Saturday Classic Retro Fun: 2-XL

I think Mr. Databits and I are simpatico. I almost said we might have been fast friends till he said he was a teenager in 1978. Alas, I was only six that year.

But I can tell you that when I saw my first 2-XL around 1982, again at my buddy Derek's place, I was instantly captivated. A robot that answered questions and played games? Wow! Of course when my parents got me my own about a year later, I figured out that my new buddy was a glorified 8-track player, since we had one in the living room. But he did help me learn and did cheer me up, and for that I appreciated him, and loved my parents for spending hard-earned money to get him for me.

I see also that there were two General Information tapes, because he didn't sing that song on mine! Oh well, I got to hear him whistle the theme to The Andy Griffith Show.

And the 8-track player in the living room sure didn't have eyes that lit up when you turned out the lights and turned up Dad's ABBA Voulez Vous tape!

You know what? It's Saturday night...





MTMG

Saturday Classic Retro Fun : Simon Then And Now

First played this at my friend Derek's house, though not in the dark. That would have been fun! Perhaps I should be playing it now, in middle age...


Thanks and Kudos to Lucky Penny Shop






And now, from Hasbro Gaming...2017's Hasbro Optix.

I don't know. I think my nieces may like the new spin. But I prefer the original for sure.

Thanks and Kudos to Hasbro Gaming


MTMG

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood: Behind The Scenes

Not really a trailer per se, but a very fascinating look into the shooting of Quentin Tarantino's new movie Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, set in 1969 Tinseltown. Tarantino has miraculously transformed Hollywood Boulevard to that period without the apparent use of CGI, and the results look stunning.  As does the apparent chemistry between Leonardo DiCaprio, playing (fictional) veteran actor Rick Dalton, and Brad Pitt as Dalton's stunt double Cliff Booth, appears to be genuine, and not just Tarantino hyperbole about them being the next Newman and Redford.

What remains to be seen in late summer 2019 is how the very real Sharon Tate murder is mixed in and handled in relation to the fictional adventures of Dalton and Booth. But for now, it is fascinating to watch a movie being shot on Hollywood Boulevard with Panavision cameras. Do they have film in them? I have faith!

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OMG Hawaiian Cameos

The original Hawaii Five-O, which ran for an unbelievable 12 seasons between 1968 and 1980, featured many cameos from up-and coming actors. Here are just two:





OMG it's young and studly Sam Elliot, here playing the lover of Jessica Walter in 1974. Just as when she played Clint Eastwood's unbalanced fan in Play Misty For Me, she appears to be up to no good. I wonder if Elliot keeps pictures of himself in this period, to remind himself that "Damn, I looked good!" Because he did!







O....M....G! It's Christopher Walken, playing the creepily attentive friend to his sailor best friend's widow in 1970. He also matches his creepy weaselly wits with Jack Lord's Steve McGarrett, no mean feat.

Can't help wondering if Walken was thinking "I...can't believe...it's...so...HOT...in Hawaii!!!"

To wrap up, here is the classic opening...






Mahalo and happy Sunday!

MTMG

A Star Is Born

I am really looking forward to this version of A Star Is Born, out in October. And here's why.

I  have confidence in Bradley Cooper. Even though it's his first time directing a movie.

I'm hoping that my confidence isn't misplaced. But I'm thinking that Cooper must have learned a lot at the feet of Clint Eastwood while filming American Sniper.

After all, A Star Is Born was originally supposed to be directed by Eastwood with Beyoncé in the lead. But pregnancy forced her to bow out.

Which turned out to be a good thing in the end. Because I think Queen Bey is too much of a brand now to believably pull off a struggling newcomer.

But that role fits Lady Gaga (aka Steffi Germanotta) like a glove. That bit about people liking how she sounded but not how she looked?

Kinda makes me picture young Steffi schlepping through piano bar after piano bar hearing the same thing.

Or record execs telling her she had to adopt the Lady Gaga/Mother Monster persona to be successful.

Don't get me wrong. Lady Gaga is a great persona. Steffi owns it and it has gotten her into the industry with a certain amount of cachet.

But I have always said that I would love to hear an album of her at the piano, maybe with a trio. Although she probably wouldn't need them.

Singing her heart out. Just like Barbra Streisand or Carole King.

Because frankly, we need some of that right now.


Barbra and Kris Kristofferson from 1976, by comparison:
.



And for once, the new trailer doesn't give everything away.

So we shall see

MTMG

When CBC Was TCM (With A Dash Of MTV)

Hard to believe this now, but in the years before Turner Classic Movies was available in Canada (10 years before TCM was even thought of in fact), the CBC was providing classic films with commentary  in the late night slot with host Ben Gordon. And devoting an entire week to a producer? That would be something I would do, if I had a TV show. I didn't see any of these movies in the late-night slot originally (1985 being smack dab in the middle of my school years after all), but I did catch up with all these classics and many more at the Edmonton Film Society about 12 years later, so it's all good.

Looking at this set, I wonder if Ben and his crew of three or four set up shop in a corner of the actual CBC film library. Or maybe they waited for the Video Hits crew to be done for the day. Yes, I know I wonder about weird things. But if you've read this blog, you kind of expect that kind of thing.

Right?

Right.




Yes, there was a show called Video Hits on CBC, every weekday at 5. Think of it as Canadian Bandstand, with Samantha Taylor playing the Dick Clark role.

Whatever taste in music we children of the 80s have or had is thanks to Video Hits.

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We Are (Still) The World

A friend posted this recently on Facebook.

And it got me thinking back.

I was 14 in 1985 when We Are The World came out and became a global phenomenon, building on the success of the British Do They Know It's Christmas and with the Canadian effort Tears Are Not Enough not too far off.

Of course, we can speculate about how much of the money actually got to Ethiopian famine relief, due to that country's corrupt government.

But I prefer to think of the hope that the words from the pens of  Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie gave to the world.

It was recorded at an all-night session following the American Music Awards.

There was a sign telling stars to leave their egos at the door.

And they all did.

Except for Waylon Jennings, who didn't want to sing a later-scrapped chorus in Swahili.

If I remember right, I think I sang this in a choir in Grade 6 as part of a St. Gabriel School food drive.

And had it recorded not on a phone, but on a real weighty video camera.

And it made me feel good to sing it then.

Still makes me feel good to hear it now.

Because I really can't think of more timely lyrics than "It's true we make a brighter day / Just you and me."


MTMG