tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47788935519558334442024-03-05T19:28:07.909-08:00Retro RevelationsThe past revisited, one blog at a time.Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.comBlogger154125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-37910539637795290242024-02-29T15:07:00.000-08:002024-02-29T15:07:54.403-08:00My Favorite Nintendo 64 Games<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEPEpQayNDpcs8NU58Hfm76Bqy4ezBmhJZIOhR-ulLPPYOG8_LokAIdvNa6ojC19tjtXc-OTBv-BgKJrOBgFLxpuL09RhZ5mwTmITn5rgAN2QybihYiiDqbOuNYHD3Qby3-lASjhSwPjZ22GmUPYOdZQ4hZbYjTj9dzl3UqJYmnluM9YitXiV82GhZHs/s1200/N64.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1200" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEPEpQayNDpcs8NU58Hfm76Bqy4ezBmhJZIOhR-ulLPPYOG8_LokAIdvNa6ojC19tjtXc-OTBv-BgKJrOBgFLxpuL09RhZ5mwTmITn5rgAN2QybihYiiDqbOuNYHD3Qby3-lASjhSwPjZ22GmUPYOdZQ4hZbYjTj9dzl3UqJYmnluM9YitXiV82GhZHs/w400-h279/N64.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>I'm back again with another one of these doodads. Anyone who's been following this blog (or my content in general) long enough, knows by now that I do seem to love me some lists. In the past, I have thus far tried to suss out what my <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/04/my-top-favorite-nes-games-revisited.html" target="_blank">Top NES Games</a>, <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2022/02/my-top-favorite-snes-games.html" target="_blank">Top SNES Games</a>, and <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2023/03/my-top-favorite-game-boy-games.html" target="_blank">Top Game Boy Games</a> are. Originally, I made an article on what my <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-favorite-video-games.html" target="_blank">Top 10 Favorite Games</a> are, period, which in and of itself was a bit difficult to nail down all 10. Well now, I'm here to talk about a console that I have some mixed feelings about. <br /><br />On the one hand, I am highly nostalgic for the Nintendo 64, a system that launched in Fall 1996, to much ado and fanfare. I didn't get my own until Summer 1998, but it was the first console I bought with my own money, from a summer job. I had a friend or two who had their own, pretty early in its life, so I had experienced it plenty. In point of fact, before the damn thing had even launched, said friends spent WAY too much time literally parked over at the local Toys R Us game display section. So much so, that one of them actually beat Mario 64, again, before the damn game had even officially become available to buy! <br /></p><p><br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAuo3bueu1gxrKaTPjhF88Exgii8rf23UjjvkeJNna-t8tmS53ZkZTBO9IGAPcm5pIVR2o6Kt4kC9WYyogbOx97VqNCx9-e-npgUPtnmZYbxw8eXpqPecNYlQa1CcuMiueOoJuu-m-_pwb7NUYp8-k2gWLTW60s65WKbxMO4_rJhMzdQ7sLYlXzaz4jY/s600/Gold.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAuo3bueu1gxrKaTPjhF88Exgii8rf23UjjvkeJNna-t8tmS53ZkZTBO9IGAPcm5pIVR2o6Kt4kC9WYyogbOx97VqNCx9-e-npgUPtnmZYbxw8eXpqPecNYlQa1CcuMiueOoJuu-m-_pwb7NUYp8-k2gWLTW60s65WKbxMO4_rJhMzdQ7sLYlXzaz4jY/w400-h400/Gold.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Holy Grail, Circa 1998.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /><br /><br />But as I said, I'm nostalgic for the system, because it was the first I got myself, in my teens, and there were in fact many games for it that were quite good, some of which I still rather enjoy to this day. One of said friends and I even made it a point to go and regularly rent N64 games, once or more a month, if there was anything new out or anything we hadn't yet tried that was available at the local Blockbuster, or some other video store. We even on occasion rented something we were pretty sure neither of us were going to much enjoy, such as a FIFA Soccer game one time, just because we wanted to "see what it was like", graphically and otherwise. As far as my own library, it was pretty small, at most I probably personally owned maybe 5 or 6 N64 games myself. But I got to try a LOT of 64 games back when the system was new, trust me. <br /><br />Not only was there the renting, but there also happened to be a small handful of multiplayer games, something the N64 was tailor made for in a way no console before it had been, that a few friends and I would regularly play. Some of these included Mario Kart 64, Goldeneye 007, Duke Nukem 64, and later on others like NBA Hangtime. Mario Kart and Goldeneye specifically, became a tradition for us, even long years after the N64 was "old news", on birthdays or New Years, certain friends and I would still gather together at least once or twice a year to fight each other at those old classics. For that alone, I'll always be nostalgic about the system.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ePHwwLOoIwH0rY_AOAJbd0sUHgkQU2vw81oPbq85pW83dD_pt0eXJ6Wnf5sS4cdltmV5qBky18QTEdHqcvksN06toiYHK-2SYnjJIbvdW_o_Os3alNVDLwKbn9KLO9lR39B9qCvtWw11laYeqqvQdaXI0VC4EbzXPW5nMXgFw0x962ZyPHQjyLEJ2eI/s259/3D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ePHwwLOoIwH0rY_AOAJbd0sUHgkQU2vw81oPbq85pW83dD_pt0eXJ6Wnf5sS4cdltmV5qBky18QTEdHqcvksN06toiYHK-2SYnjJIbvdW_o_Os3alNVDLwKbn9KLO9lR39B9qCvtWw11laYeqqvQdaXI0VC4EbzXPW5nMXgFw0x962ZyPHQjyLEJ2eI/w400-h300/3D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dude, it looks REAL! <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><p></p><p> </p><p>On the OTHER hand, the mixed feelings come into play, because of the nature of most of the Nintendo 64's games. The N64 represented a major jump for Nintendo, and gaming in general (along with the Sega Saturn and Sony Playstation), with 3D polygonal gaming largely replacing my beloved 2D, sprite based gaming. Now don't get me wrong, I like many 3D games. There's a few I even love, a small number of are certainly in my Top 20 or Top 30 games of all time. But by and large, I love, and prefer, 2D gaming. On the one hand, yes it is nostalgia, because I grew up with old arcade games, and computer games, and NES and Game Boy (and to a limited extent in my teens, SNES). <br /><br />But it isn't merely nostalgia. I also firmly believe, with lots of gaming experiences to back it up, that for the most part, 2D gaming not only tends to look (in general) more aesthetically pleasing (especially when it comes to the graphics aging) than 3D, but also tends to play better. In my experience, most especially when talking about a more "old school" experience, such as a side scrolling or "top down" perspective game, pretty much 100% of the time, 2D sprites both look, and generally handle/control much better than 3D polygons. Whether we're talking fighters, platformers, puzzle games, or even something like a "Zelda Type" adventure. For side scrollers of any sort, the 2D sprites always, ALWAYS have tighter controls and physics (that is, unless the developers were just REALLY awful, there are plenty of 2D games that play like shit because of simply bad programming or design).</p><p>In general, that was, and remains, my biggest gripe about the N64. For many, it seems to be the controller, which to be honest, yes, it looks funky, what with it's three prongs and centered analog stick. BUT, frankly, I think the N64 controller is mostly a good controller. It has comfortable and functional D-pad, buttons, L and R buttons, and a nicely placed analog and Z-trigger. Plus it's comfortable to hold, for the most part. The only thing I'll say is that the "C-buttons", which are most often meant for camera angles in many games, don't work amazingly for fighters (though they still get the job done). </p><p>But no, overall, I actually think that the 64 controller is generally MUCH better *GASP* than the seemingly beloved Gamecube controller. The only thing the GC has over the 64, in that regard, is a better/more durable analog stick. My actual, personal gripe with the system, however, was the lack of 2D games. 2D gaming was heavily abandoned on the Playstation as well, but it did still have many 2D games, include a few great ones (such as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night). The N64 on the other hand, only ever got a handful of 2D games, which I felt was a damn shame, both because I prefer 2D, and because with the system's power, there's a lot more they could have done with 2D that they just ignored. <br /><br />But ANYWAY, that's enough rambling. I do love the N64, but my feelings for it might best be described as being "bittersweet", because it represents to me both a time when I bought my first console for myself, and had a lot of fun with the system in general, while at the same time representing an era when most developers were mostly abandoning 2D gaming, because 3D was the new fad.<br /><br />Without more ado, here's the meat and potatoes of this piece, here are my favorite Nintendo 64 games:</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP87civiYTD6WqTfiR92raq4S257cv1xBWYyCNm1rV1qeDebDabdIamJaxd1vWGBdKNEQWBXnnhmQsm8YLHBB9yg-b1IA-S6cgcnwdg6TrbDCYUgkxueVYLGbShDtIsi7IHjm9zfkHnuR8zA8KRPlw-tTfg3tS-b_XoasH6VNrzZz1vdH0fTck-oyB9PE/s615/MK%20Bro.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="615" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP87civiYTD6WqTfiR92raq4S257cv1xBWYyCNm1rV1qeDebDabdIamJaxd1vWGBdKNEQWBXnnhmQsm8YLHBB9yg-b1IA-S6cgcnwdg6TrbDCYUgkxueVYLGbShDtIsi7IHjm9zfkHnuR8zA8KRPlw-tTfg3tS-b_XoasH6VNrzZz1vdH0fTck-oyB9PE/w400-h306/MK%20Bro.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b> 1 – Game: Mario Kart 64, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1997</b></p><p>When I really think about it, while there were N64 games that I arguably "liked more", or certainly ones I spent a lot more time playing by myself, there was no game I probably spent more total cumulative time with, nor a game I had a more complete experience and fun time playing, than Mario Kart 64. Which is funny, because I didn't even originally own a copy myself, my friends did. So I generally had to go to friends' houses to play it. But play it I/we did, a LOT. <br /> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjczRb5wmSl9D8bQVN1d-Oz3QlR0ktbtQIAUDrjjOluYQgtCqplDX9A8gq0qYrJskI4IAPuRh-84_HmlY8HJ_eTu-4l3lNzBjtNBGl0XsevSsM6aCox7TXUx_ab08g7a-e_IFI8_McgZjXjciYDuJ-WOAt2qnnyJc3RAzQ5b-lg-CyzAU6hQhPlxZ8x1s/s550/MK%20Dude.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjczRb5wmSl9D8bQVN1d-Oz3QlR0ktbtQIAUDrjjOluYQgtCqplDX9A8gq0qYrJskI4IAPuRh-84_HmlY8HJ_eTu-4l3lNzBjtNBGl0XsevSsM6aCox7TXUx_ab08g7a-e_IFI8_McgZjXjciYDuJ-WOAt2qnnyJc3RAzQ5b-lg-CyzAU6hQhPlxZ8x1s/w400-h320/MK%20Dude.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfection.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <b> <br /></b><p></p><p> </p><p>Now while the 3D polygonal graphics of the tracks certainly look "dated" and clunky by today's standards, make no mistake, I will go out on a limb to say that I think this game is THE best Mario Kart ever made. It's certainly MY personal favorite, and always will be. There is little about it that I don't love. Most of the tracks, with very few exceptions, are good, and classic. The 2D prerendered sprites for the racers (and items, etc) look great, animate well, and most importantly, in my view, CONTROL great. To this day I prefer the controls of these sprite racers, over the more floaty, slippery mechanics of all the polygon racers that followed. Granted, Super Circuit on the Game Boy Advance (another great MK entry) also used similar sprites, but there's just something about these 2D sprites on those 3D courses, that not only looks aesthetically cool, but also just, at least to me, control really well.</p><p>The game also, while it does indeed have that annoying "rubber band AI" that people complain about, in my view still has better balance than most MK games that followed it. The item selection is perfect, and even though the whole "if you're in first you got crappy items" mechanic is indeed a factor, I found over my long hours playing this over the years, that unlike most later Mario Karts, in 64 it is in fact possible to get so good at the actual racing part of things, that you can still have an edge and reliably win. Maybe not on 150cc, but that's another story. </p><p> </p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbM6ldgGgOLgbdJB1xSW5x1uKAzOTshg8tkrmvTEUrB473c8EzNBFILhjgGi2JUFKUY4yNU1aAEyNnIR2JJKMrGTec4ME1bbU2AFIGyauWISJ32txkrNf3HKx96XxFDRFXnDCDyHb7Zt5q1_VNkhA2Gc4XVoiNt0lqhifDWt4GlIg6N1x-XXBFrTLk2Y/s640/Block.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbM6ldgGgOLgbdJB1xSW5x1uKAzOTshg8tkrmvTEUrB473c8EzNBFILhjgGi2JUFKUY4yNU1aAEyNnIR2JJKMrGTec4ME1bbU2AFIGyauWISJ32txkrNf3HKx96XxFDRFXnDCDyHb7Zt5q1_VNkhA2Gc4XVoiNt0lqhifDWt4GlIg6N1x-XXBFrTLk2Y/w400-h300/Block.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easily the best thing Mario Kart ever gave us. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /> </p><p>But in addition to a majority of the racing tracks being good, the Battle Mode was absolutely ace. All four arena stages are good, but Block Fort, far and away, is THE best Battle Mode stage that Mario Kart has ever had. Nothing that has ever come out since tops it, not a damn one. Kinda like "The Facility" in Goldeneye, Block Fort is just a perfect stage, and much like that 007 battleground, my friends and I spent TONS of time duking it out amidst those colorful blocks. <br /><br />While I'm nostalgic for Mario Kart 64's music, that is another area that could have been better, specifically if, as I had wished even back then, the stages utilized versions of more recognizable Mario tunes, the music that is there is catchy. Overall, the game has a shit-ton going for it, and while I don't currently own a recent (IE Switch) Nintendo console, if they were ever to release an MK64 remake, done the RIGHT way, just enhancing the sprites, not making them polygonal racers (or items), but redoing the polygonal tracks as more elaborate versions of themselves? And of course give it online, don't add any items or new racers. Just straight up "Mario Kart 64 Deluxe"? I'd buy that immediately. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KcL6KU6zrglCMWo2v6FCLyLbS6BiPj7fB2pveW8WVZc9jxyRL7RIJjF1E8Ci2_HQA47orJHPVgH_XIGV7xnRLqFFFXgvMw8V3pzEeN1rW5_j6rOI3D6f70McNjZd9TCPtblGWStmjV6cUPLMLQVi5gvT-PkzbmyVBkeSwInyRJmq8IWdY0aW2-kATJ0/s904/Star%20Fox%20Bro.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="904" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KcL6KU6zrglCMWo2v6FCLyLbS6BiPj7fB2pveW8WVZc9jxyRL7RIJjF1E8Ci2_HQA47orJHPVgH_XIGV7xnRLqFFFXgvMw8V3pzEeN1rW5_j6rOI3D6f70McNjZd9TCPtblGWStmjV6cUPLMLQVi5gvT-PkzbmyVBkeSwInyRJmq8IWdY0aW2-kATJ0/w400-h304/Star%20Fox%20Bro.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><b> </b></p><p><b>2 – Game: Star Fox 64, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1997</b></p><p></p><p>It's somewhat of a tossup, as to whether my 2nd favorite N64 game is Ocarina of Time, which I technically bought the console for, and put quite a bit of time into, or Star Fox 64, which I didn't originally own myself. But I have to go with Star Fox, because while I loved Ocarina when it was new (in spite of some gripes), and it was mind blowing for its time, SF64 is a game I have, and still can, come back to time and again. Part of that, of course, is the nature of the game: blaze through a handful of stages, on a pathway through the game you choose, and if you're good you can beat the game in like an hour, during one of those playthroughs. So it's more pick up and play, and once you know the controls, arguably more readily accessible, than starting a new run of the daunting quest that is Zelda.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4CVeJqv4xHRGJIechO0I8Z6kVTKwaVnWGJH8W_DZuohciXjYLDecCfRFkwWWDcC9kY0tBG5kCrVlM-3xjS19Wc4XF1lwZrpdRHuL-9sQmAI34BFI1wR7djfQ-y3DPSpS58uQwOs6BawMitJrQTr12Pdw7WAbjZ__zQiFoQEH0a0b_aDYKoLabc7J-mk/s614/SF%20Blam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="614" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4CVeJqv4xHRGJIechO0I8Z6kVTKwaVnWGJH8W_DZuohciXjYLDecCfRFkwWWDcC9kY0tBG5kCrVlM-3xjS19Wc4XF1lwZrpdRHuL-9sQmAI34BFI1wR7djfQ-y3DPSpS58uQwOs6BawMitJrQTr12Pdw7WAbjZ__zQiFoQEH0a0b_aDYKoLabc7J-mk/w400-h299/SF%20Blam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do a barrel roll!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>But it's also the fact that the game is damn fun to play. Simple and uncomplicated in its own way, there are also nice little nuances, and plenty of hidden paths and things like that, to keep it interesting and fresh. For its time, especially considering it was essentially still part of that first wave of N64 titles, Star Fox was very impressive. The original SNES game, powered by that FX Chip magic, was already impressive a few years prior. But SF64 represented such a monumental leap over that, in every possible way. And it was actually developed by Nintendo, in-house, to boot. The graphics for the time were some of the best of that generation, and it was neat to hear the little sound-bites from the characters (even IF some of them wore on your nerves after awhile). </p><p>This was another game that "weird" N64 controller was seemingly tailor-made for, as well. The controls and in-game mechanics are smooth, and once you get a handle on things like barrel rolls and u-turns (in boss battles and dog fights anyway), it plays like a dream. To be perfectly honest, while I always appreciated its technical achievements, I was never really into the original Star Fox, though I know many people love it. But Star Fox 64, I can genuinely say, is easily in my Top 20 favorite games of all time, one of the few 3D games to hold that distinction. Not only that though, it's also my favorite 3D shooter, and favorite shooter game overall. <br /><br />I have been waiting, no joke, close to two and a half decades now, for Nintendo to make a proper follow up to this. They've played with my heart more than once, first with the deceptive Star Fox Armada on Gamecube, which I was initially thrilled for, because the trailer made it look EXACTLY like what I wanted in a sequel. Just more of the same but better, but then it turned out to be literally 80% lame "walk around on foot" missions, which is not what I want from Star Fox. And then years later, with Star Fox Zero, which while not a sequel like it should have been, it initially looked like a nice graphical remake/remix of SF64, which I was at least somewhat interested in, until it was revealed the crappy motion control scheme they came up with, was the ONLY control option. That just ruined it for me, so I didn't bother, and I've sadly still been waiting. Maybe one day. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9x1kqffe9rWQ62XfRGLtmXl3ebdZ8V-LN4IFGDB63akhiMqhJZ_tSvTbgf6ngQZHfpdGlOLThqlNyH0DXeQuqt0FoesE0h0I9qxFS8SKqs95bdjX9ghF68i8u9wOH2Cay5yqMnPJyoC3Uac63IAysQrIvk1freC_fevaZErnRa-gL7RD0GrmISRTRQRM/s396/Zelda%20Bro.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="396" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9x1kqffe9rWQ62XfRGLtmXl3ebdZ8V-LN4IFGDB63akhiMqhJZ_tSvTbgf6ngQZHfpdGlOLThqlNyH0DXeQuqt0FoesE0h0I9qxFS8SKqs95bdjX9ghF68i8u9wOH2Cay5yqMnPJyoC3Uac63IAysQrIvk1freC_fevaZErnRa-gL7RD0GrmISRTRQRM/w400-h300/Zelda%20Bro.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>3 – Game: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1998</b></p><p>This spot could have just as easily went to Goldeneye, by virtue of just how many hours over the years, that my friends and I put into playing the "Death Match" mode. But, the truth is, I was never very into the single player mode for 007, which is one of the several reasons I also chose Mario Kart 64 over it. Because I enjoy pretty much all of what MK64 has to offer. It also helps that, as previously stated, Ocarina of Time was pretty much THE reason I bought an N64 for myself, in the summer of 1998, with my first (real) summer job money. That, combined with just how into this game I was during my first playthrough, and how many hours I put in during that playthrough, it deserves to have this spot. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZhuKZlHWr2L2reVGG-35RwxlHf6RgTixCCuQtIArq_e-w3vcroWdGM73JbdQ8rw88aQIRMoJ2m6HaB6nAJBbU3X57Wiv0u9HKpf_5Yt8CwFyaSUHmnmWnlKbycIsw9RnsfT2AIHRNN2YDU6PPkGxKynWRr5vHulLXcTMj8QWUkSmpdpiWjVA069vthM/s400/Ocarina%20Bro.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="400" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZhuKZlHWr2L2reVGG-35RwxlHf6RgTixCCuQtIArq_e-w3vcroWdGM73JbdQ8rw88aQIRMoJ2m6HaB6nAJBbU3X57Wiv0u9HKpf_5Yt8CwFyaSUHmnmWnlKbycIsw9RnsfT2AIHRNN2YDU6PPkGxKynWRr5vHulLXcTMj8QWUkSmpdpiWjVA069vthM/w400-h280/Ocarina%20Bro.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gold standard of a generation.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>It is no small claim to say that Ocarina of Time was, arguably, THE game of its console generation. Mario 64 was incredibly impressive at launch, and games like Banjo-Kazooie, Perfect Dark, etc., arguably impressed more, at least graphically, from the N64 itself. And the Playstation for sure had several games of its own that could attempt to lay claim to such a lofty title. But I don't think there was a single game, on any platform during this span (let's say, 1996-2001), that was AS impressive, AS influential, AS complete, and AS epic, as this first 3D Zelda was. </p><p>For my own part, I was extremely hyped for it, as many were. I did, however, wind up being at least a BIT let down by the game, once I discovered that some of the hype for the game, in magazines years before its release, weren't entirely accurate. For instance, there were early interviews with the developers, which made it sound like the game world was going to be considerably bigger than it was, having several towns you could visit, ala Zelda 2, and other things like that. BUT, the game we did get, most especially at its time of release, was still ultra-impressive. The graphics, the mechanics, the controls, the 3D "camera" work, the varied areas you could explore. There are still tons of 3D games that come out, TODAY, all these years later, that don't play as well, as tightly and smoothly, as Ocarina did. Mario 64 and Ocarina were essentially the blueprint, of how to make GOOD 3D games. A blueprint many developers, even today with much greater resources and much more powerful hardware, still can't seem to match. </p><p>It needs to be said that Ocarina of Time is NOT my favorite Zelda game. That belongs to Link's Awakening, the original Game Boy version, which also happens to be my favorite Game Boy game. Ocarina isn't even my favorite 3D Zelda, as that belongs to Twilight Princess (the Gamecube version, or Wii U remake). I wasn't big on Wind Waker when it was revealed, and still wasn't upon trying to play it (even the HD version). But when Twilight Princess was unveiled a few years later, I about hit the roof, as it was more or less EXACTLY the Ocarina "sequel" (I wasn't big on Majora's Mask either), that I had wanted and been waiting years for. Even in the face of the nicer aspects of Breath of the Wild, Twilight Princess remains my favorite 3D Zelda. But for its own part, I still have a soft spot for Ocarina, it's a great game, and I will always cherish that first epic playthrough. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yPh6OQFphn6eIpQYkiiVh5LZQee31Sb-25HaDfBXwGnAPJiVClL5LiyVp6XGGLyy5RYlBZzJXsEw42Tn3R4b4t6l43TP8CceXRS_04En7GtHklAGQz685ka4HNZIkMsGrWDwU8MA0UEjnxokxMnJsOAZpUSjOVcbHTShl0G9dN8aFgDDSoqc8UN1fMg/s964/Bond%20Bro.