Retro Thing

Galoob Die-Cast Enterprise D

My mother is not a science fiction fan at all (despite her prognostication about flat screen TV's), but she always liked this toy version of the Enterprise D. When Star Trek returned to our screen with The Next Generation in 1987, it boasted cinema quality special effects including a new version of the Enterprise. I remember reading about the design of the model in Starlog (yeah, yeah... I'm admitting it...) magazine. They actually built a number of models, the largest had a saucer that was 10 feet across, illuminated by neon tubes inside.

Not only did the Enterprise return with a dramatic new shape, it had the ability to separate into two sections - the saucer, and the stardrive section. The premise was that in an emergency, most of the crew could evacuate to the saucer, while the stardrive section freed of its bulk could wage battle. This facility was a long time fan rumor, spurred by a technical manual of the original Enterprise that cited "explosive bolts" that could separate the saucer permanently from the rest of the ship in an emergency. This was the first time we saw it in action on screen (a little too much in that first season, as I recall...)

Since this first-run syndicated show was a risk, no one could predict how successful the show would eventually become. Even toy companies were tentative to pledge too much support outside of a handful of action figures. This die-cast toy was one of those early toys. Even though I wasn't the right age for it, I bought it anyway... just to at least better understand the odd shape of the ship. I still have it on my shelf after all these years, and I still perform a slow motion saucer sep a couple times a year, just to keep the crew on their toes.

Since When Does McDonald's Have A Goony Looking Knight Character?

They don't, but it sure does look like a character from the the McDonaldland cast of characters, doesn't it? McDonaldland was the magical home to milkshake volcanoes and apple pie trees, and Ronald McDonald and his product tie-in pals would have adventures. This all-over "magical place" concept from 1971 earned Mickey D's a lawsuit from Sid & Marty Krofft (but that's a story for another time), but not before Burger King could create their own cholesterol carting cast of characters a few years later.

The Burger King Kingdom feature a ring-twirling magical monarch, the skeptical Duke of Doubt who didn't believe in magic, and Sir Shakes-A-Lot… immortalized here in drinking glass form. He was a knight made up of stacks of Burger King paper cups, and he consumed so many shakes it rendered him permanently cold. The Kingdom concept was phased out by the late 80's, but you've probably noticed that the Burger King character is back in an ironic web 2.0 version since 2003, now as a disturbing glossy-masked character. I hope they don't create a creepy Sir Shakes-A-Lot too, unless he's portrayed by Sir Mix-A-Lot, of course.

Ernie Kovacs Remembered

Inveterate video genius Ernie Kovacs died on January 13th, 1962. Most people don't recognize the name today, despite significant accomplishments (most of which weren't really lauded until after his death). He was an occasional host in the early days of the Tonight Show, he was the first host ever of a morning television program (so successful was the experiment that he was pushed off the air by a little morning show called "The Today Show"), but most significantly he was the first comedian to really use television in a way that you seldom see... even today.

Doctor Who Explained

The new Doctor Who has been delivering Christmas specials every year since it's return. The specials are usually oriented toward folks who don't necessarily follow the show closely. Though if you'd like to brush up on what Doctor Who (old or new) is about before the next special, TV's Craig Fergusen offers a helpful primer in this unbroadcast clip.

TV's Dying Gasp

The family television spent decades at the center of many households. It fed us news, sports, entertainment and a seemingly endless stream of commercials (well, unless you were watching the Beeb). Forty years ago, there were only a handful of channels and viewers had their weekly viewing habits mapped out with military precision. Broadcasters could count on millions of eyes, simply because there was little competition. But modern technology is threatening the traditional TV model from all sides, and it's only a matter of time before video streaming becomes the norm.

The television universe slowly began to unravel with the arrival of cable and satellite. Viewers were faced with dozens or even hundreds of choices as boutique channels sprouted like weeds. A sci-fi gardening network? I'm sure someone pitched it at some point in the 1990s.

The emergence of the Internet further muddied things, as pundits argued that the world wide web would supplant TV virtually overnight. It didn't happen, but viewership slid a bit as people turned their attention to web pages dedicated to sci-fi gardening and honed their fragging skills on ever more sophisticated video game consoles.

