the magnificent marble machine, Art James would introduce the gold money ball, instead of points the contestant would wind up earning 200 dollars for striking any bumper or noisemaker. Afterwards as I understand it the contestant would be partnered up with the opposing celebrity guest and try to answer the most blank puzzles in an attempt to return on the next show.
The sad news as I found out is that it is believed only three episodes of The Magnificent Marble Machine have survived – due to NBC’s practice of reusing videotapes in an effort to save money. But thanks to that IMDb listing we know that the game show featured a staggering amount of celebrity guests including Adrienne Barbeau, Arte Johnson, Joan Rivers, Alex Trebek, Robert Reed, Chuck Woolery, Tony Randall, and Vicki Lawrence to name a few. Thankfully we have a full episode to share with you that features Florence Henderson and Roddy McDowall, and not to give too much away, it seems like you wanted the latter to help you play pinball!
In closing out this article I think you can see why NBC really thought that The Magnificent Marble Machine was going to just kill it in the ratings. I want to thank Patrick J. Doody once again for giving me the heads up on this fascinating slice of game show history. For what it is worth Patrick and I both had the pleasure of writing for the Retroist back in the day – and while I decided to produce pedestrian podcasts and articles – my friend has managed to write, produce, and direct all manner of projects ranging from web series, award and cooking shows, feature films, and even video games like Silent Hill: Homecoming.
Friends, towards the end of last year I shared with you a wonderful fan-made adaptation of the 1979 The Mystery of the Rebellious Robot storybook by Star Wars Audio Comics. In that article I explained that while I was most assuredly lucky to get plenty of the Kenner produced action figures and playsets in my youth – more than my fair share if I am being totally honest – I somehow missed out on many of the Star Wars books that had been released. That includes all three storybooks published by Random House in ’79 – beginning with The Maverick Moon, and followed by The Mystery of the Rebellious Robot and The Wookie Storybook. The third being originally released on September 12th of that year – obviously giving young Star Wars fans a closer look at the goings-on of the Wookie homeworld of Kashyyyk.
The Wookie Storybook was written by Eleanor Ehrhardt, who in fact wrote all three of the 1979 Random House Star Wars books. Although as I understand it, she was not originally given credit in the storybooks themselves. The distinctive artwork for this third book penned by Ehrhardt was provided by Patricia Wynne – who would also provide the illustrations for five of the Star Wars activity books focusing on the likes of Luke Skywalker to Chewbacca. The latter for what it might be worth was one of my favorite books to read in my grade school library – obviously much like with the Crestwood House ‘Monsters’ series, Chewbacca’s Activity Book was not allowed to be checked out by students.
In the case of The Wookie Storybook, the plot follows the attempt to pull off a surprise party for Chewbacca, who is about to celebrate his 200th birthday. It turns out that one of Chewbacca’s favorite desserts is waska-berry pudding – the problem is the berries are hard to gather. Which leads Lumpy to attempt to brave the swamps of the ‘Nother World in an attempt to collect enough so that his Mother can create the delicious treat – at least that is the intentions of the young Wookie. The ‘Nother World is an incredibly dangerous place and pretty soon Lumpy finds himself in a dangerous situation.
Without further ado, enjoy this adaptation of Star Wars: The Wookie Storybook, courtesy of Star Wars Audio Comics!
Friends, Abel is the first entry in the well remembered Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe, a 26 issue run from DC Comics that acted as an encyclopedia of sorts for their iconic heroes and villains. While I was a rabid fan of comic books as I stated on the Starman episode of the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast – it was when Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, as well as Robert Greenberger put their heads together and released the first issue of Who’s Who in March of 1985 that my true education of the DC Universe began in earnest – although to be totally honest it’s first entry of Abel was already well known to me.
As I’ve pointed out in the past, when I was younger I was always drawn to things related to horror movies – which included the various horror titles being produced by DC Comics at the time. However my Father was usually dead set against me actually picking them up – especially if they had any demonic artwork on the covers. Thankfully by the mid-eighties that ban had been lifted, just in time for a local five and dime store to open up literally down the street from my house. I began to make up for lost time by grabbing up as many horror titles as I could – for the grand sum of one dollar I could walk out with ten comics in my hands.
I should point out that the Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe was in answer to Marvel Comics’ The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe which had been released in 1983. In my humble opinion though the likes of Wein, Wolfman, and Greenberger did one better with their encyclopedic offering. The layouts for the individual characters or super teams were a little more flashy and offered the opportunity to have guest artists provide illustrations to boot. Such as Joe Orlando providing the artwork for the first entry in the Who’s Who which was Abel – the caretaker of the House of Secrets.
IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ROCKFORD JAY COLLECTION.
Orlando was an absolutely amazing illustrator to say nothing of the fact that he wore many hats over the years – before passing away in 1998. He worked at EC Comics and Mad magazine – was the editor and story idea contributor to the fantastic Creepy magazine from Warren Publishing before beginning work at DC Comics as a freelancer in 1966. Two years later he received an offer for the full-time position of editor in 1968, for the likes of All-Star Comics, Bat Lash, Swamp Thing, The House of Mystery, and Weird War Tales to name a few.
COMIC BOOK COVERS COURTESY OF THE ROCKFORD JAY COLLECTION. Click on the covers to embiggen.
As a matter of fact Joe Orlando had a hand in the creation of Abel along with Bill Draut and Mark Hanerfield. Although it was Bob Haney that originally co-created the comic book series House of Secrets with Lee Elias in 1956, a series that managed to run for 80 issues. It was in 1969 when the comic would make a return starting with issue #81 and getting the new title of The House of Secrets – not only was Abel the new caretaker of the mysterious lodging but in addition he appeared with his brother Cain as well as their cousin Eve in the humor mag entitled Plop! – which frequently featured artwork by future Groo creator Sergio Aragones. Although Abel acted as host to the collection of horror and weird tales beginning in issue #81, he was actually first introduced in the September 1969 issue of DC Special.
Abel’s personal data as described in the first entry of the first issue of Who’s Who: The Definitive Dictionary of the DC Universe is as follows:
Full Name: Unknown
Occupation: Caretaker
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: Cain (brother), Eve (sister)
Group Affiliation: None
Base of Operations: The House of Secrets, somewhere in the Kentucky Hills
First Apperance: The House of Secrets #81
Height: 5’7″ Weight: 396 1/4 lbs.
Eyes: Blue – Hair: Black
Since the Who’s Who deals with many of the costumed adventurers and would-be world conquerors, Abel’s entry makes sure to point out that he has no fighting abilities whatsoever and that while he does indeed posses the ability to entertain with his dark stories – he will give up immediately when threatened. Which goes a very long way to explain why readers constantly saw him being abused, both verbally and otherwise by his brother Cain, the caretaker and host of The House of Mystery comic book.
Abel’s House of Secrets as explained in his Who’s Who entry is a pretty strange place – the sprawling edifice was built by one Senator Sandsfield, as a place of residence for himself and his Wife, using only materials that originated in Kentucky. His love of the residence was so strong that he made a vow only a pure-blooded Kentuckian could ever reside in the home. Tragedy stuck however as his Wife went insane in one of the upper rooms and the Senator eventually sold it off… but the following four owners didn’t hail from Kentucky, and it was said none of them could stay there for more than three months. The next owner attempted to have the house itself moved across state line but it appears that structure revolted at the idea – freeing itself from the truck cab hauling it, sliding free atop it’s trailer bed – chasing the would be owner – forcing the poor man to leap off a cliff face to his death in an attempt to avoid being crushed. The House of Secrets stopped 200 yards from the state line – adjacent to a cemetery… in fact on the far side of that place of eternal rest lies Cain’s House of Mystery. This dark history was presented to Abel as the very first story in The House of Secrets #81 – moments before he would become it’s caretaker.
In closing out this article, our first entry in the Who’s Who in the DC Universe, The House of Secrets would run for a total of 73 issues – ending in November of 1978. With a memorable storyteller like Abel and his brother, that hasn’t been the end of the duo however. Beginning in 1985 they made reappearances in Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing comics – fitting as the character made his own debut in The House of Secrets #92. Neil Gaiman would next include the brothers in his award-winning TheSandman comic book series – and both Cain and Abel made appearances in the then new House of Mystery series under the Vertigo imprint in 2008. And while Abel didn’t show up in the 2017 episode of Justice League Action entitled “Trick or Threat” – his brother Cain and the House of Mystery most certainly did. Furthermore it has been announced that the brothers will appear in the upcoming The Sandman series on Netflix, with Sanjeev Bhaskar (Yesterday) as Cain and Asim Chaudhry (Wonder Woman 1984) playing Abel.
Friends, in the later part of the ’80s it seemed like toy manufacturers were leaning pretty heavily into toy and playsets that featured monsters and a high gross out factor. You had the likes of Mattel’s Boglins toy puppets and even their popular Masters of the Universe series had the iconic Slime Pit. The toy company doubled down however with the Mad Scientist series – including the Dissect-An-Alien kit – where you could cut open alien beasts and scoop out their oozing organs. Perhaps the greatest playset in that series of toys though was the Monster Lab. You could build a skeleton for your monster creation, apply monster flesh to it and then cackle manically as you dipped them in the “Monster Vat” and watched the skin dissolve.
This was also around the same time that Hasbro began producing the Inhumanoids toy line as well as its more popular animated series. It certainly was a very good time to be a monster kid – but perhaps all of these toy lines were inspired by the initial success of the Madballs?
You might find it interesting that the Madballs, those distorted and hilarious monster bouncing balls, were the brainchild of Those Characters From Cleveland – the branding division of the American Greetings card company. Those Characters from Cleveland were responsible for Strawberry Shortcake, The Care Bears, Popples, and The Get Along Gang to name a few properties. From what I’ve read online it was the success of the Garbage Pail Kids line of collectible stickers by Topps in ’85 that got the… ball… rolling though on the Madballs toys.
The first set of Madballs included eight different ‘characters’ ranging from a mummy inspired bouncing ball to a cyclops. The toy line did quite well, ending up in the number 4 slot of the best-selling toys list for 1986. That success meant of course that a new series of characters would be released, eight more in total, and even a limited Marvel Comics series and a home video game for the Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, and ZX Spectrum personal computers were produced. In addition to two direct-to-home video specials beginning in 1986 with Madballs: Escape from Orb and Madballs: Gross Jokes the following year. Furthermore the animation was handled by Nelvana, the Canadian animation studio that I have talked about on the site and podcasts.
Fans of the Madballs were given a backstory in the first animated special, it turns out that that Screamin’ Meemie, Skull Face, Dusty Dustbrain (who is now female), Slobulus, Aargh, Horn Head, and the newly created Freakella are a rock band on the run from their home planet of Orb. With Madballs: Gross Jokes however it is a collection of skits and jokes featuring the characters – with an interesting choice of different animation styles for each segment.
Friends, “Southern Nights” is an absolutely wonderful and joyous song made popular by Glen Campbell back in ’77 from his album of the same name. You might be familiar with it as Director James Gunn picked it to be featured in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as well as on the soundtrack. Gunn used the classic tune to great effect in the scene involving the nefarious Ravagers trying to sneak up on Rocket Raccoon, who obviously laid a few traps for the unwary group of scoundrels. Because he is Rocket, right?
You might be interested to know however that the late and great Glen Campbell was not the artist who originally wrote and recorded “Southern Nights”. That honor belongs to Allen Toussaint, the singer, songwriter, and record producer who came up with such songs as “I Like It Like That”, “Working in the Coal Mine”, and of course “Southern Nights” – which was recorded and released in 1975 from the album of the same name. As Toussaint, who sadly passed away in 2015, was legendary for his New Orleans style of rhythm and blues – the song is a more soothing version compared to Campbell’s rather spirited take. Both versions are fantastic but Toussaint’s original song just makes me relax and smile after a long day at work.
As I understand it from doing a little research, both Toussaint and Campbell were quite fond of each other’s version of “Southern Nights”. As a matter of fact it’s been said that Glen Campbell claimed when listening to the ’75 tune it reminded him of his youth, growing up on a farm near Pike County, Arkansas. Campbell recorded his version of the tune on October 2nd of 1976, with some minor alterations to the lyrics, before releasing it as a single on January 17th of 1977. One of the changes included a guitar lick that was suggested by Campbell’s friend Jerry Reed, as is mentioned in the video below, a segment from 1982’s Jerry Reed and Special Friends.
In closing out this article, Campbell’s version of the song managed to snag the number one spot in January of ’77 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, and hold onto it for two weeks. In addition to reaching the top of the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart in April as well as staying in the number one spot for four consecutive weeks on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart!
Friends, I want to give a huge thanks to the always amazing Cartoon Brew website for the heads up on this video interview with Joe Dante (Piranha, Gremlins) in which he discusses the project that he and co-writer Charlie Haas (Over the Edge, Gremlins 2: The New Batch) worked on with the aid of Chuck Jones. The legendary animator who directed the likes of 1975’s Rikki-Tikki-Tavi and had a hand in some of the greatest animated shorts of all time. As is explained in the interview with Dante, Jones provided input for the project along with the then surviving animators of Warner Bros. legendary Termite Terrace. The nickname given to that tiny little animation building where Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, and Robert “Bob” Clampett, Friz Freleng, Arthur Davis, Robert McKimson, and Frank Tashlin worked and honed their craft to bring us the likes of countless Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes cartoons.
Sadly this theatrical look back at the Golden Age of animation wasn’t given the green light by Warner Bros. as they had their sights set on what would become Space Jam. Although it would be fair to say that the 1996 team-up between Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan did introduce an entirely new generation to some classic Looney Tunes characters.
Having said that though, it frankly feels like a crime that Dante has still not had the chance to produce “Termite Terrace” – as I cannot think of a better Director to handle such a project. For one thing he was not only friends with Chuck Jones, but often has been able to insert classic Warner Bros. shorts into his feature films, and on a pretty regular basis like with Gremlins, Innerspace, and especially in his segment “It’s A Good Life” from 1983’s Twilight Zone: The Movie to point out a few.
In closing out this article, I hope you will set aside the nearly seven minutes to enjoy this interview with Joe Dante discussing “Termite Terrace”, the film project that sadly got away.
Friends, it certainly seems like yesterday was a banner day for trailer releases – from a new Victorian science fiction series entitled The Nevers on HBO, a brief snippet of M. Night Shyamalan’s Old, the remake of 1997’s Cube, Justice Society: World War II, and Netflix dropping quick looks at both Godzilla: Singular Point as well as Pacific Rim: The Black. And while the truth is that I am very interested in all of those, especially the animated Justice Society film or the fact that freaking Jet Jaguar is in the new Godzilla show – it is the animated series based on the cinematic Pacific Rim universe that has me chomping at the bit.
When Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim was released back on July 12th of 2013 – the staff and friends of the arcade were treated to the Thursday night preview showing. It would absolutely be an understatement to say that I was blown away by the film. I just felt that the epic mash-up of Kaiju and Mecha genres really delivered – and it would seem I was not alone as the picture managed to rake in over 400 million dollars worldwide at the box office. Over the years there have been a staggering amount of toys, a couple of graphic novels, and even a video game produced – with Pacific Rim: Uprising being released to theaters in 2018. It was near the tail end of that year that it was announced that an animated series set in the Pacific Rim universe would be produced by Netflix – possibly for two seasons.
The official synopsis for Pacific Rim: The Black states:
“There was a time when Kaiju rose from the Pacific Rim only to encounter gigantic robots, Jaegers, built to fight them back. That time has passed. Now, Australia has been overrun by Kaiju, forcing the evacuation of an entire continent. Left behind, teenage siblings Taylor and Hayley embark on a desperate search for their missing parents, teaching themselves to pilot a battered, long-abandoned Jaeger to help in their quest and give them even the slightest hope of surviving.”
We fans of Pacific Rim do not have a whole lot to go on before Pacific Rim: The Black is released on Netflix on March 4th. Although considering that in the first film it was the Jaeger Striker Eureka and others that protected Australia – this series probably takes place during or around the time of Pacific Rim: Uprising. In closing out this article, why not dive deeper into the history of Striker Eureka?
Friends, thanks to the likes of the iconic Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe series that ran from 1985 until 1987 – I became a huge fan of the Justice Society of America. That encyclopedic series from Marv Wolfman (The New Teen Titans), Len Wein (X-Men, and Robert Greenberger (Starlog) filled in a lot of details on the roster of the JSA. Although as I have already explained in various articles and podcasts in the past – my first introduction to that team of Golden Age heroes was courtesy of Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler, and Jerry Ordway’s All-Star Squadron comic book series. I mention all of this as way to help explain just how excited I was earlier this afternoon when the first trailer for the upcoming animated Justice Society: World War II film was released. One that appears to hurl Barry Allen aka the Flash into the dark days of World War II – where he must team up with the Justice Society and beat back the armies of Nazi Germany.
A quick look at the IMDB credits for Justice Society: World War II reveals that it is Matt Bomer (Doom Patrol) who will be playing the Silver Age and possibly most recognizable version of the Flash. In addition the film boasts the talents of Matthew Mercer (Overwatch) as Hourman, Stana Katic (Castle) as Wonder Woman, Elysia Rotaru (Arrow) as Black Canary, Armen Taylor (Spider-Man: Miles Morales) as Jay Garrick, Chris Diamantopoulos (Mickey Mouse) as Steve Trevor, and Omid Abtahi (American Gods) as Hawkman. Although I should add that the credits list for Justice Society: World War II list more iconic comic characters than were featured in that trailer.
The official synopsis for the film states:
“Justice Society: World War II finds modern-day Barry Allen – prior to the formation of the Justice League – discovering he can run even faster than he imagined, and that milestone results in his first encounter with the Speed Force. The Flash is promptly launched into the midst of a raging battle – primarily between Nazis and a team of Golden Age DC Super Heroes known as The Justice Society of America.
Led by Wonder Woman, the group includes Hourman, Black Canary, Hawkman, Steve Trevor and the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick. The Flash quickly volunteers to assist his fellow heroes in tipping the scales of war in their favor, while the team tries to figure out how to send him home. But it won’t be easy as complications and emotions run deep in this time-skipping World War II thriller.
This is the first film in the DC Universe Movies series — of which this film will be No. 42 over the past 14 years — to feature the Justice Society. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, DC and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Justice Society: World War II will be available on Digital and home entertainment later in 2021.”
In closing out this article, I will admit that I do wish that we fans of the JSA could have seen the likes of the Sandman, Starman, the Spectre, Green Lantern (Alan Scott), Wildcat, and the Atom among others in Justice Society: World War II trailer. But with this upcoming animated feature as well as the likes of the Stargirl series – the Justice Society of America appears to be getting some long-overdue time in the spotlight.
Friends, little did I know that today I would end up writing two articles featuring stop motion animation, but that is absolutely what has happened. In the earlier post about the David Allen produced 1972 Volkswagen commercial featuring King Kong, I shared how I was introduced to not just the iconic 1933 film but the style of animation used by the likes of such masters as Willis O’Brien (1925’s The Lost World) and later Ray Harryhausen (Clash of the Titans).
Thanks to a friend on Facebook, courtesy of a post by Greg Kennelty of Metal Injection – we can enjoy this stop motion tribute by Thomas J. Yagodinski. A tribute that I should add that mashes up Star Wars and Van Halen. Yagodinski uploaded this astoundingly awesome video just last week and it has already garnered 302,455 views and for good reason, as is pointed out in the comments section the Jawa puppet matches the fingering and two-handed tapping guitar technique that the late Eddie Van Halen used in 1978’s “Eruption”.
“Eruption” is a guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen that was released on the Van Halen album on February 10th of 1978. And appears to have been voted as the greatest guitar solo of all time by the readers of Guitar World magazine in 2013. In addition to reaching the number 29 spot on the New Musical Express’ 50 greatest guitar solos of all time.
While I am no scholar on the subject of anything, much less music – I try to leave those articles to Earl Green and Allison Venezio-Preston – I do know what I like. Such as the comment left by Tenderfoot Prepper on Yagodinski’s tribute video:
It turns out that Thomas J. Yagodinski created the Jawa puppet himself, taking the 16 inch guitar and modifying it to resemble the one that was built by the late musician and Matt Bruck. As I understand it, that particular guitar is one of three that brought in more than $422,00 dollars at a recent auction.
Friends, there have been multiple times on this site as well as the Pop Culture Retrorama and Saturday Frights podcasts, where I have shared my love for stop motion animation. That really is all thanks to watching the 1933 version of King Kong when I was around five years old – staying up late to catch it on the local Saturday night monster movie. While I was incredibly moved by Boris Karloff’s performance as the Monster in 1931’s Frankenstein – I was absolutely devastated by the death of Kong by the end of Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack’s picture. Although having said that, I was comforted a little when my Father explained how Kong was created – brought to life through stop motion animation. It would be quite a few years later when I learned that it was Willis O’Brien who was the stop motion animator who brought Kong to life.
Growing up watching the “Animagic” animated holiday specials from Rankin and Bass like 1970’s Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, my desire to become a stop-motion animator continued to grow. The biggest hurdle to that dream however was access to the proper equipment, although as you will see in the video below that did not stop me from attempting a stop-motion short. I had to use a VCR deck attached to the video camera with a remote – I learned that if you recorded for two seconds, after hitting the pause button the VCR would back up one second… most of the time.
As pathetic as “Gorp/Ed vs. The Critters” might be as an example of a claymation short (forewarning of my writing and podcasts to come) – it did earn me an award from the local cable access channel. I would continue to dabble in stop motion over the years but fate eventually took me down another career path. My love of stop motion animation though has never wavered, buoyed by big screen offerings such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline, and Fantastic Mr. Fox to name a few.
The stop motion animation of the late and great David Allen and his studio is one of the reasons I was so impressed by the first few Puppet Master films from Full Moon Pictures. But Allen had worked on more than a few notable movies before that particular 1989 picture – just a few include The Howling, Q, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Young Sherlock Holmes, and *batteries not included.
David Allen also worked on television commercials, case in point this 1972 Volkswagen King Kong ad – one that apparently only aired once as the company wasn’t too keen on seeing a giant ape driving their vehicles. In addition, there are rumors that the beginning of this commercial was actually test footage by Allen for an abandoned King Kong remake by Hammer Films – this was of course before Dino De Laurentiis produced the 1976 version starring Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange.
In closing out this article I have one last bit of trivia for you, supposedly the young woman in the King Kong commercial is none other than granddaughter of Fay Wray, the original Ann Darrow in 1933’s King Kong.
Friends, when George Lucas and Steven Spielberg got together to craft a film that embodied the exciting elements of the adventure serials they grew up with – they delivered a masterpiece of a movie with 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. The screenplay for that iconic film was handled by Lawrence Kasdan (Silverado), based off a story idea by both Lucas and Philip Kaufman (Invasion of the Body Snatchers). The results of this amazing pool of talent helped to birth an iconic film character when combined with Harrison Ford’s performance as Indiana Jones.
The popularity of the first entry in what would become a series of films focusing on the adventures of Indiana Jones was enough to produce a toy line, book series, role-playing game from TSR, and even Marvel Comics supplied an adaptation for the 1981 movie. Eventually giving Jones his own series in 1983 – in addition to providing further adaptations for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as well as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Surprisingly with the likes of such Saturday morning cartoons like Droids and Ewoks we somehow never received an animated series for Doctor Henry Walton Jones Junior… at least until Patrick Schoenmaker made this fan made animated intro for The Adventures of Indiana Jones!
That ‘trailer’ took artist Patrick Schoenmaker and his fellow contributors five years to produce, and while it actually came out in 2016, today was the first time I stumbled upon it. Patrick is a character designer that hails from the Netherlands – in the past working with Lucasfilm itself in addition to Topps, Sesame Workshop, ACME Archives, and even Cartoon Saloon. You can check out some of his character design, illustrations and background on his official site. While there are plenty of illustrations from his intro for The Adventures of Indiana Jones – one that caught my eye was for a barbarian – while I have no idea if this was meant to be Conan the Barbarian… my mind couldn’t help but imagine how amazing an Adult Swim series would be.
In closing out this article I would kindly ask Disney+ to look into getting Patrick Schoenmaker on board for an actual The Adventures of Indiana Jones animated series. Can you imagine how awesome it would be with their clout to secure the voice talents of Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies, and Alfred Molina for such a show? Even if that pie in the sky wish fails to come true we have this amazing piece of animation to enjoy, right?
Friends, it would be something of an understatement to say that the character of Superman was well received when he originally appeared in the pages of Action Comics #1 back on June 30th of 1938. The anthology series featured a handful of comic book heroes in it’s premiere issue, although besides Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s debut of Superman, it should be pointed out that two other iconic DC Comics characters appeared for the first time too. Those would be Fred Guardineer’s Zatara the Magician as well as Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily’s Tex Thompson aka Mr. America or The Americommando. As I understand it, the first issue of Action Comics had a print run of 200,000 copies and it sold out – growing in popularity until nearly a million copies of the comic book were being sold a month. Furthermore the popularity of the character paved the way for a radio series just two years later, which ran for eleven years for a total of 2,088 episodes. In addition to a series of animated theatrical shorts beginning in 1941 – beautifully animated by the Fleischer Studios.
While those classic animated theatrical shorts were the first time an audience saw Superman on the big screen, it was in 1948 that Columbia Pictures released Superman, a 15-part serial that starred Kirk Alyn as both Clark Kent and Superman. The studio released a follow-up serial in 1950 entitled Atom Man vs. Superman, before the independent Lippert Pictures produced Superman and the Mole Men a year later. That 58 minute feature film starred George Reeves in the dual role of Superman and Clark Kent – acting as a pilot of sorts for the popular Adventures of Superman TV series. The show which ran from 1952 until 1958 also featured Reeves who for 26 years was quite possibly the actor best remembered for portraying the character. That is until the late and great Christopher Reeve would be catapulted into stardom for portraying the Last Son of Krypton in the Richard Donner (The Goonies) helmed 1978 big screen adaptation.
Landing that role is what this 1985 Saturday Night Live skit is spoofing – featuring comedians Rich Hall and Gary Kroeger – who along with Reeve are trying to land the lead role in the Superman film. It also has Jim Belushi portraying Richard Donner with Julia Louis-Dreyfus as his assistant.
Friends, a few days ago I noticed a handful of sites sharing the news that the Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland and Walt Disney World were getting a much-needed update in the near future. One might think that perhaps the update has something to do with the upcoming Jungle Cruise film that stars Dwayne Johnson (Doom, Rampage) as well as Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place, Edge of Tomorrow). It turns out though that the update is in fact to address some of the outdated caricatures, which have been understandable sources of concern to visitors to the parks over the years. Chris Beatty, the Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Portfolio Executive went into more detail in an interview with Jeffrey Epstein of D23:
“When you look at the Jungle Cruise, as it is today, there are just a couple of scenes that don’t do that and needed a refresh. But I want to make sure people know we are not changing the whole Jungle Cruise. This is not a re-envisioning of the entire attraction. It’s the Jungle Cruise you know and love, with the skippers still leading the way, and at the same time, we’re addressing the negative depictions of “natives.” So that’s one of the scenes we’re going to go in and change.”
I am happy to say that the majority of fans of the Jungle Cruise understand and have embraced the idea of the upcoming updates. Perhaps in no small part to the video that was uploaded by Disney Parks – alleviating the concerns that the iconic skippers could possibly be removed from the ride.
After reading about the news, I couldn’t help but wonder if the Imagineers might not find a way to slip the titular character of Weird Al Yankovic’s “Skipper Dan” into the new storyline. The song which was originally released as a single on July 14th of 2009 – and later as one of the five tunes on the Internet Leaks EP the following month – focuses on a talented and lauded actor whose career has diverged from Hollywood and Broadway to become a skipper on the Jungle Cruise ride.
In closing out this article, if you want to know how Weird Al Yankovic came up with the idea for “Skipper Dan”, take a few minutes out of your busy schedule and enjoy this interview from back in 2010.
Friends, the Walt Disney Animation Studios official YouTube channel released a brand new trailer for Raya and the Last Dragon yesterday – giving us our first proper look at the supporting cast of characters. Including a character whose name in the film is Little Noi (and voiced by Thalia Tran) – but who the internet is quite happily calling the ‘Con baby’. There just seems to be something about a toddler con artist working along with a trio of snow monkeys to rob the unwary that captures the hearts of the public.
Raya and the Last Dragon marks the 59th animated picture produced by the Walt Disney Animation Studios. In addition it was directed by Don Hall (Moana), Carlos Lopez Estrada (Legion), and co-directed by Paul Briggs (Frozen) as well as John Ripa (Big Hero 6). From a screenplay by Qui Nguyen (The Society) and Adele Lim (Crazy Rich Asians).
The story for Raya and the Last Dragon concerns a world known as Kumandra, where once upon a time dragons and humans were able to coexist in peace. This was before an unknown evil reared it’s head and in an effort to save humanity, the dragons willingly sacrificed themselves. 500 years have passed since the dragons vanished from Kumandra, and when the evil returns to threaten the world once again, it is up to a young woman named Raya (Kelly Marie Tran) who must take up arms in an attempt to locate Sisu (voiced by Awkwafina), the last dragon in existence to help drive it back.
Along with those actors already mentioned, the official press release by the Walt Disney Animation Studios states the film also features the talents of:
“Raya and the Last Dragon” features an outstanding voice cast, including Kelly Marie Tran as the voice of the intrepid warrior Raya; Awkwafina as the legendary dragon, Sisu; Gemma Chan as Raya’s nemesis, Namaari; Daniel Dae Kim as Raya’s visionary father, Benja; Sandra Oh as Namaari’s powerful mother, Virana; Benedict Wong as Tong, a formidable giant; Izaac Wang as Boun, a 10-year-old entrepreneur; Thalia Tran as the mischievous toddler Little Noi; Alan Tudyk as Tuk Tuk, Raya’s best friend and trusty steed; Lucille Soong as Dang Hu, the leader of the land of Talon; Patti Harrison as the chief of the Tail land; and Ross Butler as chief of the Spine land.
Now we just have to wait patiently for 37 more days before we can enjoy Raya and the Last Dragon on March 5th in theaters or Disney+ with Premier Access.
Friends, as music was not a thing in my household when growing up, it shouldn’t come as much of a suprise to find out that my first brush with the music of Oingo Boingo was thanks to the 1985 sci-fi comedy Weird Science. The titular song of course being provided by Oingo Boingo for the film, which was written as well as directed by the late and great John Hughes (Mr. Mom, Sixteen Candles). A tune that apparently came together after Danny Elfman, lead singer and frontman for the band, had received a phone call from Hughes asking if he would provide the film’s title song. In fact thanks to an interview with Sean O’Neal of The A.V. Club from 2014 – it turns out that the music video for “Weird Science” is not an experience that Elfman looks back on fondly. The gist of the issue is that due to his schedule and workload, the singer, songwriter, and composer didn’t have any creative control over the video itself.
The origins of Oingo Boingo came about in Los Angeles of 1972, when Danny’s older brother Richard formed a street theater band named The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo – a nod it would seem to a club featured in the Amos ‘n’ Andy television series. Danny Elfman became part of the group just two years later and by 1979 had taken over leadership of the band, transforming it from a musical act to a New Wave group. The band’s success in Los Angeles resulted in three albums being produced, beginning in 1981 with Only a Lad, followed by Nothing to Fear the following year, and Good for Your Soul in ’83.
During a brief hiatus in 1984 – before the band would reunite with a new keyboardist and bassist and release Dead Man’s Party in ’85, they appeared in a rather spirited Budweiser TV commercial. You might be interested to know that in the comments section for the video, Gerry Mandel who was the creative director at the D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles ad agency, revealed that the commercial came about thanks to Oingo Boingo providing them with a radio track. In addition, Mandel mentions that it was William “Bill” Dear who directed the commercial. I bring this up because Dear also helmed Michael Nesmith’s Elephant Parts, Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann, as well as Harry and the Hendersons!
In closing out this article, I want to thank one of my best friends for being kind enough to send me a link to the 1984 Oingo Boingo Budweiser commercial in the first place. I most assuredly never saw it back in the day – what about you though?
Friends, it has been quite some time since we have shared a new Saturday Frights offering, I’m not just talking about the podcast of course, which the latest episode is quite late. I am talking about finding and sharing the best retro themed horror shorts and TV shows. I think we have found a memorable on this evening, a delightfully devious short film entitled Your Date Is Here – one that offers a rather wicked version of the Mystery Date board from Milton Bradley. While that board game has received various updates over the years, the game featured in Your Date Is Here is based off the original 1965 version. As a matter of fact it would seem that director Zak White as well as Todd Spence used an actual Mystery Date game – altering it to fit their short film.
Your Date Is Here is a prime example of why horror short films often work so very well. They typically do not beat around the bush, getting to the punch or the true feeling of horror. That is obviously one of the reasons I am so very fond of the short story collections of Stephen King as well as Richard Matheson. Horror or thrillers if you like, sometimes can be the most enjoyable when they are at their simplest. Deliver just enough story for a setup and to allow us to invest in the characters before dropping the scare. Although if I am behind totally honest here, Your Date Is Here is more creepy than terrifying. I found myself with a pretty big grin on my face throughout it’s almost 6 and a 1/2 minute run. The short which made it’s debut back in 2017 at Fantastic Fest, really delivers in spades with atmosphere, moreover instilling a creeping unease that continues to ratchet up until the payoff.
But what of the story for Your Date Is Here? It concerns a Mother and her Daughter who decide to play an old board game one evening – in an effort to help pass the time while they wait for the pizza delivery man to arrive. It doesn’t take long however before some odds things occur while playing the game… such as bizarre ‘phone calls’ as well as the peculiar and somewhat disturbing imagery of the game board itself.
Friends, you might recall just a few weeks back when I wrote an article that was basically a lamentation on the lack of a trailer for Godzilla vs. Kong. Well, Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Entertainment gifted fans of their MonsterVerse a brightly colored and action-packed trailer for the film today – finally giving us our glimpse at how things are going to play out when the King of Monsters crosses paths with the protector of Skull Island. Although as I will explain after the trailer, there appears to be more than meets the eye in our first proper look at Godzilla vs Kong. Consider this a warning of potential SPOILERS after the trailer, okay?
Okay, I think it in all honesty, we have to admit that there is quite a bit to unpack in that trailer – not the least of which is that amazing image of Kong using an axe – that is made up of one of Godzilla’s own dorsal plates. I suppose it makes sense that the filmmakers needed to give the deity of Skull Island some manner of protection from that legendary atomic breath, right?
As was pointed out almost immediately in the comments section for the Godzilla vs Kong trailer when it went live, during those first few seconds of the devastating attack on the city – it is quite possible that it is Mechagodzilla and not Godzilla that is causing such widespread destruction. That is especially of interest when in the trailer we can spot what looks like a schematic for the iconic mecha, along with what appears to be a message reading ‘Maximum Charge’.
Perhaps the most important takeaway from the trailer is that Godzilla for some reason has gone on a rampage – suggesting that the kaiju is turning heel from his role as protector of the Earth, as was hinted at in 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters. In fact the newspaper clippings spotted at the end of that film suggested that the return of the Titans was having a healing effect on the planet, reversing some of the ecological destruction caused by humans. But from what we see in the nearly two minutes and a half of footage from the film, things have certainly changed and humanity is suffering from widespread attacks.
Personally I feel like the bizarre behavioral switch by Godzilla, and possibly the appearance of Mechagodzilla, is the result of the Eco-terrorist group that was headed up by Alan Jonah (Charles Dance) in the 2019 film. It is probably safe to say that they have either finally come up with a device to successfully control the Titans – or more likely there is a new threat that is being introduced in the MonsterVerse that does possesses that ability.
Those global attacks are the reason given for why Monarch, the secret intergovernmental research and defense organization that was founded in 1946 to study the sudden appearance of MUTOs (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms), has traveled to Skull Island to capture Kong. Only a Titan can bring down a Titan after all and Kong it would seem is the last and best hope to put a stop to Godzilla’s assault on humanity – or at the very least that is the only plan left to Monarch. Taking Kong from Skull Island with the aid of a character named Jia (Kaylee Hottle), who we are told is the only one that the giant ape will communicate with, in what seems to be an attempt to draw out Godzilla. From that trailer it certainly seems to work as the King of Monsters emerges from the ocean and an epic throw down takes place on the aircraft carrier carrying Kong.
Also of interest in the trailer is a scene involving what looks like a futurist flying craft. I point this out as the synopsis provided by Warner Bros. Pictures on the trailer itself makes mention of the Hollow Earth theory that was brought up in Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
“Legends collide in “Godzilla vs. Kong” as these mythic adversaries meet in a spectacular battle for the ages, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Kong and his protectors undertake a perilous journey to find his true home, and with them is Jia, a young orphaned girl with whom he has formed a unique and powerful bond. But they unexpectedly find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla, cutting a swath of destruction across the globe. The epic clash between the two titans—instigated by unseen forces—is only the beginning of the mystery that lies deep within the core of the Earth.”
In closing out this article, I think it is safe to say that there are going to be some pretty heavy kaiju on kaiju battles featured in Godzilla vs Kong – although at the end of the day the two Titans will have to join up and defeat the real threat of the movie. As revealed in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, King Ghidorah was an alien entity from prehistoric times – who is to say the real villain of this upcoming film won’t also be a threat from outer space? No matter what the answer to that particular question might be – Godzilla vs Kong certainly looks like a whole lot of fun. Now we just need to patiently wait until March 26th to catch it on HBO Max or perhaps at the local movie theater!
Friends, as someone who spends almost every waking moment discussing matters of pop culture and retro related memories, I think you might understand how much I wish that I had access to a working time machine. In all honesty I would just like to return to the stores and arcades of my youth, documenting what it was like seeing a toy aisle packed with Star Wars toys or the layout of the local ShowBiz Pizza. Although it must be said that I would most assuredly draw some curious stares while trying to document the past with my camera phone, right?
Much like the character of Martin Sloan, played by Gig Young in the classic “Walking Distance” episode of the original Twilight Zone, I suppose we all yearn to revisit the more carefree days of our youth. But as Sloan is made to understand during his jaunt back to the time of his childhood, the truth is we can’t go back no matter how much we wish. Which is why it is so absolutely fantastic that something like this B-roll footage from November 27th of 1991, featuring a Toys “R” Us in New York City, has been uploaded to YouTube. Giving us a glimpse at what toys were hot during that particular Holiday season – in addition to letting us enjoy the memories of some of those cherished toys we once owned.
As I understand it, this trip back to the Toys “R” Us of 1991 was for an ABC news report, at least that is what I believe I heard mentioned during the video. And while Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures and playsets are featured pretty heavily in this footage – you will also see G.I. Joe, Barbie, LEGO, and an amazing selection of games for the Nintendo Entertainment System among others.
Friends, I was killing some time the other day on eBay when I happened to come across the answer to a mystery from my childhood. As a toddler I had apparently been thrown a Wizard of Oz themed birthday party, while I have no recollection of it I did have the centerpiece by Hallmark for the longest time. This party decoration was not based off the beloved 1939 Wizard of Oz film starring Judy Garland nor the iconic W.W. Denslow illustrations from L. Frank Baum’s novel entitled The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Instead the illustrations for this unfolding table centerpiece from Hallmark were what I would describe as being more cartoonish. That is perhaps the long way round to explaining how while looking for that centerpiece on eBay, I stumbled across the Tales of the Wizard of Oz – an animated oddity from 1961 that was produced for television by Videocraft International. It might interest you to know that the company would go by a more recognizable name just seven years later, when Videocraft International would become better known as Rankin/Bass Productions.
We have managed to talk a bit about Rankin and Bass on the site in the past, as well as other TV series and retro records based on the Wizard of Oz. Tales of the Wizard of Oz was co-produced by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr. along with Larry Roemer, Antony Peters, and Bernard Cowan. As I understand it, this was the second TV show produced by Videocraft International although it was the first to feature cel animation – provided by Crawley Films. Their first TV show by the way was the 1960 series entitled The New Adventures of Pinocchio and featured stop-motion animation.
Tales of the Wizard of Oz while based off L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz decided to give names to the main characters. For example, Rusty the Tin Man (Larry D. Mann), Socrates the Scarecrow (Alfie Scopp), and Dandy the Lion (Paul Kligman). Dorothy (Corinne Conley) and Toto (Stan Francis) as well as The Wizard (Carl Banas) were also featured in the 150 episodes that made up the series – with each episode running around five minutes.
Apparently the syndicated series did well enough that it managed to have merchandise produced ranging from a board game, coloring books, and a comic book from Dell Comics. In addition there was an animated TV special produced in 1964 entitled Return to Oz for NBC – a sequel to Tales of the Wizard of Oz series that more or less followed the events of the 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum.
Friends, in past articles I have mentioned how my Father and I would make sure to catch Sneak Previews on the local PBS station every Sunday evening before it was time to turn in for the night. My Father as a matter of fact rarely agreed with a review by Gene Siskel, especially with films in the horror genre. In fact at times I couldn’t help but wonder if he somehow enjoyed going off on a rant when the iconic critic delivered a verdict against a movie he had enjoyed. It was in 1982 when Siskel and Ebert left the popular series due to what seems to be a rather heavy-handed attempt at them accepting a new contract – the result was a brand new show called At the Movies. To be fair it was pretty much the same successful format they had made use of with Sneak Previews – including the best and worst films of a particular year – although as usual the two critics didn’t always see eye to eye.
For this particular episode of At the Movies, which originally aired on January 14th of 1983 – Siskel and Ebert chose ten pictures from 1982 for their “Stinker List”. Obviously when this episode was first broadcast, there were more than a few on this list that I had not seen, or even would have had interest in seeing due to being the ripe old age of ten at the time.
So which movies from 1982 were considered cinematic waste by Siskel and Ebert? The list includes Inchon, If You Could See What I Hear, Yes, Giorgio, Porky’s, Amityville II: The Possession, Six Weeks, Halloween III: The Season of the Witch, Grease 2, I Ought to Be in Pictures, as well as Partners.
Now I will admit that I strongly disagree about Halloween III: The Season of the Witch, I have always been rather fond of that film, and the attempt by the filmmakers to make the Halloween series into an anthology series of films. But without further ado, grab a bowl of popcorn and your favorite beverage and prepare to travel back to 1982 with Siskel and Ebert.
Friends, in the early hours of the morning after my Father had left for work, while I was waiting for the school bus I was fortunate enough to be able to enjoy classic shorts from the likes of The Three Stooges, The Little Rascals, as well as a slew of Golden Age cartoons courtesy of WTBS. Since there was generally about three hours to kill before I had to make a dash for the bus stop – a whole lot of my appreciation for animation came from that block programming made up of Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes theatrical shorts. Although to be fair, I was quite familiar with many of the iconic animated characters featured in those shorts – thanks to The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show on Saturday mornings. I’ve always enjoyed Bugs Bunny cartoons, but without a doubt, my favorite Looney Tunes character has to be Daffy Duck. Especially those cartoons that were directed by the legendary Chuck Jones – although one of my all time favorites featuring the deranged duck is 1945’s “Nasty Quacks”.
That particular theatrical short was originally released on December 1st of 1945 – written by Warren Foster (The Magilla Gorilla Show, The Porky Pig Show) and directed by Frank Tashlin (Snow White and the Three Stooges). Obviously Mel Blanc provided the voice of Daffy Duck and Agne’s Father in “Nasty Quacks”, but it was Sara Berner (Rear Window) who voiced Agnes, with Robert C. Bruce as narrator. Personally I prefer the more zany and madcap version of Daffy Duck to the more cranky and greedy version that seems to be the norm these days.
You may not know that Daffy made his first appearance in the 1937 short entitled “Porky’s Duck Hunt”, which was originally released in 1937. The popularity of the character might not have reached the heights of Bugs Bunny – but he was at least popular enough to warrant a song of his very own. “The Daffy Duck” song was released in 1955 as a Little Golden Record single, and from what I’ve read online, the character of Daffy Duck was voiced by Gilbert Mack (Astro Boy, Gigantor).
Friends, as is often the case, I was doing some research on an entirely different subject when I stumbled across this interview between Gil Gerard and Bobbie Wygant. The video which was uploaded on June 1st of 2020, gives a 1979 to 1980 date for the conversation between the two. As Bobbie Wygant brings up both the theatrical release for Buck Rogers in the 25th Century as well as the fact that Battlestar Galactica didn’t make it on television – I am willing to bet this took place shortly after the Buck Rogers series was picked up by NBC. Interestingly enough, the original concept for Buck Rogers in the 25th Century was that it would not be a series but a couple of made-for-TV films. It would seem though that what Universal Studios was seeing from the dailies, to say nothing of the fact that they had found success by releasing Battlestar Galactica to theaters after the series ended – resulted in the decision to go ahead and release Buck Rogers in the 25th Century as a feature film on March 30th of 1979. To be fair that decision also had quite a bit to do with co-creator and showrunner Glen A. Larson (Automan, Knight Rider) pointing out to the executives that they had suggested a theatrical run for Battlestar Galactica before that series had aired on ABC too.
As I understand it, that theatrical run ended up netting 21.7 million dollars against a budget of 3.5 million. It also had the benefit of a Buck Rogers series being ordered, with the film acting as a two-part pilot, now entitled “Awakening”. Although they were forced to excise some of the more “mature elements” of the film when it was broadcast on September 20th of 1979 – the biggest change however would be the removal of the death of Princess Ardala’s loyal bodyguard, Tigerman (H.B. Haggerty).
In this short interview with Bobbie Wygant, Gil Gerard discusses why he hoped that Buck Rogers in the 25th Century would not become a television series as well as the reasons for Battlestar Galactica failing to keep its audience.
Friends, originally I was going to write an article about today being the 92nd anniversary of Popeye the Sailor. While doing a little research on E. C. Segar’s iconic comic strip character however, I came across an article by the esteemed Jim Korkis (co-writer of Cartoon Confidential) on the Cartoon Research site about a Lone Ranger short from 1936. In the article itself, Jim discusses the many times that the character of the Lone Ranger and Tonto have found themselves appearing in animated form – whether that be as parody or as the more familiar versions of the beloved characters that originated on radio in 1933. If you happened to follow my work for nearly a decade when I was writing for the Retroist – you might recall on more than a few Toon In articles – where I shared the likes of the 1966 The Lone Ranger as well as the 1980’s The New Adventures of the Lone Ranger television series. While I do enjoy both cartoons, I must admit that I much prefer the animation style utilized by the Halas and Batchelor Cartoon Studios and Atransa Park Studios on the 1966 series.
Which brings us back to this Lone Ranger animated oddity from 1936 (the date offered by IMDB) – as there is very little information to go on besides the article on Cartoon Research. At the very least we do know that the producer for the nearly three minute long Pathegrams animated short entitled The Masked Rider was Roy Meredith – who not only is credited for producing a 1934 cartoon for Little Orphan Annie but also wrote as well as produced the TV mini-series entitled The American Civil War: A Pictorial History Through the Photographs of Mathew B. Brady in ’59. Apparently Meredith was something of an Civil War historian as before his passing on January 7th of 1984 – he wrote 12 books about the subject ranging from those famous photographs taken by Mathew B. Brady to the dark history of the Andersonville POW camp.
For what it might be worth, in doing my research I thought that perhaps The Lone Ranger short might have been part of the Pathegrams Cine-Vue collection – which featured the likes of Dick Tracy, Little Orphan Annie, Hopalong Cassidy and others. Although after digging deeper, it appears that these offerings were in fact film strips – basically a comic strip that you would turn frame by frame to read the whole story.
From that article by Jim Korkis, he mentions that the current belief is this 1936 animated short was somehow related to Merita breads – who were sponsors of the radio series and would go on to support the television series starring Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels as the Lone Ranger and Tonto. I do know that Merita as part of their sponsorship for the old time radio show created the Lone Ranger Safety Club which included all manner of merchandise like cut out masks, a star-shaped badge, calendars, a silver bullet pencil sharpener, and much more. I wonder if perhaps members of the club could have sent off for The Masked Rider animated short film – although you would assume that Merita breads would have been mentioned in the opening credits, right?
Whatever the true history is for this 1936 animated short – I am very glad that The Lone Ranger has been uploaded to the likes of the Internet Archive, so that future fans of animation can enjoy it for years to come.
Friends, it has been quite a few months since we’ve last shared an audio offering from the talented Ian Gordon and HorrorBabble. As the sun is beginning to set above the Vault however, my choice for entertainment as usual turns to dark and devious tales. Which “The Polar Vortex” delivers upon, with Gordon narrating a story by Malcolm M. Ferguson – which was originally published in the pages of Weird Tales magazine back in September of 1946.
Doing a little research online, it certainly appears that Ferguson was not what you would describe as a prolific author of weird fiction. As a matter of fact it seems that he wrote only five stories for Weird Tales – writing and submitting a story once a year for a span of a demi-decade. While “The Polar Vortex” would be the first story submitted for publication in the iconic magazine, it would be followed over the next four years with “The House of Cards”, “Croatan”, “Terror Under Eridu”, and “Mr. Hyde-and Seek”. The latter of which has no connection to the 1886 tale “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson. In the case of Ferguson’s story, it turns out that the supernatural threat is that of a Poltergeist (You can read the entire story here)!
The story for “The Polar Vortex” begins with the auction of the personal belongings of the late Leopold Lemming, a renowned real estate mogul and scientist. Of particular interest are the objects located in an old chest, containing a Dictaphone wire recording, a casebook, as well as a series of notes on an experiment that took place at Lemming’s observatory – that he had built in the South Pole. All of which details the devious plot by Lemming in convincing a willing subject into acting as the sole occupant and custodian of the observatory – completely alone for a month – with no outside communication or relief from a solitary existence beyond his own passion for astronomy. The question is of course, what will be the result of this forced isolation?
Without further ado, huddle under a warm blanket and turn down the lights if you are able as you listen to “The Polar Vortex” – courtesy of Ian Gordon and HorrorBabble!
The Fantastic Journey was a delightfully trippy sci-fi series that aired on NBC in 1977, following a mismatched group of travelers: a fresh-out-of-med-school doctor (Carl Franklin), an inquisitive kid (Ike Eisenmann), a pacifist from the future (Jared Martin), a “rebel scientist from the sixties” (Roddy McDowall), and the daughter of “an Atlantean father and an extraterrestrial mother” (Katie Saylor) as they – along with a cat from the future! – journey between “zones of time” on an isolated island in the Bermuda Triangle that may (or may not) be Atlantis. It lasted only ten episodes, failing to find either a consistent storyline or an audience over a six-month period, and was sporadically scheduled by NBC. It’s fondly remembered by fans of cult genre TV, but that’s about it.
Roddy McDowall, Jared Martin, and Katie Saylor – and the cat – undertake The Fantastic Journey. (Sony)
For years, The Fantastic Journey was not available in any commercially available form. A rerun on cable in the early 2000s was digitized by someone – probably from VHS – and, provided one knew which rocks to look underneath, it could be found, though the picture quality was at times most charitably described as “lamentable”.
It’s therefore something of a shock that the series was given an official DVD release – in Australia, of all places – in 2020. ViaVision’s officially licensed three-disc set can be acquired on Amazon, and if your only prior knowledge of the show comes by way of those old video files of questionable origin, prepare yourself for a pleasant surprise.
Finally, we can get a good look at Varian’s Futuristic Tuning Fork Weapon! (Sony)
Not to make a joke out of it, but compared to the previously available means of viewing the show, the sound and picture quality are fantastic. There are a few brief instances where it’s easy to see that the original film masters of the episodes could probably use a little TLC, but those instances are few and far between. The picture is sharp, the sound is clear, and it’s a vast improvement over any means of viewing the show since its original broadcast run in the ’70s.
Guest star Joan Collins has probably looked better, but her episode of The Fantastic Journey has never looked better. (Sony)
The menu system is no-frills, keeping it simple while also echoing the colorfully trippy packaging. Sadly, there are no commentaries or any kind of bonus material, but as obscure as the show is, we’re lucky to have a release at all. Given that McDowall and Martin have both left us, along with key behind-the-scenes players such as story editor D.C. Fontana, a lot of the story of the making of this show is gone forever. Additionally, Carl Franklin has moved on to an A-list film directing career, and Katie Saylor reportedly ducked out of the Hollywood spotlight (leading to persistent rumors that she, too, had died)…it would seem unlikely that very many of the show’s participants rank this show highly on their career highlights. (Don’t worry, I hear there’s a pretty good article about the show on Pop Culture Retrorama.)
Futuristic and yet very much of its time – that’s both this menu and the beauty of ’70s TV sci-fi. (Sony)
Speaking of the packaging, it raised a comparison that raised my eyebrows. The back cover blurb claims that The Fantastic Journey created its own subgenre that would later be revisited by the likes of Quantum Leap and Sliders. I’m not sure that’s a claim that holds a lot of water, since the role of time travel or interdimensional/alternate-reality travel is made much clearer in those shows’ premises. And in any case, “our heroes show up at random in the middle of events that are already in progress” was hardly invented by The Fantastic Journey; that in media res format of filmed fiction had been a mainstay of TV since the days of Have Gun, Will Travel and The Fugitive. The Fantastic Journey simply puts a very disco-era paranormal spin on it, bell bottom pants and all.
Hello, weary travelers! Can I interest you in my gently used uniform from Gene Roddenberry’s Planet Earth pilot? (Sony)
The Fantastic Journey has completed its own journey and we can once again watch the episodes in reasonably good condition and marvel at what could have been with less random network scheduling and a clearer idea from the outset as to what the show would be about. Huge thanks to ViaVision for bothering to put the show on DVD for those of us who have sat through several of our own “zones of time” waiting for this. If ViaVision’s looking for any other cult classic recommendations, the criminally overlooked ’80s CBS series Otherworld is still waiting for an official release, along with quite a few others…
Carl Franklin, Roddy McDowall, and Katie Saylor – and the cat – journey onward on DVD at last. (Sony)
Friends, there are a handful of films in my youth that I was able to catch at the local drive-in theater or on the likes of The Movie Channel, that helped to make me the Monster Kid I am today. Just a few of those movies include It’s Alive, The Exorcist, Phantasm, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Shining, and of course Scanners. Which you might be interested to learn was released on January 14th of 1981 – marking today as the 40th anniversary of David Cronenberg’s science-fiction horror classic.
Scanners is one of my favorite Cronenberg movies, it also has the noteworthy honor of being the only picture where I saw the first half of the film at that beloved drive-in theater of my youth, and caught the ending on The Movie Channel nearly a year later. As I had reached the ripe old age of nine when the film hit our neck of the woods, I can only assume that I was worn out from school and daily play when my Father and I originally watched it. Although I can tell you that before I succumbed to sleep I was watching with rapt attention – especially after that infamous scene where Darryl Revok (Michael Ironside) uses his psychic abilities to detonate the head of a fellow “scanner”. An effect as I understand it that was attempted unsuccessfully in a few different ways – resulting in Gary Zeller (Dawn of the Dead, The Last Dragon) requesting his fellow crew members take shelter in their production vehicles – before laying down behind the dummy of Louis Del Grande and using a shotgun pointed at the back of it’s head.
Uh-oh! SpaghettiOs!
If you’ve not had the pleasure of watching Scanners for yourself – it concerns a young man by the name of Cameron Vale (Stephen Lack), a drifter who possesses a powerful and dangerous psychic ability. His inability to control it however has driven him nearly to the point of insanity, and after lashing out with his powers at an innocent bystander – he is captured by a shadowy military organization called ConSec. It is there while under the care of Dr. Paul Ruth (Patrick McGoohan) that Vale learns he is one of 247 individuals who possess psychic abilities – called “scanners”. Under the tutelage of Dr. Ruth, Vale is able to develop and control his powers, learning in the process about a renegade “scanner” by the name of Darryl Revok. Who is not only waging a secret war against ConSec (And possibly for a good reason) but dispatching any likewise gifted individuals who will not join him in this crusade. It is Dr. Ruth’s hope that Cameron will go undercover and seek out Revok – stopping him from amassing an army to take on the rest of humanity.
Does the synopsis of Scanners sound familiar to you too?
I’ve read online that David Cronenberg does not have the fondest of memories on the making of Scanners, as it was something of a rushed production due to the need to claim available Canadian tax credits. This resulted in the film beginning production without the sets being built or even the luxury of a completed screenplay. Forcing Cronenberg to write pages daily – when he wasn’t seeking out locations for the film to shoot on later in the evening. Interestingly enough, it would seem that the origins of the story for Scanners is thanks to two other scripts that Cronenberg had written before he began filming 1979’s The Brood – entitled Telepathy 2000 and The Sensitives.
Now as I have already mentioned, I really like Scanners – even if I am forced to admit that there are other films by Cronenberg that are vastly superior. I think when all is said and done though, it is the comic book feel of the film that keeps me revisiting Scanners at least once a year. In closing out this article, if you feel like celebrating the 40th anniversary of Scanners – it is available to stream on HBO Max.
Friends, the other day on Facebook I was sent a link to this Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out parody video by one of my good friends from the arcade. The Studio C parody is a look at the classic NES game from the viewpoint of Little Mac – the boxer that Players attempt to help rise through the ranks of the World Video Boxing Association. Testing their video game boxing skills against the likes of Glass Joe, Piston Honda, King Hippo, Great Tiger, and others. All for the chance to earn the World Circuit title belt and a chance to take on Mike Tyson in “The Dream Fight” for global fame and glory. It is for that fight alone that I personally feel that Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out along with the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Castlevania, Battletoads, and Ghosts ‘n Goblins – make up the 5 most difficult titles to be released for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
As you will see for yourself, Studio C has decided to poke fun at some of the elements of the classic video game, such as the “helpful” advice from Doc Louis, the ex-heavyweight boxer turned trainer. Or pointing out the fact that Little Mac is put into the ring with towering and aggressive opponents who border on possessing super powers – to say nothing of the fact that Tyson can lay the Player out with a single hit.
For what it is worth, beating Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out back in the day was without a doubt one of my greatest video game accomplishments. I played the game for hours and hours every single day until I was good enough to stand toe to to toe with the digital version of Tyson. Then the game destroyed me with it’s punishing difficulty and I had to suffer the taunting smile and muscle flexing of the then heavyweight champion… over and over again. It was my Grandfather and Grandmother who while watching me play realized that the designers had given Tyson tells as to where he was throwing a punch – like winking a split second before throwing a jab. It still took me a ridiculous amount of tries but eventually my persistence won out and I was able to take out Tyson and win the game.
Without further ado, enjoy this Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out parody by Studio C – and don’t forget to join the Nintendo Fan Club today, Mac!
Friends, earlier this afternoon one of my esteemed colleagues of the Super Blog Team-Up, Dave’s Comic Heroes Blog, shared the exciting news that today is a rather special day. It turns out that on January 12th of 1966 – the very first episode of the Batman television series aired on ABC. Fifty-five years ago, what would become a campy pop culture juggernaut was released with the first half of a two-part story featuring the Riddler entitled Hi Diddle Riddle. Giving DC Comics fans their first live-action comic book television series since The Adventures of Superman ended back in 1958, in addition to cluing in the audience that this adaptation of DC Comics’ Caped Crusader was going to be a whole lot of fun. Of course it didn’t hurt that the first episode featured the talents of Frank Gorshin as the Riddler – the legendary comedian and impressionist who all but steals every scene he is in – equal parts zany and menacing. To say nothing of being quite a snappy dresser, right?
The Batman TV series would last from January 12th of ’66 to March 14th of ’68, producing 120 episodes in total as well as a feature length film, which actually debuted just two months after the first season had ended. The popularity of the show was thanks in no small part to the way the series leads, Adam West and Burt Ward, approached their characters of Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder with an earnest and straightforward manner. Which allowed the guest stars on the show, who almost always played the villain of the week, to ham it up and have fun with their roles. Just a few of the stars featured as foes of the Dynamic Duo included Carolyn Jones (The Addams Family), Cliff Robertson (Spider-Man), Roddy McDowall (Fright Night), Vincent Price (The Last Man on Earth), and Victor Buono (What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?).
Although it is fair to say that the core and perhaps most memorable villains in the Batman TV series included not just Gorshin but the Joker as played by Cesar Romero, the Penguin who was portrayed by Burgess Meredith, and Catwoman – who was played by Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt, as well as Lee Meriwether.
You might be interested to know that the genesis of the series began in the early half of the ’60s – as I understand it, the original intention was for it to be part of the CBS Saturday morning lineup. At around the same time though, it appears that ABC was in the market to adapt a comic book character or perhaps a popular hero from newspaper comic strips for a spot in their prime-time schedule. The negotiations for the proposed live action series on CBS fell through and DC Comics took back their rights and decided to go with the pitch by ABC.
Here is another interesting bit of trivia you might not be aware of – we came very close to having the likes of Lyle Waggoner (Wonder Woman) and Peter Deyell (Mr. Novak) as Batman and Robin. As I’ve read online, ABC as well as showrunner William Dozier (The Green Hornet) felt so strongly that both pairs of actors could pull off the roles – they had them each perform a special screen test. Obviously at the end of the day, it was West and Ward who were rightfully deemed to be the perfect choice.
If you feel like joining in on the fifty-fifth anniversary celebration of Batman ’66, I have some very good news for you – I believe that you can watch the entire series on Roku at this very second. In closing out this article, let us raise a glass of milk to toast the ’60s Batman television show – for providing untold laughs and comic book fun for 55 years!
Friends, back in 1998 there were a handful of films that I had marked on my calendar as movies I just could not miss. A few of those included Godzilla, The Mask of Zorro, The X-Files, Deep Impact, and Small Soldiers. As I shared in past articles, at this time I was regularly keeping up with all of the new film releases, thanks in part to working at a local movie theater, as well as picking up Premiere and other film-themed magazines. Having said that though, the first I heard of Small Soldiers was thanks to the teaser trailer that I recall being attached to The Lost World: Jurassic Park in ’97.
When I learned that Small Soldiers was being directed by Joe Dante (The Howling, Gremlins) – my expectations and desire to catch the film grew by leaps and bounds. Dante was and still is one of my favorite directors and when Small Soldiers was released on July 10th of 1998 – I took the day off and made sure that I was at the first matinee showing. While I was not disappointed in the film, I was a little surprised by how much CGI was used – with Stan Winston (Pumpkinhead, The Monster Squad) being involved in the picture, I had assumed it would feature an abundance of practical effects. Thanks to an interview with Ben Sachs for the Chicago Reader from back in 2012, Dante admits that going practical was the original idea:
“On Small Soldiers, we were planning to use a lot of Stan Winston’s puppets—he had made some very elaborate puppets that could do a lot of things. But in practice, we found it was much simpler and cheaper to let the CGI people do the work after we’d shot the scenes. So, I would say, it’s one-third puppetry and the rest CGI in Small Soldiers, even though the original idea was to do mostly puppetry.”
Thanks to this short behind the scenes video from the Stan Winston School of Character Arts – you will learn what a time crunch the effects studio was truly under to work their magic on the film. It will also give you a chance to see the skills of the puppeteers at work – in addition to Joe Dante and Steven Spielberg checking things out.
Friends, it might not come as surprise to you that I have always enjoyed visiting antique stores and flea markets. I count myself as being very fortunate that my Wife is also fond of the same thing, even if due to the pandemic we have had to severely curtail the activity. The other day however we managed a brief visit and among the remembrances of the past I came across a lunch box for a television series entitled Here’s Boomer – a television show that I have absolutely no recollection of ever seeing. I took a moment to snap a quick photograph of the collectible with my phone, sending it to a few of my fellow Pop Culture Retrorama colleagues. Which resulted in the intro for the early ’80s TV show being sent to me, and catchy theme song aside, I can honestly say that I have no memory of this series in the least.
A Christmas for Boomer was a made-for-TV Holiday special that aired on NBC on December the 6th of 1979 – acting as a pilot for the Here’s Boomer series – although the canine character originated in another show. A Saturday morning series entitled The Red Hand Gang – featuring the likes of then Little House on the Prairie and future Whiz Kids star, Matthew Labyorteaux. The show focused on the adventures of a group of five children who managed to solve various crimes around their hometown.
The plot for Here’s Boomer involved the titular character wandering the country, showing up to help someone in need before taking off once again – like a canine version of David Banner (Bill Bixby) in the popular The Incredible Hulk TV series. You might be interested to know that the character of Boomer was played by a rescued four-year-old mutt named Johnny – in fact the original title for Here’s Boomer has been said to have been “Here’s Johnny”. That idea however was abandoned as it was the obvious catchphrase made popular by Ed McMahon during the intro to The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Here’s Boomer ran for two seasons on NBC starting on March 14th of 1980 and managed to feature an amazing cast of guest stars over it’s 20 episode run. Just a few include Tom Bosley (Happy Days), Michael J. Fox (Family Ties), Todd Bridges (Diff’rent Strokes), Doris Roberts (Remington Steele), Roddy McDowall (Planet of the Apes), and John Amos (Good Times).
While I will never say I am an expert on anything in regards to pop culture – I still find it so bizarre that I have zero recollection of Here’s Boomer. What about yourself though, do you remember this television series?
Friends, it might surprise you to learn that as much as I adore the work of John Carpenter, we have in fact only covered three of this films on the Saturday Frights podcast so far. To date, the Projectionist and I have managed to discuss The Fog, They Live, and In the Mouth of Madness – although Carpenter’s work has been brought up in the likes of the Halloween specials as well as the Intermission episodes. This is not an oversight on the part of my shadowy co-host or myself – as we always intended the podcast to focus more on the horror films and television shows that fans might not be so familiar with. And in truth, when discussing such films as Halloween, The Thing, and Escape from New York – I am not sure that the Projectionist or I could add to what is already known.
John Carpenter might be best known for creating such cinematic icons as Michael Myers, Snake Plissken, and John Nada – but he is also well known for his memorable film scores. As Carpenter himself has stated in the past, his use of synthesizers in a majority of his film soundtracks was because it allowed him to create a score that sounded much larger than he could afford. Of course it should be pointed out that Carpenter has collaborated with the likes of Alan Howarth on a number of the scores for his films, as well as Ennio Morricone and Shirley Walker to name a few.
And while it seems that Carpenter has for the time being stepped away from the director’s chair – he is killing it now as musician – teaming up with his Son, Cody Carpenter, and Daniel Davies. John Carpenter has even gone on multiple tours thanks to the overwhelming success of 2015’s Lost Themes album, which was followed by Lost Themes II the following year. It turns out that the trio’s third studio album entitled Lost Themes III: Alive After Death is set to debut on February 5th of this year – although you can get a taste of the album courtesy of this animated music video featuring the titular track.
