GODZILLA VS. THE SMOG MONSTER "Save The Earth" theme! -- Adryan Russ

          

Calvin Monday 3-13-89

 

"Some assembly required" were about the worst words you could read when getting a new toy.  I was a lot like Calvin, and not very gifted with models.  I liked my toys pre-assembled.  Unless they were Legos, of course, since building was part of the process.  It is odd that Calvin only played with Tinker Toys.  It seems like Legos would be a natural for Calvin.

Vintage Paleo Art

I love vintage paleo art.  These are the dinosaurs (and other prehistoric animals) I grew up with.    It was a fun time, and many of the drawings and paintings were full of imagination.  Some were so imaginative that they barely resembled the animals they were supposed to be.  Can you imagine a Stegosaurus stenops using its back plates to be able to fly or glide?  That was a popular idea at one point.  It was one that even made it into print, when Tarzan went to visit Pellucider.  It sure is a striking visual, though!  I miss the days when these animals did live up to their "terrible" monikers.  I like a lot of current paleo art as well, don't get me wrong.

Yog Promo from Space (AIP, really)

I am watching this movie again for the podcast episode tonight.  I saw it at the exact right age range (8-12 years old) and I loved it.  The monsters were cool, if not exactly scary, and the plot was fun.  I have become very interested in the promotional pressbook material for these movies.  These were sent out before a movie was scheduled to be shown, and then were supposed to be destroyed or returned.  This means some are quite rare.  I had some facsimile sets, and a few originals, but I am glad people are getting them online these days.

Dinosaur Land History

          

Road to Utopia (1946)

 

From Wiki- Academy-Award-winner Robert Benchley introduces the film, explaining that “the front office” has charged him with explaining the plot “and other vague portions of the film.”  Sal and Chester Hooton, an old married couple, are visited by their equally old friend Duke Johnson, and the three reminisce about their previous adventure in the Klondike. Back to me- The flashback goes on about the adventure, how our heroes got to Alaska and met Sal.  They have a lot of adventures, sing some songs and even have a little romance as well.  The map to a goldmine is the plot contrivance, and generally, a good time is had by all.

HOTW- Rocket J. Squirrel

 Rocket J. Squirrel was considered the star of the series.  He could fly, rather than glide (like real flying squirrels).  When Rocky and Bullwinkle debuted in 1959, it was under Rocky and his friends.  This series has had several different titles over its long and storied career, and they are all for the same five seasons.  I have been rereading the Moose that Roared (can't believe I have had it for five years and that the book is 25 years old) and started watching the cartoons from the DVD set.  I have had it for a few years, but haven't been watching the discs for a while.  I am now in Season Two, and greatly enjoying the stories.  The episodes look and sound great.  When the cartoon was remastered for VHS the audio was redone completely, using the original tracks.  The R&B episodes are presented in the order they were made, but all the other segments, such as Dudley, Peabody, etc are scattered into them.

XTC - Dear God

           

Calvin Monday 3-11-89

The day has finally come- the beanie has arrived!  The huge amount of Calvin's anticipation is about to pay off!  Until he reads the dreaded words "Some assembly required."  The batteries shouldn't be an issue, since Calvin's father is the sort who is always prepared for all contingencies.  I bet he has batteries in the freezer so they will last longer when needed.  My stepfather sure did.  They were also labeled when use began.  Be that as it may, having to put something together was always loaded with fear.  Something could, and probably would go wrong, especially if glue was involved.

Sven- Island of Terror (1967)

Two doctors investigate a strange mystery on Petrie's Island,  This is a remote island off the coast of Ireland.  It turns out a group of oncology researchers are looking for a cure for cancer.  This is occurring in a castle.  What are the odds that the research has gone awry and a new life form has been created?  These creatures, called silicates, and they kill their victims by injecting a bone-dissolving enzyme into their bodies.  The reproduce by grossly splitting apart, and their shells are nearly impenetrable.  Eventually the survivors figure out they can poison the silicates with Strontium-90 and kill them.  They leave the island, but somewhere in Japan the same thing happens again...