However, it looks like the writing is finally on the wall in 2010.

The arrival of affordable streaming video services like Netflix and Hulu, along with a plethora of IP-TV devices such as Apple TV, Google TV, Boxee and the Roku player may signal the end, as soon as broadcasters can solve one gnawing issue -- money.

Like it or not, streaming TV is the future. The only issue is who is going to pay for it (hint: you) and how they're going to pay. In the first wave of the streaming revolution, shows piped from Apple or Netflix don't include ads. Instead, these new services choose to dip directly into your pockets, bypassing the Mad Men and the toothpaste companies. To a certain extent, it works.

The problem is that online viewing numbers aren't large enough to fund elaborate shows, so the system is still reliant on traditional broadcasters to provide first run financing. Anyone who watches more than a couple of hours of TV a week is going to balk at the idea of spending 99 cents (or more) per show.

The solution, I fear, will be a hybrid of the old and new broadcast models. Someone's eventually going to realize that streaming video services can pinpoint your location within a block or two based on your IP address. Armed with that information, marketers will be able to target ads to you in a manner that was impossible in the broadcast age -- and you'll be blissfully unaware that you're enduring a different set of commercials than the folks in the fancy houses a quarter mile away.

The big question is whether the traditional networks will be at the helm of this new attack on the living room, or whether it will be the likes of Amazon, Apple, Google and Netflix.

Time-Traveling Cell Phone Captured In 1928 Movie?

You may have seen this video making the rounds, claiming to show a "time traveller" filmed in 1928 inadvertently caught using a cell phone. Just think of the roaming charges. I didn't pay much attention as there are innumerable other things that the subject could be doing with her hand cupped to her face; sheilding her eyes from the lights, not wanting to be in the movies, a nasty itch...

I really hadn't thought about it much, but lots of people kept forwarding the video to me, thinking that as a retro fan I might have something to say about it. I did. "Humbug". I guess that wasn't enough for either my friends or the Discovery Channel as interest persisted. Here's the original video clip along with a few explanatory thoughts from James Williams of Discovery News about what might going on in the short movie.

It's not that I don't want to live in a world where time travel exists, after all I've wanted to join Doctor Who on his time traveling adventures all my life. Though these days I would probably ask him to let me stash some stuff in the basement of his TARDIS rather than going back in time as a temporal tourist to carelessly use a cell phone nearly a century ago.

Related:
The big bulky dawn of ancient cell phones
The affordable, transportable cellular telephone

Stop-Motion Animation With Real People

I saw a new stop-motion animated film called Stanley Pickle at the Chicago International Film Festival not too long ago. It's a very cool short animated film using live people instead of stop-motion armatures & models. The filmmaker was there for a Q&A after the screening, and during the talk she mentioned not being aware of widespread use of this "real people" technique for a longer piece…  it's often used only sparingly for effect. 

I recalled an excellent example of a full length piece that I saw at a number of film festivals some 20 years ago. I don't know what the title is, but it's the story of these sort of transvestite witches who are locked in battle over a mysterious object. It's only four and a half a minutes long, and I can only imagine the sheer amount of work that went into the piece. 

Have you figured out the technique of how they did the flying effect? The actors straddled their brooms, leaped into the air folding their legs underneath, and the camera snapped off one frame while they were in mid-air. They did this 24 times per second of animation. Amazing. I'll bet if you freeze frame the film, you can watch their calf muscles get larger as the movie progresses. 

In film school, we tried our own take on this effect several times, but it was just so physically grueling we had to keep it really short. Remember that we're talking two dozen jumps per second of film. I've always thought this witch animation should be better known than it is, and that we should see more stuff like this. Seems like a perfect project for DSLR toting filmmakers. If only I were a little bit younger…

links:

YouTube video of awesome witch animated film
Official page for Stanley Pickle 

Al Flosso: The Magic Of Magic

Somewhere between dinosaurs and astronauts, every boy goes through a magic phase. I did, and the fascination never vanished. Though it took me several years to learn that the fun is more than just the gimmicks and props that come with a Marshall Brodien Magic Kit. It's more about the style and zing of your performance.