The music video for “Alive After Death” was animated by Liam Brazier and features artwork by Boneface. In closing out this article I want to give John Squires of Bloody Disgusting a tip of the hat for the heads up on the release of the video.
Friends, in the early ’80s on Sunday evenings there was a television show that my Family would never fail to watch, that was the ABC series Ripley’s Believe It or Not! A wonderful show with the iconic Jack Palance (Batman, City Slickers) acting as host – inspired by the newsreels, radio series, books, and comic books of Robert Ripley. After testing the waters with a television pilot on May 3rd of 1981 – ABC picked up the series and the first episode of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! aired on September 26th of 1982. For four seasons viewers were guided by Jack Palance through the more bizarre elements of history, noteworthy individuals, and interesting cultural activities. Just a few of the subjects covered on the TV show included the research on cryogenics, a prisoner who took his life with the aid of playing cards, a fire that burned non-stop for eight months, and Stephen Hawking. Palance did not host the show alone, as he was joined by a trio of co-hosts for various segments throughout the 76 episode run of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!. That included the likes of Catherine Shirriff (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock), Marie Osmond (Donny & Marie), as well as Holly Palance – who not only joined her Father for two seasons on the show but was recognizable from her role in 1976’s The Omen!
Jack Palance was the perfect choice as host, there seemed to be a merry twinkling in his eyes and barely restrained glee when he was discussing something gruesome. The fact that the audience could see that Palance was having fun sharing these interesting facts and legends – it helped to knock a little edge off the sometimes more gruesome subject matters featured on the show. Having said that however, it did nothing to diminish the chills I would experience from the rather memorable intro to the TV show. Which just so happened to feature a theme song composed by none other than Henry Mancini (Peter Gunn, The Pink Panther).
Which brings us to the point of this article, the real-life inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde. In the nearly four minute segment, Palance points out the inspiration came from one William Brodie – a man living two very different lives – respectable member of the community by day and a flamboyant burglar by night. The short segment in addition features Palance from his role in the 1968 made-for-TV movie adaptation of Stevenson’s famous story… believe it or not!
As far as I know, the excellent Ripley’s Believe It or Not! series has yet to be released on any version of home media. Which is truly a shame as the show was a whole lot of fun. At the very least we can enjoy the various segments that have been uploaded on social media, right?
Friends, I am obviously not alone in my love and appreciation for what George A. Romero and his fellow filmmakers delivered in 1968 with Night of the Living Dead. A near instant masterpiece of a film that managed to provide a new spin on the zombie genre (or ghoul if you go by Romero’s original term) – inspiring other film franchises, books, video games, and television shows over the years. In fact, the Projectionist and I covered both the legacy of Romero and Night of the Living Dead in two past Saturday Frights podcasts. And while I was aware of the Dawn of the Dead game released by SPI in ’78 as well as the first-person shooter tie-in for 2005’s Land of the Dead – somehow the news about Night of the Living Dead: A Zombicide Game being released last October flew under my radar.
Zombicide as the name implies is a zombie-themed cooperative board game that was originally published by CMON (CoolMiniOrNot) back in 2012. As far as I can tell, the survival horror game was designed by Raphaël Guiton, Nicolas Raoult, and Jean-Baptiste Lullien. With the popularity of the game leading to quite a few sequels, Night of the Living Dead: A Zombicide Game marks the 7th game to be released under the Zombicide imprint.
Night of the Living Dead: A Zombicide Game is the result of an extremely successful Kickstarter – of the $20,000 goal that CMON was requesting, it managed to raise $430,154 by the end of it’s campaign. Obviously the fact the makers of Zombicide have produced an official board game based off such a beloved film, it has brought out a large number of fans of both properties. I’ve not yet had the opportunity to add the game to my collection, but I can tell you that watching this trailer from October of 2020, I am extremely impressed by the miniatures of the characters from the film. In addition I like the idea of the two modes of the game – with Players starting off in “Romero” mode with skills and equipment as seen in the film… and then switching to “Zombicide” mode when they start to achieve their goals. Having said that however it appears that there are elements in the game, like Barbara seeing her Brother as a ghoul, that will cause a Player to revert back to “Romero” mode.
Friends, it has been quite a few months since we’ve last had the opportunity to share an old time radio series with you. I thought that for today we might take a look at The Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air – a short-lived radio show that was initially sponsored for thirteen episodes by Pepsodent. However the series proved quite popular and the toothpaste company signed off for an additional seven episodes – while affording Walt Disney the opportunity to promote films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, it also allowed the company to once again tackle beloved fairy tales. In truth the Walt Disney studio had covered a few of them already with their Silly Symphony animated theatrical shorts – case in point with 1933’s The Pied Piper.
It seems that the idea for The Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air was something that was in the works for a couple of years. As I understand it from reading online, Disney was approached numerous times to produce a radio series featuring his studio’s popular animated mascot – it was a belief that the character only worked in a visual medium though that kept him from signing off on it. It appears however that around 1937, probably due to the upcoming release for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – Disney decided that a radio show was too good of an opportunity to pass up. As a matter of fact, the idea that was first entertained was something akin to a talk show, where Mickey Mouse would interview special guests. In the end it was decided to stick with what the animation studio was known for – fairy tales and nursery rhymes but including Mickey and his friends as hosts.
The Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air premiered on the NBC network on January 2nd of 1938 with a presentation of the classic tale of Robin Hood – bear in mind it would be 35 years later before the studio produced their feature-length animated version of the story. The next week was devoted to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with The Pied Piper being the 11th episode of the radio series – which was broadcast on March 13th of ’38.
Without further ado, enjoy this delightful presentation of The Pied Piper courtesy of The Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air:
Friends, I think it will speak volumes that for this brand new episode of the Saturday Frights podcast – the Projectionist and I have decided to discuss Shadow in the Cloud. The World War II action/horror film that was just released on VOD and in select theaters just five days ago – starring Chloë Grace Moretz. Although I make a point of mentioning it in the show itself – this particular podcast is kind of a throwback to the original episodes of the show, in that we do not go fully into spoiler territory. It seemed like the most logical choice as many of you will not have had the opportunity to catch Shadow in the Cloud yet. We stick to mostly a brief overview of the film, touching on only that which you could see in the trailer itself. Which means that this episode has a shorter running time that our standard show – we hope though that you will be entertained nonetheless.
In addition the Projectionist has managed to bring along a few audio treats for your listening pleasure – to say nothing of the fact that he fills us in on the history of gremlins. I manage to even share a story from my Grandfather who served during World War II as well as the Korean War – he had some run-ins with more than a few pilots who swore they saw a Gremlin on their plane.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
We sincerely hope you are enjoying the new season of the show – if you have friends or family that are fans of horror – let them know about the podcast. HAPY NEW YEAR!
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Friends, this article is most assuredly a little different than what I normally write – as when all is said and done it literally comes down to being a speculative essay. I suppose if I am being totally honest, this query on if the events we all know from the classic 1933 King Kong by Merian C. Cooper (The Most Dangerous Game) and Ernest B. Schoedsack (Mighty Joe Young) also take place in Legendary Entertainment and Warner Bros.’ MonsterVerse – is really just an excuse to discuss the upcoming Godzilla vs. Kong. I will touch an important detail on that upcoming film at the end of the article, before that though we will take a dive into Kong: Skull Island from 2017, because that is the key to this entire article. In addition to the fact that the Easter Egg in the movie, that is quite frankly the genesis of this essay – allows me to share a bit of interesting history concerning 1933’s King Kong.
As I understand it, the novelization for King Kong was published in December of 1932 – yes – three months before the film had it’s premiere in New York City on March 2nd of ’33. Having been partly based on the credited draft of Edgar Wallace, a writer of some renown in the day, who delivered the initial script incorporating the ideas of Merican C. Cooper for what would eventually become King Kong. Sadly Wallace would pass away in 1932 before being able to complete a finished screenplay, so it was Ruth Rose (Schoedsack’s Wife) and James Ashmore Creelman (The Most Dangerous Game) who reworked the draft into an approved shooting script. Judging from online sources it would appear that the novelization was written by novelist Delos W. Lovelace, an acquaintance of Cooper from his own days as a reporter with the Minneapolis Daily News.
In the finished 1933 film, director Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) hires Captain Englehorn and his crew of the SS Venture to bring the filmmaker and his party to the mysterious Skull Island. It turns out that in that novelization by Lovelace however, the ship is entitled the Wanderer – and it’s that rusting and broken vessel that is seen in 2017’s Kong: Skull Island as a temple and possibly housing for the Iwi tribe. This is most assuredly the same ship though from the 1933 picture – and in my personal opinion it looks like something broke it’s way out of the hull of the vessel. Furthermore as we are told by Hank Marlow (John C. Reilly) whose character in Kong: Skull Island crash-landed in ’44:
“As far as I can tell, this ship washed up about 10 years before I did.”
Which obviously is a rather important date as it would place the Wanderer at Skull Island around the same time as the events of the original movie. In addition thanks to the Kong: Skull Island novelization by Tim Lebbon, we learn from Bill Randa (played by John Goodman in the film) that their expedition wasn’t the first to explore the island:
“There’s even talk of a movie crew disappearing here in thirty-three,”
So, taking all of that into account, I truly believe the answer to whether the events of 1933’s King Kong take place in the MonsterVerse is a resounding yes… and no. While in this shared universe it is apparent that Denham and the crew of the Venture/Wanderer did not return to New York City with Kong in chains – I feel there is enough evidence to believe that the filmmakers are suggesting that they not only encountered Kong but their adventure on Skull Island played out in a similar fashion as seen in the 1933 movie. With the big difference being that they all somehow perished on the island – which sadly would include Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) as well as the heroic John Driscoll (Bruce Cabbot).
In closing out this article, let’s talk about the upcoming Godzilla vs. Kong, which was originally scheduled to be released on November 20th of 2020 – pushed back due to the obvious threats of the pandemic – to May 21st of this year. In fact as many of you are already aware, Godzilla vs. Kong is one of the upcoming films being released by Warner Bros. in 2021 that will have a simultaneous debut on HBO Max as well as in theaters. This is without a doubt one of the films this year that I am most excited about – which is why it is so maddening that we fans of the MonsterVerse have YET to receive even a teaser trailer for the picture – beyond a two second snippet from CCXP 2020.
With Godzilla vs. Kong set to be released in a little over four months – isn’t it time for us to get our first glimpse at the finished film, to whet our appetites for the brawl between these two cinematic titans?
Friends, I am sure that most of you are well aware that Super Mario Bros., the smash hit video game from Nintendo – was NOT released to the Mattel Electronics’ Intellvision back in the mid-’80s. That is not say however that games were not still being produced for the iconic home console after the video game crash of 1983 – thanks to the INTV Corporation in fact the last published game was Stadium Mud Buggies and that was in 1989. Although it is not out of the realm of possibility that there could have been an attempt at a Super Mario Bros. port to the Intellivision back in the day. After all they did produce ports of such popular arcade titles as Pole Position, Dig Dug, Commando, Congo Bongo, and BurgerTime to name a few.
Of course when the homebrew community is making ports of Gauntlet, God of War, Gorf, Halo, for everything from the Atari 2600 to the NES – it is understandable why Matthew Kiel decided the Intellivision needed Super Mario Bros., right?
As I understand it, Matthew has used IntyBASIC to create a port of Super Mario Bros. – although I am under the impression this is just an exercise in fun. I highly doubt that Kiehl is going to attempt to make this port available to the Intellivision community. As Matthew explains himself on his video description there are still bugs in this current build of the game – but all of the stages have been implemented as well as the Warp Zones and bonus areas (the coin rooms found by way of the green pipes).
Matthew’s version of Super Mario Bros. for the Intellivision is quite impressive – from the music and sound effects to how the enemies behave just like in the original title. It might have been created just for fun but judging by this gameplay video – a whole lot of hard work has gone into it so far.
Friends, as a young adult I harbored the dream of being a screenwriter, which meant that I stayed up to date on all of the new films being released – thanks to the likes of Premiere and Entertainment Weekly. Of course it didn’t hurt that at the time I was working at the local movie theater and checking out some of the industry magazines too. However I have noticed that in the past few years I have just been unable to keep up with all of the films coming out – whether they be big studio blockbusters or independent pictures. I bring all of this up I suppose as an excuse for why Shadow in the Cloud – direct by Roseanne Liang (Do No Harm) and starring Chloë Grace Moretz (Let Me In, Suspiria) flew under my radar. A hybrid World War II action/horror picture that takes place on a B-17 bomber – with Flight Officer Maude Garret (Mortez) transporting something top secret… things get really weird as well as dangerous though for Maude and the crew of the “The Fool’s Errand” when they take to the skies.
Besides Moretz, the film also boasts the talents of Taylor John Smith (Wolves), Benedict Wall (Operation Buffalo), Beulah Koale (Hawaii Five-0), Nick Robinson (Jurassic World), Callan Mulvey (Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Joe Witkowski (The Wilds), as well as Byron Coll (Power Rangers Ninja Steel).
A word of WARNING, besides obvious spoilers the trailer also features a moment of SALTY LANGUAGE – nothing you wouldn’t hear on a prime time crime drama however.
I found a rather interesting bit of information for Shadow in the Cloud in regards to the screenplay. Both Roseanne Liang and Max Landis are credited as co-writers on the picture – but this interview with Brian Davids for The Hollywood Reporter seems to explain that not only did Liang do extensive rewrites but this picture is all but her vision.
Shadow in the Cloud had it’s world premiere back on September 12th of 2020 at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival. As a matter of fact it apparently was bestowed the People’s Choice Award for Midnight Madness at the festival – and judging from that trailer it looks like because it is going to be a whole lot of fun. It was released on VOD just yesterday – which is how I found out about it as I saw it pop up on my Amazon Prime new release rental list. Perhaps I should do a review for Shadow in the Cloud after I get a chance to check it out for myself?
Friends, we are on the cusp of 2020 ending and 2021 beginning and I am sure that for many of you this year could not end quick enough. From the obvious pandemic, natural disasters, to an overwhelming and somewhat historic divisions in the ideology of people in regards to matters of importance as fundamental human rights, politics, or even if The Mandalorian is setting the proper example with how it treats imaginary animals. Of course, I have to add that as this site is focused on all things pop culture as well as retro related, 2020 has given me an absolute bellyful of writing remembrances of the many talented entertainers and people of note that we have lost throughout the year. However, with that rather heavy intro out of the way, it is too easy to focus on the negative – there were some nuggets of awesomeness in 2020 to be sure. Which is why a few of my fellow Pop Culture Retrorama Colleagues were kind enough to get together and share with you the Top 5 things we liked in 2020.
Star Trek – I have been a Star Trek fan since I was introduced to the franchise in 2009 via the J. J. Abrams reboot. An unusual introduction, I know, but I did go back and watch every Star Trek film and every single episode of every series over the course of the next 6 years. I’ve also made a habit of watching the H&I channel’s #AllStarTrek block nearly every evening while I prepare for the next day and try to relax a bit before bed.
To say that I love Star Trek might be an understatement.
2020 reignited my love for the franchise. We had new Star Trek happening every week for about 3/4 of the year this year. Picard, Lower Decks, and Discovery are all very different, but each is a fantastic series in its own right. Star Trek has a common thread of hope throughout every series, and that’s been something I think we all have desperately needed this year.
Vinyl! – Early this year, my husband and I made the investment in a good quality record player, replacing the one we purchased at the beginning of our marriage that had bit the dust a few years ago. This purchase has sparked the purchase of much vinyl this year, both new and old. My most fun retro find of 2020 is my copy of The Black Hole score. I didn’t think anything of it at the time of purchase, but apparently, my copy was once owned by PM Magazine.
USED WITH PERMISSION BY ASHLEY THOMAS
Comic Books! – I’ve been a comics fan for nearly my entire life. I’ve probably bought more comics this year than ever before, again, both new and old. I’ve been covering the 1995 Marvel Gargoyles series here at the PCR and between cross-state searches by me and my best friend in my hometown in Tennessee, we completed my collection of the series. The thrill of the hunt for these books has been a lot of fun, and it’s been a great reminder of why I love comics so much. I feel like a kid again reading these stories, but they also remind me of what sparked my deep and abiding love of myth, legend, fantasy, and science fiction in the first place–Gargoyles.
The Mandalorian – I think it’s safe to say that we all love Star Wars here at the PCR and The Mandalorian is perhaps the most universally loved Star Wars property since the original trilogy. What I especially loved about The Mandalorian this year was seeing all the powerful women on my screen. I wrote more extensively about this in my review of the season finale on Fangirlish (don’t read ahead if you don’t want to be spoiled), but that episode had 4 different kinds of women who are powerful in their own right show up and steamroll a pack of Stormtroopers like it’s nothing. As an adult, I appreciate what Leia did to change how women were represented in Science Fiction, but as a kid, I didn’t want to be a commander like her. I wanted to be in the middle of the fray, shoulder to shoulder with Luke and Han, taking out Stormtroopers. I got my dream fulfilled in the finale of The Mandalorian and I will always be grateful for that.
The Pop Culture Retrorama – I hope it’s not too cheesy to say that I have deeply enjoyed being part of The Pop Culture Retrorama team this year. I am so grateful that I’ve gotten to contribute to the site, both via the blog and podcast. It’s brought me a lot of joy to have gotten to know my fellow contributors here at the PCR better this year and to be among such excellent cohorts at one of the most positive sites on the internet. We could all use a bit more positivity, even during the best of times, but no more now than in 2020. Special thanks go to Vic for being our fearless leader and for his tireless efforts to make this site the great place that it is.
Next is none other than Rockford Jay, my esteemed co-editor of the Saturday Frights Facebook page:
(5) BIG BIG BLU-RAY SALES Deep discount summer and fall sales by the good folks at Kino Lorber, Scream Factory, Criterion, Warner Archive, and others gave me plenty viewing to pass the empty lockdown hours.
(4) NOVELTY T-SHIRTS GALORE From Kolchak’s Independent News Service to Jim Rockford’s Yellow Pages ad, to the Power Records logo and Heroes World catalogue art, deep dive nerd shirts made lounging around the house a colorful affair.
(3) CUSTOM NERD VENTURES A desktop designed paper Mego-sized Enterprise bridge playset from Cardboard Agitprop? Three-Dee printed Super Powers action figures from Emilio Zee? Toy-Ventures Magazine from the good people at PlaidStallions? Great bespoke geek projects helped fill my empty hours!
(2) REDISCOVERING LOCAL EATERIES I made a point to eat local and spend local to do my part to help our struggling small businesses and restaurants, and I was all the fatter for it! Chili cheese fries from Joe’s Chicken Shack! Roast beef splits from Pine Mountain Grill! Slaw dogs from Patriot’s Dairy Bar! Daily specials from France’s Diner, the Circle T, and the Isom Double Kwik! I ate so much, I got the shakes! And I got the fries too!
1) I fell in love with watching 1980s and 1990s corporate training videos, learning the policies and procedures of companies that may or may not be still in business as we close out 2020. The idea of watching an employee have to act like the worst employee ever, and how companies handle that type of employee behavior tends to yield some hilariously awkward results.
2) Netflix did a ten-episode series based on The Baby-Sitters Club. I know it was done 30 years ago for HBO, but this series took the first eight books (the original worked because it was thirteen original stories), and I believe one of the Super Specials as a two-parter, and turned them into half-hour episodes, modernizing some of the elements of each episode, while sticking with the main plot of each story. I watched the series over the course of a week while walking on the treadmill in the morning, and I felt it to be a faithful adaptation, and as well acted as you can expect a television series based on a series of books aimed at preteen girls could possibly be.
3) Since conventions were a no-go this year (we would have attended at least one, under normal circumstances), convention companies taking to a virtual format has allowed me to see celebrities I probably wouldn’t have met otherwise. I looked up Galaxy Con’s virtual panel offerings and put the ones that interested me on my calendar so I could watch them. My favorite, by far, was Jodi Benson from The Little Mermaid, especially when she sang “Part of Your World” at the conclusion of her panel. I had goosebumps and tears like you wouldn’t believe listening to her beautiful voice, the song of a precocious teenager, longing for a life beyond the one she already knows. Thirty years ago, Ariel was my first Disney Princess, and listening to her sing reminded me of many happy hours listening to the soundtrack in my cassette player.
4) Piggybacking on the virtual convention panels, in June, I made a $15 donation to the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara, California, and was able to watch a one-hour isolation concert featuring Kenny Loggins. I’ve talked about my love of his music plenty of times in the past, and my husband, my mom, and myself have been to two of his concerts. The concert was short, sweet, and to the point, but it felt personal. My husband and I felt like we had front row seats – we sang along, made popcorn, and took “concert selfies.”
5) Getting recognition from my peers for my writing is something I always appreciate, and I consider my writer’s circle to be a tight-knit one. Having the opportunity to work on the Pop Culture Retrorama Podcast, which allows me to talk about nostalgia, while working with an amazing group of fellow writers, has been one of the best parts of this crazy year. I also had the opportunity to talk nostalgia and my craft with Mark from VHS Rewind! earlier this year, which was exciting.
I’m not going to lie, this hasn’t been the easiest year, with furloughs, quarantines, and tragic losses, but being able to escape and “look back,” even for a little while, helps make the present a little easier to deal with. Here’s to 2021, and perhaps a little more…calmness?
In all honesty, my fellow Pop Culture Retrorama Colleagues touched upon every single thing that I liked in 2020 – from The Mandalorian and Star Trek to getting takeout food at local restaurants. Although I will have to add that I am so very grateful that the Arkadia Retrocade has been able to keep it’s doors open through the pandemic – I might not be part of the arcade at the present – but just knowing that it continues to thrill the Players that visit has done much to lift my spirits. The same is true for Pinpoint, the pinball bar in my neck of the woods – as I have mentioned on the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – owned and operated by Bo Counts who was one of the original technicians at the arcade. I do not venture out very much but it felt good to experience a little normalcy in 2020, stopping by for just a few minutes and enjoying one of my favorite energy drinks and pinball tables.
That also is true with a local business that is just two doors down from Pinpoint – the hallowed Block Street Records. Not to sound like a broken record – ahem – but I look forward to popping in once a month and just browsing all of the awesome vinyl that is available – although it might not shock you to learn that I frequently pick up a soundtrack or children’s record during my visits.
Another local business that made 2020 more bearable is Rock Bottom Books – the local comic shop that I have been visiting for the past 34 years. There is something pretty magical when the owner knows you well enough to successfully predict 99.99% of the time what books you are going to want in your pull list, right?
Last but not least though and at the top of the list of my Top 5 Things I liked in 2020 – is you. We simply could not do this without your continued support of the site and the various podcasts – so from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you. Have a very safe and Happy New Year!
In closing out this article I obviously want to thank my fellow PCR writers, this site would not be half as much fun without their contributions. Some like Earl Green, Ashley Thomas, Allison Venezio-Preston, and Rockford Jay join me on the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast. However there is also Brett Weiss, Gary Burton, Rob O’Hara, I See Robots, Javier Ojst, and Daniel XIII that are very much part of the Pop Culture Retrorama family and help make this site special.
Friends, it has been a little over a month since we have been able to release a new episode of the Saturday Frights podcast – I address the reasons for that on the show itself – but in short I became ill back in October. I am feeling much better as is the Projectionist, who I might have passed my illness to if we are being totally transparent on the subject. Let us hope that we have the podcast back on schedule for the remainder of Season three – starting with this show – which is a look at the Top 5 Tales from the Darkside episodes as voted on by fans of the television series. In this episode we give a synopsis and thoughts on what we liked most about each of the Top 5 episodes – as well as a brief history on Tales from the Darkside itself.
Of the five episode of Tales from the Darkside that made the grade, you might recognize some of the names of those in front of and behind the camera. Like George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead), Stephen King (Pet Sematary), Jodie Foster (Silence of the Lambs), Robert Bloch (Psycho), and Michael McDowell (Beetlejuice) to name just a few.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
We sincerely hope that you are enjoying the third season of the Saturday Frights podcast so far – will your favorite episode of Tales from the Darkside make cut?
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Friends, in my youth as I have mentioned on the site ad nauseam, movies were a very important element in my life – there was hardly a bigger thrill than being able to see a matinee or hit the local drive-in theater every weekend. While I was able to catch plenty of Disney films and the like, as I have shared before, if my Father really wanted to see a movie he would have to bring me along as well. Which is the explanation for watching Animal House, Blues Brothers, The Changeling, Phantom of the Paradise, and many other films that some Family members might have considered me far too young to see. As is obvious with the Saturday Frights podcast, my favorite movie genre turned out to be horror films , but having said that thanks to Star Wars, Planet of the Apes, and of course Westworld – I also became a fan of the science fiction genre too.
I was barely a year old when Westworld was originally released to theaters on August 15th of 1973. Although as was often the case, the drive-in of my youth would frequently show older films… even if I didn’t realize it at the time. Written as well as directed by the late and great Michael Crichton, many elements of Westworld would be touched upon again seventeen years later in his novel Jurassic Park. Namely the hubris of mankind in wielding technology that they mistakenly believe they have mastered – to say nothing that both feature state of the art theme parks.
If you have had the pleaure of seeing 1973’s Westworld for yourself, it is pretty obvious why Jonathan Nolan (The Prestige), Lisa Joy (Burn Notice), and HBO saw the wisdom of revisiting the World that Crichton created. Granted the showrunners most assuredly took some of the elements only hinted at in the feature film and it’s lesser sequel Futureworld and expanded on them – in addition to crafting a storyline that is more or less their own.
It turns out that HBO Max just a few days ago decided to release what they have described as a ‘Modern Trailer’ for 1973’s Westworld – which really only adds a few musical notes similar to the theme from the HBO TV series. It showcases the talented cast and ideas that made the film so impressive forty-seven years ago… and why it still holds up today.
You might be interested to know that the Westworld flyer that I have shared in this article is my own – purchased from a dear friend nearly a decade ago – and it hangs in a frame on my living room wall.
Friends, it was on November 12th of 2018 that we sadly lost the iconic Stan Lee – today would have marked his 98th birthday. As I mentioned on the Retroist at the time of Lee’s passing, he most certainly lived a good life, as well as leaving behind an absolutely stunning amount of characters that he co-created during his years at Marvel Comics as his legacy. Those comic characters are continuing to entertain new generations of fans – through the Marvel Cinematic Universe, video games, toys, animated series, and comic books series of course. Although as I have mentioned in the past, one of my absolute favorite versions of Spider-Man was courtesy of the Saturday morning cartoon Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. In many ways this series acted as my gateway to the vast library of characters featured in Marvel Comics.
I came across Spider-Man On The Move this morning while I was looking up that TV ad for 1979’s The Mad Magazine Game. It is a behind the scenes look on the making of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends – featuring Stan Lee in full-on and glorious showman mode.
The extremely interesting thing about Spider-Man On The Move besides getting such a rare behind the scenes look at the animated series – is that it appears the documentary might have been intended for television. Case in point what definitely seems to be commercial breaks in addition to the ending credits – which includes a a co-credit for KDKA in Pittsburgh and KPIX in San Franciso. I would assume that this was meant to act as a sort of NBC special to drum up excitement about the then new Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends series – but I can find no definitive proof on this.
Besides the pleasure of seeing the likes of Producer and Editor Dennis Marks (Dungeons & Dragons), Donald F. Glut (The Transformers), and Christy Marx (Jem) in a story conference – including the reveal that the Human Torch was originally going to be one of the Spider-Friends. The real treat of Spider-Man On The Move is getting to watch the likes of Marks portray the Green Goblin, as well as Kathy Garver, Frank Welker, and Dan Gilvezan voicing their characters of Firestar, Iceman, and Spider-Man!
Friends, by the time that The Mad Magazine Game was released by Parker Brothers in 1979, I had already begun picking up an issue of the magazine now and again when visiting the local gas station. I quite enjoyed the parodies of popular television series and films, such as Superman, Battlestar Galactica, Evel Knievel, Sesame Street and more. Having said that however the features I most looked forward to in an issue of Mad Magazine were “Spy vs. Spy” and the strips by the legendary Don Martin. As you might imagine when ads for The Mad Magazine Game began to show up during commercial breaks on Saturday mornings – I took notice and it became a board game I requested for the Holidays.
I would love to tell you that I found it waiting for me under the tree when the Holidays rolled around – or that I received it for my birthday. But the truth of the matter is I would have to wait a mere 28 years before I was able to finally play The Mad Magazine Game – thanks to a Player kindly donating a copy of the game to the arcade. I’ve mentioned on the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast before how Shea Mathis, the owner and manager of the Arkadia Retrocade, decided at the very beginning that a player could skip all the video games and just enjoy some board games if they felt like it.
Although the arcade also has board games based on video games in it’s collection!
If you have not had the opportunity to play The Mad Magazine Game for yourself – in a nutshell it is like a demented version of Monopoly. The point of the game could not be more simple, the winner is the Player who manages to lose all of their money. The overall fun of the game comes from the madcap rules – including only rolling the dice with your left hand – in fact if you are caught with the dice in your right hand, the other players add to $500 each to your stash of money. You might find yourself with victory in your grasp, and then on the next turn you have to exchange seats with another player, inheriting however much money they had built up.
In an attempt to lose money you might have to attempt a physical stung like putting a card on the top of your head, trying to walk completely around the table without it falling off your noggin. Or when you land on the appropriate space on the board – if your fellow Players have their elbows on the table you lose $2000. You might be worried you will land on the space on the board where you have to collect the $1,329,063 bill… but only if your name happens to be Alfred E. Neuman!
In closing out this article, the greatest accomplishment that The Mad Magazine Game has pulled off is how the designers were able to capture the irreverence of the magazine itself. Of course it doesn’t hurt that The Mad Magazine Game board features artwork from the likes of Jack Davis as well as Don Martin either!
I you might happen to remember playing The Mad Magazine Game – take a few moments and let us know about it in the comments section.
Friends, I am sure that many of you are resting up from yesterday – I know that am feeling a little run down to say the very least. However that doesn’t mean there isn’t more Holiday fun to be shared – especially when it is of a Christmas memory from back in 1987. In this case that would be thanks to a new Brett Weiss’ Tales From A Retro Game video, one in which he recalls the first time he played Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System!
If you would like to keep up with more of Brett Weiss’ work beyond what he shares on this site, please check out his official site. You will be able to see the latest news on his recent books he has published and those that are coming out – in addition to film and book reviews and more!
Friends, Earl Green has just released a brand new Phosphor Dot Fossils video on YouTube. A special presentation of the iconic “JingleDisk” software from ThoughtWare – originally released back in 1985 or possibly in ’86. This was a Holiday themed piece of software that was made available for the Apple II, Commodore 64, DOS, as well as the Atari home computers. As Earl points out himself in the video, this was intended to be run on a computer in the background as folks went about their Holiday festivities. Although in my case, I have just been sitting here with my eggnog, having quite the fun watching this montage of the JingleDisk program – enjoying seeing how it looked on the popular home computers of the day!
JingleDisk was actually sold in stores, although I do not recall ever seeing it in any of the local computer shops back in the day. Besides presenting an animated story it also allowed for the printing of simple greeting cards – using what appears to be screenshots from the animation itself. In addition during the story it would cheerfully play “Jingle Bells”, “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”, “O Christmas Tree”, and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” among others.
As stated on the back of the JingleDisk software packaging for the Commodore 64 version:
“Start a new Holiday tradition. Share the music of the season with your friends and your computer. Even Scrooge will get into the spirit when your computer plays favorite holiday tunes, and enchanting characters dance across the screen. This new computer story is delightfully animated to thrill young and old, elves and gremlins. And Santa, too.”
In my brief research online I have not been able to find anything concrete in regards to the pricing of the software – although I would imagine that it was not too expensive. One must assume it was designed to be picked up at the counter at the store, right?
Now without further ado, enjoy the JingleDisk Supercut courtesy of Earl Green and Phosphor Dot Fossils!
Friends, the Holidays are upon us once again and my fellow Pop Culture Retrorama contributors felt that it was the perfect time to get together and put out a second Holiday Special. As I mention on the show itself, if 2020 had not thrown a monkey wrench into my podcasting plans, this second Holiday Special would have in fact been the start of the second season of the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast. At the very least we hope that this new episode of PCR will help a little in getting you into the Holiday Spirit – I am not ashamed to admit that being joined by Allison, Ashley, Earl, and Rockford – sharing thoughts and memories of some of our own favorite television Holiday Specials has really brightened my own Holidays. For what it might be worth, I start off the podcast with some information on the beloved Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town – which just ten days ago celebrated it’s 50th anniversary!
In addition on this second Holiday Special we have Allison Venezio-Preston, who talks about a memorable episode of The Hogan Family – surprisingly for a sitcom of the time – it was the only Holiday themed episode.
Earl Green joins us once again to discuss the recently released The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special – as well as giving you a glimpse at just how very much he appreciates Porgs!
Ashley Thomas aka The Nerdy Blogger of Fangirlish – talks about her love of A Disney Channel Christmas!!!! – which originally was broadcast back in 1983. This is a special that I am very sad to say that I missed, as we were not lucky enough to have The Disney Channel at that time.
Last but certainly not least is the esteemed Rockford Jay – considering he helps keep a lid on the madness over at the Haunted Drive-In, it might not shock you to learn that he has decided to discuss a classic episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker. One that just so happens to take place during the Holidays… and features a Werewolf on a cruise ship!
Grab your favorite Holiday snack and beverage and join us for the second Holiday Special of the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast. And from all of us here at PCR – we wish you one and all – a very safe and happy Holidays!
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
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Friends, one of my favorite things to do during this time of the Season is drive around in the evening and check out the beautiful Holiday lights that are on display. I am sure that it is the same in your neck of the woods as it is in mine, many households and local businesses are lifting our spirits with creative displays of lights and other decorations. Although having said that, where I live it is the festive lights on display at the Downtown Square that are the most awe-inspiring. All thanks to the hard work of the Parks and Recreation employees who spend upwards of 3,300 hours to string up over 400,000 lights for everybody to enjoy. Obviously with the pandemic affecting every aspect of our lives though – a few safety precautions have been put into place this year. But I truly believe it does one good to be able to experience the display on a brisk Winter’s night – even if that means simply driving around the square to take in all the lights.
For many years we fans of the Star Wars franchise have been able to hang up ornaments for their favorite characters and vehicles thanks to Hallmark and the like. As well as proudly displaying various inflatable lawn ornaments – so that fellow Star Wars fanatics can be greeted by a festive Jabba the Hutt, Yoda, or even an impressive Imperial AT-AT to point out just a few.
There are others though that have definitely raised the bar on sharing not only their love of the season but for Star Wars. Case in point is Matt Johnson’s Holiday light display from 2017 – an ode to the Dark Side as it were – as well as marking the then upcoming release for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. I’ve found no information online on how many lights were used on this display, which was located in downtown San Antonio, Texas, but I’m willing to bet that coupled with the electronic music featuring the “Imperial March“, there were quite a few visitors stopping by to check it out!
Friends, not to the let the cat entirely out of the bag, but for the past week we’ve been working on a Holiday special for the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast – which should be released around the middle of the week. To get ourselves in the mood we have been watching all manner of retro seasonal specials over the last couple of weeks – that includes catching The RiffTrax Yule Log that was released in 2018 – a collection of clips from past offering as well as new skits. It was while watching this hilarious special though that I caught a few minutes of an animated Holiday cartoon that I had never seen before – something called Spunky the Snowman.
It didn’t take much time researching it online to find out some rather interesting information about Spunky the Snowman – which was originally released back in the late ’50s… sort of. It turns out that this particular animated short was actually a heavily truncated and dubbed Russian theatrical short film from 1955 entitled The Snow Postman. Spunky the Snowman was edited down from it’s original running time of nearly 20 minutes to a little over seven minutes – to better fit the running time of the Capt’n Sailorbird animated television series. A syndicated anthology show made up of animated shorts purchased from around the World, then edited and dubbed for American audiences – with the addition of brand new animated wraparound segments featuring the titular character of Capt’n Sailorbird as host.
As I found out online, The Snow Postman was directed by Leonid Amalrik for the Soyuzmultfilm animation studio – which was founded back in 1936 and I’m happy to say is still in operation today. The original short film is actually set on New Year’s Eve – with a group of children constructing a snowman to deliver a letter to Father Frost in the hopes they will receive a Holiday tree for their celebration. On the journey to deliver the letter, the ‘snow postman’ runs across some forest animals that want to steal the letter – so they can benefit from receiving the tree themselves.
Spunky the Snowman actually follows that basic story with minor changes here and there – relying on a narrator to move the story along. The real treat of this short in my opinion, is not the story but the beauty of the animation itself – something to help you get in the spirit of the Season.
Friends, the other day I happened to stumble across a 1979 lunch box for Sesame Street, and felt that it should be shared on the Pop Culture Retrorama Facebook page. The reason being is that besides the likes of Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Grover, Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie as well as other familiar characters – it also prominently displayed Sherlock Hemlock and even Lefty the Salesman. To my chagrin, especially as much as I tout my love of the Muppets and the legacy of Jim Henson, I have to be totally upfront and admit that I had completely forgotten all about the character of Lefty the Salesman. Which is a shame as the character, which was originally voiced by Frank Oz, was an early reoccurring character who made his debut on February 26th of 1970 – the 79th episode of the long running and beloved Sesame Street television show.
Lefty the Salesman even had a popular song entitled “Would You Like to Buy an O?” – which was not only featured on The Muppet Alphabet Album in ’71 – but would be featured in a segment on Sesame Street too.
As previously mentioned, the character of Lefty the Salesman was initially voiced by Frank Oz – thanks to the Muppet Wiki though we know that it was the legendary Don Sahlin who was responsible for the construction of the puppet. Not only did Sahlin build the Rolf the Dog puppet but he also constructed Bert and Ernie, Grover, and Cookie Monster to name just a few. In addition to becoming the chief designer and puppet builder until his passing in 1978 – Sahlin also worked with Henson on the stop-motion shorts The Queen of Six and The King of Eight.
Lefty the Salesman, as I understand it, while still showing up in various books, background shots, and other merchandise over the years – stopped being featured in new Sesame Street skits back in 1975. However those original segments were apparently still showing up on the TV series as late as 1998 – and the character even had a prominent appearance in the Sesame Street’s 50th Anniversary Celebration in 2019 – now voiced by Ryan Dillon (My Sesame Street Friends). Lefty the Salesman has recently been seen as a member of the studio audience in the HBO Max series The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo) – the titular host being voiced by Dillon.
So in closing out this article – do you happen to remember Sesame Street’s Lefty the Salesman? Let us know in the comments section!
Friends, this news report from what I believe was a series entitled Today’s Business – gives us a glimpse at what was predicted to be the hot toys for the 1986 Holiday season. You will see the likes of the Castle Grayskull and Eternia playsets from Mattel’s Masters of the Universe toy line and even some ThunderCats toys from LJN. Although the focus of the report by Betsy Ashton is that kids in ’86 were going to be more impressed with the high tech toys that Worlds of Wonder, Playmates Toys, and Galoob were offering – focusing on two dolls in particular, Cricket and Baby Talk, as well as Lazer Tag.
There is a lot to love about these vintage TV reports – I’m definitely grateful that they are being saved and uploaded for us all to share. You might be interested to know that Allison-Venezio Preston has some stories to share about Cricket – she had previously written about the doll over on the Retroist – but perhaps we can convince her to write a new article about it?
Although the success of Lazer Tag might have ended up being rather short-lived, it is pretty awesome to hear from the Worlds of Wonder representative in that 1986 report, on how well the ‘Sport of the Future’ was selling at the time. For what it might be worth I can tell you that back in ’86 – I was most definitely pestering my Family for a Lazer Tag set. Dreaming about how awesome it would be to enter one of the futuristic stadiums as depicted in the TV commercials!
While we might not have had the pleasure of seeing Lazer Tag become the future sport that it was promised to be in the television commercials and comic book ads – I have to admit that there were a handful of games in the local park with friends that were quite epic. Although to be fair we never stepped up our game to include skateboards and quad bikes – I’m pretty sure that would have been frowned upon by the park staff.
‘Twas a week before Christmas, and soundtrack fans had reason aplenty to smile, because chances are their stockings contained something they’d wanted to hear for a while. Once more unto the breach, soundtrack fans – and fear not, because a lot of what we’re talking about today are digital releases, so you don’t have to wait for your haggard, beleaguered, overworked mail carrier to bring them to you (for which your haggard, beleaguered, overworked mail carrier is probably quite grateful – spare these poor folks a though this season and maybe throw them a gift card or something in your mailbox, because they really are stepping in for Santa’s reindeer this year).
There’s plenty to hear at year’s end, including Hans Zimmer’s eagerly awaited score for Wonder Woman 1984, but let’s stop burying the lede here: a release some of us have been lusting after for a whole decade has just dropped with practically no fanfare whatsoever.
Just in time to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the film’s release, Disney Records has digitally released, at long last, the complete Daft Punk score from 2010’s Tron: Legacy. The original release was maddening in its incomplete-ness, with several bonus tracks – containing music from rather major scenes of the film – scattered to the winds and attached to bizarre things like mobile phone subscriptions. This digital release finally gathers all of those bonus tracks, and the rest of the previously unreleased material, in one place for your listening pleasure. Get thee to the Grid and crank it…just a bit.
Also out on Disney Records is Volume 2 of the music from season 2 of The Mandalorian, the season finale of which I haven’t watched yet as of writing this, but considering how many of my friends have texted me this morning to warn me away from social media, I’m assuming some stuff happens, so…I haven’t even looked at the track list just in case there’s a flashback to 1999’s month-before-the-movie release of the Episode I soundtrack, of which track 17 was “Qui-Gon Dies An Absolutely Horrific Death, Bet You Didn’t Wanna Know That, Huh?” or somesuch. As always, the Force is with composer Ludwig Goransson.
As mentioned earlier, Wonder Woman 1984 is in the position of being the movie to beat in what is normally a fairly crowded movie season (but, because people aren’t staying home and listening to soundtrack music, this year it isn’t), but there’s plenty of comics-inspired action on the soundtrack front. In addition to that movie’s soundtrack, Blake Neely’s music from season 7 and season 8 of Arrow are now available from Watertower Records, while Hollywood Records brings us Legion: Finalmente, Jeff Russo’s musical highlights from the third season of the FX X-Men spinoff Legion. Considering that this was a season that not only wrapped things up, but wrapped things up with episodes including musical numbers with singing corpses floating in space, the soundtrack will probably be…interesting, to say the least. Also from the small screen comes Node Records’ digital release of music from History Channel’s reboot of Project Blue Book.
Now, you might think that “the game has changed” was a reference to the Tron: Legacy release, and of course it is, but two of Intrada’s three year-end physical releases also earn that headline, because I sense a major sea change in the soundtrack market. Devo alumnus Mark Mothersbaugh’s score to The Croods: A New Age contains no disclaimers about limited pressings, but Intrada’s other selections do – and it’s very diffferent from their usual “we’ll keep it in stock as long as people are ordering it” disclaimer.
Miklos Rosza’s 1952 masterpiece Ivanhoe, and Jerry Goldsmith’s 1982 score from the war movie Inchon both get remastered re-releases, with Inchon clocking in at a whopping three discs. What’s so different about these releases? They both contain the following disclaimer: “This CD release will only be available for 45 days and goes off sale January 30th, 2021, or when supplies run out. The 24-bit, 96kHz hi-res digital format is coming soon to wherever digital music is sold!” Translation, for those of you sitting in the back: people aren’t buying enough compact discs anymore, and we don’t want to be stuck warehousing them, so these things are going to start getting a very limited physical release window before they become download-only.
That is a game-changer for those of us who do like to hold a jewel case in our hands, read detailed liner notes, and have a complete set of a given composer’s works sitting on the shelf. The day of the soundtrack CD release is reaching its twilight, folks.
Keep your masks on so you don’t join the soundtrack CD in its extinction. Stay home and listen to some music, okay? Because there’s plenty to listen to.
At the end a year that’s already taken far too many favorite faces from us, we must again bid farewell to one of many oft-unsung players in the Star Wars universe (and quite a few other universes as well), actor Jeremy Bulloch. Born in Leicestershire, England in 1945, Jeremy was already finding his footing on a stage in front of an audience at the age of five, and acting professionally at the age of twelve. At the age of seventeen, he had a significant role in 1963’s film Summer Holiday alongside Cliff Richard, leading to a string of appearances on the big and small screen. Curiously, though he became a well-known face to British audiences, his biggest global claim to fame is the role of a space bounty hunter who never removes his helmet – and in the spirit of that famous character of his, this article will try to present a look at his roles in that genre (and related ones).
Jeremy Bulloch actually had significantly more screen time in Doctor Who than he did in the Star Wars universe. His first appearance in that series was in 1965, as a rebel assisting the first Doctor’s attempts to escape from “The Space Museum”, a much-loved four-part story that led into the six-part Dalek epic that followed, “The Chase”.
The Doctor (William Hartnell), Tor (Jeremy Bulloch), and Vicki (Maureen O’Brien) in Doctor Who: “The Space Museum”, 1965
1969 saw a guest appearance in the occasionally-paranormal-leaning ITV series Strange Report, one of many late ’60s/early ’70s shows that took plenty of cues from The Avengers. (Proving that the apple never falls far from the TARDIS, Strange Report featured former 1960s Doctor Who companion Anneke Wills in a regular role.)
Bob Tremayne (Jeremy Bulloch) in Strange Report: “Report 8319: Grenade – What Price Change?”, 1969
1973 saw Bulloch return to Doctor Who, this time fighting along Jon Pertwee’s Doctor in the four-part story “The Time Warrior”, which also introduced the Sontarans. (Bulloch’s character, Hal the Archer, was the first character seen to kill a Sontaran warrior in Doctor Who history, which may make Hal an even better marksman than Boba Fett.)
Hal the Archer (Jeremy Bulloch) in Doctor Who: “The Time Warrior”, 1973
Bulloch made background appearances, some of them not even credited onscreen, in Roger Moore-era James Bond films such as The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and For Your Eyes Only (1981), the latter of which where he appeared as Q’s assistant, Smithers. But of course, it was a completely faceless appearance in 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back that allowed Bulloch to put his stamp on the Star Wars saga as the face and – at least until the round of alterations that accompanied the original trilogy’s release on Blu-Ray – voice of Boba Fett, a role he also played in 1983’s Return Of The Jedi.
Boba Fett (Jeremy Bulloch) and Darth Vader (David Prowse) in The Empire Strikes Back, 1980; name a more iconic duo. We’ll wait.
Bulloch had a starring role in the London Weekend Television comedy series Agony from 1979 through 1981; in that context, his role in that galaxy far, far away was a very minor blip in his career – though one with outsized after-effects, as he became a popular fixture at conventions as a result of his Star Wars stardom.
After appearing as Boba Fett again in Return Of The Jedi, Bulloch was a recurring guest in the 1984 series Chocky, and its follow-up (or second season), Chocky’s Children (1985), as Dr. Landis, a child psychologist whose motivations were left open to question as he examined a child who persistently claimed to be visited by an alien intelligence called Chocky.
David Gore (James Hazeldine) and Dr. Landis (Jeremy Bulloch) in Chocky’s Children: Episode 2.1, 1985
At the same that Chocky was on the air, Bulloch made occasional guest appearances as the beleaguered Edward of Wickham on HTV’s much-loved high fantasy interpretation of the Robin Hood legend, Robin of Sherwood.
Edward of Wickham (Jeremy Bulloch) in Robin of Sherwood: “The Time Of The Wolf” Part 1, 1986
Bulloch’s appearances on UK TV are legion – Casualty, Boon, Sloggers, Jenny’s War, The Bill, and MI-5, among many others – but in the 21st century he found himself drawn back into the Star Wars universe with a very brief, non-Fett-related appearance in Revenge Of The Sith (2005), but an all-star sci-fi comedy, Starhyke, gave him more face time in 2009, alongside Babylon 5’s Claudia Christian, Red Dwarf’s Danny John-Jules, and other genre luminaries, proving that he could get a laugh as effortlessly as he could be menacing.
Dr. Striker (Jeremy Bulloch) and Captain Belinda Blowhard (Claudia Christian) in Starhyke, 2009
Jeremy Bulloch was 75, and will be much missed by his fans the world over.
And here we thought we had a “no disintegrations” agreement with the rest of 2020.
Friends, if you take just a few moments to look out your window – you might possibly see a giant signal light reflecting off the clouds over the city. There is no cause for alarm, that is just the usual way that the latest Super Blog Team-Up is convened – a call for the best artists, podcasters, and bloggers to come together once more to discuss matter relating to comic book and pop culture related properties. Although for this particular Super Blog Team-Up, the group has been split into two teams to tackle separate themes – the Red Team have chosen to discuss Creators like Steve Gerber (Howard the Duck) and Carl Barks (Uncle $crooge). While my fellow Gold Team members and I have decided to answer Uatu the Watcher‘s recent question… what if?
While my contribution to this latest Super Blog Team-Up has a connection to comic books – to be honest it is a tenuous one at best – although a surprisingly significant one. I am going to be speculating what if a television series for The Sinister Dr. Phibes had been picked up – an idea that appears to have been on the table at one point. Based on the character created by William Goldstein and portrayed by the legendary Vincent Price in 1971’s The Abominable Dr. Phibes and Dr. Phibes Rises Again – which was released the following year.
Which leads us to the genesis of this article, it appears that back in 2007 – an eBay auction generated some buzz – as it was presentation art by none other than Jack “King” Kirby for something called The Sinister Dr. Phibes. In truth it wasn’t even completely inked but if you are familiar with the beautiful artwork of the late and great Jack Kirby – you know that doesn’t detract from how amazing it truly is. As a matter of fact you can check it out for yourself – courtesy of a 2011 article from the Kirby Museum.
The artwork was found and sold on eBay by Jeremy Kirby, the Grandson of Jack Kirby – who as I’ve read online assumed it was artwork meant to drum up interest for the 1972 film. Back in 2007 when that auction took place – some fans hypothesized that the artwork was for a pitch by Jack Kirby for a Saturday morning animated series. As Kirby of course was known for working with the likes of Hanna-Barbera, Ruby-Spears, and DePatie-Freleng – producing production artwork for characters featured in the likes of Thundarr the Barbarian, Space Stars, Turbo Teen, and others – that was not an unreasonable assumption.
This was not the case for The Sinister Dr. Phibes however as it was intended to be a live action television series on NBC, with the information I have found online strongly suggesting that Goldstein even delivered a spec script detailing how such a TV show would play out. Instead of wrecking havoc on those who he felt responsible for his Wife’s death or attempting to secure the secrets of eternal life – each episode would find Phibes would strike at those he felt deserve punishment for some specific wrongdoing. The good doctor would use disguises to get closer to his victims – then dispatch them by using his fiendish inventions – all personalized to the individual target.
What if The Sinister Dr. Phibes television series had been picked up though? In my mind’s eye, it would not only feature Vincent Price but would now paint the character as an antihero. Having made good his escape with his beloved Victoria, returning her to life, they are now globetrotting and dispatching various lawbreakers, murderers, and criminals that cross their path.
As the proposed TV series is believed to have been around 1972 – that means that the Mission: Impossible television show was on the air – so perhaps Phibes and Victoria would likewise target the mafia, dictators, and those abusing the weak?
In addition I think a team of law enforcement officials would be created to track down and capture Phibes and Victoria – always arriving mere moments after the duo have departed to a new city. Even better though, The Sinister Dr. Phibes would reveal that one of the targeted doctors from the 1971 film… has survived… and is intent on using his vast resources to hire numerous assassins to dispatch Phibes and his Wife.
And that is how I picture what The Sinister Dr. Phibes TV series would be like – if it had been picked up and produced. I would love to hear your ideas though in the comments section for how you feel it might have played out.
The Super Blog Team-Up fun is far from over though – make sure to check out the work of my fellow members:
Friends, I have shared many times in the past that I have fond memories of listening to my small collection of Disney Read-Along book and records – thanks to a subscription that was a birthday gift from my Grandmother. In fact the very first book and record that I received was Walt Disney’s Story of Davy Crockett – which as I understand it is the 1977 version – featuring the extremely popular 1955 “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” tune by The Wellingtons. Over the following year I also received Disney Read-Along book and records for the likes of TRON, The Black Hole, Pete’s Dragon, The Rescuers, and Lady and the Tramp to name a few.
One of the book and records that I didn’t get my hands on though was The Story of The Wizard of Oz – which was released back in 1978. Although having said that, in my limited research from online resources, it does appear that this is actually a truncated version of an LP entitled The Story and Songs of The Wizard of Oz that was either released in 1969 or the following year. As a matter of fact I believe that The Story of The Wizard of Oz was originally released in 1970 and then reissued in 1978.
The Story of The Wizard of Oz is based on the writing of the classic series by L. Frank Baum – you will notice that Dorothy is wearing silver shoes instead of ruby slippers – having said that though it does contain renditions of “Over the Rainbow” as well as “We’re Off to See the Wizard” from the 1939 film.
An interesting bit of trivia is that this particular Disney Read-Along book and record is narrated by Hal Smith – who was no stranger to voicing characters in various animated Disney films and Saturday morning cartoons. Although Smith is probably best known for playing Otis Campbell, the lovable town drunk from The Andy Griffith Show.
In closing out this article – I wish I could have found who provided the illustrations for The Story of The Wizard of Oz – the artwork is similar to that found in the animated specials by Chuck Jones!
Friends, if you are looking for one of the most celebrated as well as difficult video games from back in the glory days of the arcades – I would highly suggest you check out 1985’s Ghosts ‘n Goblins from Capcom. The original arcade game, which was designed by the legendary Tokuro Fujiwara (Pooyan, Bionic Commando), helped to spawn a franchise that includes 14 titles in the series so far. While the game difficulty is quite legendary – to truly beat the title you have to actually play through the entire game twice – there is something about the gameplay of this ‘run and gun platformer’ that keeps Players returning to it again and again. Not to mention the popularity of Ghosts ‘n Goblins has led to characters in the game to show up in other Capcom titles over the years – in addition to being adapted for manga and even the Worlds Unite comics series from Archie Comics. As a matter of fact, Ghosts ‘n Goblins was the subject of the eleventh episode for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast.
Ghosts ‘n Goblins received an arcade sequel with Ghouls ‘n Ghosts in 1988… and the difficulty level wasn’t lowered in the least. The game series also received numerous ports to the popular home consoles of the day – and continues to be offered by Capcom on various current generation consoles. It has been said online that 35 years after the original Ghosts ‘n Goblins arcade title was released – the series has managed through the ports, reboots, and sequels to sell over 4.2 million games.
Just a few days ago though it was announced that a new title in the series is ready to challenge Nintendo Switch Players – when Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection is released on February 25th of 2021.
I really dig the almost medieval tapestry art style featured in that announcement trailer for Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection. Considering how I have seen Players react to the 1985 title at the arcade, you might want to pick up an extra set of joy-cons before you purchase the new game. In closing out this article, here is the official press release from Nintendo:
“Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection is a reboot that brings the beloved Capcom franchise back to life and into the 21st century. Paying homage to Ghosts ‘n Goblins and Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, the latest entry combines the franchise’s action platforming gameplay with storybook-like graphics and challenging new obstacles.
The game follows the valiant knight Arthur as he runs, jumps and battles his way through eerie stages set in the Demon Realm, a demonic fantasy world. Brave knights will need to proceed with extreme caution as terrifying dangers await, including familiar enemies like Zombie, Skeleton Murderer, Pigman and Red Arremer.
Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection is a nostalgic, yet fresh adventure that welcomes back its faithful fans, while introduces a new generation of heroes to challenge one of gaming’s classic series.”
Friends, it was 40 years ago today that the live action adaptation of E. C. Segar’s iconic comic strip character of Popeye the Sailor hit the big screen – one week after it’s premiere in Orlando, Florida. Or possibly the premiere for Robert Altman’s Popeye was held in Los Angeles, California – it all depends on where you are looking on the internet. Having said that though it appears that everyone agrees the general release of the film was on December 12th. Shockingly considered a flop at the time – even though it managed to pull in 60 million dollars at the box office against a budget of 20 million – it is a film that is very near and dear to my heart. Thanks in no small part to the stellar performance by the late and great Robin Williams, to say nothing of the catchy tunes written by none other than celebrated singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson (The Point).
You might be interested to know that the reason Popeye was adapted into a musical comedy is because of the film adaptation of the Broadway production of Annie. It would seem that Paramount Pictures and Columbia found themselves in a tug of war on which studio was going to pay the most for the rights to the hit musical. It was Columbia that would win the day – but producer Robert Evans (The Godfather, Chinatown) decided to secure the rights to another comic strip character. As it turned out, Paramount Pictures still retained the theatrical rights to Segar’s sailor man, thanks to the studio releasing the Popeye animated shorts from 1933 until 1942.
Wrong type of picture, Popeye!
It might interest you to know that Robert Altman (MASH, The Player) was not the first choice to helm the film, while many think that the celebrated director was an odd choice for the movie, originally it was going to be John Schlesinger of Midnight Cowboy fame that was going to direct. In fact Dustin Hoffman was going to play the lead in the picture, but he walked away from the role as I understand it when he clashed with Jules Feiffer, the screenwriter for Popeye.
At the time of writing this article, which is rather late, 40 years ago this evening I was sitting in the auditorium of a local movie theater watching Popeye. While normally my Father and I would have waited until the Saturday afternoon matinee to catch a new film – our love of Robin Williams – thanks to the popular Mork & Mindy TV series at the time meant we needed to see the musical comedy on opening night. That is really saying something as I have shared before that my Father absolutely despises musicals… almost as much as he dislikes video games. Unfortunately the showtimes printed in the newspaper were off – by about 30 minutes as I recall – so after talking it over we decided to catch the late show of Popeye in the next town. It is something of a magical memory if I am being totally honest, we were the only two people in the auditorium, and it was the first time that it was after midnight when we left the theater. And while Harry Nilsson provided a handful of memorable tunes for the film, it was “I Yam What I Yam” that proved to be an earworm in our household.
I feel that even though it was considered a box office disappointment back in 1980 it has managed to become a cult classic, thanks to the performances by not just Williams but Shelley Duvall (The Shining), Ray Walston (My Favorite Martian), Bill Irwin (Legion,) and Paul Dooley (Sixteen Candles) to point out just a few. And while it seems that the esteemed Leonard Maltin was one of the most vocal critics against the picture – Popeye was reviewed favorably by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert on Sneak Previews.
Here is to 40 years of 1980’s Popeye – a charming and still very entertaining musical comedy. To close out this article, why not enjoy this 1979 interview with Robin Williams on The Dick Cavett Show?
Friends, it has been nearly two months since we’ve last had a Toon In offering, for this week I thought I would shine the spotlight on 1931’s Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!. A Merrie Melodies theatrical short, it was originally released on September 5 of 1931, one of three classic animated cartoons to feature the character of Foxy. In addition Smile, Darn Ya, Smile! was the second Merrie Melodies short to be produced, following the August 2nd cartoon entitled Lady, Play Your Mandolin!. While Foxy would make his final Merrie Melodies appearance just 28 days later with One More Time – the character is remembered for being one of the more recognizable clones of Mickey Mouse. In fact in an article on Don Markstein’s Toonpedia, the late and great comic and cartoon historian stated:
“Never in animation, before or since, has a character looked more like Mickey Mouse. Smooth out the tiny points that supposedly turned his big, round ears into fox ears, shave the bushiness off of his tail, and they were ringers. Do the same to his girlfriend (unnamed at the time), and she looked exactly like Minnie [Mouse]. They also acted like Mickey and Minnie did at the time. Despite this lack of originality, Foxy was the first character to originate at Warner (as opposed to being brought in from outside, like Bosko).”
The esteemed Markstein is totally on point with his statement, although perhaps it is understandable as animators Isadore “Friz” Freleng as well as Max Mawell, né Carman Maxwell both worked with Walt Disney. The duo along with Rudolf Ising and Hugh Harman would leave Disney and help head up the animation studio for Warner Bros. – in fact Ising was not only a co-producer and the director for Smile, Darn Ya, Smile! but provided the voice of Foxy as well.
A couple of interesting bits of trivia to close out this article – this 1931 theatrical short is quite similar to Trolley Troubles from 1927, the first cartoon to feature Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and directed by Walt Disney. I also learned that when the hippo is speaking to Foxy, the unintelligible mumbling is actually someone saying “Susie heard one of those Atlantic bells! Whataya think?” in reverse!
Friends, just because the Holiday season is in full swing doesn’t mean that all television specials are focusing on everything light and uplifting. As it was recently announced that A Creepshow Holiday Special is going to be debuting on Shudder on the 18th of this month. It appears though that instead of two separate segments in the special – like with the first season of the series and even A Creepshow Animated Special – this is going to be an hour long tale entitled “Shapeshifters Anonymous“. Concerning a group of various shapeshifters who find themselves under siege by Santa Claus and what appears to be a legion of his street corner helpers – I think it is safe to say that A Creepshow Holiday Special is going to be high on over-the-top violence and humor.
A Creepshow Holiday Special stars Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect) as well as Adam Pally (Iron Man 3). Interestingly enough the IMDb page for this special appears to be listed simply as “Episode #2.1” – in addition to the fact that the likes of Ali Larter (Mortal Kombat, House on Haunted Hill), Keith David (The Thing), and Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator) are listed as making an appearance. If the Internet Movie Database is correct, it would lead one to assume that Shapeshifters Anonymous is actually one of the second season episodes of Shudder’s Creepshow series.
Although I must point out that it does seem odd to me that besides Camp and Pally there is no appearance of those other actors in the trailer itself, which leads me to believe they are actually going to be appearing in other Creepshow episodes later in 2021 when the second season officially premieres on Shudder.
At the very least we do know that it is Greg Nicotero who has directed “Shapeshifters Anonymous” – thanks to that awesome piece of artwork courtesy of the official Shudder Twitter feed. Nicotero of course is also the showrunner for the series – a worthy choice to helm the production in my opinion as he worked with the late and great George A. Romero – the co-creator of the 1982 anthology film of the same name.
Friends, yesterday the internet itself threatened to split asunder from the amount of news about the upcoming television series and films revealed in The Walt Disney Co. 2020 Investor Day live stream. I should know because it seemed like every couple of minutes last night there was a brand new announcement – from an FX Alien TV series to the esteemed Patty Jenkins (Monster, Wonder Woman) helming the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron film. We were also gifted with our first looks at Loki as well as The Falcon and the Winter Soldier television series – along with the news of a Fantastic Four film by Jon Watts (Clown, Spider-Man: Far From Home). And that is just a few of the projects that were announced during The Walt Disney Co. 2020 Investor Day event.
It took every ounce of willpower to not just lock myself in the office and start flinging out articles all evening – it might also had something to do with the fact I’m old now and tire easily. Instead I thought I would focus on just one of the new TV shows that I am most looking forward to – that is the Marvel Studios What If…? animated series. Set to release in the Summer of 2021, it will allow us to be guided by Uatu (Jeffrey Wright) through a multiverse where events in the Marvel Cinematic Universe took a different direction – say like during World War II with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) becoming Captain Britain, aided by Steve Rogers in some familiar armor.
I have a long history with the What If…? comic book series by Marvel Comics – my first issue was picked up at a local grocery store – a story entitled What If Steve Rogers Had Refused To Give Up Being Captain America that was originally published in September of 1989. The answer for most of the What If…? books published from 1989 until 1998 – the second What if? series in fact – generally had a very, very dark outcome for the featured character in question. In case you are curious as to how that first issue I picked up ended – Steve Rogers is assassinated, shot in the back of the head, on live television during a rally in his support.
However, during this time there was a little five and dime store that was literally down the street from my home – so I could walk down to it almost every day and for a single dollar I could buy ten comic books. A lot of that collection of back issues included the original 1977 – 1984 run of What If…? – which is how I learned that if Conan the Barbarian was stranded in the 20th Century he would end up dressing like a pimp and get in a brawl with Captain America.
Judging by that first look video for the Disney+ What If…? TV series – during the ten episode run – we are going to be seeing T’Challa become Star-Lord and a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, a possible visit to the Marvel Zombies reality, as well as Dr. Strange facing off against a dark version of himself, to point out a few of the alternate realities that will be featured.
Besides the distinct animation style for the upcoming series, which I am quite enamored with, the really amazing part is the amount of voice talent they have secured for the show. Although you might consider it something of a spoiler – if you take just a moment and look at the IMDb page listing of actors – you have Dominic Cooper, Karen Gillan, Michael Douglas, Jeff Goldblum, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, and so many more. While I will point out that the likes of Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Brie Larson, and Benedict Cumberbatch are not listed on the page… I am willing to bet dollars to doughnuts that they are lending their voices to the characters they played in the Marvel films.
So in closing out this article, will we be lucky enough to get a second season of What If…? – I suppose only Uatu the Watcher knows that answer, right?
Friends, when my Father set enough money aside to buy a personal computer – he found a used one in the want ads, a graduating student from the University had no further need for his Commodore 64. As the last thing that my Father wanted from the computer was for it to become another gaming system – he only agreed to two game cartridges that the student was offering. Those were Kickman, the port of Midway’s 1981 arcade game entitled just Kick – and the still fantastic Choplifter by Broderbund Software. To say that I loved the Commodore 64 is the epitome of an understatement – thanks in no small part to magazines like Run that allowed me to type-in programs and save them on my Commodore Datasette. It wouldn’t be until over a year later that I received a disk drive for the Commodore 64, which even though my Father didn’t want the computer to become a gaming system, it allowed me access to one of the greatest computer games of all time. The iconic interactive game called Zork – originally released by Infocom in 1980.
For many weeks, once I was finished with dinner I would attempt to navigate the mysteries of The Great Underground Empire. And some of my fondest memories of the Commodore 64 involve playing the likes of the Zork series, Wishbringer, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Planetfall, and The Lurking Fear to name a few. In the early ’80s though Infocom managed to make Zork even better – by having Steve Meretzky (Planetfall, Sinistar Unleashed) as S. Eric Meretzky write four gamebooks based off the then trio of classic interactive fiction games.
Of course the arcade has the collection of Zork books!
Starting with The Forces of Krill which was originally published in August of 1983 – with illustrations by Paul Van Munching – the book introduced readers to two young characters named Bill and June. However after they discover a magical Elvish blade hidden underneath a bush on their way home – they are transported to the Land of Frobozz, in the Kingdom of Zork. In addition they are known by all in the land as Bivotar and Juranda, the niece and nephew of King Syovar the Strong.