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="964" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yPh6OQFphn6eIpQYkiiVh5LZQee31Sb-25HaDfBXwGnAPJiVClL5LiyVp6XGGLyy5RYlBZzJXsEw42Tn3R4b4t6l43TP8CceXRS_04En7GtHklAGQz685ka4HNZIkMsGrWDwU8MA0UEjnxokxMnJsOAZpUSjOVcbHTShl0G9dN8aFgDDSoqc8UN1fMg/w400-h299/Bond%20Bro.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>4 – Game: Goldeneye 007, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1997</b></p><p>Okay, so after name-dropping it multiple times in this article already, I think it's only fair to give it the #4 spot. To be clear, as single player experiences, and games in general, there are several other N64 games I enjoy more than this. But as I've said, that multiplayer "Death Match" mode, and the time my friends and I put into it, just by itself, even if there was no single player to speak of, would still likely put this at #4. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3fAWUiw8Y2kif5V5KFV8wDKF-s5bB9X1J5zZzv2CYv4TsU6ylFnAYnjUyMBIJ6UqNFF1hs2TS4H2pMAsi6yUsHXdFQKTRtiHXumdc1sufT7LikdFI2itYWzrS99Bz8FindASojiPRsULlq9Apsudha6t7647BInPdmx98LSuxo1xQY3Ri_u2MTXgXpI/s700/Bond%20Blam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="700" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3fAWUiw8Y2kif5V5KFV8wDKF-s5bB9X1J5zZzv2CYv4TsU6ylFnAYnjUyMBIJ6UqNFF1hs2TS4H2pMAsi6yUsHXdFQKTRtiHXumdc1sufT7LikdFI2itYWzrS99Bz8FindASojiPRsULlq9Apsudha6t7647BInPdmx98LSuxo1xQY3Ri_u2MTXgXpI/w400-h285/Bond%20Blam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The memories.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Goldeneye 007 on N64 was an odd duck, and a total surprise to most people. It started life as a (most likely 2D) game on the Super Nintendo, developed, oddly, by Rare, who had largely been known in those mid-90s years, for their Donkey Kong Country games on the SNES. Cute, bouncy, colorful. Them making a game based on James Bond, full of shooting and explosions and violence, was already at least slightly a head-scratcher. But then it got delayed, and moved over to the upcoming "Ultra 64" console, and I think most people didn't quite know what to make of the project. So it was going to be a game based on a movie, that by the time it came out was about two years old. But I sincerely doubt much of anyone, really predicted how good the game would actually wind up being. Much less that it would, in its own way, not only be one of THE smash hits of the Nintendo 64, but one of the most popular and talked about games of that generation, on any console. It's still talked about today, in fact, deservedly so.</p><p>To be clear, Goldeneye on N64 plays very well. It is very well designed, it controls well, has a great soundtrack, for its time it had impressive visuals, and on harder modes, there wasn't really another game, let alone another First Person Shooter (even on PC), that had as good of AI. It was basically down to Goldeneye and Turok 2 (both N64 games, Turok 2 I myself owned), as far as the two most visually impressive FPS games of the era, and the two with the best AI (meaning enemy programming, how "smart" they act, how they can try to out maneuver you, etc.). I myself was just never terribly into the single player mode. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAYoaSw_J2dFtGd8bccmw5HuULgFuIJOffPQSIRzCaP8eULdKsILvGDEhrxWI-YEObklWk-GvW6E6lf5Yl-9vkZ7wCIDYsbNCqcHeiH0xO1Bhr3B3fSv-1uzWwQvDBbOk3dgnGhMGtjkYxEGrpbgBOuw1aa1GofQFPZmvDTuFcX7arserGeVNLbULjaQ/s788/Odd.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="788" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAYoaSw_J2dFtGd8bccmw5HuULgFuIJOffPQSIRzCaP8eULdKsILvGDEhrxWI-YEObklWk-GvW6E6lf5Yl-9vkZ7wCIDYsbNCqcHeiH0xO1Bhr3B3fSv-1uzWwQvDBbOk3dgnGhMGtjkYxEGrpbgBOuw1aa1GofQFPZmvDTuFcX7arserGeVNLbULjaQ/w400-h400/Odd.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goddamn Oddjob.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /><br />But when it came to multiplayer Death Match? Especially once you unlocked the goodies? Hot damn! Our preference was playing it on "License to Kill" mode, which was one-hit deaths. It made it more frantic, but also, in our opinion, more fun. Death matches were significantly less fun to play, I think, when you had to whittle away at someone's life bar. But that was us, License to Kill, usually "Paintball Mode" (where the bullets made colorful paintball splashes), and while we tried them all over time, THE most played level by far, most people's favorite, was The Facility (based on the opening area in the film). I don't mind telling you that, while it certainly took me awhile to do so, we played this damn game so much, that I got QUITE good at it. My preferred method of play was basically just kamikaze, running around the stages, blasting people as I saw them. Though I did also master more subtle techniques, such as peaking around corners to pop someone sneakily, etc. </p><p>Oddly, I'm not a HUGE FPS fan, really. I like some of the classic "corridor" style shooters, such as Wolfenstein 3D, Doom (especially Doom 64), etc. And I did buy Turok 2 during my original N64 owning days in the late 90s, I'm pretty sure I even beat it. But in general, its not one of my favorite game genres. Which makes it all the more weird that I love Goldeneye (multiplayer) so much. As far as I'm concerned, Goldeneye 007 on N64 has THE best multiplayer "Death Match" mode of any FPS that has ever been made. Nothing has topped it, even with "improved" controls, more complex stage layouts, etc. I'm biased, of course, and all the fun I had through all those years, playing with my friends, certainly colors that opinion. But I also stand firmly by it, as it was, and remains, incredibly good.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJLZJh2FwHlBuQPeQ1U1p-u3YuW4adp8OHdp13y6X0hwMegfa1G24YThdZ6ca8J4z2dQKnCMpPSPGW8lJvI-c7OJlh1khjnqPwuY3xgXFHgdLP3Vy5xDaJ2TvyuKTwW_LY6ADDwtRnCo_sxDmNhjjPP0ZtPRg-1ddKKOcNyGgcIdaSca0FTK12BwZLBw/s2100/KI%20Bro.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1535" data-original-width="2100" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJLZJh2FwHlBuQPeQ1U1p-u3YuW4adp8OHdp13y6X0hwMegfa1G24YThdZ6ca8J4z2dQKnCMpPSPGW8lJvI-c7OJlh1khjnqPwuY3xgXFHgdLP3Vy5xDaJ2TvyuKTwW_LY6ADDwtRnCo_sxDmNhjjPP0ZtPRg-1ddKKOcNyGgcIdaSca0FTK12BwZLBw/w400-h293/KI%20Bro.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b> </b></p><p><b>5 – Game: Killer Instinct Gold, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1996</b></p><p>This game deserves a spot in the Top 5, purely based on how much I love, and was obsessed with at the time, the arcade version, Killer Instinct 2. KI2 is in my Top 5 favorite fighting games of all time. I liked the original Killer Instinct, in fact I was quite impressed by the graphics (being arcade, they naturally put even Donkey Kong Country to shame). But when KI2 came out, to me at least, everything about it was better, the stage songs, the graphics, the character lineup (almost), the tweaks in gameplay, you name it. I was decent at KI1, but I became, I don't mind saying, PRETTY good at KI2. One of the few fighters with an intricate combo system, where I actually managed to somewhat master said (arguably overly complicated) system. I put tons of time into KI2 at local arcades, and I'm still to this day PRETTY sure I was the first person to learn and use the code to play as the boss Gargos, in my town (I beat it with Gargos at a different arcade, later that evening). It's safe to say, this game was one of my teenage loves. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCwkSWAm3U-cC1bHMEulDG1nB1HckB743SfDRjDgc5-L3T9cgCZDrXpiRCwrn4r6qOb2JXHcEd8vRMS7AR1RNp7UK0GS0F3spoQEPiSVfLR_sas3KIVBUYfr063UEXrDiL10y5jsjRUN7aXQvpmqiVCzqr9tRc_jFCWiBKCJnzwqWtfnKj_SE9ByligM/s640/KI%20Gold.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCwkSWAm3U-cC1bHMEulDG1nB1HckB743SfDRjDgc5-L3T9cgCZDrXpiRCwrn4r6qOb2JXHcEd8vRMS7AR1RNp7UK0GS0F3spoQEPiSVfLR_sas3KIVBUYfr063UEXrDiL10y5jsjRUN7aXQvpmqiVCzqr9tRc_jFCWiBKCJnzwqWtfnKj_SE9ByligM/w400-h300/KI%20Gold.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My main man, Sabrewulf.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVv8oYn5JRuQBhAZyM10ESuhM7cF7R-xhjKt22lNgMMiEvuIRl6b41lZA6P6mgaqwn7lzQ5W9ha3-BJJSfcJ1vK7ayxtNxQNMPKL2xgbRUG629qcoP4b-tzoOjzP5KeZLDlpwR0vAXT4WdB6EcCPLw2iTMbs3uLjRWKCJDDaz39HDeKXMNl2Gdiy-k_cs/s600/KI2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="600" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVv8oYn5JRuQBhAZyM10ESuhM7cF7R-xhjKt22lNgMMiEvuIRl6b41lZA6P6mgaqwn7lzQ5W9ha3-BJJSfcJ1vK7ayxtNxQNMPKL2xgbRUG629qcoP4b-tzoOjzP5KeZLDlpwR0vAXT4WdB6EcCPLw2iTMbs3uLjRWKCJDDaz39HDeKXMNl2Gdiy-k_cs/w400-h306/KI2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KI2 arcade, for comparison.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>I played this game so much, that I made an effort to get OKAY, at least, with all of the characters. But I still had my handful of ones I was much better at than others. And none better than Sabrewulf, who was cool in KI1, but was bad ass in KI2. So the idea of a home version of the game, of course, was very enticing, especially because Rare had managed to do a pretty impressive "down port" job of the original Killer Instinct, on the 16-bit SNES. I practically drooled, imagining how close to the arcade KI2 could be on the ULTRA powerful Nintendo 64, right? </p><p>Originally, when KI1 came out, it (along with the original Cruis'n USA racing game, which DID wind up coming to the system), was announced as "Coming Soon, for the Ultra 64". But the console was delayed, and they ultimately decided to port KI1 to the SNES (and Game Boy), instead. So then its sequel, KI2, was supposed to get ported to the N64 instead, which was fine by me, because as stated, I wound up liking the sequel way more. The problem is, the advanced graphic techniques they used for the stages in KI1 AND 2, were something the N64 hardware just couldn't do, even as powerful as it was. They were basically a form of FMV (Full Motion Video), which would have been un-doable, even on a CD based system of the era. So instead of just doing simpler static rendered versions of stages, like they did with KI1 on SNES, Rare decided to redo all of the stages as fully 3D polygons, instead. The action is still taking place on a 2D side scrolling plane, but it allowed, I guess they thought, for smoother sense of camera zoom and background rotation for certain stages. <br /><br />Because of the cart size, they also left out (while it could have been included), the FMV winning animations, attract mode clips, and character endings. Things like the lack of FMV bits, and the 3D stages, were let downs, for sure. Far moreso, however, had been Rare's hints that the characters who had been cut from KI1 for the arcade sequel (Riptor, Cinder, Chief Thunder, and perhaps even the boss, Eyedol), would be included as redone versions of themselves, for the N64 version. I personally looked forward to that a lot. But those characters were nowhere to be found, and in general, the release was pretty light on content. HOWEVER, all that said, while it wasn't as good as I feel it could/should have been, it IS still a pretty damn good port of one of my favorite arcade games of all time. And while, surprisingly, I never tried to buy my own copy back then, I still enjoyed playing it when I rented it. <br /><br />I'll admit, if it wasn't for how much I adore the arcade version, KI Gold might not be as high on this list. But as it is, my love demands I give KI Gold its due, warts and all. </p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qG-PtxdcSTzzhNOlOk3L7ckYj05U5tGe7FaYVf_wuvU-oxKLgvwC12O4Fn53TvgVCXPbbOvmWHThmdgm7MdjpKSEwlnXiQL0WEcWE4bXPYHpyurtWtokKFXSgpXj_aEjHgW7gluYPNIVMlmszv2Cb-G2YU9tfMC_irSG58H46CAgTUo2wkYe8VDn3jo/s368/WM%202000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="368" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qG-PtxdcSTzzhNOlOk3L7ckYj05U5tGe7FaYVf_wuvU-oxKLgvwC12O4Fn53TvgVCXPbbOvmWHThmdgm7MdjpKSEwlnXiQL0WEcWE4bXPYHpyurtWtokKFXSgpXj_aEjHgW7gluYPNIVMlmszv2Cb-G2YU9tfMC_irSG58H46CAgTUo2wkYe8VDn3jo/w400-h289/WM%202000.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>6 – Game: WWF Wrestlemania 2000, Publisher: THQ, Originally Released: 1999</b></p><p>This one gets the #6 spot over anything else, purely by virtue of just how much time I put into it. Out of all the N64 games I played, I almost certainly put more hours into this than anything else, at one point in time. Anyone who's been reading RR long enough, knows that I'm a pro wrestling fan, and for many years, starting around 1996 onward, I was a huge WWF fan. More than anything else because of <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2012/10/dreams-in-darkness-visions-of-phenom.html">The Undertaker.</a> When I first bought my N64 in Summer '98, the very first game I actually bought and owned, was another wrestler, WWF War Zone, by Acclaim. They had the WWF license before THQ acquired it, and put out two games themselves: Warzone, and Attitude. And while I certainly put some time into War Zone, while waiting for Ocarina of Time launch date, I never loved it. The gameplay is somewhat wonky, the controls to do moves play out more like a fighting game, which doesn't really work well for a 3D wrestler. Plus the roster and "Create a Wrestler" features were limited. There just wasn't much to the game. So when THQ, former makers of WCW (World Championship Wrestling) games got the WWF license, and came out with Wrestlemania 2000? It was a breath of fresh air.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wAYadnX6ED344G0BNxgpr_O3VBnNFuAPA-B-wCD_SNahNHzCilTKkVq62zNOi0ukaim5Ri34vv5SXggPMrxWrlJ7PGCgzTMDTMjc6EJRRT8t8raqMnIye7AKvcODeQ5V96KMwAK2LeI8QcqCMvBXhg_S9l-TiAo51kdLOmbC_tTID8Si3avmb8jle-A/s640/Taker.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wAYadnX6ED344G0BNxgpr_O3VBnNFuAPA-B-wCD_SNahNHzCilTKkVq62zNOi0ukaim5Ri34vv5SXggPMrxWrlJ7PGCgzTMDTMjc6EJRRT8t8raqMnIye7AKvcODeQ5V96KMwAK2LeI8QcqCMvBXhg_S9l-TiAo51kdLOmbC_tTID8Si3avmb8jle-A/w400-h300/Taker.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Main Man, The Phenom, The Undertaker.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>While there was a time, a few years down the road, after I had gotten ahold of another N64 (sold mine like an idiot, long story), I would go on to probably put in the majority of my time with WM 2000, but I still definitely put in the hours back in 1999/2000, when I owned it new. Compared to War Zone, the game just had SO much more going on, so much more going for it. Better graphics, better (and more) music, simpler and more fun gameplay, a bigger roster, better gameplay modes (including a great "Season" mode), and a MUCH more robust "Create-a-Wrestler" mode. Hell, I spent HOURS just making my own custom wrestlers, let alone playing the Season mode. <br /><br />While I did play Wrestlemania with friends, most of them weren't really into wrestling, so this was far more of a "Me by myself in my room" type of game, which suited me just fine. We had rented one or two of the WCW games previously, in our quest to rent practically every other title that came out. But somehow, while they basically played the same as this, I just didn't get into them. But I was a big WWF fan, and this game struck my fancy, hard. In that "few years later" period, I even put in QUITE a bit of time (see: wasting time like an expert), trying to "update" the game, so that it better fit WWF/E circa 2003, versus 1999 when this came out. That meant going in and altering or erasing certain wrestlers no longer on the roster, and trying to create ones that now were (or that I wanted to be there, in some cases). Like I said, I put a LOT of time into this game. <br /><br />It certainly isn't my favorite N64 game, and while I had some real fun with it, I don't LOVE it. It hasn't aged super well, mainly because of slower, clunkier gameplay ("Here Comes the Pain" on PS2 has aged better). BUT, I'll always have fondness and nostalgia for this game, because of what it meant to me back then, and how much I played it. Oh, and on one final note, while THQ came out with another N64 WWF game, No Mercy, which many people seem to regard as the "better" game, as someone who owned and played both, I am here to tell you: it really isn't. All around, WM 2000 is the better game. <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5j3An1uIYnvRqnQAmq8vH2IUNIMqxCVyxVY1deUwi4AAIV0MdNfhPeBxK0Ad85FBOC_yc-c0cJA3Mo8CJVv1ittjyXhjwbIIBF8BTEQE0Nl3V0s9RuW8sxffBECDjgX5rUdIG3XrHic9KKrMAdHIBzSFjJuVN-17XTSQp_0NSYpUaJwrK99wdvEQVHj0/s900/Wace%20Race%20Bro.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="900" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5j3An1uIYnvRqnQAmq8vH2IUNIMqxCVyxVY1deUwi4AAIV0MdNfhPeBxK0Ad85FBOC_yc-c0cJA3Mo8CJVv1ittjyXhjwbIIBF8BTEQE0Nl3V0s9RuW8sxffBECDjgX5rUdIG3XrHic9KKrMAdHIBzSFjJuVN-17XTSQp_0NSYpUaJwrK99wdvEQVHj0/w400-h275/Wace%20Race%20Bro.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><b> </b></p><p><b>7 – Game: Wave Race 64, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1996</b></p><p>Now, out of all the early N64 games that I got to play at my friend's house, long before I owned my own system, the one game that REALLY "wowed" me, was Wave Race. I had never gotten to play the (now sadly pretty obscure) original Game Boy title, which is a top down racer, similar to the old Micro Machines games. But this game was a whole different beast, trading in "Wave Runner" boats for Jet Skis, and very realism-based, trick based gameplay. But while the gameplay and in-game water physics were (and still are) very impressive, the thing that "wowed" me about this game, was the graphics. I hadn't seen water as realistically presented in a video game prior to this, nobody had. It moved with realistic fluidity, it looked and moved like water (mostly wilder coastal ocean water) should. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapRgSu3RYFIAr3XkHlYqlqMnp0HiOjI0PtEFtpQ1odKjHKWIcY-dkjgqoeoqceyyQRu9aOKxXhoelbzrRgL3mmGO7bJYkYO5fNMB-FtTz3MVJ7xdfByoz4QDbzRrkOUZmhp77pioycL2LPaHmFxDK8TkXTIv5tmJJ2UpuPatbCSr5nl5ZApwydw9j9hc/s785/Wave%20DUDE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="785" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapRgSu3RYFIAr3XkHlYqlqMnp0HiOjI0PtEFtpQ1odKjHKWIcY-dkjgqoeoqceyyQRu9aOKxXhoelbzrRgL3mmGO7bJYkYO5fNMB-FtTz3MVJ7xdfByoz4QDbzRrkOUZmhp77pioycL2LPaHmFxDK8TkXTIv5tmJJ2UpuPatbCSr5nl5ZApwydw9j9hc/w400-h266/Wave%20DUDE.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those waves, though.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>I've never been a HUGE "graphics guy". I like and appreciate good graphics, and it's always nicer to have a pretty game than a plain or ugly one. But at the end of the day, I have always cared far more about gameplay. And I'm happy to report, that Wave Race 64's gameplay, is, in the immortal words of Bill & Ted, "MOST Excellent!" But those graphics? For 1996/7, while the racers were blocky, there wasn't a prettier game in terms of lighting, or environmental/weather/water effects. There's even a serene "duck pond" type stage, with totally still waters, that reflect all the action like a mirror. It was all just super, SUPER impressive.<br /><br />I didn't play this game a TON, as in I never bought it for myself, regardless of how much I liked it, and we only rented the once, I think. But I loved it, and tried my best to beat it. I would, of course, later come to own it, and its gorgeous (for the time especially) early 2000s Gamecube sequel, "Blue Storm". The GC game was basically more of the same, just prettier, with some tighter gameplay and a few new tracks. Wave Race certainly isn't for everyone, out of all my friends who played, I enjoyed it the most, I'm the one who "got it". Some were thrown off by the water physics and gameplay, which takes a bit of getting used to. But to me, this and the GC sequel are two of the most unique, fun racing games ever made. And much like Star Fox 64, I've been waiting for them to put out another Wave Race, for many years now. Maybe someday. But that water better be STUPEFYING! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ9BoIytS7FpU3GwNfu2TSDVoBnqvOSaHPL55s7RNPYFrL0wI2YTyCRvHFghfFzvYeDQDQ-r5jVbt8aS7uFA7XdTYSEH5j2WNlvOujPLD7aWxz8hUovAElXUaPnpaV8akOmli43BHH-glyGPbjm5VXKskbXw3_XRYmMA7DLihtUazzKjlsI9b6-YGlvt8/s1440/Mischief.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ9BoIytS7FpU3GwNfu2TSDVoBnqvOSaHPL55s7RNPYFrL0wI2YTyCRvHFghfFzvYeDQDQ-r5jVbt8aS7uFA7XdTYSEH5j2WNlvOujPLD7aWxz8hUovAElXUaPnpaV8akOmli43BHH-glyGPbjm5VXKskbXw3_XRYmMA7DLihtUazzKjlsI9b6-YGlvt8/w400-h300/Mischief.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>8 – Game: Mischief Makers, Publisher: Enix/Nintendo, Originally Released: 1997</b></p><p>This game makes it onto the list for two reasons. The first being, that it was, again, one of the few N64 games I actually owned, so I put a fair bit of time into it, even eventually beat it. The other being, that it was (sadly) one of only like TWO 2D side scrolling games the console ever got! A fact that, as I've already stated, I disliked and lamented about the system. With this game, I feel like perhaps my friend and I rented it first, and having tried it, I liked it enough to later spend the $$$ on it myself. I had access to spending cash as a teen, but I had to REALLY want something to save up and spend like $60 dollars on it. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5xlt0-Rtasj1UTc2ggpbDQpc8QRtzqYMC5KGUwS_M2wHex-jQcuZuwvy4dulzps52qlbcV4M9oUN9VgSNeMcK4VcpgH38P8GDueLsuPhGPC8fIpdGmGM5yVTnb1biJmsf91VQPQ3MmCyEn6DgHN5da-w8yyKl_GkLjXlHKIPUyxEW4KZx1Q0nFoiWEBQ/s760/Mischief%20Bro.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="760" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5xlt0-Rtasj1UTc2ggpbDQpc8QRtzqYMC5KGUwS_M2wHex-jQcuZuwvy4dulzps52qlbcV4M9oUN9VgSNeMcK4VcpgH38P8GDueLsuPhGPC8fIpdGmGM5yVTnb1biJmsf91VQPQ3MmCyEn6DgHN5da-w8yyKl_GkLjXlHKIPUyxEW4KZx1Q0nFoiWEBQ/w400-h301/Mischief%20Bro.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SHAKE, SHAKE!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Developed by the great Treasure, makers of such 2D gems as McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure and Gunstar Heroes on Sega Genesis, among others, Mischief Makers is an incredibly odd, quirky game. Like its Nintendo-developed cousin, Yoshi's Story (the only OTHER 2D side scroller on the system), Makers utilizes pre-rendered 2D sprite graphics, specially shaded 2D sprites that give it a "three dimensional" look, akin to Donkey Kong Country or Killer Instinct. In Makers' case specifically, in certain levels, as well as for boss encounters, these 2D sprites were married with 3D polygonal elements, giving it a unique, hybrid look. </p><p>I would not say that Mischief Makers is the BEST game in the world, but it is fun, once you get the hang of the weird gameplay. Said gameplay is centered around the heroine Marina's ability to grab things, shake them, and throw them, as well as grabbing onto certain objects to boost herself through the air. Marina is a robot, whose creator, Professor Theo, has been kidnapped by aliens from the planet Clancer. It just so happens in trying to rescue the Professor, Marina also winds up helping to free the oppressed Clancer people (who look a little bit like Shy Guys from Super Mario Bros. 2), from tyrannical rule. <br /><br />As I said, I put a fair bit of time into this game, and there were certain levels that were a blast, while there were others that were puzzling or specifically difficult, especially later on. But I eventually beat the game, and while I don't think I "100 percented it", I did manage to 100% many stages. While it's hardly my favorite game on the console, I look back on this game with fondness and nostalgia, and will always wish the system had more of its like. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6stMcEljGVyowlg8hRKgSbOC8fSCWWfacTISZKeL4CWwTOl4dC-Ej3sfNf60yIkU57gQjhQ2E6LBcU6Lz3PSaeg_RNL53TPUSv0idv_XvumP21CHQu86NI9xgxNGZlJvwtqhePVw0Lu_LFIy7eHXidsPXPsDsDQSO7ff1Cv7OGOCchxua46N-2yI3uWs/s2102/Box%20Bro.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1479" data-original-width="2102" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6stMcEljGVyowlg8hRKgSbOC8fSCWWfacTISZKeL4CWwTOl4dC-Ej3sfNf60yIkU57gQjhQ2E6LBcU6Lz3PSaeg_RNL53TPUSv0idv_XvumP21CHQu86NI9xgxNGZlJvwtqhePVw0Lu_LFIy7eHXidsPXPsDsDQSO7ff1Cv7OGOCchxua46N-2yI3uWs/w400-h281/Box%20Bro.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b>9 – Game: Beetle Adventure Racing, Publisher: Electronic Arts, Originally Released: 1999</b></p><p>Yet another game that I never owned when it was new (and I had my original 64 console), but rather rented at my friend's house, I nonetheless loved this game enough, that it merits inclusion among my favorite N64 games. On the surface, you wouldn't think, me never having been much of a "car guy", that I would care about a racing game centered around a specific kind of car. But I did care about it, and wound up loving it, for a couple of key reasons. The first reason being, that I had previously played, and quite enjoyed, the first couple of Need For Speed racers on the Playstation, and this was developed by the same company, Electronic Arts. In fact it was the only EA racer the N64 ever got (I'm fairly sure), and the closest thing to a NFS game the system would get. The second being, that while it is indeed, conceptually, a product tie-in game with a specific car brand/model, the development team went wild with it. Meaning it isn't merely a by the numbers, realistic racer. Instead, its a bit more of an "arcade" affair, and where the tracks are concerned, the team used a lot of creativity and imagination, planting oddball things like UFOs and even Dinosaurs, on certain tracks. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zhMOessMseWwfy_up-3qCfNlupQrQxjQUIQDqtQLaIxfeoP_7vokmwNn-Q47m0WFo32Qv6SK5ZufZM6MF8DbATFE4zpt5GEVWHpepmoRm6glBIYB_T3uZ6lGE9_KuRZhkkvBrYmiYZyFjzohEi6s5wvX8FSnIpu0TjNKCboP6oDrVniT0gCkwfQVIOA/s1162/Beetle%20Bro.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1162" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zhMOessMseWwfy_up-3qCfNlupQrQxjQUIQDqtQLaIxfeoP_7vokmwNn-Q47m0WFo32Qv6SK5ZufZM6MF8DbATFE4zpt5GEVWHpepmoRm6glBIYB_T3uZ6lGE9_KuRZhkkvBrYmiYZyFjzohEi6s5wvX8FSnIpu0TjNKCboP6oDrVniT0gCkwfQVIOA/w400-h300/Beetle%20Bro.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They're so cute!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The German car maker, Volkswagon, had introduced the "New Beetle" model in 1997, and in the late 90s they were all the rage. Hence EA getting the license to make a game centered around them, as they would go on to do for Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed, which centered around the Porsche line of cars. As an odd aside, in Australia only, this game was called HSV Adventure Racing, replacing Volkswagon New Beetles with the Australian-made Holden brand of cars. But everywhere ELSE it was released, it used the New Beetles, and to great effect I might add. You might think that only being able to choose one model of car in a racing game, would feel limiting and somewhat lame. But in this, it works, because there are still a variety of Beetles, so to speak, each with their own stats and such. The ultimate car you can unlock, is an "Alien Beetle" of sorts, which is the fastest car, and has a "far out" metallic paint-job, with colors that seem to swirl and change. I also seem to remember being able to unlock a Beetle Cop Car, which was hilarious. </p><p>As for the game itself, typical with the Need For Speed games of the day, it had smooth gameplay, that focused less on realistic racing physics, and more on fun, "arcade-y" gameplay. The game features different circuits, Novice, Advanced and Professional, with a fourth Bonus circuit being unlocked after you beat the other three. Each time you beat a circuit, more cars and tracks would be unlocked. The game was two player in the racing mode, but also featured four player gameplay in a very Mario Kart inspired Battle Mode, which itself was decent fun, though certainly weird. The game featured a pretty good soundtrack for the N64, and all of the tracks were very creative, stylized and individualistic. Basically every track featured at least one alternate, often hidden route you could take, which would help give you an advantage. Those hidden routes also often featured weird stuff that would seemingly come out of nowhere, such as racing past the aforementioned UFO, hidden in an icy cave in the snowy Ski Resort track. <br /><br />All in all, for a system that had a wealth of racers, I consider Beetle Adventure Racing to be, not only one of the top racers on the system, but one of the top games on the system, period. It's a blast to play, and one I would highly recommend (as I would, naturally, any game on this list).</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnqGxGj1TzE41fztgrGHIqnbNodUut_xeeFy0rvDygOVD2E_iVsNkiMpFtAGkm3xn3YuSaZTcywLzMeGY4kt493HOz7PxGQBf0zdNxOS3hM9zTzPedLCQGGkTl4VwGyk-xLjYW2SnzSImuCcaJ0ZgXF3M1LWQmB6ZmV59BcfmmVqH8nvDTqxo-bMroxk/s800/Tetris%20Bro.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="800" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnqGxGj1TzE41fztgrGHIqnbNodUut_xeeFy0rvDygOVD2E_iVsNkiMpFtAGkm3xn3YuSaZTcywLzMeGY4kt493HOz7PxGQBf0zdNxOS3hM9zTzPedLCQGGkTl4VwGyk-xLjYW2SnzSImuCcaJ0ZgXF3M1LWQmB6ZmV59BcfmmVqH8nvDTqxo-bMroxk/w400-h283/Tetris%20Bro.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>10 – Game: Tetrisphere, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1997 <br /></b></p><p>Another of the handful of games I actually owned myself. We rented Tetris for NES when I was a kid, and while my grandmother was semi-obsessed with puzzle games, especially Dr. Mario, for some reason she never bought Tetris. But, we did of course get it, when she got me a Game Boy for Christmas 1993. Another case where it was MY gift, but she would "borrow" it often, so she could sit at the dining room table and play Tetris. <br /><br />Tetris has never been my TOP favorite puzzler, that'd be the Bust a Move games, or Yoshi on NES, but I've always enjoyed it. And it's entirely possible, that my favorite version of the game, outside of that GB original I owned as a kid, is in fact the oddball 3D Tetrisphere on Nintendo 64! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP55rADxu41UFUJhGwNqOlZavv4Q7-Ka3YN5QCGdXHbEELhd9u2gFmoRqbOz08_W81rqR49Wy5bRLwXHb65tjlwydVV2Uv7JB4VG7audqAXQHEUsxXVBu4zmG0iS0-D8b640F56sP7BHB9WJztPb6jHpIQ20QDpUYzleEvkRqe8kXDv9nLoZ6B22w2Q4E/s640/Tetris%20Yo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP55rADxu41UFUJhGwNqOlZavv4Q7-Ka3YN5QCGdXHbEELhd9u2gFmoRqbOz08_W81rqR49Wy5bRLwXHb65tjlwydVV2Uv7JB4VG7audqAXQHEUsxXVBu4zmG0iS0-D8b640F56sP7BHB9WJztPb6jHpIQ20QDpUYzleEvkRqe8kXDv9nLoZ6B22w2Q4E/w400-h300/Tetris%20Yo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tetromino MADNESS!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As you can see above, three dimensional, "spherical" Tetris, is a very different beast than its classic predecessor. BUT, while it's definitely more involved and complex on the surface, at its core, it's still the same basic idea: you have to connect pieces of the same shape, to make them disappear, so you can clear the board. This is more complicated than merely making unbroken lines to clear them, but the focus is still on clearing the playing field, like most Tetris-inspired puzzle games. There are other bells and whistles added to the mix, such as special items which have different effects on the pieces, and the game does also still feature a 2-player versus mode.</p><p>Perhaps the most stand-out thing about the game, however, is actually the soundtrack. The gameplay is unique, and fun once you get the hang of it. It's a game that really makes you think. And the graphics, for the time, were quite fancy. But the soundtrack, especially for the N64, a system that made liberal use of "midi" audio, is a lively techno score, composed by Neil Voss. The music alone earned this game notice, and won it awards, but in general, as far as I know, Tetrisphere was a decent seller for the system. I would certainly recommend it as one of the standout titles people should try. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6OOUinVRDwzI9mkaLykKRFmTJdrQ1x9rkv7Jbv1pLUsBjmdvyvWXtt0WQxA1CybwnFxFvT7Fv-mqZbhvz1wrCb0fhQZk-LMss41DMx62bMOdUX73c-_vzhTdnwBg_Ru7UtDytRrfp_raPkwMDm05-FZEUAS-kyjfgMoXMvfsqZqSIVlJk0Q7P6wQS_90/s492/Kirby%20BRo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="492" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6OOUinVRDwzI9mkaLykKRFmTJdrQ1x9rkv7Jbv1pLUsBjmdvyvWXtt0WQxA1CybwnFxFvT7Fv-mqZbhvz1wrCb0fhQZk-LMss41DMx62bMOdUX73c-_vzhTdnwBg_Ru7UtDytRrfp_raPkwMDm05-FZEUAS-kyjfgMoXMvfsqZqSIVlJk0Q7P6wQS_90/w400-h293/Kirby%20BRo.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><b>11 – Game: Kirby 64, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 2000 </b></p><p>I had intended to do a traditional "Top 10" for this list, but I decided to add a bonus game to the mix, as it's one that I feel deserves mention. Kirby 64 was, and is, a mixed bag for me, for a couple of reasons. For one thing, as I've mentioned before, while I like many 3D games, I am and always will be far more a fan of 2D gaming, and 2D sprite-based graphics. That goes double for certain games/series, such as Mega Man, Adventure Island, Castlevania, and Metroid. Games that I feel not only look, but FEEL better as truly 2D side scrollers. The same goes, in my view, for Kirby. So the fact that Kirby 64, while remaining a side scroller at heart, was jumping into the "third dimension" graphically, was not my favorite move on HAL Laboratory's part. <br /><br />Mind you, for 2000, Kirby 64 features quite nice graphics, and the cut scenes especially, frankly look on par with many Sega Dreamcast games (a new, more powerful console at the time of this game's release). But I also couldn't help but think how much better nice, even pre-rendered "3D looking" sprites would have looked, instead of blocky, clunky polygons. I think it would have at least been a nice touch, to have 2D sprites for the characters, but if they wanted to keep that "2.5D" approach to level design, the stages could remain polygons. But I digress.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZ23paPi7JXPIfXb9KRL-KdWC3m2v4TxSoi0qpzlCtkmpLk1bcLwbeJ0_JeZaYeNOsJPHkPQ5wR1qtlYkLcNsniPWbAsj9sybwzc2Vh5ck21fudvlb9J80A7Z0lL8FIVlB7uPvi6n9tuowmIxwBkHPuXRMnFTMUMuAQPQvHHgCe_44FrhkGEtTv2HGWU/s596/Kirby%20Yo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="596" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZ23paPi7JXPIfXb9KRL-KdWC3m2v4TxSoi0qpzlCtkmpLk1bcLwbeJ0_JeZaYeNOsJPHkPQ5wR1qtlYkLcNsniPWbAsj9sybwzc2Vh5ck21fudvlb9J80A7Z0lL8FIVlB7uPvi6n9tuowmIxwBkHPuXRMnFTMUMuAQPQvHHgCe_44FrhkGEtTv2HGWU/w400-h290/Kirby%20Yo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Probably my favorite stage, just for the pretty Fall look. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As stated, the game takes a "2.5D" approach, similar to Playstation games of the era like Pandemonium and Klonoa, where you still move on a restricted "2D" side scrolling plane, but the stages themselves are 3D polygons, and many of them will move in 3D around you, taking you down curving and winding paths, etc. Otherwise, the gameplay is still basic Kirby: you waddle along, jump or float through stages, and encounter enemies, that you can either swallow whole, shoot as stars at other enemies/objects, or in some cases, you can steal their powers. It must be said, that my least favorite aspect of this game, aside from the general slowness compared to other 2D Kirbies, is the fact that for some insane reason (I suppose to manufacture a bit more challenge), HAL decided to make Kirby only be able to float for a limited time. That's right, once you've been floating around for a few seconds, Kirby will get tired, start struggling, and ultimately fall out of the sky. This wouldn't be THAT much of an issue, if this wasn't literally the only Kirby game (that I know of), where that happens. Every other traditional 2D Kirby, you can float to your heart's content. </p><p>But in the POSITIVE column, while I did feel that this Kirby was a bit lesser compared to entries like the Kirby's Dreamland games, Kirby Super Star, or especially my beloved (3rd favorite game of all time) NES entry, Kirby's Adventure, HAL did make one other addition that is far more substantial, and is honestly the highlight of the game. And that is, the "Power Combo" feature. Kirby's Adventure introduced Kirby's Mega Man-like ability to copy enemy's powers, but Kirby 64 decided to up the ante, and allow you to capture a power from one enemy, throw it at another, and combine two powers to make a new ability! There are basic power types, that can be combined: flame, ice, rock, blade, electric, bomb, and spike. You can even "double up" on a power type, IE double bomb that makes you shoot rockets, or double flame, etc. <br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /><br /> </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnddi2CAuAkzqI-yi6XaTinvxJvuSxcX6gT2yMVqJGOEPqfuBgdVMB5xYfWUFpF7mLho1n3dN9aQWm2BpqKo8AHHFA38p6jQWdwuaYWpK53pwBi5ZvJlT2VNO5VgHfK5u1HyqPMXRhpE0Iow4sFsoTxVeBCUYYoFMNZzMCb41jncmufe_j-KzZWEkk7c/s395/Darth.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnddi2CAuAkzqI-yi6XaTinvxJvuSxcX6gT2yMVqJGOEPqfuBgdVMB5xYfWUFpF7mLho1n3dN9aQWm2BpqKo8AHHFA38p6jQWdwuaYWpK53pwBi5ZvJlT2VNO5VgHfK5u1HyqPMXRhpE0Iow4sFsoTxVeBCUYYoFMNZzMCb41jncmufe_j-KzZWEkk7c/w365-h400/Darth.png" width="365" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's Darth Kirby!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </p><p> </p><p>And some of those Combo powers are quite memorable, such as an electric field you wield like a lasso, to slam a giant boulder around, to smash enemies. Or a giant flaming blade you can swing around. Or turning yourself into an explosive snowman. Or Kirby becoming an explosive, blasting firework sparks at enemies. Or throwing ninja stars that seemingly teleport straight to an enemy, then explode. Or turning into ice skating Kirby, where you blade over/through enemies. Or turning yourself into stone sculptures of the animal friends from Dreamland 2, each with their own sub-abilities (wall climb, floating, etc.). But I think perhaps the two most memorable, for different reasons, are turning Kirby into a refrigerator, which throws out food that not only kills enemies, but you can also eat to refill your health. And as you can see above, probably the "coolest" one, is Kirby becoming a Sith Lord (not literally), and wielding a dual bladed Light Saber, ala Darth Maul from Star Wars! <br /><br />Not the best Kirby, by any stretch, and certainly it has its flaws. But Kirby 64 is still a very fun game, and for its time, late in the N64's lifespan, it was nice to get a high quality, yet also nice "throwback" type of game. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> *******************************<br /></p><p><br /></p><p>So there you have it, my Top 10 (11) favorite Nintendo 64 games! The system is hardly my favorite, by any means, for reasons I discussed early on. In fact if I were pressed, I might very well name the Game Boy Advance my fourth favorite system overall, behind the NES, SNES and Game Boy. But maybe the 64 is my fifth favorite? I'd have to ask the Turbo Grafx 16 about that. But either way, as I said at the beginning, the N64 is a system I will always have some nostalgia for, and look back fondly on. Because even though I don't like the hasty abandonment of 2D gaming it represented (which thankfully the GBA kept going in spades), it was the first system I ever was able to buy myself, and my friends and I had a lot of fun over those late 90s years, trying out and playing various 64 titles. I'll always look back on many of those times, and smile. <br /><br />And the library has a lot to check out, beyond my own personal favorites. Below are some honorable mentions, of other 64 games I rather enjoyed. As always, if you've never tried any of these, give some a whirl, you'll be glad you did!<br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Honorable Mentions:<br /><br />Mario 64 </p><p>Cruis'n World </p><p>Bomberman 64 </p><p>Bomberman Hero</p><p>Bust a Move 2</p><p>Turok 2</p><p>Chameleon Twist 2</p><p> F-Zero X<br /></p><p>\Doom 64</p><p>NBA Hangtime </p><p> Mortal Kombat Trilogy</p><p>Extreme G</p><p>Clayfighter: Sculptor's Cut </p><p>Body Harvest</p><p>Castlevania "64"/ Legacy of Darkness</p><p>Rampage: World Tour</p><p>Robotron 64</p><p>Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire</p><p>The New Tetris</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98-9aHzSZRWLpG81cwlSomUpbM0hZizdAKVLNt4u-6T1DZVymFc1jMY6_V0Uuj2o8HGfLKOY3UtqKOC8SbW_X4tX7Jhy_laqMylynaELSJ2-aUcSyHwyCYTAL6mdNCtML0lwCsZ2Bby4SlPDyQMlPd5hRCqepDLplQLgwO7QHkboay_WMpCoSe7g4Pq8/s1400/logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1400" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98-9aHzSZRWLpG81cwlSomUpbM0hZizdAKVLNt4u-6T1DZVymFc1jMY6_V0Uuj2o8HGfLKOY3UtqKOC8SbW_X4tX7Jhy_laqMylynaELSJ2-aUcSyHwyCYTAL6mdNCtML0lwCsZ2Bby4SlPDyQMlPd5hRCqepDLplQLgwO7QHkboay_WMpCoSe7g4Pq8/w400-h286/logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-9688276436819753852023-10-23T18:14:00.000-07:002023-10-23T18:14:32.282-07:00Forgotten Gems: Doom 64<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQHruNxjzMuJQ1QUR741SdkOMq1y2DlptH6xw0tZG7dzcoRrtZtbbxNZEtF8rjagIwgLd-tVkhyphenhyphenAaq_iFLGXvQ41xi34OBvyNZjKs2sigG46LDXZ5KuXZ_LidjOrk2U4E011fNiXXAkHVJG3Fhtwo11cGhR3Jh2tTiLm2VzdEHLUJRRbCM9oEgku6C0s/s796/Doom%2093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="631" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQHruNxjzMuJQ1QUR741SdkOMq1y2DlptH6xw0tZG7dzcoRrtZtbbxNZEtF8rjagIwgLd-tVkhyphenhyphenAaq_iFLGXvQ41xi34OBvyNZjKs2sigG46LDXZ5KuXZ_LidjOrk2U4E011fNiXXAkHVJG3Fhtwo11cGhR3Jh2tTiLm2VzdEHLUJRRbCM9oEgku6C0s/w318-h400/Doom%2093.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Imagine you're a kid in the early 90s. You're used to console games like Super Mario Bros. or Sonic the Hedgehog. You know PC gaming, the likes of Math Blasters, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, or King's Quest. And then all the sudden, one day at the store in 1993, you lay your eyes on the gruesome, evocative image above. You'd basically flip your shit, right? <br /><br />Well even though things like Mortal Kombat had already come along a year previously, that's still how many kids, and adults, felt at the time. The computer game, Doom, by Id Software, was a "game changer", in many ways. Even though it wasn't actually the first of its kind! <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BQFwIlh_7g3hu3iLfiajiqCChQ_X1A_oGURKJEM_fYGM7G8UwsWeU0CQ51FkjoS2JXASwFRwwNpPTT9p5NQXDkqMcvIL68Xocx9vLWUCH51fMbAwg9mlWM5gLd5jRhG9E7YgdcL6VhwGP7exwY-umwBjTJdV0xxf13y8eprOY4EN7h9na7Z9sRiqC3k/s320/Catacomb%20bro.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="320" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BQFwIlh_7g3hu3iLfiajiqCChQ_X1A_oGURKJEM_fYGM7G8UwsWeU0CQ51FkjoS2JXASwFRwwNpPTT9p5NQXDkqMcvIL68Xocx9vLWUCH51fMbAwg9mlWM5gLd5jRhG9E7YgdcL6VhwGP7exwY-umwBjTJdV0xxf13y8eprOY4EN7h9na7Z9sRiqC3k/w400-h250/Catacomb%20bro.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Say hello to Catacomb 3D.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtquW86kqbOe5qTBS4Yztw1pIUCyB8vlPEAta588yP0XuDqu6ZWrcNj1e569V9gGmbgHpVcSRLMrWYmjNgcQjykigx7GGd4nw_o9w-ZeTuE0MbVjIdu0WsKAZZgMten909mmLd6LpXLFZRVl1bTu4ABZd6K1UPdG-2e9CwJRNopQ6IMb98qXNAqIHEUK8/s640/Wolfenstein.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtquW86kqbOe5qTBS4Yztw1pIUCyB8vlPEAta588yP0XuDqu6ZWrcNj1e569V9gGmbgHpVcSRLMrWYmjNgcQjykigx7GGd4nw_o9w-ZeTuE0MbVjIdu0WsKAZZgMten909mmLd6LpXLFZRVl1bTu4ABZd6K1UPdG-2e9CwJRNopQ6IMb98qXNAqIHEUK8/w400-h300/Wolfenstein.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And his brother Wolfenstein 3D.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Id Software themselves, had actually already laid the groundwork for what would become known as the "First Person Shooter" sub-genre of gaming, a year prior themselves with the classic 1992 PC hit Wolfenstein 3D. But there's more! They had actually already made what was basically a prototype to THAT, the year prior in 1991, with a far-lesser-known gem called Catacomb 3-D. Catacomb was a 3D sequel to top-down games they had previously made, and was essentially a "fantasy" version of the genre (think Heretic or Hexen), where you fight goblins and demons and things, and shoot magic missiles instead of firing a gun, etc. Catacomb is actually a lot of fun, and a lot more people should go dig it up and give it a whirl! <br /><br />For Wolfenstein's part, it was also inspired by previously existing 80s games called Castle Wolfenstein and Return to Castle Wolfenstein, which were simple, Berzerker style "guy goes from room to room" affairs. When developing what would technically become the third in the franchise, Id didn't have the rights to call their game Wolfenstein, even though they wanted it to be. They eventually got the rights, and BAM, the now infamous Wolfenstein 3D, starring BJ Blaskowitz, was born! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiisOnppsUCTnYLG5x08lpBQXUXDaJXecKOeNp4qfoakUeHaynRIv7LDHjnvpGumFPauSpaJYOVjCaNbV_VI1LXAAgct5ZBL_g0PTmpefaMm8E6g1h8fIk1gthwMu9gSRpWZQJqODocWsDghqdNEdLYawio-5jELlkeMpN1DFaLpJev-KYJV_0CqSiq6l4/s859/Wolf%20title.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="859" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiisOnppsUCTnYLG5x08lpBQXUXDaJXecKOeNp4qfoakUeHaynRIv7LDHjnvpGumFPauSpaJYOVjCaNbV_VI1LXAAgct5ZBL_g0PTmpefaMm8E6g1h8fIk1gthwMu9gSRpWZQJqODocWsDghqdNEdLYawio-5jELlkeMpN1DFaLpJev-KYJV_0CqSiq6l4/w400-h301/Wolf%20title.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That BJ, hell of a guy. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>For my own part, as I may or may not have related in some past article, while I had certainly SEEN games (maybe even sampled) like Virtua Fighter, Virtua Racer, Cruis'n USA etc. in my pre-teen years, the very first 3D game that I'm fairly certain I ever really got to play myself, in depth, was in fact Wolfenstein 3D. My friend Harold popped over one day, and with him, he had a Shareware disk (free/cheap disks that contained the first parts of PC games, as a ploy to get you to buy the rest of the game, something we coveted greatly in those days), of you guessed it, Wolfenstein! I wasn't even sure if our clunky old 386 IBM Compatible would play a 3D game, hell it didn't even have a sound card! But lo and behold, it loaded up fine, and the next thing you know, Harold and I were immersed in 3D polygonal corridors, viscous attack dogs, food just lying on the ground all over the place, and nazis around every corner! <br /><br />It was likely actually a more intense, spooky experience for us, because all my PC had were little beeping system sounds for the game, no music, etc. Though somehow it did still have the voice samples, like "Halt Stop!" etc. This was, again, only a shareware edition, so it only contained the first third or so of the game, just a handful of levels really. But we played the hell out of them. Even though FPS games, to this day, have never been a major favorite of mine, I will always look back fondly on the time I spent getting immersed in 3D "for the first time" (kinda), and just getting lost in this crazy, maze-like nazi world. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPPeBs2lWhuWe1i6J11b1fXjZr1QJKB64fpqL3-0-teVT0_2TIg0p59tChV8fW7D7JtfcCXjSg0PmDA7gZhejSB1xYahrdXJAbAd4lnPY65tNpK5aZdFTP_QQrX2X-_q5mOWtv63LVLsyK7FCHHFMBtMaZpWgQYZLYf_L9JunIFZY8cW6SlQla-76ft0/s640/Doom%20bro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPPeBs2lWhuWe1i6J11b1fXjZr1QJKB64fpqL3-0-teVT0_2TIg0p59tChV8fW7D7JtfcCXjSg0PmDA7gZhejSB1xYahrdXJAbAd4lnPY65tNpK5aZdFTP_QQrX2X-_q5mOWtv63LVLsyK7FCHHFMBtMaZpWgQYZLYf_L9JunIFZY8cW6SlQla-76ft0/w400-h300/Doom%20bro.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pump up the jams!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijD-qNBPGAvqkfZJG4iG2tOIM28nfvgE7uGExqAbJeW3cNPk7BMTBFTO1QrIuoSRXJp7R5-sbAtvaKopVqG2LqI4oEWBbYXfdCX4Gyk9GjZXL0qQKXBYuLJsTsypSP1uaekB0nh-EaRT2juUs_xXZy9tJlXl-5aFF9qPKIqq7av4q94SizmQDaGPSc0hE/s620/BFG.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="620" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijD-qNBPGAvqkfZJG4iG2tOIM28nfvgE7uGExqAbJeW3cNPk7BMTBFTO1QrIuoSRXJp7R5-sbAtvaKopVqG2LqI4oEWBbYXfdCX4Gyk9GjZXL0qQKXBYuLJsTsypSP1uaekB0nh-EaRT2juUs_xXZy9tJlXl-5aFF9qPKIqq7av4q94SizmQDaGPSc0hE/w400-h258/BFG.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Say, that's a Big Fucking Gun!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>When Doom hit the shelves in December 1993, it made a huge impression. Not only did it cause a major shit-storm, similar to how games like Mortal Kombat, and believe it or not, the Sega CD cheese-fest Night Trap did, but it also became a massive hit. So much so that, to this day, while Catacomb and Wolfenstein came first, and deserve all the credit, most people still refer to these older "corridor" types of shooters, as "Doom Clones", and many give Doom undue credit for establishing the genre. I would amend that to say, it didn't establish it, but it certainly DID popularize it. <br /><br />The basic setting of Doom is that, in the not-too-distant future, the Union Aerospace Corporation have established a base of operations on the planet Mars, but because travel to and from Earth takes so damn long, they've also had military scientists experimenting with a way to shorten that travel. To that end, they create a means of what they think will "jump" them near instantaneously from Mars to Earth. But what they REALLY did, was opened a gateway to a very Hell-like dimension, and once done, hellish demonic hordes flooded their base, and began wiping everyone out. You, as an unnamed space marine (Doom, or "Doom Guy"), must single-handedly battle your way back from being stranded on the moon, Phobos. </p><p>This game doesn't fuck around, as you make your way from Phobos, to Deimos, and eventually, the pits of "Hell" itself. And in the sequel, Doom II: Hell on Earth, you finally make it back to Earth, only to find that the demons have invaded there, as well. But the story wasn't really what most people were playing these games for. What really made it stand out, and got parents riled up, was the amount of gore they had! Whether it be with a chainsaw, a pulse rifle, a shotgun, or even your bare fists, every time you hit an enemy, blood would spurt, and when you killed them, they would collapse to the ground as a gory, bloody, puply mess. Even your main character's mug, shown on-screen near your health, would eventually get bloody, if you took too much damage. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OBVnpxW8lWNu8ZvHKR9plQtTYtjPPN2XfBM59M_BsvaNnJC3W97U9BqBC4i868-ol0FXRwxJTmkXAhWKJujTxVNWGiCIp945g3N7IX535dWUsQSSLRCTz7drPC-he_C4Bbw8zlUrDQOW3cHELOyMgsf6pGakJDPU_kpUQJIdxhma4h8wjB5BXDGxjsg/s640/Doom%20dude.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OBVnpxW8lWNu8ZvHKR9plQtTYtjPPN2XfBM59M_BsvaNnJC3W97U9BqBC4i868-ol0FXRwxJTmkXAhWKJujTxVNWGiCIp945g3N7IX535dWUsQSSLRCTz7drPC-he_C4Bbw8zlUrDQOW3cHELOyMgsf6pGakJDPU_kpUQJIdxhma4h8wjB5BXDGxjsg/w400-h300/Doom%20dude.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Say hello to the Cacodemon!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>While the main attraction to Doom, obviously, is running around blasting everything in sight and watching it go splat, a core aspect of the gameplay is actually exploration and, to some degree, even puzzle solving. You don't clear stages by merely killing all the baddies (though that'd be kinda neat). Instead, you have to find, collect, and use colored "Key Cards" (red, blue and yellow), which unlock doors, and eventually allow you to leave via the exit, onto the next stage. Sometimes these cards could be a real bitch to find, as you would have to solve little stage "puzzles", to get doors or hidden panels to open, etc., just to reach them. It was, frankly, the more cumbersome element to Doom, but I suppose it also added to the challenge, and mixed things up. But, much like an old monster movie, when you just want people to stop talking, and have the damn MONSTERS appear already (at least as a kid), sometimes in Doom, you just wanna blast stuff and move on! <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozR1Ufnj-YuUszn4_CHAli7bqa-_n5s4WmO58T8dir6TTyzTH-x25spfNocQYunYNbS6NJYJJ2BuUqxSBS47GsKYTxOMJu8DP6agUdXbzWi_T0xu2RgVzNfmnecc4pBBadUFpi84VcJ1HpgQj67MbHS-TSdZEUMr-ctKy3U7-Le-efMzC_O_mScORTas/s492/blah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="492" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozR1Ufnj-YuUszn4_CHAli7bqa-_n5s4WmO58T8dir6TTyzTH-x25spfNocQYunYNbS6NJYJJ2BuUqxSBS47GsKYTxOMJu8DP6agUdXbzWi_T0xu2RgVzNfmnecc4pBBadUFpi84VcJ1HpgQj67MbHS-TSdZEUMr-ctKy3U7-Le-efMzC_O_mScORTas/w400-h291/blah.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ultimate Doom?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Now by April 1997, Doom had not only been ported to several different platforms (even the Super Nintendo), but there was the aforementioned Doom II, Ultimate Doom (an expanded version of the original game), and Final Doom. which you could honestly call the original (actual?) Doom III. But in 1997, having launched the previous fall, the Nintendo 64 console was the new hotness, and being more powerful than the Sega Saturn or Sony Playstation, it seemed like it might be tailor made for the Doom experience. But thankfully, instead of being cheap, having someone just make a "straight port" of the now over three year old game, what we got was a completely new adventure! <br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHmccXWbZuVzPU9PQ0mWZ2x22-ZonzdG677OkfkOJdLnsSX6-2q_bqz4iMrHZ-P39pSp3fZTkFwzwDA0Xm2rbED3m4fw3gNXG_o0nPsgrd0YWAgMRkiHT_LL48V14wUJ8n-3sOECk8AGAy6-v4Oc_6VPB12erT0wsHiSb7aWu9_IwjDFaLuq1E8kJfMg/s1024/Chainsaw.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHmccXWbZuVzPU9PQ0mWZ2x22-ZonzdG677OkfkOJdLnsSX6-2q_bqz4iMrHZ-P39pSp3fZTkFwzwDA0Xm2rbED3m4fw3gNXG_o0nPsgrd0YWAgMRkiHT_LL48V14wUJ8n-3sOECk8AGAy6-v4Oc_6VPB12erT0wsHiSb7aWu9_IwjDFaLuq1E8kJfMg/w400-h300/Chainsaw.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's right, a DOUBLE chainsaw!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv60F6xS_rS3uZ33_s9f9c95SDEgRD0lWo8rLpc1GwfalocDQqbc36TnwfmV6xTH4QYRYoY-ZVUuOKciXA7ED6cNUceWJMABYCmMwDv9TCqP-5ZU4JY6ATG8ECNsbq-s1TCb6zUsNXAO5IxWoaVSf7L-qtnHonue501hRd16pYbJKP7K86U-aVNzOQuQk/s1024/shadows%20bro.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv60F6xS_rS3uZ33_s9f9c95SDEgRD0lWo8rLpc1GwfalocDQqbc36TnwfmV6xTH4QYRYoY-ZVUuOKciXA7ED6cNUceWJMABYCmMwDv9TCqP-5ZU4JY6ATG8ECNsbq-s1TCb6zUsNXAO5IxWoaVSf7L-qtnHonue501hRd16pYbJKP7K86U-aVNzOQuQk/w400-h300/shadows%20bro.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That lighting, though. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Licensed out to Midway, who developed it in house, this N64 exclusive would not only give us completely redrawn graphics and redesigned enemies, but it also had all-new levels. This was an entirely new game, no skimping, and to any Doom fan, that was awesome. But more than that, at least to my mind, Doom 64 provided what I still to this day consider the ultimate Doom experience. Plus, when it released, roughly half a year after the console itself launched, the system didn't have a TON of games yet, so Doom 64 was a very welcome addition, and actually became something of a hit itself. <br /><br />While the graphics weren't as impressive, to some at that time, as the fully polygonal games such as Quake or N64's own Turok: Dinosaur Hunter (which had released just a month prior), I would say they were quite impressive, really. Thanks to the N64's hardware features, the 3D stages and textures never looked better, and the redrawn pre-rendered enemy sprites looked fantastic! But the real deal-maker, to me, was the lighting. While the game for some stupid reason had some crazy SUPER dim pre-sets (we had to actually turn the brightness up on the TV), also thanks to that 64 hardware, the game showed off some very eye-popping uses of advanced lighting effects. Very clever uses, in some instances, like a series of corridors where everything's pitch black but for certain little spots, or a room with a spinning "strobe" effect, which is not only disorienting but had a slight effect on near-invisible enemies. In its own way, I would consider Doom 64 to be something of a graphical showcase, as its basically the best looking of the classic, sprites-as-enemies "corridor" shooter mold. <br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LwLJN1HrXWkuLag2CjLbPRVmJ4pcrvN5MjhN4mpAqLhMr_XGrCiSiBiUTKyb7etiqVr1wfQsJ_PBrBgdNcki7YoTx75EKWP0zL0tDVaUNttJsl9e4NbL2KDMrckwbz5F5lkcwb77MUp5E3zwTTwfaNkpYpjkKId8IVXJR5dd-hipITeSf-uV2VMeucY/s640/whoa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LwLJN1HrXWkuLag2CjLbPRVmJ4pcrvN5MjhN4mpAqLhMr_XGrCiSiBiUTKyb7etiqVr1wfQsJ_PBrBgdNcki7YoTx75EKWP0zL0tDVaUNttJsl9e4NbL2KDMrckwbz5F5lkcwb77MUp5E3zwTTwfaNkpYpjkKId8IVXJR5dd-hipITeSf-uV2VMeucY/w400-h300/whoa.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just look at them sprites.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxudyvRp_AdtAnkUZE3QqpqDqpcmd937iHoU8nIw7H_YKvvGKD9bdjNiTQsuNI6yiY3JNmAffMwDZtbEAjLZ-SLHDGv5QRCsMNj0LcLuKgYsYbHZdL2FViFu2zSrN2NFvnlnwDLvVF-wvUqMHrMlxES4-cnXIUHJDbFmnmU0Lgz50DjLhuxykJXT4R1Qw/s250/Blam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="250" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxudyvRp_AdtAnkUZE3QqpqDqpcmd937iHoU8nIw7H_YKvvGKD9bdjNiTQsuNI6yiY3JNmAffMwDZtbEAjLZ-SLHDGv5QRCsMNj0LcLuKgYsYbHZdL2FViFu2zSrN2NFvnlnwDLvVF-wvUqMHrMlxES4-cnXIUHJDbFmnmU0Lgz50DjLhuxykJXT4R1Qw/w400-h299/Blam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet the Unmaker.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>But as if textures, shaded sprites and lighting effects weren't enough, what REALLY puts the Doom 64 presentation straight over the top, is the sound. Unlike the previous Dooms, which had arguably cheesy rock guitar music that kinda ruined the creepy vibe they were going for, Doom 64 has no soundtrack, zero tunes. They instead leaned HARD into the creepiness, as the only sounds you hear, are your gunfire, monster noises, and (progressively more as you advance through the game) ambient, spooky background noises. It really added to the tension and atmosphere, when you'd be in a dark room, surrounded by semi-invisible enemies, but you could hear them (in glorious stereo, if your TV had it). As you progress through the game and make your way to the "Hell" dimension, things REALLY ramp up, as you start hearing more things like ghostly whispers, demonic growling, and what sounds suspiciously like babies crying in the distance. That kind of shit made playing this simple "run and gun" shooter, in the middle of the night with the lights out, some genuinely chilling stuff. </p><p>Along with all-new stages and some new versions of enemies, Doom 64 also gifted us with one totally new exclusive weapon: The Unmaker. Prior to this, the "BFG" (Big Fucking Gun) was THE ultimate weapon for Doom fans. But this Unmaker, which you don't get till late in the game, seems to be made of flesh and bones, truly a weapon from "Hell", and it spews forth evil death-rays, that pretty much lay waste to all but the strongest enemies, quickly. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZHhJWFrTbJdcwtmbRoyRW6gD4k8aUf21G8pdYC34Kr1gl0CpyxTT-QwK-qslruh6qVU_A1S39nqG01lY8H6V9BqOPloEVWR2XdyAs_pJmCULTzS7Ahziag1I2Y4YtXlfmluyJTpa84iDRtgE6VGZBUZ7PsH7aUSUNApnZ4gSFCjXF5q7QY1dDClb98s/s800/mother.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZHhJWFrTbJdcwtmbRoyRW6gD4k8aUf21G8pdYC34Kr1gl0CpyxTT-QwK-qslruh6qVU_A1S39nqG01lY8H6V9BqOPloEVWR2XdyAs_pJmCULTzS7Ahziag1I2Y4YtXlfmluyJTpa84iDRtgE6VGZBUZ7PsH7aUSUNApnZ4gSFCjXF5q7QY1dDClb98s/w400-h300/mother.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mother is angry....<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The game also has an exclusive final boss, never before seen in the series. Up till now, the "Big Bads" had been things like Barons of Hell, or a giant Spider-Demon, or some big evil Face in the Wall. Doom 64 takes it a step further, and introduces us to the MOTHER Demon, ostensibly the very source of all these evil hordes that have been spewing forth from our ill-begotten portals! The Mother Demon fight is a doozy, too, lemme tell ya. Not only is she tough herself, but as she seems to be the source of the demon hordes in general, she also summons demons to help fight you. I always kinda liked this idea, and overall, to me, Doom 64 feels like the true "Doom III", the final end to the series. <br /><br />I know that an actual Doom 3 would come along later (which I wasn't a fan of), and later games besides. But while I appreciate the attempt at the "old school" approach that the 2016 game and Eternal tried for, to me THIS is it. Much like I prefer my Mortal Kombat 2D, with "digitized" characters, I prefer my doom with blocky corridors, and hordes of 2D sprites to mow down, as well. I don't like the "clever" term some have slapped on these old style shooters of late, "Boomer Shooters" (hell I dislike that idiotic "Boomer" term for anything slightly old, in general). But I DO love these classic kinds of shooters. Like I said, FPS has never been a favorite of mine, but with the exception of N64 Goldeneye death matches (THE best ever), classic shooters like Wolfenstein, Duke Nukem 3D, Hexen, and Doom are where its at. And as far as this man is concerned, Doom 64 is the best of the bunch. The Ultimate Doom. </p><p>So thankfully for all of you, if you've never played this bad boy, it happens to be available on most modern platforms (Playstation, Xbox, Switch, PC, maybe even mobile devices for all I know), as a fairly inexpensive digital download. AND they even fixed the dim pre-set lighting problem, so the graphics and lighting effects look even better than ever! It's a hell of a fun game, with a surprising amount of atmosphere and spookiness going on. So give it a whirl! <br /><br />And may all of you have a very happy Halloween! <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZIyzeCqYQxUuxt1V4Uhj-q1lIAcZO_DnNXrMIcPTauiQZ8teIe4pQOJXWLWJZSXB7-Zj8OqqQq1dQFTJY6qmW70NRjg71cmtaLxVnLWTytxUE3p2Z120z3jK_BoK2alX9lmu0M-xZONOQt601Z3t0LoQrYCloTVhaSjPuSgJ-ikH139tNI1djTG1eIw/s2200/Hell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2200" data-original-width="1647" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZIyzeCqYQxUuxt1V4Uhj-q1lIAcZO_DnNXrMIcPTauiQZ8teIe4pQOJXWLWJZSXB7-Zj8OqqQq1dQFTJY6qmW70NRjg71cmtaLxVnLWTytxUE3p2Z120z3jK_BoK2alX9lmu0M-xZONOQt601Z3t0LoQrYCloTVhaSjPuSgJ-ikH139tNI1djTG1eIw/w300-h400/Hell.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-72609918187252131192023-08-30T16:20:00.000-07:002023-08-30T16:20:34.068-07:00Silver Screen Stories: Captain Sindbad<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWZ_UTJuTHKd_y-bBoZ2debMQvytN38qJwOUAYcbQTXrqtq29CiCD2W__8cRx0elc4Q2riVj800ABcB3KbA0oSkbWmcXMmKNd3xti7N6c8T5VyBBiF-dc_sb4ikgvHQOOyckv070TxedO23QAvD86f_BAWUFFZroH4HcsAQNCeS_DpkdDkBFqz3iqw5w/s1024/Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1024" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWZ_UTJuTHKd_y-bBoZ2debMQvytN38qJwOUAYcbQTXrqtq29CiCD2W__8cRx0elc4Q2riVj800ABcB3KbA0oSkbWmcXMmKNd3xti7N6c8T5VyBBiF-dc_sb4ikgvHQOOyckv070TxedO23QAvD86f_BAWUFFZroH4HcsAQNCeS_DpkdDkBFqz3iqw5w/w400-h311/Poster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>I'm back again, to talk about another of the significant things from my childhood. That being, the Arabian legend of Captain Sinbad, Sailor of the Seven Seas! I've talked before about my abiding love for one of my top favorite films of all time, <i><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/11/silver-screen-stories-7th-voyage-of.html">The 7th Voyage of Sinbad</a></i>, as well as how I discovered the other Ray Harryhausen Sinbad films of the 70s, thanks to (pre-Joe Bob) <i><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/10/childhood-memories-monstervision.html">TNT's Monstervision</a></i>. But now I'm going to get into what was probably the first Sinbad film I saw as a kid, and the influence of the character in my young life, in general. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC60m8DhS3NECU-iC4hsJfxYUB9blQQu7UtjJhPPMtkmrglU0GDTvELZKKB0h6cF5ZD8PZ_KmG0naVKdsm05YTaHj_aommQHKNwmYo3d6w4VBjV2RiKopoCyqvZvMmXMrvGsdMGtolDlD_r-ZMWKBY2Cbe9MVgPMYwqn0KynFIzev56em9au9bmXsLyIA/s885/40s%20Sinbasd.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="650" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC60m8DhS3NECU-iC4hsJfxYUB9blQQu7UtjJhPPMtkmrglU0GDTvELZKKB0h6cF5ZD8PZ_KmG0naVKdsm05YTaHj_aommQHKNwmYo3d6w4VBjV2RiKopoCyqvZvMmXMrvGsdMGtolDlD_r-ZMWKBY2Cbe9MVgPMYwqn0KynFIzev56em9au9bmXsLyIA/w294-h400/40s%20Sinbasd.jpg" width="294" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first major Sinbad film.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmU55Ukh_DInCO7JM8GB6UPb4s5mIbfKAlApCcDWVXR6GQDYEtmi0DXak30JaYnrhEQhXlNpnZK9qUA0Aw5TqVGpSXiGMGlM2Ea1G3xFpoNvXPsYIM5aO1Yrw-BBvfRxDT0PGu7JQZZyXdFoANkXw8puLbL6LFSYWcLfMvgDU7IAZZMafshgigw0RoDo/s500/195867__30347.1519250945.500.500.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmU55Ukh_DInCO7JM8GB6UPb4s5mIbfKAlApCcDWVXR6GQDYEtmi0DXak30JaYnrhEQhXlNpnZK9qUA0Aw5TqVGpSXiGMGlM2Ea1G3xFpoNvXPsYIM5aO1Yrw-BBvfRxDT0PGu7JQZZyXdFoANkXw8puLbL6LFSYWcLfMvgDU7IAZZMafshgigw0RoDo/w320-h400/195867__30347.1519250945.500.500.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arguably the best Sinbad film.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Now it's entirely possible that I saw something like 1947's <i>Sinbad the Sailor</i>, starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr., or even 7th Voyage itself, on TV as a youngin' in the 80s. It's also very possible, even probable, that I saw some old cartoon played on TV, like the old ComiColor cartoon <i>Sinbad the Sailor</i>, or the classic Popeye Sinbad cartoon. The last is especially notable, both for featuring fantastic animation and effects (thanks to Fleischer Studios), but also for the fact that Sinbad (Bluto) is portrayed as a villain! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zYavpK_Moa0Z336k3gdEM6vmIFVDRvm7KwW8fhQPq0EMjPdQDXmKibkL3HNEY1skcr05tT21kUroO5ocCf8djCAnpu2qGIK-g04R7Z5R5qVzc4ONI82RiCGif1RkXndMkB57EUlPuUnvWD6XI4vwIrIpvdgLSXSXeqlUHf-urWE21gkegd6AHQGTnpQ/s1100/iwerks%20sinbad.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="725" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zYavpK_Moa0Z336k3gdEM6vmIFVDRvm7KwW8fhQPq0EMjPdQDXmKibkL3HNEY1skcr05tT21kUroO5ocCf8djCAnpu2qGIK-g04R7Z5R5qVzc4ONI82RiCGif1RkXndMkB57EUlPuUnvWD6XI4vwIrIpvdgLSXSXeqlUHf-urWE21gkegd6AHQGTnpQ/w264-h400/iwerks%20sinbad.jpg" width="264" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iwerks greatness.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfII8XhK0UA8Qy9UR7KL0azjepfnNr5JcTTLVQZMlkL1zfomZArP4jKwt59Jug7gp_5txYfuPCakE0mYnp7bYbeUQMsrA4OAcRlt-iN1Eehu7vrUWLgxnK1cwtpQixNpUaOQmUqeoWItU8_GuYR1OKitmkk_Ysgak-wp2_BeoOGqSh821gpB7zUDWTGU/s870/Popeye_Meets_Sinbad.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="580" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfII8XhK0UA8Qy9UR7KL0azjepfnNr5JcTTLVQZMlkL1zfomZArP4jKwt59Jug7gp_5txYfuPCakE0mYnp7bYbeUQMsrA4OAcRlt-iN1Eehu7vrUWLgxnK1cwtpQixNpUaOQmUqeoWItU8_GuYR1OKitmkk_Ysgak-wp2_BeoOGqSh821gpB7zUDWTGU/w266-h400/Popeye_Meets_Sinbad.PNG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fleischer greatness.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Either way, while I cannot clearly recall in what form I first encountered the legendary Sinbad as a small child, I most inarguably did encounter him. He was enough of a cultural character, "out there in the ether", so to speak, and he must've left enough of an impression on kid me, that I was inspired to name my first childhood pet after him. At freshly six years old, I got my first dog, a mid-sized, white and fluffy "Cockerspaniel/Terrier mix", whom I decided should be named after Sinbad the Sailor. I even clearly remember that there was a little girl who lived behind us (I don't remember her name...maybe Sarah?), who I would talk to or play with now and then, who I introduced the dog to, and she asked about his name "Is it because he's a sin, and he's bad?". And I was like "No! He's like Sinbad the Sailor!" She clearly didn't know who Sinbad even was, but I sure as hell did! <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-ZMzGah2-YvZFDGvcbnirPECLl6uySBZtESUn4_pAS0I-AhmQgvDNsOtLLPPeX47EEKxHQgSy3XuxnhWOQgxI_qrHldUgSlKPpq3tG61WHTPhr-AYzWZmAzaVwtXuLtFZ9kQk_LsVf2p6B-oFEuYhMgGcQa0dpW-L-mLaOcBDfeRCl3MAj0mh05CZ4g/s1244/Sinbad.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="1244" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-ZMzGah2-YvZFDGvcbnirPECLl6uySBZtESUn4_pAS0I-AhmQgvDNsOtLLPPeX47EEKxHQgSy3XuxnhWOQgxI_qrHldUgSlKPpq3tG61WHTPhr-AYzWZmAzaVwtXuLtFZ9kQk_LsVf2p6B-oFEuYhMgGcQa0dpW-L-mLaOcBDfeRCl3MAj0mh05CZ4g/w400-h314/Sinbad.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My childhood dog, Sinbad.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Getting back around to the point, as it pertains to the first Sinbad film I ever saw growing up, because it's how I vaguely seem to remember it, let us just say for the sake of this article that it likely was the titular film of this piece: 1963's <i>Captain Sindbad</i>. First thing's first, let me say that I have no idea why this film put a "d" into Sinbad's name. It's entirely possible that in some versions of the old stories, his name had an extra "d". But this is the only piece of entertainment that I actively know of, where it is spelled this way. Perhaps they did it to be different, and have it stand out more? Who knows.