Many of us can remember back to getting a magic kit. Did you hungrily devour the secret instructions as eagerly as I did? That's why so many of us know the mechanics of the "disappearing milk" jug, and we understand the secret of the "Chinese Linking Rings". Before you ask; if you don't know these secrets, the magician's code prevents me from telling you! As mysterious as they may be, the props are only a small part of what makes magic fun to watch. Even if you know the secret to a magic trick, it's still a delight to see a really good performance of it. It's like hearing a cover version of a favorite song. It may be the same base material, but what's interesting is how each band reinterprets it. The song can can either be a simple mechanical copy, or a wonderful new creation.

This 1952 clip from "It's Magic" features Al Flosso's hysterical version of "The Miser's Dream", a classic magician's trick. He performed on Coney Island for decades, honing his performance into what you see here. It is so funny, so fast, so amazing, so outside of what you expect to see, that it's easy to forget that you've seen this trick a hundred times before. The gadget lover in me adores the clever mechanics and secret gimmicks that come along with tricks like these, but it's that human touch that makes genuine magic.

link:

learn more about the amazing Al Flosso

Hop On The Magic Movie Bus

The Vintage Mobile Cinema is a one-of-a-kind automotive restoration project - The only survivor among seven mobile cinemas custom built for the British government in the late 1960s.

The vehicles initially were operated by the Production Engineering Research Association and had the prosaic mission of teaching engineers about the latest factory production techniques. The bus has a unique steel-framed plastic dome that housed the film projection equipment apart from the cinema, which has a stepped floor to ensure clear views.

Reclaimed and renovated, the bus now sports a fully upholstered 22-seat theater, a high-definition digital projection unit and Dolby surround sound. Through March, it's taking part in the Movie Bus Project in North Devon. The project has it traveling the countryside showing newly digitized archive footage of life in southwest England during the 20th century, including some fascinating looking images from the sea.

The other six movie buses are believed to be lost. Also missing: the trailers that each bus hauled. They were initially used for displays associated with the manufacturing presentations. For now, the restored vehicle has a decidedly modern trailer with a solar panel that allows it to present its unique films off the grid, without a generator. [Via Jalopnik]

"Lost" 1970's Star Wars Toy Commercial From Japan

You may recall a while back when we told about a new project by Super7 to create the first jumbo "Shogun Warrior" type toy in 25 years. The giant figure is a Star Wars stormtrooper, and it's available for order right now. The creators have also crafted a mock TV commercial that looks like it could have easily come from the 1970's. As if we need more persuasion to get one...

Standard-Definition TV Is Getting Hard To Watch

My household has only one TV (the horror!), a standard-definition tube TV (stop laughing!). The signal feeding my 20-inch box comes from the cable company, so I didn't have to worry about those converter boxes when the broadcasters made the switch from analog to digital. Nonetheless, I can report that TV is getting hard to watch for us square-boxers.

First, there's — you know — the definition. Sports producers long ago stopped worrying about analog rabbit-ear-users, but they also have started ignoring us standard-definition viewers. One way they do this is by shrinking the on-screen text. The clocks, the scores, the stats, they're all getting smaller. (Small text isn't a big deal for high-definition TVs.) I cannot tell you how many times I have wondered, "Is that a 6 or an 8 in that score?" These days, tennis scores take intuition to decipher, because of the black text on white background.

Giant Japanese Fighting Robot Thing

Since Retro Thing has been going so well for a number of years, maybe it's time to spin off and create "Giant Japanese Fighting Robot Thing". I've always had a soft spot for this sort of television. As a kid I was always excited by live action and robots. Today I still celebrate the earnest cheapness of these shows. I have no idea what the title is of this one - just that there's a big robot, and I'm guessing someone's going to get a cyber smackdown.

I have to admire the visuals in this intro alone. This is pre-computer I'm guessing, so those morphing effects had to be hand animated. Amazing stuff. It's likely there's more concentrated production value in this 30 seconds then there is in the whole series. The vehicles that parade by make me think that there might also be some exciting chase scenes between toy cars with wings glued on... bliss. Any idea what show this is?