Released under the What-Do-I-Do-Now banner, the Zork books followed the same format as the Choose Your Own Adventure series and others – although it kept the scoring system from the interactive video games. There were 20 possible endings in The Forces of Krill gamebook – with the overall goal being to guide Juranda and Bivotar in collecting the three Palantirs to aid in the defeat of the dark forces of Krill.
I spent a lot of time in The Great Underground Empire – both by playing the Zork video game series as well as reading the books over and over again. Except with the latter, they managed to make Zork even better – because while I couldn’t drag my computer to school and play throughout the day – I could visit the Kingdom of Zork almost any time I wanted by cracking open one of the What-Do-I-Do-Now books.
Friends, of the many things that were on the mind of H.P. Lovecraft when he wrote The Call of Cthulhu in the Summer of 1926 – I doubt that whether the cosmic entity would be a good source of inspiration for a parody song was high on that list. While the iconic story originally saw publication in February of 1928, in the pages of Weird Tales, it would take 74 years before Tom Smith and Luke Ski would perform a song parody inspired by both The Lion King and Lovecraft’s Cthulhu.
As a matter of fact it was thanks to watching a live performance of Eben Brooks and Allison Lonsdale performing “Hey There Cthulhu” that led me to discovering Smith and Ski’s “Cthulhu Fthagn“. The former by the way is itself a parody of the 2006 song “Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s – from their album entitled All That We Needed. That song received massive radio play thanks to it reaching the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in July of 2007 – it was just two years later when Eben Brooks and Allison Lonsdale released their album O R’lyeh? Iä, R’lyeh! which featured “Hey There Cthulhu” as well as two additional tracks. With their song focusing on a cultist who is describing the desire and joy at witnessing the downfall of humanity and reality itself.. although perhaps they might be spared when that day comes?
It was back in 2002 when Tom Smith realized that the popular song “Hakuna Matata” from 1994’s The Lion King – could be made better by giving it a Lovecraftian spin. “Cthulhu Fthagan” was made available on June 23 of 2009 on The Funny Music Project – as Smith mention on the site itself – the hilarious… and horrifying ending to the song was all thanks to Luke Ski. In addition the singer and songwriter points out that he knows that the song title is spelled incorrectly – claiming it is just far easier to sing that way.
Friends, while my time at the arcade has temporarily come to an end, thanks to the threat of the coronavirus, I can assure that one of the most popular classic games is still 1981’s Donkey Kong. Pac-Man might actually be the most popular title at Arkadia – thanks in no small part to the fact that it is a little simpler and easier to pick up in regards to gameplay. But Donkey Kong almost always has a Player stepping up and trying to guide Jumpman (Mario) safely through the various threats of the construction site where Donkey Kong has managed to abscond with the poor Lady (Pauline) – or vice versa in the case of Donkey Kong: Pauline Edition.
If I am being completely honest, it was Donkey Kong that was my go-to game back in the day if given the option between the two – however I really began to appreciate the strategy needed in Pac-Man as an early adult. Although I would most assuredly be lying if I said I’ve ever been proficient enough to be considered good at either of the classic games. However in my eight years as an employee of the arcade – I can tell you that we’ve been lucky enough to see the kill screen on both titles. In fact I recall Shea Mathis, the owner and manager of Arkadia, once shared a live feed of a Player reaching the kill screen on Donkey Kong – you might even still be able to see it on the Instagram account for the arcade.
Just be glad Donkey Kong isn’t this fast!
As I mentioned on the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast when covering Nintendo’s extremely popular arcade game – Donkey Kong is not an easy game in the least – but it is still fun even when you keep getting creamed by a barrel, fireball, or spring. The question is… how do you make Donkey Kong even MORE fun? The answer to that question is you combine perler beads and stop motion animation to re-create three of the four stages from the video game!
Friends, many comic book fans can remember tuning in on the morning of October 31st of 1992 to catch the premiere of the X-Men animated series on Fox Kids – for the first half of the two-part pilot entitled Night of the Sentinels. I was most definitely one of those fans, as by the time that the series debuted I had been collecting X-Men comics for about five years – thanks to picking up The Uncanny X-Men #213 – but my first introduction to the team of Mutants was courtesy of an 1982 episode of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends series entitled A Fire-Star Is Born. The second season episode not only provided an origin story to the character of Firestar – but allowed us to see animated versions of Professor X, Cyclops, Storm, and a curiously now Australian version of Wolverine – to say nothing of the power of the Juggernaut.
At the time I caught that episode of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, I had no clue that in the comics the character of Wolverine hailed from Canada. But it would not be the last time that he was presented as being Australian – case in point – seven years later when the Pryde of the X-Men debuted. A television pilot that was first showcased as part of the syndicated Marvel Action Universe show – initially featuring Dino-Riders, RoboCop, and reruns of both the 1981 Spider-Man series as well as Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends.
Doing a little research online, supposedly Marvel Productions decided to use the funding for the 13th episode of the RoboCop series to produce the Pryde of the X-Men pilot. And while it appears that some fans of the X-Men comic took umbrage at Wolverine being Australian instead of Canadian, most at least were impressed by the quality of the animation provided by Toei Animation. As a matter of fact, thanks to the Wikipedia entry for Pryde of the X-Men, we have this quote from Rick Hoberg (The Mighty Orbots) – who acted as producer, a storyboard director, and story editor:
“I ended up being the voice director on the show, and I was forced to use the Australian version of Wolverine (which coincidentally, foreshadowed the casting of Australian actor Hugh Jackman in the live-action X-Men film), because all of this Australian stuff was popular at the time – the Mad Max films, “Crocodile” Dundee, and so on – it was going to turn out (in the comics) that Wolverine was an expatriated Australian. The direction of the character however never got beyond the plotting stages and Wolverine remained Canadian in the comics.”
Interestingly enough the Internet Movie Database lists Stu Rosen as the voice director for the TV pilot – perhaps Hoberg had to step in for Rosen at some point? Speaking of voices, the pilot featured a pretty impressive cast of voice artists – including the likes of Michael Bell (G.I. Joe), Earl Boen (The Terminator), Alan Oppenheimer (He-Man and the Masters of the Universe), and Frank Welker (The Transformers) to name a few. To say nothing of featuring the late and great Stan Lee in the role of narrator and an extremely awesome theme song by Robert J. Walsh (Muppet Babies, The Inhumanoids).
The story for 1989’s Pryde of the X-Men revolves around Kitty Pryde being inducted into the X-men – not only introducing the members of the team but also setting the stage for their conflict with Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants.
I find the 1989 X-Men television pilot quite entertaining and one can’t help but wonder what the series would have been like if it had been picked up – what other characters and storylines from the comics would have been featured? At the very least we can be thankful that Pryde of the X-Men managed to be the basis for 1992’s exceptional X-Men arcade game by Konami!
Friends, I think we can all agree that as we near the end of 2020 that it has been less than enjoyable – in particular with the loss of many of our favorite entertainers – just a few days ago Hugh Keays-Byrne (Mad Max, The Blood of Heroes, Mad Max: Fury Road) joining that unfortunately growing list. However this year has also seen the anniversaries of a slew of classic and cult classic films – such as the 40th anniversary for the likes of Motel Hell, Alligator, Airplane!, and The Blues Brothers to name a few. Today though marks 40 years of the 1980 film adaptation of Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon – starring Sam J. Jones, Max von Sydow, Timothy Dalton, Topol, Melody Anderson, Mariangela Melato, Peter Wyngarde, Ornella Muti, and of course the legendary Brian Blessed. My Father and I caught this film at the local movie theater 40 years ago and it became one of our all-time favorite films – thanks in no small part to that iconic soundtrack courtesy of Queen!
I have shared numerous times in the past that listening to music in my household just wasn’t a thing – the soundtrack for Flash Gordon was an exception – picking it up at the local Walmart the day after we caught the film. In particular I would listen to both “Vultan’s Theme (Attack of the Hawkmen)” and the “Battle Theme” over and over again when my Father was out working in the yard. Flash Gordon also made me a card-carrying member of the Brian Blessed fan club at the age of eight!
“Come Vic, we will find glory!!”
At the time that we caught Flash Gordon at that fabled Razorback theater of my youth – I actually wasn’t aware of the long history of the popular comic strip character. My Father was adamant about seeing the film thanks to his love of the reissue of the serials in the ’40s – starring the fantastic Buster Crabbe – who secured the Olympic gold medal in ’32 for the 400-meter freestyle swimming event. A feat that helped him to become an actor – eventually leading him to portray not just the character of Flash Gordon but Tarzan and Buck Rogers too!
While most of the cast were signed to a multi-picture deal – Flash Gordon didn’t perform well enough at the box office to warrant sequels. Just as with a few of my other favorite films like The Thing, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, Electric Dreams, and Krull – it took time for the movie to find it’s audience. Thanks to cable television, VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, and Blu-ray releases over the years – Flash Gordon has become a very popular cult film.
Go Flash Go!
So here is to 40 years of 1980’s Flash Gordon… we gratefully thank you for saving and entertaining every one of us!
Friends, nine years after Superman made audiences believe a man could fly and two years before Michael Keaton would portray the Dark Knight in the box office juggernaut that was Batman – Sam J. Jones (Flash Gordon) donned the domino mask and brightly colored business suit attire of Will Eisner’s The Spirit in a TV pilot film. Featuring Nana Visitor (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Bumper Robinson (Transformers: Animated), Garry Walberg (Quincy M.E.), and Philip Baker Hall (Magnolia) to name a few – it was a fun if most assuredly cheesy attempt at bringing the iconic comic book character to the small screen in a regular series.
My Grandfather and I caught The Spirit when it was originally broadcast on the evening of July 31st of 1987 on ABC. There was no way I was going to miss a comic book character TV movie – although I will have to admit I had only a passing knowledge of the comic book icon at the time. I could not know that eleven years later I would be able to ask Will Eisner in person what he felt about the television adaptation of his character – his response was genuine – that he wasn’t too thrilled with it. Although I should add that when I shared my memory of watching it with my Grandfather – he said that he was extremely happy to hear that the pilot generated such a positive memory.
I’ll leave the importance of Will Eisner to the comic book industry to those who are better equipped to speak on the matter. I can tell you that the TV movie for The Spirit was completed in 1986 – reading online it was meant to be broadcast in September of ’86 – but was shelved when there was a change in the staff line up after ABC was sold to Capital Cities Communications in ’85. The Spirit was aired thanks to comic book fans – as you can read in greater detail in this 2017 article by Mike Cecchini for Den of Geek – when a petition was started and signed by attendees of the San Diego Comic-Con in ’86!
Directed by Michael Schultz (Car Wash, The Last Dragon) in 16 days, the teleplay was courtesy of Steven E. de Souza – probably best known for penning the scripts for the likes of Commando, The Running Man, and the first two films in the Die Hard series. So the TV movie definitely had more than a few scenes of the Spirit trading blows with the various thugs and henchman that crossed his path… as well as becoming barechested quite a bit in the one hour and fourteen minute running time.
At the moment you can watch The Spirit on the DC Universe app – although as I understand it you will be able to check it out on HBO Max next year after January 21st. It really is a fun movie – it might not completely stick the landing – but after watching the film you can’t help but wonder where the series would have gone if it had been picked up. While I am not attempting to be negative I will admit that I feel the 1987 TV Pilot for The Spirit is a far better version of the character than the big budget 2008 picture starring Gabriel Macht, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes, and Sarah Paulson.
Friends, while obviously compared to games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla or the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, the titles that were produced for the Atari 2600 might these days appear to be rather quaint. However I truly do feel the gameplay for many of the Atari VCS titles are more than solid – as I have mentioned on the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – that is why Players visiting the arcade spend so much time playing the 2600 when they have 175+ arcade titles to also enjoy. With original games like Adventure, Dragonfire and Pressure Cooker to name a few – these titles show off that many 2600 titles had imagination in spades. Off the top of my head though there are two in particular that stand out for possessing incredibly bizarre elements – those two would be Megamania by the legendary Steve Cartwright for Activision and Turmoil – which was released by 20th Century Fox games and created by Mark Turmell (Smash T.V., NBA Jam).
To be absolutely honest you have to give Activision credit for securing The Tubes for their television commercial – however there is just as much energy and bizarreness on display with this ad for Turmoil!
I actually didn’t have the pleasure of playing Turmoil on the 2600 until after the arcade picked up a copy – as a matter of fact it turns out it was ported to the Commodore VIC-20 and 64, MSX, as well as the Atari 400 and 800 home computers too. The goal for the game is for the Player to pilot their starfighter down the center of the screen – blasting the oncoming enemy forces that are racing across the left and right sides of the screen while attempting to avoid a collision.
When all is said and done I would have to say that I think it’s a much more complicated title than Megamania – although both are still extremely fun… and feature food products. In addition, thanks to Willie of Arcade USA‘s new video you can get an in depth review of Turmoil and see how challenging the game can get.
Friends, by the time that Automan debuted on December 15th of 1983 – I was more than ready to embrace a buddy cop television series that was obviously inspired by TRON. It appears that much like with the 1982 film that inspired it, the public wasn’t quite ready to embrace such an idea for a TV show – even when it was the brainchild of Glen A. Larson (Battlestar Galactica, Magnum P.I., Knight Rider). Starring Desi Arnaz Jr. (Here’s Lucy) and Chuck Wagner as the titular character, the series attempted to tap into the growing fascination around computers in the home and workplace. Thanks to the Wikipedia we know that it came in #66 for it’s single season run from 1983 until 1984 – tying with The Mississippi as well as Mama’s Family. Nothing against those television shows of course but neither of them featured Cursor as a co-star!
Now I should add that at the arcade we have the complete series, thanks to Shout! Factory, and there have been many times after closing for the night that we have gathered around the snack bar to watch an episode or two. It is most assuredly a product of its time – but like with many ’80s TV shows it is just as much fun to see how many stars showed up in the 13 episodes of the series. Just a few include Delta Burke (Designing Women), Sid Haig (Spider Baby), Toni Nero (Silent Night, Deadly Night), Ola Ray (Thriller), and Billy Drago (The Untouchables).
I felt that you had to know a little about Automan before I shared with you the hilarious Hewlogram short film – written, directed, and even co-starring Aharon Rabinowitz (Plot Device). In addition it stars David Hewlett (Stargate: Atlantis, The Shape of Water) as the holographic character that is ready to take the World by storm. Make sure that you watch through the entire credits for a very nice surprise!
Howdy all, the Score Keeper is back – remember how I told you just a few days ago that another wave of soundtrack releases was probably about to crash over us like a wave? It’s here. I hope the undertow doesn’t grab your swim trunks – or your wallet – because there are some really exciting releases in La-La Land Records’ big Black Friday batch…for which pre-orders will be taken Tuesday, December 1st.
I can’t even pick out one heavy hitter here – these are all eagerly awaited releases. Bear McCreary’s score from the Blumhouse comedy-horror opus Freaky gets a physical release of 1,000 copies for starters – and that release is no slouch, but it just gets bigger and better from there.
X-Files fans can eagerly wait by their mailboxes for a new four-disc, over-five-hour box set of newly selected highlights from throughout the series. New, previously unreleased season one highlights include music from the 1993 pilot episode, “Deep Throat”, “The Jersey Devil”, “Shadows”, “Ice”, and “Darkness Falls”. From season two, there’s previously unreleased music from “Duane Barry”, “Ascenscion”, “Firewalker”, “Død Kalm”, and “Anasazi”. Season three is represented by unreleased tracks from “Apocrypha”, “Pusher”, “Avatar”, “Oubliette”, and “Talitha Cumi”. Season four tracks include “Never Again”, “Memento Mori”, “Max”, and “Gethsemane”. There’s a healthy slice of season five music too, including “Redux II”, “Chinga”, “Kill Switch”, and “Mind’s Eye”. Sixth season tracks include “Triangle”, “The Rain King”, and “Tithonus”, and there are selections from season seven (“Rush”, “Orison”, “En Ami”), eight (“Invocation”, “Empedocles”), and nine (“Nothing Important Happened Today” parts 1 & 2, “This Is Not Happening”, “Per Manum”). And if that’s not enough, there’s “Smoking Telegram”, the track from the finale of the movie The X-Files: Fight The Future. Only 2000 copies of The X-Files: Volume Four have been pressed, and then this release is even further out there than the truth that we keep hearing so much about.
There are two – count them, two! – volumes of a new series of Jerry Goldsmith At 20th Century Fox releases, each gathering two of Goldsmith’s classic scores from films produced by that studio. Again, each is being produced in an edition of only 2,000 copies; volume one includes the scores from The Flim-Flam Man and The Detective, while volume two gathers music from Von Ryan’s Express and The Blue Max. While some of these scores have been partially available before, these new releases are remastered and include previously unreleased material.
And then there’s the world premiere of the original score from 1990’s Tremors – only thirty years after the movie came out! This 2-CD release combines contributions from two composers: Ernest Troost’s music one disc one, and Robert Folk’s music on disc two. The liner notes booklet will no doubt explain the story of how both of them came to work on the movie, and how their music was combined into the finished product. 3,000 copies of the Tremors score will be available.
Also getting a 3,000-copy release is Bill Conti’s score from 1989’s The Karate Kid III, expanded and remastered here to include not just Conti’s own contributions, but pan flute tracks from Zamfir (remember how you couldn’t swing a commercial break in the late ’80s without hitting a 1-800 ad for “Zamfir, master of the pan flute”?).
Does your wallet need a break now? Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
There are so many collectibles from Disney’s 1979 sci-fi classic The Black Hole… it’s hard to know where to begin to shop for that Black Hole fan in your life – you know, the one who stares back at you in the mirror every morning, lamenting the fact that Micro Machines were never made of the Cygnus and the Palomino. We here are Pop Culture Retrorama are here to help you get in, through, and beyond these tough decisions.
So many #floatyrobotbuddies, so little time.
Okay, that bit about there being a vast selection of items to choose from… that’s not really necessarily true. For years, the things you were most likely to find were the Alan Dean Foster novelization, the storybook, maybe a storybook-and-record combo, and – perhaps – a dilapidated Mego action figure or two from 1979. Maybe the soundtrack on vinyl.
And let’s face it…there really haven’t been too many choices added to that menu since then. It’s not like The Black Hole is suddenly on top of the Disney pop culture food chain. But…might its stock price be rising? 2019 saw the somewhat surprising release of a limited edition Blu-Ray through the Disney Club, with a marvelously crisp new scan of the film, looking better than it ever had before. And even if you missed that disc, that’s the version of the movie that can be streamed on Disney+ – and apparently this was a big enough deal to merit a new “Unofficial Official Trailer”, whatever that is.
Video courtesy Disney+
That’s not the only recent activity on the Black Hole front, either. Though they’re officially out of print, Diamond Select’s amazing action figures of VINCENT, Old BOB, and Maximillian are a gigantic step up from the Mego 3.75″ scale figures of the 1970s.
Shown with the Star Wars Black Series Porgs and the Child for scale
If you’re really only interested in VINCENT or Maximillian, you may still be in luck – they’ve been spotted in Walgreens stores in non-limited edition packaging. Each of those characters include a variety of additional arms and other parts (Maximillian includes closed, open, and “open-and-whirling” drills, while VINCENT has both extended and retracted anti-gravity “legs”, extended and retracted arms, and extended and retracted laser guns), as well as stands to help them “hover”. But if you want Old BOB to go along with VINCENT – and you should – you’ll have to track down one of the now out-of-production limited edition sets. (Hint: not too long ago, Fabgearusa.com, which deals primarily in Gerry Anderson memorabilia, and Bigbadtoystore had the limited edition sets at or below the original price. May the odds be ever in your favor.)
Diamond Select also made some smaller-scale, non-accessorized, non-articulated “Vinimates” – their answer to the vinyl pop craze, one suspects – namely, a boxed set of VINCENT and Maximillian (Old BOB apparently didn’t make the cut at all for this form factor). These can still be found at Amazon, among other places online.
What Child is this? Is he from a different franchise or something? We know nothing.
Oh, and speaking of vinyl pops, don’t think for a moment that Funko didn’t briefly snag the Black Hole license. They did…though the results were…a little out of proportion? These can probably still be found – I stopped at VINCENT, but a similarly huge-headed Maximillian was also made.
It’s like he never recovered from Maximillian trying to make his head explode.
Intrada Records gave the soundtrack – with extra tracks! – its CD premiere almost a full decade ago, though that title is already out of print. Good luck on tracking that down, but it’s totally worth it.
But in the late ’90s, Anchor Bay gave the movie itself a long-overdue re-release, in uncensored form, on both DVD and VHS. And surprisingly, it’s the limited edition VHS edition that you should be tracking down if you have a Black Hole fan on your gift-giving list who doesn’t already have it.
VINCENT and BOB marvel at the goodies that came with the limited edition VHS
The deluxe VHS package from the late 1990s included a wealth of bonus material that was never made available alongside the DVD edition. The lovely tin with the Cygnus beauty shot held everything together, and once opened, contained small reproductions of the original 1979 theatrical lobby cards, and a “liner notes” booklet, Journey Into The Black Hole, which combined recent-as-of-the-late-’90s interviews with the director and effects experts, and highlights from the original theatrical program and information submitted with the movie’s material for Academy Award consideration, to create the most focused document of the making of the movie that anyone really seems to have attempted thus far. (The only other source I’ve seen of information that isn’t covered in this booklet would probably be Starlog Magazine articles from the time of the movie’s premiere.) Even if you know someone with no use for the VHS tape inside the tin, this set is a marvel if you can still find one.
Max wonders if he’s as handsome as his mini-lobby card makes him look
And, you know, if none of that trips your Black Hole trigger, there’s always the Alan Dean Foster novelization and the storybook and the story records and the bedsheets and the trading cards and…
Friends, earlier this evening I was sent a link to this uploaded video on YouTube – it appears to be a leaked episode of the Star Wars Detours animated series entitled Dog Day Afternoon. This is amazing and bizarre at the same time – for one thing Star Wars Detours is a CGI-animated series that was headed up by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich of Robot Chicken fame. A most assuredly comedic look at the Star Wars universe – which I suppose is to be expected considering the showrunners. The then upcoming series was announced back in 2012 at the Star Wars Celebration VI event – but was put on the back burner by Lucasfilm the following year – as the talks for the new Star Wars trilogy had begun. In an interview with Seth Green through a Reddit Q & A from 2013, he pointed out that since a new trilogy was underway, it might not be in Disney’s best interest for new fans of the franchise to have their first introduction to the Star Wars universe be a comedy series that was set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Although in that interview it certainly sounds like Green was hopeful that Star Wars Detours would see distribution after the new trilogy had concluded – especially since 39 episodes had been finished and they had scripts for 62 more.
Now, before I share this video that was uploaded somehow on YouTube – I am going to say a few things. First, I doubt that this will remain up for very long, so I hope you get a chance to check it out before it is pulled down because it’s quite funny. Secondly, it should go without saying that Pop Culture Retrorama has NOTHING to do with uploading this 6 minute episode of Star Wars Detours – we are just sharing it in the interest to all fans of pop culture – a look at what could have been.
So, without further ado enjoy Weird Al Yankovic as 4-LOM and Andy Richter as Zuckuss, including an hilarious Easter egg regarding when the action figures were originally released back in 1982, pointed out by the esteemed Earl Green I might add. In addition you have Ahmed Best voicing Jar Jar Binks, with Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian.
Who knows, perhaps if fans react favorably enough – Disney+ might actually release Star Wars Detours?
Update: That didn’t last very long – but it is understandable why Disney would pull that leaked episode. So, how about checking out a little of the fun from the clips presented at the Star Wars Celebration IV?
Friends, it is with a very heavy heart that we pass along the sad news that David Prowse, the actor who played the physical role of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy passed away yesterday at the age of 85. While of course it was James Earl Jones who provided the commanding and memorable voice for the Dark Lord of the Sith, it was three-time-winner of the British heavyweight weightlifting champion turned actor who was in the iconic suit. Which included dueling with Sir Alec Guinness in 1977’s Star Wars – although in The Empire Strikes Back as well as Return of the Jedi he was replaced by sword master Bob Anderson (Barry Lyndon, Highlander). David Prowse earned his first screen role however in 1957 in the long-running TV series entitled The Edge of Night. Although he would find steady work in television and film starting in 1967 in the spy spoof Casino Royale – very LOOSELY based on the 1953 book debut of James Bond by Ian Fleming – where he portrayed Frankenstein’s Creation.
A fitting role it would seem as he would also play the creation of Dr. Frankenstein in Hammer’s The Horror of Frankenstein three years later – during which time he made appearances in the likes of The Beverly Hillbillies, The Saint, and The Ace of Wands. While Prowse wasn’t able to work with the legendary Peter Cushing in the 1970 Hammer Frankenstein film – after appearing in A Clockwork Orange, Doctor Who, as well as The Tomorrow People – he got his chance with 1974’s Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell. Reuniting three years later on the set of Star Wars: A New Hope – where Cushing portrayed Grand Moff Tarkin.
Interestingly enough one of the roles that the late and great David Prowse was most proud of was as “The Green Cross Man” – the superhero created to inform British children of road safety. A role in a series of public service announcements that would help earn Prowse the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire back in 2000. Although as you will hear for yourself in this 1980 interview on the Saturday Night at the Mill talk show – the role of Darth Vader almost cost him his job as The Green Cross Man. You will notice that during the interview music begins to play while Prowse is speaking – this is because the The Musicians Union was on strike at the time and was attempting to ‘disrupt’ the BBC program.
David Prowse not only acted as the personal trainer to the equally late and great Christopher Reeve for 1978’s Superman: The Movie but he would appear in the Darth Vader suit once again for the 1996 release of Star Wars: The Interactive Video Board Game. A VHS board game title that not only also featured the voice work of James Earl Jones but the return of cinematographer Gilbert Taylor – on an original set from Star Wars a mere 20 years later after the first film.
It feels as if we have written far, far too many of these Rest in Peace articles in 2020 – although it must be done to honor the memory of so many of our favorite actors, directors, and video game legends. So, thank you David Prowse for all of your work over the years, we will dim the lights in the auditorium in your honor.
Friends, I am not sure how it slipped past me but last Saturday marked the 30th anniversary for Predator 2. The sequel to the 1987 smash hit sci-fi/horror/action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger – and kick starting a film franchise that is still going strong. I am a pretty huge fan of the Predator franchise, having gone beyond the films and collected action figures, books, comics, and even a bust of the Elder Yautja as first seen in 1990’s Predator 2.
“Take… it.”
I have in my personal opinion shown quite often over my last decade of writing, that when it comes to movies, toys, music and other pop culture related properties, I am generally fond of things others are not. I bring this up as I happen to be someone who feels that Predator 2 is a movie that manages to be even better than the previous film. Although it did not fail at the box office – the overall take of 57.1 million dollars against it’s budget of 20 to 30 million… was a far cry from the 98.3 million that Predator had taken in.
Perhaps the reason I like Predator 2 better is because it is set in an urban environment – or maybe it’s easier to relate to Danny Glover as Detective Lieutenant Mike Harrigan than Schwarzenegger’s character of Dutch? Or it could be the fact that I appreciate that the second film expanded on what we understood of the Predator race or as they were revealed in books and comics, the Yautja. Including an amazing Easter egg near the end of the film, when Harrigan boards the Yautja craft to find that the race hunts all manner of lifeforms… including the Xenomorph from the Alien films.
In closing out this article, I have to give thanks to Brad Miska of Bloody Disgusting, not only for the heads up that Predator 2 is 30 years old – but sharing the news that it could have starred Steven Seagal instead of Danny Glover!
If you are looking for something to watch this weekend, why not enjoy the action and thrills, as well as the memorable characters of Predator 2?
In a late ’80s episode of Red Dwarf, memory-addled ship’s computer Holly once indicated that a miscalculation at light speed meant “Brown Trousers time” – no further explanation needed. That’s why I’ve designated this Brown Trousers Thursday – because Black Friday is imminent, and yet there are already so many soundtrack releases demanding our attention (and our beskar).
There are a lot of great digital releases hitting us right now. Whereas the first season of The Mandalorian saw a full score release accompanying every episode, this season seems to be following the soundtrack release scheme of the final Clone Wars season, gathering highlights from four episode scores in one digital release at a time. So the new volume of Mando music now available contains Ludwig Goransson’s “best of” from chapters 9 through 12 of the series.
Still in a Star Wars mood? A deluxe expanded edition of John Powell’s score from Solo: A Star Wars Story is now available, and it’s a much more cohesive listening experience than the “edited highlights” release that accompanied that film’s release; it offers much more of a chance to hear Powell put some of John Williams’ classic original trilogy themes into play. (And yes, it includes the major-keys rendition of the Imperial March from the Imperial recruiting film Han sees on a screen on Corellia.)
But let’s face it, for soundtrack fans of a Certain Age, nothing – nothing – is going to beat the sheer nostalgic power of Hasbro’s digital release of the music from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, part of the “Hasbro Presents ’80s TV Classics” brand that I think we all assumed had gone completely dormant. If you didn’t already know about this release, well…now you know. And you know what they say knowing is.
Over at BSX Records and Dragon’s Domain Records, a bunch of new releases are on top: the score from 1978’s Patrick by Brian May (as in the late Australian composer behind the soundtracks of Mad Max, Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare, and Cloak & Dagger, not the astronomically talented Queen guitarist) and William Ross’ score from T-Rex: Back To The Cretaceous (1998) are the “solo” scores taking up their own releases; each of these will be released in a CD pressing of only 500 copies.
But as always, some of BSX’s most interesting releases are “compilation” releases: legendary composer Gerald Fried (he who scored Spock’s pon farr unease with echoing bass guitar in 1960s Star Trek) is the subject of The Gerald Fried Collection, Volume 1, featuring his original scores from the 1978 TV movie Cruise Into Terror and the 1976 movie Survive!, released primarily in the Mexican market, which inspired a later big-budget remake, Alive, directed by Frank Marshall. Only 500 CD copies will be pressed.
And for fans of golden-age silver-screen sci-fi, Dragon’s Domain has an early Christmas present for you: The Golden Age Of Science Fiction, Volume 1, featuring the original recordings of Martin Skiles’ score from 1958’s Queen Of Outer Space and Leith Stevens’ music from the 1956 classic World Without End, neither of which have been commercially available on CD or any other medium. If you’re wondering which of the releases covered in this column are most likely to include a theremin somewhere in the mix, I think you need look no further. Only 500 copies of this will be made available on CD. As always, the BSX and Dragon’s Domain releases let you download a digital copy the moment you make your purchase, so you can listen even before the CD shows up in the mail.
And just think, all this has dropped before Black Friday. Look at what’s left in your wallet. Is it brown trousers time yet?
Friends, from all of us at Pop Culture Retrorama, we hope you and yours are having a safe and happy holiday. I thought that since it was Thanksgiving that we should share an appropriate retro holiday special – I originally thought perhaps that 1979’s Intergalactic Thanksgiving or Please Don’t Eat the Planet would be a great choice – but in all honesty I talked about it already in that PCR podcast special. Instead I thought you might enjoy The Berenstain Bears Meet Bigpaw – an uplifting Thanksgiving special that originally premiered 40 years ago on the 20th of November. I am not sure what I was doing on that night back in 1980, but I also managed to miss Daffy Duck’s Thanks-for-Giving Special, which was shown before the Berenstain Bears’ special.
The Berenstain Bears Meet Bigpaw happens to be the second of five animated specials based on the popular book series by Stan and Jan Berenstain. The first as a matter of fact was The Berenstain Bears’ Christmas Tree, that aired on December 3rd of 1979. In addition this animated special was written by Stan and Jan Berenstain and has the first appearance of the character of Bigpaw – who would go on to show up in future books as well as the mid-’80s animated series on CBS.
Music for the holiday special was overseen by Elliot Lawrence (As the World Turns, Network) – although the lyrics for the three song featured in the special were provided by Stan Berenstain. It featured Ron McLarty (The Flamingo Kid, The Postman) as both the narrator and the voice of Papa Bear, with Pat Lysinger, Gabriela Glatzer, and Jonathan Lewis as Mama, Sister, and Brother Bear. Bigpaw was voiced by Bob Kaliban, who you might recognize from the likes of Car 54, Where Are You? or the 2009 version of Schoolhouse Rock!.
The story for The Berenstain Bears Meet Bigpaw concerns a legend in Bear Country known appropriately enough as ‘The Thanksgiving Legend of Bigpaw’. It states that if the bears show no signs of being generous to the needy – especially with the gifts provided by Mother Nature – then Bigpaw will show up to eat up Bear Country due to the ‘selfishness debt’. As it turns out, the legend is… partly… true. Can Thanksgiving be saved after a disastrous meeting between Bigpaw and the citizens of Bear Country?
Friends, if I were to list my top ten favorite comic book characters of all time, I believe that Dr. Strange would land somewhere in the top five. Perhaps the surprising fact about my love of the character, that was co-created by the legendary Steve Ditko and Stan Lee – is that I did not actually start picking up any of the Dr. Strange comics until I had nearly graduated High School. While I recall seeing the comics in my youth on the spinner rack at the gas station down the street from my house, I was too busy picking up the likes of Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!, Weird War Tales, and Captain America. My first real introduction to the character of Dr. Stephen Strange was courtesy of the Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends episode entitled 7 Little Superheroes – which originally aired on October 17th of 1981. In addition to introducing me to the basics of Dr. Strange – who was voiced in the episode by John Stephenson (The Transformers, Pryde of the X-Men) – it was also the first time I encountered the characters of Namor the Sub-Mariner as well as Shanna the She-Devil.
The character of Dr. Strange made his first appearance in Strange Tales #110 – which was originally published back in the Summer of ’63. In his debut Dr. Stephen Strange is credited as being a “Master of Black Magic” – and then as “Master of the Mystic Arts” a little later on in the Strange Tales comic series. Dr. Strange wouldn’t become THE “Sorcerer Supreme” until March of 1974 – in the pages of Marvel Premiere #10 – when he inherited the title and powers of the Ancient One.
The character proved quite popular after his original appearance and Steve Ditko really delivered in regards to his co-plotted stories and iconic artwork – giving fans glimpses of psychedelic realms and vistas that are just as impressive as the cosmic artwork of Jack “King” Kirby. Others of course picked up where Ditko left off – but perhaps the most popular team included Steve Englehart (Defenders), Frank Brunner (Howard the Duck) as well as Gene Colan (The Tomb of Dracula). Their work led to the character receiving an 81 issue run in the pages of Dr. Strange: Master of the Mystic Arts from 1974 until 1987.
That popularity might explain why back in the late ’70s, a Dr. Strange View-Master reel set was produced and released alongside sets for the likes of Thor, Captain America, Spider-Woman, and The Fantastic Four to name a few. As a bonus, the Dr. Strange set which is entitled The Domain of the Dread Dormammu features artwork from both Steve Ditko and Frank Brunner!
Friends, the other evening after we had finished the Diary of An Arcade Employee watch party on Facebook – Earl Green sent me a link to a pretty remarkable documentary from Did You Know Gaming? It concerns the cancelled Green Lantern video game from Ocean Software – a title that originally began in the early ’90s as a possible computer game for the popular home computers of the day. In fact the game and software company which was founded in England, really developed a solid working relationship with DC Comics when it released its 3D isometric Batman game in 1986. It was one of three video games based on the Dark Knight that Ocean would release as a matter of fact – with each appearing to have been well received back in the day. Having said that, after watching the cancelled Green Lantern documentary, it seems like it was the success of Ocean’s Batman: The Movie in ’89 that kind of opened the door for the company to develop games for other DC Comics characters.
Before finally being cancelled by Ocean Software, the Green Lantern game had an interesting development cycle – starting off as a possible home computer game. That first attempt at seeing the likes of Hal Jordan in a video game eventually found itself being put on the back burner – until it was decided to give it another go as an Super Nintendo Entertainment System title. Although as you will see in the documentary – which runs a little under 20 minutes – there were many hurdles that were placed in front of the development team. Such as last minute changes, thanks to the then current storylines being produced by DC Comics – namely the Zero Hour event in 1994. A crossover event that I have touched on in the Starman episode of the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast.
Without further ado, enjoy this entertaining and informative documentary on the Green Lantern SNES game that could have been. Thanks to the research of Frank Gasking (The Games That Weren’t) and Did You Know Gaming? – we can actually see the game in action – and it honestly looks like it could have been quite a bit of fun if it had been finished.
Friends, as I have shared before, even though growing up in a single parent household, thanks to my Grandparents as well as birthdays and Holidays, I did manage to get quite a bit of Star Wars merchandise. While that might have mostly been the action figures that Kenner toys produced in great number, I also had my fair share of playsets and a handful of vehicles. Surprisingly I did not collect many of the storybooks beyond the 1978 pop-up book published by Random House as well as the book and records for the original trilogy, which were released by Buena Vista Records. So, that was a long and convoluted way of saying that I never had the pleasure of reading 1979’s Star Wars: The Mystery of the Rebellious Robot.
Considering that the Droid characters of the Star Wars universe have quite often been my favorite characters – I am a little surprised I didn’t pick up The Mystery of the Rebellious Robot through a school book fair or one of the Weekly Reader book club order forms.
Released by Random House in 1979, it was written by Eleanor Ehrhardt, who would also pen two more Star Wars storybooks that year with The Maverick Moon and The Wookie Storybook. The illustrator for The Mystery of the Rebellious Robot was Mark Corcoran – who also provided award-winning illustrations for the likes of Highlights magazine.
The story for The Rebellious Robot concerns a devastating drought that is taking place on Tatooine – the Millennium Falcon is en route with Han Solo, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 delivering parts for a Super-Vaporator to Luke Skywalker and a group of scientists on the arid planet. Just as they start their approach to Tatooine, the astromech droid suddenly powers down – with Han suggesting that Chewie oil R2 – which results in the droid going rogue and taking control of the Millennium Falcon. Luke is able to save the day – but it’s clear that something is causing big problems for the Super-Vaporator project and the stalwart R2-D2 as well as C-3P0.
Now, enjoy this fan-made adaptation of Star Wars: The Mystery of the Rebellious Robot – which includes a full cast reading, music, and even animation.
Friends, right up front I am going to admit I am extremely biased when it comes to the music of The Cybertronic Spree – having said that though I honestly feel they knocked this cover of Led Zeppelin‘s popular “Immigrant Song” right out of the park. After all, how can you top a live performance of that classic tune – you do it while dressed as characters from The Transformers. Now I grant you they might not have actually called down the Bifrost with their performance – but I’m pretty sure from the reaction of the audience – they at least caused Heimdall to pause from his duties and take notice.
Back in the day when I was writing for the Retroist, I shared more than a few videos from The Cybertronic Spree. One of those reasons happens to be I am still a big fan of The Transformers – and the band has been known to cover some of the songs from 1986’s Transformers: The Movie. On the other hand, there is quite simply something amazing about this band from Toronto deciding to play on stage in full costumes as Hot Rod, Arcee, Rumble, Shockwave, Unicron, Bumblebee, the Quintesson, and Soundwave.
My apologies to the almighty Devastator, what I meant to say was it’s quite awesome to see this group of transforming robots get together, putting aside their differences and rocking out for all of us Humans.
Video Provided by The Cybertronic Spree – The Kickstarter was successful by the way!
So after producing their own songs and covering the likes of “Dare“, “Instruments of Destruction“, “Hunger“, “The Touch“, and more – how could The Cybertronic Spree raise the bar of awesomeness just a little higher? By covering the 1970 classic “Immigrant Song” from Led Zeppelin – the selection of which might have had a little to do with the rise in the popularity of the song thanks to 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok.
Friends, a couple of nights ago I purchased The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story – the documentary about the creation and runaway success of the first children’s television network. I plan on writing up a review of it – perhaps a little later today if I find the time. I will go ahead and share that I found it to be an absolutely fantastic and enjoyable trip down memory lane – and in the case of Against the Odds – it jarred my memory banks. While I have strong memories of watching Fred Newman’s talk show Livewire and of course I religiously watched Leonard Nimoy on Standby…Lights! Camera! Action! I somehow however had managed to completely forget all about the Against the Odds series – which was hosted by none other than Bill Bixby.
The first episode of Against the Odds debuted on July 4th of 1982 and would last until 1984 – taking viewers through the lives of famous and infamous personalities in history. Just a few of those that were featured in the series include Joan of Arc, Walt Whitman, Harry Houdini, D.W. Griffith, Al Capone, John Glenn, Mahatma Gandhi, and Susan B. Anthony. The creator of Against the Odds by the way was Cy Schneider – the then President of Nickelodeon.
Now I should add that Bill Bixby in my opinion was kind of the perfect host for Against the Odds – thanks in no small part to his role in The Incredible Hulk – which had just wrapped up it’s fifth and final season a little over two months previously. The episodes themselves however were narrated by the likes of Phil Proctor, Peter Brooks, and Virginia Capers – at least those are who are listed on the IMDB page. Just browsing the information from various online sources though and supposedly Lindsay Wagner (The Bionic Woman) as well as Everett McGill (Silver Bullet) provided narration too.
The episode we are sharing with you today focuses on the life and tragic death of the esteemed Martin Luther King Jr. I wish I could tell the narrator for this episode but it surprisingly is not listed in the end credits.
Friends, the esteemed Earl Green has released a brand new Phosphor Dot Fossils video, one that tackles the 1982 port of Zaxxon to the Intellivision home console by Mattel Electronics. I have never nor will I ever claim to be an expert on anything – but I will have to admit I was a little shocked by the Zaxxon video – quite frankly because I do not remember ever seeing it in stores back in the day. It is not a homebrew title however – it was indeed ported to the Intellivision as well as the Atari 2600 by Coleco back in 1982. To be fair, Zaxxon was given a home release to pretty much every popular home console and computer of the day. It’s just that with the Atari VCS and Intellivision versions – the isometric aspect of the game was sacrificed – instead a third-person viewpoint was chosen.
Now, do not get me wrong in the least, Coleco was probably doing the best they could with the somewhat limited capabilities of the Atari version… but the Intellivision could have probably been better. As the two versions of the Zaxxon home ports are practically the same – although it has to be pointed out that the Intellivision version does look better. Coleco at the very least managed to deliver a much more faithful version of the classic Sega arcade game… on their Colecovision home console.
Fun fact – it appears that Zaxxon was the first arcade game to have a television commercial – beating Dig Dug‘s theatrical version by a month or so. Apparently it was Paramount Pictures that put this commercial together for Zaxxon – and online it has been said that it cost them $150,000.
Remember that for even more pop culture related goodness – make sure to check out Earl’s own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs.
(Friends, Vic Sage here, Brett Weiss asked me to write an introduction to his latest Tales from a Retro Gamer video – one in which he interviews Shane Stein – the executive producer for the upcoming The Game Chasers Movie. I should point out though the interview starts off with a look at Stein’s introduction to video games in general, first experiences with arcade titles, home consoles and the like. Those of us of a certain age will no doubt have fond memories of such games as Kangaroo, Night Stalker, Space Armada, Kid Icarus, and Contra to name a few.
There is also a little love thrown towards to the upcoming Intellivision Amico – the reason for this latest Tales from a Retro Gamer video however is to update fans about the state of the movie. A comedy film spin-off from the long running series of YouTube videos by Billy Hudson and Jay Hatfield – in fact back in May they uploaded a full trailer for The Game Chasers Movie.
Shane Stein goes into detail on why the film has missed it’s initial ‘release date’ and not to give too much away – it is for reasons you can expect – namely the pandemic that has turned 2020 upside down. This particular Tales from a Retro Gamer video, being an interview, runs a little longer than usual – nearly 40 minutes when all is said and done. You’ll get some insight into the origin of the movie and even some brief behind the scenes footage during the video. So, make to sure to grab some snacks and your favorite beverage and check it out.)
If you would like to keep up with more of Brett Weiss’ work beyond what he shares on this site, please check out Words of Wonder. You will be able to see the latest news on his recent books he has published and that are coming out – in addition to film and book reviews and more!
Friends, I was the perfect age to catch Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits when it was originally released to theaters back on November 6th of 1981. The mixture of comedy, both broad and spiritual, as well as the time-traveling adventure of the film itself – well – it just spoke to me. My Father and I had watched reruns of Monty Python’s Flying Circus on the local PBS affiliate, and we had caught Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Jabberwocky, and Monty Python’s Life of Brian at the local drive-in theater. In fact I probably have Monty Python to thank for altering my humor at such an early age for the better. But there was just something so very special about Time Bandits – one of the few children’s movies of the day that managed to not speak down to it’s audience. Of course it didn’t hurt that it also featured the talents of the late and great Sir Sean Connery, David Warner, Michael Palin, John Cleese, Shelley Duvall, Sir Ian Holm, Katherine Helmond, Peter Vaughan, AND Sir Ralph Richardson to name a few.
For what it might be worth, it was Time Bandits that made me a lifelong fan of David Warner. I had already seen him in 1976’s The Omen and 1979’s Time After Time – but it was his portrayal of Evil – or Evil Genius if you go by the IMDB listing that made me finally start to break into a smile when I saw his name in the credits. In fact I only had to wait a little over eight months before he co-starred in one of my favorite films of all time – TRON.
Thanks to this YouTube upload, we can all enjoy a remembrance by director Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, John Cleese, George Harrison, and producer Denis O’Dell (A Hard Day’s Night) on the making of Time Bandits. This is apparently from a 1989 made-for-TV documentary on Handmade Films, the company founded by the legendary Harrison, just so he could be sure that Monty Python and the Holy Grail could be made.
Friends, the other evening I was watching some YouTube videos when I stumbled upon this 1998 short film entitled Larger Than Life from Ellory Elkayem. That name might not ring a bell, but this 13 minute short film is a throwback to the science fiction/horror B movies of the ’50s like Them! and Tarantula. It also ended up acting as a calling card for Ellory, who wrote and directed Larger Than Life – being shown to both Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich after it’s debut at the Telluride Film Festival. Of course Devlin and Emmerich knew a few things about science fiction films with Universal Soldier, Stargate, and Independence Day. After getting a chance to screen Larger Than Life – seeing someone who appreciated their own love of the marauding giant monster movies of the ’50s – they helped produce a big budget version of his film. The result was 2002’s criminally underappreciated Eight Legged Freaks – which starred David Arquette (Scream, Ravenous), Kari Wuhrer (Anaconda, Thinner), and Scarlett Johansson (Ghost World, Jojo Rabbit).
Even the trailer was having fun with the concept of Eight Legged Freaks – which by the way has been said to have been an ad-lib by David Arquette. Apparently the original title for the film was going to be Arach Attack, a line from the film itself, and for releases in some countries it managed to keep that title. A fun fact is the CGI giant spiders in the film were ‘voiced’ by none other than Rob Paulsen (Pinky and the Brain), Frank Welker (Scooby-Doo), and Kevin Michael Richardson (The Batman).
You can totally see the seeds of what would become Eight Legged Freaks in Larger Than Life – in particular the humor of the short film. It stars Rebecca Hobbs as Jo, a young woman whose main concerns are getting settled into her new home – until thanks to a chemical spill – she ends up fighting for her life against a series of increasingly larger spiders.
Friends, I have been a fan of comics for nearly 43 years, starting with just picking up what might have caught my eye on the spinner rack at the local gas station – like Captain America, Weird War Tales, and Batman to name a few. Although I would start seriously following my first comic series beginning with the DC Comics produced funny animal book in 1982 entitled Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew – created by Roy Thomas and Scott Shaw! Even with my overwhelming love of Batman, thanks to not just comic books, toys, and various appearances on animated series – it was this rather unique DC Comics book that really captured my heart. While this is of course only my opinion, I have always felt that in the past it was DC Comics that not only embraced their Golden Age characters a little more than others – but they also produced books that were quite different for the time. Case in point, the mid-’70s The Joker series, where the ‘Clown Prince of Crime’ was the star of his very own book.
How The Joker Received His Own Comic Book Series Beginning on May of 1975 and sadly only lasting until October 1976, DC Comics released a total of nine issues where the Joker took the spotlight. Legendary writer on Batman, Dennis ‘Denny’ O’Neil took the job of crafting a bi-monthly comic series where the Joker could not only be the star of the book but wouldn’t come under fire from the Comics Code Authority. While O’Neil scripted only four of the nine issues he realized that they would have to really draw back on the Joker’s more frightening aspects not to mention his ability to murder innocents at the drop of a hat. So he and fellow writers, Elliot S. Maggin as well as Martin Pasko made the Joker a rather wicked prankster.
The shocking thing perhaps is how absolutely fantastic these nine issues turned out, they aren’t exactly lighthearted but they certainly fall under the category of fun. At times the Joker even would find himself at odds with his fellow members of Batman’s Rogue’s Gallery like Two-Face and the Scarecrow – but at the end of the day you can see why he was the one to merit his own book.
“Sherlock Stalks The Joker”
In issue #6 of The Joker, which was released in March of 1976, the ‘Clown Prince of Crime’ matched wits with the World’s most famous Detective… no, not the Dark Knight in this case but Sherlock Holmes himself!
Sort of.
You see, in “Sherlock Stalks the Joker“, the deranged clown in disguise sneaks onto the stage of a theater hundreds of miles from Gotham where a famous thespian named Clive Sigerson is performing as Sherlock Holmes. Why? To merely tweak the nose of any do-gooder that considers themselves a detective – and since Sherlock Holmes isn’t real he decides to punish Clive. In this case Clive is subjected to a spring-loaded punching glove to the face before he is clocked across the brow by a heavy smoking pipe prop courtesy of the Joker. Stunned he watches the villain and his henchman make good their escape… actually they dance and sing their way off the stage… because when you are the Joker you absolutely must perform crimes with a little style, right?
An unforeseen side effect though is that Clive now thinks he is in fact Sherlock Holmes, kind of like George C. Scott’s character from 1971’s They Might Be Giants. The stage show’s Producer demands that a stagehand – named Watson – follow Clive/Sherlock to make sure while he is wandering the city he doesn’t get into trouble. Unfortunately for the stagehand who used to be a sailor and whose nickname was ‘Dock’ Watson, the confused actor is hot on the trail of the Joker which leads him to a Golf course where the two do battle with the weapons at hand – namely golf clubs. Obviously the Joker is not above using tricks or deceit to make good his escape – but it is revealed that Batman’s greatest foe is using the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to plan his recent capers. In the case of the golf course, the heist he pulls off is merely the flag from the fourth green, the ‘Sign of the Four’.
Sherlock/Clive deduces that the Joker’s next target is a sailing ship that just so happens to be named The Baskervilles. Why is the Joker there? Well, he is below deck using a cutting torch to remove one of the clasps from a steel door – which is used to secure hatches on ships – an action referred to by sailors as ‘Dogging down the hatches’. In the Joker’s twisted mind he sees himself holding a ‘Dog’ and another name for a dog is a hound, so he possesses the Hound of the Baskervilles!
I won’t ruin the remainder of the comic as I am quite happy to report that you can pick up this very issue over on Comixology right this second for a mere .99 cents – but I would highly recommend you pick up the The Joker: The Clown Prince of Crime collection to get all nine issues. For what it might be worth, at least for myself it’s quite refreshing to revisit a time when the Joker was so much fun, dangerous but not exactly deadly.
Friends, I have mentioned this on the site as well as on the Saturday Frights podcast and Facebook page – but one my favorite subgenre of horror films is animal horror. This is in no small part thanks to catching the likes of 1976’s The Food of the Gods, Day of the Animals, and Empire of the Ants on television in my youth – the last two films were prime time special events as a matter of fact. Well, it was 40 years ago today that Alligator was released to theaters – a cult classic in the animal horror film subgenre – ranking right up there with Them!, Willard, and Piranha. However, while this managed to be shown at the local Drive-In theater of my youth the following year – I first caught Alligator on March 7th of 1982 as the ABC Sunday Night Movie!
One of the reasons I remember seeing Alligator for the first time – besides the fact it is an awesome movie – is that I had just received a tape cassette player and recorder for my birthday. That Sunday evening I ended up recording the entire audio for the 1980 film – using both sides of one of my two blank cassette tapes that I had also received for my birthday. Somehow I was able to convince my Father to let me take the player to school the following day – and on the nearly 40 minute bus ride to and back from school we were entertained by 1980’s Alligator.
The quick synopsis for Alligator is that a young girl purchases a baby alligator on vacation in Florida, upon returning back to Chicago, her Father flushes it down the toilet. Fast forward 12 years later and sewer workers are starting to get picked off – which draws the attention of police officer David Madison, played by the late and great Robert Forster (The Black Hole, Jackie Brown). While investigating the sewers, David watches in horror as his partner is attacked and dragged off by the rather large alligator – although no one will believe Madison’s story. Which leads him to being introduced to Marissa Kendall, played by Robin Riker (Brothers), who happens to be a zoologist whose study is of reptiles. It will be up to David and Marissa to try to warn the city that an alligator who has grown to 36 feet long thanks to feeding on growth hormones – a byproduct of a crooked pharmaceutical company – is about to emerge from the city sewers with a newly acquired taste for human beings.
Alligator was written by John Sayles (Battle Beyond the Stars, The Howling) and directed by Lewis Teague – who would go on to helm such horror films as Cujo and Cat’s Eye. In addition to Robert Forster and Robin Riker, the film benefits from industry veterans Sydney Lassick (Carrie), Henry Silva (Buck Rogers in the 25th Century), and Dean Jagger (Game of Death) to name a few.
If you have a yearning to celebrate 40 years of Alligator I am sad to say that obtaining Alligator on DVD or Blu-ray is going to set you back quite a bit of money – although if you look around the internet you just might find it uploaded here and there in it’s entirety.
Friends, as I have talked about on the site many times now – while music wasn’t something we listened to in my household – I did get to hear popular songs while riding in the car. So by the time this music video for “Sleeping Bag” was being aired on the likes of MTV – I was familiar with ZZ Top thanks to hearing their hit songs like “Legs” and “Sharp Dressed Man” while driving around with my Father. At the point I finally started collecting music – spending late evenings trying to catch up with everything I had missed – a couple of ZZ Top albums made their way into my collection. For what it might possibly be worth, two of my favorite ZZ Top songs and music videos happen to be their cover of Elvis Presley’s “Viva Las Vegas” as well as “Doubleback“, which was from their 1990 album Recycler and featured in Back to the Future Part III. In addition to the fact that the third picture in the Back to the Future series allowed Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard, and Dusty Hill to appear in the film itself!
Speaking of films – when ZZ Top released the music video for “Sleeping Bag” in 1985, it just so happened to feature a few recognizable faces. As I’ve already revealed from the title of this article, none other than Heather Langenkamp of A Nightmare on Elm Street is the main character. Considering that just a few months before the video for “Sleeping Bag” debuted – Heather’s character of Nancy Thompson was going toe to toe with Freddy Krueger – it is no wonder that she is quick to stop the thief that enters her bedroom to retrieve some stashed money. Speaking of said thief, it turns out to be the iconic character actor Tracey Walter (Repo Man, Batman). However the young man who comes to Heather’s aid is John Dye of Touched by an Angel and Tour of Duty fame!
The fun facts keep coming though – as the Director for “Sleeping Bag” is Steve Barron – who has a pretty amazing list of credits for directing music videos. He has worked with ZZ Top a number of times but also shot videos for the likes of Thomas Dolby, Michael Jackson, Kenny Loggins, Bryan Adams, Toto, Dire Straits, and Natalie Cole to name a few. Barron though has also directed for film and television including Electric Dreams, Jim Henson’s The Storyteller, Merlin, and a little known film from 1990 called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Friends, since yesterday saw the release of the new Saturday Frights podcast, focusing on the Tales from the Crypt episode entitled Cutting Cards – I thought you might like to enjoy one of the other two horror comic books that EC Comics published back in the day. While Tales from the Crypt is probably the comic book that most folks are familiar with, thanks in no small part to the HBO television series, the other two horror comics were The Vault of Horror and The Haunt of Fear. Interestingly enough, the latter of those three comics was originally a western themed book entitled Gunslinger – however when horror tales became popular – the title and subject matter was changed to The Haunt of Fear.
Fed Up was originally published in The Haunt of Fear #13 back in 1952 – featuring a story by Al Feldstein from an idea by Bill Gaines with artwork provided by Johnny Craig and coloring by Marie Severin. There were four stories in total in this issue of The Haunt of Fear – including a short story entitled Witness that was written by Feldstein. A trio of hosts were featured in each issue of the EC Comics horror titles – but each was given the spotlight in their own books – with the Crypt-Keeper in Tales from the Crypt, the Vault-Keeper in The Vault of Horror, and the Old Witch with The Haunt of Fear.
Thanks to The Holder of Tales YouTube channel – you can watch and listen to the audio production of this particular tale from The Haunt of Fear for yourself.
The story for Fed Up concerns a young married couple named Sandra and Alec, the former happens to be employed by a carnival called Munrabt’s Odditorium – working as a sword swallower. Sandra while gifted apparently needs just a little something extra special in her act to bring in the crowds – she has the perfect idea about purchasing a gimmick sword – but the problem is Alec greedily takes her earnings and spends it all on fancy dinners for himself. No matter how hard Sandra works to make a better life for herself and her Husband, Alec just takes and takes, growing larger as he gorges himself – depleting their finances.
The question is however, what will Sandra do once she is finally Fed Up with Alec’s behavior – being an EC Comic though you can bet your bottom dollar that he will get his just deserts!
Friends, on this episode of the Saturday Frights podcast, we are once again going to be discussing an episode of the hugely popular Tales from the Crypt television series that aired on HBO – beginning it’s seven season run on June 10th of 1989 and lasting until July 19th of 1996. On this show the Projectionist and I discuss the 1990 episode entitled Cutting Cards which happens to star the likes of Lance Henriksen (Aliens, Near Dark) as well as Kevin Tighe (Emergency!, Rose Red) – as two high-stakes gamblers who are willing to go to painful extremes to see the last of each other. While as always we have done out best to shine the spotlight on those in front of and behind the camera – on this particular show we have presented a pretty deep dive into the history behind EC Comics – the original comic publishers of Tales from the Crypt.
As I mention on the show itself, a lot of great information was found thanks to Digby Diehl’s Tales from the Crypt: The Official Archives. If you consider yourself a fan of the HBO produced series, you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of this book – you can find an affordable used copy on Amazon.
You might be surprised to learn just how many people it took for the TV adaptation of Tales from the Crypt to make it to HBO in the first place. It was only the combined Hollywood power of Richard Donner (The Goonies, Lethal Weapon), Walter Hill (The Warriors, Streets of Fire), Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump), David Giler (Alien), and Joel Silver (Die Hard, The Matrix) that allowed the proposed series to get the greenlight.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
We sincerely hope that you are enjoying the third season of the Saturday Frights podcast so far – before you deal yourself a new hand of cards though – we hope you will take the time to listen to our discussion of Cutting Cards.
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Friends, a couple of days ago as I was about to call it a day, Rockford Jay popped in for a brief chat. During our conversation he inquired if I remembered a television show called Puttin’ on the Hits – a syndicated music and variety program that was attempting to tap into the popularity of MTV at the time. In my neck of the woods when Puttin’ on the Hits was first broadcast on September 20th of 1984 – I was barely familiar with MTV – thanks to catching the iconic music video for “Thriller” at a neighbors’ house.
Puttin’ on the Hits was the brainchild of William “Randy” Wood – who apparently in 1982 regularly hosted lip-syncing competitions that were so popular he felt that they needed a bigger venue. Thanks to the likes of Dick Clark (American Bandstand) as well as Chris Bearde (Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In) acting as producers, in addition to Richard A. Clark – yes, a son of the legendary Dick Clark – taping began at Universal City Studios in Hollywood, California.
The great news is while I might not have ever experienced Puttin’on the Hits – Rockford was more than kind to share his memories of the TV series:
Despite living in the middle of nowhere, my community had a pretty hip and forward thinking cable company. When it debuted nearly forty years ago, the brand new MTV was quickly added to the roster of basic cable channels received in my household, on channel 21. My sisters and I were at the ages when we would have begun to start paying attention to music, and MTV was music overload, pumped into our home via coaxial cable 24 hours a day and in stereo. We were avid viewers, without too much parental discouragement, and we spent many rainy weekend days parked in front of the TV, catching our favorites artists, songs, and videos in the regular rotation.
So in 1985, we were primed and ready for a new weekly show that road the waves of music television into syndication, in the form of Puttin’ on the Hits – an early take on reality TV that combined pop music, MTV imagery, and young energetic performers in a competitive format, all brought to use courtesy of the superstation WGN channel 9. Contestants would lip sync to a song in full costume before a studio audience, capturing as much of the character and style of the song or the original artist – or both – as possible, competing for a cash prize and judged by a panel of celebrities. Well, let’s say “celebrities”.
If we were home in early Saturday evenings, my sisters and I would never miss an episode. Would we hear some of our favorite songs? Would the contestants be good? Would the performances be close to what we had watched on MTV or would a competitor put a fun spin on their material? Whatever the show had to offer, we were ready to cheer on our favorites.
Friends, the other evening after I had started work, a friend on Facebook was kind enough to share a new music video from The Merkins – one that featured a take of Guns N’ Roses by way of The Mandarlorian. A parody of “Sweet Child o’ Mine” – which was originally included on Guns N’ Roses debut studio album entitled Appetite for Destruction and released in June of ’88. Furthermore the song would find itself being released as the third single from the band two months later – claiming the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 list.
Now one wouldn’t think that a song that has been said to have had a Lynyrd Skynyrd inspiration would lend itself well to the Star Wars universe… but it most certainly does. The Merkins hit some of the high points of The Mandalorian television series with their song parody entitled “Green Child o’ Mine“. As a matter of fact if you’ve not had the pleasure of seeing the first season or even the first two episodes of the second season – consider yourself warned that there are MINOR spoilers in the video and this article.
After watching “Green Child o’ Mine“, my first thought was I wish I could get my hands on that Armorer helmet that Jesse Trillet sports in the video. I don’t feel like anyone will disagree that the Child captured the hearts and imagination of all of us Star Wars fans in the first season – but it was the Armorer (Emily Swallow) that was hands down my favorite character. This is the way.
For what it might be worth, this is not the first time we’ve shared the wonderful music of The Merkins – back in May we presented their excellent parody of George Michael’s “Faith” – which happened to feature a rocking version of Michael Myers. As well as a take on The Brady Bunch with a slew of horror icons like Pennywise the Dancing Clown, Chucky, Freddy Krueger, and more as “The Deadly Bunch“.
In closing out this article, I believe the real question is if we are going to be fortunate enough to see more Star Wars related music from The Merkins in the near future?
Friends, while it is the truth that in grade school I was familiar with and a fan of role-playing games – namely Dungeons & Dragons – it wasn’t until High School that I was first introduced to the war-torn science fiction setting of Warhammer 40,000. Although I should add that my initial introduction was not with the epic miniature game that is still extremely popular around the World today – but with the more self-contained Space Hulk board game. I still look back fondly on those long weeks of playing the board game before school started – one of the benefits of being a library aide was I was let in around an hour before school began – that included my small group of friends. Space Hulk made a big enough impression on me that I began to dive into the extremely dark lore of the main game. Learning of the mighty Space Marines or the Adeptus Astartes – who stand as the ‘righteous’ army of the Emperor of Mankind and protect the Imperium of Man from alien forces, the mutants, the heretics, and the temptations of the Chaos Gods.
After all as it said in the Warhammer 40,000 universe:
“In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war.”
As I’ve already stated, Warhammer 40,000 shows no signs of its popularity dwindling any time soon – as matter of fact there is a live action television series currently in development. As I understand it – it will be based on a character known as Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn – whose exploits were chronicled by Dan Abnett (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Punisher) in a series of novels and short stories. In addition I have read that Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files, The Man in the High Castle) will act as showrunner – so perhaps it will end up at Amazon?
With as popular as Warhammer 40,000 is it should come as no suprise that over the years there have been many fan made short films and fiction. However, few have been quite as impressive as this short film mini-series entitled Astartes. Worked on over a period of two years by a 3D artist named Syama Pedersen – the mini-series focuses on the hunt for the retreating leaders of ‘The Argosa Uprising’ and their traitorous militia by the Retributor Space Marines. It is split up into five chapters that have a running time between 2 to 3 minutes – although the fifth chapter is a little over 7 minutes.
Seriously, one of the streaming services just needs to team up with Games Workshop and just fund Syama – let them make an ongoing series of animated shorts!
Friends, if you are kind enough to check in on the Saturday Frights and Diary of An Arcade Employee Facebook pages, you probably know that I am currently under the weather. While I do not believe I have anything too serious, the result is I can barely muster the energy to even write more than a single article a day of late. I mention this only as an explanation for missing out on the announcement via NECA’s twitter feed, that in 2021 they are going to be releasing Ultimate 2-packs featuring characters from Puppet Master. A film series that I have been a loyal fan of since catching the first film on an HBO free weekend – in fact episode 71 of the Saturday Frights podcast was all about the 1989 movie.
Puppet Master is most assuredly a cult film, but one that stands out thanks in no small part to the effects of the late and great David Allen (RoboCop, Willow) and his crew on the first three movies – which included puppetry as well as stop-motion animation. In my personal opinion, the Puppet Master series really hit it’s stride with the sequel – which was released direct-to-video on February 7th of 1991.
Thirteen films have been released in the Puppet Master saga as I understand it – including a reimagining or reboot of the series with 2018’s Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich. The idea of puppets or dolls being instruments of evil – then good guys – then evil once more was thanks to Charles Band (Metalstorm, Trancers), a well known producer and director who founded Full Moon Features. In the late ’80s and until the mid-’90s – his company which was Full Moon Entertainment at that time – delivered some imaginative and memorable cult films nearly every month.
I think it would be honest to say that of the handful of franchises that Band has had a hand in creating for Full Moon Features – it is Puppet Master that is the most popular. For what it might be worth, I own quite a few of the action figures that were produced in the late ’90s – a benefit of working at the local Suncoast Motion Picture Company in those days. However with the announcement by NECA just last week about their upcoming Puppet Master Ultimate 2-packs – it appears that it is time to make some space on the shelves for these new versions of Blade, Torch, Pinhead, and Tunneler.
On the surface, the original Japanese film Gojira, released on November 3rd, 1954, with the later heavily altered American version called Godzilla, King of Monsters!, is about a giant monster awaken from its slumber by American underwater hydrogen bomb testing in the South Pacific. The angry and confused giant monster (Kaiju) then unleashes its destructive force laying waste to Tokyo, Japan, and leaving the dead and injured in its wake. But, this is a simplistic way of looking at a masterpiece that is meant to be much more profound than “just a giant monster movie.”