<br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXrH4BbkAtXYayD9rGSmNXSKs5hA_vvYAyQRauyHtUkBO3V58ojA5ewtp70OsD38ThxFZdrqv300J5H28Sn5jcPgFB0YS90qOvivKwBv9qkCRUcbavb7N39zfJg0WAMgNRq_W9oPD6S3bdO4YVGwfVAyctgdsQnzBdaesbpl4YO_WUKTVKxmSoWhHzXY/s655/broster.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXrH4BbkAtXYayD9rGSmNXSKs5hA_vvYAyQRauyHtUkBO3V58ojA5ewtp70OsD38ThxFZdrqv300J5H28Sn5jcPgFB0YS90qOvivKwBv9qkCRUcbavb7N39zfJg0WAMgNRq_W9oPD6S3bdO4YVGwfVAyctgdsQnzBdaesbpl4YO_WUKTVKxmSoWhHzXY/w294-h400/broster.jpg" width="294" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool poster art for the film.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aq39Z-JJ5GoUoH-NoWLnRY3ysoleBII5STD0aqFOtPJLu9nZXD9uay__Csyx3wplhwwvxLqzZ2vL71FdCTkinXKwXJCDVpLZVaUDrMwpIZRUG61kur7o8IUi2257_6LinpQwR-IityPBi4mHcKyK0wbbRtqbM3yraDQ8-hQpQ5JJB2fZkxTYCYUjPVQ/s720/Hydra.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aq39Z-JJ5GoUoH-NoWLnRY3ysoleBII5STD0aqFOtPJLu9nZXD9uay__Csyx3wplhwwvxLqzZ2vL71FdCTkinXKwXJCDVpLZVaUDrMwpIZRUG61kur7o8IUi2257_6LinpQwR-IityPBi4mHcKyK0wbbRtqbM3yraDQ8-hQpQ5JJB2fZkxTYCYUjPVQ/w278-h400/Hydra.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another cool poster.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><i>Captain Sindbad</i> was a King Brothers production, a smaller outfit who had mostly been known for crime and western films, but who had also been responsible for bringing the Toho kaiju film <i>Rodan</i> to the west, as well as trying their own hand at a giant monster feature in 1961, <i>Gorgo</i>. "Sindbad" is well directed, as always, by Byron Haskin, a director I have a fair amount of affinity for, thanks to classics like <i>Treasure Island</i>, <i>The War of the Worlds</i>, <i>Robinson Crusoe on Mars</i>, and of course this gem. It features a wonderful cast, led by Guy Williams (of Zorro and Lost in Space fame) as Sinbad, Heidi Bruhl as Princess Jana, and and Mexican actor Pedro Armandariz (known for his roles in John Wayne westerns <i>Fort Apache</i> and <i>The 3 Godfathers</i>) in a wonderful turn as the pompous and maniacal villain, El Kerim. </p><p>Another great role, and probably my favorite character in the story, is the goofy court wizard Galgo, played by British character actor Abraham Sofaer. Production took place at Bavaria Studios, in Western Germany, which was home to a wide variety of films, such as the likes of <i>The Great Escape</i>, <i>The Sound of Music</i>, <i>Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory</i>, <i>Enemy Mine</i>, and <i>The Neverending Story</i>. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIPq66t466BU2uRGpnqHRj5ZiCELDFCDAPcxWSgxTa-_BobD2gt8uRrFV6E6_XBCVPPtA0aydBj8oee6yM5AfIoh8x6_30f5KiNOp-tTrfWi5kQXro4uEkZRhxNyVa5uT9v6x0aviPW92OB1tE2287i9RyVdTkoCcfQH_EdYp_r02o1IXzHtPNhj1f0U/s1050/Guy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="850" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIPq66t466BU2uRGpnqHRj5ZiCELDFCDAPcxWSgxTa-_BobD2gt8uRrFV6E6_XBCVPPtA0aydBj8oee6yM5AfIoh8x6_30f5KiNOp-tTrfWi5kQXro4uEkZRhxNyVa5uT9v6x0aviPW92OB1tE2287i9RyVdTkoCcfQH_EdYp_r02o1IXzHtPNhj1f0U/w324-h400/Guy.jpg" width="324" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dashing leading man, Guy Williams.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRCgGPqcM4ZpcdbBiMTsgWGNO2tuKISrIfBrioWqHuL6sKq8nNoNlqfZhabHICIRrWsna3Z9kzPYfme3Y86LPQtNaXBAkAR0rQhznbUeLCz3lR9RZ8f-eM2Z0NeemaQxWp2zcP6R7pQb_r6Sb5pmc7_rEDz67PhId5BstSH_Vrkk4ETi4WZu3kmAyB4U/s1920/Crew.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRCgGPqcM4ZpcdbBiMTsgWGNO2tuKISrIfBrioWqHuL6sKq8nNoNlqfZhabHICIRrWsna3Z9kzPYfme3Y86LPQtNaXBAkAR0rQhznbUeLCz3lR9RZ8f-eM2Z0NeemaQxWp2zcP6R7pQb_r6Sb5pmc7_rEDz67PhId5BstSH_Vrkk4ETi4WZu3kmAyB4U/w400-h225/Crew.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captain Sinbad's international crew.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The setup for Sindbad is simple enough, but bearing all the trademarks of a classic fantasy tale. The aging king of the middle eastern land of Baristan, is seemingly too old or too ill to rule, and thus manipulated by the classic "evil vizier", it is instead the wicked and cruel El Kerim who rules the kingdom in his stead. He is a military dictator, seemingly making war to consolidate power, and he intends to marry the princess Jana, to make his rule permanent. Along with all of this, he intends to capture and/or destroy the great Captain Sindbad, a hero of the people who is also Jana's beloved. Both to eliminate Sindbad's threat as a rival, as well as the threat he might pose to leading the people in revolt. </p><p>To this end, though Princes Jana convinces the awesome (and hilarious) wizard Galgo to change her into a "firebird", so that she can deliver a message of warning to Sindbad and his crew of El Kerim's plans. But Kerim himself orders Galgo, whom he holds power over via a magic ring, to transform some of his guards into giant Rok birds, to drop boulders on their ship, seemingly eliminating his threat. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixihvyzw17Pg6J_-8Y-6gsK-S8niOArI_Klq_kP8d_rUHxhIlvkL1tPMVfGRwNuvy46SH6wcSq8bjvqa_5JSKjQCg6pRjE7FBbp-j9UupDEV98744qU8J9ATwPujaIJASz6fhNg6zCY4lMwwALxG2zgwnOZO3mVSEe3MlTFLB2W3E7kpMRVyWzjd4EOGM/s3258/Wizard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3258" data-original-width="2494" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixihvyzw17Pg6J_-8Y-6gsK-S8niOArI_Klq_kP8d_rUHxhIlvkL1tPMVfGRwNuvy46SH6wcSq8bjvqa_5JSKjQCg6pRjE7FBbp-j9UupDEV98744qU8J9ATwPujaIJASz6fhNg6zCY4lMwwALxG2zgwnOZO3mVSEe3MlTFLB2W3E7kpMRVyWzjd4EOGM/w306-h400/Wizard.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Princess Jana and the wizard Galgo.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioF13SeWl5nzQsULjS_6wsD33t-RPqnVWBNB_hIh7zNfKF3JdeZiyfpdswNkA2Qbh49NTQkwvDh_41sstElLSgaT6qaeqloUwWcEYPrEHQM4DufxmFyNj380P-HRc1JL_fsTYezWCZc3dUKdUwloVMIfN-XTPKxzG4fWo5GiZezizCTAFi1W8QFcer8cc/s1142/Damn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1142" data-original-width="922" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioF13SeWl5nzQsULjS_6wsD33t-RPqnVWBNB_hIh7zNfKF3JdeZiyfpdswNkA2Qbh49NTQkwvDh_41sstElLSgaT6qaeqloUwWcEYPrEHQM4DufxmFyNj380P-HRc1JL_fsTYezWCZc3dUKdUwloVMIfN-XTPKxzG4fWo5GiZezizCTAFi1W8QFcer8cc/w323-h400/Damn.jpg" width="323" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The evil El Kerim.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Naturally, most of the crew survives, including our beloved hero, the good Captain. Being rescued by some fishermen at sea, Sindbad sets out to try and rescue the princess, aided by some of his closest crewmen who manage to find him in Baristan. Plans go awry, however, when he discovers, much to his dismay, that Kerim quite literally has no heart. It has somehow been removed by black magic, and protected in some far off and dangerous tower, so long as it is kept safe, he is seemingly immortal and unharmable. At the very least to conventional things like swords or spears. <br /><br />In the due course of events, with a mind to spoilers, Sindbad and Co. manage to learn of the heart and the tower, thanks to Galgo, and they set out to destroy it. The final act of the film is a race against time, as having refused to marry El Kerim, he has ordered Princess Jana to be executed. Because he's a real prick like that. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOdwTChyQ_-UUTOeWkGqgNmFu-YCg_U-dWmA_UA_WRZvQnn_fMhwhVO-rxoqrXNyZeGaAqxSJk0XeDu86TJrRbENmi944b5CfBLj6pc81ZYqTloFARnyJmNPkcjjemDHG5ZBJzTj2sD1vXbXhbK4VrHAGHH7J067qenpCcW5b-SzFFHclYLe_BilZE1E/s1024/Hydra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="1024" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOdwTChyQ_-UUTOeWkGqgNmFu-YCg_U-dWmA_UA_WRZvQnn_fMhwhVO-rxoqrXNyZeGaAqxSJk0XeDu86TJrRbENmi944b5CfBLj6pc81ZYqTloFARnyJmNPkcjjemDHG5ZBJzTj2sD1vXbXhbK4VrHAGHH7J067qenpCcW5b-SzFFHclYLe_BilZE1E/w400-h254/Hydra.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Monster from the Pit.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazffwXOaWvjW0VtvNgrkSSmdFRVpVL5M_cfvUCdLaHnDPTEyfCQsx6kRIxTFl_TmNe2wCecXMUg3QzhEiNVjTEE3LAZyBMK8hcK5bZlIJIq2BOAPAARxFTbnPTt65sqSjcuE3YXbMOC7jOFqKeL9gYI2D7-7aViV2AWTOdDX65fNIzSWOiOVBEIx59UI/s800/Hand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="800" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazffwXOaWvjW0VtvNgrkSSmdFRVpVL5M_cfvUCdLaHnDPTEyfCQsx6kRIxTFl_TmNe2wCecXMUg3QzhEiNVjTEE3LAZyBMK8hcK5bZlIJIq2BOAPAARxFTbnPTt65sqSjcuE3YXbMOC7jOFqKeL9gYI2D7-7aViV2AWTOdDX65fNIzSWOiOVBEIx59UI/w400-h234/Hand.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hand of Doom.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As far as how this film measures up to other Sinbad movies, I would personally say pretty well. The original 1947 <i>Sinbad the Sailor</i>, with Fairbanks Jr. in the titular role, is a good movie, and a fun adventure, but it barely has any of the more fantastical and fantasy elements that make, in this man's opinion, a Sinbad story great. And while Sindbad lacks, sadly, the amazing stop-motion magic of <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/05/an-animated-life-tribute-to-ray.html">Ray Harryhausen</a> (or one of his proteges), like 7th Voyage, Golden Voyage, and Eye of the Tiger enjoy, otherwise it is, for the most part, every bit as lush and lavish a production. The acting is on point, the story is very solid, it features some great sets and costumes. And most importantly, to a young boy, it has its share of magic and monster battles! Not stop-motion, of course, and it would have been great if they could have afforded it. But the special effects that are on display, are not shabby whatsoever. </p><p>The effects for Galgo's magic, as well as those of the invisible monster Sindbad is forced to fight in the arena, are quite strong for the 60s, for a film that most assuredly didn't have a big budget. The giant mechanical hand which guards the heart in the tower, is also a very impressive feat of design and animatronics, for the time. Even the great Hydra-like beast the men face in the swamp, while it doesn't move the best, still aesthetically LOOKS fantastic. All told, even without stop-motion model wizardry, this movie is a testament to the strength (and superiority over CGI) of practical effects. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzr0KF85vDjnD7Ezk4dndcXEjpglnfI1c8SafhPVqV75AMBpq3_Rh35_lRC_D1hZySyD9C3T78vP9Wb9qeQBKwkMrvRg8RaovP2v443n4XF0uTZYSMJoSJjMfvyzaLZbesXxLCx_ziH8QaCLgKusqcvUaHN8ya4jT-451oQfH-5V5sfp3b3vk9-vvqGoE/s391/sokurah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="391" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzr0KF85vDjnD7Ezk4dndcXEjpglnfI1c8SafhPVqV75AMBpq3_Rh35_lRC_D1hZySyD9C3T78vP9Wb9qeQBKwkMrvRg8RaovP2v443n4XF0uTZYSMJoSJjMfvyzaLZbesXxLCx_ziH8QaCLgKusqcvUaHN8ya4jT-451oQfH-5V5sfp3b3vk9-vvqGoE/w400-h280/sokurah.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite Sinbad.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /> </p><p>On a final note, where it concerns my favorite Sinbad depiction, and where Guy Williams ranks? I have stated in its own article, that Kerwin Matthews from <i>The 7th Voyage of Sinbad</i> is, without question, my top favorite Sinbad of all time. The dude was just the total package, and had it all. I think as far as Williams is concerned, I would almost be willing to say he is tied for my 2nd favorite Sinbad, though I think I have to still give the edge to Patrick Wayne from 1977's <i>Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger</i>. Guy Williams is a great leading man, and portrays the legendary sailor very well. But there is just something about Wayne, he has a presence, and his acting was actually quite strong. He was an actor who, in my humble estimation, should have been a much bigger star. Then again, I feel the same way about Kerwin Matthews. So ultimately, I guess I'd say Williams is probably my 3rd favorite Sindbad, but that's still pretty great! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> *****************</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>If you've never seen any Sinbad films, ever, I would highly suggest you give this one a whirl. In fact, I'll do you one better, and list out what I think are films, in order of "MUST SEE", the Sinbad adventures I think you should all watch. And make sure you do, because they're excellent!<br /><br /></p><p>1. <i><b>The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1957)</b></i><br /><br />2. <i><b>Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977)</b></i><br /><br />3. <i><b>Captain Sindbad (1963)</b></i><br /><br />4. <i><b>The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1974)</b></i><br /><br />5. <i><b>Sinbad the Sailor (1947)</b></i><br /><br /></p><p>And as a fun bonus, you simply MUST watch the 1936 animated Fleischer masterpiece, <i><b>Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor</b></i>! It can pretty easily be found online for a free watch. Cheers! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXV7nOiPzu9kMFK5tFcdf0cu4XcqukckVuVgTpgRquNHFhWb8e7zxuYQiJJ-M28k7NE6pkbuTuyhcTezc-pm3i4KSBsc5g2zPZBJ3ObLBHefqEa6yfJr-0ENLrY0byGWh0jkNkDkSleZbhfygioVBZegku5-H2vfFLt9LxvTDJbxHYROHbyRKQixO76Wc/s640/Magic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXV7nOiPzu9kMFK5tFcdf0cu4XcqukckVuVgTpgRquNHFhWb8e7zxuYQiJJ-M28k7NE6pkbuTuyhcTezc-pm3i4KSBsc5g2zPZBJ3ObLBHefqEa6yfJr-0ENLrY0byGWh0jkNkDkSleZbhfygioVBZegku5-H2vfFLt9LxvTDJbxHYROHbyRKQixO76Wc/w400-h225/Magic.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><br />Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-30175410423169753912023-03-24T18:37:00.003-07:002023-03-24T19:58:04.341-07:00My Top Favorite Game Boy Games<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykMVRDA0EzlzRMnM-P5CZsiTWFkTGrUvVJ69I-kti2dCDVIHE_dln5HrnrcFZ_xnzKlfVSlFGhxM2CawsLkL7mkeufMumqhhCpWHILUICUJ6BJdvJF7ST1HNIwKAdjj_tv3dWCxG8jZAvdZ4PynFOSfGGxyQsMsS3ZK0BgQHC5TlL7cKcl8KNH2cX/s640/Game%20Boy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykMVRDA0EzlzRMnM-P5CZsiTWFkTGrUvVJ69I-kti2dCDVIHE_dln5HrnrcFZ_xnzKlfVSlFGhxM2CawsLkL7mkeufMumqhhCpWHILUICUJ6BJdvJF7ST1HNIwKAdjj_tv3dWCxG8jZAvdZ4PynFOSfGGxyQsMsS3ZK0BgQHC5TlL7cKcl8KNH2cX/w400-h300/Game%20Boy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I think it's high time I give you fine folks another peek at some of my favorite games, by console. In the past, I've talked about what are probably still essentially my <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-favorite-video-games.html">Top 10 Favorite Games of All Time</a>. I've also in more recent years gotten more specific, talking about many of my favorite games for my <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/04/my-top-favorite-nes-games-revisited.html">Favorite Console of All Time</a> (NES), as well as favorites for what is probably my <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2022/02/my-top-favorite-snes-games.html">Second Favorite Console of All Time</a> (SNES). So NOW, I think it's about time I dive in a bit to talk about some of my favorite games of all time, to what is most likely my Third Favorite Console of All Time...the Game Boy! </p><p>Similar to the NES and SNES, growing up a poor kid, I obviously never got systems when they were new. Hell, when the NES first launched and first became popular in the mid-80s, I had no idea it even existed. I don't think I really knew about it until around 1988, at the earliest, possibly not even until 1989. Simply because I didn't know anyone who had one until then. I didn't get my own NES until probably around September 1990, and didn't wind up getting a used SNES from a cousin until around Christmas 1995. As for the Nintendo Game Boy, the first true dedicated portable video game console, while it originally launched (to great acclaim and success) in 1989, I didn't get one until Christmas 1993.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSxnukT1iqAHQOY0GUUnEr2avZ7nshtvKov8ZNNKryHOdB0WEPkifJoQNiEXwskmJetm6UU6KZ9WOL_7687fttRPx-RPgM1bWyCUNUM5M8OcueQXe4_0FtcA2ImymrUBb5HFpBJRfiPNizpIxxBWBz5Na-C-175J-n2SamUJmWTiFvB0ZsusoUrL-/s1168/Game%20Boy%20Nigga.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSxnukT1iqAHQOY0GUUnEr2avZ7nshtvKov8ZNNKryHOdB0WEPkifJoQNiEXwskmJetm6UU6KZ9WOL_7687fttRPx-RPgM1bWyCUNUM5M8OcueQXe4_0FtcA2ImymrUBb5HFpBJRfiPNizpIxxBWBz5Na-C-175J-n2SamUJmWTiFvB0ZsusoUrL-/w370-h400/Game%20Boy%20Nigga.jpg" width="370" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The original "Gray Brick" Game Boy, which I owned.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p>I suppose the big difference, though, is that I got the NES as it was starting to become "old news", as the SNES was about to launch the following year (though I was SUPER thankful that the system continued getting games, including some GREAT games, until 1994), and likewise I got the SNES when the N64 was on its way in 1996,. With the Game Boy, I got it probably at the peak of its popularity. Nintendo was weird with the Game Boy, in that it launched in '89, but they didn't release a true successor to it until 1998 (the Game Boy Color), which in this man's opinion was about two years too late. But regardless, that original "Green Screen" (Black & White graphics) hardware, was going strong for most of the 90s. So when I got mine, it was at the height of its powers.</p><p>That said, the circumstances surrounding my getting it were odd, to say the least. The grandmother who raised me, as I've related and impressed many times in the past, was a real piece of work. She could be cool at times, but she could also be a real nightmare. And you could never quite tell when "nightmare" was going to come into play. I found myself grounded from video games (except ironically PC games) for two whole months (a lifetime to a kid, especially a sheltered kid who didn't have friends that lived anywhere close to me), in the fall of 1993, because I got caught *GASP* playing Super Mario Bros. 3 for multiple hours. As you might well imagine, I was fairly miserable during that stretch, as the NES was a huge part of my life then. And it was compounded by the fact that I discovered I would no longer be getting Kirby's Adventure, a game I had just recently rented and loved, as a birthday present. I was pretty devastated, to say the least. I was allowed a couple of hours moratorium on that grounding, on my birthday in late November, so that I could play NES with my friends who came to town for my party. But the grounding was back on until probably almost mid-December. Practically almost Christmas! <br /><br />So imagine my genuine surprise, come Christmas Eve (we always woke up around midnight to open our presents), when I got a whole GAME BOY and at least two or three games, as Xmas gifts! She would, for no good reason at all, later inform me that she was sending a copy of Pac-Man back, instead of just letting me have it (more of her inconsistent logic), but I had beauties like Tetris and Link's Awakening! All told, I only came to own six Game Boy games, along with a Game Genie and a Light Boy peripheral. Which was hilarious, because you could only plug one of them into the system at a time, so you had to choose whether you wanted to cheat, or see the screen! I also didn't get to leave the house a whole lot, and didn't really feel like playing the games out in the yard, so the vast majority of my Game Boy playing was done in my trusty bean-bag chair, in my little book-shelf nook in the corner of my room, behind my bed. I would play it, plugged in so it retained power, and usually with the aid of Light Boy so I could see the goddamn screen, sometimes for hours, though I rarely got away with that. </p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JVQiLtmvObtspJkElHgE-YiBjHIjkQNVTq7MXBfBGTQpubqmz0rVjwzyWvGIQiI-ZD6lo49D6JOwz5YlqYrjKOthD7SkJWrM1c_5U2IrHr96KrWPxVvlyolAcjntw386S_yBaZCh5LTPZF3IfeJ1MHSqV1SAZJQGDfJxIKnsT0Y5rXqaFwR1NoTH/s400/Light%20Boy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JVQiLtmvObtspJkElHgE-YiBjHIjkQNVTq7MXBfBGTQpubqmz0rVjwzyWvGIQiI-ZD6lo49D6JOwz5YlqYrjKOthD7SkJWrM1c_5U2IrHr96KrWPxVvlyolAcjntw386S_yBaZCh5LTPZF3IfeJ1MHSqV1SAZJQGDfJxIKnsT0Y5rXqaFwR1NoTH/w400-h300/Light%20Boy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The clunky Light Boy attachment, both a light AND magnifier!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Sufficed to say, it's not hard to understand why at least some of the games I owned back then, are still to this day some of my top favorite games for the system, period. While I only had a handful of games, even compared to my beloved NES treasure trove (I wound up with 20 something NES games as a kid, mostly thanks to a couple local stores going out of business, before my grandmother passed when I was 13), I was very fortunate in that NONE of them were crap. In fact, some of them were some of the best games on the system! So let's waste no more time, and dive right into what precisely some of my All-Time Favorite Game Boy games are! <br /><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> ********************</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9UyoQ3BYA0aY9xQomngi5npHfqb-FQaegrrB-In9YS3j9WXfkUvcNk3HuG7IZwCvRJOlFdN070K-m83NTzrrOk_1ml2LH-u9OmW6U2jwkV1-LGnu391WK-ot8rUL2X0yyL9TjOyX40wr4KWC6MmVBjxV1_x16xYfwl0422mAdvAG9QI-_XRrUvOD/s500/Link.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="500" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9UyoQ3BYA0aY9xQomngi5npHfqb-FQaegrrB-In9YS3j9WXfkUvcNk3HuG7IZwCvRJOlFdN070K-m83NTzrrOk_1ml2LH-u9OmW6U2jwkV1-LGnu391WK-ot8rUL2X0yyL9TjOyX40wr4KWC6MmVBjxV1_x16xYfwl0422mAdvAG9QI-_XRrUvOD/w400-h358/Link.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b> 1 – Game: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1993</b></p><p>The game that I spent the most time playing, both because it's a big adventure game, but also because I wound up loving it the most, was also the game that to this day is still my overall favorite Legend of Zelda game of all time, Link's Awakening! This was the very first Zelda game, I'm fairly certain, that I ever played as a kid. I would experience Zelda II at a friend's house at some point, but I didn't really get to play it myself. And while I am certain that I borrowed or somehow played the original "Zelda 1" at a young age, I don't think that predated this. Link's Awakening was my own true "First Zelda", and I got swept up in that fantasy world, quickly and easily. </p><p><br /><br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZKLtcqU7E77Rrtqt6aykg5_lKLg8RSckdtdr-q9Z3R2uXEY05kD7G4lWF0eX54H22Cm2aT3ABa8fhOUVmo1VP7LG8OaDrc3yBwhYKa9pTIyQ8ajTrFYGYSFJduMyOvn7WrOEk0Xx7JMXu7j7XQ6OlxhF6EFlWAC2f7Wc9ZBOLF6M6WSGjT9bsxj2/s318/linksawakening.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="287" data-original-width="318" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZKLtcqU7E77Rrtqt6aykg5_lKLg8RSckdtdr-q9Z3R2uXEY05kD7G4lWF0eX54H22Cm2aT3ABa8fhOUVmo1VP7LG8OaDrc3yBwhYKa9pTIyQ8ajTrFYGYSFJduMyOvn7WrOEk0Xx7JMXu7j7XQ6OlxhF6EFlWAC2f7Wc9ZBOLF6M6WSGjT9bsxj2/w400-h361/linksawakening.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still beautiful, in the preferred original "Black & White".