Video intro of fighting robot TV show

related:
Zanbot 3 die-cast toys
Qonto: 1970's Japanese robot mystery
DVD Wishlist: Johnny Sokko And His Flying Robot

The (Almost) Complete Metropolis

It is more than eight decades old, but Fritz Lang's 1927 science fiction epic, Metropolis, still has its surprises. A new cut of the dystopian masterpiece lets U.S. theater audiences see — for the first time — the film (nearly) the way Lang intended. Called The Complete Metropolis, the movie includes about 25 minutes of footage thought lost forever.

The Fate Of The Whomobile

You have to be a bit of a character to take on the lead role in Doctor Who. When Jon Pertwee took over, it was the series' first venture into colour. These new earthbound adventure brought massive popularity to the show and its star, turning in an impressively popular four year run. Known before the role as a comedian, Pertwee played the role straight proving himself to be a great choice for the Doctor. In his real life he was a gadget fan, as well as a sportsman and car enthusiast - all perfect traits for a time traveler. It was while at an appearance at an auto dealership that he met car customizer Peter Farries, which is where the story of Pertwee's 1973 Whomobile began.

The vehicle was never called the "Whomobile" in the show, though Pertwee does refer to it as such in his memoirs. It was actually designed under another name, "The Alien". Pertwee and Farries sketched out the fantasy car. Other car customizers said it would take several moldings to create such an unusual shape in fiberglass, but Farries did it in only two. The completed car was 14 feet long, 7 feet across, with fins that reached 5 feet into the air. There are no doors, you have to hop in over the wing, and once inside the driver and uncomfortable passenger are faced with the blinky lights of a prop computer, and a real television with dual rear antennae. Here's a great clip from children's show Blue Peter (it's great how the pair do sort of try to keep up the illusion of the car's abilities being "real") that offers what is probably the most detailed look at the car ever.

Once completed (at Pertwee's cost) the star was able to persuade the producers of Doctor Who to include the vehicle in the series. The car first appeared not yet complete in the 10th season's "Invasion of the Dinosaurs". The front windscreen you see in the episode as well as in the Blue Peter segment (hosted by Peter Purves, a 1960's Who companion) was from a boat, added to make the vehicle roadworthy. Its second and final appearance was in Pertwee's swansong, "Planet of the Spiders", where thought chromakey trickery the vehicle was shown to fly.

To this day some fans still think the Whomobile was a hovercraft. In fact the three wheeler struggled to be legally classified, until it was finally referred to as "an invalid tricycle"... that could go a hundred miles an hour!. Pertwee used the car for personal appearances even after his tenure as the Doctor was over. Eventually he gave it to a fan bereaved over the tragic death of his mother, with Pertwee simply "borrowing" it back on occasion. Just a few years ago (and this makes me crazy...) the car went up for auction with little fanfare. It was misclassified as a boat (foreshadowed by that boat windscreen used in version 1 of the car?) and went for around £1200. Had I known about the sale, I'd have made my way to the UK to bring back the official Retro Thing company car.

link:

Help out Retro Thing by picking up Pertwee's autobiography on Amazon

related:

The downright awful Doctor Who action figures by Dapol
Doctor Who and the Daleks on the big screen
Did Doctor Who musician invent techno?

City In Ruins: Warsaw's Darkest Hour

Miasto Ruin (City in Ruins) is a heart-wrenching five minute film that simulates an aircraft flight over the ruined Polish capital of Warsaw in 1945. The project is the result of a two year collaboration between a team of Polish historians and dozens of special effects artists.

The extent of the destruction is almost too much to comprehend -- home to 1.3 million people prior to the war, the city was a barely-habitable wasteland five years later.

In the summer of 1944, a Polish uprising held out against the Nazi occupiers for 63 days. When the city fell, Hitler ordered the city obliterated in retaliation. Every building of significance was razed, along with all the bridges. An estimated 16,000 Polish resistance fighters died and as many as 250,000 civilians perished in the brutal aftermath of the uprising.

City in Ruins will be shown at the Warsaw Rising Museum, which opened on the 60th anniversary of the uprising in 2004 to tell the story of Warsaw's bittersweet resistance to new generations too young to remember anything but peace.