Origins and Influences for 1954’s GOJIRA
Just nine years before Gojira was unleashed in Japanese theaters, the country lay in ruin after World War II. The atomic bombs containing Uranium and Plutonium dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki are estimated to have killed as many as 215 thousand people due to the explosions and long-term side effects of radiation. Not to mention on March 9th and 10th of 1945, the devastating B-29 fire-bombing raids over Tokyo, where 100 thousand Japanese lost their lives, and 1 million were left homeless.
It’s estimated that a little over 3 million Japanese lost their lives in this horrifying war.
Once surrendering, a humbled and humiliated Japan, with their war machine obliterated and their infrastructure now relegated to debris and dust, was asked by their Emperor to “endure the unendurable.” Emperor Hirohito was no longer considered a god, never publicly apologized, took responsibility, or suffered any punishment after leading his nation into war. He passed away on January 7th, 1989.
In late 1951, the American and Allied Occupation of Japan ended, and on April 28th, 1952, Japan was once again an independent country. From 1946-1954, Americans tested atomic bombs in the Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, and Micronesia costing taxpayers upwards of 54 million dollars. The world questioned whether the U.S. was entitled to be the sole owner of this terrible technology. Russia detonated their first H-bomb in August of 1953. The whole crew of the Lucky Dragon fishing boat who witnessed one of the bomb tests develop acute radiation sickness and are poisoned by the fish in the ocean. Over the next ten months, 457 tons of Tuna were confiscated and destroyed.
These events are the backdrop of 1954’s Gojira. Meant to sound like an air raid siren, Gojira’s roar is unmistakable and one of cinema’s most iconic and chilling sound effects. His booming footsteps are eerily similar to approaching bombs exploding in the distance and his furrowed skin and scales designed to resemble the keloid scars of survivors of the catastrophic bombs that befell Hiroshima and Nagasaki are nightmare- inducing. It was a time when creatives, artists, novelists, and filmmakers couldn’t speak about the tragedies they suffered less than a decade ago. There was a prevailing sense of guilt and shame that blanketed the whole island nation and former empire.
Watching Tokyo destroyed once again was almost cathartic for the Japanese moviegoer. The horrors of the atomic bombs and dangers of radiation had taken the form of a giant monster hellbent on destruction and death. But with total devastation seemingly imminent, to save themselves, the Japanese discharge a weapon called the Oxygen destroyer, which is even more destructive than the embodiment of their past atomic nightmares.
Audiences had been introduced to fantasy films with incredible creatures in movies like King Kong (1933), The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953), Them! (1954) and Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954). But unlike those previous films where we feel like we’re merely spectators, Gojira throws us into a world of fire and brimstone and forces the ruination upon us. The film has a stark black and white documentary-style presentation, where we experience the extreme panic endured by the grief-stricken population and the tragic outcome of this incredible cataclysmic force awakened by man’s murderous accouterments of war. We witness the calamity and feel their anguish when seeing burn victims in hospitals. We also see women and children with sorrowful, afflicted stares of hopelessness, and even people “scattered like leaves” after Gojira lets loose radioactive fire upon them.
Gojira was not your usual B-movie fare, and indeed not a Saturday morning cartoon for the children. It was leagues away from the slapstick farce it would become during the next twenty years. But in 1954, it was the ultimate grim metaphor of the dreadful atomic bombs: crass and visionary. Director Ishiro Honda, Producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, and Special Effects Director Eiji Tsubaraya pressed the horrors of nuclear warfare once again into the still wounded Japanese psyche. Some people reportedly left the movie theaters sobbing; others certainly were pensive over what they had just undergone. With virtually no humor and begging to be taken seriously, Gojira has been the subject of study by many film scholars and fans alike. From 1954 to 2019, we’ve had 33 live-action films in the Godzilla franchise, with Godzilla vs. Kong slated for a 2021 release, but none like the original. None like Gojira. *I cannot comment on the 2016 Shin Godzilla as I have not had the opportunity to see it, though I’ve read that it is rather dark and brooding as well.
Godzilla Turns Campy
The terrifying embodiment of war and atomic weapons quickly became increasingly campy and aimed at a younger audience. The rushed 1955 sequel Godzilla Raids Again infuses some humor and is a much more light-hearted affair than the original Gojira, but still, not an all-out comedy either. But most of the Showa Era Godzilla films (1954-1975) focus on Godzilla becoming a savior of the Earth and a friend of the children, albeit not as evident as his Daiei studio rival Gamera became.
Throughout the mid-50s to the mid-70s, Godzilla battled other Kaiju brought to life by actors in suits made of various materials in a technique called suitmation, with the first suits being extraordinarily uncomfortable and burdensome. They used pro-wrestling-style moves amid playful, tongue-in-cheek rumbles good for a chuckle. Ridiculous attempts of humor and spotty acting became the norm, and thanks to a less than generous budget from Toho, stock footage became a necessity leading to shortcuts in production values. This is the Godzilla I grew up and loved as a child. But in the mid-80s, these movies were already 10 to 30 years old. Even to my young eyes, they hadn’t aged too well. But in December of 1985, my jaw dropped after a surprise rental from the video store.
Godzilla 1985- The Legend is Reborn
After many attempts throughout the Showa Era, Toho finally realized that they had alienated much of its adult audience. Their strategy to market Godzilla for children had not been entirely successful. The latest film entitled Terror of MechaGodzilla from 1975, was only the second film in the franchise to sell less than a million tickets during its theatrical run.
Godzilla (1984) was planned to be released only domestically in Japan. The film cost $6.25 million to make, but after reportedly earning a gross of roughly $6.8 million instead of the expected $12 million, Toho quickly changed their mind.
In the USA, Godzilla (1984) was renamed Godzilla 1985, but any attempt the Japanese version made to bring Godzilla back to its original 1954 Gojira roots was severely hampered by changes made to the American release.
Godzilla 1985 became a direct sequel to the original 1954 film and ignored all the other ones. They claimed that no corpse of Godzilla was found after using the Oxygen Destroyer on him. Umm… could it be because Godzilla was disintegrated? They were even bringing back actor Raymond Burr, the American news reporter who witnesses Godzilla’s rampage through Tokyo in Godzilla, King Of The Monsters!
After almost a decade, Godzilla was getting a refresh and a nearly complete reboot. It is speculated that Big G’s long hiatus was because producer Tomoyuki Tanaka was determined that any revival of the monster would be with first-class production values that would restore Godzilla’s lost luster amid the increasingly cheesy films that the franchise had degenerated into.
In an unprecedented turn of events, a young director named Steve Miner wanted to make the first-ever big-budget Americanization of Godzilla, using top-name actors and high-priced American SFX. In the 1990’s Miner later had success with movies like Forever Young starring Mel Gibson and My Father The Hero with Gerard Depardieu. Toho had nothing to lose and decided to give Miner their blessing to shop his idea and seek backing from American studios. He brought aboard screenwriter Fred Dekkar who had worked in the films Friday The 13th Part 2 and Friday The 13th Part 3-D. Production designer William Stout was also brought in as part of the team primarily because he was the illustrator of the acclaimed book The Dinosaurs published in 1981.
Believe it or not, the plan was for the movie to be in glorious 3-D with rumors of Warner Brothers almost committing to the needed financing. But plans fell through when most interested studios promised $10 million to back the film, but Miner believed that he needed at least $25 million to get the movie made. And so, Toho made Koji Hashimoto-who’d begun his career with Toho in the late 1960s and worked as the assistant director in more than 70 films- the new director. He’d also just finished work on the science fiction movie Sayonara Jupiter released December of 1983.
Godzilla (1984) surpassed Sayonara Jupiter as Toho’s most expensive genre production to date due in part to the making of an incredible 16-foot-high cable controlled robotzilla designed to perform a wide range of facial expressions and upper body movements not possible with suitmation and puppetry. Unfortunately, the $475,000 Godzilla Cybot as it was being called, with 3,000 computer-controlled mechanical parts, was inexplicably sparsely used in the actual movie.
Godzilla was passed on by the majors and instead picked up by New World Pictures, founded by on-the-cheap movie impresario Roger Corman. He sold the company in 1983, and under the new ownership, the studio was trying to move away from exploitation films and increased their production budgets to the $4 million to $7 million range. Corman usually completed his movies for around $1 million.
So for a measly $500,000, they obtained the rights to Godzilla (1984). The English language insert scenes cost roughly $200,00 and add $2.5 million for advertising and promotion.
At first, New World envisioned Godzilla 1985 as a comedy starring Leslie Nielson. They wanted to do the same as Woody Allen, who directed What’s Up, Tiger Lilly? from 1966. In this film, they bought a Japanese spy movie in the same vein as the James Bond films, overdubbed it, and thus changing the plot into the search for the world’s best egg salad recipe. Another more recent movie that did something similar was Kung Pow! Enter The Fist from 2002. The idea of Godzilla 1985 as a comedy was scraped after actor Raymond Burr’s representatives informed New World that Godzilla was no laughing matter to him. He took Godzilla as an anti-nuclear allegory very seriously. Yes, he indeed saved much of the movie, but much of the cheese still made it to the final cut.
In the end, critics heavily panned Godzilla 1985. New World’s shorter, campier version obscured much of Toho’s worthwhile but flawed attempt to bring back Godzilla to his harbinger of doom origins. It made $4.1 million at the box office, which can be considered modest in 1984, and pretty good for a studio like New World at the time. This amount doesn’t include later TV syndication, video rentals, or sales.
I have fantastic memories of this movie and don’t care about how imperfect or flawed so-called experts make out the film to be with spiteful comments such as “it’s barely a step above B movies schlock.” My mom surprised me by renting this movie from the video store after I’d finally gotten an ‘A’ in math in the second grade. The tape’s cover with the enormous Godzilla eclipsing a city caught my eye. I immediately grabbed some Cheetos, popped the movie into our not-so-trusty VHS player that had a penchant for eating our tapes, and plopped onto the couch.
My eyes widened, and my mouth was agape. The revamped Godzilla and modern SFX floored me. As already mentioned, even as a young child, I couldn’t get past the cheap-looking suit monsters that reminded me of the classic series Ultraman, which I also adored. Of course, I obsessively watched Godzilla movies whenever they were on the TV, but it wasn’t until Godzilla 1985 that I had my doubts that Godzilla was not a rubber-suited actor! He looked sturdier and not so wobbly and goofy like in his previous incarnations. With his menacing sneer, sharp fangs, and malevolent demeanor, Godzilla was a sight to behold. Even his roar returned to the primeval, low-pitched growl of the original 1954 Gojira, and his footsteps were once again loud and thundering. He was back to his great old self! It felt like I was watching a modern technicolor version of the original 1954 Gojira but much more imposing. He was now a towering 80 meters instead of the previous 50 seen in Gojira so that Tokyo’s skyline wouldn’t dwarf him. Compared to the previous Showa Era movies, this was like watching Godzilla in glorious HD. It was that amazing.
As a seven-year-old child, the acting seemed better, or at least more realistic to me than other Godzilla films. Even though some gawdawful one-liners seem to overrun the movie, and many of the clueless American actors probably have no business being in it, the film isn’t worse than your conventional ’80s flick. Yes, there are some infamous edits in the American version, like showing the Russians deliberately launching a nuclear missile and not by accident like in the original Japanese version and blatant Dr. Pepper product placement, which seems oddly out of place. Let’s also not forget the Godzilla Meets Bambi short seen before the feature presentation! But Raymond Burr’s atmospheric narration at the end is arguably worth the admission alone. His speech was written by him and not New World Pictures.
Godzilla 1985 is a movie that I’d wish I would’ve seen in theaters, and it’s a movie I’d recommend to you if you have any interest in genre or Godzilla films. Give it a try. I think you’ll find a lot you can enjoy in Godzilla (1984), The Return of Godzilla, and Godzilla 1985.
Thanks for reading! My other articles for Pop Culture Retrorama are here, and if you enjoy old school wrestling, you can read my work for Pro Wrestling Stories here.
Friends, on this site as well as my nearly a decade of writing on the Retroist, I have professed my love of RoboCop, the darkly satirical 1987 masterpiece by Paul Verhoeven (Total Recall, Starship Troopers). I am sure that in a future Pop Culture Retrorama podcast I will share my memories of catching the film at the local Drive-In. The film really holds up thanks to a tight screenplay by Ed Neumeier (Starship Troopers 3: Marauder) and Michael Miner (The Book of Stars) – in addition to the incredible effects by the likes of Rob Bottin (The Thing) and his crew. Then of course there is the embarrassment of riches in regards to the cast with Peter Weller (Of Unknown Origin), Kurtwood Smith (That ’70s Show), Nancy Allen (Blow Out), Ronny Cox (Beverly Hills Cop), Ray Wise (Swamp Thing), and the late and great Miguel Ferrer (Twin Peaks) to name a few. Under Verhoeven’s direction and an incredible score by Basil Poledouris (Conan the Barbarian) – with all these elements in place – what could have in the wrong hands turned out to be a forgettable action movie instead became a much celebrated film and spawned a franchise.
Which brings us to this fantastic making of RoboCop featurette, which right off the bat gives us a glimpse at what I believe is a deleted press conference scene. Furthermore during the brutal slaying of Officer Murphy (Weller), it is revealed that some of it was done with a lifelike animatronic puppet… which makes sense… you probably don’t want explosive squibs going off on the lead actor’s head, right?
From what I have been able to find online, that memorable suit that Peter Weller wore was also constructed by Rob Bottin and his effects company. One that apparently was so hot that the actor was said to have lost around 3 lbs a day – supposedly an air conditioning unit was eventually hooked up to the suit. In fact to see the amount of work it took to get Weller into his costume – check out this behind the scenes visit from Entertainment Tonight.
Friends, it was a little over thirty years ago that I came to a startling conclusion – I was born in the wrong era. At least in regards to my choice in entertainment as a teenager and young adult – I am referring to my love of film noir, old time radio, and big band music. That of course didn’t mean that I wasn’t a fan of modern entertainment too – but there was this little wistful desire to see the merging of my love of the past with the present. As a matter of fact, I think we have 1980’s Xanadu to thank for getting the ball rolling on that idea of the merging of eras.
Which is the long way around to explain why I immediately fell in love with Postmodern Jukebox, after catching their 2016 cover of “Forget You” featuring LeVance Colley. I was actually at the arcade and one of the Players happened to be at the snack bar listening to it – they were kind enough to let me watch a few videos on their phone – afterwards I hopped over to iTunes and bought a few albums.
Postmodern Jukebox began back in 2011 – founded by Scott Bradlee – who not only arranges the music but is also the band’s pianist. The group which is made up of a collective of artists has produced 26 albums and showcased over 70 guest performers – to say nothing of being able to tour six continents. Postmodern Jukebox has in addition been known to cover popular theme songs from animated series – such as Pokemon and of course Pinky and the Brain.
Featuring Emily Goglia (Grease Live!), this cover of the Pinky and the Brain theme is a slow and satisfying number that would be perfect for a nightclub in the ’50s. In my opinion however they have managed to up the ante by featuring none other than Maurice LaMarche (The Real Ghostbusters) and Rob Paulsen (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) – the legendary voice talents who portrayed the Brain and Pinky on both Animaniacs and the Pinky and the Brain spin-off series.
Friends, there were many noteworthy releases under the Power Records imprint, produced and released by Peter Pan Records starting in the ’70s. Many of them based on popular films, television series, and comic book characters – as a mater of fact we’ve shared more than a couple right here on the PCR site. If I am being completely honest, there are a few releases that might cause you to raise an eyebrow though – such as Kojak, The Man-Thing, Dracula, and even Conan the Barbarian. Those last three were licensed from Marvel Comics by the way – but the story lines for all four have elements that you might describe as being rather mature/scary for a children’s record. Of course when the subject of the record is Conan the Barbarian you expect stories filled with adventures of derring-do and epic battles for survival, right?
And he laughs at your mature/scary subject matter!
The Thunder Dust is one of four stories featured on the 1976 Conan the Barbarian LP – along with The Crawler in the Mists, The Jewel of the Ages, and Shadow of the Stolen City. As I understand it, The Crawler in the Mists was also released as a book and record set – in 1976 as well I believe.
While I have not been able to locate any information on who provided the voices for this 1976 LP – at the very least I can tell you that it was Neal Adams (Batman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow) who provided the artwork for the cover of the record album. Having said that however there is the possibility that Adams has inked over pencils provided by John Buscema – that is just my opinion though.
The story for The Thunder Dust finds Conan in a bit of trouble – thanks to all things being swindled by a clothes merchant. The result is he finds himself being shanghaied – forced to act as an oarsman… until the Cimmerian decides to fight for his freedom. The titular dust is a mixture that explodes when introduced to a source of flame – a bad thing to have on a ship with an angry Conan, right?
Friends, it never ceases to amaze me that as much as we research and write about all manner of pop culture related topics on this site – there is always another amazing discovery to be found. Case in point, the fact that Post Cereal back in 1968 was entertaining the idea of producing Beep Beep – a Road Runner cereal. While obviously it never reached the stage where it was being produced and placed on store shelves – at the very least this animatic was created and gives us a glimpse of what the television commercial might have looked liked.
For some reason I find that storyboard showing Wile E. Coyote’s reaction to the oncoming train to be really, really terrifying.
Look at the fear on Wile E. Coyote’s face!
By the time Beep Beep cereal was in development, the popular Saturday morning series The Bugs Bunny Show had switched from ABC to CBS – becoming The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour. The Bugs Bunny Show by the way debuted on ABC back on October 11th of 1960, originally not on Saturday mornings at all but on Tuesday evenings, until the middle of August of ’62. As General Foods which included Post Cereals was the sponsor for the prime time series, it stands to reason they saw how popular the character of Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote were with kids of the day. And while it is true that the Looney Tunes animated shorts introduced a slew of memorable characters over the years – can you really say that Pepe Le Pew, Yosemite Sam, or even Sylvester and Tweety would have made better mascots for a new cereal?
I’ve not been able to find out why the Road Runner cereal never saw the light of day – perhaps they tested it with children and it didn’t do so well? From the animatic however it definitely sounds like the cereal would have tasted the same as Super Sugar Crisp aka Golden Crisp.
Friends, by the time that Atari Games developed and produced Primal Rage in 1994 – the likes of Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat had firmly staked their claims as being the top arcade fighting franchises to beat. As I have shared on the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast in the past – during that time while we were lucky enough to have an arcade in my neck of the woods – it was a pale comparison to the glory days of the local ShowBiz Pizza. While only possessing around 20 or so games – it was here where I first truly dipped my toe into the fighting game genre… and it would be an absolute lie if I didn’t admit that I was truly horrible at them.
Having said that, while I might have walked away from the Street Fighter series, the characters and lore of Mortal Kombat has kept me faithful to that franchise to this very day.
So you will understand the reason why back in 1994, when I first stepped up to Primal Rage at that little arcade, that I harbored no hopes of doing any better than with the likes of Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter II, Fatal Fury, Virtua Fighter, and others. I ponied up my two tokens and had my first taste of the lore for the game – an asteroid smashes into the Earth and causes ecological devastation – and the awakening of seven prehistoric creatures that had until then laid dormant deep within the planet. Civilization as we know it collapses into a new stone age and these emerging creatures become worshiped as living Gods – to fight over and rule this new ‘Urth’.
Very much to my surprise, I was quite good at Primal Rage – in particular a velociraptor called Talon – who along with Blizzard, Armadon, and Sauron represent the virtuous creatures of New Urth. With Diablo, Chaos, and Vertigo being the living embodiment of decay, insanity, evil – avatars of destruction. Just like with Mortal Kombat I was really drawn to the lore and characters of Primal Rage – so much so that I bought the comic book mini-series as well as the 1997 novel entitled Primal Rage: The Avatars.
Imagine my delight when a fan of the Diary podcast was kind enough to send me the link to this 1994 Making of Primal Rage video – which goes into a bit of the stop-motion animation that helped make the arcade game stand out!
Greetings, Pop Culture Retrorama fans, and Happy Halloween!
I’ve intended to get this post out to you for the better part of a month, but better late than never, right? Today’s review of Gargoyles #4 is thematically appropriate for the Halloween season and has a surprisingly dark ending for a comic aimed at younger readers. Pull up a seat and check out Gargoyles #4, “Blood from a Stone.”
If you missed my review of Gargoyles #3, you can check it out here.
Here’s a full synopsis of Gargoyles #4. While I normally try to avoid doing a full synopsis of each issue, I think in honor of the holiday, we should know the full story. I do spoil the story, so be advised!
Our story opens with Beth Maza, Elisa’s sister, undercover at Sacrilege when she is attacked by a gang. Fortunately for her, Broadway swoops in to save the day. When Broadway tries to talk to Beth, she runs away in fear, not yet being privy to Elisa’s friendship with the gargoyles. Broadway, a bit saddened by the interaction, turns to leave when a hand on his shoulder surprises him. He meets a female gargoyle-like creature, and they fly off together to grab a bite to eat. After an evening of wolfing down hamburgers and hot dogs, they part company, but not before Lavonne, Broadway’s new companion nearly falls from the sky. Broadway catches her and promises to meet her again the next night.
Meanwhile, Elisa mops up the crime scene at Sacrilege and is shocked to learn that the murder victim didn’t die of the fall as it would have appeared. He was slashed and drained of blood! While Elisa works on that mystery, we get some backstory about Lavonne and her horrifying origins. This is also my favorite panel in the entire book. I love how they framed the storytelling. This is also some of the scariest imagery in the entire book (but not the scariest…that’s yet to come).
Back to Elisa on the case, tracking Glasses back to the scene of the crime. Before she can confront him, they’re both bombarded by…Demona? NO! Lavonne! She vows to return, taking revenge on Glasses for the death of her boyfriend, Price (that’s right, she’s the missing girl Elisa’s been looking for!) and revenge against Elisa, blaming her for not preventing Price’s death. She flies off, but before Glasses can get a jump on Elisa, Goliath intervenes.
Back at the clock tower, the guys don’t seem to believe Broadway about his lady. He glides off to meet Lavonn just the same. He brings her back to the clock tower, to the shock of all involved, but especially Bronx who distrusts her immediately, growling and barking. The trio and Lavonne fly off, and inadvertently frighten a couple of guys spraypainting a bridge, and one falls off! Lavonne catches him, but the temptation to bite him nearly overcomes her. She resists when Broadway nearly catches her. The guys meanwhile have been fighting for Lavonne’s attention. Lavonne pulls Broadway away saying, “Let’s leave them! It’s YOU I want to be all alone with!” Broadway, of course, cannot resist. They leave and the temptation to give in to her vampiric nature overcomes Lavonne. She bites Broadway, but in the excitement of the evening neither has paid close attention to the time. Lavonne bites Broadway as the sun rises, which is her bane and Broadway’s salvation, as stone sleep will heal him. Unfortunately, the two fall together as Broadway begins to turn to stone with her in his arms. She cannot escape his embrace. They crash land through the roof of a greenhouse, a bed of roses cushioning their fall. Broadway, a stone statue, locked in the embrace of the shriveled corpse that was Lavonne.
Tragic, RIGHT? I was taken aback by how dark this story is, especially that final panel. One other thing I should mention about Lavonne is that she assumed her vampiric state via experiments done by Genutech, a Xanatos operation. She was a failed experiment that should have been dead and tossed to the bottom of the sea. Yet she broke free of her would-be coffin, killed her assailants, and flew off into the night, on the hunt for revenge.
This story is the perfect vampire tale to round out your Halloween. Too scary for you? Let’s look at some ads that helped to add some levity to the darkest Gargoyles comic we’ve seen yet.
While I’ve never been a huge fan of Cap’n Crunch, I find this kind of advertising interesting. I have always been a fan of schedules and planners, despite being slightly disorganized, and this is the kind of advertising that would be utterly fascinating to me.
X-Men advertising made a lot of rounds during this time. It was the height of the cartoon’s popularity. I really thought hard about sending off for this, as I consumed a fair amount of Kool-aid in my day.
I remember seeing this ad in a few different comic books back then and being mildly annoyed by the bad pun. I do like Nerds candy though, and I suppose you are what you eat.
As I’ve mentioned before, I love the X-Men. If you slapped the X-Men on a snack or some pasta, or pretty much anything, you could bet that I begged my mom to put it in the shopping cart. I definitely got to enjoy some X-Men pasta a few times.
Friends, while obviously this day was intended to share only articles that are in line for the Season – it is with a broken heart that we pass along the news that Sir Sean Connery passed away this morning at the age of 90. Obviously that is a very good run, make no mistake about that, but very much like with Kirk Douglas, Carl Reiner, Diana Rigg, Tim Skelly, Max von Sydow, Stuart Gordon, Sir Ian Holm, Joel Schumacher, John Saxon, and Ennio Morricone among others… I was not ready to see them go. It is the absolute truth that Sir Sean Connery left behind some very memorable films as his legacy – including seven James Bond films – in total he amassed 93 acting credits in film and television during his long career.
Instead of presenting some dry history, I thought that instead I would share five of my favorite films that Sir Sean Connery appeared in – although in the case of one – it was a matter of lending his iconic voice. We are going to start off with the very first movie that I caught that featured Connery, that was 1986’s Highlander. And from the first moment his character of Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez appears in that cult classic – he instantly steals the show from the likes of Christopher Lambert and even Clancy Brown.
A year later Sir Sean Connery would be cast in Brian De Palma’s exceptional The Untouchables. Playing Officer Jimmy Malone of the CPD, who finds himself helping Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) take on Al Capone (Robert De Niro) and his criminal organization during prohibition. A role that would earn Connery the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role – which I personally feel the actor rightfully deserved.
It was in 1989 that Connery would land the role of Professor Henry Jones, the Father of none other than Indiana Jones, in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. A fitting choice it would seem as the actor would explain to the Lucasfilm Fan Club Magazine as reported in a 2019 article on Ultimate Classic Rock:
“Indiana Jones, in some ways, is a Bondian character because he always ends up in terrible situations, which always have to resolved with some invention or humorous action,”
Now another of my all-time favorite films featuring Sir Sean Connery is Dragonheart from 1996 – where he provided his voice to Draco – a noble dragon and the last of his kind. Although not appearing in the film in person, I have read that animators studied his recording sessions to inject some of his mannerisms into the character.
For my fifth choice of favorite movies starring Connery, we are going to go back to 1975, with the adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Man Who Would Be King. Directed by John Huston (The African Queen, Moby Dick) and co-starring Sir Michael Caine – it is an incredible adventure and the camaraderie between the two leads is quite evident. For what it might be worth, the soundtrack by Maurice Jarre (Lawrence of Arabia) is also one of my all-time favorites.
In closing out this article, I feel I should add that it seems 2020 has taken far, far too many of our beloved entertainers and celebrities. It is never ‘enjoyable’ to write these rest in peace articles – however it feels important to do so to mark the passing of such a talented individual. We will dim the lights in the auditorium.
Friends, I hope you won’t mind too much if we start off our Halloween 2020 celebration here on the PCR site – by sharing yet another piece of television history that features Vincent Price. The other evening we had the opportunity to enjoy the legendary Price as host of The Horror Hall of Fame from back in 1974. Today we are going to offer up a brief interview from the popular BBC talk show entitled Parkinson, as the host was Sir Michael Parkinson, with not just Price but Wilfrid Hyde-White (Buck Rogers in the 25th Century) as well. The interview itself is barely over four minutes long – but right at the beginning Parkinson makes mention of appearing with Price previously in a film – that happens to be 1974’s Madhouse.
It might not surprise you to learn that Parkinson portrayed a television interviewer in Madhouse – although it was a tiny role it should be pointed out that he had a bigger part in the iconic UK TV movie entitled Ghostwatch. Originally airing on Halloween night 28 years ago – while having been filmed it was aired as if it was live – an investigation of poltergeist activity in a home located in Greater London. It is a surprisingly effective bit of horror – especially if you keep in mind that audiences thought they were seeing a live news program – one that initially isn’t taking itself seriously and then things spiral out of control… the end really sticks with you. Even though the beginning of the program plainly stated it was written by Stephen Volk (The Awakening) – many people were ‘tricked’ into believing it was real – it has been said that the BBC had 30,000 phone calls from frightened and angry people after the program was aired. For ten years it wasn’t allowed to be shown again in fear that it might frighten viewers once again.
This 1976 interview Sir Michael Parkinson allows Vincent Price to showcase his talents as a natural raconteur – sharing some amusing anecdotes about his career in the horror genre and even being mistaken for Boris Karloff!
Friends, as hard as it might be to believe, we have nearly reach the end of October and only one more day remains until Halloween. Obviously I am not sure what you might have planned in regards to celebrations plans for tomorrow – but might I suggest you find a way to squeeze in The Horror Hall of Fame television special? Originally released on the evening of February 20th of 1974, it just so happens to feature none other than Vincent Price as host, along with some fantastic guest stars sharing their history with the horror genre.
Interestingly enough there were three other Horror Hall of Fame television specials – but as I’ve found online they have no connection besides honoring the horror genre. With The Horror Hall of Fame it is presented as more of a talk show or perhaps a variety special is the more apt description. Besides having the legendary Vincent Price acting as host – you also have the likes of John Astin (The Addams Family), Frank Gorshin (Batman ’66), John Carradine (The Secret of NIMH), Candy Clark (American Graffiti), as well as iconic make-up artist William Tuttle (The Twilight Zone).
Here is a fun fact for you, supposedly the actual taping of The Horror Hall of Fame, or at least the segment featuring Carradine was on February 5th of 1974. I bring this up as if that is indeed true – it would mean it was his 68th birthday. What better way to celebrate than appear beside a fellow member of the ‘Horror Hall of Fame’ and reminiscence on your career in horror films?
So without further ado, dim the lights if you are able and let Vincent Price act as your guide through the hallowed halls… and crypts… of 1974’s The Horror Hall of Fame.
We will have a few more holiday treats for you tomorrow – so make sure to check back with us for some Halloween fun throughout the day. In addition, a huge thank you to Dr. Gangrene for uploading this 1974 gem of a Holiday special!
It’s the last call before 2020’s spooky season is over, soundtrack fans, and it seems like all of the soundtrack labels have stepped up to the plate with a fresh round of offerings to stick in your ears.
Click on the images to embiggen.
La-La Land Records is celebrating its 18th anniversary with a pair of releases; each one represents the music from a season of Amazon Prime’s The Boys, with much by Christopher Lennertz. Lennertz’ music takes up both of the first season’s two discs, while he shares the single-disc season two release with four original songs featured prominently in the show’s second year. Each set is available in a pressing of only 2,000 copies, so jump on these releases like they’re as fleeting as the public’s perception of your superpowers and your motivation for using them. Both soundtracks from The Boys start shipping November 9th.
Oh, and by the way, that 18th anniversary? It’s being celebrated with an 18% discount on everything – including these new releases – ordered from La-La Land’s website through November 9th.
Intrada’s other offering is a new release of Jerry Goldsmith’s score from 2001’s The Last Castle, heard here across 2 CDs with plentiful previously unavailable music, including one major scene whose music was ghost-written by Mark McKenzie.
Meanwhile, a bunch of new releases have escaped from the Buysoundtrax labs. ’50s movie maestro Albert Glasser, renowned for his bold, brassy sound, is the latest composer to merit a collection of releases at Buysoundtax, with Volume 1 of the Albert Glasser Collection featuring his scores from the films Huk! and Tokyo File 212, available on CD (in a pressing of 500 copies), with a digital download made available immediately upon purchase.
If you want spooky stuff, Buysoundtrax also you covered, with Richard Band’s score for Stuart Gordon’s adaptation of the H.P. Lovecraft story From Beyond, revived in a remixed form with three previously unreleased bonus tracks, available in a pressing of 500 copies. Likewise, another Full Moon film, 1996’s Demon In A Bottle, has its John Morgan score released for the first time in any medium, again in a pressing of 500 copies on CD.
Also available is Chuck Cirino’s score from the 1992 film Munchie, which was – arguably – inspired just a little bit by Gremlins. Again, only 500 copies are available on CD.
Available as a digital-only release from Buysoundtrax is a collection of themes from Bear McCreary’s scores to the Starz series Outlander, arranged for solo piano and performed by Joohyun Park.
What musical delights with the labels roll out between now and the end-of-year shopping season? Stay tuned, soundtrack fans, because…nobody knows. The end of the year is traditionally a time for the labels to roll out the big guns (but this being 2020, it may be wise to unexpect the expected). Will I get the soundtrack from the second season of The Orville that I’ve been waiting for all year? Or a soundtrack from Star Trek: Lower Decks?
To be continued. In the meantime, I’ll let you gaze upon my own latest soundtrack purchase, Buysoundtrax’s unexpected deep-dive release of Don Davis’ music from Space Odyssey: Voyage To The Planets, signed by the composer himself. Good, epic, big-damn-space-hero stuff. (We covered this release here.)
I’m a big fan of Hasbro embracing the retro aesthetic of Star Wars toy history. I was a total mark for Hasbro’s Vintage Collection – basically, fairly high-end 3.75″ figures in retro-styled packaging – especially once new characters who were never seen in vintage-style packaging became a mainstay of the line. (I like it enough that a representative sampling of the Vintage Collection is literally part of the decor of the home office where I’m writing this.)
Yes, this is actually my office. I really do work here. And fight space battles when no one’s looking.
The Mandalorian, returning this week on Disney Plus, has joined the Vintage Collection, though at an agonizingly slow clip. The figures are the same high quality – basically, the Vintage Collection figures are what used to be called the 3.75″ Black Series figures – and the packaging is that same lovely dollop of cognitive dissonance that you get from putting current Star Wars characters in old-style Star Wars packaging.
But in May 2021, The Mandalorian gets an entire wave of Hasbro’s Retro Collection figures to itself. Different from the Vintage Collection, the Retro Collection has – up until now – reproduced the original five-point-of-articulation Kenner style, complete with more impressionistic sculpts of the characters, simpler color schemes, and very basic accessories. The Retro Collection has, however, already broken from the reproductions-only scheme to give us a Kenner-style Grand Moff Tarkin as a pack-in with a reproduction of the classic Kenner Escape From The Death Star game.
Next year, the Retro Collection gives us a whole batch of new characters never even imagined on Kenner’s watch, but now rendered in Kenner’s style – not only is the packaging retro, but the figures are too.
Click any image to see it in more detail – as big anyone can make a Kenner-style Baby Yoda.
It’s just possible that the eight characters previewed omit new characters yet to be revealed – which wouldn’t be unprecedented, given that the existence of The Mandalorian’s breakout star, the Child, was kept even from the makers of licensed Star Wars merchandise until this time last year.
The figures have the same simple joints and vinyl “capes” that were such common features of Kenner’s original action figure lineup. There’s also been a hint or two that these figures may be a little easier on the wallet than the more complex Vintage Collection figures – a little bit of Beskar may go further with the Retro Collection. (Bonus points to anyone who poses Moff Gideon in a hand-to-hand battle with the Gus Fring figure from the ReAction Breaking Bad toy range.)
And hey, they’d look great in my office, clearly a place where lots of serious business gets done.
Former Kids of a Certain Age will have no problem remembering the haunting 1977 TV series Children Of The Stones, a single-season paranormal epic whose theme song alone was enough to scare the faint-of-heart away from their TV screens. And even though it was made in the UK, American kids got their own dose of the show via Nickelodeon’s “The Third Eye” programming block in the early 1980s. In fact, we’ve even profiled the show on Pop Culture Retrorama before.
And now, just in time for Halloween, it’s back – but in a decidedly more modern form.
Courtesy BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 has revived Children Of The Stones as a brand new radio drama formatted as a podcast with each episode lasting anywhere from ten to twenty minutes. The basic story outline – newcomers to the quaint town of Milbury find that there’s something sinister with the townsfolks’ constant pursuit of happiness – remains the same. The characters and details, however, have gotten a modern makeover. The story now centers on young Mia Brake (Matthew in the original TV series), a wanna-be paranormal podcaster who decides that the mystery of Milbury could make her show a breakout hit. She doesn’t find out until too later that investigating that mystery could make her a threat to somebody’s plans…
The complete story – told in seven 25-minute episodes in the original TV incarnation of the tale – now takes up 10 episodes in this new audio iteration, and all ten are free to listen on Radio 4’s website (at least while supplies last). If you’re looking for a good scare between your ears, this latest generation of Children Of The Stones is a treat.
Friends, as Halloween is nearly upon us, my fellow PCR contributors felt that it might not be such a bad idea to get together and produce our second Halloween Special for the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast. As the Projectionist and myself had no plans for such a special for the Saturday Frights podcast – this sounded like an excellent idea. Besides giving those of us on the site an opportunity to help you get into the spirit of the Season – this second Holiday Special when all is said and done focuses on a lot of spooky and Halloween themed television shows and specials. For example, Rockford Jay not only shares his memories of a time that his Family threw an impressive Halloween party – but catching Trick or Treat – the pilot episode for the Tales from the Darkside series.
In addition on this second Halloween Special we have Ashley Thomas aka The Nerdy Blogger of Fangirlish – who shares her love for the 1993 animated adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s The Halloween Tree. A Holiday treat that I have shared my love for many times in the past.
Allison Venezio-Preston joins us once again, this time to talk about an episode of Quantum Leap, one that surprisingly wasn’t released in time for Halloween back in the day. But after hearing her segment, I think you will agree that it is a perfect episode to watch during the Season.
Earl Green shares his thoughts on the recently released Doctor Who: Fury From the Deep – a formerly lost episode during the Patrick Troughton era of the television show. A story that involves the Doctor and his companions getting mixed up in an investigation of an odd sort of seaweed – one capable of both mind control and even poisoning it’s victims.
As for myself, I talk a little about Walt Disney’s The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh, the 1963 adaptation featuring Patrick McGoohan (The Prisoner) as the Reverend Dr. Christopher Syn aka the Scarecrow. The character who first appeared in the 1915 book entitled Dr. Syn: A Tale of Romney Marsh by Russell Thorndike.
While the official release of the second season of the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast is still a month or so away – we hope you are enjoying the new direction of the show so far. Without further ado, have a safe and Happy Halloween as you listen to our second Halloween Special.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
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Friends, I have to be quite upfront about the title of this article, the legendary Isaac Asimov only takes a few moments in this 13 minute interview to talk about his appreciation of both Star Wars and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. However I was very surprised to learn how much he actually enjoyed the two films – as my first introduction to Asimov was a TV Guide essay in the mid-80s, in which he was railing against the popularity of NBC’s ALF. As I was quite the fan of everyone’s favorite surviving inhabitant of Melmac at the time – you will probably understand why my feathers were a little ruffled over his comments.
Thankfully I had a teacher in Junior High School that not only made me realize that the point of the essay wasn’t exactly an attack on ALF as a sitcom – but the lack of logic in the series. For example, thanks to MeTV who actually were able to get their hands on the TV Guide you can read this excerpt from the 1987 essay by Asimov:
“Asimov says: “He crash-lands his spaceship right through the roof of the family’s garage. Now I, with my limited imagination, would have ended the sitcom at once. I would have reasoned thus: When an automobile goes over a lousy 100-foot cliff, its occupants are killed; therefore when a spaceship comes screaming down through 100 miles [emphasis Asimov’s] of atmosphere, its occupants would be killed, too. That’s that.”
His tongue in cheek analysis of the sitcom aside, thanks to that same teacher, I quickly began to realize how important a writer Isaac Asimov truly was. In addition I was directed to the library to check out a copy of I, Robot – of the ten stories featured in the collection, I enjoyed Little Lost Robot and Robbie the most.
This interview between Isaac Asimov and David Letterman took place back on October 21st of 1980 – just three days before The David Letterman Show was cancelled. Although as we know – less than two years later Late Night with David Letterman debuted on February 1st of 1982 and ran for eleven seasons.
Besides the brief discussion on the Star Wars films, Asimov and Letterman talk about such subjects as the then future of medicine, space exploration, hope for mankind, and much more.
Friends, as originally posted back at the end of September, while we are not lucky enough to be getting the second season of Shudder’s Creepshow this Season – we are at least being gifted two terrifying tales courtesy of A Creepshow Animated Special. The original information for the upcoming special stated that it would debut on Shudder on October 26th – it appears that the Creep needed a little extra time however as the new date is now Thursday October the 29th. The delay is understandable as the trailer for A Creepshow Animated Special reveals – the Creep himself is doing all the hard work of animating the Holiday treat!
A Creepshow Animated Special will feature two stories from Father and Son duo, Joe Hill (NOS4A2) and Stephen King (Salem’s Lot). The former has contributed a short story entitled Twittering from the Circus of the Dead – which was initially published in the 2010 collection entitled The New Dead. In my opinon, what little that actually might be worth, if you are a fan of the zombie genre you totally need to add the book to your personal library. In this adaptation by Melanie Dale, it is Joey King (The Act, Fargo) that lends her voice to the animated segment about a bored teenager who is in for the shock of her life.
Stephen King’s 1982 short story Survivor Type, which originally was published in the horror anthology collection entitled Terrors – has none other than Kiefer Sutherland (The Lost Boys, Young Guns) portraying a shipwrecked man… who must face some extremely gruesome choices to survive. I believe that it is Creepshow showrunner Greg Nicotero that has handled the the duties for adapting this memorable short story.
In closing out this article, besides The Mortuary Collection, A Creepshow Animated Special is what I have been most looking forward to watching this Season – and as it debuts just a few day before Halloween – it will certainly make for a most delightful treat. I will be sure to provide a non-spoiler review after I have the pleasure of checking it out for myself.
Friends, it was on October 24th of 1980 that Motel Hell was originally released to theaters – a darkly funny horror romp that immediately became a cult classic. And like the last couple of films that we have shared that are celebrating their fourth decade – Motel Hell was a movie that I didn’t originally experience at the local theater or drive-in of my youth. Once again, my Father and I first caught this film on the Movie Channel – late one night – around a year after it was originally released. It’s truly humorous take on a sort of backwoods family and the secret of their prized meats is one we would watch again and again.
Yes, that is indeed John Ratzenberger, who already had a cameo in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – and just two years later would become quite well known for his portrayal of Cliff Clavin on Cheers for eleven seasons.
Of course Ratzenberger also played Hamm in the Toy Story films.
If you’ve not seen Motel Hell for yourself, it concerns the Smith Family – elder brother Vincent (Rory Calhoun), his Sister Ida (Nancy Parsons), and their younger brother Bruce (Paul Linke) who also happens to be the town sheriff. Vincent has made quite a name for himself thanks to his popular line of smoked meats – in addition with help from Ida, they also run the Motel Hello. Unbeknownst to Bruce and the legion of devoted fans of ‘Farmer Vincent’s smoked meats’ – the secret ingredient is the source of the meats… which is long pig. Ida and Vincent capture folks passing by or even some of the guests at their motel – planting them in a secret garden after severing their vocal cords so they can’t cry for help. The trouble begins for the Smiths though when Vincent takes a shine to a survivor of one of his ambushes on the road – a young woman named Terry (Nina Axelrod) who also catches the eye of Bruce.
Naturally I do realize that synopsis doesn’t sound all that funny – but I assure you that director Kevin Connor (At the Earth’s Core) layered the film with an impressive amount of black comedy. Although having said that I will admit that if you watch the original theatrical trailer for Motel Hell, there is no humor to be seen. You definitely get the idea that the Studio was trying to attract The Texas Chain Saw Massacre crowd.
So here is to 40 years of Motel Hell – with it’s garden of human beings, chainsaw dueling scenes, and the ability to make you pause before you snap into that next Slim Jim. After all as Vincent Smith is fond of saying:
“It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent’s fritters.”
Friends, one of the benefits of working down in the Vault with the Projectionist – is that on occasion he will let me borrow something from his collection to share. Case in point this ‘flyer’ of sorts, which I assume was sent out to film distributors and possibly movie theaters to let them know what Universal Pictures had in store for 1982. It would certainly seem that Universal Pictures felt that audiences would be packing their local movie auditoriums and drive-in theaters to catch films that represented the genres of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. Although in all honesty there is at least one that in a roundabout way manages to include all three genres – The Dark Crystal.
Granted the ‘horror’ elements of The Dark Crystal are mainly the fates of quite a few of the podlings… and of course the Skeksis in general. For what little it might actually be worth, working at a local movie theater for nine years – I saw quite a few newsletters as well as similar types of advertisements – generally double-sided with suggestions for how to decorate the theater for an upcoming film, etc.
I will admit that while looking at this, I was rather impressed by the amount of focus they put on the legacy of the Universal Monsters – in addition to their classic science fiction and ‘modern’ horror films like Jaws.
That is a pretty amazing legacy of science fiction, fantasy, and horror!
But what films was Universal Pictures rallying behind in 1982 – the answer might surprise you. It is quite understandable that they would be crowing about the release of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and of course The Dark Crystal, they are Family pictures after all. Obviously Conan was chosen to represent the fantasy (More Sword & Sorcery in my opinion) genre like with Jim Henson and Frank Oz’s film. With Paul Schrader’s Cat People, John Carpenter’s The Thing, and Videodrome showcasing the horror films that Universal Pictures was set to release. However it is David Cronenberg’s iconic science fiction/body horror that I find rather an odd choice – especially considering Halloween III: Season of the Witch was being released at the end of October.
You might be interested to know that of the dates listed – E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Videodrome had their release dates altered. Steven Spielberg’s beloved science fiction film moved up one week to June 11th – with Videodrome finding itself being simultaneously released in Canada and the United States on February 4th of 1983.
In closing out this article, how many of these 1982 films did you see in the theater back in the day?
Friends, the other evening on the Saturday Frights watch party we enjoyed 1990’s Tremors – which was convenient as when we had finished – this recently released documentary was shared with me. Tremors: Making Perfection interviews the likes of Kevin Bacon (Footloose, The Hollow Man), Michael Gross (Family Ties), Ariana Richards (Jurassic Park), as well as some of the crew such as Alec Gillis (Starship Troopers, Death Becomes Her) and director Ron Underwood (City Slickers, Mighty Joe Young) to name just a few. Through the half-hour documentary you’ll get to hear from S.S. Wilson and Brent Maddock, the screenwriters for Tremors, who started with an idea that was originally entitled… Land Sharks.
After watching Tremors: Making Perfection, it appears that everyone involved had a wonderful experience while making the picture. Although it bears pointing out that even after Kevin Bacon had signed on for the role – he had quite a few reservations about the finished film itself. To put it mildly.
During the documentary you will get to see quite a bit of behind the scenes footage – especially in regards to the work of Alec Gillis, who along with Tom Woodruff Jr. and the late and great Stan Winston, co-founded the special effects house Amalgamated Dynamics back in 1988. Not to give too much of Tremors: Making Perfection away but Alec was buried in the Graboid suit for the scenes where they burst out of the ground… left there underneath the ground for sometimes up to an hour!
Now I have discussed my experiences with Tremors along with the Projectionist on an earlier episode of the Saturday Frights podcast – but there is definitely some information in this documentary that that was new to me. A quick heads up, there is a little bit of LANGUAGE in the documentary but nothing too bad – the CREDITS SEQUENCE however becomes pretty blue.
Friends, I am not sure why this might be the case, but it certainly feels like October has just blown by us – Halloween is only a mere ten days away. That leaves plenty of time though for you to still get into the Holiday spirit, and perhaps our Toon In offering today will help in that matter. For your viewing pleasure we have the 1933 animated theatrical short entitled The Mad Doctor – produced by Walt Disney and released by United Artists on January 20th of 1933. It involves the kidnapping of Pluto by an unhinged scientist – who appears determined to prove his genius to the World – by transplanting the poor dog’s head onto the body of a chicken. It is up to Mickey Mouse to brave the castle of the Mad Doctor, avoid deadly traps and its supernatural inhabitants to get Pluto back!
Perhaps it is the fact that we see Pluto in such distress throughout The Mad Doctor that makes it seem so terrifying. Of course the amount of rather angry skeletons might have a little to do with that fact too – having said that though it’s not like this Disney short was the first to feature a group of lively skeletons. Just four years earlier Disney produced the memorable Silly Symphony animated short film entitled The Skeleton Dance.
You might be interested to know that The Mad Doctor found itself being banned overseas in the United Kingdom as well as Nazi Germany – which as Esther Leslie’s Hollywood Flatlands: Animation, Critical Theory and the Avant-garde points out was the second of Disney’s films to be banned by the Nazi censors. The Mad Doctor also is one of the few Disney shorts that somehow fell through the cracks and is now public domain – the others I believer are The Spirit of ’43, Hooked Bear, Minnie’s Yoo Hoo and Susie the Little Blue Coupe.
In closing out this article, this was not the last time that the Mad Doctor was seen – while he did make a cameo in 1989’s Tummy Trouble in a photograph – he has managed to appear in a handful of video games. Starting with 1993’s Mickey Mania: The Timeless Adventures of Mickey Mouse, as well as 2010’s Epic Mickey and Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two – which was released appropriately enough just two years later.
Friends, as the Sun begins to set over the Vault and considering Halloween is nearly here – what better way to get into the spirit of the Season than listening to the late and great Sir Christopher Lee recite The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe. Obviously Lee is not the only actor to have lent his powerful voice to the reading of this 1845 poem by Poe – far from it in fact with the likes of Christopher Walken, John Astin, William Shatner, Basil Rathbone, and Vincent Price to name just a few who have recited the poem. However there are few of those I have just mentioned that can match the gravitas that Sir Christopher Lee brings to this particular recording – although what else should we expect from the man who brought us such memorable performances as Saruman the White, Lord Summerisle, and of course Dracula!
Now to be totally honest, I do not know where this reading of The Raven originates – perhaps a collection of work by Poe that Lee read I am wholly unaware of. I do at least know that back in 1981 he read five stories from Poe – for a 2 cassette tape set entitled Christopher Lee Reads Tales of Mystery and Horror that was produced by EMI. The stories included in that particular collection are Hop Frog, The Raven, The Masque of the Red Death, The Tell-Tale Heart, as well as The Murders in the Rue Morgue. Having taken a moment to listen to Lee’s 1981 reading of The Raven it is obvious the one we are sharing today was from a later recording.
For what it might be worth, The Raven was first published in the New York Evening Mirror on January 29th of 1845. Although the Author would go on to sell the tale to The American Review a few weeks later – to say nothing of it appearing in the likes of the New York Tribune, and the Broadway Journal as well as others. As I understand it, Edgar Allan Poe mentioned that he was inspired to write the tale because of a character in Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of Eighty by Charles Dickens – which featured a talking raven. And while by all accounts it would appear that The Raven was very well received and made Poe something of an instant celebrity – it sadly did nothing to increase the sales of his writings.
With that little bit of history out of the way, why not dim the lights if you are able and enjoy Sir Christopher Lee reading The Raven!
Friends, although this latest episode of the Saturday Frights podcast was sadly delayed for three weeks – a brand new podcast has been uploaded for your listening pleasure – tackling a 1971 episode of Night Gallery, an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s Cool Air. Although we mention it on the show itself, this is actually the second episode of Night Gallery that featured an adaptation of Lovecraft’s work – however Cool Air greatly benefits from a teleplay by none other than Rod Serling. As always the Projectionist and myself do our level best to shine the spotlight on those in front of and behind the camera – although with this memorable 1971 Night Gallery segment – besides the adaptation by Serling – another reason it excelled is that it was directed by none other than Jeannot Szwarc (Jaws 2, Somewhere in Time). Which would prove fitting as unlike the original story by Lovecraft – this version of Cool Air is very much a tragic romance.
If you can watch Somewhere in Time without bawling… you are stronger than I am!
While this episode is a tad shorter than the previous podcasts so far for season three – we did benefit greatly from information found in Rod Serling’s Night Gallery: An After-Hours Tour by both Scott Skelton as well as Jim Benson. If you are a fan of the classic television series, you truly owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of their book – you can find it available on Amazon (Although you might want to skip that hardcover version).
The Projectionist has brought along a few audio treats for this show, and we are joined once again by Rockford Jay – who shares his own memories of seeing Cool Air. I feel that we provide a full synopsis for this episode, while not giving you the beat by beat rundown as we have been known to do in the past.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode – or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
We hope you are enjoying this third season of the Saturday Frights podcast – so before you put in a call for 300 pounds of ice for your bathroom – we hope you will take a moment and listen to our discussion of Night Gallery’s Cool Air.
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Friends, I believe that I mentioned on the Visionaries episode of the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast, that there were a handful of toy lines in the 80s like the aforementioned Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light as well as Inhumanoids that should have made it big… but didn’t. In addition I feel that these two properties from Hasbro are just two examples of where the cartoons proved to be more popular than the toys themselves. Which naturally shows how much skill and work the writers like Flint Dille (G.I. Joe), and Buzz Dixon (Thundarr the Barbarian) among others were pouring into the shows. In 1986 when the Inhumanoids toy line and animated series was unleashed by Hasbro – it was the seven minute animated segments featured as part of the Super Sunday half-hour series that hooked me. As a Monster Kid it was quite thrilling to tune in every weekend and watch these towering and horrific monsters wreck havoc on the surface of the Earth – with only a brave group of scientists and adventurers to oppose them!
For what it might be worth – when Inhumanoids first showed up on the scene – I had already begun my first steps on the road to becoming a fan of the works of H.P. Lovecraft courtesy of Stuart Gordon’s Re-Animator. Obviously the plant-based monstrosity known as Tendril – with his tentacle-like arms and facial features was based off of Lovecraft’s Cthulhu.
Perhaps the greatest threat to the heroic Earth Corps is the mighty Metlar – who leads the Inhumanoids as he is the most powerful and vile – this behemoth of a threat is able to produce lava – whether that be as flaming projectiles or to build barriers and structures. Where Tendril is something of a mindless brute – a weapon to be used by his fellow ancient beings – Metlar is quite the opposite as he is intelligent and very devious.
Last but not least is D’Compose – who might very well be the most horrifying of the trio – as he represents decay and rot – not only does he sport a giant dinosaur-like head but an exposed rib cage, which he frequently uses to cage prisoners within himself. Worst of all with a touch of one of his taloned fingers he can turn any living being – including the heroes of Earth Corps into giant undead minions.
Can you believe that the Inhumanoids cartoon ever made it past censors back in the day? Along with Earth Corps there were other elemental beings known as the Mutores, that attempted to thwart the rampages of Metlar, D’Compose, and Tendril – like the tree-based lifeforms known as Redwoods, or the brave Granites, which as the name implies were a sentient race made up of rocks and boulders. In addition there was Magnakor who had the ability to split into an ice being known as Crygen and the fiery Pyre – who had the unique talent to generate a magnetic field – one of the only things able to halt the likes of Metlar.
So why did the Inhumanoids toy line fail to take off? The answer is quite possibly because there were so very many toy lines competing for shelf space at the time – as well as the fact that with it’s pretty dark animated series, it might have caused parents to balk in picking up the equally disturbing toys.
It might also be the case that the Inhumanoids were just ahead of their time though, which is why I think that it is high time for them to make a comeback. There is an amazingly deep amount of lore for a toy line and cartoon series that only lasted a single year. What do you think though would be the best way for the property to make a return – comic books, toys, video games, or possibly a brand new animated series?
In closing out this article I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the Retroist just a few months ago released a brand new podcast devoted to the toy series. Do yourself a favor and make sure to check it out – it’s the perfect thing to listen to during this Holiday season!
Friends, there are a few things in this great big World that I love more than the Monster Cereals by General Mills – it is something that brings me quite a bit of joy to find on the store shelves during this Holiday season. My devotion to Boo Berry, Franken Berry, and Count Chocula has caused more than a few raised eyebrows, when I wheel my cart full of the cereal to the check out counter every year. When all is said and done I suppose it is just part of my annual October ritual – although I must be totally truthful in pointing out that I personally think Boo Berry is the best of all three Monster Cereals. Back in the day when I was writing for the Retroist – it was always interesting to see how passionate the readership was for their favorite Monster Cereals.
Growing up a Monster Kid, I obviously was attracted to anything that resembled my cinematic monster friends – in particular the Universal Monsters. I might very well be wrong, but I remember the likes of Franken Berry, Count Chocula, and Boo Berry being available all year round. Having said that though – I will admit that the way General Mills releases them these days – it does make it feel more like a special event, right?
Speaking of special events, how does the opportunity to win one of three Monster Cereal busts strike you? Because you totally have that chance thanks to General Mills Monster Cereal Sweepstakes – who are going to be giving out a bust crafted by Karlee Morse (The Boys, In the Tall Grass) this season!
“For your chance to win one of the three Monster Cereal busts, visit the General Mills Instagram account, “like” the official Monster Cereal Sweepstakes post and tell us which Monster from our Monster Cereals is your favorite in the comments, using the hashtag #MonsterCerealSweepstakes.”
In addition, you can watch Karlee Morse at work on the busts for Boo Berry, Count Chocula, and Franken Berry in this behind the scenes video.
Friends, there is no doubt at all in my mind that you are more than familiar with Alvin and the Chipmunks – whether that be through their best selling albums, animated series, or the recent films. Having said that however, I am willing to bet dollars to doughnuts that the majority of you have never heard of The Happy Chipmunks – who released three albums between 1982 and 1984 – which included two Christmas collections as well as covers of popular Michael Jackson songs. The creation of which, as I found out thanks to Discogs, was courtesy of company located in New Jersey – the reason for putting a kid-friendly musical group together was naturally to piggyback off the popularity of Alvin and the Chipmunks. Who had been experincing a surge in popularity thanks to the releases of albums like A Chipmunk Christmas, Chipmunk Rock, and Chipmunk Punk to name just a few.
It appears that around the time The Happy Chipmunks Sing Michael Jackson’s Greatest Hits was released – it had caught the eye of Ross Bagdasarian Jr. – whose Father of course created the Chipmunks – and a lawsuit was filed. Which resulted in The Happy Chipmunks becoming The Happy Hamsters although their shtick remained the same. With the 1984 release of The Happy Hamsters Go Ghostbustin’ the group naturally covers the hit song from the film by Ray Parker Jr. – although the album also features story elements that feature such well known musical themes as The Imperial March from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Carol Anne’s Theme from Poltergeist, and the Gremlin Rag from Gremlins.
Besides a skit involving Dracula – the album features covers of Hall & Oates Maneater, Rockwell’s Somebody’s Watching Me, Michael Sembello’s Maniac, as well as Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Although as I will admit to owning The Happy Hamsters Go Ghostbustin’ – I mainly played the Gremlins Rag and title track.
As far as I know that was the end of the records produced featuring The Happy Hamsters – that however was not the end for one of the members of the band. As ‘Michael’ went on to host a series of Kid Pics VHS tapes – which included a collection of public domain animated shorts and an assortment of science fiction and horror film trailers hosted by Al Lewis (The Munsters). It was a different time… perhaps best proven by watching around the 3:42 mark on the video below.
Friends, as we are basically in the middle of this Holiday season – we fright fans are continuing to reap a bounty of horror films and television series. From the likes of Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, and of course Shudder – these streaming services have been releasing a wonderful collection of vintage, contemporary, and brand new horror treats fitting for this most spooky of seasons. The Mortuary Collection just debuted on Shudder this morning – a horror anthology in the vein of Trick r Treat, Asylum, and of course Creepshow to name a few. This film which was written and directed by Ryan Spindell (Two Sentence Horror Stories, 50 States of Fright) totally flew under my radar until just last week, when I happened to catch the trailer for it on Shudder’s YouTube channel. The fact that Clancy Brown (Highlander, The Shawshank Redemption) was starring in it was the first thing that made me sit up and take notice. But it was the brief and stylistic look of the film – with it’s promise of monstrous and madcap mayhem that made The Mortuary Collection a movie that I longed to get the chance to see.
First of all, I am happy to report that the film did not disappoint – although I will cop to I am possibly an easy sell when it comes to horror anthologies. Having said that though, from just the opening, I was hooked – because the style and look of the film that takes place in the mythical town of Raven’s End is intoxicating. This is especially true within the confines of the Raven’s End mortuary – the home and place of work for Montgomery Dark (Brown) – who is a collector of stories, from those that pass into his care. And judging by the massive library located… somewhere… in the mortuary, Raven’s End is home to all manner of monsters and devilishly delightful deviants.
After all, as Dark comments on in the trailer for The Mortuary Collection:
“Every corpse tells a story. It is our task to listen.”
That is the setup for The Mortuary Collection of course, stories, and the premise of the anthology is that Dark has an unexpected arrival – a young woman named Sam (Caitlin Custer) who is interested in being hired as an assistant. But first she wants to hear about the types of stories that Montgomery Dark has in his collection – the strangest and scariest tales he might be able to regale her with. Which allows him to share three stories with the young woman, three different and horrifying accounts of those whose life’s journey has ended up at the Raven’s End mortuary.
Interestingly enough it appears that each of the stories happens to be a period piece – starting with the first tale taking place in what I assume is the 50s, with the following occurring in the 60s, and then with the third offering being in the 70s. The fourth one is different as after listening to Dark, Sam feels like she can top his spooky stories with a tale of her own choosing… set in the 80s of course. As for the fifth story, it is a long-standing practice in horror anthologies that the connecting segments between the tales themselves act as a story too, right?
The Mortuary Collection is really a fun horror anthology and I consider it a must-see to say the very least. It has an abundance of style and the cast of each of the segments really deliver – although it is both Brown and Custer who perhaps are deserving of the most praise . As a matter of fact, Caitlin was in The Babysitter Murders short film by Spindell in 2015 – which is the basis of her character’s tale by the way and a nice nod to the original title for John Carpenter’s Halloween of course. Brown is obviously having a blast as Montgomery Dark – his character feels like a throwback to the original CryptKeeper from EC Comics Tales from the Crypt. Although I agree with the esteemed Rockford Jay, who after watching the trailer remarked that he is also channeling a little of the late and great Angus Scrimm’s performance as the Tall Man from Don Coscarelli’s Phantasm series!
So if you are looking for something spooky and fun to watch this Holiday season – why not pay a visit to the Raven’s End mortuary and check out The Mortuary Collection?
Friends, you might recall earlier this year we shared a collection public service announcements featuring Spider-Man – in which he touted the desire for receiving fruit after saving the city. We have Rockford Jay to thank for finding those fun PSAs – but the truth of the matter is he has found yet another one – this time featuring none other than Captain America. Released in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, it found the good Captain doing battle with the likes of the fiery Thermal Thief, the electricity based villainess known as the Wattage Waster, and the frosty Cold Air Crook!
Captain America totally gave the Thermal Thief a rather violent stiff-armed response, right?
It might interest you to know that this 1980 team-up between Marvel Comics greatest Avenger and the U.S. Department of Energy also resulted in a comic book being produced – one featuring the Campbell Soup Kids. The trio faced off against the Energy Drainers – made up of two of the same villains from the PSA, with the Cold Air Crook being replaced by Doomsday Man (Who appears to just suck up any type of energy that is on hand).
The giveaway comic was written by the legendary Bill Mantlo (Micronauts, Rom: The Space Knight, The Incredible Hulk) – with pencils being handled by Herb Trimpe (The Incredible Hulk) and Allan Kupperberg (Blue Devil).
What I find to be a little curious is how I never received a copy of this particular comic book. I bring that up because both my Grandfather and Grandmother worked at the local Campbell Soup plant their entire lives – they received some pretty amazing gifts over the years too. You would think the company might have passed out the comic books to their staff for their kids and such, right?
In finishing out this article – I will admit that I hopped over to eBay and found an issue for sale – although perhaps a little higher than I’m willing to pay for a novelty comic. Did any of you possibly have the comic back in the day or remember seeing that 1980 public service announcement back in the day?
Friends, it was 40 years ago today that the excellent if perhaps not widely known Fade to Black was first released to theaters. And like with Heavy Metal as well as Terror Train, while Fade to Black did play at the theater of my youth – the first time I caught the thriller was thanks yet again to the Movie Channel. Although I certainly do remember standing in the lobby one weekend, just staring at that awesome poster for the film, of Dennis Christopher (Stephen King’s It, Django Unchained) as his character of Eric Binford, made up to resemble the likes of Dracula and The Mummy. Being raised by my Father as a Monster Kid and a fan of movies in general – I think it is pretty evident why Fade to Black fast became a favorite in our household.
While Fade to Black hooks you with the lovable loser character of Binford as played by Christopher – much like with 1993’s Falling Down – there is a moment where you abruptly find yourself no longer sympathizing with the lead – instead being quite concerned with those he comes in contact with after he loses his grip on reality.
Dennis Christopher obviously deserves the lion’s share of praise for not just how much sympathy he imbued into his portrayal – but also for playing more than one ‘character’. However it was Vernon Zimmerman (Teen Witch) who was the Director and Writer of Fade to Black that wisely chose some strong supporting actors for the film. Including Tim Thomerson (Trancers, Near Dark), Peter Horton (Thirtysomething), Norman Burton (Diamonds Are Forever), Linda Kerridge (Vicious Lips), and of course Mickey Rourke (Angel Heart, Nightmare Cinema).
Fade to Black doesn’t appear to have done very well when it was released but at the very least has managed to become a cult film over the years. As a matter of fact, the film apparently received a split judgement by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert on their popular Sneak Previews television series.
As I previously mentioned, Fade to Black is perhaps not a widely known movie – until just recently as I understand it – your only options to see the film were the VHS release from the ’80s and a long out of print DVD produced by Anchor Bay Entertainment back in 1999. Having said that though, you can watch it right this minute if you are subscriber to the Shudder streaming service – so why not celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Fade to Black this evening by re-watching or checking the film out for the first time?
Friends, when I was growing up I was lucky enough to have the option of watching both The Munsters as well as The Addams Family on weekday afternoons – courtesy of WTBS the Super Station. As I have shared in the past, the truth is in my youth, I much preferred to watch The Munsters over The Addams Family. Personally I feel that the reasons are pretty obvious for why a young Monster Kid like myself would be drawn to the former over the latter – but by the time I had hit my teenage years it was quite the opposite. And while I still enjoy watching both, it would be an utter lie if I didn’t admit that I watch The Addams Family a couple of times a week thanks to Amazon Prime. Much of that has to do with the quasi-subversive comedy of the series – as well as benefiting from the likes of John Astin, Carolyn Jones, Jackie Coogan, Lisa Loring, Ted Cassidy, Ken Weatherwax, Blossom Rock, and of course Thing.