<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>Everything about this entry in the storied series, from its quirky humor, to the several Mario cameos (such as being able to temporarily have a CHAIN CHOMP as an ally!), to my beloved Roc Feather for manual jumping. Everything was/is great about this game, and it's my preferred favorite Zelda experience. To me, because I played this first, by the time I got A Link to the Past (what many consider the "best" game in the series) years later for Christmas 1996, because it had many of the same mechanics, but didn't have jumping, wasn't as imaginative and quirky, etc., I LIKED it, but it almost felt a bit passe, compared to Link's Awakening. <br /><br />And truly, they did an AMAZING job, translating the ALttP experience to the Game Boy's limited hardware. It really looks and feels QUITE similar, the graphics even having an almost "16-bit" look to them. No matter how you shake it, from the gorgeous graphics, to the excellent soundtrack (still my favorite version of the main "Zelda Theme"), to the large, enchanting dream world, this is hands down one of the very best games the Game Boy ever received. And it is easily my very favorite Game Boy game of all time. If you've never tried it, or even if you've played the recent Nintendo Switch remake, I'd say you need to go back and try this original masterpiece. You'll be glad you did! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSexN-bxKzrw3IvmE2ln-d4jrfmKv8XSTVdU601T54xEtxjHVJtjt7Jr8Hwxn5dJzOT6MehP5Kb90k0U_n1BCJuZR7lfD2BArghU7A0SCiIkTUHwkS2ys07AWrfYgf0Gvh4ZE_vpvF4dtZFDwyVtcf5GU_ERhTJSO3VsjXQ_FO_lEo68D7_VJWHe3/s398/Mega%20Man%20V.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="398" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSexN-bxKzrw3IvmE2ln-d4jrfmKv8XSTVdU601T54xEtxjHVJtjt7Jr8Hwxn5dJzOT6MehP5Kb90k0U_n1BCJuZR7lfD2BArghU7A0SCiIkTUHwkS2ys07AWrfYgf0Gvh4ZE_vpvF4dtZFDwyVtcf5GU_ERhTJSO3VsjXQ_FO_lEo68D7_VJWHe3/w400-h361/Mega%20Man%20V.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b> 2 – Game: Mega Man V, Publisher: Capcom, Originally Released: 1994</b></p><p><b> </b>As for what is probably my second favorite Game Boy game, that would have to be <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/06/forgotten-gems-mega-man-v.html">Mega Man V</a>. Not to be confused with Mega Man 5 on NES, the Game Boy had its own MM series, after a fashion. Except that while they had some new content, the first four games in that series, were made up of parts of the NES Mega Man games. For instance, Mega<b> </b>Man II featured four bosses from Mega Man 2 on NES, and four from Mega Man 3. This would continue for Mega Man III and IV. But for Mega Man V, Capcom finally stopped being lazy, and gave Game Boy its own FULLY original Mega Man game, a wholly unique experience! Not only that, but MMV holds the distinction of being the ONLY traditional Mega Man game in the entire ridiculously expanded franchise, that doesn't hold with the OG series' convention of all bosses being named "____ Man" (like Heat Man), or the X spin-off series' convention of every boss basically being "Adjective Noun" (such as Chill Penguin). </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JP-s1gT-EMWQ2bvqLO-MJlnWoxvoHePFiHrNrzM1OH51IV9y4jfbnGvmsy1wesoOnqva_A94r_kDQ7ETuxWhBh0DFfvi9OBCJrGrx-nGQB77JBQ1gXlxnOZ2ueFolkSrR5umI2A3hm8ZEh6q3ToTs8lNMsOL-B52dfp6d8PI75eDViwB7PlCmQQx/s500/MMV%20Buster.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="500" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JP-s1gT-EMWQ2bvqLO-MJlnWoxvoHePFiHrNrzM1OH51IV9y4jfbnGvmsy1wesoOnqva_A94r_kDQ7ETuxWhBh0DFfvi9OBCJrGrx-nGQB77JBQ1gXlxnOZ2ueFolkSrR5umI2A3hm8ZEh6q3ToTs8lNMsOL-B52dfp6d8PI75eDViwB7PlCmQQx/w400-h350/MMV%20Buster.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the magical Super Game Boy!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>In Mega Man V for Game Boy, the Earth is invaded by "Stardroids", allegedly robots from space! And while Dr. Wily (SPOILERS!) is of COURSE involved, the robots he builds THIS time, are made of stronger "space metal", and based on an ACTUAL space robot he discovered, the final boss "Sunstar". Regardless, these "Stardroids" are named after the nine (yes 9, Pluto's still a planet, dammit!) planets of our solar system. Mars, Mercury, Neptune, etc., all except Earth, which HAS an equivalent, but he's a boss you face more than once, named Terra (because I guess "Earth" didn't sound cool enough). MMV also featured a couple other elements unique to it, the first being the "Mega Arm" upgrade for your traditional Mega Buster, which as you can see above, shoots out a big FIST instead of a blast of energy. This fist is useful, because it can be used to snatch hard to reach items, and there's even an upgrade you can buy from Dr. Light's workshop, which basically makes it attach to a given enemy, and punch them to death! The OTHER unique element, is a new robo-pal, who for some idiotic reason is ONLY featured in this one, sadly more obscure entry in the series: Tango, the robo-cat! Tango is a special weapon you can summon onscreen, who essentially turns into a big buzzsaw, bounding around the screen, killing enemies for you. Plus he's adorable! </p><p> As you can also see above, Mega Man V was one of several later Game Boy releases, that were extra-compatible with the Super Game Boy peripheral for the Super Nintendo. While all Game Boy games were playable on the SGB, which was a cartridge that you slapped your tiny Game Boy carts into, which allowed you to play them for your Super NES on TV, only some of them were made with the SGB specifically in mind. Normal GB games you could still "colorize" with limited palettes, and choose from several generic borders. With games like MMV, they came programed with their own palettes (still limited, but some looked MORE "colorized" than others), and their own unique screen borders. When I got the Super Game Boy, quite randomly as I recall, in 1996, I was stoked, because now my handful of old Game Boy games had new life, as I could play them and enjoy them on a bigger TV screen. Though, as a side note, I DO generally prefer to experience my Game Boy games in the original "black & white", just as I dislike "colorized" black & white shows or movies. There's something about those "colorless" GB graphics that I find quite charming! <br /></p><p>Overall, while Mega Man 2 on NES is my top favorite MM game of all time (and 2nd <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-favorite-video-games.html">favorite game of all time</a>, period), Mega Man V on Game Boy is my 2nd favorite Mega Man. It's just a really fantastic game, a great soundtrack, cool and actually useful boss powers (especially the Black Hole you get from Saturn, which sucks enemies into it, and politely drops any items right onto you), just a fun and unique entry in the franchise in general. If you've never played it, go dig it up somewhere (even if you have to find it on the "side of the road"), and give it a whirl! </p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_wls2cgxEGkKkNlq_V6vmeQXwZo32y7LgNNMmMKUraLJcFYeo90p-sWTY5E16GihscQAQUNBPWiIrDLM1gkiDm1EXaRk-USF844d0xO8lkZ3-wFSK0I4tXGVnsC7cjUYYv_2mTQgBShWrKu0M14eVKFxv99_yA1IZD8IAme2-W-1RhqnXvg9Gqhy/s340/Kirby.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="306" data-original-width="340" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_wls2cgxEGkKkNlq_V6vmeQXwZo32y7LgNNMmMKUraLJcFYeo90p-sWTY5E16GihscQAQUNBPWiIrDLM1gkiDm1EXaRk-USF844d0xO8lkZ3-wFSK0I4tXGVnsC7cjUYYv_2mTQgBShWrKu0M14eVKFxv99_yA1IZD8IAme2-W-1RhqnXvg9Gqhy/w400-h360/Kirby.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> <b> 3 – Game: Kirby's Dream Land, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1992</b></p><p>As I related earlier in this article, my first experience of Kirby, was actually the sequel to this, Kirby's Adventure on the NES. I'm going to going to guess that I probably rented Adventure sometime in the summer of '93 (it released in May), but either way I didn't even own a Game Boy when I played that. I was aware of this original game, however, through gaming magazines, and the neat claymation commercial which I'm sure I saw on TV. But I'm eternally grateful that HAL Laboratories made Adventure for<b> </b>NES. They could have made it for Game Boy, a logical sequel to one of the most successful games on the portable powerhouse (they would later make Dream Land 2 for Game Boy in 1995)<b>. </b>Or they could have made the sequel in full-blown 16-bit, on the still<b> </b>fairly new Super Nintendo. But instead, Nintendo decided that the old, now mostly "defunct" NES, deserved a sequel to Dream Land instead. And not only did they make a sequel, they absolutely went nuts with it!<br /><br />This original game is simple, but brilliant. However, it lacks many of the conventions of the series that most people are used to, such as copying enemy powers, hell, even a simple act like being able to slide (which for some stupid reason you STILL can't do in Dream Land 2). In Kirby's Dream Land, which was made as most early Game Boy games were, with "bite sized", shorter portable gaming sessions in mind, all you can do, is suck up enemies, and either swallow them, or spit them back out as stars. Seems very basic, compared to the rest of the series. HOWEVER, while short and simple, Dream Land IS still a very funny and whimsical experience. When it first launched, there was really nothing quite like it. While sadly I never got to play this game when I first had my Game Boy as a kid (for some dumb reason rental stores just didn't want to rent out Game Boy games), I still got to play it later in life, and my abiding love for Kirby makes me love it more than even some gems I actually owned and got to play in my pre-teen/early teen years.<br /><br />This game was somewhat remade as "Spring Breeze" in the SNES Kirby Super Star game, but I would still highly suggest experiencing Kirby in his original Game Boy form.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uiKuzC3B6QtZG4iMpvGY9vBtzNNv2ty6MARgR6d-TaaYDAfLLWY5tSOyQj_nFoEYajBERsc5PJxhld6xGLfJKF67_Ui-C3hBTW6OGzoOqyrpBZMY3Mx2mHQmsWDydJlWUhFFS7lFWh1dRjTQz0wlcPNdBqGDTZcZroSkUwq7qIF1eVpmdgM4s1YK/s393/Wario.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="393" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uiKuzC3B6QtZG4iMpvGY9vBtzNNv2ty6MARgR6d-TaaYDAfLLWY5tSOyQj_nFoEYajBERsc5PJxhld6xGLfJKF67_Ui-C3hBTW6OGzoOqyrpBZMY3Mx2mHQmsWDydJlWUhFFS7lFWh1dRjTQz0wlcPNdBqGDTZcZroSkUwq7qIF1eVpmdgM4s1YK/w400-h366/Wario.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>4 – Game: Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1994</b></p><p>Another Game Boy gem I spent a lot of time playing, was the original Wario Land. Wario first appeared as an oddball new big bad in Super Mario Land 2. He's a greedy, fatter, vulgar, almost doppelganger of Mario himself, and "Evil Mario" if you will. But, he also proved to be quite popular with fans, so much so that similar to what they did with Yoshi, Nintendo took a chance, and gave him his very own game! <br /><br />Technically speaking, this game, and the rest of the Wario games that follow, is a spin-off of the Mario series. It does, in point of fact, have almost nothing to DO with Mario. But, much like the original Yoshi's Island on SNES, they still titled it "Super Mario Land 3", because corporate marketing logic says that that type of thing, retaining a name connected to something that has already succeeded, will somehow make the new product more of a success. As far as I'm concerned, this isn't "Mario Land 3", and Yoshi's Island most definitely is NOT "Super Mario World 2", and I don't think either needed those confusing titles. I think they would have done JUST as well, had they simply been called Wario Land and Yoshi's Island. <br /><br />But as for the game itself? It's certainly an odd duck, but then you'd expect it to be, centered around an odd character like Wario. Where I suppose you could state that Mario games tend to have more "classic" style enemies, Wario's enemies and bosses were quirkier, more out of left field. Where Mario games tend to have often brighter, bouncier and energetic music, Wario Land features a very off-kilter soundtrack. In fact, one of the games musical idiosyncrasies, is that many of the tunes in the game, are different variations on what you could call the "main theme", differing in tone and "flavor", to fit the differing worlds you traverse. <br /><br />I wouldn't say that I LOVE Wario Land, or his series in general, certainly not like I love the classic Mario titles. But given how much I played this as a kid, I AM rather fond of it, and they definitely didn't skimp. Wario Land is a high quality product, and a sizable adventure well worth playing for the portable powerhouse.<br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisXta9SXxalfaorGP_DxeJRIdntntKf8SNvSBoHI2wH7aKGhMx4oblx9d6baB2nQJhayz87NKuNkU9oZsxNdKTrM1BjBKhPmpcCSvU53Mcrkx43WtoASB72fLMarAomt6gfGbARoXjuLjkMWJHE3fMTjfsaMBW3gr_W51ErxMtKhreXMQJlPa1nTp/s320/Donkey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="320" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisXta9SXxalfaorGP_DxeJRIdntntKf8SNvSBoHI2wH7aKGhMx4oblx9d6baB2nQJhayz87NKuNkU9oZsxNdKTrM1BjBKhPmpcCSvU53Mcrkx43WtoASB72fLMarAomt6gfGbARoXjuLjkMWJHE3fMTjfsaMBW3gr_W51ErxMtKhreXMQJlPa1nTp/w400-h360/Donkey.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><b> </b></p><p><b>5 – Game: Donkey Kong, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1994</b></p><p>Another game that I'm including in large part because it was one of the handful of games I actually owned when I originally owned a real Game Boy (and didn't play them on other platforms, via emulation), is the 1994 remake of Donkey Kong. Yes, yet another '94 hit for the gray brick. 1994 was an excellent year for gaming in general, but especially so for the Game Boy and Super NES. Even the old NES still got some love (the last year, in fact, that it received new games in North America), with releases like Star Tropics 2, Mega Man 6, and Wario's Woods </p><p>In fact, '94 could also rightly be called the "Year of DK", because not only did the Game Boy get this great exclusive, but the SNES also received the super-popular Donkey Kong Country. However, DK on Game Boy is more than just a straight remake. While the game does in fact begin with versions of the original four stages from the arcade classic, once you beat those, the adventure explodes into something else altogether. There's actually a nice graphical touch, where those classic stages look simple like the arcade did, but once you dive into the MAIN adventure, the graphics become more snazzy and elaborate, with more detail, backgrounds etc. All told, DK '94 features a whopping 101 total stages, spread across 9 worlds. And in each world, you are faced with new (sometimes quite sinister) types of puzzles and obstacles to overcome, but you're also taught new moves or abilities to use in overcoming them. <br /><br />This game is elegantly simple, like its arcade forebear, but it's also deceptively deep, and can become quite challenging. Nintendo didn't skimp when it came to the content of this game, any more than they did with Link's Awakening or Wario Land. This was truly a golden era, in the late 80s and early to mid 90s, when companies like Nintendo, Capcom, Konami, etc., actually gave gamers their money's worth, regularly releasing high quality games, often stuffed to the gills with more content than they honestly needed to pack in. We were spoiled in those days, but I'm glad we were. <br /><br />If you've somehow never had the classic Donkey Kong experience, I'd say that there is no better way to rectify that, than with this game. <br /></p><p> <br /></p><p> <br /></p><p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZRfbZYmQlW2At2tEpWT2EVQwJZ5T8_vfRxDgeTDeVtzCVkaWXYR-Qa2CgSPjcz2I00AIlCPnauFTJxc6TAyyY3r3a10xpMtLr4TR7sN3SKrHTjYTzIpeKUhaTRHMbJaoSih9PEjgrRix-cpuErcncI9IOC8e4bTqW5OadymixrcZFtl177qClWCfC/s685/Tetris.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="685" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZRfbZYmQlW2At2tEpWT2EVQwJZ5T8_vfRxDgeTDeVtzCVkaWXYR-Qa2CgSPjcz2I00AIlCPnauFTJxc6TAyyY3r3a10xpMtLr4TR7sN3SKrHTjYTzIpeKUhaTRHMbJaoSih9PEjgrRix-cpuErcncI9IOC8e4bTqW5OadymixrcZFtl177qClWCfC/w400-h371/Tetris.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p> <b>6 – Game: Tetris, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1989</b></p><p>Another game I'm including in part because I owned it back then, and thus played it a fair bit. But it also deserves to be included, because it is, simply put, one of the finest puzzle games ever created. In fact, it innovated and established conventions that countless other puzzle games would emulate, for decades to come! Created just for fun in his spare time by one Alexey Pajitnov, Tetris first blessed the world (or rather, Communist Russia), in 1984. Through licensing via the Russian government (poor Alexey wouldn't see a penny for his mega-ton creation until the 1990s), versions of Tetris made their way outside the "Iron Curtain" by 1987 and 88, for various platforms. But it was Nintendo, winning the "licensing lottery" if you will, who secured the full rights to make their own version of Tetris (not to be confused with the unlicensed Tengen Tetris), exclusively for their own gaming platforms, in 1989.<br /><br />Tetris on the NES was a major hit, even though it nonsensically didn't include 2-player gameplay. But Tetris on the Game Boy, was not only THE major launch title of the Game Boy's debut in the summer of '89, but for many the pack-in game included with the system itself. That not only made the Game Boy an instant smash success, further spreading a love of video games to many people who otherwise didn't "game", it was also THE version that helped make Tetris a household name. Tetris on Game Boy went on to become one of the top best selling video games of all time, and as stated, people from all walks of life who otherwise didn't play video games, would often buy themselves a Game Boy JUST for Tetris, and would be addicted to JUST that game, for years! <br /><br />As for my own Tetris experience, I first played it when we rented it on NES, probably in late 1990 or into 1991. It's very possible that my grandmother may have rented it more than once, which she did with multiple games she liked, though for some reason she never just bought us a copy of it. It wasn't until receiving the Game Boy for Christmas 1993, that we finally owned a copy. And wouldn't you know it, she would go on to regularly annoy me by keeping ME from playing my Game Boy, because she was spending hours playing Tetris herself. She really should have just bought it on NES. But as for me, while it may have been one of my lesser played GB games, I did still spend a fair bit of time playing it. And for my money, while I'm quite fond of the NES version, and certain later iterations of the game, I am quite nostalgic for this OG Game Boy game the most. Not the least of which, because unlike the NES game (who knows why it lacked it), the GB version has THE classic tune that most people just call "The Tetris Song", a fantastic 8-bit rendition of "<span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc">Korobeiniki", a Russian folk-song.</span></span></p><p><span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><br /></span></span></p><p><span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><br /></span></span></p><p><span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><br /></span></span></p><p><span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXy_7pFKbs66g6gSpp9oeu9rELOcXntMlTqHPn0QlRSHbL9CmOYFSwLhElVH-8ATwWdLU_rB1dAlTZj6E00TIsIcAwiWPlR4eXbWd94yweTVqp5D5E7BqwXCI9K-VZUg3w6CVbPzsFDjTXkZlLqyLKK2JO1_Jcj7Uj7l2byPhLOA2lc6DtVy_f1L3p/s1024/gfs_70110_2_2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXy_7pFKbs66g6gSpp9oeu9rELOcXntMlTqHPn0QlRSHbL9CmOYFSwLhElVH-8ATwWdLU_rB1dAlTZj6E00TIsIcAwiWPlR4eXbWd94yweTVqp5D5E7BqwXCI9K-VZUg3w6CVbPzsFDjTXkZlLqyLKK2JO1_Jcj7Uj7l2byPhLOA2lc6DtVy_f1L3p/w400-h300/gfs_70110_2_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"><br /><span class="hgKElc"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><b>7 - Game: Avenging Spirit, Publisher: Jaleco, Originally Released: 1992</b></span></span></p><p><span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc">One of the games that I first wrote about for my <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/03/forgotten-gems-avenging-spirit.html">Forgotten Gems</a> series, Avenging Spirit was originally a somewhat obscure but ahead of its time arcade game by Jaleco. And surprisingly, the ONLY port of any kind, was to the Game Boy (the same was true for fellow arcade classic <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/03/forgotten-gems-tumblepop.html">Tumblepop</a>). As I impressed in those pieces a decade ago, these are games that should have been ported to NES, and/or even the fairly new at the time Super NES, or Sega Genesis, or PC. But nope. Game Boy was it. Which, on the one hand, sucks that those other platforms didn't get ports of what is a really unique, fun game. But I guess, on the other hand, it IS neat in a way, that GB had some oddball exclusives like that.<br /><br /> Originally titled "Phantasm" in Japan, this quirky arcade hit really was ahead of its time in a way. Specifically, the core mechanic of the game is that you play the ghost of a dead man, who is trying to save his girlfriend from the same fate. To do so, you must possess enemies, and use their abilities to fight their fellow henchmen, on your way to rescue her. For one thing, it's very unique for a 1991 game, or hell, ANY game, to feature your main hero being a ghost who's already DIED! Meaning, in some sense at least, the hero of the game already lost before the story begins. But it's also unique in that, unlike Mega Man or Kirby, where you absorb/gain a defeated enemy/boss' power, in Avenging Spirit, you literally BECOME the enemy themself. The enemy abilities aren't SUPER varied, but you can become many different things, like a high-kicking punk chick, a magic-wielding wizard, a gun-toting mobster, or even a fire-breathing dragon! <br /><br />The Game Boy port is a bit different, naturally, than the arcade original, having its own graphical look, and somewhat different (but similar) levels. I'm not sure if EVERY enemy/power from the arcade is present in the GB version, but there are still a fair few. All in all, it's a good port, and a game I'd highly recommend (on arcade OR GB). It's another game I wish I'd been able to play as a kid, because I would have loved it (though the hero already being a ghost would have made me a bit sad). </span></span></p><p><span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><br /></span></span></p><p><span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><br /></span></span></p><p><span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><br /></span></span></p><p><span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuQkiMt310vxgabJzQZ4eTonanL39AW7K7ThzAGdd_c7IE_gQV_D9ieSb9tsBr2OgeNxgTTKlNRoQZ21Cs2RwNmKCuyjvj9_FPvqAsdQ0U5ze_u-iGkTJctHZXcPRPbaqCvNW0LEQwtmnwCMtJ5Cdsz8LqCAu-Vw7BTo3YVDiODpo1utE1RUsO4xU/s1024/Crazy%20Castle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuQkiMt310vxgabJzQZ4eTonanL39AW7K7ThzAGdd_c7IE_gQV_D9ieSb9tsBr2OgeNxgTTKlNRoQZ21Cs2RwNmKCuyjvj9_FPvqAsdQ0U5ze_u-iGkTJctHZXcPRPbaqCvNW0LEQwtmnwCMtJ5Cdsz8LqCAu-Vw7BTo3YVDiODpo1utE1RUsO4xU/w400-h360/Crazy%20Castle.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"><br /><span class="hgKElc"></span></span><p></p><p><span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><br /></span></span></p><p> <span class="ILfuVd NA6bn" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><b>8- Game: Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle 2, Publisher: Kemco, Originally Released: 1991</b></span></span></p><p>As I covered in depth when exploring the history of one (technically TWO) of my favorite NES games (<a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/02/forgotten-gems-bugs-bunny-birthday.html">Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout</a> and <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/04/forgotten-gems-kid-klown.html">Kid Klown</a>), the history of Kemco's Crazy Castle series is a somewhat confusing one, and pretty unique in gaming history, to boot! When I rented The Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle on NES, I had no idea that in Japan it was a Disney game that starred Roger Rabbit! I just rented it because I loved Bugs Bunny and Looney Tunes. I also had no idea that in Japan, there were multiple Game Boy entries starring another childhood favorite of mine, Mickey Mouse, or that in America, those too were transformed into Bugs Bunny games. All told, because of different licensing deals for different international regions, this Kemco franchise featured Roger Rabbit, Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, Garfield, the Real Ghostbusters, the European character Hugo, and Woody Woodpecker. I don't think any other franchise can make that kind of claim.</p><p></p><p>I like Crazy Castle on NES, in fact if I had made <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/04/my-top-favorite-nes-games-revisited.html">the list even longer</a> than it is, I'm fairly certain it would be in my Top 30 or at least Top 40 NES games, for sure. But it isn't in my Top 10, or even Top 20 (though Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout, and Kid Klown, are). But this is another case where I really wish I had been able to rent Game Boy games as a kid, and had been able to play at least one of these Game Boy Crazy Castle games, because the series grows and improves over time. The first Game Boy entry, which again was a Mickey game in Japan, is extremely similar to the NES/Famicom game. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbX1686KI7U1oDcjHsmuxqPtzrvOhTqcee6fYdg5__zj2AKho_s0qLcYoDtWUCA2KeCw6f7H844TwLl-Yi4rMUyVbjR22PGYkYNVGuvhPtdsBXvJgHLIJWPcHCQZQZJvUm8kqTx02tXmFoikBirF4R6Kyc0Pyu-r2K89m6R5ml5wyUPvXsNxsBfr1/s534/Mickey.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="534" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbX1686KI7U1oDcjHsmuxqPtzrvOhTqcee6fYdg5__zj2AKho_s0qLcYoDtWUCA2KeCw6f7H844TwLl-Yi4rMUyVbjR22PGYkYNVGuvhPtdsBXvJgHLIJWPcHCQZQZJvUm8kqTx02tXmFoikBirF4R6Kyc0Pyu-r2K89m6R5ml5wyUPvXsNxsBfr1/w400-h360/Mickey.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same game, different characters.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>My favorite entry (excluding Kid Klown, which was technically Mickey Mouse III in Japan), is Crazy Castle 2 on Game Boy. It sticks to the same core set-up and gameplay, wherein you guide your hero through a series of rooms, collecting keys (originally carrots, or hearts in the first Mickey game) while avoiding enemies. In the earliest Crazy Castle entries, you merely collect all of the items in a stage, and once you have, the stage is clear, and you move on to the next. A very simple, arcade-like experience. In Crazy Castle 2, however, it gets a bit deeper and a tad more complicated, as while you do collect keys, this time around you actually use them to unlock doors, one key per door. There are also non-locked doors, and each contains some kind of item, whether it be another key, or a weapon you can use against enemies and obstacles in the stage. You eventually get all the keys, and unlock the exit of the stage, moving you on to the next. </p><p>It's just good, simple fun, perfect especially for Game Boy's "bite-sized gaming on the go" motif. Crazy Castle 2 has a nice variety of enemies and stages, more, I think, than the first NES or GB games. If you've never played any of the Crazy Castle series, I highly suggest playing at least the original NES game. But if you get a chance, check out Crazy Castle 2 on Game Boy, I think you'll have yourself a dang blasted good time! <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> ***********************</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I'm going to make a quick admission: PART of the reason that I'm only listing 8 games, besides saving time (and you more reading), is because, sadly, in ALL the years I've had access to Game Boy roms, there aren't a ton of original GB games I've sat and played through, and beaten. There are MANY I've played, and liked, but not enough that I feel confident in saying "THIS is one of my favorite GB games". I absolutely need to change that, and thus I'm certain I will expand this list in time. One game I actually owned and played a fair bit as a kid, that I DIDN'T list, was Kirby's Pinball Land. It's a good game, probably one of the best pinball video games ever made, in fact. But while I like it, I don't LOVE it, so thus I didn't list it. I've also beaten, and quite like, Super Mario Land 1 & 2, but I left them off this time around, because they're not TOP favorites, over those I did list.<br /><br />Here are some other GB games I like, however, that may well be considered candidates for an expanded Top Favorite Game Boy Games list (as well as other games you should definitely check out):<br /> </p><p><b>Super Mario Land<br /><br />Trip World</b></p><p><b>Kirby's Star Stacker </b></p><p><b>Metroid 2<br /><br />Super Mario Land 2<br /><br />Gargoyle's Quest</b></p><p><b>Kid Niki (different from the NES game)<br /><br />Knight's Quest<br /><br />Mickey's Dangerous Chase<br /><br />Kirby's Dream Land 2<br /><br />Battletoads (different from the NES game)<br /><br /></b><b>TumblePop</b><b> <br /></b></p><p><b>Bonk's Revenge (different from the TurboGrafx 16 game)<br /><br />etc.</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibn1F_T_3ewJEwDa1XdVd9d-0Yy7ghWhK9Ulwk7ySDAHwc5Fn1Y9-ejvh2eDWdCHrWO3GdTOnD4jEnzQEhM6_DSWGlJwpcCggXGygjElWDeVZTMfl-bC4luU9HefJfMLm456I6hK1TScAj2T1XmNIe6Kebq1juoFVTiynQBEilHBpEiUuOabYGPRCK/s922/Tango.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="802" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibn1F_T_3ewJEwDa1XdVd9d-0Yy7ghWhK9Ulwk7ySDAHwc5Fn1Y9-ejvh2eDWdCHrWO3GdTOnD4jEnzQEhM6_DSWGlJwpcCggXGygjElWDeVZTMfl-bC4luU9HefJfMLm456I6hK1TScAj2T1XmNIe6Kebq1juoFVTiynQBEilHBpEiUuOabYGPRCK/w348-h400/Tango.jpg" width="348" /></a></b></div><b><br /> </b><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /> <br /></p>Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-78284632734624626952022-10-08T08:06:00.007-07:002022-10-08T13:17:36.512-07:00Godzilla Chronicles: Terror of Mechagodzilla<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8whe9qGoAy6ZTBaPdBIPu-fX3A6LfmZskqfMy89R73m9bOBdvYTZLOnFF8dG1Igf6CVE-29jbVmsbNa_hRHju8zsWXLLY09I4HBtvqeFD1DB6DbxVTxBjleRWAZp29AeSPpNic6QX9YK6fY4-A1WIpnIAGQEC4R_MzlF-_jyrvam-z3AETYYAgkCG/s500/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8whe9qGoAy6ZTBaPdBIPu-fX3A6LfmZskqfMy89R73m9bOBdvYTZLOnFF8dG1Igf6CVE-29jbVmsbNa_hRHju8zsWXLLY09I4HBtvqeFD1DB6DbxVTxBjleRWAZp29AeSPpNic6QX9YK6fY4-A1WIpnIAGQEC4R_MzlF-_jyrvam-z3AETYYAgkCG/w480-h640/poster.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /><br />Well here we are! This <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/05/godzilla-chronicles-beginning.html"><u><b><i>Godzilla Chronicles</i></b></u></a> journey began all the way back in May, 2014, in part as a way to honor a "new Godzilla" coming out, the first Legendary Pictures film. I was always going to write about my love of classic Godzilla films, but that seemed like as good as time as any to finally get started. I wound up deciding to cover the entire Showa series of Godzilla films (as in Toho films of that era that actually featured the "Big G" himself), and wound up most years, doing two entries, or if you prefer two movies a year. And as I said, here we are! It's now October 2022, essentially the 10 Year Anniversary of Retro Revelations itself, and what better way to celebrate, than by wrapping up what I consider the greatest period in monster movie, and certainly Godzilla history? </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhAwYsI9-3WyLircg0UON9pzMaqX4STk1hhBhm7JZU-P0nPhnjtPtkUKctMJh2uCOhdJDLtlwxNHYHy0-dd95SJuO_P1QaJjOHS3_crWTfYQC5AHrAfBXaq9YqHovI-touOtq7hTDbR6CAOWrM-3VVjrYes0Jl4tb_UUYUmSuNdHVeXa_e3aZCLYj/s1000/Terror.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="704" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhAwYsI9-3WyLircg0UON9pzMaqX4STk1hhBhm7JZU-P0nPhnjtPtkUKctMJh2uCOhdJDLtlwxNHYHy0-dd95SJuO_P1QaJjOHS3_crWTfYQC5AHrAfBXaq9YqHovI-touOtq7hTDbR6CAOWrM-3VVjrYes0Jl4tb_UUYUmSuNdHVeXa_e3aZCLYj/w281-h400/Terror.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The final battle?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>When I left you <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2022/09/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs.html"><u><b>last time</b></u></a><u><b>,</b></u> I was discussing 1974's <i>Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla</i>, or as I had first known it as a kid, "Godzilla vs. The Cosmic Monster". While all of the Showa Godzilla films (and most other assorted non-Godzilla Toho monster/sci fi flicks of the era) are technically connected, some of them are actually direct sequels to one another. For instance, <i>Godzilla Raids Again</i> was a direct sequel to the original <i>Gojira</i>. <i>Invasion of the Astro Monster</i> was a direct follow-up to <i>Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster</i>. And in a looser sense, <i>Godzilla vs. Megalon</i> was KINDA a sequel-ish to <i>Godzilla vs. Gigan</i>. And with a couple of odd exceptions, <i>Terror of Mechagodzilla</i> is a direct continuation of the first Mechagodzilla film. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lndYJLdMW2YqkEFubbs01JCc1S6D2PHouMJfgViTfywY-uUoD6S4w9FfH0KhmLrcGmcRGOo2GZ6wAdhzlN897iBuHRe64TocLZ0b42lOOWFJ5twMhoYYL__ARC7umMMoFAuLUPSh5x-YzsXGyPdcqjHEwEt-YX-4NovgNSIy7buwhli6Nih_orO6/s465/Mecha%20Aliens.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="465" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lndYJLdMW2YqkEFubbs01JCc1S6D2PHouMJfgViTfywY-uUoD6S4w9FfH0KhmLrcGmcRGOo2GZ6wAdhzlN897iBuHRe64TocLZ0b42lOOWFJ5twMhoYYL__ARC7umMMoFAuLUPSh5x-YzsXGyPdcqjHEwEt-YX-4NovgNSIy7buwhli6Nih_orO6/w400-h271/Mecha%20Aliens.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His helmet lets you know he's special.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Those couple of exceptions, are really cosmetic for the most part, but still odd changes, or in one case exclusion. Firstly, you'll notice in the picture above, that those dastardly aliens from the Third Planet of the Black Hole, have upgraded their attire to include some very stylish helmets! I have no idea why they didn't bust these bad boys out in the first movie, because they certainly scream "Hey, we're ALIENS over here!" I guess cool headgear was only part of their "If our FIRST attempt fails" plan. </p><p>The exclusion I mentioned, is that in the first film, it was pretty clearly established that these kooky xenos, were actually some kind of strange green ape-men. Their "human" looking facade would disappear when they were either damaged, or would die. Yet in Terror, the only time you see any of them change form like that, a dude just straight up rips human-looking makeup off, to reveal underneath a decidedly NON-ape looking, either mutated or burnt face. Again, totally cosmetic, but a very odd, non-continuity conscious choice on Toho's part. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoK54UPEB9W1o4lr58dQttxC2JoxzsGPa3C1R1DaAM0sttoOUoNd7psKoLQJK2LJNpDdRT_fkE1rmzgvBq7sCFACm4qHKseYKh74NrCQUXk5Jg4hjntkY3phzyWqAi-slKW4wtunuuRQpmdghEoSi4yNEtDXj20hD8EHvL8JPBMD0uP29tXoviCsHu/s458/dude.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoK54UPEB9W1o4lr58dQttxC2JoxzsGPa3C1R1DaAM0sttoOUoNd7psKoLQJK2LJNpDdRT_fkE1rmzgvBq7sCFACm4qHKseYKh74NrCQUXk5Jg4hjntkY3phzyWqAi-slKW4wtunuuRQpmdghEoSi4yNEtDXj20hD8EHvL8JPBMD0uP29tXoviCsHu/w263-h400/dude.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In THIS corner, the Big G himself!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5kA4FrQEDRiW0kSPz0yZwaJhzTZhBgeYV3JcvzDjjIMZSo98-B6daIIw_h76SgQXx4owzCyxE8Xx7kY4cmD5NksECg4v3ST6CGdhQJq5F3Z3XC2tgxylFp6W-5rwr8RhvHRvDEKPcxWfUEX3vJkWgrrbnbEbeCQg-68_n8I5-xJlBtjG7mxSNsb_/s680/Hey%20Everybody.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="583" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5kA4FrQEDRiW0kSPz0yZwaJhzTZhBgeYV3JcvzDjjIMZSo98-B6daIIw_h76SgQXx4owzCyxE8Xx7kY4cmD5NksECg4v3ST6CGdhQJq5F3Z3XC2tgxylFp6W-5rwr8RhvHRvDEKPcxWfUEX3vJkWgrrbnbEbeCQg-68_n8I5-xJlBtjG7mxSNsb_/w343-h400/Hey%20Everybody.jpg" width="343" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And in THIS corner, Mecha-G...Mark 2?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As I mentioned in the other article, "Cosmic Monster" was a movie I first discovered thanks to the wondrous spinning VHS rack out in the aisle at our local Walmart, when I was probably around age 10 or 11. For Terror, however, the only reason I got to see it, was because it was included in one of the Godzilla Marathons they ran a couple of times in my pre-teens on the original format of my beloved <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/10/childhood-memories-monstervision.html">TNT's MonsterVision</a>. In those early pre-Job Bob Briggs days, when MonserVision focused pretty much entirely on classic sci fi, horror and monster flicks from mostly the 50s and 60s, with a dash of 70s, I clearly remember there were at least two major Godzilla marathons they ran. The one that stands out the clearest in my memory was "Godzilla Bash '94", which was a New Years Eve all night celebration. I don't remember which one I first saw Terror in, but I do know that it was one, along with <i>Godzilla vs. Gigan</i> (or as it was called "Godzilla on Monster Island"), and probably <i>Mothra vs. Godzilla</i>, that my grandmother stayed up and helped me record on blank tapes (which of course I was thrilled about). </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeBXvyqd5ygeUDtXr1mBbnVXK7aT3W_fdbh_7upEhaBcH1cu1h-G_7PrO1ZT2nSlKUJ37tK57ziWDLpGdwbtmllEWgu99hLrxmJbFdRMdc5ojmREsPg5X65S5-FK9I5ZRhaZN8kCjEPLroWxunpeOlL0Z6pPP3XSfQFwXRSTZu8nXDq3_h8yDBwhVg/s700/Whip.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="700" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeBXvyqd5ygeUDtXr1mBbnVXK7aT3W_fdbh_7upEhaBcH1cu1h-G_7PrO1ZT2nSlKUJ37tK57ziWDLpGdwbtmllEWgu99hLrxmJbFdRMdc5ojmREsPg5X65S5-FK9I5ZRhaZN8kCjEPLroWxunpeOlL0Z6pPP3XSfQFwXRSTZu8nXDq3_h8yDBwhVg/w400-h249/Whip.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whip it, whip it good!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>Now while I was, of course, absolutely thrilled to be able to see "new" Godzilla movies I hadn't yet seen, as I wanted to see them ALL, it would only be fair to relate that even upon first watch as a kid, I remember being a little disappointed in this movie. Not that it doesn't have its finer points. I knew from a cool Godzilla book I found at the library, that this was the last of the original Godzilla series. And I also knew it was a sequel to the tape I already owned. But somehow, this film being a much darker affair, along with the new monster Titanosaurus (we'll get to him in a bit) being somewhat goofy and underwhelming, it just didn't feel as cool to me, as the first Mecha-G film. And for the most part I still feel that way today. </p><p> </p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYxUI03wiUYahToa_bnIcFfMiicsnJ4RqxX_t1MGEYVRXKdQZllJ0sCi5YOkQPNpTnTod-14PpabNilPZTuLCLqQ1UUItcU7-PIBF5q38W_Y_9IuLkQFtgsvc8ocTKnFAFJq34XMNkpDDBsLT-zbvwlTUhblIbUsmDl5ypx89wxBX-wJMhiA8L1Al/s694/Dude%20Goddamit.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="694" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYxUI03wiUYahToa_bnIcFfMiicsnJ4RqxX_t1MGEYVRXKdQZllJ0sCi5YOkQPNpTnTod-14PpabNilPZTuLCLqQ1UUItcU7-PIBF5q38W_Y_9IuLkQFtgsvc8ocTKnFAFJq34XMNkpDDBsLT-zbvwlTUhblIbUsmDl5ypx89wxBX-wJMhiA8L1Al/w400-h300/Dude%20Goddamit.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The master at work.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /> </p><p>One of the reasons this movie is notable, is because after taking several years away from directing films, to rest and do a bit of television work, the great Ishiro Honda returned to direct this. I'm not entirely sure, in the planning stages, if they knew for certain that this would wind up being the last Godzilla film for a decade, but that is of course what it wound up being. So in that sense, it was only fitting that the director to help originate this phenomenon, return to the helm one last time. And one last time is exactly what it was, for Terror would wind up being the last film that Honda directed himself. He would, in later years, spend time assisting his close friend Akira Kurosawa with some of his 80s and early 90s works. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIWyFQi9z7IgNQJxTMSM7CANZoda8T2WnvvPxQojY8KhQ5ACb7qwIof77B__KPTjbbNX1ZTzjZXZcc5yPUnhXyszJ_MCamUMU6SX4X-14kcM97x9a0b_7xAHyCLqfVYI3My1aek6Xsq2jN69bxPCxf-tzO3hkxJbDKEpZKegpTYV16YBev3ffH0xL/s259/Mafune.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIWyFQi9z7IgNQJxTMSM7CANZoda8T2WnvvPxQojY8KhQ5ACb7qwIof77B__KPTjbbNX1ZTzjZXZcc5yPUnhXyszJ_MCamUMU6SX4X-14kcM97x9a0b_7xAHyCLqfVYI3My1aek6Xsq2jN69bxPCxf-tzO3hkxJbDKEpZKegpTYV16YBev3ffH0xL/w400-h300/Mafune.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Akihiko Hirata, back one last time as Dr. Shinzo Mafune.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhx1CSbpNpK2x9cohc_z3UyERJbg1LS377t22vGliAhEmbTrizIZr9efNwwPNwtgs2nOOEP83Sk_3I4eHwZK01zjN_W4p-xaMcwK0FeG6l_ezByDpk9IpGpDw-aIr8K9qCeVV0ZZEQeS5Zu6abeiPB8nPTdR7CTkw5nPpw5enAKv0_NxHI8SjlaoY/s642/Girl.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="642" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhx1CSbpNpK2x9cohc_z3UyERJbg1LS377t22vGliAhEmbTrizIZr9efNwwPNwtgs2nOOEP83Sk_3I4eHwZK01zjN_W4p-xaMcwK0FeG6l_ezByDpk9IpGpDw-aIr8K9qCeVV0ZZEQeS5Zu6abeiPB8nPTdR7CTkw5nPpw5enAKv0_NxHI8SjlaoY/w400-h331/Girl.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His haunted daughter Katsura.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Plot-wise, the film focuses on both the efforts of Japanese military and scientist trying to find the remains of Mechagodzilla in the ocean, as well as the case of a mysterious girl and her allegedly dead father. The father in question is Dr. Shinzo Mafune, a disgraced and bitter scientist, played by none other than Akihiko Hirata, who played Dr. Serizawa in the original <i>Gojira</i> film. That was a nice touch, having him basically book-end the series. But where Serizawa was a reclusive but more or less benevolent scientist, Dr. Mafune is more your angry-at-the-world mad scientist variety. He has teamed up with those bastard aliens, both because they saved his daughter once upon a time, and because they offered him the means to prove his theory of being able to control animals through technology. The specific animal in question, being the giant (and doofy looking) Titanosaurus, the last brand new Kaiju of the Showa era. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBj51pC02G5KfNgLDmyNbIhKwXQbONFE-OYxHGvytV2l7FUBi8y8NoLDUbDY9Enlnb60zTEmHU6UxPH2O_BnGPLZwvq45HLdnjy21VThqvoBsJPn1JJJPlrMQL10Idpb8GVbGwxa5uI30wPNgZbvGuNgb56JxNBVn50S8LW0e0ZQXrIFFa5smrYXG/s1600/Fred.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBj51pC02G5KfNgLDmyNbIhKwXQbONFE-OYxHGvytV2l7FUBi8y8NoLDUbDY9Enlnb60zTEmHU6UxPH2O_BnGPLZwvq45HLdnjy21VThqvoBsJPn1JJJPlrMQL10Idpb8GVbGwxa5uI30wPNgZbvGuNgb56JxNBVn50S8LW0e0ZQXrIFFa5smrYXG/w280-h400/Fred.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello, my name's Fred.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I do clearly recall, even as a kid obsessed with monsters and monster movies, feeling that poor ol' Titano, or as his friends call him, Fred, was kind of a let down. Not a TERRIBLE monster design, but basically, he's a giant amphibious dinosaur, with fins even on the end of his tail. And aside from apparently a REALLY strong bite, that's his whole attack, outside of brawling, is turning around and fanning his tail-fin back and forth, creating hurricane force winds. A monster attack, I might add, already done by flying monsters like Rodan and Mothra, but far more imposing. I don't mean to dump on poor Fred, it's not his fault, after all. But in all blunt honesty, of ALL the 70s Toho kaiju they came up with (the creatures in Space Amoeba, Hedorah, Gigan, Megalon, King Caesar, Mechagodzilla, hell even the SUPER obscure Daigoro and Goliath), Titanosaurus is unfortunately kinda the lamest one. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8jCrNtbNONZ9fx02yDzbRGNGo_oKvWHnAoqGsLjShyVJpO37i0xW85WkK0Ye62voswy-hQSdGf5nB7nooiZmDZHcvyLOyWKMl1AX9feqmKQylkBz4mgkAqloVjJc8mIuD3bom-h4gKQ5A7CdYNSqGi9dfSKK0IW4iso5FamMCY_kcveCjonFWMVh/s1200/The%20Odds.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8jCrNtbNONZ9fx02yDzbRGNGo_oKvWHnAoqGsLjShyVJpO37i0xW85WkK0Ye62voswy-hQSdGf5nB7nooiZmDZHcvyLOyWKMl1AX9feqmKQylkBz4mgkAqloVjJc8mIuD3bom-h4gKQ5A7CdYNSqGi9dfSKK0IW4iso5FamMCY_kcveCjonFWMVh/w400-h225/The%20Odds.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The roles are reversed! <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Since their "invincible" Mechagodzilla was defeated by the combined might of two monsters (though mostly Godzilla) in their previous caper, those mad-cap clowns from the Black Hole decided to take a page out of the enemy's playbook. THIS time, they were gonna use an "improved" (not really) Mecha-G, in tandem with Mafune's controlled Titanosaurus, both to crush Godzilla once and for all, as well as to conquer Japan. The thing is, they included this wacky idea to have Katsura, Mafune's daughter, who as it turns out they had to turn into a CYBORG to save her life in the past, be connected mentally to Mechagodzilla. In addition to her already being the one who handles controlling Titano. So they literally put all of their eggs in the Katsura basket, even though she's conflicted, and has a thing for studly scientist Ichinose, who has been trying to study Titanosaurus too, and "believes in her". Hoo boy!<br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbiU_79dfxKyeFMFLI-lFWYvIAPrkOjZ0kAfqc783nB4EcqJtvPYzYaSu9to34pw37ryprrDSPoz1aLck6eTRR8HOEHIgkrx5MvrjfaD6Humbiv6ea0mXkOv6Jf9sMFQuf7t5MLMeb5N70gRxKNrTfpslk_G2vzVilaxlexXg5GMLogaR3IaA1003U/s501/what.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="501" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbiU_79dfxKyeFMFLI-lFWYvIAPrkOjZ0kAfqc783nB4EcqJtvPYzYaSu9to34pw37ryprrDSPoz1aLck6eTRR8HOEHIgkrx5MvrjfaD6Humbiv6ea0mXkOv6Jf9sMFQuf7t5MLMeb5N70gRxKNrTfpslk_G2vzVilaxlexXg5GMLogaR3IaA1003U/w400-h354/what.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's just not right.