The Addams Family of course began as a series of illustrations or cartoons from the late and great Charles Addams – the first appearing in the pages of The New Yorker all the way back in 1938. Although it wasn’t until after the television series debuted on September 18th of 1964 that the characters that Charles Addams had originated would even receive names. Interestingly enough from online sources it appears that William Shawn, the editor of The New Yorker, wouldn’t allow any of The Addams Family cartoons to be published as he didn’t feel the magazine should be associated with a TV show. This started in 1964 and lasted until 1987 – when the editor retired from his post – although I should point out that he did continue to publish other work by Charles Addams.
For what it might be worth, I have always been curious as to how well The Munsters did compared to The Addams Family. They both managed two seasons – with the former debuting just a week after the latter – and thanks to Wikipedia I can at least share that The Munsters tied with Gilligan’s Island for the #18 spot in the Nielsen ratings in 1964. What about The Addams Family though… well, thanks to this short interview with Dick Clark on a Halloween episode of American Bandstand we have the answer – 70% percent of folks were tuning in to watch the delightful John Astin and the rest of the cast every week.
In closing out this article I am going to include a second interview with the legendary John Astin from 1964 – which was filmed during a visit to Oklahoma City for a cerebral palsy telethon.
Friends, it was 39 years ago when the animated adaptation of the popular Heavy Metal magazine was released on unsuspecting theater goers – immediately becoming a cult film thanks to its rather adult aspects. While I did have the opportunity to catch the 1996 reissue of Heavy Metal to theaters, the first time I ever saw the film was thanks to the Movie Channel. As with many of the films that left a lasting impression on me in my youth – I watched Heavy Metal in the very early hours of the morning, after my Father had left for work, and I was killing three to four hours before it was time for the school bus to arrive. You might imagine I had something to talk about on the playground at my elementary school that afternoon!
Heavy Metal was an animated anthology film that adapted a few of the stories from the magazine – although there were a few original tales in the mix. The overall direction of the film was overseen by Gerald Potterton (The Rainbow Boys) – however as a handful of animation studios worked on the film at the same time, each segment had one or more directors.
When I first saw the movie, I had no clue that none other than Ivan Reitman (Meatballs, Ghostbusters) co-produced the film along with Leonard Mogel – who was the publisher of Heavy Metal at that time. What I was blown away by the most was a segment that was written by the late Dan O’Bannon (Alien, TheReturn of the Living Dead) – a frightening World War II story entitled B-17.
Imagine my surprise yesterday when I stumbled across an ad on Facebook – featuring a stop-motion version of the B-17 tail gunner as well as Taarna from the film’s segment of the same name. It turns out that Incendium through their FigBiz line have released both Taarna and the resurrected ‘Nelson’ as collectible figures – available now through their official site.
There is a whole lot more Heavy Metal goodness available from Incendium too – ranging from collectible pins, to skate decks and even a pinball machine. However you will also find goodies for Creepshow, Highlander, and even Bill & Ted!
Friends, ever since I first laid eyes on the Muppets, obviously thanks to episodes of Sesame Street – I have been a lifelong devotee to puppetry as well as the works of the late and great Jim Henson. That love for the characters created by Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, and so many other talented puppeteers – grew in leaps and bounds though once The Muppet Show began airing in my neck of the woods in 1977. So much so that I can remember the excitement I felt when my Father informed me one morning that none other than Kermit the Frog would be hosting The Tonight Show. While I would normally fall asleep before Johnny Carson even had a chance to exit those iconic multicolored curtains, thanks to an evening nap I was all ready to stay up and watch Kermit fill in for Carson.
You might be interested to know that this particular episode of The Tonight Show originally aired on April 2nd of 1979 – just a few months shy of the release of The Muppet Movie here in the States. Kermit is joined on the show by the likes of Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Uncle Deadly, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, and Gonzo to name a few. The special guests on the program however are the legendary Vincent Price as well as Bernadette Peters – both who had already made appearances on The Muppet Show in ’77. In addition to singer and songwriter Leo Sayer and Dr. Michael Fox – a veterinarian that was at that time working with the Humane Society of the United States.
Musical numbers for this episode include Peters performing “Wake Up and Live” and “Just One Person“, the Electric Mayhem providing their rendition of “New York State of Mind“, the Javas dancing to “Java“, with Sayer singing “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and “When I Need You“, and Kermit of course ending the show with “It’s Not Easy Being Green“.
Now before I let you enjoy this awesome 1979 episode of The Tonight Show with Kermit the Frog – I have to inform you that it gets even better – as this video includes the commercials that aired that night on NBC!
Friends, I would be completely lying to you if I did not admit the reveal trailer a couple of days ago for the new Kombat Pack for Mortal Kombat 11, didn’t utterly shock me in regards to the new guest character. If you are a fan of the fighting franchise – which is very likely considering how popular the latest Mortal Kombat entry has been – you might know there were rumors the latest guest Kombatant was going to be Ashley J. Williams (Bruce Campbell) from The Evil Dead series. Considering this is the season for all things spooky and horror themed – it naturally made sense that Ash would show up, right? It turns out that John J. Rambo is the next guest Kombatant to enlist in the war between Earthrealm, Outworld… and possibly a new threat from the effects of trying to harness the power of Kronika’s Hourglass.
Now, we have talked a bit about Mortal Kombat on this site before – including the last big guest Kombatant reveal being none other than RoboCop. In that article I mentioned that what impressed me the most besides having the protector of Old Detroit as a playable character – was the fact that Peter Weller actually voiced the character he made so memorable in the 1987 film. Which leads us to the rather awesome bit of news that Sylvester Stallone is in fact voicing the character of John J. Rambo in the upcoming Kombat Pack 2!
I am excited that Mileena, a fan favorite character, as well as Rain are being included in this new Kombat Pack 2. It is just a little more awesome in my mind, that soon we are going to have the opportunity to see the likes of RoboCop squaring off against Rambo. To say nothing of the fact that waiting in the wings you have both Spawn and of course the T-800 from The Terminator – ready to challenge the victor of the match. And while we obviously have no clue as to what the story will be in regards to Rambo being pulled into the Mortal Kombat universe… those that cross his path better remember the advice given by Colonel Sam Trautman in First Blood:
Teasle: Are you telling me that 200 of our men against your boy is a no-win situation for us? Trautman: You send that many, don’t forget one thing. Teasle: What? Trautman: A good supply of body bags.
Friends, in the past I have shared how special it was in my youth to have the opportunity to visit the local Burger Chef – as of course money was too tight when I was growing up to spare on fast food. By the time that Hardee’s restaurants began to roll into my neck of the woods, the financial difficulties began to lighten some and my Father and I were able to visit now and again. In all honesty it was McDonald’s that we most often would eat at on a Saturday afternoon – due to how close it was to the local movie theater. And make no mistake about it – getting a Happy Meal was great – but Hardee’s had the mysterious Fun Machine as well as mascots like Frankenstein Mouth!
I so very much wish I could have held onto some of those Fun Machine tokens from my youth – although I should add that while originally metal, they eventually were replaced with plastic versions. The original token that was offered if I remember correctly had images of the character called Supermouth, where the plastic versions featured the characters of Speedy McGreedy as well as Gilbert Giddyup. In fact besides Speedy, who while possibly looking like a secret agent was actually a thief, and Gilbert – all the other characters were similar in name and appearance to Supermouth.
Now you probably couldn’t help but notice that the jingle for these commercials were providing a parody of the title song for the Hello, Dolly! musical from 1964. While it might have been Carol Channing who first had the opportunity to belt out that wonderful tune – it became famous thanks to the single recorded by Louis Armstrong and released that same year. I bring that up as it seems to have been the go-to jingle for Hardee’s for quite a while – and as you will see in this TV commercial from the ’70s – they didn’t mind playing off the musical production origin. Although there is no way you are going to see the ending of this ad coming – in fact you might not want to be drinking anything while watching it.
I am willing to bet dollars to doughnuts that when this particular commercial originally aired – every local station cut after the announcer finished speaking. In closing out this article, what I am dying to know is… whatever happened to all of those Hardee’s Fun Machines?
Seems like it wasn’t that long ago that Funko snagged the license to create a toy line I had wanted since I was a little kid – 3.75″ scale figures based on the 1966 Adam West Batman series. You’d have to understand my kid brain simply not processing that Batman – one of my favorite things to watch on TV, right up there with Battle Of The Planets and Star Trek – was not a “new” show. I didn’t understand the lack of action figures for it when I was a kid. After all, Star Wars was turning every character who got half a frame of screen time into a figure. Why should Batman be any different? And Mego’s Pocket Heroes line, while it at least gave me a strangely bemuscled Batman and Robin (and Superman!), light years away from Adam West’s dad-bod vision of the man in the cowl, wasn’t that great.
It wasn’t until I was doing my own dad-bod thing that Funko came along and rolled out a line of Batman ’66 figures – along with a Batmobile, which was the only way to get Robin – in that scale. And they were great! There were some grumblings from the fanbase that the assortment of villains – King Tut, the Bookworm, Mr. Freeze (in both Otto Preminger and George Sanders varieties!), and Catwoman – wasn’t exactly the royalty of Bat-baddies. Funko said that the big bads – you know, the Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler – and Robin would be in the second wave. And then they seemed to forget to promote the first wave, because they’re kind of notorious for pushing vinyl Pop figures at the expense of just about any other product category. It was a sad single-wave collection – great figures, terrific likenesses, and a cool vehicle to go with them – that never quite lived up to its potential.
Now another action figure maker seems to have picked up on that wasted potential, picking up the 3.75″ action figure license for Batman ’66 for itself: Mezco Toyz has revealed an all-in-one package that corrects nearly all of the deficiencies present in Funko’s line, complementing it and correcting for it in just about every way that matters. Packaged in a box that includes a giant Wayne Manor/Batcave double-sided diorama, it’s a set of seven 3.75″ action figures with copious accessories and a new take on the classic 1966 Batmobile. It’s not a cheap package, sure, but just about everything that anyone wanted from that vaporware second wave of figures can be found here. So let’s go over what’s in the box:
Characters we already had: Batman, Robin, and Catwoman were available in Funko’s line, and with nine points of articulation too, so don’t chuck those out the window just to pre-order this. Mezco Toyz has gone above and beyond to ensure that there are features and accessories that Funko didn’t think of – swappable heads so that Batman and Robin can also be Bruce and Dick without their masks (maybe save those for 2022 or so, though, right?), “POW!” and “BAM!” word balloons that can be attached to their hands for absolute authenticity to the TV series, batarangs, a Bat-Shield, Bat-communicators, and even a handy can of shark repellent because, well, you never know. Catwoman also has a maskless swappable head, a golden cat statue, and a tranquilizer gun.
Characters we still wanted: It would be so easy to focus on the rogues’ gallery of characters promised, but never delivered – Joker, Riddler, the Penguin, each of them with swappable heads (except for the Joker), Penguin has two umbrella props, the Riddler can clutch a freshly-purloined bag of cash, and a picture frame to slam over the heads of the Caped Crusaders in a fight because, honestly, when did that not happen? But the real gem among the new figures is none other than Mr. Alfred Pennyworth. Swappable head? Sure. But have you considered the possibility of putting Alfred’s head on Batman’s body? Because that’s something that actually happened in the show.
Batmobile with more Bat-gadgets: The Batmobile lives again, but now with a retractable buzzsaw accessory (activated with a button on the windshield) and a “flame” that can be attached to the rear of the vehicle.
The Batcave: Don’t write this off just because it’s mostly card stock instead of plastic, because it’s kind of beautiful – the Bat-reactor in the background, three-dimension Bat-Computer consoles, and – yes – the Bat Poles. And yes, Batman and Robin can slide down them. A turntable is built into the floor for the Batmobile, as per the set of the show itself. The only thing missing is the Giant Lucite Map of Gotham City – surely someone with a 3D printer and a working knowledge of building tiny LEDs into something is about to make a fortune on Etsy.
The Bottom Line: Is it a good value? If the figures were individually packaged, they’d probably run $12-$14 each, putting you just under the $100 mark. Funko’s Batmobile box set ran in the neighborhood of $40 when newly released. This is before the accessories, extra heads, or the whole freaking Batcave. Oh, and the stands for each figure – did I mention those are included too? My bad. It’s not a bad deal.
Hopefully the constant mentions of what Funko did or didn’t do with the Batman ’66 license doesn’t steal the thunder of Mezco Toyz’ frankly stunning announcement of their new set, but it’s kind of the elephant in the room: business was left unfinished. This new set, plus a collection of what was already available, adds up to about as much of a 3.75″ Batman ’66 toy line as I ever would have expected. Anything additional from here on out – Egg Head, anyone? – is just pure gravy. Bat-Gravy.
Not cheap either, but hey, the Riddler’s got a bag of loot waiting for you the moment you open the box…and Commissioner Gordon is still nowhere to be found.
Friends, the other evening on Facebook, one of my fellow PCR writers was nice enough to direct me to a brand new music video by Nick Lutsko – an artist and songwriter who just so happens to have earned himself two Webby nominations for his work. The subject of this latest video is something that I think many of us fans of the 1984 collaboration between Joe Dante, Steven Spielberg, and Chris Columbus have wondered – put simply – Where Did the Gremlins Go? Nick’s amazingly humorous video gives us a glimpse at the Gremlins sequels that might have been… or at the very least where they might have made an appearance in other popular films.
Now during the time that I was writing for the Retroist, nearly a decade when all was said and done, as well as on this site – I have mentioned that Gremlins was a movie that I continue to love. So much so that I will reveal that it is going to be the subject of the 100th episode of the Saturday Frights podcast in the near future.
Personally I feel that some of the reasons that Gremlins are still part of pop culture is that the cast and crew were able to deliver a horror movie – one that happens to be just as darkly funny as it can be moving. A real lightning in a bottle type of situation thanks to Dante’s direction, the extremely likeable cast, and of course guidance from Spielberg as well as Columbus’ screenplay.
I can recall catching an actual television commercial for Gremlins and even that memorable one-sheet from the late and great John Alvin – who also supplied the artwork for such films as The Goonies, Batman Returns, and Space Jam to name a few. Having said all of that however – until today I have NEVER seen this particular teaser for Gremlins before… and my life has been lesser for it.
In closing out this article, we know that it isn’t just Nick Lutsko that still craves more Mogwai and Gremlins fun – after all we are getting Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai next year, right?
If there are two non-political things uniting Americans right now, it’s Halloween season and the fact that half the country seems to have only just now discovered Cobra Kai. A new slate of classic soundtracks is here to provide musical accompaniment for both spooky shenanigans and sweeping the leg.
A taste of October’s soundtrack smorgasbord. (Just kidding about the pumpkin spice.)
La-La Land Records has rolled out a newly remastered, expanded edition of Bill Conti’s score from The Karate Kid Part II, which has been out of print for quite some time. A brand new transfer from the original studio tapes fills a single CD to the brim not only with what was previously released, but some material that has not been released before, including alternate versions of what made it into the movie – the musical equivalent of deleted scenes. There’s also a new liner notes booklet to go with the new release; 3000 copies are available.
But hey, you came here for spooky stuff too, right? I mean, Halloween is just a few weeks away, and La-La Land has you covered there too with a single CD release of Anthony Marinelli and Brian Banks’ score from Stephen King’s Graveyard Shift. Again, there are new liner notes and bonus tracks, including the trailer music composed by John Beal, the reigning king of ’80s/’90s movie trailer music. Only 1,000 copies are being pressed, so this title may go scarily fast.
If you missed the big, every-score-from-every-movie-in-the-franchise Friday The 13th box set a few years ago, La-La Land is making sure you’re covered there as well, with the score from Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood, composed by Harry Manfredini, Jason’s composer of choice since the first movie, and Fred Mollin, who had joined the Friday franchise by way of Friday The 13th: The Series. 2,000 copies of this soundtrack are available.
Also at La-La Land, a number of soundtracks that had previously been backordered are back in stock, including Day Of The Dead, Krull, Die Hard, Minority Report, Ladyhawke, Planet Of The Apes: The Series, and the original Friday The 13th. They’re also having a sale on spooky soundtracks, including The Bride Of Frankenstein, Child’s Play 2, Creepshow, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and The Haunting Of Hill House, among quite a few others. Clearly La-La Land is trying to scare up some business here, so give them a shout – or, dare I say it, a scream? – and fill some gaps in your collection.
Intrada also has some musical chills on tap with its latest release, with a definitive 2-CD release of John Williams’ score from the 2005 Steven Spielberg/Tom Cruise remake of The War Of The Worlds. The complete score, plus alternate unused music, is included, as well as the original 2005 album in freshly remastered form, meaning you can hear the soundtrack with Morgan Freeman’s opening narration (on disc two as part of the original album release), or without (on disc one).
Varese Sarabande is also delivering a couple of much-anticipated expanded releases. John Powell’s amazing score from How To Train Your Dragon is being expanded to two discs, with a significant amount of new material that hasn’t previously been available, making this one deluxe edition release that definitely isn’t toothless. 3,000 copies will be available.
The other Varese release is the complete score, over two discs, from John Carpenter’s Village Of The Damned, with music by Carpenter himself the Dave Davies of the Kinks. The deluxe edition of the score from this movie is limited to only 2,000 copies.
Needless to say, if you need some spooky mood music, you’re spoiled for choice this month. Spoiled…rotten.
Growing up in a small town in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, I enjoyed Halloween the way any kid did – picking out and wearing a costume, going trick ‘r treating and getting a variety of candy, having a change of pace at school with classroom decorations and home room Halloween parties during the last hour of the day with passed out treats from home placed gently on a paper towel on your desk, and the general feeling that Halloween was a season that was geared especially at kids. But beyond that, it didn’t have any more or less of a special place in my life or in my memory. It was a part of life to be taken totally for granted, and that’s exactly what I did.
This started to change when I became an adult – when I had my own home and was in charge of my own Halloween season and festivities, when I was the one who was passing out treats to a steady stream of costumed visitors from 5 to 8 pm on whatever night the local municipality designated as “Trick-or-Treat Night”. I started noticing how much had changed from what I remembered. A lot of the same candy was around – Pixie Stix and Ring Pops and Dum Dums – but some particularly memorable things weren’t, like Mr. Bones, the bone-shaped candies that came in a plastic coffin that you could assemble into something resembling a skeleton before you ate it. Why would something that wonderful pass out of circulation? What happened to Ben Cooper and Collegeville boxed costumes with plastic smocks and styrene masks with the string that went around the back of your head? What of Scar Stuff? Fake Vampire Blood? Wax lips and fangs? Plastic spider rings and vampire teeth? Haunted house records with the same sound effects on every release? Crepe paper pumpkins and big blow mold light-up figures for the front lawn? All these mainstays of my childhood Halloweens were missing when I started looking to put together Halloween the way I wanted.
That realization pretty well sparked a love for the Halloween season in me as an adult that I never felt as a child. I understood all these things I remembered with affection were fading into a fuzzily remembered past, and I determined that I was going to try to give myself a fun, colorful Halloween season every October, whether anybody else appreciated it or not. Jack-o-lanterns, ghosts, witches, black cats, hoot owls, and skeletons became the anchors of my style. I tracked down paper decorations that, while not vintage themselves, easily brought to mind a retro style that I was going for. I found a regional chain of department stores that still sold old fashioned blow mold outdoor decorations, and I bought one of everything they had before they went out of business for good a couple of years ago. I loaded up on vintage Halloween sounds and songs from the “Monster Mash” era of spooky novelty songs. And I allowed myself one indulgence of the “inflatable era” of modern decorations – Sam, the mischievous embodiment of the spirit of Trick ‘r Treat itself. All of this thrown together in a tacky, colorful display that makes me happy. Every year, there are fewer and fewer kids coming to my front porch with an enthusiastic “trick or treat” on their lips, but there’s always one who says “Wow” or “Now THIS is what Halloween is supposed to look like”, and I feel like I’ve done something right to perpetuate a little of the Halloweens I remember.
Friends, after posting the 1989 launch of the Sega Genesis earlier, I felt that the second article for today should be more in line with the Season. As I was watching the Projectionist, my co-host on the Saturday Frights podcast, preparing his Facebook page post for the morning – I suddenly realized what I needed to share with you all today. What could be more perfect for this time of year than getting a chance to listen to Rod Serling (The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery) chatting with Bob Crane on the latter’s extremely popular radio show on KNX from 1961. This was as a matter of fact the same year that Crane would further dip his toe into appearing in television and films, first with an uncredited role in The Twilight Zone episode entitled Static, then followed by another uncredited role in Return to Peyton Place, Man-Trap, and a return to the General Electric Theater series (He got his first acting gig with the iconic series in ’53).
It would be another four years after this interview with Rod Serling before Crane landed the role he is probably best remembered for, that of Colonel Hogan in Hogan’s Heroes. Bob Crane however got his start in radio back in 1950, beginning WLEA in Hornell, New York – before heading to WBIS in Bristol and then landing at WICC in Bridgeport. It was in 1956 when CBS lured him to Los Angeles, California to act as host for the KNX morning show. Thanks to his quick wit, the fact he was amazing on drums, and his easy going manner, to say nothing of landing big name guests like Bob Hope, Marilyn Monroe, and Frank Sinatra – that The Bob Crane Show became huge to say the very least.
This interview with Rod Serling on The Bob Crane Show was originally broadcast on December 11th of 1961. Which meant that The Twilight Zone was well underway on their third season – in fact four days after the interview – the episode Once Upon a Time starring the legendary Buster Keaton would air on CBS. In the interview, Serling talks about his early work as a writer for television – including for Playhouse 90 and Studio One. As well as what sounds like a little ‘bad blood’ between Twilight Zone producer Buck Houghton (Mission: Impossible, The Wraith) on who was being credited for doing the everyday work for the series – and much, much more.
Rod Serling in my personal opinion was an incredible writer – one that was never afraid to celebrate the best and publicly condemn the worst of humanity – which is why I believe that The Twilight Zone is still such an entertaining and informative television series.
Friends, in various Diary of An Arcade Employee podcasts I have discussed that back in the mid-’80s, my family was firmly entrenched on the side of Team Nintendo. Which of course meant that when the Sega Master System was released in ’86 – it was pointless in entertaining the notion of adding the home console to our collection – doubly so when three years later the Sega Genesis hit the market. Thankfully I had a best friend whose family was completely in the Team Sega camp – which meant on the weekends while visiting one another we could enjoy the games and consoles from the ‘rival’ companies. I realize that many of you of a certain age probably had a similar experience – the rivalry between Nintendo and Sega was quite real… and at times quite intense.
Now at the time the Sega Genesis was released, my best friend happened to have an after school job at the local pizza place – which naturally meant he was able to pick up the highly coveted new home console one night after work. We ended up staying up until the rooster crowed at the break of dawn – his parents had a small farm – the excitement of playing Sonic the Hedgehog, Altered Beast, Space Harrier II and Golden Axe kept us up all night.
I am assuming that we missed this coverage of the 1989 launch of the Sega Genesis as covered by Movie Time – because we were too busy playing on the Sega Master System or something. Which is a shame as attending the event was none other than the late and great Harry Anderson (Night Court, Stephen King’s It) – who you will see for yourself was something of a video game enthusiast.
In closing out this article, I will admit that I managed to get a Sega Genesis of my own – breaking that mindset of my family that it only had to be Nintendo. I received it thanks to winning the Phantom 2040 contest – which naturally included a copy of the awesome game based on the animated series.
What about you though – did you family also pick a side in the console war between Nintendo and Sega?
Friends, as Halloween is just a few weeks away, many of the streaming services such as Hulu, Amazon Prime, and of course Netflix are rolling out films and series to fit the Season. Just last Friday, Netflix debuted Vampires vs. The Bronx, which is a quite fun and teen-oriented family film. While the film earns it’s PG-13 rating due to language – I suppose there are a few jump scares as well as themes that might be considered too much for a younger audience. Although having said that – considering that a lot of pre-teens that I’ve talked to at the arcade are watching The Walking Dead – it will just come down to what types of horror films and series the youngster in your household might have seen.
Vampires vs the Bronx was Directed by Osmany Rodriguez (Saturday Night Live, Funny or Die Presents), who also is credited for the story, working from a screenplay by Blaise Hemingway (Playmobil: The Movie, The Settlers of Catan).
The story for Vampires vs. The Bronx revolves around three friends, who believe the worst threat facing their neighborhood is the gentrification of their area of the Bronx. As one by one the business and familiar locations of their neighborhood get snatched up by… Murnau… properties – the trio of teenagers quickly realize that there is an even greater danger invading their beloved home.
While I think it is safe to say that Vampires vs. The Bronx takes a few cues from the likes of The Lost Boys as well as The Monster Squad – the truth is the film totally stands and delivers all on its own. While the film doesn’t ease off the gas once the vampire threat is revealed – Rodriguez wisely gives us a chance to get to know the main characters at the beginning of the film – so that when bad things start to happen we are actually invested in their fates.
The film largely succeeds on the charisma and talents of it’s cast of young actors, led by Jaden Michael (The Bug Diaries), Gerald Jones III (Benji the Dove), Gregory Diaz IV (In the Heights), as well as Coco Jones (Five Points). Buoyed by the adult supporting cast which includes Method Man, Sarah Gadon, Shea Whigham, and The Kid Mero.
Vampires vs. The Bronx has a whole lot of humor and heart, at the end of the day it is a nice holiday treat for this season – totally worth checking out!
Friends, there is hardly a day that passes by where I do not end up remarking that I wish I had access to a working time machine. If somehow such technology would be made available, I would obviously use it for personal gain, not for financial benefit… although that temptation would be there for sure. No, I would use it to revisit places in my life that were dear to me and are no longer in existence – one more day at that ShowBiz Pizza, or the local movie theater or drive-in of my youth. As a matter of fact I am sure that I would be hitting the toy stores as well – perhaps picking up those Sectaurs or possibly that sweet Live and Let Die View-Master reel set. If I am being honest, the desire to see loved ones who have passed would be the hardest temptation to resist – as Rod Serling so masterfully demonstrated on The Twilight Zone with his script for Walking Distance.
And while I am not walking the same path as Gig Young’s character of Martin Sloan from that classic 1959 episode of The Twilight Zone – the desire to revisit the past is a strong one. And while we might not have a time machine that is readily available – thanks to this video that has been uploaded by oilerfanatic1 – we can check out what types of television ads were shown 40 years ago today during the ABC Sunday Night showing of Jaws. In addition to getting a chance to check out some of the altered or deleted scenes that were included in this TV version of Steven Spielberg’s 1975 masterpiece.
Off the top of my head, some of the ads that stuck out the most for me included Ryan’s Hope (With Night of the Comet‘s Kelli Maroney), That’s Incredible, Private Benjamin, and Hershey’s Whatchamacallit. With a running time of 16 minutes though, I want to hear what commercials took you back – let us know in the comments.
Friends, as I was getting things prepared for the Diary of An Arcade Employee Watch Party, a bit of news crossed my feed that made my head spin – it turns out that it was 40 years ago today that the first episode of Thundarr the Barbarian aired on ABC. A mere four decades since we first sat in front of the television set and were introduced to the likes of Princess Airel, Ookla the Mok, and of course the mighty Thundarr. Providing two seasons worth of epic and post-apocalyptic Saturday morning adventures, a world of sword and sorcery as well as science fantasy!
As many of you might know, Thundarr the Barbarian was the brainchild of both the late and great Joe Ruby as well as Steve Gerber – the latter being the same writer who helped co-create Howard the Duck and had an incredibly memorable run on the Man-Thing comic series – to point out a just few of his achievements.
“Whatever knows fear burns at the Man-Thing’s touch!”
Produced by Ruby-Spears, Gerber would act as story editor for the series – an incredibly striking animated show for it’s time in regards to the setting. Although as I found out in the October 4th (there is irony for you!) 2013 issue of the exceptional Back Issue! magazine – from an article by none other than Brett Weiss – Gerber as well as the writers for Thundarr the Barbarian had some issues with the Broadcast and Standards division to say the very least. In the article, Gerber is quoted from a 1980 issue of Fantastic Films #20 that:
“we have a number of severe limitations. With all of the mayhem that goes on in our show, the Program Practices will still not allow out main character to throw a punch or to hit anybody. He can do all kinds of acrobatic things, but he can’t even trip anyone.”
Speaking of writers, Thundarr the Barbarian benefited from a pretty remarkable pool of talent. Just a few of those that worked on the animated series include Mark Evanier (Dungeons & Dragons, Groo the Wanderer), Buzz Dixon (G.I. Joe), Martin Pasko (Batman: The Animated Series), Ted Pedersen (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and Roy Thomas (The Avengers, All-Star Squadron).
Some of those writers that I pointed out are well known for their comic book work – which is fitting as none other than Jack “King” Kirby worked on the production design for Thundarr the Barbarian. As a matter of fact, Kirby was actually working on a Sunday comic strip that would have been published nationally – although sadly the plans were cancelled before it could be completed.
Thundarr the Barbarian managed 21 episodes over the two seasons it aired on ABC – with the series living on in reruns beginning in ’83 over on NBC. While it also appeared on the Boomerang cable network – the great news is that the full series was given a release in 2010 thanks to the Warner Archive’s Manufacture-on-Demand. Allowing all of us fans of the animated series to enjoy the work of such legendary voice talents as Robert Ridgely (The Incredible Hulk), Henry Corden (The Flintstones), and Nellie Bellflower (Finding Neverland).
It might have been 40 years ago today that Thundarr the Barbarian debuted – but his mighty Sunsword shows no signs of dimming anytime soon.
Friends, no doubt many of you of a certain age can think back fondly to those days of stepping off the school bus and rushing home, just so you wouldn’t miss the likes of You Can’t Do That on Television or Danger Mouse on Nickelodeon. Those of course are just a few of the programs that helped make the initially small children’s network such a powerhouse – as well as entertaining generations of kids. It turns out that on November 17th, Gravitas Ventures is releasing The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story on Blu-ray, DVD, and it will even be available on iTunes and Amazon!
Personally I can recall fondly many Summer afternoons with my Grandparents watching Nickelodeon – in particular they got a kick out of both You Can’t Do That on Television as well as Double Dare. And even when I was in high school – when some of my classmates might have looked down on watching a ‘children’s network’ – I was dutifully tuning in to catch The Ren & Stimpy Show and Are You Afraid of the Dark? to name a few.
If you would like to learn a little more about The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story, I would recommend checking out their Facebook page. In addition here is the synopsis for the documentary provided from the trailer:
“For millions of children and adults, the Nickelodeon Network is synonymous with growing up. In just a few years, the channel grew from a small local channel to an international phenomenon that helped shape a generation. Led by trailblazing visionary Geraldine Laybourne and her commitment to putting kids first, a group of unconventional heroes turned an underdog channel into an $8 billion dollar juggernaut as the golden standard for children’s programming.
The Orange Years chronicles the rise of Nickelodeon, with the actors, writers, and creators from all the golden age Nickelodeon shows that shaped your lives. It’s wild. It’s crazy. It changed the world.”
Friends, the Sun is starting to set here at the Pop Culture Retrorama Vault, allowing the leaves of the trees to glow a bright and cheerful tint of orange and red. As this is the Season for all manner of things spooky, I felt that we should enjoy some old time radio, in this case an episode of the iconic Suspense series. Our Retro Radio Memories offering this evening is an excellent adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s The Dunwich Horror.
“Yes, but do you think boards will hold it? Don’t you realize, man… it hasn’t been fed? It hasn’t had blood since the 18th of September!”
The Dunwich Horror is possibly one of H.P. Lovecraft’s more commonly known stories – in addition to being a tale that has been adapted multiple times in film as well as audio productions. Originally written in 1928, to Lovecraft’s delight it was purchased by Weird Tales, even though the author highly doubted that it’s subject matter would make it past Farnsworth Wright, the editor of the magazine at that time. It was printed in the April 1929 issue of Weird Tales – although the cover was devoted to Seabury Quinn’s The Devil’s Rosary – a very popular continuing series detailing the adventures of the supernatural detective, Jules de Grandin.
Adapted for radio by the esteemed William Spier, who was a powerhouse in both radio as well as television, garnering three Peabody Awards in addition to the Writers Guild of America award for his two-part teleplay for The Untouchables in ’62. The Dunwich Horror features Academy Award winner Ronald Colman (The Lost Horizon, A Double Life) as Dr. Henry Armitage of Miskatonic University – who is broadcasting from his laboratory near Dunwich, Massachusetts on Halloween night. Along with Armitage is Dr. Rice and as the episode opens we learn that for three days and nights, the dogs around Dunwich have been barking and howling uncontrollably. The good Doctors as it turns out, are preparing themselves to face down an almost mind-shattering horror – one that has originated at the Whateley farmhouse.
So turn down the lights if you are able and prepare to learn of The Dunwich Horror – courtesy of Suspense!
Friends, would you believe that 40 years ago today Terror Train was released to theaters, as well as the fact it marked the third horror film to be released in 1980 that featured Jamie Lee Curtis? While Curtis might have had made her big screen debut in the unexpected box office bonanza that was John Carpenter’s Halloween – 1980 was the year that seemed to cement her role in films as a Scream Queen. Beginning on February 8th she appeared in another John Carpenter film, that underappreciated tale of supernatural revenge – The Fog. Five months later saw Curtis starring in Prom Night – the high school themed slasher – the first in the genre shot in Canada. Then of course on October 3rd of 1980, Curtis starred in Terror Train, which was also shot in Canada – with producer Daniel Grodnik stating on a Scream Factory featurette for the movie that he envisioned the film as being “like Halloween on a train.”
Now for what it might be worth, I was able to see The Fog, Prom Night, as well as Terror Train at the drive-in theater of my youth. Personally I feel that John Carpenter’s 1980 follow-up to Halloween is easily the better film of the trio – having said that though – there is a lot to enjoy about the campy fun of Terror Train.
Personally one of the things I recall the most about watching Terror Train was it was my introduction to the stage magic of David Copperfield. As I understand it, this is the only film or television series where Copperfield plays an actual character, not just as himself. Thanks to the IMDb trivia section for the film, I learned that Copperfield remarked about filming Terror Train:
“Film is a magnifying glass for magic, so I had to be very careful. What you see on screen is exactly what the extras saw during shooting.”
While Terror Train might not be quite as masterful as the likes of Halloween – it does manage to deliver a pretty memorable slasher film. As the central plot is the train is host to a New Year’s Eve costume party – it allows the killer to make use of numerous disguises to not only evade capture once the bodies begin to be found – but get ever closer to the true target… Alana Maxwell (Curtis).
So, here is to 40 years of Terror Train – perhaps since this is the Season for things spooky and scary, you might celebrate the anniversary by giving it a watch tonight?
Friends, a little earlier this afternoon on Facebook I was given the heads up on something pretty important, that it was 70 years ago today that the first daily strip for Charles Schulz’s Peanuts was published. It has been 70 wonderful years since the World was first able to meet Charlie Brown – in what amounted to a walk-on role in the comic strip itself. The genesis of the Peanuts strip came from Schulz’s earlier work on his local newspaper from 1947 until 1950 – a series entitled Li’l Folks. The artist had intended to continue to use that name when he sold the strip idea to United Features Syndicate. However a previous comic strip with the name Little Folks had a legal claim, so UFS decided it best to change the title of Schulz’s new comic. In all honesty Peanuts is something that the artist never thought was a good name for his comic strip – as you can see for yourself from this 1987 interview with Frank Pauer that I found on Wikipedia – from the Dayton Daily News and Journal Herald Magazine:
“Peanuts was originally sold under the title of Li’l Folks, but that had been used before, so they said we have to think of another title. I couldn’t think of one and somebody at United Features came up with the miserable title Peanuts, which I hate and have always hated. It has no dignity and it’s not descriptive. […] What could I do? Here I was, an unknown kid from St. Paul. I couldn’t think of anything else. I said, why don’t we call it Charlie Brown and the president said “Well, we can’t copyright a name like that.” I didn’t ask them about Nancy or Steve Canyon. I was in no position to argue.”
I’m certainly not going to argue with the late and great Charles Schulz – although there is no doubt that his Peanuts comic strip became one of the most successful daily strips of all time. To say nothing of the merchandise that the characters of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts gang have generated these past 70 years. Which include the likes of comic strip collections, animated specials and series, toys, video games, movies, and of course records.
Which is how I thought we should celebrate the 70th anniversary of Peanuts today – by listening to the 1980 Read-Along adaptation of You’re the Greatest, Charlie Brown. And while I might obviously be wrong, I do believe this particular Buena Vista record also features the dialogue and music from the 1979 animated television special!
Friends, back when I was writing for the Retroist site, when October finally rolled around we would start to share only Halloween or spooky related articles for the entire month. While extremely fun it could also be a very limiting subject to stick to – however my plan for the PCR site is to at least share one article a day involving the Holiday. The esteemed Ashley Thomas got the ball rolling the other day with her review of the third issue of the Gargoyles series by Marvel Comics. I thought I would try to raise the bar today – with a collection of soft drink television commercials featuring the iconic Elvira, Mistress of the Dark!
By the time the two TV ads we are going to share originally aired, I was familiar with Cassandra Peterson’s character of Elvira thanks to a series of VHS tapes released by ThrillerVideo. After all it’s not like we were able to catch any of her KHJ-TV appearances in my neck of the woods, right? Although I should point out that by 1989, Peterson had already made her big screen debut with Elvira: Mistress of the Dark – a film that sadly failed to ignite the box office but has thankfully managed to become a cult favorite!
So with the popularity of the character of Elvira, it only made sense that come October, she would be a spokesperson for a variety of products. Two 1989 TV commercials featuring the Mistress of the Dark are the subject for this article – ads for Splice as well as Mug Root Beer – part of the Go Psycho with Elvira contest. The best part of all is that grand prize winner would win the privilege of joining Elvira at Universal Studios in Hollywood for a party at the Bates Motel!
Now I believe that these TV ads originally were aired in ’89 but I have found a lot of places online – including one from Elvira’s official Twitter feed that claims it debuted in 1990. I would point to the expiration date in the Slice and Mug Root Beer commercials though – ‘Contest ends 10/31/1989’.
Besides the fact that the legendary Michael Berryman (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Hills Have Eyes) shows up in these TV ads – the ‘zombie’ standing next to Elvira is none other than Wilhelm von Homburg (Die Hard, Ghostbusters 2)!
Hey there Gargoyles and Pop Culture Retrorama fans!
Are you ready for more Gargoyles goodness? I’m back today with a review of Gargoyles #3 in my breakdown of Marvel’s 1995 Gargoyles comics run. If you missed my review of Gargoyles #2, check it out here.
Here’s a quick synopsis of Gargoyles #3, “Rude Awakening.”
Gargoyles #3 opens with Lexington getting just what the title of this story suggests–a rude awakening. The descent of the sun occurred just in time for him to avoid being smashed by none other than Tony Dracon. Lex unfortunately chose his ledge to land on at sunrise, but narrowly evades oblivion. Meanwhile, Elisa catches up Goliath and Hudson on her hunt for the Sacrilege killer while also making space for her sister, Beth, in her apartment. Brooklyn and Broadway are nowhere to be found at sunset. Fortunately, they still have the tracker that Lexington was testing in the last issue and are able to home in on its signal. Broadway wakes up to a delightful breakfast and Brooklyn wakes up to Tony Dracon’s men mopping up the crime scene at Sacrilege. Can they help Elisa track down the evidence she needs to arrest the killer? Read up and find out.
There’s a lot to like about this issue. There’s some careful writing happening across multiple issues, particularly with the tracker plot point. It would be easy with a comic primarily targeted at children to have the story focus on action sequences instead of careful character development and story details. Just like the TV show, the Gargoyles comic delivers not only in the action department but in the story department as well. While there isn’t as much interpersonal drama in this issue as the two previous books, the small interaction we get with Elisa and Beth is still my favorite part. Not that I don’t enjoy the action sequences, mind you, as those are quite wonderful as well, but the interpersonal drama is what makes the story work for me.
Speaking of action, this full-page spread is probably my favorite of the comic. Check out this scan!
One other thing I found interesting in this issue is the “Written in Stone” letters to the editor page. This section grew from one page in issue #2 to two pages in issue #3! Clearly, the book is hitting all the right notes with the Gargoyles fanbase.
There are also some great ads in this issue that really take me back. This ad promoting the 4 Marvel Arcade machine giveaway in association with McDonald’s was a dream of mine. I remember seeing this ad and fantasizing, and also slightly panicking about where we could put these arcade cabinets I was certain I would win as a kid. Of course, that never panned out, but it was fun to dream just the same.
Another one that brought back memories was the Gargoyles/Spaghetti-Os cross-promotion. While Spaghetti-Os retained their signature shape rather than making Gargoyles-shaped pasta, beneath the label were 6 Gargoyles temporary tattoos! Not only that, there were 6 different sets! I remember having a difficult time getting the label off the can to get at those sweet tatts.
That’s all I have for Gargoyles #3. While you’re waiting for my review of Gargoyles #4, “Blood from a Stone,” tell me your favorite episode of the Gargoyles animated TV series in the comments. As for me, my all-time favorite is the “Hunter’s Moon” 3-parter in season 2. In my opinion, it’s the best arc of the entire series and is very emotionally satisfying. Leave me a comment and let’s talk Gargoyles.
In my previous article that I hope you had a chance to read, I shared six childhood toys from my youth that I fondly remember, and thankfully still own. This time, I have the pleasure of sharing with you some books that bring back memories as profound as any toy!
“This is the story of The Gift of the Mogwai. You can read along with me in your book. You will know it is time to turn the page when you hear the chimes ring like this…”
Let’s’ Begin Now:
As I started pulling this treasured Read-Along Book out of the safety of its protective plastic bag, it tore at the spine and effectively separating itself from the whole book. It is a sad exhibition of how fragile paper can become after 35 years. An easy fix, but I could almost visualize the adorable Mogwai named Gizmo on the cover shedding a tear as he observed me delicately trying to repair the tragically torn book. Me, a 42-year-old adult, trying to hold my childhood memories together with scotch tape and lots of hope! Sure, I could purchase another book on eBay without having to mortgage the house, and in much better condition than the one that just fell apart in my hands- but darn it- that isn’t the one I owned as a child. This musty smelling one is, and it must be salvaged and preserved.
Read-Along Books were inexpensive substitutes for owning the home video version of the film, which, believe it or not, could easily cost upwards of $30 in 1985. These books included a 7-inch record with word-for-word story narration, dramatic character dialogue, authentic sound effects, and musical backgrounds. Even though the books were about animated features and movies mostly suitable for the entire family, the dialogue wasn’t watered down. It was edited as not be a full-blown 200-page novelization, but the content stayed true to the films. I can still read these short books today to get that quick nostalgia shot, manifesting itself for the world to see as an ear to ear smile and a twinkle in my Lasik-operated eyes.
SEE the pictures, HEAR the record, READ the book!
I’d spend hours reading these books as the narrator guided me through crucial parts of the films I loved but didn’t own. The artwork varied in quality from book to book, but these stories enthralled me to no end. They also kept me from bugging my mom and helped me pass the time in lieu of friends. Got to love that Tinker Bell chime that let you know it was time to turn the page!
Read-Along Books were around since the mid-sixties, but circa 1987, tapes substituted the included seven-inch records. As a child, the simplicity of sitting down with a book containing the written form of the films you loved and having them read to you was a very comforting feeling. There was never a fear of reprimand for not knowing or mispronouncing a word. It was a child’s safety zone, my safety zone.
I also had Big Looker Storybooks from Marvel Books featuring my beloved Transformers and Golden Super Adventure Books with the runner-up GoBots.
Although these didn’t contain a record, for $1.50, you had arguably better-crafted Transformer stories than the animated series that made the franchise a worldwide pop culture phenomenon. In my honest opinion, the Transformer books had beautiful artwork. You can only imagine how a child’s eyes lit up with these books in their hands, just taking everything in. A special shout-out goes out to artists Earl Norem and John Speirs, who did the artwork for these fabulous storybooks.
Exciting Action From The High-Tech World of GoBots-Mighty Robots, Mighty Vehicles!
GoBots hold a special place in my forever nostalgic heart, but they were never like the Transformers. If you had the money, why go with RC Cola if Coca-Cola was available? And no, we’re not going to talk about Pepsi. Yech! The changing from vehicles to robots was less complicated with the GoBots, and the animated show was undoubtedly for an even younger audience than the already juvenile Transformers. The books followed the same pattern of simplicity, with the artwork leaving much to be desired. At the time, the books were inexplicably more expensive too. Of course, they entertained me as a kid, but I could sense the lopsided gulf between the two franchises even at a young age.
Watching Star Wars: Return of The Jedi in theaters in 1983 as a five-year-old was an experience I hope never to forget and forever be able to recall whenever I find myself with “a case of the Monday’s,” and a little down in the dumps. I remember sitting in those huge theater seats (huge to a five-year-old), and witnessing the vile, gangster Jabba The Hutt and his enormous pet Rancor. The Speeder Bike chase scene on the forest moon of Endor was and still is exhilarating. You also had the second and final confrontation between Luke Skywalker and his father, the evil Darth Vader. Plus, the Emperor’s force lightning that sounded like an electricity charged explosion struck me with terror, making me sink into and try to disappear in my seat. These are all memories ingrained in the deepest recesses of my mind.
The Return of the Jedi Giant Collectors Compendium: Heroes, Villains, Creatures and Droids transported me back to the movie theater; stuffing my brain with info about all my favorite characters and providing me an in-depth look at ROTJ before the existence of Star Wars encyclopedias, the extensive Expanded Universe and of course the internet. Inside, I learned about the henchmen’s names in Jabba’s palace: Ephant Mon, Hermi Odle, Elom and his guards Klaatu, and Nikto (no Barada for those The Day the Earth Stood Still and the Evil Dead: Army of Darkness fans). The compendium and a blue plastic ROTJ wallet with R2D2 and C-3PO on the front went with me everywhere. Both have survived all these years, with the compendium still conserving the scotch tape used on numerous occasions to keep it from falling apart (Thank you, mom!). In almost immaculate condition, the vintage wallet remains as I carried it in 1983: without as much as a dollar bill or even a quarter inside. But who needs money when wonderful memories feed and tend to your heart and soul?
I used to be crazy for dinosaurs. They were all I used to think about (that and the Dukes of Hazzard). They ruled the Earth millions of years ago, but they also ruled and possessed my thoughts, dreams, and seemingly controlled my actions at a particular time in my childhood. When the school I attended, Pembroke Pines Elementary in South Florida had a Scholastic book fair, the only books I ordered were about dinosaurs. I also got a cool frogman scuba toy, but that got boring, real quick. Once in the water, it just flopped and turned over and didn’t swim as gracefully as I imagined it would. But back to dinosaurs:
Giant reptiles thundering across the ground we now live on, with their fossils possibly buried underneath our feet. Dinosaurs became my gateway to fictional giant creatures known as Kaiju, like Godzilla, Rodan, Anguirus, and the three-headed dragon King Ghidorah. What could be cooler than a dinosaur? A dinosaur named Godzilla that could breathe nuclear fire, of course! C’mon, Stick with me here!
My earliest memories of figuring out what I wanted to do with my life involved me becoming either a Paleontologist, Archaeologist (thanks to the Indiana Jones), or a combination of both. My love for dinosaurs waned when Jurrasic Park was released in theaters in 1993. Honestly, I can’t recall what I was into by then, probably sports, wrestling, and Super Nintendo, but it wasn’t dinosaurs anymore. If I were, I’d probably be somewhere in Arizona dusting off fossils with a little brush while wearing a wide-brimmed hat to protect me from the infernal sun. Or down in the jungles of Central America not drinking the water, and unearthing ancient Mayan pyramids and not telling you about any of this. So, in that sense, I’m pleased I didn’t follow that path.
As I carefully handle the now frail book published in 1985, hoping it doesn’t suffer the same fate as The Gift of the Mogwai, I’m transported back to a time when pro wrestling was all too real for me.
Kayfabe: The term used to describe the illusion that professional wrestling is not staged, i.e., REAL.
Is wrestling fake? Well, no, but it isn’t easy to explain what that means. Is it predetermined? Yes. Was it amazing in the ’80s? You better believe your power slam it was! In 1985, the book Wrestling Superstars, written by Daniel and Susan Cohen, made it all seem legit like Pro Wrestling Illustrated, The Wrestler, and Inside Wrestling magazines presented the grappling game. How could a seven-year-old doubt a magazine, or a book? Could a book’s contents be filled with lies? I acquired this gem at a Winn-Dixie supermarket checkout lane after begging my mom to buy it for me. The cover features color photos of Hulk Hogan, The Iron Sheik, Sergeant Slaughter, and Wendi Richter plus promising “action packed photos” inside! Unfortunately, the images inside are a dismal black and white.
“It’s hot. It’s chic. It’s hip. It’s now. It’s the sports spectacle sensation of the ‘80s. What is it? Why, it’s professional wrestling, of course!” -Opening sentence for Wrestling Superstars by Daniel and Susan Cohen.
The book contains over 30 wrestlers and divides them into Good Guys and Bad Guys. There is a small separate section about women’s wrestling and an even smaller one covering the sport’s legends, famous venues, organizations, and magazines. The biographies within walk a tightrope between truth and embellished fictional accounts that wrestling is renowned for.
Not yet familiar with wrestling magazines and no internet for at least a decade, this book became my wrestling bible. I poured through the pages learning “insider information” about the stars I loved and those I loved to hate as the book proclaims on the back cover. A couple of months ago, I was shocked to find out there is actually a volume 2! Worth $5 plus shipping, don’t you think?
Thanks for reading! My other articles for Pop Culture Retrorama are here, and if you enjoy old school wrestling, you can read my work for Pro Wrestling Storieshere.
Friends, the other evening as I was about to turn in for the night, my feed lit up with comments about The Craft: Legacy trailer that had just been released online. This new film as is revealed in the trailer itself is a sequel to 1996’s The Craft – a film that was not only successful at the box office but has gone on to become a cult classic. With it’s blend of horror and look at the hardships of High School – it spoke to a lot of folks who felt like outcasts… even to those of us who had already graduated.
As I understand it, the development for a sequel to The Craft had begun around 2010 and was intended as straight-to-DVD affair, although that project finally foundered and was abandoned. A second attempt to a quasi-sequel was tried by Sony Picture in May of 2016 with an original screenplay by Leigh Janiak (Honeymoon) – although while she was picked as director for the film, the studio brought on Daniel Casey (Kin) to work on the script. In the end this project was also dropped, but then in March of 2019, Blumhouse Productions announced they were working on a sequel to the 1996 film – hiring Zoe-Lister Jones to write and direct The Craft: Legacy.
Now to be upfront, I have to admit that there were some elements in the trailer that didn’t quite win me over – more often than not however I have enjoyed the films that Blumhouse has delivered. I am curious though as what final rating The Craft: Legacy ends up receiving – as the trailer makes me feel they might be shooting for the PG-13 crowd.
While it was a nice surprise to see both David Duchovny (The X-Files) and Michelle Monaghan (True Detective) – the success of the film will naturally rest on the shoulders of Cailee Spaeny (Pacific Rim: Uprising), Zoey Luna (Pose), Lovie Simone (Greenleaf), and Gideon Adlon (Blockers).
In closing out this article, I would like to point out that in less than a week we have had announcements for the Creepshow animated special, Wolfman’s Got Nards documentary, and now The Craft: Legacy – all coming out one after another starting on October 26th. So you better start marking your calendars and planning your evenings to catch all of the Holiday related entertainment heading our way!
Friends, growing up as a Monster Kid meant that when The Monster Squad was released to theaters on August 14th of 1987 – my Father and I were there the following day for the Saturday afternoon matinee. In fact I touched upon that in an earlier Monster Squad article back in May – which showcased a behind the scenes video on some of the work done on the film by the Stan Winston Studios.
As most of you are no doubt aware – The Monster Squad unfortunately did not find success at the box office when it was originally released. Thanks to home video and of course cable – the film was able to find it’s intended audience and develop an amazingly passionate fanbase – so much so that a documentary about the film’s legacy was produced in 2018. One that just so happened to be helmed by Andre Gower – the same actor who played the character of Sean in the 1987 film. The documentary has been earning more than a fair share amount of praise on the film festival circuit these last few years, but now you can preoder the Blu-ray and DVD for Wolfman’s Got Nards on Amazon before it’s released on October 27th. The Holiday treats being released in October just seem to be getting better and better, right?
A quick look at the Internet Movie Database shows that besides some of Gower’s co-stars from The Monster Squad, they also talk with director and co-writer Fred Dekker (Night of the Creeps). In addition the documentary also interviews the likes of co-writer Shane Black (The Nice Guys), Heather Langenkamp (A Nightmare on Elm Street), Adam F. Goldberg (The Goldbergs), Tom Woodruff Jr. (Death Becomes Her), and Zach Galligan (Gremlins) to name a few.
Now before I close out this article, I feel like I really need to thank Shawn Robare of Cult Film Club – for providing the heads up on the Wolfman’s Got Nards documentary being released. Not only is Shawn one of the biggest fans of The Monster Squad that I know, but he apparently is interviewed on the documentary too!
Friends, perhaps 1983 is the only time you will have the opportunity to see the likes of Snoopy, Popeye, Mario, and Donkey Kong together in a television commercial. The TV ad in question was for the line of Nintendo Game & Watch handheld electronic games – apparently being offered at your local Toys “R” Us back in June of ’83 – when this commercial originally aired in Chicago.
Now how I stumbled across this Game & Watch commercial is because of a Toy Tomb video by Willie of Arcade USA. He took the time to record himself playing 1981’s Octopus, which was part of Nintendo’s Wide Screen series – and featured Mr. Game & Watch attempting to steal treasure that is being guarded by an Octopus.
For myself, I was never fortunate enough to collect any of the titles in the Game & Watch series, although I was aware of them thanks to my local ShowBiz Pizza, which offered a few as prizes if you collected enough Skee-Ball tickets. Off the top of my head I can remember seeing the likes of Mario’s Cement Factory, Donkey Kong II, and Greenhouse at that fabled ShowBiz Pizza of my youth.
As I understand it, we have the late and great Gunpei Yokoi to thank for coming up with the Game & Watch. It has been said that the video game designer happened to take notice of a businessman who to waste time pulled out his LCD calculator and began playing with it. So it was that Yokoi felt that perhaps an LCD gaming device that also doubled as a watch might catch on. From 1980 until 1991 Nintendo produced 59 Game & Watch titles – with different ‘models’ like the Multi Screen, Tabletop, and Panorama to name a few.
Friends, I realize that we are just a couple of days away from October, but it would appear that the promise of Holiday treats are being unveiled at a breakneck pace already. Just a few days ago we had that surprise announcement about the Creepshow animated special, which will air on Shudder on the 26th of October. And now the trailer for The Call has gone live – a film that stars Tobin Bell (Saw) and Lin Shaye (Insidious) – in addition to being produced by Jeffrey Reddick (Final Destination). With a title like The Call it isn’t too hard to piece together that the film involves a telephone – although as you will see in the trailer – it is a very special phone to say the least.
As to what the prank could be that appears to have cost Edith Cranston (Shaye) her life – I honestly cannot figure out. Although I do have a sneaking suspicion that some of the kids responsible, at the very least for vandalizing the Cranston home, were once looked after by both Edith and Edward (Bell) at their daycare. Which might explain why, as pointed out in the trailer, the kids have been included in Edith’s will – and why Edward is so happy to help his Wife get vengeance from beyond the grave.
The Call was directed by Timothy Woodward Jr. who worked with Lin Shaye previously on 2018’s The Final Wish. The film stars the likes of Erin Sanders (Zoey 101), Chester Rushing (Daybreak), Mike Manning (Teen Wolf), as well as Sloane Morgan Siegel (Dwight in Shining Armor). While not stated in the trailer itself, The Call is getting a release only to theaters and Drive-Ins on Friday October 2nd – so check your local listings.
On the other hand, perhaps it would be better if called your local theater and Drive-In before heading out?
Friends, while I was all of four years old when Logan’s Run was originally released to theaters on June 23rd of 1976 – I did in fact catch it a few years later at the local Drive-In. I have shared before on the site as well as on the Saturday Frights podcast – there were many times in my youth that I saw a film at that glorious outdoor theater – that turned out to have been released a couple of years earlier. While that would actually change at the end of the ’70s – that is how I could enjoy a fantastic double feature with 1977’s Damnation Alley and Logan’s Run in the Summer of 1978.
Now I quite enjoyed Damnation Alley – the cockroaches scene in particular stuck with me long after the film had ended. However it would be fair to say that I LOVED Logan’s Run – it’s utopian future with a very dark secret just really clicked with me. Although it didn’t hurt the film that the cast was made up of Michael York (The Island of Dr. Moreau), Jenny Agutter (An American Werewolf in London), Peter Ustinov (1973’s Robin Hood), and the late and great Richard Jordan (Dune, The Hunt for Red October). Having said that I would be remiss to not point out that my favorite character in the film – the misguided and murderous robot known as Box – was voiced by the legendary Roscoe Lee Browne of The Cowboys and Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light to name just a few of his roles.
Logan’s Run is based off the 1967 book of the same name by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. Although the screenplay for the 1976 film, written by David Zelag Goodman (Straw Dogs), really only uses the basic elements of Nolan and Johnson’s novel. Interestingly enough, the attempt to bring Logan’s Run to the big screen was started by none other than George Pal (The Time Machine) back in 1969 – although the producer and director would eventually leave the project to tackle Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze. As a matter of fact it would actually be Michael Anderson, the director of the film adaptation of Lester Dent’s Doc Savage, that would be chosen to also helm Logan’s Run.
Thanks to Andrew Patrick Ralston, who also uploaded that clip from the 1983 US Festival I wrote about the other day, we can enjoy this 1975 making of Logan’s Run featurette. Which provides some opportunities to hear from the cast and crew, and some glimpses of the hard work that it took to bring the film to the big screen.
Of all the things 2020 will be remembered for, probably pretty low on the list will be “the year that Character Options’ Doctor Who action figure line suddenly awakened”, but…it’s still on the list.
Hot on the heels of the box sets released earlier this year come…more box sets! First up, there is a set of new variants of the current TARDIS crew, with repaints of Graham, Yaz, and Ryan, the thirteenth Doctor’s companions.
The remaining box sets are firmly in classic series territory, however, starting with a box set of the fifth Doctor, as played by Peter Davison, and his TARDIS. This particular TARDIS mold has been released before, along with the seventh Doctor, but the paint job here is unique, a bit more weathered, and the box set is tied, at least in name, to the 1982 four-parter The Visitation (which was also graced with a soundtrack CD earlier this year). Those of you who like to have an era-appropriate TARDIS for each of the Doctors on your shelf, here it is.
Having been released earlier this year in different costumes, the fourth Doctor’s companions are back in circulation once more, this time dressed for different episodes.
This second box set of both incarnations of Romana and Sarah Jane Smith dips into the Jon Pertwee era as well, with Sarah Jane sporting a leather jacket similar to the one worn in 1974’s The Monster Of Peladon, while Romana’s first incarnation wears the futuristic outfit seen in 1978’s The Power Of Kroll (you’ll have to supply your own giant squid to re-enact specific scenes though). Romana’s second incarnation is ready to do battle with The Horns Of Nimon, the not-exactly-a-fan-favorite story that saw Doctor Who limp into 1980 before a new production team gave the series a serious revamp.
The fourth Doctor’s era gets some additional love with the box set that’s likely to be the real eye-opener of this wave of figures…
…a box set of figures from the classic fourth Doctor story Terror Of The Zygons, which introduced the shapeshifting monsters in the story’s title. Tom Baker wore a unique variation of his normal costume, complete with a tam o’shanter and a long tartan scarf, appropriate to the Scottish setting of that particular story. That outfit is finally immortalized in plastic, along with a new camo fatigues variant of UNIT regular Sgt. Benton and a more anonymous UNIT soldier (better check to see if he’s wearing a red shirt under there, as many an anonymous UNIT soldier…well, let’s just say they tend not to come back and become as well known as Sgt. Benton).
And are there more Daleks? Oh yes, there are more Daleks.
Tackling these in reverse order, Dalek Collectors’ Set #4 brings us two variant Daleks from the epic, 12-part story The Daleks’ Masterplan, a story so long that it started in 1965 and ended in 1966 (!). A Dalek equipped with a flame thrower – for clearing the dense, Dalek-hostile vegetation of the planet Kembel – is included, along with a Black Dalek, presumably in command of that mission.
Dalek Collectors’ Set #3 brings us a pair of Daleks from the earlier 1965 six-part story The Chase, one featuring the lighter color scheme that BBC propmasters tried out during this period of the show to help the Daleks “gleam” more futuristically (and more like metal) under studio lights, along with a repeat of the recent limited-edition paint job indicating that the other Dalek was on loan to the BBC from the recently-completed Peter Cushing film Dr. Who And The Daleks; unlike the two Daleks with a similar color scheme from the limited edition set, however, this one features a standard Dalek base and not the raised “bumper car” base seen on the movie Daleks.
And if you think that all of these sets feature characters spaced out too far apart to be a part of the same scene, never forget that UNIT and the Daleks clashed – briefly, and with heavy UNIT casualties (here’s where your anonymous UNIT soldier comes in) in 1971’s Day Of The Daleks (especially if you have, on DVD, the “special edition” of that story which punches up that battle with newly-shot footage).
Plus, of course, you probably have your own UNIT-vs.-Daleks scenarios in mind, too.
A new official U.S. web destination – though leading primarily to Amazon links from a single seller (presumably the owner of the site) – has been established for American collectors in the wake of the resurgence of the Doctor Who action figure line. These sets will start to appear in late October, probably in the $30-40 range for two/three figure box sets, with the fifth Doctor/TARDIS set probably landing at around $50.
“Aim for their wallets! EXTERMINAAAAAAATE!”
What’s next for the Doctor Who figure line? Looking closely at years past offers some likely clues: once a new character mold (say, Romana or ’70s Sarah Jane, or Sgt. Benton and Captain Yates of UNIT) is added to the line, often at great expense between the actual sculpting and the rights to the likenesses of actors who are increasingly no longer with us, those heads will be dropped on top of new bodies for at least a year or so. So if you’re disappointed that Romana hasn’t turned up in the sailor or schoolgirl outfit yet, wait until 2021; your wish-list Romana outfit will probably eventually happen, if only to amortize the expense of creating the new head molds. (If they ever put Sarah Jane in her Brain Of Morbius or Hand Of Fear duds, they’ll probably sucker me into buying whatever box set those variations are part of.) Smart money also says to watch out for specialized Daleks tied into the upcoming Time Lord Victorious storyline or the Daleks! animated series.
And new companions beyond these? Maybe this time next year at the earliest. But the Character Options Doctor Who line, going strong since 2005’s relaunch of the TV series, is clearly not one to write off. As I’ve said before, it’s the UK’s equivalent of the Kenner/Hasbro Star Wars line…and the Doctor’s travels are far from completely chronicled in toy form.
Friends, the other day while I was getting ready to head out for work, a friend of mine on Facebook sent me a short video from the 1983 US Festival. The reason being is that it not only featured the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, a glimpse at part of the technology fair, but the still impressive Vectrex home console by Milton Bradley. As I have shared in the past ad nauseam, in my household we just didn’t listen to music, although that would actually start to change at the end of ’83 thanks to Michael Jackson’s Thriller music video. So when Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple as well as rock concert promoter Bill Graham put on the 1982 US Festival near Devore, San Bernardino, California on Labor Day Weekend – I was totally clueless of the whole affair.
In all honesty until just the other day I was still totally clueless on the US Festival in ’82, as well as the second event held on Memorial Day Weekend of 1983. The genesis of the festival was due to Wozniak wanting to put something together that would be a call for society to cease focusing only on themselves – but try and unite together – hence the name of the festival. What better way to attempt such an endeavor than with music?
While Wozniak also made sure that the latest in technology was part of the US Festival – including the sharing of the event with the then Soviet Union. I would say that it was the music that drew the majority of the 400,000 attendees, it is not difficult to see why with the likes of The Ramones, Oingo Boingo, The B-52’s, Santana, The Cars, Pat Benatar, the Grateful Dead, and The Police to name just a few performing at the event.
It was only nine months later when the second festival was organized by Barry Fey, who had earned ‘Promoter of the Year’ by Billboard for three consecutive years beginning in ’78. Not only did attendance rise to 670,000 but the list of performers expanded and included a staggering amount of music legends. There was the likes of INXS, Men at Work, The Clash, Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Van Halen, U2, Willie Nelson, Alabama, and David Bowie to point out just a few.
As with the US Festival in ’82 – once again Wozniak made sure that technology was featured at the ’83 event. Which as you will see from this short clip, had a robot, lots of computers, and of course Milton Bradley’s Vectrex. Now if I had been close enough to attend the festival back in the day, this is absolutely where I would have spent all of my time – missing the musical event to keep playing Scramble.
Friends, about a month ago I shared the first trailer for The Haunting of Bly Manor, the upcoming Netflix series from Mike Flanagan (Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep). In said article I made a mention that I was rather bummed to say the very least, that due to COVID-19, we would not be getting the second season of Shudder’s Creepshow in time for October. With that in mind I hope you will imagine my shock of delight when I found this message on the official Shudder Twitter feed:
Suprise! A @CreepshowTV Animated Special will premiere on Shudder on October 26.
Starring Kiefer Sutherland & Joey King, the special will feature two segments based on short stories by Stephen King & Joe Hill & is directed by Greg Nicotero. Part of our #61DaysofHalloween”
I all but flew out of my chair, fist pumping the air in celebratory excitement – it quite honestly felt like October had been saved. Over a decade of writing I have had ample opportunities to share just how much I love this time of year – when the green leaves of the trees begin to turn to beautiful shades of orange, yellow, and red. In my mind, that most magical time of the year, the signaling of the arrival of Ray Bradbury’s Autumn People:
“That country where it is always turning late in the year. That country where the hills are fog and the rivers are mist; where noons go quickly, dusks and twilights linger, and midnights stay. That country composed in the main of cellars, sub-cellars, coal-bins, closets, attics, and pantries face away from the sun. That country whose people are autumn people, thinking only autumn thoughts. Whose people passing at night on the empty walks sound like rain.” – The October Country
Now, the question is what two stories by Stephen King and Joe Hill are being adapted for this Creepshow animated special? Thanks to John Squires of Bloody Disgusting, we know the answer to that question – “Survivor Type” as well as “Twittering from the Circus of the Dead“. The former is adapted by Creepshow showrunner Greg Nicotero and will feature Kiefer Sutherland, while the latter has been adapted by Melanie Dale (The Walking Dead) and features Joey King (The Conjuring, Fargo).
Thanks to the likes of Amazon, Hulu, Netflix, and Shudder – it is most certainly looking like the month of October will be full of Holiday horrors to entertain us all!
Friends, it is probably not a big secret these days, but David Lynch was initially approached to direct 1983’s Return of the Jedi. Obviously the Director of The Elephant Man would end up passing on the project after his initial meeting with George Lucas – although he would go on to tackle a science fiction epic with his adaptation of Dune the following year. In this clip from an interview with Joel Pascal of the Hudson Union Society – Lynch regales an audience as only he can – on Wookies, salads, and passing up on millions of dollars.
For what it might be worth, my first encounter with the work of David Lynch was that 1984 version of Dune. I remember it quite clearly because when my Father bought our tickets, we were handed a terminology sheet for the film. So while I waited impatiently for the house lights in the auditorium to dim, I read this two-sided sheet of paper over and over again. Learning of Caladan, the home planet of House Atreides, or the importance of a Stillsuit. It was a lot for my 12-year-old self to try and grasp before the film began… and when I left the theater there were two things that were quite certain. One, was that my Father hated the film with a passion – perhaps only rivaled by his anger over Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Special Edition. Two, experiencing Lynch’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s first book resulted in my becoming a lifelong fan of the Dune saga.
Speaking of film adaptations for Dune – in the very near future (We hope!) – we will be experiencing a new film helmed by Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Blade Runner 2049). Much like the 1984 version featured some rather incredible actors – this upcoming film features an impressive list itself – with the likes of Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Javier Bardem, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, and Jason Momoa to name just a few.
Originally schedule to be released in December of this year – I fear that with COVID-19 still wrecking havoc on movie release schedules as well as our lives… we will not see Dune in theaters until 2021.
As adults, many of us have fond memories of the toys we used to have as kids. Others, like myself, have been able to hold onto some of those cherished items. Every toy, book, or related article has a story: How it was acquired, the memories it invokes, and why they’re special. I’m happy to share with you some wonderful stories related to 6 toys from my youth I still own.
M.U.S.C.L.E. (Millions of Unusual Small Creatures Lurking Everywhere) was a Mattel toy line based on collectible Japanese erasers called Kinkeshi from the Kinnikuman manga that appeared in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump from 1979-1987. It also became an anime that ran from 1983-1989. Kinnikuman was an intergalactic pro wrestling/superhero parody with hundreds of collectible wild and wacky characters. The names changed for the U.S. version with MuscleMan and the good guys calling themselves Thug Busters, and the nefarious baddies led by Terri-Bull naming themselves Cosmic Crunchers.
M.U.S.C.L.E. figures were barely an inch and a half in height but brought me many hours of fun. When I moved to El Salvador in 1986, several years passed when I could not watch wrestling on TV because it was simply not available. As a child, I was unaware of M.U.S.C.L.E.’s backstory and just thought that the unique looking characters offered endless story possibilities. Many resembled real wrestlers like Kamala, Terry Funk, Jushin “Thunder” Liger, and even Abdullah The Butcher. Thus, my imagination soared, and I created incredible grudge matches between these tiny wrestlers that the WWF and NWA could only dream of. They also came in various colors and had a small wrestling ring that I even owned, but unfortunately have probably misplaced forever. When I first encountered these tiny mat men in Toys ‘R’ Us, my mom told me I could either buy one small Transformer, two GoBots, or the pack of 28 M.U.S.C.L.E. figures for roughly the same price. It was a no-brainer. None of my childhood Transformer or GoBots survived; in turn, these tiny, pink, rubber wrestlers are nearly indestructible. And, you could grab a handful, put them in your pocket, and take them almost anywhere. Collect them all!
In the early ‘80s, Remco released Mini-Monster action figures from Universal Pictures’ horror icons Dracula, The Wolfman, The Mummy, Phantom of The Opera, and Frankenstein. The play case is something I also owned, but its whereabouts is sadly a mystery. A couple of years ago, at the Santa Rosa Toy-Con in Northern California, I was happy to hear that our friend IseeRobots was gifted one by his wife. What a find!
I had them all, but my lone surviving mini-monster is The Creature From The Black Lagoon-ironically, the only movie of the monsters mentioned above I haven’t seen, but which I own a sealed VHS tape of. Since I couldn’t take my play case to school, a different mini-monster accompanied me daily, and I’d play with it under my desk, hoping neither my teacher nor classmates would take notice. If only back then, we could take pictures and post them on Instagram! Perhaps I should’ve paid more attention in math class instead? Nah. Can’t dwell on those mundane details now, can we?
In January of 1997, Star Wars returned to theaters with the now controversial Special Edition, and companies like Pepsico and Frito-Lay wanted a piece of the action. In Mexico and other Latin American countries, products like Ruffles, Lays, Doritos, and Cheetos snacks, are sold under the Sabritas brand, but often tweaked to match local tastes with different condiments and hot sauces.
In the spring of ’97, I ate an obscene amount of junk food to collect all 100 pogs featuring amazing Star Wars still shots. They were called “Sabri Galacticos” (something I only noticed now while writing this article). After graduating from high school, my obsession became collecting all the pogs instead of socializing with my junior college classmates. I also managed to collect the bulky Star Wars The Power of The Force action figures that looked like our heroes and villains from a galaxy far, far away had taken up gym memberships during their toy shelve hiatus. I don’t think anybody ever understood how proud I was to have gotten all 100 pogs, but I’m happy that I still have them for all to see, and they remain in great shape. I have a couple of doubles so that we can trade later.
As a youngster, the action-comedy series The Dukes of Hazzard was one of my favorite shows, and a smash hit for CBS that ran from 1979-1985. The good ol’ Duke boys “never meanin’ no harm” and their cousin Daisy, routinely foiled corrupt county commissioner J.D. Boss Hogg’s shady schemes and regularly left Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane and his deputies in the dust. The show’s highlight was the iconic 1969 Orange Dodge Charger called the “General Lee” evading the law and launching itself over obstacles; ramps seemed to be prevalent in Hazzard County. While airborne, the Duke boys hollered “yeehaw!” sometimes to the tune of The General Lee’s claxon belting the tune of Dixie. At least one Dodge Charger was destroyed every episode due to sometimes irreparable structural damage, with the cars often flipping over. I still get chills seeing the General Lee precariously take flight, and cringe when I see the usual rough landings. For me, few things were more exciting than the General Lee and The Dukes of Hazzard! My parents put up with my obsession but bought a tiny black and white TV for my room so that their viewing of the soap opera Dallas was undisturbed by me watching the Duke boy’s antics. Of course, watching the Dukes wasn’t as fun in black and white, which inevitably led me to turn the knob on the UHF dial, searching for anything else. Thanks to UHF channel surfing, I discovered Championship Wrestling from Florida with Gordon Solie and characters like Kevin Sullivan and his Army of Darkness. But perhaps that’s a story for another time.
One of my cherished “surviving” toys is a 1:64 scale replica of the General Lee released by ERTL in 1981. The front two wheels are missing because a kid in daycare either hated that I had an awesome General Lee, and he didn’t, or he just wanted to test if the toy was as rugged as the car seen on TV. He asked to borrow my beloved toy, but then proceeded to repeatedly throw it onto the ground at what seemed to me full force! The harrowing sound of metal hitting concrete is forever etched in my psyche and still induces plenty of nightmares. Though, as beaten up as it is, that little car is irreplaceable in the nostalgia it elicits in me. It’s still a beautiful thang. Yeehaw!
My love for pro wrestling came at an early age, but I also understood that the probability of me successfully becoming one was akin to entering an asteroid field and surviving like in The Empire Strikes Back. If you want an exact number, that would be approximately 3,720 to 1.
Instead, maybe I could become a promoter, a manager, or better yet, call the matches like heel commentator Jesse “The Body” Ventura. I liked how he always unapologetically took the bad guy’s side and somehow convinced you that his twisted perspective of events was right and that the real bad guys were the two-faced cheating babyfaces! This perspective was so refreshing and something I wanted to emulate.
The 1990 WWF Electronic Sound FX Microphone by Playtime Products was a way for me to practice my mic skills before hitting the big time, or so I thought. I’d study how Ventura called the matches and later, with the volume on mute, replay the tape on my trusty VCR recorder, trying my darndest to imitate “The Body.” Carrying the match without the help of a play-by-play commentator was daunting because Ventura usually fed off their obvious accounts of the action, and then quipped a heelish response! If you think calling a match or any sporting event is easy, turn down the volume and try it yourself. You don’t need a toy microphone as I had, and you’ll gain a renewed sense of appreciation for commentators. That microphone is still with me today, in perfect shape, and it goes for at least $45 on eBay. Mine isn’t for sale though!
That red pickup truck is a sight for sore eyes and is the embodiment of how tough Tonka trucks used to be! In 2020, there is more plastic than steel in most of their trucks, but that wasn’t the case in 1984. All this truck needed was rubber tires to boot, but other than that, it is classic toy perfection. In the unending tomfoolery that constitutes as “boys play,” my best friend and I used to take turns putting things under each other’s pillows only to predictably slam each other’s noggin on a variety of objects. It was all fun and games until my best friend hid that steel Tonka truck under my pillow (who needs enemies, right?) with disastrous results. It made a knot that usually warrants the usage of a frozen steak or two like in cartoons or The Three Stooges. I didn’t retain any permanent damage-many would question that dubious statement- but there it is. That truck has survived everything, and it will probably still be here when I’m gone. In 1975, an elephant stepping on a Tonka truck was used in their commercials to prove their toughness and with the slogan, “A toy shouldn’t break just because a child plays with it.” Tonka tough indeed.
Friends, a few days ago as I was about to call it a day, when one of my friends on Facebook happened to share some news that made me shout out loud in excitement. Thanks to a crowdfunding campaign started by HasLab, which you can join by way of Hasbro Pulse – those of us who fondly remember sitting around a table enjoying HeroQuest – have an opportunity to do so once again thanks to Avalon Hill. A mere 31 years after the game was originally released – the quest is calling again!
HeroQuest was originally designed by Stephen Baker, who had not only worked at the Games Workshop store but for the UK arm of Milton Bradley too. I suppose with his working relationship with Games Workshop and Milton Bradley – the two companies saw the wisdom of joining together and releasing the game system to the World. And that is most assuredly what HeroQuest was – a game system – everything you would need to run the included adventures and create future quests was found in that rather large box.
One player took on the role of Zargon, the evil sorcerer and master of the dungeon – picking an adventure from the supplied Quest Book or using their own. As well as placing the doorways, furniture, and enemy forces miniatures on the game board as dictated by the chosen quest. It was up to four other players to act as the heroes, each choosing one of the champions of Mentor – Barbarian, Dwarf, Wizard, or Elf. The players attempted to navigate the dungeon and complete whatever task was put before them, then making it successfully to the spiral staircase before Zargon’s forces defeated them.
While not required to role-play during the game, my group of friends always did so – they also kept track of the items they had collected during the quest for the next game. While I was never fortunate enough to secure any of the HeroQuest expansions – at the very least I still have the core game itself.
For what it might be worth I have actually pledged for the Mythic Tier set for this updated HeroQuest – one of those reasons besides receiving the two expansions – is I really want that Mentor miniature and character card. In addition that tier allows me to receive the “Unlocks” when the stretch goals for the crowdfunding campaign have been met… in less than 24 hours the project was fully funded and shows no signs of slowing down.
You might be interested to know that Hasbro’s PulseCon begins tomorrow – an online event featuring panels covering such franchises as Magic: The Gathering, Transformers, G.I. Joe, Star Wars, HeroQuest and more.
Friends, welcome to a new episode of the Saturday Frights podcast – with this third of eighteen episodes for season three of the show – we are sticking with the theme of science fiction/horror films. For this week’s podcast, the Projectionist and I, have decided to discuss the cult classic Night of the Comet which was released in 1984. One of those rare films that manages to pull off, thanks to the script by Thom Eberhardt who also directed Night of the Comet, to be equally fun as it is thrilling. As mentioned on the podcast itself, the cast which includes the likes of Catherine Mary Stewart (Weekend at Bernie’s), Kelli Maroney (Chopping Mall), and Robert Beltran (Star Trek: Voyager) elevate what could have been a campy movie and really make it something special.
As always we have done our level best to shine the spotlight on those in front of and behind the camera. I was able to find some very interesting anecdotes concerning Night of the Comet thanks to John Kenneth Muir’s Horror Films of the 1980s. While the Projectionist and I give a full synopsis for Night of the Comet without hopefully hitting you over the head with every minor plot point. This show still clocks in at nearly an hour in length – which means my co-host didn’t bring quite as many audio treats as he normally would.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode -or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
We certainly hope you are enjoying season three of the Saturday Frights podcast so far – so before you head out to the local mall and tangle with some comet zombies – prepare yourself for Night of the Comet.
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The September smorgasbord of soundtracks just keeps spinning – and there’s a little something for everyone this time around.
Click on the covers to embiggen them (in stereo where available)
If thieves are your thing, you can’t do much better than the Prince of Thieves, as in Robin Hood – as in Intrada’s four-disc remastered release of the late Michael Kamen’s complete score (and then some) from 1991’s Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves. Now, this has been released before – as a single CD alongside the movie’s original release, and as a 2-CD collection by Intrada just a couple of years ago. But with help from Kamen’s estate, missing material that had to be omitted from the 2018 release now comprises a third CD – that’s three discs of the score as composed for the film, and, on a fourth disc, the score suite from the 1991 CD release in remastered form.
Before you ask: no, the Bryan Adams songs – you know the one – is not to be found on the 4-CD set, nor is the much more obscure (but much desired by ELO fans) Jeff Lynne song “Wild Times”. The entire 4-CD set is simply Kamen’s score – but what a score it is.
To help you contain your disappointment that it’snoton the otherwise amazing 4-CD set, here’s That Bryan Adams Song. Video courtesy Bryan Adams
From BSX Records comes a trio of releases, including one that has been very near the top of the Score Keeper’s soundtrack holy grail list for several years. Just in time for Halloween, two spooky scores by Howard (Flash Gordon) Blake arrive in remastered form on a single CD, The Canterville Ghost and Amityville 3-D. The latter of these was previously available on a now-out-of-print limited edition CD along with Blake’s Flash Gordon score (you know, the bits of music that weren’t done by Queen), but it finally gets, shall we say, a more “official” release this time around.
BSX is also releasing Conrad Pope’s score from the movie Lloyd, a comedy for kids filmed in the ’90s but not released theatrically until 2001. (It’s almost as if the movie and its score were competing to see whose release could be delayed longer. With a 19-year gap between movie premiere and the soundtrack, I think the soundtrack wins.)
The third BSX release is one that yours truly has been wanting on CD for ages, but gave up on ever actually seeing or hearing. It’s Don Davis’ score from the 2004 BBC docudrama Space Odyssey: Voyage To The Planets, the first volume in what will hopefully be a series of releases of Davis’ soundtrack work. The two-night BBC miniseries was a project Davis took on almost immediately after The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, and a little bit of the Matrix trilogy’s style can be heard rubbing off on the epic music for the fictional (but educational) documentary about a crewed space mission spanning the entire solar system, from Venus to Mars. I’m particularly fond of this oddball piece of television and its fantastic score, so if you’re looking for an endorsement, just know that I ordered this one immediately.
In fact, thanks to BSX’s policy of making a digital download (with a PDF digital liner notes booklet) available immediately upon purchase, I’m listening to it right now before the CD even goes in the mail. Each of the three BSX titles have very limited print runs: only 500 copies each. (I have it on good authority that Space Odyssey’s down to 499 already.)
Varese Sarabande has another of its expanded deluxe releases on tap, and this one is both movie music and rock ‘n’ roll. The new single-disc release of music from The Buddy Holly Story offers previously unavailable film versions and alternate versions of songs featured in the film, with songs performed by Gary Busey (in character as Buddy Holly), Jerry Zaremba as Eddie Cochran, and Gailard Sartain as the Big Bopper (hellooooooo, baby!)
Finally, exciting news of an upcoming digital-only release on the horizon, one that will make Star Wars fans feel like they’ve just pulled off the galaxy’s biggest heist with their favorite smuggler. Composer John Powell posted a trailer on Instagram announcing the imminent release of over two hours of the complete, unedited (!) score from Solo: A Star Wars Story, featuring the complete end credits suite and a wealth of other material not available on the previous single-disc-length release. Find me a Wookiee sidekick and count me in.
Friends, my original intention was to have the brand new episode of the Saturday Frights podcast up for your listening pleasure – work however managed to throw a monkey wrench into those plans. However, this does afford me the opportunity to share with you an interview between Leonard Maltin and the legendary animator Floyd Norman – which was uploaded by Turner Classic Movies back on April 19th. Maltin of course besides being a renowned film critic is a huge classic animation fan as well as historian – after all – there was a reason he was picked to act as host for the excellent Walt Disney Treasures collection. And the truth of the matter is that Floyd Norman most certainly had a hand in classic animation – working as an inbetweener on Disney’s Sleeping Beauty in his early 20s.
After his work on Sleeping Beauty, Norman would find himself drafted into Military service – returning to the Disney studios in 1960 where he would have a hand in One Hundred and One Dalmatians and The Sword in the Stone. Finding himself being promoted to the story department with The Jungle Book, once Walt Disney managed to see some of the gag sketches Floyd was leaving around the studio. I should make a point to mention as you will hear in the interview itself – some of those gags were at Walt’s expense.
Floyd Norman would leave the Walt Disney studio for a time, co-founding Vignette Films, Inc., along with fellow animator Leo Sullivan (Flash Gordon, Pac-Man) and others. Producing segments for Sesame Street as well as the 1969 Hey, Hey, Hey, It’s Fat Albert special for NBC. Norman would return to the Disney studios but in addition would work for the likes of Ruby-Spears, Hanna-Barbera, and even Film Roman.
Now as for why that Leonard Maltin and Floyd Norman had this little chat – besides the fact they know each other quite well – is that the latter was one of the intended honorees at the 2020 TCM Classic Film Festival. With Maltin having been scheduled to receive the Robert Osborne award at the festival – with COVID-19 obviously rearing it’s head those plans had to be changed. At the very least it gives us the opportunity to hear Floyd Norman discuss some of his life as animator, author, and living legend.
Friends, the other evening just before I was about to turn in for bed, a friend of mine who heads up a vintage children’s record page shared a recent acquisition – a sealed 1980 storyteller album for the animated adaptation of The Return of the King. I immediately leapt to the internet in the hopes that someone might have uploaded the Disneyland Records release, but I am sad to say that was an absolute bust. However I was able to find this Disney Read-Along book and record – which was also released in 1980 – although it presents an abbreviated version of the animated film.
Now the big difference between the storyteller album and the book and record version – the former contains actual dialogue and the soundtrack from the animated film. Whereas the latter while including one of the Glenn Yarbrough songs from the made-for-TV movie and some of the soundtrack – featured a cast that did there best to sound like John Huston, Orson Bean, and Roddy McDowall from the film itself.
In all honesty I have a soft spot for Rankin and Bass’ adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Return of the King – having said that though I do feel their 1977 version of The Hobbit is the superior animated film. I know that in an interview in 2003 at the Museum of Television and Radio, Arthur Rankin admitted that while they were able to pull off The Hobbit – they didn’t stick the landing with the second animated film:
“We tried to do Return of the King… but it is an awful lot to put into it. I think [Peter] Jackson is having the same problem in his films. You can’t deviate from these books, or somebody’ll wait on the street for you! …The Return of the King, we had to summarize what had happened before, and then put it all together in 2 hours. It’s not a very good film.”
Friends, I have once or twice on the site made a mention of how important it was in my household to make sure to catch Sneak Previews with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert – every Sunday night on our local PBS station. While obviously my Father and I didn’t always agree with the reviews of the two film critics, especially with genre films, we still enjoyed watching the series. Which meant of course we followed them when in 1982 Siskel and Ebert left the popular Sneak Previews over some contract rights, and began appearing in At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert.
When watching the reviews of the new releases of the week by Siskel and Ebert – more often than not I would side with Roger Ebert’s verdict on the film in question. Although for what it might be worth, I can remember in particular disagreeing with his thoughts on 1982’s Halloween III: Season of the Witch. Some of the fun of watching At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert every week, is it would often give me a glimpse at movies, that honestly would never be carried in my neck of the woods.
I am guessing that this full length episode of At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert aired around February 15th of 1985 as both Vision Quest and Turk 182 had just been released – with Mischief being released the previous week. Interestingly enough Blood Simple, which marked the directorial debut of Joel and Ethan Coen, had been released on January 18th – so I suppose it took a little time to make it’s way to Chicago for Siskel and Ebert to review?
So how do the films featured in this 1985 episode stack up in the eyes of the late and great Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert? Well, you just need to watch it for yourself to find out – although I will admit that I personally disagree with their views on Turk 182 as well as Mischief.
Friends, back in 1985 while visiting the local Sears with my Grandparents, I was afforded the chance to go check out the small toy section of the store. That is where I first saw Coleco’s Sectaurs toy line – as a matter of fact it was also the only time that I ever came across the toys in my neck of the woods. I was immediately drawn to them however, they were much larger than all of my Star Wars toys for one thing… and some of them were packaged with mounts, that were actually hand puppets. I knew well enough that there was no way I was going to be going home with a Sectaurs toy, so I spent my time just looking at the various characters. While I never saw the toys ever again, at least at any of the stores that my Father and I frequented, I did pick up one or two of the comic book mini-series produced by Marvel Comics. Having said that though until I began writing for the Retroist, I was never fortunate enough to have laid eyes on the syndicated Ruby-SpearsSectaurs mini-series that was released in ’86.
In my nearly a decade of writing for the Retroist, there were more than a couple of times that I shared my fascination with the toy series. Perhaps it is because I never had any of the toys that keeps me trawling the internet for more information about Sectaurs – because while I thought they were amazing – it turns out they failed to sell well enough for Coleco to keep the series going for more than one year.
A couple of days ago I stumbled onto this engaging documentary entitled The Story of the Sectaurs – A Toy Documentary which was produced by Retro Toy Review. Presenting a rather deep dive into the history of the toy line, including interviews with some of those responsible for bringing Sectaurs to market. In addition to getting a peak behind the curtain of the Coleco toy division in ’85 – you will also have a chance to see some of Sectaurs toys that would have been released in Wave 2… if the line hadn’t been cancelled.
The Story of the Sectaurs – A Toy Documentary took best in show at the 2019 Greater Lehigh Valley Filmmaker Festival. A fitting award in my humble opinion as Cliff Reese not only shares how the Sectaurs came to be, but also provides a quite reasonable explanation as to why they didn’t succeed.
It’s hard for me to really point out many TV or film adaptations of the works of Edgar Allan Poe that I actually like. There are some good ones, don’t get me wrong. But at a young age, I was spoiled by an interpretation of Poe’s works that didn’t even rely on the moving image. Naturally, we’re talking about the 1976 debut album of the Alan Parsons Project, Tales Of Mystery And Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe. (Actually the album itself was supposed to be called The Alan Parsons Project, but the tendency to assume that was the name of the assembly of top-notch session musicians meant that the Project was, despite producer Parsons’ intentions, now a band, a band that might even make more albums. Since many more concept albums, often inspired by a literary source, resulted, this is a misinterpretation of which I fully approve.)
Side one consisted of wall-to-wall prog rock readings of Poe’s works, including “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Cask Of Amontillado.”
Video Courtesy Mercury Records / The Alan Parsons Project
Side two was taken up largely by an orchestral suite with occasional rock interludes, “The Fall Of The House Of Usher” – if nothing else, it was fantastic background music by which to read the text of the story of the same name.
Video Courtesy Mercury Records / The Alan Parsons Project
Reinstated in 1987’s CD reissue of the album were short stretches of narration by the late, great Orson Welles, whose voice had also graced the radio spots heralding the album’s release in 1976. Perhaps the album didn’t feature a word-for-word recital of any particular Poe story, but that doesn’t stop it from being an essential for fans of Poe’s work.
And yet, as remaster after reissue landed in my CD player, I felt something was missing. Perhaps… a reinterpretation. Or just the addition of a missing instrument, perhaps? But given that the entire album features an outstanding rock ensemble backed by an orchestra, what could be missing?
An instrument that’s missing from a lot of music, actually: the Blaster Beam. Widely associated with the soundtracks of movies like Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Black Hole, Meteor, Prophecy, and others, even though all of those uses were preceded by uses of the Beam in TV scores for the likes of The Bionic Woman, Wonder Woman, and even the 1978 attempt at a pilot movie for Doctor Strange. I’ve made a mention or two in podcasts past that the Blaster Beam, with a sound situated somewhere between an electric guitar and the mouth of hell opening up, is a Lovecraftian musical instrument – best deployed for things unknowable and knowledge unattainable. Terrible things need to be accompanied by the sound of the Beam. (Sometimes a theremin just won’t cut it anymore.)
I’d love to have one to play, but I don’t have a steel beam 16 feet long with which to build one, nor do I have a place with enough room to house one (or, in all likelihood, neighbors patient enough to listen it being played). I don’t have the musician most closely associated with the Beam, Craig Huxley, on my speed dial either. But I do have the lovely 3-CD definitive reissue of the Star Trek: The Motion Picture soundtrack from La-La Land Records, of which track 19 on disc three is a little thing called “Beams and Synthesizer for V’ger”. Surely, when the producers of this collection decided to include a track of isolated Blaster Beam, they had to know that someone was going to do exactly what I did – namely, sample the Beam and send it marching into songs where no Beam had gone before.
(I’d link to La-La Land’s soundtrack for The Motion Picture, but like past versions of that soundtrack, it is now sadly out of print. La-La Land does have plenty of other Star Trek music for you, though.)
The result? “The Raven” is now beaming with a little extra darkness and danger.
It just seemed like such a natural thing to do, and you have to admit…the song is just a little bit more delightfully spooky. What other songs might benefit from a little Beam (not of the Jim variety)?
Friends, earlier this week I was informed by Ashley Thomas that today just so happens to be Batman Day. That fluid date in September where all the fans of the Dark Knight around the World can join together and celebrate our love of the iconic comic book character – who has managed to go on and conquer film, television, and video games since his debut in the pages of Detective Comics # 27 on March 30th of 1939.
Since Batman first took on the “Chemical Syndicate” in that 1939 story – the Dark Knight has managed to amass a Rogue’s Gallery of some of the greatest villains in comic book history. While the maniacal Joker might indeed be the Caped Crusader’s most dangerous foe – over the years, the protector of Gotham City has bested the likes of the Riddler, the Penguin, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, Ra’s al Ghul, Posion Ivy, Two-Face, and The Scarecrow to name a few.
And while the popularity of Batman began with the comic books – it wasn’t long at all before the character was leaping to other forms of entertainment. Starting in 1943 when Columbia Pictures released the first of a 15 chapter serial entitled The Batman – although it was just two years later when both Batman and Robin began to show up as frequent guests on the popular The Adventures of Superman radio series. It was in 1949 when a second 15 chapter serial featuring the Dynamic Duo was released by Columbia Pictures – a storyline that had Batman and Robin taking on The Wizard and his goons.
Batmania really swept the Nation however when Batman hit television on January 12th of 1966 – a series that would not only have celebrities clamoring to be featured as the villain of the week – but would produce a feature length film just two months after the first season of the show ended. The premiere of the film took place on July 30th of ’66 in Austin, Texas – because as I understand it, the headquarters of the manufacturers of the Batboat were located there. Thanks to the Texas Archive of the Moving Image – to celebrate Batman Day – we can enjoy these vintage interviews with KTBC’s Jean Boone featuring the cast of Batman: The Movie. Starting off with Adam West as well as William Dozier who was not only the creator of the television series but acted as the narrator for the series too.
Friends, the late and great Darren McGavin is an actor that left us with more than a few memorable roles in film as well as television, when he passed away in 2006. Whether that be from his roles as Carl Kolchak in Kolchak: The Night Stalker or from his parts in the likes of A Christmas Story or even The X-Files. But it’s not like those were the only roles that made Darren McGavin a household name – which is of course why he was one of the celebrities selected to appear as a guest panelist on an episode of 1961’s What’s My Line?
Originally the popular game show was going to be entitled Occupation Unknown – but would be changed to What’s My Line? before debuting on CBS on February 2nd of 1950. The show managed to run for 17 years and 25 seasons until it’s last episode aired on September 3rd of 1967. Although having said that there was a syndicate revival that started in 1968 and lasted until 1975 – all of this is one of the reasons that TV Guide ranked it as the ninth greatest game show of all time in 2003.
What’s My Line? featured a group of panelists made up of celebrities who had to attempt to guess the occupation of a show’s guest. During the celebrity mystery round in an episode – the panelists had to deduce the identity of said guest. The celebrity mystery guests over the 25 seasons included everyone from Eddie Albert to Frank Zappa – and the actual list of entertainers and athletes is truly staggering.
Now getting back to Darren McGavin, while he may have really hit it big in the ’70s and ’80s, the actor actually got his start on Broadway. His big TV break came in 1958 with Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer – with McGavin naturally playing the role of the famous private detective. While at the same time as he was playing Mike Hammer – he appeared on NBC’s popular show Riverboat – the series just so happened to feature Burt Reynolds… briefly… as McGavin’s co-star. As I understand it, Reynolds and McGavin did not get along on the set of the show – so after 20 episodes – Reynolds exited the series to be replaced by The Rockford Files‘ Noah Beery Jr.
It wasn’t one of his TV series though that had McGavin appearing as a guest panelist on this episode of What’s My Line? – which originally aired on November 26th of 1961. It turned out he was appearing in the 1961 stage play entitled Blood, Sweat, and Stanley Poole – which was written by William Goldman (The Princess Bride) and James Goldman (The Lion in Winter). It also happened to feature the likes of Peter Fonda (Easy Rider) and James Caan (The Godfather)!
Friends, welcome back to a new Toon In offering – this week we have the exceptional The Early Bird Dood It! – a classic theatrical animated short from Tex Avery. Originally released to theaters on August 29th of of 1942 although it actually saw a re-release 8 years later on December 2nd of 1950. For good reason too as it is an absolutely hilarious cartoon – although to be fair I will be the first to admit that I rather have an affinity for Tex Avery shorts. For what it is worth, this happens to be the second Tex Avery short for MGM – the first being released the previous week, a propaganda cartoon entitled Blitz Wolf.
The Early Bird Dood It! was written by Rich Hogan who wrote or had story credit for 72 other classic animated shorts – just a few of the highlights included Prest-O Change-O, Elmer’s Candid Camera, Red Hot Riding Hood, and Droopy’s Good Deed.
The legendary Tex Avery began his career in animation around 1928 – apparently after trying his hand at a variety of careers – when he was hired to be an inker for Winkler Pictures. You might be very intrigued to learn that Winkler Pictures was founded by Margaret J. Winkler – who previously had been the personal secretary for Harry Warner – one of the four brothers who co-founded Warner Bros. At one point in the early days of Winkler Pictures – Margaret was producing animated shorts for Felix the Cat as well as Walt Disney’s early Alice Comedies!
Avery would leave Winkler Pictures and find work at Universal Studios Cartoons – which would eventually become Walter Lantz Productions. While it is true that he was hired on there as an inker, he would find himself as an animator before he joined up with Leon Schlesinger Productions… after being let go at Universal Studios Cartoon. After working on the likes of Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, and Porky Pig – in September of 1941 – Avery would sign with MGM to put together his own animation studio. Producing among many other animated theatrical shorts The Early Bird Dood It! – a prime example of the screwball comedy that Avery excelled at.
Does your local branch of our shared pandemic hellscape need some new tunes? If it does, the soundtrack labels of the world have got your back. September’s giving us quite the soundtrack smorgasbord, so let’s get right to it.
Click on Image to embiggen.
La-La Land Records has three – yes, three! – new releases on tap, starting with a two disc set of vintage ’70s TV music from The Streets Of San Francisco, the third volume of the label’s Quinn Martin Collection. The set includes music from the pilot episode and nine later episodes, all composed by Patrick Williams. Only 2000 copies of this set will be pressed.
The next La-La Land release slides even further back in time, presenting Jack Marshall’s music from the 1966 movie Munster, Go Home for the first time in any format. (That’s right – this has never been out on LP or cassette; it’s making its debut on CD 54 years after the fact.) Marshall also scored the Munsters on TV, so this one will be a treat for Munsters fans. 3000 copies will be available.
On the much more modern end of things is the release of John Powell’s score from the 1999 rom-com Forces Of Nature, which has also not been available commercially prior to this release. Including some of the composer’s demos (a vital stage of the process before committing to the resources of a live orchestra), this will be limited to 1000 copies.
From Intrada comes a remastered two-disc reissue of Laurence Rosenthal’s Emmy nominated score from the 1985 TV miniseries Mussolini: The Untold Story. Rosenthal himself conducted the Bavarian State Opera Orchestra, delivering two hours of music in total. (If you’re wondering who won the Emmy that year: it was another Rosenthal score for another miniseries!)
Varese Sarabande is also stepping back into 1999 for one of its latest releases, an expanded edition of the late, great Elmer Bernstein’s score from the big-screen adaptation Wild Wild West. New bonus tracks not heard on previous releases of this score include additional music composed by Bernstein’s son, fellow composer Peter Bernstein, as well as some demos. 2000 copies are being made available.
Quartet Records has a couple of new releases of note too; one is a 2-CD remastered CD release of John Addison’s score from 1976’s Swashbuckler. Previously released as a single disc by Intrada, Quartet’s Swashbuckler release presents the complete film score as mixed for the movie, as well as the contents of the original 1976 soundtrack LP. The film score features some unused alternate cues; 2000 copies of this reissue are up for grabs.
Also from Quartet, and again available for the first time, is Pino Donaggio’s score from the Middle Eastern-themed 2001 Jean Claude Van Damme action thriller The Order. Boasting an impressive orchestra and choir, this is a slightly obscure and extremely limited release, topping out at only 500 copies available worldwide (!!), a surprisingly low run given the popularity of the film’s star and the impressive choice of composer.
There are some decent digital releases available now as well; Clint Mansell and Kevin Kiner team up for the score from season 2 of the DC streaming series Doom Patrol, a fun show that features some fun music to match. In the category of “most surprising release”, or perhaps in the category of “holy crap, they can put the Star Wars name on anything and it’ll sell”, is Gordy Haab’s score from the Youtube competition series Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge.
As this was essentially a Star Wars-themed game show, there really wasn’t a whole lot of music – the album clocks in at just a little over 18 minutes, and yet costs as much as quite a few (much longer) digital soundtrack releases. But it does serve as a useful reminder that, with season two of The Mandalorian about six weeks away, we may once again have the complete score from each episode of that series to look forward to on the day of each episode’s release, if Disney Music follows the pattern established in The Mandalorian’s first season. And those releases will most definitely be worth picking up.
Friends, this new Phosphor Dot Fossils video from Earl Green is rather special to say the very least – as you won’t be experiencing a playthrough for an arcade or classic PC or home console title – but a walkthrough of the Arkadia Retrocade. The arcade that I have had the pleasure of being part of for nearly eight years – this is the location of course that you have heard me talk about on the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast. In fact thanks to Earl, you will be able to see more than a few of the titles that we have tackled in 53 episodes of the show. With the added bonus for of all the fans of Arkadia who are unable to make the trek – to get the opportunity to scope out the second wing of the arcade. And while Earl mentions it himself, it bears stating that with over 150 arcade cabinets there are bound to be a few that have sadly gone down and await repairs. These are machines of course that are in some cases are over 30 years old – that were never designed to be in continuous operation for 6 days a week and upwards of 16 hours a day.
Now I have touched upon it in the Diary podcasts themselves but Shea Mathis, the owner and manager of the Arkadia Retrocade, has poured everything of himself into the place. Every bit of memorabilia that lines the walls from posters to vintage toys are from his collection, many of them from his own childhood. That is half the fun of visiting the arcade – taking the time to stroll through what Shea has pulled off – which when you get down to it is a living time capsule. While obviously COVID-19 forced the arcade to close it’s doors to the public for over five months – the good news is that thanks to a friend of Shea, a fundraiser was set up and allowed the community to come to his aid. A way for the community to show their thanks and appreciation for an individual who is always going out of his way to help others in need. In fact for what it is worth, you sort of get to see Shea in this Phosphor Dot Fossils video – manning the front of the arcade as always.
It should be noted that Earl Green has been an extremely good friend to the arcade – donating a massive portion of his home console collection to Arkadia. So without further ado, enjoy a leisurely stroll through the Arkadia Retrocade, courtesy of Earl Green and Phosphor Dot Fossils!
Star Trek’s new foray into animation has been a total delight.
First off – though it may not seem like the most retro of topics, you really need to be watching Star Trek: Lower Decks on CBS All Access. Now, one could argue that this, Star Trek’s second animated series, couldn’t be more different from the 1970s Filmation series if it tried, and there may well be some truth to that. But the new show, with its lovable (and very flawed) characters and its very modern comedy, may be just the Star Trek we needed in 2020. I really didn’t expect, in a year that brought Jean-Luc Picard back to our screens, that my favorite Star Trek show would be “the cartoon”, and yet here we are.
The most recent episode gave us a whole new gift, though. The episode Terminal Provocations shows us that one of our heroes, Ensign Rutherford, has written his own holodeck training program to help him and his crewmates keep their skills sharp. And at the center of that program is a floating, friendly-faced Starfleet badge named Badgey – the 24th century’s answer to Clippy, the omnipresent Microsoft paper-clip-with-eyes, the first “virtual assistant” many of us ever had to deal with. Badgey’s still a work in progress, though, and Rutherford has to give it a few kicks – both literal and metaphorical – to make sure it works. But this just means that Badgey gradually grows more unhinged, attacking its “father” and his crewmate.
I won’t spoil the rest of that story for you, except to say…it’s a good thing that Badgey is confined to the holodeck. (He…is…confined to the holodeck…isn’t he?) It’d be a mess if Badgey could somehow venture out into the rest of the U.S.S. Cerritos.
It’d be even more of a mess if Badgey could migrate to other animated shows. Consider the terrifying possibilities.
Even if Badgey simply escaped to other animated Star Trek episodes, the results would be… well… what is going on in this picture??!?
It looks like you’re trying to survive a perilous one-year journey to and from Iscandar! Would you like some help with that?
It looks like you’re looking for something really sharp to hurl at the Joker! Would you like some help with that?
It looks like you’re trying to utterly subjugate Homo Sapiens! Would you like some help with that?
It looks like you’re trying to rescue the Princess from Bowser! Again! Would you like some help with that?
It looks like you’re trying to accurately steer a Type 40 time travel vehicle! Would you like some help with that?
It looks like you’re trying to dial home on this Stargate! Would you like some help with that?
It looks like there’s a hungry Wookiee nearby! Would you like some help with that?
It looks like you need to summon the Cat Bus! Would you like some help with that?
It looks like you’re trying to have a contemplative moment after narrowly defeating Zoltar again! Would you like some help with that?
Very much like his inspiration, Badgey could be ubiquitous, and simultaneously somehow unhelpful. Something tells me we haven’t seen the last of him.
It looks like you’re trying to escape a long, unending LARP of Dungeons & Dragons so you can go home! Would you like some help with that?
Friends, welcome to a new episode of the Saturday Frights podcast – with this second episode of season three – we are continuing with the theme of science fiction/horror films. That is why today the Projectionist and I have tackled 1997’s Event Horizon – which was directed by Paul W.S. Anderson (Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil) and features a stellar cast with the likes of Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, Peaky Blinders), and Jason Isaacs (Star Trek: Discovery) to name just a few. While I do mention it in the podcast itself – it is my firm belief that Event Horizon should have done far better at the box office when it was originally released on August 15th of 1997.
As always we have done our level best to shine the spotlight on those in front of and behind the camera. I was able to find some very interesting anecdotes concerning Event Horizon – with two articles in particular that I mention in the show itself – those come from /Film as well as The Ringer.
The Projectionist and I give a full synopsis for Event Horizon while hopefully not hitting you over the head with every minor plot point. Much as with the Alien episode of the podcast – this show is nearly an hour in length – which means that the Projectionist didn’t bring that many audio treats for your listening pleasure.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode -or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
We certainly hope you are enjoying the third season of the Saturday Frights podcast so far – grab your favorite snack and beverage and prepare to confront the horrors of Event Horizon.
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If you missed my review of Gargoyles #1, you can check it out here.
Gargoyles #2 opens with Brooklyn, Broadway, and Lexington out to test a tracking system Lexington has developed. The young trio successfully tests the device, but Broadway and Brooklyn would rather be checking out a new club–“Sacrilege.” It’s near dawn when the trio arrives at Sacrilege, just in time to intervene in an attempted murder of two…“ladies of the night.” (That’s something that you wouldn’t have seen in the Gargoyles cartoon)! Unfortunately, our guys did not arrive in time to prevent another murder and kidnapping by some familiar-looking bad guys. Meanwhile, Elisa tries to get these ladies to identify their attacker and now must manage her younger sister, Beth, sleeping on her futon after having a fight with their parents. Matt Bluestone is trying to work when he should be resting after his head injury, and Lexington, after thwarting the attempted murder picked the wrong ledge to sleep on…
Also, I’ve got to confess that I really relate to Elisa’s aesthetic in this comic. Jeans, black t-shirt, flannel, and a steaming cup of coffee in a mug that says, “I heart donuts”? That’s my jam right there.
What I enjoy the most about this issue is the bit of insight we get into Elisa’s personal life–having to be the good big sister, managing her secret life with the gargoyles, while also working hard to be a good cop. It’s a juggling act that I do not envy.
This comic is dated March 1, 1995, which places this between the first and second seasons of Gargoyles. In fact, we won’t get another new episode of Gargoyles until September 4, 1995, so the next few issues can be seen as “vamping” on the Gargoyles story until the fall TV season starts back up.
In this comic, we’ve got several things that bring me back to my childhood. We’ve got ads for things I had as a kid, like this ad for the ‘95 Flair Marvel Annual comic collector cards. I had several of these cards..though I’m not 100% positive that I still have them. If I dig them up again, I’ll be sure to share them here on the site.
I also got Gargoyles: The Movie for Christmas in 1995. It was cool to find a full-page ad for the VHS, which included the Interactive VCR Board Game. I loved playing that game as a kid, and I still have both the VHS and the game. When the lightning strikes to interrupt your gameplay, my sister and I would both jump out of our skin. It made the game exciting and always kept us on edge.
It would be unsurprising to find me chewing on “The snack of the future” while watching an episode of Gargoyles or the X-Men animated series. I definitely remember getting these X-Men fruit snacks as a kid. I always loved fruit snacks (still do), and anything that had X-Men on the packaging had me hooked.
Have you found your own copies of this comic series? Did you read it back in the day? Are you a fan of the Gargoyles animated series? Leave me a comment and we’ll chat.
While you’re waiting for my review of Gargoyles #3, “Rude Awakening,” I have a Gargoyles-related recommendation for you. I’m always one to appreciate a good thematic playlist. Spotify user, Jeremy Fay has created a MASSIVE Gargoyles-themed playlist. It’s been my soundtrack for composing my two reviews thus far and I must say that I am quite appreciative of the diversity of musical choices in this playlist. It really sets the mood and makes for good background music. Check it out in the meantime, and I’ll be back soon with my review of Gargoyles #3, “Rude Awakening.”
Friends, thanks for joining us for another Retro Records offering – this time we are sharing The Case of the Missing Mother. Released back in 1984 it appears this read-along story is long out of print – which is a shame as The Case of the Missing Mother most assuredly possesses that familiar Muppets charm. Interestingly enough the story was first published by Random House the previous year as just a book – written by James Howe and masterfully illustrated by William Cleaver. James Howe by the way wrote an additional Muppet story entitled The Muppet Guide to Magnificent Manners. To say nothing of the fact that along with Deborah, his late Wife, they co-wrote 1979’s Bunnicula.
William Cleaver, whose art in my personal opinion is perfect for The Case of the Missing Mother, would go on to do some illustrations for the Sesame Street Magazine in 1988. A magazine that I strangely have no recollection of whatsoever.
There are some differences between the children’s book version of The Case of the Missing Mother and it’s book and record adaptation. Perhaps these changes to the text of the original book were altered to match the dialogue provided by the amazing cast? Jim Henson provides the voice of Kermit the Frog with Frank Oz performing Fozzie, Miss Piggy, as well as Animal. Jerry Nelson handles the voice of Floyd with Dave Goelz as The Great Gonzo. In addition to Richard Hunt as Scooter, Janice and LaVerne… Animal’s Mother!
Which brings us to the plot for The Case of the Missing Mother. The Muppet gang can’t help but notice that Animal is acting strangely – more manic than normal… for Animal that is. Then to his friend’s dismay, Animal leaves without telling anyone, forcing Kermit and the Gang to follow the trail of destruction left by everyone’s favorite drummer. But will they be able to find Animal in time for the special show, a Salute to Motherhood?
Or colourful, if that’s how you spell things. But there’s quite a saga behind these Daleks.
It seems like just yesterday that I was writing about both Daleks and upcoming Doctor Who action figures, though they didn’t exactly arrive right on schedule (but this being 2020, does anything happen as planned or on schedule?)…and now there’s another set.
But this one is really cool – if you know what details to look for. This is definitely a product that falls under the heading of “deep-cut fanservice”.
Image courtesy Character Options
In 1965, the first Peter Cushing Doctor Who movie was filmed – the first appearance of the Daleks in color, or in a medium other than television. Faced with the prospect of seeing the Daleks in full color, the movie’s designers faithfully echoed the Dalek design already established by the BBC, with some minor modifications to make them more suitable villains for the big screen. (Raymond Cusick, the designer who ended up with the task of designing the Daleks for their first appearance on TV in 1963 when a fellow BBC designer fell ill*, later claimed he was paid a grand total of ₤5 for the use of his design on film.)
The movie Daleks had bigger speaker lights – the lights on the Daleks’ heads which flash in synchronization with that Dalek’s voice – and a larger base concealing larger, all-terrain wheels needed because the movie Daleks were filmed on terrain more varied than a smooth studio floor. And the Dalek color scheme was completely thrown out for the big screen, with some fairly flamboyant color schemes being chosen to take advantage of color film. Some of them had large mechanical claws instead of sink plungers.
Daleks are still trouble, regardless of their paint job
But the two Cushing movies – Dr. Who And The Daleks and Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. – were not made by the BBC. While the rights to the Doctor, the TARDIS, and other characters had to be obtained from the BBC, and the rights to the Daleks negotiated with their creator, writer Terry Nation, with a payment (apparently a very small one) to Cusick for the design, the rights to the movies these days rest with Studio Canal+; any merchandise from the movies, including their “enhanced” Daleks, has to be negotiated with that entity. (Fun fact: for the 50th anniversary episode Day Of The Doctor, then-showrunner Steven Moffat originally planned to have the then-current Doctor, Matt Smith, walk past the theatrical one-sheet posters for the Cushing movies in UNIT’s archives, with an on-screen explanation that the Cushing movies were part of a cover story to convince the public that a Dalek invasion attempt was simply part of a film. This scene had to be abandoned, because Studio Canal+ wanted too much money for those two posters to be seen on TV.)
So: it’s a given that Studio Canal+ wants top dollar for any use of any element – any element at all – from the Cushing Doctor Who movies. But…maybe there’s a way around that for some of those elements.
TV episode, movie Daleks: a scene from part 3 of The Chase with the film props highlighted.
This is where it gets interesting. The BBC rented some of the movie Daleks, fresh from the filming of the first Cushing film, and put them in the background of scenes for the television story The Chase, which would – due to the difference in the time needed for film post-production vs. TV post-production – be broadcast beforeDr. Who And The Daleks premiered in cinemas. The movie Daleks were used in the background of some scenes on TV, some with their taller bases removed (but not all), with sink plunger arms instead of the movie’s “claws”, thus grandfathering them in as part of the TV series – and therefore fair game for Character Options’ action figure line. Holy legal loophole of the Daleks!
Another movie Dalek sneaks onto the telly; the film props lacked the “solar panel” element that had only been recently added to the BBC’s TV Daleks, both seen in The Chase part 5
The Doctor Who “The Chase: Jungles Of Mechanus” action figure set brings two of the colorful movie-Daleks-on-loan-to-the-TV-series to our toy shelves, complete with their movie color scheme (which, of course, couldn’t be seen on black & white TV). Sure, they were in the background of only a few scenes of two episodes of a six-part story. But this is the Character Options Doctor Who line – pretty much the British equivalent of the original Kenner Star Wars figure line – so even a Dalek variation glimpsed fleetingly in the background is worthy of an action figure.
Does this mean that this incredible toy line, which has already given us figures of every Doctor from William Hartnell through Jodie Whittaker, is about to jump into the parallel universe of the unconnected-from-the-TV-series-in-any-way movies, to bring Peter Cushing’s oddball, non-canonical Doctor Who to our toy shelves? Sadly, probably not. While any of the TV Doctors – and, more recently, their best-known companions – can be assured of selling well in action figure form, the Peter Cushing version of Doctor Who… is a decidedly niche bit of Doctor Who history whose owners think it should command top dollar.
Perhaps someday, some sea change will bring Peter Cushing as Doctor Who to toy shelves, but in the meantime, the Daleks who menaced him on the silver screen have escaped through a legal loophole to terrorize your other action figures – at least for a limited time, since Character Options has made it clear that these figures can only be ordered within a certain narrow window of time.
* for the record, the junior BBC designer who missed out on his chance to design the Daleks was a young man by the name of Ridley Scott
Friends, the original plan for this afternoon was to present a new episode of the Saturday Frights podcast – due to work and getting that special episode of the Pop Culture Retrorama out however, those plans fell through. Although at the very least we can enjoy this nearly five minute long trailer for the upcoming documentary entitled Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster from Voltage Films. A documentary that appears to be an in-depth and sincere tribute to the actor who helped make the Frankenstein’s Monster an absolute cinematic horror icon – to say nothing of playing the titular character in The Mummy, or acting as narrator as well as providing the voice for the Grinch in the 1966 animated television adaption… plus about 204 other roles in film and television.
Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster was directed, produced and co-written by Thomas Hamilton – who also wrote, produced, and helmed the 2016 documentary on The Scarlet Pimpernel and Gone with the Wind‘s Leslie Howard.
As I have shared on this site and on the Saturday Frights podcast many, many times – it was seeing 1931’s Frankenstein at the age of three that set me on the path of becoming a Monster Kid. Karloff’s portrayal of the Frankenstein Monster did not scare me in the least – far from it – thanks to the actor’s moving performance I clearly saw the fear and pain of the ‘monster’… his gentle soul.
A gentle soul is by all accounts the perfect description of Boris Karloff – through the years I’ve never heard or read of someone having anything bad to say about the actor. In fact I would say that the sheer number of filmmakers and entertainers that are featured in Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster is a testament to his life and legacy. From the information provided on the YouTube channel:
“Featuring Guillermo Del Toro, John Landis, Joe Dante, Christopher Plummer, Peter Bogdanovich, Ron Perlman, Leonard Maltin, Sir Christopher Frayling, Sara Karloff, Gregory Mank, Roger Corman, Stefanie Powers, Ian Ogilvy, Norman Jewison, Orson Bean, Kevin Brownlow, Caroline Munro, Stephen Jacobs, Dick Miller, Peter Asher, Virginia Bates, Nehemiah Persoff, David J Skal, Donald F Glut, Derek Malcolm, Bernie Coleman, Lee Grant, Rick Goldschmidt, Stuart Hersh, Miles Kreuger, Valerie Yaros, H.M.Wynant, Diane Aubry, Anthony Pratt, Renée Glynne, Sharyn Moffett, Neil Pettigrew, Ruth Shiel, Courtlandt Hull, Ron Simon, Jaymz Bee, Thomas Hamilton, Ron MacCloskey and more… Available in early 2021”
In closing this article I want to thank John Squires of Bloody Disgusting for the heads up on the trailer as well as the documentary itself. In addition you can visit the Facebook page for Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Mystery to keep up to date on the latest news concerning the release date, etc.
Searching for some respite after working for Toys ‘R’ Us during the 2003 holiday season, I fortunately saw a Hasbro job posting inside the vendors’ binder at the customer service counter, and just in time too! For 20 minutes, I attempted to explain to an upset customer who was yelling in my face that his sales receipt clearly stated that Toys ‘R’ Us didn’t accept returns on baby potties, and therefore, my hands were tied.
Despite this customer’s continuous threat of bodily harm (yes, over a potty), I diligently tried upholding the return policy. My manager, oblivious to the specifics, swooped in and attempted to diffuse the situation by telling me to “just take back the potty.” I stared at him incredulously, but he quickly weaseled away and left me with an already angry customer, but now with a newly gained sense of entitlement. With the customer’s stare seemingly burrowing into me, I proceeded to make the return for the potty amidst tears of frustration beginning to form. As I looked away, I tried to relax and blinked to prevent them from spilling out, but the customer didn’t take his eyes off me, and soon witnessed my frustration. “Sorry about the trouble. I’ve just been having a bad day,” he said. I insincerely answered back, “You’re no trouble at all. I’ll get this return processed so you can be on your way. No harm no foul.”
Why defend a company that doesn’t back you up when you’re right, and when you’re attempting to do what’s in their best interest according to their policies? A productive employee can promptly turn into a scornful one, and whether I wanted to or not, I was heading down that path.
Without caring that I had the store security camera over my head, I took the Hasbro job posting out of the binder, folded it, and stuffed it in my pocket. With a sense of hopefulness, I called the number during my lunch break and scheduled my job interview the very next day.
Speaking on the phone with the Hasbro district manager, I asked her how I’d know who she was? She told me to “look for Mr. Potato Head.” Huh? So sure enough, at the Taco Bell inside the Target next to the Toys ‘R’ Us, I noticed a woman with a small Mr. Potato Head toy on her table. I eagerly sat down and introduced myself, but the butterflies in my stomach were unrelenting. I needed to relax. This was an opportunity to practice my interview skills and pick the brains of someone who worked for a company that, in 2003, reported net earnings of $157.7 million. Maybe if I played my cards right, she could become my ticket out of Toy ‘R’ Us.
The conversation with her was straight forward but easy going. She was clear on her expectations if I was brought on board but couldn’t have been nicer about it. In my insecurity, I began explaining my hair, which at the time was shoulder length, but customarily arranged in a ponytail. My brain told me to close my trap and not bring attention to it, but my mouth kept blathering. She then stopped me mid-sentence and prevented me from further shoving my foot in my mouth, assuring me that job performance and goal achievement were more important than hair length or how I decided to wear it.
This statement gave me a good vibe, and my gut feeling told me that working for Hasbro should become my next move. So, in my search for greener pastures, in the summer of 2004, I became a Retail Merchandiser for twenty-one stores in the northern Virginia area. I had to service all the Wal-Marts, Targets, Toy ‘R’ Us, and Kmarts in the immediate vicinity. A couple of times, I also went to Maryland. The job consisted mainly in assuring that all Hasbro merchandise was well-represented on the sales floor and that the stores followed the planograms to the tee, when possible. Cultivating positive relationships with store managers would often result in incremental space for Hasbro merchandise, or at least that was the goal.
One of my treasured memories as a Retail Merchandiser was working “Force Friday” a couple of months before the premiere of Star Wars: Episode III- Revenge of the Sith. I got to see the merchandise before anybody else and set up the massive Star Wars display at a Wal-Mart I serviced. I later stocked the new inventory and provided a helping hand to customers. That same day, I assisted the nearest Target and Toys ‘R’ Us as well.
A funny incident that happened often was customers mistaking me for a store associate even when always wearing my green Hasbro vest. I found myself innumerable times explaining that I didn’t work for the store, but I’d gladly help them find the toy they were searching for. I never got peeved; I enjoyed helping people.
The strangest incident was when we were sent to stores to confiscate hundreds of Star Wars figures and made sure they met their fate in the store’s trash compactor. Nooooo! The reason for this tragedy, you may ask? There had been an error on the packaging side, and the cardboard had a very slight discoloration almost unnoticeable to the naked eye.
If only I had kept ONE of those action figures. They were getting destroyed anyway! Curse my moral upbringing! I couldn’t bring myself to do anything deceitful.
Working for Hasbro, I did develop a sense of the never-ending rivalry against fellow toy giant Mattel. They were Barbie and Polly Pocket, and we were My Little Pony and G.I. Joe. They offered Fisher-Price for young children; we had Playskool and Play-Doh. Hot Wheels was their vehicle of choice, but we represented Tonka. Transformers, Star Wars, and Nerf were other big Hasbro licenses that gave us an edge with the boys. We were fully aware of the importance of selling more than them, and at the store level, we always made sure that we had more space for our product. Mattel mostly concentrated on keeping Barbie and Fisher-Price well-stocked, but we had specific goals each visit, and keeping our items stocked was only the beginning of or job.
Despite the Hasbro DM warning me that some of the retail corporations didn’t think too highly of toys compared to other merchandise, I did not expect them to react with hostility to my store visits. Many didn’t appreciate the value of me being there, and instead, saw me as something bothersome that popped in every couple of weeks. Despite my friendly demeanor, store cooperation was sporadic and akin to rowing upstream in a canoe but with a spoon instead of a paddle. Simple things like trying to obtain a scanner to search their inventory, or politely trying to find out why their store hadn’t followed the planogram, made my visits unnecessarily stressful.
Now, I’m not complaining about my job with Hasbro. Working with them was a privilege, and my boss was supportive and very professional. The other merchandiser who helped me at my Toys ‘R’ Us store visits was a great co-worker that I occasionally correspond with to this day. But the store managers never understood that the relationship was supposed to be symbiotic and reciprocal, not one full of animosity or apathy.
After one year with Hasbro, I moved to San Francisco, CA. My boss was very upset at the time, but I hope she understood that I had to quit only because I was moving, not because I didn’t enjoy the job. I tried working for them again while in California, but I think my “quitting” didn’t sit well with them, and I never heard anything back. I still feel bad for leaving, but it’s been 15 years, and I think we’ve all moved on. Even now, I rarely buy anything by Mattel. My heart is with Hasbro, who always treated me with respect and made me feel like an essential piece of a vast company.
I still keep the small Mr. Potato Head toy, the Hasbro DM gave me, amongst my most prized collectibles. It represents an opportunity given to me when I sorely needed to get out of a bad situation. I’ll never forget that and always appreciate it.
Pop Culture Retrorama fans, I’m sorry to report that Dame Diana Rigg passed away of cancer on September 10, 2020 at the age of 82.
2020 can kick rocks, am I right?
Dame Diana lived a full life with quite the resumé of film and television credits, not to mention her extensive theatre career. Retro fans will know her from her work as Emma Peel on The Avengers series that ran from 1965 – 1968 and from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969, playing the role of Tracy Bond, the only woman ever married to James Bond. Growing up, I knew her from 1981’s The Great Muppet Caper, where she played the beautiful Lady Holiday.
Modern audiences will best know Dame Diana from her appearance on Doctor Who alongside her daughter, Rachael Stirling in the 2013 episode, “The Crimson Horror” and as Lady Olenna Tyrell, The Queen of Thorns, on Game of Thrones. As a fan of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, I was especially pleased with Dame Diana’s casting as The Queen of Thorns. She brought a certain gravitas to the role, perfectly executing the portrayal of the prickly old woman, who really just says what everyone else is thinking out loud. I cannot imagine anyone else playing the role. It is also a commendation to Game of Thrones casting director, Nina Gold, for not only nailing the perfect actress for the role but also casting someone who legitimately looks like she could be Margaery Tyrell’s (Natalie Dormer’s) grandmother. When comparing pictures of a young Diana Rigg and Natalie Dormer, the resemblance is striking.
L: Diana Rigg; R: Natalie Dormer. Diana Rigg screenshot sourced from routemaster19. Natalie Dormer screenshot sourced from Eli D. Side-by-side image created by The Nerdy Blogger.
Rigg also had a robust theatre career, which spanned from 1957 – 2018. She performed Shakespeare, notably as the lead, Viola, in Twelfth Night (a personal favorite of mine), Cordelia in King Lear, Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra, and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth. She also performed in other famous plays, such as, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe?, The Hollow Crown, Pygmalion, My Fair Lady, and won a Tony award for best actress as the titular role in the Greek play, Medea, in 1994.
Looking at Rigg’s IMDB credits is staggering enough, but when adding that to her theatre resumé, it would seem that Dame Diana seldom took a day off. Always a powerhouse, on and off the stage and screen, she was well-loved and respected by her friends, family, and collegues.
If you would like to check out something unique from Dame Diana, check out her audio performance of Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost on Spotify.
As Vic would say, we dim the lights in the auditorium in Dame Diana’s honor. Her legacy is still, in the words of House Tyrell, “Growing strong.”
Friends, as the last episode of the first season for the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast was back in March – I am willing to bet that waking up to find a brand new episode was pretty low on your list of things to expect today. The reason for this new show as I mention in the podcast itself, is to not only remind folks that the show is still being produced – but to also give you a taste of the new direction the podcast is taking. I will still be doing in depth episodes on all manner of pop culture related subjects – case in point for this show – the animated Saturday Morning Godzilla series from 1978. However, for the second season of the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast I will be joined by fellow writers from this site – all discussing their own subjects. For example, Rockford Jay shares some history on Queen’s memorable “Don’t Stop Me Now” – which just so happens to have been released in 1978.
Also joining us on this episode we have Ashley Thomas aka The Nerdy Blogger of Fangirlish – who shares the sad news that we have lost Norm Spencer – the voice of Cyclops from the X-Men animated series. Thomas provides her own memories of the talented Spencer but also provides some remembrances of those who worked with him – such as Cal Dodd (Wolverine) and Lenore Zann (Rogue).
Allison Venezio-Preston has decided to give everyone the lowdown on the updated Mall Madness board game – which includes new characters and stores – but still sounds like it is just as fun as the original 1989 game.
The esteemed Earl Green is also on this episode – taking time out of his busy schedule at The Log Book and writing for this site to discuss 1978’s Star Bird by Milton Bradley. A science fiction toy that I too coveted in my youth.
Bear in mind that the second season of the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast will not start until we are finished with the current season of the Saturday Frights podcast. So we hope you will enjoy this sneak peek at how the new PCR show will presented in the near future.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode -or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
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Friends, it has been a couple of weeks since the last Toon In offering – you might even have thought we’ve dropped into The Hole perhaps? That just happens to be title of the classic animated short film that we are sharing today – one that I might add won the 1963 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Subject – and after you watch it for yourself I believe you will agree it most certainly deserved it. The Hole was written by Faith and John Hubley with animation being handled by Bill Littlejohn (The 2000 Year Old Man) as well as Gary Mooney (Underdog).
The Hole was produced and animated at Storyboard Studios, the animation studio that John Hubley formed in 1953 after being forced out of the UPA studios for refusing to participate in the House Commitee of Un-American Activities. Hubley received his start in animation working at the Walt Disney Studios as a background and layout artist – working on the likes of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and the “Rites of Spring” segment of Fantasia. After the Disney animation strike in ’41 – he would end up working at UPA where he would have a hand in co-creating the character of Mr. Magoo.
The animation for The Hole is rather unique for the time – as instead of using animation cels and paint – Littlejohn and Mooney shot it on paper and used watercolors. If this looks a little familiar I believe they used the very same process while working on animated shorts for The Electric Company!
The Hole features the voice work of both George Matthews (Gunfight at the O.K. Corral) and iconic jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie. Furthermore the dialogue was totally improvised – which I find to suit the two characters quite well. In the short film we listen to two construction workers talking about a myriad of subjects – from dirty dishes, citizenship, and even nuclear annihilation. The humor comes not from the standard hijinks of the typical animated short but the real life conversations between these two co-workers – although I would be lying if I didn’t say the ending is a chilling one.
With Star Trek and now reportedly The X-Files bucking the live-action production shutdown by going animated, could the universe of Doctor Who be far behind?
Animation is already proving to be the salvation of Doctor Who’s past, and there have been past instances where it was part of the show’s present (such as the animated adventures The Infinite Quest and Dreamland, both of which starred the show’s then-current star, David Tennant). But with prodution of live-action shows remaining shut down in most parts of the world, the makers of Doctor Who should be giving animation a serious look yet again.
The makers of audio Doctor Who certainly are. Big Finish, makers of Doctor Who in audiobook and audio drama form for over 20 years, is rising to the occasion with the announcement of an upcoming five-part animated miniseries, simply titled Daleks!, premiering in November. Nicholas Briggs, who has been voicing the Daleks since 2000 for Big Finish and on TV for the BBC since 2005, will naturally be reprising the role of every Dalek in the universe.
Did you call an exterminator…?
Briggs will not be the only familiar voice, however. Anjli Mohindra, a former star of the Doctor Who spinoff series, The Sarah Jane Adventures, has signed on as well. Joe Sugg and Ayesha Antoine have also provided voice work for the series.
Daleks! will be part of the Time Lord Victorious story strand that will be unfolding through 2021 across numerous media; think of Time Lord Victorious as Doctor Who’s answer to the Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire transmedia experiment. Without a current TV series, Time Lord Victorious – a storyline spanning all of the Doctors from the modern Doctor Who series – will play out in comics, novels, and Big Finish’s own audio dramas. And, of course, there’ll be merch – brace yourself for the pre-requisite Time Lord Victorious figurines, games, and other goodies.
You’d think, after saying “exterminate” for 57 years, the Daleks wouldn’t have to look up at the cue cards anymore
Daleks!, however, will be viewable for free on YouTube, starting in November – a much-needed boost for Doctor Who fans worried about the fact that the live-action show won’t be shooting new episodes anytime soon.
Friends, normally I would wait until the Sun has begun to set before sharing with you another fantastic offering from HorrorBabble – the truth of the matter is my schedule has been altered recently – so I am often awake when my body tells me I am supposed to be sleeping. Perhaps not so great for staying healthy and mentally at my best – but it does offer my plenty of opportunity to read and work on the podcasts. To say nothing of sitting in my library and enjoying Ian Gordon of HorrorBabble narrate another fantastic tale of weird fiction – from the likes of Robert Bloch, H.P. Lovecraft, or William Hope Hodgson to name a few. It’s Your Turn, Joey however is an original story written by Ian Gordon and turns our to be inspired by the urban legends that he heard himself in his youth – in addition to the tale being based on something that his Brother experienced. In this case that must surely be concerning a gathering of friends around a camping lantern to see who has the scariest story.
The urban legends that are presented in It’s Your Turn, Joey include a rather memorable encounter with a White Lady – and what might possibly be a spin on the Beast of Bodmin Moor. The third tale presented by the trio gathered around the glow of the camping lantern… well, that is a special one you need to hear for yourself.
So before you get your day off to a possibly creepier start than usual – a word of warning that this story from HorrorBabble contains a few moments of SALTY LANGUAGE. While not any worse than you would find in a modern PG film – I thought a word of WARNING was required just the same.
For what it might be worth, in my youth I often dreamed of having a group of friends to share such stories as are presented in It’s Your Turn, Joey. While that might not have come to pass as I wished – perhaps the truth is the weekly Saturday Frights watch parties on Facebook are the digital equivalent of gathering around the campfire?
Friends, just as I was about to head home for the day – I was alerted to something of importance that had managed to slip under my radar… today is none other than Star Trek Day. Since 12 PM Pacific Time on the official Star Trek site they have and are continuing to host panels featuring cast and crew from the likes of Star Trek: The Original Series to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks. In fact as I am writing this particular article – the majority of the cast of Star Trek: Voyager is streaming – celebrating the 25th anniversary of the series!
In the little over the year that the Pop Culture Retrorama has existed, we have managed to talk about Star Trek quite a bit. Thanks to the many televisions series, comic books, novels, games, and films that have been produced over these many years – Gene Roddenberry’s initial idea for the Star Trek series as a “Wagon Train to the stars” has transcended mere entertainment and ingrained itself into pop culture.
At the beginning of this article I mentioned I was alerted to the fact that today was Star Trek Day – all thanks to chatting with Ashley Thomas, Allison Venezio, Rockford Jay, and Earl Green. It was Earl who thought that today was possibly the perfect time to share Eat, Fry, Love: A Cautionary Remix – which began as a 2011 public service message featuring William Shatner courtesy of State Farm. Then a year later… they managed to do the impossible… they improved on the PSA by having melodysheep auto-tune the message and produced a Thanksgiving song that might never be topped.
From the YouTube video uploaded by Dingle Dangle, here is the original description for Eat, Fry, Love: A Cautionary Remix:
“In 2011, State Farm teamed up with William Shatner to produce a short video dramatizing an actual accident where the celebrity was burned in a turkey fryer mishap on Thanksgiving. As a result of the video and safety campaign last year, State Farm grease & cooking related fire claims occurring on Thanksgiving Day were carved in half and the daily average for the entire month reached a seven year low. It seems that William Shatner really DID help save the world from exploding turkeys. To get the safety message out in 2012, State Farm worked with John Boswell, aka melodysheep on YouTube, to auto-tune the Shatner turkey fryer video. Called “Eat, Fry, Love: A Cautionary Remix”, Boswell injected the perfect blend of creativity and repetition to create a Thanksgiving safety anthem sure to have families clamoring for a moister, tastier and turkey.”
Friends, those of us of a certain age probably remember the popular That’s Incredible! series on ABC – an early reality television show that featured Cathy Lee Crosby, Fran Tarkenton, and John Davidson as co-hosts. The series would share segments ranging from human-interest stories to displaying feats of extraordinary human feats and even reports on paranormal activities. That’s Incredible! was a series that my Family would never miss back in the day, generally we found ourselves sitting in the living room eating dinner off TV trays while watching the program. The show managed to nab the #3 slot in the Nielsen ratings for it’s first season beginning on March 3 of 1980 – staying in the top 30 for four season before it slipped to #58 in it’s fifth and final season. Were you aware though that the series attempted a comeback in 1988 as Incredible Sunday?
This new series featured John Davidson returning as co-host along with Cristina Ferrare (The Impossible Years) as well as Tracey Gold (Growing Pains). While Incredible Sunday only lasted a single season it did feature the Nintendo Video Game Contest – a challenge that pitted three Players to compete against each other on Super Mario Bros. 2, Ice Hockey, and Rad Racer. I assume the cartridges were specially designed for this particular television event – a precursor as has been stated online to the 1990 Nintendo World Championships.
The three contestants for this Nintendo Video Game Contest were Jason Reynolds, Shaun Spadaforr, and Michael Williams. In addition the referee for the television event was Donn Nauert – who was the Captain of the U.S. National Video Game Team. In fact Nauert was no stranger to being seen on television as he was featured in Atari 7800 commercials – as well as a series of VHS tapes entitled Secret Video Game Tricks, Codes & Strategies.
Friends, it has sadly been a couple of months since we last shared one of Barkey J. Dog’s reviews – but I believe we have a video today that makes up for it – as he tackles 1996’s The Phantom. A movie as well as pop culture icon that I am extremely fond of – having managed to talk about “The Ghost Who Walks” on this site once or twice myself. As you will see for yourself though – the esteemed Barkey J. Dog puts the 1996 film adaptation of The Phantom in a special category of ’90s films. A holy trinity as he puts it – of movies that were released back in that era that were quite enjoyable but somehow received a really bad rap. I have sneaking suspicion that I can guess what those two other films are that he hints at in this particular review – but we will just have to wait until he covers them on future videos to find out for sure.
Much like Barkey J. Dog, I too have long been confused by the fact that The Phantom failed to find it’s intended audience when originally released on June 7th of ’96. The film itself manages to capture the pulp origins of the character and as is pointed out in the review itself – it is just a ton of fun. A throwback to the action serials – The Phantom benefits from a cast featuring Bill Zane (Demon Knight), Kristy Swanson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Treat Williams (Deep Rising), Catherine Zeta-Jones (The Mask of Zorro), and James Remar (The Warriors).
At some point I will have to discuss the film adaptation of The Phantom on an episode of the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast – until then however – enjoy this review of the movie by Barkey J. Dog!
“I don’t wanna grow up, I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us kid, they got a million toys at Toys ‘R’ Us that I can play with!” – Intro to the Toys ‘R’ Us jingle.
No child of the ‘80s needed a reminder of the existence of Toys ‘R’ Us. It wasn’t only “The World’s Biggest Toy Store,” but a true haven where kids of all ages truly felt that they belonged. The TRU jingle is etched in the minds of a generation of kids and opens the floodgates filled with cherished memories.
Newly returned from WWII, Charles Lazarus opened Children’s Bargain Town in 1948, which specialized in baby goods and furniture such as strollers and high chairs. But in 1957, he decided to instead focus on toys and renamed his business Toys ‘R’ Us – with a reversed ‘R’ as If a child wrote it – becoming the first “category killer.” Before TRU, big-box stores were unknown and astonished customers with their size and extensive merchandise. TRU took a super-market style approach to toy selling and, in time, buried many mom and pop run operations who couldn’t compete with TRU’s prices and inventory. Child World and Lionel Playworld came close but also crumbled beneath Geoffrey The Giraffe’s hoof by the early ‘90s. Ironically, years later in 2018, TRU suffered the same fate trying to compete against Walmart, Amazon, and to a lesser degree, Target.
I have many toys from my childhood that I recall buying at TRU. My young eyes couldn’t focus on the sheer amount of toy greatness TRU stores used to contain. The smell of plastic permeating the air, the towering shelves, and spacious aisles made a kid feel small and overwhelmed. You wanted it all!
The first toy I ever recall buying (or at least as memory serves) was in 1985. My mom got me a 13” Godzilla by Imperial because I got an “A” in math – a subject that soon became the bane of my existence for years to come. My earliest holiday season memory is from a huge dinosaur playset my aunt and uncle bought me. It contained an immense plastic mat with painted rivers and trees, two large plastic volcanoes, and many assorted dinosaurs and cavepeople. I coveted this more than life itself. I sure loved dinosaurs and kaiju monsters.
All stellar memories. Memorable and with me forever. But as a kid, you don’t realize that you can get paid to work in “The World’s Biggest Toy Store.” In the winter of 2003, I did just that, but not before making a short detour to work for a TRU competitor named Kay-Bee Toys.
KB Toys or Kay-Bee was mostly in malls and looked to entice customers to make impulse purchases. KB bought opportunistically from manufacturers and displayed their closeout merchandise prominently in front. The toys were piled high for all passing mall-goers, and at startlingly low prices. Once inside, KB sold conventionally priced regular season merchandise, and behind the counter, they had a wide selection of video games.
Memories of KB Toys aren’t as fond because I became aware of them only as a teenager roaming the malls, when I was mostly into sports and video games, and no longer “kiddie things” like toys and action figures. The stores mainly served as a place to kill time until my parents showed up. I rarely bought anything but enjoyed browsing the toy selection that had been duds and peg-warmers before ending up at KB and sold at deep discounts. The “hot toys” were usually more expensive than TRU and of course Walmart.
After graduating from St. Thomas University in Florida, with a degree in Sports Administration in 2001, my first job in sports was with a minor league baseball team in northern Virginia called The Potomac Cannons. Besides pitcher’s mound, dugout, and infield maintenance, I had gameday duties and other assorted jobs like mascot work at schools. But during the off-season, I was tasked to call over 200 people on the phone every day to sell them ticket packages. Yikes!
Sure enough, after hundreds of rejections a day, I developed a phobia of making phone calls, and anxiety consumed me every morning I’d arrive at Pfitzner Stadium, colloquially named “The Pfitz.” I didn’t even want to leave my car and hoped the ground would swallow me whole to avoid making those dreaded sales calls.
It was in those introspective moments that I decided to quit. In hindsight, maybe I should’ve stuck with it. But the angst of making what felt like millions of calls a day, plus the constant rejection, was too much to bear. Working in sports was a dream I’d worked hard to attain, but it soon became a nightmare I quickly needed to escape.
At the time, my second love was Star Wars, and my obsession for collecting action figures returned with the Star Wars Special Edition in 1997. Episode II Attack of The Clones is a movie disdained by many fans of the franchise, but during the summer of 2002, I saw the film eighteen times in theaters, and it became the sole reason I transitioned from VHS to DVD.
After quitting the Potomac Cannons and reevaluating my life for a couple of months, I decided that the only thing that might make me happy was working with toys and action figures. While unemployed, I foolishly spent my money I didn’t have while frequenting a KB Toys in Falls Church, Virginia. After incessantly pestering the manager who insisted that they weren’t hiring due to lackluster sales, they finally gave in. They brought me aboard on a very part-time basis in October of 2003.
This location wasn’t the usual ubiquitous KB mall store. Instead, it was a KB Toy Works. It was spacious and located in a strip mall between two restaurants. With 3,500 square feet, they could really pack in the toys and felt like a small Toys ‘R’ Us. I loved working there and treated the merchandise as if it were my own. Of course, my favorite area of the store was the action figure aisle. I quickly became an expert, and even began selling some toys online when this business model was still in its infancy.
Even though the pay was minimum wage, it seemed like the perfect job to me. Unfortunate financial troubles loomed for KB Toys though – this store was having internal theft problems of money missing from the safe and stolen inventory – and after a couple of months of being hired, KB filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Out of 1,200 stores nationwide, 500 underperforming ones would close. My location began liquidation sales of their inventory, and on the last day, we were literally selling garbage/broken toy parts in plastic bags for pennies on the dollar. On February 9th, 2009, KB Toys closed its stores for good. It was a sad ending for a significant player in the toy retail business. I sure wish I’d kept the KB Toys training tape I’d acquired during the 2003 closings. It’s prime material for Pop Culture Retrorama.
Two weeks prior, KB informed us of their impending doom. So that same day, I went to Toys ‘R’ Us and expounded my dire situation. With a grin on his face, the store manager seemed happy they’d have one less competitor that 2003 holiday season to worry about. I guess he rewarded me for the “inside information”- that soon became public a few days later – and hired me as a seasonal associate. I was thrilled and relieved that I would still have a job somewhere, and with toys!
For two weeks, I donned the KB Toys navy blue shirt during the day, and the iconic red Toys R Us shirt at night. Even though I’d been with KB for only a couple of months, I felt like such a Benedict Arnold. The hours were hectic, to say the least, and sleep was at a premium, but I made good money and felt like I was making a difference. TRU’s main rival was Walmart, and everything that holiday season focused on having the merchandise on the floor, servicing the customers, and at least price matching what Walmart offered.
I had zero training when I started at TRU. Fortunately, my prior employment with KB Toys and my voracious reading of ToyFare magazine helped me sort it out. But imagine working for a giant toy store without any training and dropped right in the middle of the holiday season!
Although I was eternally grateful for the job, I was thrown into the lion’s den to fend for myself.
Multiple-Emmy award-winning artist Andy Williams trumpets that the holidays is “The Most Wonderful Time of The Year,” but I’ve seen ordinarily serene people become enraged during the holidays and unleash their fury onto lowly seasonal sales associates.
Hokey Pokey Elmo was THE toy kids demanded that season, and we’d continuously run out or be undercut by Walmart’s prices. In many instances, I helped no less than six customers at once. They weren’t sure what to buy their kids half the time, so this complicated things a bit. Offering a gift card so that their child could come to the store and purchase whatever they wanted was frequently shot down.
Every evening, getting the store ready for the next day was exhausting: Bicycles stuffed with the Legos, whole sections looking like a tornado, and an earthquake went through-a mountain of merchandise on the floor underneath the price checker. Good times!
Over the years, I had more than a few what I call “tours of duty” with Toys ‘R’ Us. Every time I returned, I saw minimal improvements. I had a first-hand account of a huge passenger liner with a false sense of security that was inevitably about to collide with disaster. Who would’ve thought Toys ‘R’ Us would ever close? In the summer of 2018, that happened in the United States.
Toys ‘R’ Us is forever in my heart but working there revealed to me that the writing was already on the wall. I was underpaid and overworked, but I’d accept employment at Toys ‘R’ Us or KB Toys in a heartbeat even with all the difficulties. There are worse things in life than being surrounded by toys and getting a paycheck. Seeing a kid smile is always worth any hardships one might endure. I remember on one of my TRU “tours of duty,” when an older lady surprisingly slapped my behind and enthusiastically yelled, “That’s the way to do it!” referring to my hustle and dedication to help the customers.
Don’t you think those memories are priceless? I do.
Friends, welcome to the first episode of the third season of the Saturday Frights podcast – to celebrate the occasion – the Projectionist and I have chosen to tackle 1979’s Alien. This is obviously a rather big film and even with a shortened synopsis of the film itself – this particular show clocks in at nearly an hour in length. Of course the truth of the matter is there is just so much information concerning those who helped bring Alien to the big screen. So we have done our level best to shine the spotlight on the likes of Dan O’Bannon, Ronald Shusett, Ridley Scott, H.R. Giger and the many other talented artists and filmmakers who had a hand in crafting such a masterpiece of science fiction/horror. This episode definitely would not have been half as interesting if it wasn’t for the exhaustive tome that is The Making of Alien by J.W. Rinzler.
In addition on this episode I was able to share some interesting information on the friendship between Dan O’Bannon (TheReturn of the Living Dead) and Moebius – which resulted in a two-part comic book story entitled The Long Tomorrow – that was published in the pages of Heavy Metal. In fact as you will learn there are some connections to the 1981 animated Heavy Metal film with 1979’s Alien.
With the length of this podcast, the Projectionist didn’t bring along as many vintage audio treats as he normally would – having said that though we were able to share a snippet from an astounding documentary entitled The Beast Within. When you have some time on your hands you might want to follow that link and check out the documentary for yourself.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode -or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
The Projectionist and I truly hope you will enjoy this third season of the Saturday Frights podcast – so grab your favorite snack and beverage and strap in as we discuss Alien!
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Every band should be so lucky to have this kind of in-depth documentary.
Everyone’s entitled to one or two really eccentric favorites in their musical life, and we’re not even talking guilty pleasures – we’re talking about bands or albums which bring all pleasure and no guilt.
One of these favorites for me is the storied New Zealand band Split Enz, which started life in the early ’70s as artsy, complex prog rock, and then suddenly pivoted into a new wave success story at the beginning of the 1980s, after years of lineup changes and the kind of sturm und drang that used to get glossed over in VH-1’s “Behind The Music”. The Split Enz story really has it all – lofty artistic ambitions clashing with the need to bring home the bacon with commercial success, polished studio sessions completely disguising the group’s strengths as a live band, and the usual tug-of-war with management, labels, and…a botched dinner with Martin Scorsese!?
Oh, that’s right. It’s these guys. Video courtesy nzoz1980
Yeah, that took a turn there. But that really is a fairly good representative specimen of the kind of turn the Split Enz story takes in Radio New Zealand’s ten-part documentary series Enzology, which is available for free download in commercial-free podcast form, years after its initial broadcast.
Though there’s a little bit lost in the translation – the group’s wildly stylized look is not something any mere descriptive paragraph can really sum up – not much is lost. Virtually every member of every lineup of the band gets a chance to tell their part of the story, and there’s an amazing selection of live performances, studio banter, unheard demos, and deep cuts, alongside the stuff that came dangerously close to being bona fide international hits. Even if you’ve never heard of this group – trust me, they’re superstars among their fellow Kiwis – the sampling of material is probably enough to get you thoroughly hooked. A decent one-hour TV documentary was produced in 1993 to coincide with the group’s 20th anniversary, but it pales in comparison to Radio New Zealand’s magnificently in-depth effort.
Even in the 1970s, the Enz were ahead of the pack in the music video revolution. Video courtesy Phil Judd
And on the off chance you’ve never heard of Split Enz: their song “History Never Repeats” was the 12th video ever played on MTV’s first broadcast day, meaning that they were ahead of Iron Maiden, the Cars, Phil Collins, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, or Robert Palmer in making their MTV debut. Neil Finn, the younger brother of founding member Tim Finn, joined the band at the age of 19 before his third album; you probably know him better as the frontman of Crowded House. Not that Tim fared too badly: a single from his first solo album, “Growing Pains”, appeared in the movie Sixteen Candles. One of the group’s founding members invented the Hotcake guitar distortion pedal. Oh, and at nearly any point along their history, the band’s music is brilliant.
You can’t say they didn’t command one’s attention. Video courtesy Chrysalis Records
“Enzology” is also kind of a bittersweet reminder of a bygone age of broadcasting. This was made in the 21st century, and sure, one gets the impression that it may have been a passion project for documentary producer/narrator Jeremy Ansell. But there once was a time when American radio might generate gems like this, back in the days of Westwood One Radio, Watermark Radio, and King Biscuit Flour Hour. But the last thing I remember hearing like this on American radio…was probably a two-hour special I remember hearing in or around 1980, to mark ten years since the split-up of the Beatles. Now, obviously, Split Enz can command ten hours of airtime on Radio New Zealand because it’s a matter of richly-deserved Kiwi national pride. But there are other bands whose epic histories also deserve this kind of treatment. Genesis, perhaps. ELO would be a lovely band to chronicle, especially if all of the surviving band members could have some input. Even BBC Radio still does shows like this, a favorite example being The Record Producers, which has examined the careers of acts as diverse as Todd Rundgren, 10cc, and Roy Wood.
One can dream, at any rate. In the meantime, “Enzology” is worth a spin – it may well be the peak of this genre of broadcast music journalism. Even if you’ve never heard of this band, you’ll wish that bands you have heard of had received this kind of coverage. In the meantime, give “Enzology” a whirl – and then dive into the group’s catalogue itself.
It’s my hope you’ll find the Enz – and their story – as strangely addictive as I do. Video courtesy Neil Finn
Friends, in the nearly ten years that I was lucky enough to write for the Retroist site – one of the television shows that I enjoyed sharing memories about the most was WKRP in Cincinnati. Whether that be the hysterical fits of laughter even thinking about the first season episode entitled “Turkey’s Away” or to the fitting if unintended finale to the series with the fourth season episode “Up And Down the Dial“. The series easily ranks in my top five television shows of all time – along with the likes of Night Court and The Twilight Zone. One of those reasons is the exceptional ensemble cast that had been assembled for the show – although as I understand it – originally the focus of the series was going to be more on Andy Travis (Gary Sandy) as programming director for WKRP. Series creator and showrunner Hugh Wilson who based the show off some of his own experiences working at WQXII in Atlanta – wisely saw that series worked best focusing on the staff of the fictional radio station instead of just one person. In fact I’ll let the late and great Hugh Wilson explain it all himself – BE WARNED – when he begins talking about Bette Midler there is a moment of EXTREME salty language.
I suppose once you’ve reached 72 years of age and are being interviewed about your legacy in pop culture – you are understandably allowed to express your true feelings on a subject, right? I am sad to say that Hugh Wilson who also directed the likes of Police Academy, Guarding Tess, The First Wives Club, and Blast from the Past – passed away two years after that interview.
Just like with such television series as Firefly and 1990’s The Flash among many others – the odds seemed stacked against WKRP in Cincinnati with continuous changes to it’s time slot. Which was surprising that it really seemed to have found it’s audience once it entered syndication – which is where I was first introduced to it. I cannot tell you truthfully how many Family dinners with my Grandparents were spent laughing and being moved by the characters of WKRP. At the very least we can all enjoy this hilarious blooper reel from 1981 – which I believe is put together from the third season of WKRP in Cincinnati.
Friends, it should come as no surprise to any of you by now that I’ll talk about the Rock-afire Explosion at the drop of a hat. While ShowBiz Pizza is of course a cherished memory for me, thanks to the numerous video games that fed a vidiot like myself – it was in fact the Rock-afire Explosion – Creative Engineering’s delightful animatronic band that holds a special place in my heart. So much so that I found that myself devoting an entire episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee to that fabled arcade – if you find yourself with some extra time on your hand – perhaps you might give it a listen?
As I’ve already said, the reason we are still talking about the Rock-afire Explosion is because of the work of Creative Engineering. The blood, sweat, and tears that creator Aaron Fechter and his company put into the characters truly paid off – and as a result they obviously transcended their original purpose. I have mentioned on the Diary Podcast as well as on the Retroist in the past about my first encounters with the Rock-afire Explosion – it wasn’t just the kids that were being entertained by the likes of Billy Bob’s gentle nature and humor. The adults were perhaps surprised they were captivated by the cover songs provided by the Rock-afire Explosion too. Not only did Aaron Fechter and his staff create the band, they also provided the music and voices to the characters – Fechter in fact voiced Billy Bob, Rolfe DeWolfe, Looney Bird, and Earl Schmerle to name just a few.
Fans young and old are finding that magic still exists in that animatronic band from Creative Engineering – case in point this 2017 Maker Faire video by Norman Chan of Adam Savage’s Tested. This short segment spotlights the work of a young man named Jack Turner – who with the help of his Father was not just learning how the animatronics for some of the characters worked but restoring them as best he could.
In closing out this article, I would quibble over his statement about Chuck E. Cheese purchasing ShowBiz Pizza. As it was in fact the other way around. As I understand it, due to ShowBiz Pizza Time Inc. attempting to buy the Rock-afire Explosion from Fechter and his obvious refusal to hand over his rights – the decision was made to rebrand everything to Chuck E. Cheese as they owned the characters.
Friends, last week it was announced we had lost Joe Ruby – the iconic animator, writer, and producer of such shows as Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, Thundarr the Barbarian, and Saturday Supercade to name a few. I was trying to locate some interviews with Ruby to share on my remembrance article when I stumbled on something special. An original sales pitch video by Ruby-Spears that most certainly has a more anime art style to it than the series that would air in syndication beginning on September 11th of ’94. In fact before we go any further with that sales pitch video for Mega Man – it might be a good idea to let you see how the actual series looked, right?
For the record, while I was a little disappointed by the Mega Man animated series – I really loved that theme song – so much so that I actually bought the soundtrack cassette that was released when the show came out. For what it might be worth I was equally ‘let down’ when NBC began airing Captain N: The Game Master on Saturday mornings back on September 9th of ’89 – at least in regards to how Castlevania‘s Simon Belmont and Mega Man were presented. I hope you will not get me wrong – I quite enjoyed the Captain N television show… it is just that when I heard some of my favorite video game character were going to be in an animated series – I had expected something different.
It appears that this 1994 sales pitch video for the Mega Man animated series was an attempt to convince TV stations of just how popular the video game icon truly was. As I understand it there had been ten games released by 1994 starring everyone’s favorite Blue Bomber – as a matter of fact the sales pitch video gets points for mentioning his nickname. You will also notice that some of the animation used in this particular video was incorporated into the intro for the actual television series.
Friends, being a devoted monster kid since the tender age of 3, thanks to catching 1931’s Frankenstein on a midnight movie – the month of October has always meant a great deal to me. In fact it would be a bold face lie if I said that Halloween was not my favorite Holiday of the year. For this year I was really, really looking forward to seeing the next season of Creepshow on Shudder – of course as we are all aware, COVID-19 decided to turn our World upside down and sadly the horror anthology series will not be ready for an October release. However we have a bit of good news, a silver lining to that delightfully dreary October sky, as Netflix shared a trailer and release date for The Haunting of Bly Manor yesterday. Created by Mike Flanagan of The Haunting of Hill House and the criminally underrated Doctor Sleep – as I understand it – this new series while featuring some of the actors from the former Netflix show has no connection beyond that. Furthermore it appears to be loosely based on Henry James’ 1898 novella The Turn of the Screw. In addition I can share with you that at the 23 second mark of this trailer – Netflix and the showrunners of The Haunting of Bly Manor have already ensured that I will have to watch it with the lights on.
To be completely honest – I do not believe that one of the dolls comes to life – I think that is Amelie Bea Smith’s character wearing the face of a doll… which does not in anyway make it less frightening. The Internet Movie Database entry for The Haunting of Bly Manor is a little scarce but the Wikipedia entry states there will be 9 episodes in total – with Flanagan directing three of the episodes in addition to writing the first episode.
From the press release by Netflix:
“From The Haunting of Hill House creator Mike Flanagan and producer Trevor Macy comes THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR, the next highly anticipated chapter of The Haunting anthology series, set in 1980s England. After an au pair’s tragic death, Henry Wingrave (Henry Thomas) hires a young American nanny (Victoria Pedretti) to care for his orphaned niece and nephew (Amelie Bea Smith, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) who reside at Bly Manor with the estate’s chef Owen (Rahul Kohli), groundskeeper Jamie (Amelia Eve) and housekeeper, Mrs. Grose (T’Nia Miller). But all is not as it seems at the manor, and centuries of dark secrets of love and loss are waiting to be unearthed in this chilling gothic romance. At Bly Manor, dead doesn’t mean gone.”
We only have 38 days to wait until The Haunting of Bly Manor debuts on Netflix – plenty of time to get into the Holiday spirit.
Friends, my original plan for this review of Bill & Ted Face the Music was to write it on Saturday morning – after seeing the film the previous night at work. Of course, that was unfortunately the same evening that the heartbreaking news about Chadwick Boseman shocked the World. It would be an understatement to say that this latest Bill & Ted film was exactly what I needed after hearing that tragic news. If you have visited the site before you are probably aware that I attempt to provide NON-SPOILER reviews – sticking with moments featured in the film’s trailer. I have no desire to change that practice so I will begin the review after the trailer below. Although I am aware that some of you do not even want to see a trailer before catching the film. So let me just say that Bill & Ted Face the Music is a fantastic film, it is in no way perfect, but it is fun as well as quite moving.
It has been a mere 29 years since we’ve last had the pleasure of seeing Alex Winter as Bill S. Preston and Keanu Reeves as Ted “Theodore” Logan – the best news of all in this review is they have lost none of their charm and chemistry during that time. Things are looking a little dire for Bill and Ted at the beginning of the film, marriage troubles as well as the future success we assumed they would achieve from the last films…. haven’t come to pass. Don’t judge our two most excellent protagonists too harshly though – it can’t be easy to try create a song that will unite the World, right?
All of this is obviously not the best timing for the future to come calling again – a warning that they have only until 7:17 PM that evening to finally craft the song that will save the World… in addition to the past and future. On the plus side though Bill and Ted and the Princesses Elizabeth and Joanna, played by Erinn Hayes and Jayma Mays, have managed to raise two amazing daughters. Billie and Thea are played by Brigette Lundy-Paine (Bombshell) and Samara Weaving (Ready or Not) – and I personally feel they absolutely steal the show.
There is a chance for Bill and Ted to do the impossible however, thanks to having access to a familiar time machine – they just need to travel through time and find a version of themselves that have performed the song. That is easier said and done though – especially when The Great Leader (Holland Taylor) comes to a decision about the prophecy of Bill and Ted’s music… maybe they have to die to unite the World.
Bill & Ted Face the Music benefits from the return of a few of the characters from the previous films – naturally William Sadler still kills it as Death. But the main storyline for the film focuses on both Bill and Ted as well as Thea and Billie – the latter using a time machine of their own to collect some of History’s greatest musicians. This story of Family and friends and even complete strangers coming together in a time of need – well – is just something the World needs at this moment.
I truly feel that Bill & Ted Face the Music will benefit from multiple viewings – the humor is almost non-stop and a lot of that is courtesy of the various versions of Bill and Ted we meet. The film has some real heart too as we obviously care for the characters involved – but it also has a worthy message… that I can’t touch on as it is very much in spoiler territory. So if you are ready for an evening of most excellent fun – do yourself a favor and rent Bill & Ted Face the Music.
Friends, the other day while I was getting everything set up for the Diary of An Arcade Employee Watch Party on Facebook – I stumbled across this 1980 marketing tape that was uploaded by The Video Game History Foundation. It is the first in a series of marketing tapes that were produced by the arcade game manufacturer Gremlin/Sega or Sega/Gremlin – depending on what year the particular game was released. This is truly a remarkable video on many levels – for one thing you get some amazing shots of the factory floor with employees working on everything from ROM boards to the arcade cabinets themselves. In addition you not only get some vintage arcade action but the video focuses on Gremlin/Sega titles like Deep Scan, Head On 2, and Monaco GP. And as I mentioned in the title itself – the video manages to start the whole thing off with a parody of Rocky‘s “Gonna Fly Now“!
You might be interested to know that Gremlin was founded in San Diego, California by Carl E. Grindle and Harry F. Fogleman in ’71 as a contract engineering firm. As I read online the duo had intended for the name of their new company to be a portmanteau of their last names – in this case “Grindleman Industries”. However as Alexander Smith shares in his 2019 book entitled They Create Worlds: The Story of the People and Companies That Shaped the Video Game Industry, Volume I – when they were phoning the Secretary of State’s office in Delaware – the clerk misheard the name as Gremlin.
Two years later and the company was producing electromechanical coin-operated wall games like Trapshoot, which required a Player to use a simple remote – pressing on the controller’s button would launch the clay pigeon and pressing it again would fire whichever shooter was highlighted.
It was in ’76 when Gremlin threw it’s hat into the ring of producing arcade titles with their “snake game” entitled Blockade – which was designed by Bob Pecareo, Lane Hauck, and Ago Kiss. Two years later the company was purchased by Sega and would go on to manufacture and license such titles as Depthcharge, Hustle, Astro Blaster, Carnival, Space Fury, and a little game called Frogger to name a few.
In closing out this article, the company became Sega Electronics in 1982, but I am sad to say was closed down in ’83 after being purchased by Bally Manufacturing. Having said that however they most certainly contributed quite a few classic arcade titles as their legacy in the Golden Age of the arcades.
July 24th, 1978 saw the birth of Javier Ojst (that’s me!) in the small densely populated country of El Salvador, named after “The Savior” Jesus Christ. Undoubtedly I was a cute baby, and it was a day of revelry for all. Of course, I have no recollection of any of it, and it was revealed to me much later that a dear friend of the family immensely enjoyed pegging the nickname “lizard boy” on me when they saw my squirming in my crib. I guess to him it resembled more like a cage. So perhaps, Is it possible that I wasn’t that cute after all? Thanks to some dingy pictures from my parent’s photo album, I learned that the doctors assured my mom that her seven-month-old baby (yes, I was determined to see the world two months ahead of schedule) would be a girl. Either that, or she had an affinity for pink rooms. I’m rather pragmatic, so I’d like to think that the hardware store simply ran out of blue.
In 1980, my parents – who luckily decided to take me with them – fled to the United States because of the ongoing civil war that ravished everything around us. An incident that certainly motivated us to pack our stuff and move was when guerillas placed a bomb under the family car’s hood. They informed my dad in no subtle terms that he was persona non grata because he had a steady job with an established company and owned a car.
By 1992 both sides agreed to a cease-fire, not before approximately 75,000 Salvadorans were no longer with us. And nearly a decade later, many parts of the countryside were uninhabitable thanks to all the leftover landmines.
In 1986, my dad – who wasn’t a big fan of the American lifestyle and social life – wanted to return to El Salvador despite the civil war still in full force. I loved my Transformers, GI Joe, MASK, Star Wars and pro wrestling, but I soon found myself living in El Salvador once more and barely able to speak the language.
1986 was very different from how things are in 2020. No, I’m not referring to adapting to the worldwide pandemic that is COVID-19. I’m talking about things we take for granted, like the internet. Instant information and entertainment at our fingertips, obtained in a blink of an eye or even faster! When moving to another country, one can learn about its situation in a matter of minutes. Unless you choose to, it’s almost impossible to be blind to global news and current events with today’s technology.
At the time, most of our news about El Salvador came from family members who’d remained, and by perusing the local newspaper (remember those?), which was The Miami Herald. My dad is a person who prides himself as a realist and believes that no scenario is implausible. He had the foresight to record many TV programs, with our fancy new Sharp Video Cassette Recorder with a 3-speed function remote nonetheless! When planning our trip back to El Salvador, he was told everything on TV was in Spanish, and cable was unreliable, not very accessible, and rather pricey. So much of our entertainment would be in the form of rewatching these recorded programs. I saw Star Wars for the first time thanks to my dad recording it off the TV. Saturday Night’s Main Event, also recorded by him, became my gateway into pro wrestling, and I never looked back. Son of Godzilla, Godzilla vs. Megalon, Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster and many other kaiju films became regular viewings for myself and my two younger brothers.
One item that made the trip to El Salvador with us was a magnificent machine – well I certainly thought so at the time – called the Atari 5200. My earliest memories of Atari or any videogame were around 1983 with a neighbor who had an Atari VCS (later known as the Atari 2600). He proudly unveiled to all how he played games like Combat, Smurfs, Spider-Man, and E.T. Yes, HE played while everyone else watched. Years later, an uncle showed off his Intellivision to us, which claimed in advertisements as being “the closest thing to the real thing.” At the time, I agreed that it was a step up from the original Atari, but I was perfectly content watching cartoons and playing with my various action figures.
In El Salvador, to help our cultural transition not spill into all-out culture shock, my father thought this massive videogame console would help us feel at home while residing in my grandparent’s old house for a couple of months. Other than shaking the curtains and pouring scalding hot water down the shower drain to keep the ginormous roaches at bay, the 5200 would serve as family entertainment.
In November 1982, Atari introduced the Atari 5200, which contained the same processor as the Atari 400 and components of the Atari 800 home computer. In its prototype stage, it went by the name “Atari Video System X-Advanced Video Computer System.” The promising console never reached its potential, and only endured an 18-month lifespan. By May 1984, Atari discontinued the 5200, but not before eking out 69 games. Unfortunately, Atari’s programming team could not devote its full attention to the new console because they were still making games for the 2600. Surprisingly, the relatively primitive 2600 that most estimated would become extinct by the early ’80s proved that it was the “little console that could,” and continued producing titles until late 1991. It made cosmetic changes to their console once competitors like Nintendo came onto the scene, but it was all for naught.
So, in the glorious summer of ’86, presumably, my dad got the console and all the games it came with at a bargain-basement price – or so you’d hope! In my grandfather’s musty aged house, I enjoyed countless late nights in the dark living room in front of the glowing TV, alongside my dad. We played Super Breakout, Missile Command, Joust, Pengo, Space Invaders, Berserk, Star Raiders, Galaxian, and Dig Dug until our eyes felt crossed and dry, staring at the TV screen for hours on end. Maybe this was when I permanently ruined my peepers and wound up using glasses for years. All the previously mentioned games are classics, but all games had seen previous releases by Atari and other home consoles.
A consumer gripe, and a factor that buried the 5200, was that people who purchased the console, were paying a premium to play games the 2600 and the arcades had been offering for years. It wasn’t backward compatible with 2600 games or any of their home computer’s software, despite having similar specifications. Although the 5200 had marginally better audiovisual capabilities than the 2600, it wasn’t enough to keep the system alive, and most of the games, as mentioned, weren’t exclusive to the console. Amidst heavy competition from Intellivision, ColecoVison (cheaper than the 5200 and more attractive graphics), and the emerging home computer market led by the Commodore, IBM, and Apple, the 5200 failed.
The 5200 would be the last console Atari would produce as a profitable company. The later 7800 proved that Atari could still make quality consoles. Yet, internal strife and leadership changes pushed the console’s release to 1986 instead of the targeted 1984, which gave Nintendo enough time to push Atari off its videogame throne.
According to the experts, like IGN editor Craig Harris, the real culprit of its failure stems from the poorly designed controllers. He pulled no punches when describing the Atari 5200 controller in a 2006 article titled “Worst Game Controllers.” In the said write-up, he claims Atari’s effort was subpar in the manufacturing of the controller that “didn’t even center itself, and the buttons used materials that seemed to deteriorate at room temperature.” Former executive editor for Electronic Games Bill Kunkel described them as “Dead fish floppo joysticks” in The Ultimate History of Video Games by Steven L. Kent.
Although innovative for its time with four side buttons, a reset, and pause function, the 5200 joysticks fell over without self-centering springs. Decades later, collectors now face an uphill battle trying to find functioning joysticks for what some would call this “ill conceived” videogame console that was the 5200.
Mark Bussler from Classic Game Room says, “There are a lot of excellent games available for the 5200, however, this is the last game console I’d recommend to anyone- unless you grew up with one in the past and want to relive the experience- or unless you’re a diehard collector or you’re crazy, you don’t want one of these.”
In episode 20 of AVGN, James Rolfe could not correctly demonstrate the system because, in typical 5200 fashion, the original controller was faulty, and the Wico Command Control joystick he bought off eBay for $20.00 plus shipping was incompatible with the console’s controller port.
I’ll tell you, though, as an 8-year old kid, I never noticed. I enjoyed every single one of those games with my dad. Maybe all except Star Raiders, which for an eight-year-old, was difficult to grasp. I guess, at the time, the side buttons were somewhat unresponsive in those crucial moments when trying to defend your cities in Missile Command, or blasting those dreaded giant insects and arachnids in Centipede. But I only noticed this years later when someone brought it up. In 1986, perhaps we just accepted the way things were, rolled with those punches, and made the best of our videogames. I preferred the “mushy” 5200 joysticks over the stubborn, almost immovable 2600 joystick.
But mostly, I remember playing with my dad. I’d sometimes let him win, but it was worth every bit of taunting to see him smile and laugh out loud. That was worth tarnishing a winning streak. I later moved onto the NES and SNES. I went hardcore with those consoles and lived for those games. Then dabbled briefly in the N64 pond. But the Atari 5200 holds a special place in my heart and tints my nostalgic rose-colored dreams. I no longer own my 5200 from childhood, thanks to a disgruntled cat who used it as a litter box in 1992. But I wouldn’t mind dusting one off from a garage sale or at a flea market to see my dad play Super Breakout with me one more time. Of course, now that we’re both adults, I wouldn’t let him win! Or maybe I would actually, only from time to time though…
Friends, as I mentioned on the LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga article the other day – while I didn’t feel like writing the typical post on the passing of Joe Ruby – I am compelled to honor him in another fashion. In this case that would be presenting to you the top five best cartoon intros to animated series that were produced by Ruby-Spears. And just as with the likes of Carl Reiner, Ennio Morricone, Max von Sydow, and Sir Ian Holm – it is true that Joe Ruby had a good run, passing away on Wednesday at the age of 87. Although having said that it was kind of great to know that Joe Ruby and Ken Spears were still around – these two pioneers of animated television that forged a lifelong friendship at Hanna-Barbera. It was there at that famous animation studio where the duo helped co-create the likes of Dynomutt, Dog Wonder, Jabberjaw, and of course Scooby-Doo. In fact to lead off our look at the top five Ruby-Spears cartoon intros we are immediately bending the rules – starting off with Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! – I figure that since both Joe Ruby and Ken Spears worked on the series it gets a pass.
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! premiered on September 13th of 1969 on CBS and while having two seasons worth of episodes – it was continuously reaired until 1976. The popularity of the series led Ruby and Spears to quickly apply the general concept of the Saturday morning series to Josie and the Pussycats, Jabberjaw, and Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels to name a few. Fred Silverman who had originally pitched the concept of what would become Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! was at that time the head of children’s programming on CBS – when he moved to ABC in ’75 – he brought Joe Ruby and Ken Spears with him. While the duo weren’t afforded the opportunity to set up Ruby-Spears Productions until two years later – they did have a hand in the likes of Return to the Planet of the Ape for DePatie-Freling Enterprises. A series that might possibly have the most terrifying cartoon intro of all time!
On the other hand, you could argue that perhaps the Ruby-Spears produced Thundarr the Barbarian from the early ’80s had an equally scary intro. I am sure that in the near future we will tackle this classic animated series on an episode of the Pop Culture Retrorama podcast. Nothing like a little production design by the legendary Jack Kirby and the ruin of the Earth in the first 11 seconds to make a kid sit up and take notice, right?
As I understand it, Ruby-Spears was formed to kind of give Hanna-Barbera a run for it’s money on Saturday mornings. It certainly did when Joe Ruby and Ken Spears set their sights on an animated anthology series for CBS – I suppose they noticed that Hanna-Barbera were doing pretty good with Pac-Man for ABC. Instead of one iconic video game character the series would feature segments for such video games as Frogger, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Pitfall!, Kangaroo, Space Ace, and Q*bert.
Our last Ruby-Spears cartoon intro is for an animated series that back in the day… I quite frankly never even knew existed – I’m talking about 1988’s Superman. It features stunning animation and in addition benefits from the “Superman March” by John Williams.
Now Ruby-Spears Productions ceased operation in 1996 – after having been purchased by Taft Entertainment in ’81. The majority of their catalog was sold to Turner Broadcasting just ten years later – along with that of Hanna-Barbera as a matter of fact. But from reading up on Joe Ruby and Ken Spears it sounds like the duo never stopped working on new ideas for animated series – with I believe their last credited work being Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!. So, there are our top five Ruby-Spears produced or at least affiliated cartoon intros – what are some of your favorites?
Friends, initially I was going to write up an article on the passing of Joe Ruby – the legendary animator, writer, and producer of countless animated series – although perhaps best known for being co-creator of Scooby-Doo. The truth of the matter is I was about a paragraph into the post when I realized I didn’t have the heart to write it – 2020 has delivered a stunning amount of deaths in regards to some of our favorite entertainers. While I am going to write up something to honor Joe Ruby for tomorrow morning – I just wanted to focus on something a little more upbeat. Which is why it was fortuitous that a friend on Facebook sent me a link to the gameplay trailer for the upcoming LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga as I was in need of a good laugh… and it most certainly delivered with a heaping of the feels too.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is set to be released in the Spring of 2021 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Playstation 4 and 5, as well as the Nintendo Switch. While not mentioned in the gameplay trailer itself – the title is listed on Steam – perhaps it will be debuting on PC at a later date?
The upcoming game will allow Star Wars fans to play through all nine films that make up what we now call the Skywalker Saga – in addition you can tackle any of the movies in whatever order you feel like. Of course as this is a LEGO video game that means you can expect the usual exceptional humor – gently poking fun at the Star Wars saga from tackling who shot first in the Cantina to Porgs.
Image Provided by WB Games.
I will admit I am probably an easy sell when it comes to LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga – you can judge for yourself after watching the trailer below.
Oo-la-la? Oo-la-la? Your favorite DeLorean-driving time travelers are back, immortalized in plastic.
Super 7 and its ReAction figure line, the purveyors of Kenner-style retro-themed figures inspired by everything from Shogun Warriors to classic baseball mascots to They Live, is zooming into the distant future of the year 2015 for its newest selection of 3.75″ figures. Fire up your flux capacitor, because the new line of figures is based on Back To The Future Part II.
Courtesy Super7
The Multiple Marty Paradox. Courtesy Super7
The selection of five figures includes the “future clothing” versions of Marty McFly, Doc Brown and Biff Tannen, as well as Biff’s spiky-helmeted descendant Griff, and Marty decked out in his ’50s style leather jacket as he plunges once again into that Fish Under The Sea Dance. Or Enchantment. Whatever.
Yes, Future Marty and Griff both come with hoverboards! ’50s Marty has his walkie-talkie, while Future Biff has the sports almanac that made him a terrifying force to be reckoned with. Future Doc includes a gigantic futuristic camera, just like the ones we all carried around in 2015.
The really neat thing here is that, for those who actually did collect George McFly and young Biff from the original Back To The Future ReAction lineup, you get a lot more play value out of both characters – well, out of young Biff, anyway (George infamously doesn’t make much of a showing in the second movie, but you can rewrite the script and change that now).
Terrible Tannen Twosome. Courtesy Super7
Older Future Biff is decked out in his bathrobe; Doc Brown may be the new collection’s best figure, decked out in his “where we’re going we don’t need roads” outfit. All five figures arrive on backing cards with artwork depicting the business end of Doc’s future-upgraded time machine.
Maybe one of the best things about this collection is that it portends the possibility of figures from Back To The Future Part III, which would be awesome with its western costume variations, and the possibility of actually introducing a female character to the line. But whether or not that happens is left to…well…the future. But for now, the new Back To The Future Part II line can only make some much-needed happiness for those of us stuck in the distant future of the year 2020.
Friends, it would appear that today marks the first anniversary of the Pop Culture Retrorama site – it was one year ago today that with the support of the Retroist – I was able to post the first article to the site.Which was What Is Pop Culture Retrorama, the mission statement that I decided to originally pin to the front page of the site itself. Which to sum up was – this site was intended as a spot to host my various podcasts as well as continuing to enjoy what I had been doing for nearly a decade on the Retroist site – which boils down to the desire to discuss and share my thoughts on those retro and pop culture related subjects I hold dear. For one year now, thanks to those of you who have been kind enough to visit us on a daily basis and even go out of your way to help spread the word on the site through Facebook and Twitter – the Pop Culture Retrorama site has continued to grow.
In addition with this site, I was hoping that my fellow pop culture archaeologists and friends from the Retroist might also join me in this new endeavor. I was not disappointed either as the likes of Allison Venezio-Preston, Gary Burton, IseeRobots, Earl Green, Ashley Thomas, Brett Weiss, Rob O’Hara, DanielXIII, Rob Klein, Justin Salvato, the Retroist, and Rockford Jay have provided articles and more importantly continuous support over this past year. I have always put a lot of faith into the belief that more voices on the Pop Culture Retrorama site only makes it all the more better – and I truly believe that my fellow writers and contributors have only proven that to be true. After all how would we ever know that the likes of Wendy’s training videos, an early appearance television appearance by Steve Martin, Hagar the Horrible merchandise, the upcoming Intellivision Amico, the Marvel Comics Gargoyles series, an 1988’s KOFY TV Country Dance Party Commercial, a meeting with Mister Rogers, and the ’80s television show V would be such incredibly popular subjects?
Of course I would be remiss to not thank two others, for their continued support of the Pop Culture Retrorama site. The first big thanks goes to my beyond patient and understanding Wife – who doesn’t get upset when instead of taking it easy, I feel compelled to write a 1,000 word article on the merits of Xanadu or a 1978 Halloween public service announcement starring Peter Pumpkin. While it is true that I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without the help and support of my friends on this site – that goes double for my Wife.
Then of course I must thank you – for taking time out of your busy day and spending a little of it checking out what we have to say and share on this site. I’ve mentioned this on the podcasts themselves but it bears repeating – there are thousands of worthy sites that share all manner of retro articles and information on the latest pop culture news. I feel what the Pop Culture Retrorama site offers above all is an honest look at whatever the subject might be – with the added benefit of not including a heaping dose of snark. Because I have always been pleasantly amazed at just how alike we all are – we may not walk the same path but we can enjoy in sharing the memories of our youth or what we are passionate about.
Here is to the first anniversary of the Pop Culture Retrorama site – thank you again for your continued support – it is very much appreciated, my friends.
Friends, hopefully we have an unexpected treat for you today with this bonus episode of the Saturday Frights podcast – as the title itself points out – this is a prelude to Season three of the show. Starting next week, the Projectionist and I will be delivering new episodes of the Saturday Frights podcast – discussing the best in horror films and television shows. Although having said that, I feel it is safe to say that after listening to this prelude to Season three – you will agree that the time away hasn’t improved the Projectionist’s demeanor or temperament. Though I suppose his little freak out on this particular episode has the unexpected consequence of you getting a sneak peek at some of the movies and TV show we are going to tackle this Season.
In fact I would say that the first listener that can tell us the names of all the films and television clips we share on this bonus episode – has certainly more than earned themselves a prize from the Vault collection. Feel free to submit your answers in the comments section or by email or even on Facebook – although some are more obvious than others.
If you have any suggestions for topics you would like for us to cover in a future episode -or possibly you have comments on the current show itself, email them to me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com You can also contact me on Twitter and on Facebook. In addition I certainly hope you will take the time to visit the Saturday Frights Facebook Page. There you can find posts from Rockford Jay, Preston Griffith and myself on a daily basis.
The Projectionist and I are really looking forward to finally bringing you Season three of the show, as always we thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to give it a listen. Without further ado – welcome back to the Haunted Drive-In and the Saturday Frights podcast!
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Whoever they were, be they superheroes or bounty hunters…at least they’re wearing their masks. And they have theme music. Also: WarGames is back in print!
A warning up front, friends: this may be a more expensive visit from the Score Keeper than usual, but it’s all for a good reason.
Mondo Music is taking pre-orders for an 8-volume vinyl boxed set of every note of music from The Mandalorian, each episode/chapter getting its own LP with gorgeous original artwork by Paul Mann. All eight LPs (and their individual sleeves) fit into a slipcase embossed with the Mandalorian’s signet.
The individual LP covers and contents of the Mandalorian box set. Courtesy Mondo Music.
The music was made available digitally last year, with each episode’s score rolling out day-and-date with the episode itself, but Mondo’s box set is the first physical release of music from The Mandalorian. If your only vector of attraction to the show is Baby Yoda, there’s plenty of the everyone’s favorite little Force-user in the individual LPs’ cover art. If you’re looking for a physical release of all of the music from The Mandalorian, to coin a phrase, this is the way.
[tries very hard to levitate the whole Mando a la Mondo box set]
Courtesy Apple Music
But wait, there’s more!
Elsewhere, the music for the just-finished first season of the DC Universe live-action series Stargirl is now available as a digital release. Somehow it failed to hit me, of the course of watching the show, that the music was by Pinar Toprak, who also composed to music for Captain Marvel on the big screen. It’s interesting to hear the same composers getting to play in both the DC and Marvel universes.
Courtesy La-La Land Records
Courtesy La-La Land Records
But there’s plenty of musical action in the DC universe from La-La Land Records. They just started taking orders for the soundtracks from Young Justice: Outsiders (taking up two discs) and the animated superhero event of 2020, Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans. (In the interests of full disclosure, your friendly local Score Keeper may be the only person over the age of 40 who genuinely loves Teen Titans Go! on its own merits, so there.) La-La Land is also having a DC soundtrack sale, with some heroic markdowns on soundtracks based on DC Comics, including some big discounts on La-La Land’s series of magnificent Batman: The Animated Series soundtracks.
Courtesy La-La Land Records
La-La Land has also released the late James Horner’s complete score from 1995’s big-screen Casper movie, finally gathering all of the music recorded for the friendly ghost’s movie revival one disc one, and remastering the original album release (including Little Richard’s rendition of “Casper, The Friendly Ghost”) on disc two.
Courtesy Intrada
Intrada’s latest releases are the never-before-released Jerry Goldsmith score from the 1973 film The Don Is Dead, a mafia movie that sort of disappeared from the public consciousness between The Godfather and The Godfather Part II. We’re reaching a point where it’s genuinely difficult to find a Goldsmith score that hasn’t been released in any form, so this surprising release will probably be a must for Goldsmith completists.
Courtesy Intrada
Timed to coincide with the imminent release of Bill & Ted Face The Music, Intrada is also re-releasing a limited edition of David Newman’s score from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Previously available as part of a box set that also included Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, this edition of 1,000 copies presents the first movie’s score by itself.
Courtesy Quartet Records
Quartet Records also has a much-requested reissue on tap – they’re offering a new pressing of the 35th anniversary WarGames soundtrack by popular demand, but it’s a very limited edition run – only 1,000 new copies worldwide. The first disc of the 2-CD set presents the complete score as mixed for the film, while the second disc presents the original soundtrack album in remastered form, complete with movie dialogue.
Courtesy Quartet Records
Quartet also has another vintage treat, John Addison’s music from the 1976 movie The Seven Per Cent Solution, an original Sherlock Holmes mystery (of sorts!) written by one Nicholas Meyer. Never before given a commercial pressing either on vinyl or CD, this album includes a Stephen Sondheim song composed especially for the film.
Courtesy Dragon’s Domain
Courtesy Dragon’s Domain
Dragon’s Domain Records has a trio of releases – a reissue of the extremely rare soundtrack from the 1990 PBS documentary Medal Of Honor, Craig Safan’s score from the late ’80s thriller Lady Beware, and volume one of The Peter Bernstein Collection. The son of legendary composer Elmer Bernstein (of Airplane! and Ghostbusters fame), Peter Bernstein’s scores from Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 and the 1994 syndicated TV pilot movie Island City are featured on this release.
As summer prepares to give way to fall, you can’t say that there’s nothing to listen to in the soundtrack aisle.
Friends, when The Terminator was released in 1984 in my neck of the woods, my Father and I somehow missed it in theaters. We didn’t actually get the opportunity to catch James Cameron’s vision of a science fiction post-apocalyptic future until it was released on VHS. The bizarre thing about it all is on the way home from the video store – we noticed that the local Drive-In was opening that night and was showing The Terminator and a film called The Return of the Living Dead. There is really no other way to describe that evening than to say it was absolutely epic. Even though we had just rented the film, we managed to hold off watching it on VHS until after seeing it that evening – after all how could our 19-inch television set compare the grandeur of the Drive-In screen?
The following day before it was time to return The Terminator to the video store, we had managed to watch it three more times – so I feel it is safe to say that we were quite impressed by the film. Granted with James Cameron in the Director’s seat and a cast made up of Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Paul Winfield, Lance Henriksen, and of course Arnold Schwarzenegger – how could you not be won over by the film? Throw in some amazing practical effects by the Stan Winston Studios and others – with that incredible soundtrack by Brad Fidel (Fright Night, True Lies) – and it is quite easy to see how this 1984 picture managed to jump start an entire franchise.
Beginning in 1988 thanks to NOW Comics picking up the licenses to film and television properties like Fright Night, The Real Ghostbusters, The Green Hornet, and of course The Terminator – fans like myself could pop into their local comic book shop and learn how the fight against Skynet was fairing in 2031. It was just before Terminator 2: Judgement Day was released in ’91 that Dark Horse Comics obtained the comic book rights to the franchise and held it until 2019 as I understand it. During that time releasing some memorable comic book crossovers though – just a few include RoboCop Versus The Terminator, Superman versus The Terminator: Death to the Future, and even Aliens versus Predator versus The Terminator!
The Man of Steel however is not the only iconic DC Comics character to find themselves in a crossover comic with a science-fiction franchise – as Batman crossed paths with the Xenomorphs from Alien and even the Yautja from Predator on multiple occasions. The Dark Knight has even gone toe to toe with the Terminator throughout the years… although in all honesty that would be Deathstroke the Terminator aka Slade Wilson. However thanks to this fan made animated short film by Mitchell Hammond that was originally released back in 2014 – we can see the Dark Knight take on Skynet in the war-torn remains of Los Angeles of 2029 with Batman versus the Terminator.
Friends, it was 30 years ago today that Universal Pictures released Darkman to theaters in both Canada and the United States. 30 years ago this afternoon I was sitting with my Father in a small auditorium of a local theater – totally excited to catch this new film by Sam Raimi – an idol of mine thanks The Evil Dead and it’s sequel/reboot. By the time that Darkman was released I pretty much watched E!: Entertainment Television non-stop – so I had caught the trailer for the film quite a few times leading up to it’s release. As the house lights began to dim I was nervous with anticipation, I was ready to experience Raimi’s dark super hero film, I was excited to hear a new soundtrack by Danny Elfman… I was also apparently sick as I vomited just as the trailers started.
Needless to say, my Father and I left the theater in quite a rush, stopping off at the concession stand long enough to alert an employee that we were leaving quite a mess… as well as an auditorium of shocked theater patrons. So while it is the absolute truth that I was there for the first showing of Darkman 30 years ago – I did not actually get to see the film until a week later. Honestly, it was well worth the wait, as Raimi’s obvious love for the likes of The Phantom of the Opera and pulp characters such as The Shadow were quite evident.
In fact it wouldn’t be until a bit later, when I read in Comics Scene magazine, that I learned Sam Raimi had initially attempted to secure the rights to film adaptations of both Batman and The Shadow. As Tim Burton delivered his colossal box office hit the previous year, it’s understandable why Raimi couldn’t obtain the rights as the film was already being worked on, but I can’t help but wonder what his version of The Shadow would have been like. I can tell you that minutes into watching Darkman I was absolutely loving it – with it’s over the top and stylized comic book-like action sequences – to the pathos often found in the classic Universal Monster films. While the character of Peyton Westlake aka Darkman is in all honesty a psychotic and tortured vigilante – much like the Punisher in some regards – he could easily be included in the pantheon of Universal Monsters in my opinion. Something that I believe Sam Raimi touched on in an interview with John Stanley of the San Franciso Chronicle from August of 1990:
“I decided to explore a man’s soul. In the beginning, a sympathetic, sincere man. In the middle, a vengeful man committing heinous acts against his enemies. And in the end, a man full of self-hatred for what he’s become, who must drift off into the night, into a world apart from everyone he knows and all the things he loves.”
I personally think that Sam Raimi and those involved with the making of Darkman succeeded with flying colors in that aspect. Of course a lot of what makes the film wonderful – besides the visual flair that Raimi is known for – is naturally the actors they were able to land for the picture. Liam Neeson (Excalibur, Krull), Frances McDormand (Blood Simple, Hill Street Blues), Colin Friels (Dark City), and Larry Drake (Dark Night of the Scarecrow) to name just a few. The result were performances that actually made you care about the characters – in particular with Neeson as Westlake/Darkman and McDormand as his love, Julie Hastings – you truly felt bad their lives are torn asunder by the likes of Robert G. Durant (Drake) and his goons. Due to the medical process that Westlake undergoes – he can literally feel nothing – he is living in a void which has the unfortunate side effect of driving him slowly insane. As Darkman straddles the line between a horror and superhero film – it gave Raimi the opportunity as usual to put his own brother through the ringer.
As I understand it from reading some new articles online, the Darkman we all saw and enjoy, came about thanks to some shenanigans by the filmmakers after the movie was supposed to have been locked. Of course another element that made the film so great was the soundtrack provided by Danny Elfman – take a moment and listen to the track entitled Woe, The Darkman… Woe! – tell me it isn’t absolutely perfect for a film about a tortured superhero.
The box office success of Darkman would spawn two direct-to-video sequels as well as comic books, toys, and even a few video games. In addition before the first sequel entitled Darkman II: The Return of Durant hit video stores in ’95, there was a failed attempt at a television series three years earlier – starring Christopher Bowen (Homefront) as Westlake/Darkman, Kathleen York (In the Dark), and Larry Drake reprising his role as Durant. Incorporating actual footage and music from the feature film, the pilot is… interesting… I truly feel you can see the diamond in the rough but I understand why networks passed on it.
Friends, just a couple of days ago as I was waking up, I noticed that the Retroist had been kind enough to send me a text message – it was a link to a documentary entitled Live from the Space Stage: A Halyx Story. A full-length production that was Directed by Matthew Serrano and produced by Kevin Purjerer of Defunctland – in fact the duo also edited the documentary together and released it on YouTube just a few days back. It is an in-depth look at how in the Summer of 1981 at Disneyland a science fiction themed rock band was created that would become known as Halyx – taking the Space Stage spot in the evenings in Tomorrowland. A band that besides five humanoid members would also be made up of a bass player who was a cross between a Wookie and a Pandaren from World of Warcraft, a robotic keyboardist, and an amphibian that acted as Halyx’s percussionist. As I have said in the last few weeks with various retro related discoveries – this type of pop culture discovery fills me with so much delight. As while I had in fact never heard of Halyx, from what appears to be June 20th to September 11th of ’81, this Disneyland rock and roll band captured the hearts and imaginations of many a young fan.
As you will see for yourself with Live from the Space Stage: A Halyx Story, through personal interviews with the members of the band and those who worked behind the scenes, this beautiful and moving documentary captures a “Should Have Been A Hit” moment from 1981. Do not get me wrong, from all accounts it certainly appears that Halyx was indeed popular at the park – I’m referring to when they left the stage to record an actual album, etc. In addition with this documentary you will get a small peek at the history of those wonderful Read-Along Book and Records produced by Disneyland Records – that we frequently share on the site.
Disneyland Records after having quite the success with those books and records wanted to branch out – that ended up resulting in the desire to form a rock and roll band. Gary Krisel, who at that time was head of the Walt Disney Music Company, along with Disney Records Producer Jymn Magon got together with none other than Mike Post to help create what would become Halyx. Post who besides being a record producer also had a hand in some of the most memorable television show themes of our time – just a few highlights include The Rockford Files, Magnum P.I., Hillstreet Blues, The A-Team, The Greatest American Hero, as well as Hardcastle and McCormick.
As the idea for this band moved forward, auditions for members began to take place, in addition to the mammoth undertaking of designing and providing the various costumes for the performers to wear – to say nothing of deciding on an actual name for the band itself. In the end the Producers decided on Lora Mumford as Halyx’s lead singer with her Husband, Thom Miller, acting as the robotic keyboardist. It was Roger Freeland who was tapped to don the impressive Wookie-like costume and perform as bassit with Tony Coppola as the amphibian percussionist. Bruce Gowdy was hired as guitarist and songwriter with Brian Lucas as drummer and Jeanette Clinger as backup singer (There appears to be an additional back up singer that is uncredited). And as I understand it after taking the Space Stage on the 20th of June of 1981 – they made some some legitimate magic and memories for the young folks visiting Disneyland during that Summer.
After watching Live from the Space Stage: A Halyx Story you might find you need a Kleenex or two – not just from the feeling of lost opportunity of what should have been greatness for all involved, but for gratefulness that the documentary has captured for all time the magic that was Halyx.
Friends, as you are probably already aware of, today happens to mark what would have been the 100th birthday of Ray Bradbury. In the past on the Retroist as well as on this site I have expressed my appreciation for the legendary writer that brought us the likes of A Sound of Thunder, Usher II, Fahrenheit 451, The Veldt, and of course Something Wicked This Way Comes to name just a few. So, as the sun begins to descend and blanket the the Vault with soothing night – my thoughts turn to things creepy and bizarre. Which is why I thought it would be appropriate to share an episode of The Ray Bradbury Theater with you – an adaptation of his 1943 story entitled The Wind.
The Wind is a short story that was first published in the pages of Weird Tales magazine in March of 1943. As I understand it, the first time it was collected in book form was four years later with Dark Carnival – which was edited by none other than August Derleth and published by Arkham House.
This television adaptation of The Wind was originally broadcast on July 28th of 1989. Directed by Graham McLean (Worzel Gummidge Down Under) – it stars Michael Sarrazin (The Reincarnation of Peter Proud) as John Colt, a man who is convinced that he is experiencing the wrath of wind itself. As you will learn from the episode itself, John believes he is being hunted down by the wind for having discovered the location from which all wind originates – a valley in the mountains of Tibet. While it might sounds like John is in fact insane – it is hard to scoff at his beliefs though when his home becomes assaulted by the wind itself…
Turn out the lights if you are able and join us in celebrating the 100th birthday of Ray Bradbury with The Wind!
Friends, if you were kind enough to listen to the Krull episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – you are aware that as a tie-in for the epic science fiction/fantasy film – a game was produced for the Atari 2600. This would not be a port of the twin-stick arcade title by Gottlieb but a wholly new game – perhaps better suited for a gaming experience using a single joystick. I am extremely fond of the film that both the arcade and Atari 2600 title were based on – as a matter of fact – in the near future I would say that you can count on it being the subject of a Pop Culture Retrorama podcast.
As I understand it from reading online, Atari was originally planning on a port of the arcade game for their 5200 system – although in ’83 it appears that the sales of that particular Atari home console were less than rosy. The result was not just to focus on the more popular 2600 system but to craft an original game – made up of four separate mini-games as it were. The designer and programmer responsible for Krull was Dave Staugas – who would go on to have a hand in the port for Millipede the following year. Although I have read that the graphics were handled by Jerome Domurat who also worked on the likes of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Pengo, Jungle Hunt, and Star Raiders.
As Earl will demonstrate in his latest Phosphor Dot Fossils video – Krull is by no means an easy title to say the very least. While the first mini-game which represents “Colwyn’s Marriage to Lyssa” isn’t all that tough – the difficulty in obtaining the Glaive weapons that are so crucial during the “Iron Desert” sequence is a bit harder. And even though the “Widow of the Web” mini-game basically comes down to really just timing your jumps properly – it is the “Black Fortress” segment where the difficulty seems to spike. Players must use their Glaive to chip away at the prison cell that is holding Lyssa captive – while making sure to catch the weapon as it returns and avoid the the fireballs hurled at them by the Beast. If you manage to lose all of the Glavies you have collected – you must beat a hasty retreat back to the “Widow of the Web” in an attempt to pick up more during your travels across the “Iron Desert”.
Remember that for even more pop culture related goodness – make sure to check out Earl’s own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs.
Friends, the other day I went on a bit about the childhood toys that I loved the most in my youth – namely the Fisher-Price Movie Theatre and of course the View-Master viewer. One of the points I tried to make in the article was that while the Movie Theatre afforded the opportunity to watch an actual cartoon or clip from a film – the View-Master had the more impressive list of licensed properties. The hand-me-down View-Master and reels that I received from my Grandparents were made up of a collection of Walt Disney shorts, Scooby-Doo, and some fairy tale stories such as Mother Goose Rhymes.
You might be interested to know that the partnership with Walt Disney and View-Master began all the way back in 1951 – when the company purchased their rival Tru-Vue – which also included securing said license with Disney. Many animated shorts and films from the Disney studios would be offered in reel sets over the years – but I think when the ’80s hit the licensing department went into overdrive with the likes of Masters of the Universe, Shirt Tales, The A-Team, and The Smurfs to name just a few.
However it might surprise you to learn just how far View-Master went with licensing films and television properties over the years – you had reel sets produced for Daktari, Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, The Poseidon Adventure, Fiddler on the Roof, Dune, Buckaroo Banzai and Jaws 3-D to name just a very few. James Bond was no stranger to the View-Master either as two different reel sets were made – the two films that were given the stereoscopic 3-D treatment included 1973’s Live and Let Die as well as Moonraker in ’79. Thanks to the Jarl Grimm Toys YouTube channel you can check out the Live and Let Die reel set for yourself!
Friends, at the risk of sounding like a broken record even more than I usually do – in my youth I cherished and desired any toy that would give the illusion of watching or showing a movie. That is of course the reason that my Family bought me both the Fisher-Price Viewer as well as Movie Theater for the Holidays – I received these gifts at the ripe old age of five and I am quite proud to say that I still have them and they are in excellent working condition. Those might have been my favorite but they were by no means the only movie viewers that I would receive in the late ’70s. For example I also got my hands on the Kenner Star Wars movie viewer and even the Snoopy Drive-In Movie Theater – going to bed after that magical Holiday, meant my Father had to sit through multiple showings of Goofy, Snoopy, Mickey Mouse, and Pink Panther cartoons.
At the end of the day between the two Fisher-Price products, it was the Movie Theatre that was my favorite – it had quite a bit to do with the fact that you could cast the image on a nearby wall. It was this same toy that I have mentioned in regards to my brief stint as an unlicensed representative of the Ghostbusters in past articles. It not only helped to fan a deep love of animation but also gave me the chance to study the process of making cartoons – with that ability to go frame by frame when watching a cartridge.
There was another toy however that helped scratch that itch of watching a movie whenever I felt like – sort of – I am referring of course to the View-Master. Which in my case was a hand-me-down given to me along with a handful of reels by my Grandparents one Summer evening. Compared to the ability of the Fisher-Price Movie Theater with it’s truncated versions of some of my favorite cartoon shorts – the View-Master viewer initially seemed to be a lesser form of entertainment.
I think we can chalk up that misconception to a folly of youth as I began to realize how wonderful the View-Master truly was. In addition the View-Master beat Fisher-Price and Kenner by how many franchises they managed to sign up – reel sets were produced for the likes of Batman, The Brady Bunch, Buck Rogers, MASH, Gremlins, Doctor Who, and Star Trek to name just a few. In fact you will see a few of those franchises in this 1978 View-Master television commercial – one featuring the Space Theatre in the Round set – as well as a very young Ricky Schroder (Silver Spoons, Lonesome Dove).
Friends, with producing the Saturday Frights podcast, I’m willing to bet you already realize that I am a rather big fan of horror movies – have been since I was three years old in fact. Thanks to a late night screening of 1931’s Frankenstein I was bit by the horror bug and it has refused to let go of me. On Saturday Frights I have shared that my Father was also a fan of horror films, being a single parent, meant that quite often if he wanted to see a movie at the Drive-In he would have to take me along too. While he would most definitely not take me to see something like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, he wouldn’t bat an eye at allowing me to watch the likes of An American Werewolf in London, The Changeling, Friday the 13th, Ghost Story, or The Shining to name a few.
In the early ’80s after my Father purchased a VCR, it was like I had been given the keys to the candy store. Multiple times a week we would visit the local Mom and Pop video store and I would spend quite a while perusing their selection of 30 to 40 horror films. In all honesty it reached a point where I didn’t need my Father with me to rent a horror movie – even if I was supposed to be 17. I guess we can chalk it all up to being a different time?
Now then, while my Father had no qualms for the most part on the staple of horror movies I was watching… my Grandparents were not as keen on my steady diet of monster, slasher, and demonic films. Although even at an early age I realized this was from coming from a place of love – I still found myself being perplexed and annoyed that I couldn’t watch Salem’s Lot on television.
I bring all of that up because I am sure that back in 1987 when 20/20 aired this special report entitled VCR Horrors – they must have been panicking realizing that I was like some of these children featured in the segment.
Friends, the other afternoon I wrote an article about 1967’s Off to See the Wizard – a television anthology series that I was stunned I had never heard of before – one that featured animation by Chuck Jones. Furthermore I was equally shocked to learn that one of the films they shared on the program was actually a failed television pilot from 1963 – a sword-and-sandal offering entitled Alexander the Great. Oh, it also starred none other than William Shatner (Star Trek), John Cassavetes (Rosemary’s Baby), Joseph Cotten (Citizen Kane), and Adam West (Batman). To be sure there are a lot more veteran character actors and actresses in the TV movie – but it is truly bizarre to see the likes of Shatner, West, Cotten, and Cassavetes in scenes together. To say nothing of the fact that somehow like with Off to See the Wizard – this was another television offering that I had never heard about before yesterday. In all honesty I truly love these types of moments, finding out that three years before Shatner would sit in the Captain’s chair of the USS Enterprise – he was sitting astride a horse in St. George, Utah as Alexander the Great.
There are conflicting reports online – as usual – on whether Alexander the Great was ever aired before being shown on Off to See the Wizard. I have read that it was played on TV in ’63 as well as two years later – although I have not found any articles or newspaper reviews to collaborate that as of yet. I did see however – that some folks have noticed the battle sequences involving Alexander’s Macedonian forces against the Persian army are lifted from 1959’s The Giant of Marathon starring Steve Reeves of Hercules fame.
Obviously with the success of Batman and the popularity of Star Trek with fans it made sense for Off to See the Wizard to dust off the 1963 TV movie and air it. I wish that I could tell you how well it performed in 1968 – a mere five years after originally being completed – but at the very least you can watch the pilot for yourself!
Video and Article Image provided by Film Gorillas.
Friends, as I believe has been proven by my article concerning Vicki Lawrence singing The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia – there are vast areas relating to pop culture that I am wholly ignorant of. Granted, I would never call myself an expert in anything, I just enjoy sharing those things that I enjoy. The reason I brought all of that up however is that being a fan of animation, especially the work of Chuck Jones – I somehow had never heard about the Off to See the Wizard anthology series that aired on ABC beginning in September of 1967. The show sounds like it was a little like The Banana Splits – although I think it would be correct to say in reverse in this case – with animated segments featuring the characters from The Wizard of Oz providing the intro and outro for the show as well as commercial breaks. The animation was handled by MGM Animation/Visual Arts – which was in fact founded as Sib Tower 12 Productions in 1962 by Chuck Jones and Les Goldman before being purchased by MGM two year later. As Jones had a hand in the segments, it should come as no surprise that regulars such as Daws Butler (Scarecrow, Tin Man, Wizard of Oz), Mel Blanc (Cowardly Lion, Toto), and the iconic June Foray (Dorothy) were tapped to provide voices for the animated characters.
The really interesting thing about Off to See the Wizard beside the fact that Chuck Jones was an Executive Producer – is it was created to showcase the vast library of Family films from MGM. Which is naturally why in that promo you saw the likes of Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion, Rhino!, Lili, and Zebra in the Kitchen. The length of a feature film obviously meant that generally it had to be split between two shows. Off to See the Wizard apparently edited for content and time – but provided hosts as well as narrators to help catch the audience up on what they had missed. A quick glance at the Internet Movie Database page feels like a plummet down the rabbit hole – as hosts and narrators included the likes of Milton Berle, Jack Lemmon, Richard Petty (?), Edward G. Robinson, and Hal Holbrook.
Off to See the Wizard appears to have shown nature documentaries and even failed TV pilots – which was the case with Alexander the Great. This one is extremely interesting as it was in fact a 1963 pilot turned TV movie – it also happened to star William Shatner as Alexander with Adam West as Cleander. In addition it featured the likes of John Cassavetes (The Dirty Dozen), Simon Oakland (Kolchak: The Nights Stalker), and Joseph Cotten (The Third Man) to name a few.
As I understand it there are no full episodes of Off to See the Wizard available online or for purchase – which is understandable I suppose with the copyrights of the films involved and such. It Just feels like to me that we are missing out on some pretty impressive pop culture history, for example there was an October 13th special entitled Who’s Afraid of Mother Goose? that aired in ’67. A humorous look at the characters of Mother Goose that featured a cast made up of Maureen O’Hara, The Three Stooges, Steve Martin, Margaret Hamilton, Jim Nabors, as well as Dan Rowan and Dick Martin among others.
At the very least we can enjoy a few of the animated segments from Off to See the Wizard, such as this one featuring the Tin Man needing just a dab of oil.
Friends, as most of us do who write for this site as well as those of you who visit on a regular basis – I am quite often thinking about or collecting items from the past. Not just from my childhood but from before my time as well – having said that though – besides my library of movies I am quite fond of my toy collection. While it is certainly a fact that the majority of my Masters of the Universe, Star Wars, and even G.I. Joe figures didn’t survive the years – whether through garage sales or being given away to younger Family members. Those original toys that remain have a prized spot on the shelves in the “Toy Room” – alongside the likes of TRON: Legacy, Universal Monsters, and other film related figures and collectibles. I have begun to notice though that my original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle figures were starting to sport some rather ugly spots – that sadly didn’t seem to wipe away with warm soapy water.
While at the arcade one evening I was chatting with one of my good friends about the problem and he suggested I check out the YouTube videos of Toy Polloi for a possible answer. After closing the arcade down for the evening, as soon as I made it home I pulled up Toy Polloi’s channel and immediately found a Star Wars video that addressed my issue – although after watching the experiment I felt it better to just let my Turtle toys be.
This led to discovering yet another excellent video from Toy Polloi – one whose subject matter is something that I will admit I have begun to think about quite a bit while standing in the toy room and admiring my collection. Which is the fact that quite simply these cherished collectibles of mine, especially the vintage vehicles and figures… aren’t going to last forever. Toy Polloi calls the slow and eventual degradation of these toys as toy entropy – going into detail of the various types of ‘threats’ to our collections.
Friends, as someone who has a sleep schedule that most would consider to be rather unique – let me say that I totally feel for Tom in the animated short we are sharing today. When scheduling some posts on Facebook this morning, I happened to notice one of my friends had shared some of his personal artwork – one of which was a key scene from Sleepy-Time Tom. This cartoon was originally released to theaters back on May 26th of 1951 and was directed by Joseph Barbera and William Hanna with music by Scott Bradley. To be completely upfront with you, what we are sharing today is a truncated version of the original animated short – although as with some of the early Tom and Jerry offerings it is easy to see why. In this case, WB Kids has decided to remove the beginning where we witness Tom and his friends coming home late in the morning from what appears to be a night of partying and quite possibly drinking. In addition you will find most of the scenes involving the character of Mammy Two Shoes, who was voiced by the legendary Lillian Randolph (It’s a Wonderful Life, Magic), have been excised for understandable reasons.
You might be interested to know though that in all, the character of Mammy Two Shoes or sometimes Mrs. Two Shoes, appeared in a total of 19 of the Tom and Jerry theatrical shorts. Her first appearance was in Puss Gets the Boot in 1950 and the last was in the 1952 short entitled Push-Button Kitty. Starting off as what appears to be a house maid, as the series progressed at the very least the character was shown to be the owner of the house where Jerry and Tom reside. I was not aware of this before writing the article – but apparently the legendary animator Chuck Jones oversaw new animation by way of rotoscoping for the ’60 television broadcast versions of the shorts, that replaced the racial caricature.
Will Tom be able to stay awake and avoid the attempts by Jerry to get him to fall back asleep – or will Thomas finally be kicked out of the house for failing to catch Jerry? Grab some breakfast and perhaps a giant cup of coffee yourself as we find out in Sleepy-Time Tom!
Friends, there are in my mind very few films that I would describe as being perfect – a movie that I could enjoy watching over and over again at the drop of the hat. Personally I believe that Raiders of the Lost Ark from 1981 is such a picture – thanks in no small part to the excellent performances by Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Denholm Elliot, and of course John Rhys-Davies. Naturally you cannot forget the masterful directing by Steven Spielberg or the screenplay from Lawrence Kasdan (The Big Chill, Silverado) – from an original story idea by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman. All of these elements mixed together perfectly to deliver a movie that was a throwback to the adventure serials that Lucas, Spielberg, and others involved with the film grew up watching at the matinees of their youth.
Spy Smasher!
It would be the epitome of an understatement to just say that Raiders of the Lost Ark performed very well at the box office – as I understand it on a budget of 20 million dollars, it raked in a little over 389 million worldwide. In the process it also spawned a beloved franchise as well as kickstarting a slew of adventure films – period pieces or otherwise – that competed for the attention of movie goers around the World.
Having said all of that, as I have shared throughout the years on both the Retroist and this site, one of the TV programs I looked forward to every weekend was Sneak Previews. With my love of movies at such an early age, it quite frankly felt like a show that I had to watch – especially as a lot of times it focused on films that never saw the light of day in my neck of the woods. Being a kid however when this episode of Sneak Previews originally aired on June 17th of 1981 – I was far more interested in what Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel thought of Raiders of the Lost Ark than their opinions on Moshe Mizrahi’s I Sent a Letter to My Love. In addition on this episode, the duo tackle City of Women, Cutter’s Way – with Dead & Buried and Screamers taking the worst movies of the week prize. I will kindly disagree with the late and great Gene Siskel’s professional opinion on Gary Sherman’s Dead & Buried.
You might notice that for some reason they have Raiders of the Lost Ark listed at the end of the program with an R rating – thanks to the IMDB page – apparently they addressed that mistake at the beginning of their next episode.
Friends, it has been a couple of weeks since we’ve last had a chance to share a Retro Radio Memories offering. As the evening is fast approaching – I think it is time to share Death Robbery, a rather chilling tale from the Lights Out radio series that was originally broadcast on July 16th of 1947. This episode also boasts the talents of the iconic Boris Karloff – working from a script by Wyllis Cooper – the creator of the Lights Out radio show. In addition it features a truly terrifying performance by Lurene Tuttle (Macbeth, The Manitou), although I should add that originally this was an uncredited role. As I understand it, Death Robbery was the first episode for what was a third revival of the extremely popular radio show… however it appears that Eversharp, the sponsor for the show was taken aback at the nature of the stories and cancelled it after two more episodes had been broadcast. At the very least Eversharp has been said to have paid Wyllis Cooper for the five remaining scripts that were not used – and it should be noted that Karloff continued to do okay for himself. By the time that Death Robbery had aired on ABC radio – the legendary actor was not only already known for the likes of 1931’s Frankenstein but a slew of horror-themed feature films including 1945’s The Body Snatcher. A film that co-starred Bela Lugosi (Dracula) and like with Death Robbery focuses on a little grave robbing.
The story for Death Robbery unlike with The Body Snatchers doesn’t concern itself with grave robbing for profit but for science. David (Karloff) is a brilliant scientist who along with the aid of Ruth (Tuttle), his Wife and lab assistant, have discovered how to conqueror death – at least this is the case in the laboratory animals they have experimented on. As the episode begins, their best friend who is named Ed is questioning the morality of their discovery – to the couple’s dismay. Ed who happens to be a skilled surgeon suggests that David go no further than his research on chimpanzees and smaller animals. Something that both Ruth and David feel is ridiculous – with the former admitting that if something tragic were to befall her, she would gladly want her Husband to bring her back to life. David gets his chance when she is sadly killed in an automobile accident, with Ed grudgingly giving assistance they manage to bring Ruth back from the great beyond… at least in body.
Death Robbery gave me the chills while I was listening to it – turn down the lights if you are able and try to imagine how listeners reacted to this back in 1947!
Friends, it is certainly true that when Star Wars was released in the States in 1977, very few people were truly ready for how much George Lucas’ space opera was going to blow audiences away. On the Retroist site in the past I have shared how my Father and I caught the first matinee showing, enjoying the film immensely with an auditorium that was perhaps half-full. While we went in blind with no real knowledge of the film, beyond the fact that it was obviously a science-fiction movie, I can remember walking out of the auditorium feeling a little numb… I had never seen a film that was quite so epic. The next weekend however when it was time to go see it again, the word had apparently gotten out in our neck of the woods about Star Wars as there were a line of people completely around the building. And the truth of the matter is it didn’t slow down, it continued to sell out as people returned to the theater so they could experience the fun and thrill of Star Wars over and over again. Seeing that film back in the day is one of the most cherished movie going experiences of my youth. In addition it was a cultural landmark for pop culture that changed the way movies were made, as well as how much fans would embrace a franchise.
That was here in the States though – what about the folks across the pond in the United Kingdom? Star Wars had it’s London premiere on December 27th of 1977 – with a wide release beginning on January 29th of ’78. It was a little bit different for fans of science fiction in the UK as this 1978 MovieTone News report illustrates – as thanks to magazine articles and such, the public were already getting a glimpse at moments from the film. They just had to wait patiently for eight months before it opened up in theaters near them so they could see it for themselves. The build up for the release of Star Wars appears to have reached such a fever pitch that props, costumes, vehicles, and stills were featured at London’s Science Museum – to say nothing of the highly sought after toys showing up at the 1978 Toy and Hobby Fair.
Article Images Provided by <a href="http://That was here in the States though – what about the folks across the pond in the United Kingdom? <em>Star Wars</em> had it's London premiere on December 27th of 1977 – with a wide release beginning on January 29th of '78. It was a little bit different for fans of science fiction in the UK as this 1978 MovieTone News report illustrates – as thanks to magazines articles and such, the public were already getting a glimpse at moments from the film. They just had to wait paitently for eight months before it opened up in theaters in the UK. The build up for the release of <em>Star WarsDec Cart. Check out that beautiful Palitoy Death Star playset in the right hand corner!
So enjoy this look back at both the 1978 Toy and Hobby Fair as well as the opening of Star Wars in the UK – courtesy of Movietone News.
Friends, thank you as always for taking the time to join us for a new episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – although this marks the last show for Season 2. Which is why I hope we are going out on a high note, as we will be discussing Q*bert – that classic 1982 platformer from Gottlieb. As I try to do with every episode of the show, I not only share my first experiences with the subject of the episode, but do my level best to attempt to shine the spotlight on those talented people responsible for bringing the game to life. In the case with Q*bert we have three co-creators to thank, those are Warren Davis, Jeff Lee, as well as David D. Thiel. I actually talked about the last two in the Krull episode of the podcast – but I was able to find an interview with Davis in addition to one with Lee, that when you have a moment you will want to read for yourselves.
Personally I have always thought that Q*bert was and is a pretty tough game – plus the difficulty seems to ramp up rather quickly. Which is why I was surprised to learn that Warren Davis had been working on a sequel to the hit game he co-created – one that managed to raise the bar for difficulty even higher!
I am extremely happy to report that Earl Green was able to join me once again on this episode, in his segment he discusses the many ports of Q*bert to the popular home consoles and computers of the day – plus the staggering amount of merchandise that was created for the character. While Gary Burton wasn’t able to appear on this last show of season 2 – as you will hear for yourself, he had a very good reason to miss submitting a segment. Furthermore I make mention on the episode itself that the Retroist has an amazing personal story about Q*bert that he shared on his very own podcast.
While this season of the Diary podcast is coming to a close, after a brief two week hiatus, I will return with the first episode of Season 3 of the Saturday Frights podcast. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sticking with us over these past 12 weeks and for all of the wonderful comments about the show. Now then, it is time you get hopping on those cubes along with Q*bert – just keep an eye peeled for Coily and his goons!
Remember that for even more pop culture related goodness – make sure to check out Earl’s own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs.
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If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page!
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Friends, the other afternoon after coming home from work, one of my friends was kind enough to send me a link to the G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout video game trailer. The upcoming game is a cel-shaded shooter that will allow Players to choose from up to 12 different iconic characters, obviously six choices for both the Joe team and Cobra. From watching the trailer it appears that besides what I assume is a story mode for one Player – G.I.Joe: Operation Blackout will also sport not only split-screen for co-op play but multiplayer modes too. I certainly hope that Flint will be one of the available choices on the Joe side, but freezing the trailer I can certainly say that Destro, Duke, Cobra Commander, Road Block, Scarlett, Zartan, Baroness, Storm Shadow, Snake Eyes, and Lady Jaye are in the game. In addition it looks like there is vehicular combat, and you might be able to customize your characters during multiplayer games too – as well as the action taking place on the likes of the USS Flagg and Cobra Island.
We only have 62 more days to patiently wait for G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout to be released on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Perhaps in the coming weeks there will be a little more information released on the game – pricing is something that immediately comes to mind. As well as how many Players will be able to take part in said multiplayer games and even what PVP modes will be included.
While there is nothing mentioned in the G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout game trailer, I would be willing to bet that down the road there will be new character DLC to acquire. Perhaps that might even include new multiplayer modes or a continuation of the story from this core game? Dare we hold out hope that we might even get a chance to pilot Wild Bill’s Dragonfly XH-1?
Friends, as I have mentioned numerous times in various articles on this site – music was not something that was actively listened to in my household while I was growing up. There was no ban on music and it certainly had nothing to do with religious beliefs – it just wasn’t something that we took part in on a regular basis. I bring all of this up again as a possible excuse as to why until the other day I wasn’t aware that Vicki Lawrence was responsible for the hit song The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia. Granted when the song was originally released I was not even a year old, but I do recall years later listening to it on the car radio when spending the weekends with my grandparents. What stuck with me most is the dark nature of the tune, similar in fact to the likes of Ode to Billy Joe or The Legend of Wooley Swamp – even if the style and subject matter of the music is different for each song. In particular with The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia the almost upbeat change in the chorus drives home the more sinister elements of the overall story.
There is a small part of me that secretly hopes that many of you also didn’t realize it was Vicki Lawrence who was responsible for the hit song. Although it wasn’t originally even intended for Lawrence to record at all – many famous singers were approached to record the tune before she decided to record it herself. The song was actually written by Bobby Russell who had little faith in the song, Lawrence was married to Russell at the time, and it was her belief it would be quite popular. So the recording studio approached artists like Cher, Liza Minnelli, and even Bette Midler with the offer to record the tune. Reading about it online it seems that all of the artists approached with The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia were concerned that fans who lived in the South would react negatively. The reaction was that the single when released in November of ’72 would end up selling over a million copies – earning the 11th most popular song spot of ’73 by Billboard magazine.
Having said that though, I cannot give you an honest answer as to why this music video for The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia which naturally features Vicki Lawrence… takes place on a beach?
Friends, when Who Framed Roger Rabbit was released back on June 22nd of 1988, I feel it is safe to say that it did quite well for itself. Director Robert Zemeckis’ (Romancing the Stone, Back to the Future) film adaptation of Gary K. Wolf’s Who Censored Roger Rabbit? earned over 320 million dollars on a budget of 50.6 million. I believe you will agree that certainly buys an awful lot of carrots for it’s animated star, right?
And in hindsight it is easy to see why Who Framed Roger Rabbit made a killing at the box office – just the technical special effects married with animation alone were enough to dazzle audiences. Throw in an amazing performance by the late and great Bob Hoskins (Super Mario Bros.) with the likes of Christopher Lloyd (Clue), Joanna Cassidy (Blade Runner), plus the voice talents of Charles Fleischer (Deadly Friend) as well as Kathleen Turner (Romancing the Stone) and you can see why it was a hit.
Betty Boop still has it!
Of course it didn’t hurt the film any that it also featured an astounding number of classic animated characters – all together for the first and possibly last time on the big screen. Were you aware though that a little less than three months after the film premiered – on September 13th of ’88 that CBS aired Roger Rabbit and the Secrets of Toon Town? It featured Joanna Cassidy as hostess and gave folks a behind the scenes look at how the technicians were able to pull off such incredible effects. To say nothing of how much hard work and planning was done by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Hoskins while filming Who Framed Roger Rabbit – although at one point the actor jokingly admits he was planning on offing his Director. In addition you get a behind the scenes look at the animators, voice artists, and even sound effect technicians at work on the film.
As I was writing this article I noticed on the Internet Movie Database that there is an entry for a Who Framed Roger Rabbit 2 project slated for 2022 – although it is listed as being in pre-production. Perhaps this is something akin to TRON 3 where talks begin on producing a third film and then it all kind of gets derezzed before it manages to get off of the Game Grid. I think a new Roger Rabbit picture could be very interesting – not just catching up with some of our favorite characters but perhaps seeing how they fare with modern animation franchises.
Friends, it is never my intent to get too serious with the Pop Culture Retrorama site – as the whole point is to have a blast sharing and enjoying all manner of pop culture offerings. However there are times you have to stop and admit… that the World is having a particularly tough time as of late – with the pandemic and self-isolation seeming to fray the nerves of even the most genteel of folks. So I thought it might be a good idea to turn to the wisdom of an individual that saw me through some dark times in my young adulthood – someone who had solid advice every time I turned to him. I am of course referring to Brak, that former intergalactic villain turned celebrity and even star of his own animated series – who with the aid of Space Ghost and Zorak produced a song in ’97 that is just as timely today.
Hopping onto Facebook it seems like nearly everyone is drawing lines in the sand, about all sorts of situations ranging from politics to even toys and video games. With Brak at least we can all partake in his wisdom from his days in school, such as when he found himself running late for class and earned the ire of his teacher.
Speaking of school, perhaps those of you with children who are finding themselves getting ready to head back to class – might share this particular nugget of wisdom from Brak. For what little it might be worth, this story has served me well over the years.
I honestly cannot count how many times writing for either the Retroist or this site that I was contacted with an offer from a monkey to write articles. Although judging by the negative reviews on the podcasts – perhaps I should take them up on their offer – if they weren’t so busy being scientists and such.
Friends, while I generally prefer to have something spooky to share with you on Saturday nights, the articles concerning Ideal Toys’ Mighty Zeroids and the 40th anniversary of Xanadu kept me from delivering something last night. So while on a Sunday evening most of our thoughts concern resting up for the beginning of the work week tomorrow… why not take a few minutes and focus on something wicked? Such is the case with this offering from HorrorBabble – a 1932 tale of revenge narrated by Ian Gordon. The story for this evening is entitled The Ordeal of Wooden-Face and was first published in the pages of Weird Tales magazine, back on January of 1932. While the likes of H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Seabury Quinn, Ray Bradbury, and Clark Ashton Smith are commonly celebrated authors whose work was published by the magazine – this tale is from Hal K. Wells. Apparently Wells had two other stories published in the magazine beginning in 1929 with The Brass Key and then the following year with The Daughter of Isis. As I’ve read online, Hal K. Wells became an author after returning home from World War I on a medical discharge – putting down roots in Los Angeles in the ’30s – the interesting thing is his Father was said to have worked at an Ohio state hospital that is supposedly a haunted facility.
The Ordeal of Wooden-Face is a very short story – clocking in at a little under seven minutes long. However it certainly grabs your attention in that short time span. The story takes place in a jungle and involves a man by the name of MacDonald, a Naturalist who originally hails from Scotland, and his two guests for the evening. A young American who appeared out of the jungle nine months previously, emotionless with eyes lacking any life – this stranger stayed on and began to help MacDonald but never offered a name. Which is how he was given one by the Scotsman, that of Jones… but the locals noticing his lack of expression provided another one, Wooden-Face. The other man spending the evening with MacDonald and Jones is a guest who just arrived from New York that morning, a representative from an Ivory firm named Borga. It is while Borga is sharing his recollections of how he has succeeded in business – by doing another person quite wrong – that the Scotsman notices that Jones is beginning to react passionately.
So turn down the lights if you are able and enjoy The Ordeal of Wooden-Face courtesy of Ian Gordon and HorrorBabble!
Friends, as I was headed out the door to work this evening I noticed a text from Earl Green, it turns out that today 40 years ago was the debut of Xanadu. As I mentioned with that article on the Olivia Newton-John television special a couple of weeks back – the first time I was introduced to the singer turned actress was with 1978’s film adaptation of Grease. It was Xanadu however that I really fell in love with – thanks of course to the work of not just Olivia but Gene Kelly (On the Town, Singin’ in the Rain) and Michael Beck (The Warriors). If I am being honest however a lot of my fondness for this cult film is courtesy of the amazing soundtrack – which features the likes of The Tubes, Cliff Richard, Olivia Newton-John, and of course ELO. And while it is true that the film was not readily accepted when it was originally released 40 years ago – the soundtrack did big numbers… all over the World.
For what it is worth, my Father and I were sitting in our car at the local Drive-In 40 years ago tonight to catch the film… it was pretty obvious and rather quickly that I was enjoying it far more than he was. In fact that might have been the point, at the wise old age of 8, that I realized musicals were not my Father’s favorite genre. I can still remember how loud he groaned when sitting in the auditorium of a local movie theater six years later when he realized that Little Shop of Horrors was going to be a musical. Having said that – I found it extremely curious that he didn’t have a problem when I would play the soundtrack to either the 1986 horror/comedy or Xanadu at home.
Now another reason that Xanadu blew me away on this night 40 years ago was thanks to what at that point might have been the most beautiful animation I had ever seen. I’m referring to the Don Bluth studio animated segment featuring the Electric Light Orchestra‘s equally moving Don’t Walk Away.
Friends, I have mentioned in the past on the Retroist and on this site my overwhelming fondness of all things robotic and Droid related. Naturally it is the truth that my love of things robot related has more than a little something to do with catching Star Wars in 1977. In my youth it didn’t matter to me if it was a wind-up or battery operated robot, they would all manage to find their way on my birthday and Christmas wish lists. The more futuristic and gadget-laden the robotic toy was all the better in my book. That is most certainly why I think it’s a shame that I was born too late to see the first release of the Mighty Zeroids toy line from Ideal Toys back in 1968. Thank to the small removable DC motor installed in each of the Zeroids, they could move forward and backwards on the command of their ‘master’ with a flip of a switch. In addition the cases they were packaged in acted as a playset, for example with Zobor’s case, it could transform into a rolling container allowing it to haul precious discoveries back to base.
Ideal Toys originally introduced only three Mighty Zeroids back in 1968 with the likes of Zobor of course as well as Zintar and Zerak. Each of the trio of Zeroids had a function – with Zerak being nicknamed “The Blue Destroyer”, Zintar as “The Silver Explorer”, with Zobor being “The Bronze Transporter”.
Shortly after they debuted and perhaps due to their pricing which was around five dollars, the series was widely embraced by young fans which meant a new Zeroid would shortly arrive on the scene, which Ideal Toys felt wold be the perfect time to introduce Commander Zogg as part of an action playset. The toy allowed for Zogg to ‘power up’ his station, which possessed moving parts such as a radar dish and a monitor that would present a spiral image. Zogg did not possess a throwing arm like the others but he did have an internal light bulb and could carry a light up laser beam weapon.
It sounds like the Zeroids certainly needed those defensive capabilities when Ideal Toys introduced the Zeroid Alien. Besides having a clear dome head to witness his computer brain in action, it allowed you to replace cogs within to alter how it moved. You could have the dreaded Alien move in a zigzag pattern or even allow it to fire off it’s parts when you added the self-destruct cog.
The crazy thing about the Mighty Zeroids is they managed to return in the late ’70s as a new toy line called Star Team – an attempt to cash in on the Star Wars craze of course. There were two hero robots produced for this go around – the Zeroid Pilot and Zem 21 – both bearing a little resemblance to R2-D2 and C-3PO. The duo would face off against the evil Knight of Darkness – which was a reused body mold from the Captain Action line with a new head.
Friends, it is an absolute fact that Orson Welles is one of my favorites – this impressive writer and director, performer, and voice artist had a legendary life that almost rivaled that of his character of Charles Foster Kane from 1941’s Citizen Kane. That is why for this Toon In offering I decided to share this 1970 Academy Award winning animated short entitled Is It Always Right to Be Right? In fact this was the last animated short to win under the category of Best Short Subject, Cartoons at the 1971 Oscars. Is It Always Right to Be Right? apparently was based off a short story by Dr. Warren H. Schmidt that was published in the Los Angeles Times on November 9th of 1969. The short was Directed by Lee Mishkin and co-animated with Dave Brain – while this was the only Academy Award that the former would earn, he absolutely had quite the career in animation. Getting his start as an uncredited animator on an episode of the Crusader Rabbit TV series entitled Crusader vs the State of Texas in 1950, Mishkin would end up working on the likes of King Leonardo and his Short Subjects, The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Halloween Is Grinch Night, the B-17 segment of Heavy Metal, and Bionic Six to name a few.
Is It Always Right to be Right might feel just a tad dated in some aspects but extremely timely too – a somewhat sobering animated short to say the least. Obviously the goal of any Toon In offering is to entertain but in addition it allows me to share the spotlight on worthy and memorable animation. That is exactly what Is It Always Right to Be Right? delivers, a memorable short with iconic animation and excellent narration by Welles – the fact that it also has a message is just a bonus.
The story for this 1970 animated short concerns a Land where no matter what your personal view might be – it is of utmost importance that you realize you are right and everyone else is wrong. This Land is full of citizens that refuse to show weakness by entertaining the possibility that those they oppose could be right too… or that they themselves might be wrong. Until one day calamity strikes the Land – is there any possibility of altering their course?
Intellivision Amico is still promising nostalgic blasts from the past with new coats of pixelated paint…but it’s going to be next year before it arrives.
The face of the retro video game market has changed quite a bit. The mid-to-late 1990s saw publishers taking advantage of the fact that home console hardware had finally reached a point where it could faithfully emulate early 1980s arcade games without breaking too much of a sweat, to the early 2000s glut of “updated” classic games (some of which seemed only tangentially connected to the original properties), and then the current glut of replica arcade cabinets both large (i.e. 1UP Arcade’s offerings) and small (Basic Fun’s battery-powered minicades and the even smaller World’s Tiniest Arcades). There have been attempts to haul the classic console experience onto modern hardware, too, but of late there’s been more emphasis on “updating” original brands, with wildly varying results.
Shark! Shark!! for Amico (image courtesy Intellivision Entertainment)
Intellivision’s Amico console seems to be the most promising of the current round of attempts to reinvent classic console brands. (The Atari VCS – a console promised for several years but not yet delivered – has yet to even show off gameplay demos or anything more than renders of what the hardware might look like, but continues taking pre-orders and trading on the name of one of classic gaming’s most venerated hardware platforms.)
Moon Patrol for Amico (image courtesy Intellivision Entertainment)
Intellivision Entertainment’s Tommy Tallarico took to YouTube on August 5th with a new electronic press kit that not only showed off Amico’s hardware and game play, but also provided answers to many a question. The big question – answered up front – was whether or not Amico would land on the announced launch date of October 10th, 2020. The answer, sadly, is: no. Due largely to the COVID-19 outbreak affecting meetings and check-ins with developers, hardware vendors, and other parties essential to getting Amico hardware into production and getting games to a state of readiness. The new launch date pushes the boat out six months to April 15, 2021, with an added promise that “founders” who pre-ordered their Amico consoles may have their machines slightly earlier.
Astrosmash for Amico (image courtesy Intellivision Entertainment)
Also announced were the retail partners where the Amico will be available for pre-order closer to its launch date: Gamestop, Amazon, and Walmart.com. (The mention of Walmart’s dot-com presence seemed to be very specific; it doesn’t sound like Amico will be available in Walmart’s brick-and-mortar locations.) Canadian pre-orders will be taken at Electronics Boutique, Best Buy, and Amazon, and European pre-orders will be taken at Amazon as well.
Night Stalker for Amico (image courtesy Intellivision Entertainment)
With the Intellivision brand to draw from, it’s hardly a surprise that Amico will be drawing from its predecessor’s software library. Modernized remakes of Astrosmash, Skiing, Shark! Shark!!, Bomb Squad, Night Stalker, and Cloudy Mountain (known in its original Intelllivision incarnation as AD&D Cloudy Mountain) are already well into development; Skiing and Astrosmash will be included as pack-in titles, while Cloudy Mountain will be available at launch. Another game, Battle Tanks, will be a combination of Armor Battle and the tank game that was a part of the original Intellivision Triple Action cartridge. Intellivision Major League Baseball has been announced, but is still in the very early stages of development, with no game play footage shown.
Missile Command for Amico (image courtesy Intellivision Entertainment)
But what about a certain other licensed franchise closely associated with the original Intellivision? Tallarico confirmed that discussions are ongoing with Disney about updating Tron Deadly Discs. (No mention was made of Tron Solar Sailer or Tron Maze-A-Tron.) A partnership with Mattel – whose short-lived electronics division was the birthplace of the original Intellivision – was also announced, with a Hot Wheels title in development. Also in the works are video game versions of the board games Telestrations, Blank Slate, and Incan Gold; a line of licensed Sesame Street games for kids is also in the pipeline.
Evel Knievel for Amico (image courtesy Intellivision Entertainment)
Tallarico also confirmed that the original versions of the Intellivision games from the late ’70s and early ’80s will eventually be available as downloads in an online store, but probably not until the Amico has been available for a year; the focus when the Amico launches will be on the new games developed specifically for this platform. (With the touchscreen controller echoing the design of the original 1979 Intellivision controllers, at the very least it seems likely that Amico will offer the best control scheme possible for playing original Intellivision games on new hardware.) Those controllers, by the way, each feature a built-in microphone, speaker, and a force feedback rumbler. The microphone is apparently a key element of the new version of Bomb Squad.
Breakout for Amico (image courtesy Intellivision Entertainment)
Surprisingly, since Atari is still pushing the Atari VCS as a direct competitor to Amico, at least two classic Atari titles are being brought to Amico in much-modernized form, Breakout and Missile Command, the latter featuring multiplayer in both co-op and vs. flavors. A new, modernized version of the arcade classic Moon Patrol will also be ready at launch, complete with the arcade game’s catchy original music (given a little bit of an update here and there). Also getting a comeback exclusive to the Amico will be Earthworm Jim.
Space Strike for Amico (image courtesy Intellivision Entertainment)
Other games of which demo footage was shown included Finnegan Fox (a 2-D platformer), Evel Knievel (a 2-D motorcycle stunt game, including not just Knievel’s motorcycles of choice but also the infamous rocket-powered X-2 Sky Cycle), Space Strike (a game seeming to combine elements of Star Castle, Asteroids, and Warlords), Nitro Derby (a multiplayer racing game along the lines of Super Sprint), Rigid Force Redux Enhanced (an R-Type-style side-shooter), Liar’s Dice, Intellivision Spades, and another one of the pack-in games, Intellivision Cornhole.
Earthworm Jim for Amico (image courtesy Intellivision Entertainment)
The game software itself will range from 300 megabytes to 1 gigabyte in size; Amico’s built-in 32 gigs of storage should be able to hold anywhere from 30 to 50 games without breaking a sweat. (Not enough space? Fear not, there’ll be a microSD expansion slot to allow for additional storage to be added.) Tallarico said that plans for physical media will be revealed in the months ahead.
Nitro Derby for Amico (image courtesy Intellivision Entertainment)
With other entrants in the current “release a new console under a legacy brand name” race having done little more than release renders, Amico seems to be in the lead. Actual game play footage has been shown, as well as footage of working hardware. (And, full disclosure, I myself have pre-ordered that hardware – a decision made primarily because both hardware and software have been shown to us in an advanced state of development.)
Battle Tanks for Amico (image courtesy Intellivision Entertainment)
Will Amico, in fact, land on its new target date, and will it earn that connection to the Intellivision name? Stay tuned – but the glimpses of software already in the works seem promising.
Friends, thank you as always for taking time out of your busy schedule to listen to a new episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – this week we are tackling 1983’s Krull, the action adventure twin-stick shooter released by Gottlieb. As is standard with the Diary podcast I have shared my first encounter with Krull – in this case both the film as well as the arcade game tie-in. In addition I have done my best to shine the spotlight on not just the long history of Gottlieb but those responsible for bringing Krull to the arcades back in the day. If you have not have had the pleasure of playing the game yourself – while pretty faithfully following the events of the 1983 film – it is a game that is in all honesty pretty tough. Perhaps not as hard as actually attempting to face off against The Beast, the otherworldly villain of the film… but close!
As I mention in the show itself, I was able to locate an interview with Jeff Lee – courtesy of Good Deal Games. A brief excerpt where the co-creator of 1982’s Q*bert is able to share his contribution to the Krull arcade game – speaking of the former… you will be hearing more about Lee on next week’s episode.
I am afraid that Gary Burton was unable to join us for this episode of the podcast, quite frankly he has his hands full helping to get the Arkadia Retrocade back open. However we do have the esteemed Earl Green back for a new segment, this time talking about the equally difficult Atari 2600 game version of Krull.
I truly do hope that you have enjoyed the second season of the Diary podcast so far – I am extremely grateful for your support of the show, taking time out of your precious schedule to give us a listen. So without further ado I hope you will grab your glaive and then prepare to face The Beast for the fair hand of the Princess Lyssa on the Planet of Krull!
Remember that for even more pop culture related goodness – make sure to check out Earl’s own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs.
If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or Spotify?
If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page!
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I’ve been a Gargoyles fan for 26 years. For those of you keeping score at home, that’s since the show’s premiere in 1994. Gargoyles, in my opinion, is by far the most intelligent, creative, and best written story to come forth from the Disney vault. I’ve waxed philosophical at length about how influential the series has been for me on Twitter, so if you’d like to read that, I’ll leave that link here.
Now, if you’ve never heard of Gargoyles, check out the show’s opening credits. It’s actually a great primer on the show’s premise. At the time of publication, you can also watch Gargoyles in its entirety on Disney+.
With an intro like that, how can you not be intrigued? Gargoyles entranced me, not just with the show, but with a comic book series as well! In 1995, Marvel Comics released a Gargoyles comic book series. While technically, the Gargoyles comic series isn’t “canon,” and the events of the comics do not directly affect the story of the TV series, I would like to propose that the comic series functions very well as a companion piece to the show. There are little elements in the comic series that appear much later in the TV show. While not “canon,” I would even argue that the series helps to enhance the reader’s appreciation, not only for the animated series, but also for the Gargoyles story as a whole.
In this series here on the Pop Culture Retrorama, I am going to offer a brief synopsis of each issue in the complete run of the Marvel Gargoyles series, compare the comic publication and TV air dates for potential Easter eggs and timeline purposes, and maybe toss in a few ad scans for a bit of retro flavor.
“Fiends in High Places” is the first story in this companion series. The Gargoyles comics are told from the electronic journal of Detective Elisa Maza. I love having Elisa as narrator for a couple reasons.
Elisa is in my top five favorite fictional ladies of all time. As a kid, I thought really hard about being a police detective because I admired Elisa so much. My girl crush on Salli Richardson-Whitfield, the voice and truthfully, model behind Elisa Maza, persists well into adulthood, especially as she has continued working on genre shows and films, such as playing the lead, Allison Blake in SyFy’s Eureka and has sat in the director’s chair on episodes of Netflix and Marvel’s, The Punisher and Luke Cage. She’s on the docket to direct episodes of the upcoming Wheel of Time series as well.
Using Elisa as the narrator, we’re offered a type of cop show narrative in this comic series. This is appropriate as show creator Greg Weisman has cited Hill Street Blues as an inspiration for Gargoyles in his notes in the later Gargoyles comic series published in 2006 by Slave Labor Graphics. This also accounts for the slightly darker tone of the comic series, which I personally find very enjoyable.
Elisa is our human connection to the gargoyles. Using her as a narrator allows the story to read like an account specifically written as a primer for humans on the gargoyles.
Our story opens with Elisa and her partner, Matt Bluestone, being assigned to work night shift undercover at a construction site where the construction company is having difficulty keeping workers because of “Gargoyle attacks” on the site. Knowing that Goliath and company are not the culprits, Elisa angles for the case to see who could be impersonating her friends. Sure enough, there’s an attack, but it’s Demona in a new robo suit, attacking workers and trying to kidnap humans for yet-to-be-disclosed nefarious reasons. Matt takes a bad head injury in the attack and Elisa is able to avoid revealing her connection with the gargoyles, as Goliath follows her and intervenes when Demona attacks.
While I don’t want to give more than a brief synopsis of the comic, as I think it’s worth finding and reading for yourself, I do want to highlight a few interesting points of note on this first issue of the series.
This comic is dated February 1, 1995, making it concurrent with episode 1×12, “Her Brother’s Keeper,” which aired January 27, 1995.
The comic actually gives a brief primer on the television series within the narrative, which I feel is a great way to hook folks new to the series without them having watched the show while also not boring those who have watched the show. This is also a smart move, considering this was approximately a decade prior to the era of streaming, DVR, and on demand. (Unless of course you demanded your mom record Gargoyles for you on VHS, which would not have flown with my mother).
In addition to the primer on the television series, the writers actually put in episode references when there may be a point of presumed knowledge within the comic.
There is a variation of the robo suit Demona wears in this comic that actually shows up much later in the television series, episode 2×48, “The Reckoning.”
For a first issue, Gargoyles doesn’t waste any time. It dives right into the series, giving the reader plenty of action and gorgeous artwork. While I am always going to be interested in anything Gargoyles-related, one of the things that truly makes this first issue of Gargoyles a time capsule for me are the advertisements. In particular, the back cover features a full-page ad for Cookie Crisp cereal when they were doing a promotion with the 1994 Spider-man animated series.
That series was my introduction to Spider-man and the main reason I love the character. I’m quite certain I had several of the trading cards that were the prize in the Cookie Crisp box as well. As soon as I saw the ad, it was like being back in elementary school. It amazes me that one small thing like that can function as a mental time machine, but that’s what we’re all about at the Pop Culture Retrorama, aren’t we?
Stay tuned for my upcoming review of Gargoyles issue #2, “Always Darkest Before the Dawn.”
Friends, even in my youth when Dinosaurs ruled the Earth, Mortal Kombat was a pretty big thing. I became a fan of the game rather quickly. It wasn’t the violent martial arts aspect that drew me in – although I totally did dig playing Johnny Cage in the first game, especially using his Shadow Kick move. For myself I was enamored with two elements above all. The mythology of the MK game as well as Goro, who was obviously stop motion animation. Of course this was all back in 1992, four years before the Mortal Kombat Live Tour would be unleashed. Now in all honesty, it was 1993’s Mortal Kombat II that really got the ball rolling on Kombat fever – Ed Boon and John Tobias really raised the bar on the amount of characters you could play. To say nothing of seriously expanding the mythos of the game universe, including a hidden character that fans didn’t find until just recently.
SEGA wasn’t kidding around anymore apparently.
The silly fan made GIF aside I believe that much of the success of Mortal Kombat II was due to Kung Lao – the former Order of Light warrior who chose to join the White Lotus Society to help defend Earthrealm against the dark forces of Shao Khan. Of course I am a little biased to say the very least as Kung Lao is in fact my favorite Mortal Kombat character. Ever. It might have something to do with being a sharp dresser, not to mention that razor sharp hat he sports.
After the releases of Mortal Kombat III as well as Ultimate MK3 – Midway Games felt it was time for the game series to step into a new direction. Then of course a live action film was released to theaters in 1995 starring the likes of Christopher Lambert and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. Mortal Kombat was helmed by Paul W.S. Anderson the then future Director of Event Horizon, Resident Evil, and AVP: Alien vs. Predator.
You might recall that in 1990, the popularity of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles led to a live tour – one that was at least party sponsored by Pizza Hut for obvious reasons. With comic books, music, toys, and of course video games for the fighting game franchise being so popular, is it really any wonder that the Mortal Kombat Live Tour would come to be? Mortal Kombat Live debuted at the Radio Music City Hall in September of 1995. After that it went on a 200 city tour for 1996, featuring none other than Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. No, not portaying his character of Shang Tsung from the hit 1995 film, but as one of the fight coordinators.
So grab your favorite snack and beverage and enjoy this 1996 clip from KTLA 5 News in Los Angeles, featuring the performers of Mortal Kombat LiveTour!
Friends, two weeks ago when we received the sad news about the passing of John Saxon, in coming up with my article on some of the roles I enjoyed of the late actor, I happened to stumble across this remembrance of the miniature effects for Battle Beyond the Stars. The video which was uploaded to YouTube in 2013 is apparently a deleted scene from a documentary entitled Sense of Scale by Berton Pierce, the focus of the film was to listen to those who artists whose work was being taken away by CGI. While Battle Beyond the Stars is most certainly a cult film, those interviewed for the documentary have worked on the likes of Star Wars, Blade Runner, Space: 1999, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Ghostbusters, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind to name a few.
Now in this deleted scene from Sense of Scale below, you will get to hear Patrick McClung (Masters of the Universe, Apollo 13) as well as Robert Skotak (Escape from New York, Tremors) talk about working on 1980’s Battle Beyond the Stars. Including some wonderful behind the scenes photographs from the picture – in addition McClung shares the story of how a young man was hired after showing up to the studio with a short film called Xenogenesis… that person turned out to be none other than James Cameron (Aliens)!
Video Provided by piercefilm productions.
After a quick glance I am sad to say that I’ve been unable to find a streaming service that is currently offering Sense of Scale at this time – although at the very least you can enjoy Battle Beyond the Stars on Tubi for free. Furthermore you can watch more deleted scenes from the documentary including Martin Bower and Bill Pearson chatting about the effects used in the Space: 1999 television series as well as 1978’s The Medusa Touch.
Friends, a few hours ago on Facebook, I saw a post from one of my friends for A Ride Through the Galaxy – a montage collection as it were of some of the memorable moments from the Star Wars franchise. Including Star Wars: The Phantom Menace to The Mandalorian – some spoilers if you haven’t seen the latter – redfoam has created a best of compilation that manages to keep the overall thematic elements of the franchise intact. Presenting those epic heroes, villains, and perhaps those in-between that have managed to entertain and delight us for the past 43 years.
As for the reason behind A Ride Through the Galaxy, redfoam states on his YouTube channel:
“I was inspired by the great editor Gugga Leunnam and his Ride Through the MCU Action videos. I found the idea of layering transition after transition to be very compelling and thought that #StarWars would be the perfect for this kind of edit. My first Star Wars edit turned out fine but I felt like I had done a disservice to the franchise primarily due to the song choice. I decided to redeem myself with this edit and tried to focus on what makes Star Wars so amazing (everything). I hope you all enjoy the ride.”
I will admit I was incredibly delighted that redfoam included dialogue from Werner Herzog’s character in The Mandalorian as well as choice moments from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Like I mentioned though at the beginning of this article, it is most impressive that redfoam has been able to capture the feel of the Star Wars franchise through so many different scenes. Although having said that I must confess there is one element missing from A Ride Through the Galaxy – if you have followed my work from the nearly a decade of writing for the Retroist, you might know where I am headed with this. The montage that redfoam crafted is most assuredly an epic and entertaining piece of work – to say nothing of showing off an impressive amount of skill. I felt that it glossed over the true heroes of the Star Wars franchise though… the Droids.
Friends, to be up front about this clip from 1980’s Encore! television special – Lynda Carter in fact dances and sings with some Kiss look-alike performers. Although having said that it doesn’t diminish how incredibly awesome this presentation from Carter’s musical TV special really is. Encore! premiered on the evening of September 16th of 1980 with musical guests Merle Haggard and Tom Jones. The clip we are about to share starts off with Lynda Carter singing the 1979 hit “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy” from Bad Company – which is used as the intro for the entertainer to tackle songs from Tina Turner, Bette Midler, as well as Kiss. So do yourself a favor and take a moment to grab your favorite snack and beverage, travel back to 1980 and enjoy these performances by the one and only Lynda Carter.
At the time that Encore! aired on CBS, it had barely been a year since the popular Wonder Woman TV series had ended. In fact this was the second musical special that Carter appeared in – back in January of that year was the Lynda Carter Special, which featured both Kenny Rogers and Leo Sayer. In that particular special she performed “The Rubberband Man”, the hit 1976 song by The Spinners – which she had actually done before on The Muppet Show!
Lynda Carter would continue to appear as a guest as well as hosting even more specials through the ’80s – including a couple with Bob Hope, which makes sense as he was the one to crown her as Miss World USA as the representative for Arizona. Carter would go on to appear in the Miss World pageant in ’72 and while not winning that competition, it would be just three years later when she landed the lead in Wonder Woman. Lynda Carter of course hasn’t slowed down over the years as she has continued to appear in television and films. In addition she continues to show off her skills as a musical performer – in fact she was the voice for Magnolia in Fallout 4 and provided the songs “Good Neighbor” and “Train Train” for the game.
A classic Doctor Who story whose original video footage has been lost to time resurfaces from the depths in animated form.
Originally aired in six weekly episodes from March through April, 1968, the Doctor Who story Fury From The Deep hails from the original show’s fifth season, forever enshrined by fandom as “the monster season” – a stretch of the show that was bookended by two Cybermen stories, included two battles with the Yeti and the Great Intelligence, and introduced the Ice Warriors.
And then there was Fury From The Deep, which introduced its own monster in the form of a malignant species of seaweed that could take over human bodies to do its bidding on dry land.
In many ways, Fury hews closely to the traditional trope of the Doctor Who “base-under-siege” story, a frequent-flyer story outline of the time (and one that continues to crop up even in modern Doctor Who) that makes a virtue of production economy: if the characters are stuck in one place with danger encroaching from outside, you don’t have to build many sets, and you get to concentrate instead on casting some decent guest stars who can ratchet up the tension. But perhaps more than anything else in the show’s fifth season, Fury From The Deep is a little six-part horror film unto itself.
And, of course, like many a great B&W Doctor Who story, it’s missing from the BBC archives. There are a handful of surviving clips (literally found on the cutting room floor where they were left when censors at the Australian network that bought Doctor Who in syndication felt that some scenes were simply too much for audiences down under). Those clips…amount to less than five minutes. Here is literally all that’s left of Fury From The Deep.
The rest of the story is gone – which not only deprives us of one of the fifth season’s most disturbing installments, but also deprives us of the departure of Victoria Waterfield, a companion from Earth’s past who traveled with the Doctor for this season only. Played by Deborah Watling, Victoria is a companion seriously impacted by the BBC’s practice of wiping “old shows” for which it saw no future use (keep in mind that, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was no home video market to give already-broadcast TV an afterlife). At one point, the only surviving record of Watling’s season on the show was the season opener, Tomb Of The Cybermen, which itself was once considered lost forever until tapes were recovered in 1992. Since then, The Enemy Of The World and all but one episode of The Web Of Fear, both of them six-part stories, miraculously resurfaced in north Africa in 2013, while four episodes of the six-part The Ice Warriors have also been recovered. Fury From The Deep is Victoria’s (and Watling’s) exit from the series.
Previously, Fury From The Deep was available in audio form – a 1990s cassette release narrated by Tom Baker (in character as the fourth Doctor relating a story from one of his previous lives), and remastered for CD release in the 2000s with new third-person narration by Frazer Hines (who played TARDIS traveler Jamie McCrimmon in the original story). But now the BBC is reviving the entire story, in animated form, on DVD and Blu-Ray.
The BBC has animated several classic Patrick Troughton stories already, either in their entirety to revive stories almost completely lost from the archives (The Macra Terror, The Faceless Ones, The Underwater Menace, and Troughton’s first appearance as the Doctor, Power Of The Daleks), or in hybrid releases with some existing surviving episodes and animated episodes taking the place of lost material (The Invasion, The Moonbase, The Reign Of Terror). Though the animation is sometimes about as limited as early ’70s Filmation animation, original production photos and directorial notes are consulted to make the results as faithful to the original missing episodes as possible.
Reanimating the episodes from scratch also handily solves the problem of the fact that the original footage wasn’t shot in anything remotely resembling high definition; as usual, both color and B&W versions of the animated episodes are included. The three-disc package also has audio commentaries, and features on the making of both the original 1968 story and its 21st century animated revival.
Speaking of 21st century revivals…do Mr. Oak and Mr. Quill (in the first YouTube clip included in this article) remind you of something or someone from a much more recent episode? Maybe they should…
Though no one on screen ever makes the connection, I wonder if one can’t connect the dots and assume that the deadly “alien” seaweed from Fury Of The Deep might be ordinary Earthly seaweed that somehow came into contact with The Waters Of Mars?
Perhaps the bonus features on the new release of Fury From The Deep can shed some light on this? Fury is released on DVD and Blu-Ray in the UK on September 14th; a North American release date has not been announced yet.
Friends, over the weekend it appears that Gary Burton, the head technician at the Arkadia Retrocade and frequent guest on the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast, was able to hit some flea markets. I have been fortunate enough to go along with him in the past and it is absolutely uncanny the amount of awesome retro related things he is able to find. Case in point – he picked up a working copy of 1979’s Computer Perfection from Lakeside Games. A company no stranger to various board and electronic games throughout the ’70s – such as Crash Tower, Aggravation, Duell, Avalanche, as well as Intercept. I can tell you that I certainly remember seeing Computer Perfection in the likes of the Sears Wishbook as well as on shelves at the local Walmart – it is a game that I always wanted but never was able to get my hands on. A fact that the Universe appeared to take delight in mocking me with… when Computer Perfection would show up in the Buck Rogers in the 25th Century television series as a prop.
A huge thank you to Earl Green for finding these images!
While I never was able to add Computer Perfection to my game collection that does not mean I did not have the opportunity to play it. Thanks to my third grade elementary school teacher I was able to enjoy the game before class would begin or if I was unable to participate in recess. Being a somewhat sickly child had it’s advantages in a couple of cases – although perhaps once or twice I was known to feign an illness so I could stay inside and play Computer Perfection.
Now one of the elements that made Computer Perfection so enticing is quite frankly it’s awesome design. That beautiful plastic blue dome when flipped back to reveal the buttons acts as the “On” switch for the game – in total there are four games that can be played on Computer Perfection. The first two are meant for one player to enjoy – those are Countdown and Black Hole – the former is a test to see who can press the ten buttons in proper order in the least amount of time. With Black Hole if you accidentally press the wrong button the game will shut off all of the lights and you will have to attempt to complete the game by memory. The remaining two games are Brain Battle and Light Race – both are for two players – and I will have to admit I never actually played. Although the description on the back of the box reads:
“Brain Battle – Battle to turn all lights either on or off. Computer will keep score. Light Race- Race to capture as many lights as you can. The ultimate game for fast thinkers.”
Perhaps Gary Burton and I will get a chance to play some Computer Perfection at the arcade in the near future?
Friends, 35 years ago tonight I was sitting beside my Father in our car at the local Drive-In, anxiously waiting for the Sun to drop behind the hills so that Fright Night could begin. For a couple of weeks while visiting the 62 Drive-In I would always check out the poster hanging in the concession stand – that iconic house, with it’s single light on and silhouetted occupant… with the full moon high in the sky to say nothing of the collection of startling phantasmagoria above the house. While I can tell you that the B.D. Fox company was responsible for the marketing of the film – I do not know the name of the artist who painted the Fright Night one-sheet. In addition unlike many of the films that I have talked about on the various podcasts and during my time writing for the Retroist and for this site – I actually had managed to catch a trailer for Fright Night on television. I totally knew going in that this was a film that would focus on a teenager who learns that his next door neighbor just happens to be a vampire.
Now I would have probably talked my Father into taking us to see it no matter what – he was an easy sell when it came to horror movies. What really had use both anticipating the film to start however was the fact that it starred none other than Roddy McDowall (Planet of the Apes, Night Gallery, The Poseidon Adventure). In my household, the likes of McDowall carried a lot of weight – looking forward to talking about seeing 1972’s The Poseidon Adventure on an upcoming Pop Culture Retrorama Podcast.
A little over an hour and a half later while the credits rolled and the Fright Night song by the J. Geils Band played – my Father just turned to me slowly, nodding his head, and asked if I wanted to see it again the following night. When all was said and done we managed to watch Fright Night four times at that local Drive-In… and countless times when it reached VHS.
I would be totally lying if I didn’t admit that Fright Night was in my top five Vampire films of all time. Of course besides a truly killer soundtrack, the reason the film is such a classic is because of it’s cast – featuring not just McDowall but Chris Sarandon (The Princess Bride), William Ragsdale (Herman’s Head), Amanda Bearse (Married… with Children), Stephen Geoffreys (976-Evil), and Jonathan Stark (House II: The Second Story). Now a heaping amount of credit for the success of the film also rests on the shoulders of Tom Holland (Child’s Play, Thinner) who not only directed Fright Night but wrote the screenplay too. In fact if you are a big fan of Fright Night I cannot recommend strongly enough that you check out You’re So Cool Brewster: The Story of Fright Night documentary. In addition it happens to feature artwork by none other than Travis Falligant – friend to the site and an amazing artist too.
If you are not able to watch Fright Night this evening to celebrate it’s 35th Annivesary… might I suggest you give a listen to the Saturday Fright podcast episodes where we covered it?
Friends, I have said it far too many times in the past weeks but it sure does appear that 2020 is attempting it’s level best to keep kicking us in the ribs in regards to the loss of beloved entertainers and artists. We lost the the likes of Alan Bates, Dame Olivia de Haviland as well as John Saxon mere days ago at the end of July. And now we start off August with the news from a friend to the Saturday Frights podcast that we have lost Wilford Brimley too. There are 152 days left in 2020 and I am not so sure that I can handle which icon or performer we might be losing next. I realize that Wilford Brimley was 85 years old when he passed away, I personally consider that to be a very good run to say the very least. In addition we can take some comfort in the fact that he left us with a solid number of film and TV roles as his legacy. The Internet Movie Database says that Brimley received his first of 77 credits back in 1969, an uncredited role in John Wayne’s incredibly popular adaptation of True Grit. The first film I caught him in though was 1979’s The Electric Cowboy – not that I realized who he was at that time – however I did take notice of him just three years later as Dr. Blair in John Carpenter’s The Thing!
You might not be aware of this but Wilford Brimley was a man who did not set out to become an actor – in fact it is completely honest to say that in his lifetime he wore many hats. He dropped out of High School to enlist in the United States Marine Corps – for three years he was stationed in the Aleutian Islands. After that he managed to become a bodyguard for none other than Howard Hughes – moving on to learn horseback riding and wrangling as a ranch hand. Skills that he would later use to his advantage in motion pictures, including becoming a blacksmith – it was his lifelong friend Robert Duvall (To Kill a Mockingbird, The Godfather) that managed to convince him to become a stuntman and extra for Western films and TV shows.
Wilford Brimley would initially appear in television series with the likes of Kung Fu, The Oregon Trail, and The Waltons, until in ’79 he was cast in not just The Electric Cowboy but The China Syndrome. More roles in TV movies and film would follow including The Wild Wild West Revisited, Brubaker, 10 to Midnight, and The Natural. He was perhaps better remembered for those of us of a certain age as Ben Luckett in 1985’s Cocoon and it’s sequel three years later.
And while I can say that one of my favorite roles of his was as Gus Witherspoon in the popular Our House television series – I would be remiss to not point out that he aided the Ewoks as Noa Briqualon in Ewoks: The Battle for Endor!
As always when we lose such an entertainer – we will dim the lights in the auditorium. Did you have a favorite role of Wilford Brimley? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.
Friends, growing up one of the things that my Grandparents quite enjoyed were game shows – their favorites were Press Your Luck, Wheel of Fortune, Let’s Make A Deal, Scrabble, $25,000 Pyramid, and The Price Is Right. As I mentioned on the recent Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast, I felt and still believe that Starcade was in fact the greatest game show ever created – but with it’s arcade game premise I will admit I am rather biased. Family Feud was a game show that we did not generally watch, my Grandmother had a real dislike for Richard Dawson who was then the host of the show, besides the long-running game show, he is probably best remembered for his role in Hogan’s Heroes.
During the Summer months of my youth, when school was out, I was always down at my Grandparents house – generally long into the night until my Father got off work. I became kind of addicted to game shows around my teenage years when spending the mornings and the afternoons with them – so much so that when school would start up again I would tape them – Press Your Luck in particular. There is one time that my Grandparents would tune into Family Feud though – those were the special weeks when it was a celebrity week, like when the cast of The Dukes of Hazzard challenged The Waltons, etc.
There were times though that two iconic television show casts would come together to challenge each other and it was something legendary – all for charitable causes of course. Such is the case with this episode of Family Feud where Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Dawn Wells, Natalie Schafer, and Russell Johnson of Gilligan’s Island went head to head with Guy Williams, June Lockhart, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen, and Bob May of Lost in Space.
Now this episode originally aired on May 13th of 1983 and marked the end of the special week of celebrity contestants – which is why you saw some of the cast of Batman and Hawaiian Eye taking the stage at the conclusion of this show. Even more fascinating is that I read online that this was the final appearance of Guy Williams on American television – it was his first since he retired in 1968 – as he was living in Argentina in the early ’70s. The reason being that while the Walt Disney produced Zorro series made him a very big star from 1957 until 1961 – he was considered an absolute legend in Argentina for his role as Don Diego de la Vega and his masked alter-ego.
Friends, thank you for checking in with us for a new episode of the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – this week we are headed back to 1981 to discuss Exidy’s Venture, what many consider an early dungeon crawler. As I seem to always do with the Diary podcast I share my memories of first encountering the game that is the subject of the show. But in addition I have tried my best to shine the spotlight on those personally responsible for bringing Venture to life – and in this case a little history of Exidy as well. Having said that I was able to locate a quote by Venture designer and programmer, Howell Ivy, from the Retro Gamer magazine – you might want to check it out for a glimpse of what it was like in the early days of creating video games.
As I point out in the show itself, Venture is an arcade classic that tasks the Players with taking on the role of… Winky? No matter the name or even the fact it looks like a big red smiley face – Winky is most definitely a hero – and with the Players help will manage to brave a dungeon filled with Dragons, Ettins, and worse. Venture is a pretty tough game and after listening to it, you might understand why Players at the Arkadia Retrocade decided to give it a wide berth.
On this show I am afraid that neither Gary Burton or Earl Green were able to join me – real life matters as well as around the clock work on the arcade prevented it for this episode. I am sure they will be back for the next episode though!
I truly hope you are enjoying this second season of the Diary podcast and I am very appreciative that you have taken time from your busy schedule to check out the show. I do know there are thousands of gaming podcasts out there for your listening pleasure – far more detailed and knowledgeable than myself. Now pick up your bow and snatch up your quiver of arrows… you are heading into the dungeons of Venture!
Remember that for even more pop culture related goodness – make sure to check out Earl’s own website, the Logbook.Com – absolutely one of the best and longest running sites for all your retro needs.
If you have a moment, why not help us reach new listeners? Not only subscribe but leave us a rating and review for the Diary of An Arcade Employee podcast – whether that be on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or Spotify?
If you possibly have suggestions for future episodes or want to chat about the current show – you can reach me at VicSagePopCulture@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook or Twitter and make sure to check out the Arkadia Retrocade Facebook page. Or for daily updates you can hop on over to the Diary of an Arcade Employee Facebook page – heck -you can see videos and more fun a couple of times a week by checking out my Instagram page!
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