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiNwanoYA-vUtshi9qZ9P6xxwW5d2YjjNk_8cEEUBLjYfbkeMOppUBaslte3Px6h0Rk3O5x4F0rLeJrg_S1W7tJeovDB7US9iMEocYYByt0OHEJv8RZP8siHFMvZKnYuSjy2iAUA3R_vq5If5OWZQJ-C2k0YNCZCje0y6GGeNAUDmhK7nmOAg1UPJ/s704/Unsafe.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="704" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiNwanoYA-vUtshi9qZ9P6xxwW5d2YjjNk_8cEEUBLjYfbkeMOppUBaslte3Px6h0Rk3O5x4F0rLeJrg_S1W7tJeovDB7US9iMEocYYByt0OHEJv8RZP8siHFMvZKnYuSjy2iAUA3R_vq5If5OWZQJ-C2k0YNCZCje0y6GGeNAUDmhK7nmOAg1UPJ/w400-h336/Unsafe.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christ, I'm on fire!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Well, their nefarious plot seemed to pay dividends at first, as their Titanic Team, their Colossal Connection, did in fact wreck some major havoc on poor Tokyo, AND they managed to do a real number on poor Godzilla when he first shows up. As seen above, Titano apparently has a SUPER strong bite, and neck, because at one point, he just bites Godzilla's lip, and uses THAT to slam him around like a rag doll. Quite possibly the goofiest looking thing the Showa series ever produced, outside of Godzilla flying backwards. As you can ALSO see above, and not for the first time in the series, at one point when explosions were going off on set, the Godzilla suit caught a bit of FIRE, so thinking it looked wicked-cool, they decided to leave it in. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ60nlSMezr9pRo04AASqhrCdOzlAXmRE9v5rWpEhqkgDI6A_mQVbwk_2h36IdXLBqXUEDF_JxgZaQcsxIGJvLzfwVVAOfaT5lrpvrOYcGfODAtj7WuoPvY5--SseYZm3Tf2XjVBGWInYMhSnNgjtLBT_qWJzpO_iTuRqdGafk6JReviutm5trHqU8/s560/mine.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="560" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ60nlSMezr9pRo04AASqhrCdOzlAXmRE9v5rWpEhqkgDI6A_mQVbwk_2h36IdXLBqXUEDF_JxgZaQcsxIGJvLzfwVVAOfaT5lrpvrOYcGfODAtj7WuoPvY5--SseYZm3Tf2XjVBGWInYMhSnNgjtLBT_qWJzpO_iTuRqdGafk6JReviutm5trHqU8/w400-h346/mine.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take THAT!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73rLDdRMPmt4pTCXr6U7TJSPD_z3P1qiTYlZ476AVc9sIHWTE6UAwCVqjHR1k8LhW3mRCOG9LheHaU5HehUh67Njancio8siEHr-G7GhxwvV0iFJcWYZpDGAqU0qRtTn47rjNIwna6wnlIQ3Y3jo6e2iwCCE3dAb7T6Qruqo5hbIN_hnC7SEkW3Od/s634/Huh.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="634" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73rLDdRMPmt4pTCXr6U7TJSPD_z3P1qiTYlZ476AVc9sIHWTE6UAwCVqjHR1k8LhW3mRCOG9LheHaU5HehUh67Njancio8siEHr-G7GhxwvV0iFJcWYZpDGAqU0qRtTn47rjNIwna6wnlIQ3Y3jo6e2iwCCE3dAb7T6Qruqo5hbIN_hnC7SEkW3Od/w400-h156/Huh.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wait...WHAT?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>There really isn't too much to say about the final showdown between Big G, Mecha G, and Fred. I personally would have preferred if they had dusted off Godzilla's buddy Anguirus (my 2nd favorite kaiju) one last time, and made it a tag team affair again. For one, because it would have been a bit more interesting, and for another, it would have been a nice opportunity to follow up on the previous film, and have Angy seeking revenge for Mecha breaking his damn jaw! But alas, they decided to have Godzilla go it solo against two opponents, I suppose to make him look stronger in the end.</p><p>Ichinose, the good guy science man, discovers almost by accident while aboard a submarine, that Titano's mental control device (basically a pair of metal antennae), can be disrupted by sonic waves. So he and the Science Squad concoct a setup that allows them to shoot his ass with sonic waves from a helicopter, aiding Godzilla by more or less taking Fred out of the fight. This leaves Big G and his metal doppelganger, to finish the fight as they should. Though honestly, Mecha was more imposing in his first outing. He's supposed to be "upgraded" here, but he actually lacks the force field ability. Instead, his only new gimmick, essentially, is a "GOTCHA" moment to the audience, as in their previous fight, Godzilla ripped his fuckin' head clean off! And this time, when he does it again, SURPRISE, he doesn't need no head! As seen above, he instead has this doofy little dome that shoots a laser. </p><p>I wouldn't have spoiled even THAT much of the final battle for you fine folks, but I felt it was too funny/novel not to share.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqKzCd6dpNN1BVL9Stm4fvzHbPGDZY6wLlUnqVEk0EOTW1KsS5SyP9WT2WIZNOh6Uyv5gtVk_j6yw5UI4LugK00HaNEr_2Ws_uZTU5j4fJm7_9BLqDBN3ZdVsSxJPpZrMJ4NeDlnY0lLuvCvtXOvyj9srO8MQ5Vg4MhQeGTrTICqDe9rajBVtGYAq/s1600/9NH9clK8dPpEO6houf2zTXuBMCBkw1_original.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1288" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqKzCd6dpNN1BVL9Stm4fvzHbPGDZY6wLlUnqVEk0EOTW1KsS5SyP9WT2WIZNOh6Uyv5gtVk_j6yw5UI4LugK00HaNEr_2Ws_uZTU5j4fJm7_9BLqDBN3ZdVsSxJPpZrMJ4NeDlnY0lLuvCvtXOvyj9srO8MQ5Vg4MhQeGTrTICqDe9rajBVtGYAq/w323-h400/9NH9clK8dPpEO6houf2zTXuBMCBkw1_original.jpg" width="323" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey, it was the 70s man.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>So in a nutshell, as I intimated earlier in this piece, the way I felt about this movie after my first viewing back in the mid-90s as a youngster, is pretty much how I still feel about it today. That isn't the case with certain movies, even just in the Godzilla series. For instance, as I mentioned in its own article, the first time I finally got to rent and watch <i>Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster</i>, for whatever reasons I wasn't very impressed. But upon coming to own it in my 20s, and repeated viewings over the years, its really grown on me, to the point that I'd probably put it in my Top 5 Godzilla films. I also turned quite a bit on <i>All Monsters Attack </i>(or as I first saw it on TV, "Godzilla's Revenge"), which even as a kid I felt the overuse of stock footage, and the fact that Godzilla and Monster Island in the film were just a kid's daydreams, was kinda lame. But my sour take on that film improved, and while the glut of stock footage IS still lame, I appreciate it for what it is now. </p><p>But <i>Terror of Mechagodzilla</i>? I still feel, in a way, that it was the Showa era going out with a bit of a whimper, instead of a bang. It's not a BAD movie at all, in fact in certain ways I think Honda did as good a job as he could, given even tighter budgets than he had to deal with in the 60s. But when I really think about it, out of all 15 actual Showa Godzilla films, I might honestly like Terror the least. Yes, even below <i>All Monsters Attack</i>, surprisingly. That film has a charming and endearing story of a kid who has to spend a lot of time alone because of working parents, coming to grips with bullies, and life, at its core. Terror is still interesting, and I DO like it, it IS definitely a good movie, but I dunno. It just somehow kinda lacks that spark that even the first Mechagodzilla had. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQiF6fSYRW7IjdvHw2QiZFHAjzTq-sjeopdECYuBiUFcWsn18g7Z6SDQqRNw1CFIT73Kdn1O1jqsF5UxLquS6cHrtWbBAnqdWFGEfCNKF_7Zg-rnx16nwvqS4vghroKzyXMd4wfpgQ0VYW2vSv2_GpYyQxzWiMNBmZFCmgtoIYotkMdjsxmkfCHOi/s1200/Eyes.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQiF6fSYRW7IjdvHw2QiZFHAjzTq-sjeopdECYuBiUFcWsn18g7Z6SDQqRNw1CFIT73Kdn1O1jqsF5UxLquS6cHrtWbBAnqdWFGEfCNKF_7Zg-rnx16nwvqS4vghroKzyXMd4wfpgQ0VYW2vSv2_GpYyQxzWiMNBmZFCmgtoIYotkMdjsxmkfCHOi/w400-h225/Eyes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still a great monster, though.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>All that said, there isn't a single Showa Godzilla film, or even any of the greater Toho Showa sci fi catalogue, that I truly dislike. They all have a spirit and a charm that is just unmatched by more modern takes, even with bigger budgets and improved effects and filming technology. The "suitmation" techniques they used, especially for these old films, was an art form unto itself. It took a lot of hard work, to build the miniature sets, to make things look reasonably believable at a small scale, to build these elaborate (and often great looking) monster suits, for tough-as-nails actors to actually ACT in those heavy, sweat-house things. You name it! It's an art form that's largely lost now, at least in feature film form. I do believe shows that continue to get made in Japan, like the Super Sentai (Power Rangers), still use suitmation and miniature sets. Which is good, because much like 2D animation, or Stop-Motion animation, or Jim Henson type puppetry, I don't EVER want to see this wizardry that Eiji Tsuburaya pioneered, truly fade away. That would be a tragedy and a crime. <br /><br />With the last of the Showa Era Godzilla films covered, I am also now going to put the <i>Godzilla Chronicles </i>sub-series to bed, I think. My goal was always mainly to just cover the old, original series Godzilla films that I love so much. I do think I will, eventually, do pieces on non-Godzilla entries I love, such as <i>Rodan</i>, <i>Mothra</i>, <i>Frankenstein Conquers the World</i>, or <i>King Kong Escapes</i>. Hell, I may even someday get a bug up my ass to go ahead and cover the Heisei, or even Millennium film series. But for now, I think that the end of the Showa Era, is a fitting end to my Godzilla series as well. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>So as always, I want to wish you all a very happy Halloween season, and I sincerely hope you take my works as inspiration, and watch a lot of these wonderful old films that exist. SO much goodness, and it breaks my heart to know there are TONS of people who are perfectly content to mostly just watch whatever new shit comes out. Ignoring the vast array of amazing older shows, cartoons and movies (and games, books, music, comics, etc.) that exist, I truly believe is doing yourself a major disservice. But I digress! Just please do old "Retro" a favor, and watch some classics as we count down to another All Hallows Eve, ok? <br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> *********************************</p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>As an added bonus, I thought I'd share my personal order of the Showa series, ranked from most liked to least! <br /><br />1. <i>Invasion of the Astro Monster</i> (Godzilla vs. Monster Zero) - 1965<br /></p><p>2. <i>Ebirah, Horror of the Deep</i> (Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster) - 1966<br /></p><p>3. <i>King Kong vs. Godzilla </i>- 1962<i><br /></i></p><p>4. <i>Godzilla vs. Hedorah</i> (Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster) - 1971<br /></p><p>5. <i>Destroy All Monsters </i>- 1968<i><br /></i></p><p>6. <i>Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster </i>- 1964<i><br /></i></p><p>7. <i>Gojira </i>(Godzilla: King of the Monsters) - 1954<br /></p><p>8. <i>Godzilla Raids Again </i>- 1955<br /></p><p>9. <i>Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla </i>- 1974<i><br /></i></p><p>10. <i>Godzilla vs. Gigan </i>- 1972<i><br /></i></p><p>11. <i>Mothra vs Godzilla </i>- 1964<br /></p><p>12. <i>Son of Godzilla </i>- 1967<i><br /></i></p><p>12. <i>Godzilla vs. Megalon </i>- 1973<i><br /></i></p><p>14. <i>All Monsters Attack </i>- 1969<i><br /></i></p><p>15. <i>Terror of Mechagodzilla </i>- 1975<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> ****************************<br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Here is the
full list of Godzilla Chronicles articles, if you've missed any:<br /><br /><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/05/godzilla-chronicles-beginning.html">The Beginning</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2015/05/godzilla-chronicles-gojira-aka-godzilla.html">Gojira (aka Godzilla: King of the Monsters)</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/05/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-raids-again.html">Godzilla Raids Again</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/09/godzilla-chronicles-king-kong-vs.html">King Kong vs. Godzilla</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/05/godzilla-chronicles-mothra-vs-godzilla_28.html">Mothra vs. Godzilla</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">6. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/08/godzilla-chronicles-ghidorah-three.html">Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">7. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/05/godzilla-chronicles-invasion-of-astro.html">Invasion of the Astro Monster (aka Godzilla vs. Monster Zero)</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/08/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-sea.html">Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">9. <u><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/05/godzilla-chronicles-son-of-godzilla.html">Son of Godzilla</a></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">10. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/09/godzilla-chronicles-destroy-all-monsters.html">Destroy All Monsters</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">11. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/05/godzilla-chronicles-all-monsters-attack.html"><u>All Monsters Attack</u></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">12. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/09/gozilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-smog.html">Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster</a></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">13. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2021/05/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-gigan.html">Godzilla vs. Gigan</a></span><p></p><p>14. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2021/09/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-megalon.html">Godzilla vs. Megalon</a></p><p></p><p>15. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2022/09/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs.html">Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarjUMtAKKSpKfzwdX5cwKNZ_P1qEPqBhrmuglU0EdrWhRPWo4PBEJtzLY6AXbXJvn7YW6YqgzndrGits0OxFWhTSyy8UtRQVPrSsTBy8wpIa0WJM92djUA8oq-7h6Go4WxoeejlZ-YtVlmU2zg1VKe6coQK8zBCUpBbqvt139z8aOACAPHWm5IqSB/s197/End%20of%20an%20Era.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="197" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarjUMtAKKSpKfzwdX5cwKNZ_P1qEPqBhrmuglU0EdrWhRPWo4PBEJtzLY6AXbXJvn7YW6YqgzndrGits0OxFWhTSyy8UtRQVPrSsTBy8wpIa0WJM92djUA8oq-7h6Go4WxoeejlZ-YtVlmU2zg1VKe6coQK8zBCUpBbqvt139z8aOACAPHWm5IqSB/w400-h284/End%20of%20an%20Era.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank you for reading!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><p></p><p></p><p><br /></p>Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-1309407392769870162022-09-14T05:31:00.001-07:002023-05-12T11:10:26.732-07:00Godzilla Chronicles: Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0xOf9VofrYeexHmCE7RGj02nGBEsqFX4bCv30ENiMuhBancAKZB32SXf9lnhkPWuZXBl_oAd4x9FVQR9q_MkBuXdRE_yPUeu8Cxn20Qv1v5HayxK6wopct7NbfPfaSPl3qZPPoDRqokwKUTZXK9obW9WGz02XBSUmJ_jsXtwQTgmjgjskIWN4low/s957/Christ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="678" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0xOf9VofrYeexHmCE7RGj02nGBEsqFX4bCv30ENiMuhBancAKZB32SXf9lnhkPWuZXBl_oAd4x9FVQR9q_MkBuXdRE_yPUeu8Cxn20Qv1v5HayxK6wopct7NbfPfaSPl3qZPPoDRqokwKUTZXK9obW9WGz02XBSUmJ_jsXtwQTgmjgjskIWN4low/w454-h640/Christ.jpg" width="454" /></a></div><br /><p></p><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Back again for the last two installments of the Showa Era. For the last two Showa Godzilla films Toho would produce, before giving the franchise a decade-long rest, they introduced a new and fearsome threat for "The Big G" to face, one who was every bit his equal, in some ways. And one that would go on to be not only one of his most iconic and popular foes, but also one that would see new versions/interpretations in the subsequent eras. You could argue, the ONLY monster, due to its mechanical nature, to receive literal "upgrades". </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7TEabRh-GZEM3w0pOZ7mrtNUU2oCr4vlBZq7JZ3WjGMwlYcbpEwnSSAH53mMgf4ZaxGemXKhGtfLNw-Z8EKu1kb8jvKkwR3pN_H4YNGLsLjbgxpSp3KKl243e1EXM8-sAF9J0lofIgo_pXNIuDS3fqsOp2f3H_xe5SWR20MmRqQtlpl1IhUd0Fgr/s445/VHS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="239" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7TEabRh-GZEM3w0pOZ7mrtNUU2oCr4vlBZq7JZ3WjGMwlYcbpEwnSSAH53mMgf4ZaxGemXKhGtfLNw-Z8EKu1kb8jvKkwR3pN_H4YNGLsLjbgxpSp3KKl243e1EXM8-sAF9J0lofIgo_pXNIuDS3fqsOp2f3H_xe5SWR20MmRqQtlpl1IhUd0Fgr/w215-h400/VHS.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first exposure.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>As I'm sure I've <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/05/godzilla-chronicles-beginning.html">related in the past</a>, I didn't get a VCR in my home growing up, until around 1989/90. So while I'm sure it's very possible I may have seen SOME kind of Godzilla film on TV before that, my Godzilla experiences, as far as I can properly recall, began with my grandmother buying a VCR. And the VHS tapes we would buy almost 100% came from the local Walmart, which at the time had relatively recently opened in the town where I lived. There was a specific tape rack, one of those spinning column ones, located out in the aisle, right outside of the electronics section (which also played host to my beloved Nintendo games). It was that rack, which served as a home for almost exclusively ALL of the Godzilla, Super Mario Bros., Bugs Bunny, etc. tapes that would be "my" VHS treasures.</p><p>The first such tapes we got from that rack, of course, were <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/08/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-sea.html"><i>Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster</i></a>,<i> Godzilla vs. Monster Zero</i>, and the American release of the original, <i>Godzilla: King of the Monsters</i>. Others would follow, but eventually, one day when going shopping, as I often would, I gravitated towards that magical tape rack once more. It was magical to me, because I never quite knew what kind of gem I would find, as there were often new ones. The problem, of course, as I painfully experienced with <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/09/gozilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-smog.html"><i>Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster</i></a>, was that I then always had to try to talk my grandmother into actually BUYING said treasure/tape. But luckily for me, the day I saw the box art pictured above, was a day she said "Yes". Just seeing the art mesmerized me, Godzilla fighting some giant ROBOT! And "The Cosmic Monster" sounded incredibly mysterious, whatever could it BE? </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1AVZCdvqO3ReCCM8o3Gj-OxwOr4oxISJyqU_J2jRAwcnLYBQ_ZsTgh2rCrSnET7UmliviIFHG8kWwfrU6-vOo9lc37Ur8PEpTI3OeN2qhSZjanjaMe4vZplzvWUIQMq2iNQaHqHMkJaTwn78Gb2Fh45MhfKi6LBtjWEp5rFpePooHKiDmZUmYSmM/s1500/MechaG.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1AVZCdvqO3ReCCM8o3Gj-OxwOr4oxISJyqU_J2jRAwcnLYBQ_ZsTgh2rCrSnET7UmliviIFHG8kWwfrU6-vOo9lc37Ur8PEpTI3OeN2qhSZjanjaMe4vZplzvWUIQMq2iNQaHqHMkJaTwn78Gb2Fh45MhfKi6LBtjWEp5rFpePooHKiDmZUmYSmM/w266-h400/MechaG.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The REAL title.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Still just learning my way through Godzilladom, at the tender age of probably 9 or 10 years old, I had no way of knowing beforehand, that such a film existed. But upon reading the back of the box, imagine my shock and awe, at learning that there was a "MECHA-Godzilla"! Sufficed to say, I couldn't wait to get home and pop this bad boy in. I HAD to have this movie when I saw it, and once it was mine, I HAD to see/know what it was all about! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfHmGlF2vXwSeGbMazkhPfY6bOG8lTGfrZCZKWS50xdx3y5GHmUhmJBUDUYm-AExNjGAuBKyl8_oV3lCjo_i1Q-qvbts3ArCjN2OB48PsvNGyLkBCB3ttdjKSOd7N8K3Rsm7MqjrXAXgatJUfLQDwmEVm2Roe_sSeoZZZbViTb2F2BGh_WCCivATA/s905/Poor%20Angy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="905" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfHmGlF2vXwSeGbMazkhPfY6bOG8lTGfrZCZKWS50xdx3y5GHmUhmJBUDUYm-AExNjGAuBKyl8_oV3lCjo_i1Q-qvbts3ArCjN2OB48PsvNGyLkBCB3ttdjKSOd7N8K3Rsm7MqjrXAXgatJUfLQDwmEVm2Roe_sSeoZZZbViTb2F2BGh_WCCivATA/w400-h216/Poor%20Angy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poor Angy.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Released in 1974, <i>Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla</i> (alternately titled <i>Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster</i> and <i>Godzilla vs. the Bionic Monster</i>) was directed by Jun Fukuda. He was the director of previous series entries Sea Monster, Son of, Gigan, and Megalon. Mr. Fukuda was the second most prolific director of Showa Era Godzilla films, behind Ishiro Honda himself. In fact, the only Godzilla film (out of the 14 original entries, not counting other Toho sci-fi/monster efforts) to NOT be directed by one of those two men, was 1955's <i>Godzilla Raids Again</i>, the direct sequel to the original film, which was directed by Motoyoshi Oda. While Fukuda's initial 60s turns at the G-wheel were somewhat lighter, island-bound affairs, more typical of the decade in general, his 70s Godzilla films (with the possible exception of Megalon), tended to trend a bit darker. </p><p>This is especially evident in this film, as it opens with a great volcanic eruption, and my 2nd favorite kaiju monster, Anguirus, witnessing what appears to be Godzilla rising up and storming off towards Japan. But you see, Angy (as his friends call him) is a smart cookie, and he can tell that something is amiss. So early in the story, as this "Godzilla" is very robotically stomping along, Anguirus ambushes him, and jumps his ass, managing to claw off a chunk of his flesh! Underneath, wouldn't you know it, this strange "Godzilla", whose mechanical roar sounds NOTHING like the real deal, reveals shining silvery metal. Trying his best to put an end to this charlatan, Anguirus takes him on, but the Fake G is too much for him, and in perhaps the most brutal monster scene of the original films, and VERY reminiscent of King Kong (in fact already mimicked in 1967's <i>King Kong Escapes</i>), Fake G straight up forcibly breaks poor Angy's jaw! Seeing that as a kid kinda mortified me a bit. But Anguirus is a resilient bastard, and manages to run away, tunneling underground (an ability he only displays in this movie). </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOsSGrAtLNRew8HWsd-n1aYckGH7c9UkrB5-irjtz_FtDZOMXHkm_9tKMz7NHHvdPiPNv8mfYEf4TGPCoDmMbF-W4AxLAU1vSEx225ibd-WOrIHPzczR1gjtqFKLXK_ft_-o9jh9sTNF9rrYKq7fvmG1OghSfZocRXxyqa6pFhf_fTMzirM-0zlsq/s1200/Fake%20G.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOsSGrAtLNRew8HWsd-n1aYckGH7c9UkrB5-irjtz_FtDZOMXHkm_9tKMz7NHHvdPiPNv8mfYEf4TGPCoDmMbF-W4AxLAU1vSEx225ibd-WOrIHPzczR1gjtqFKLXK_ft_-o9jh9sTNF9rrYKq7fvmG1OghSfZocRXxyqa6pFhf_fTMzirM-0zlsq/w400-h300/Fake%20G.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Godzilla vs......Godzilla?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Dld2QCqPOHoUwX-HS51OWdDKIuxryXHntSdnsf2g-ew4zTX4CW84OZSC36SAu942pueayTqLdwEwsoa8wdgsWzasyoY9BsYpPgfcpCNt2Sb2-cWDHD4p6UJ9mZ7vw4qDmDyrYlvJcabv2UbhWfIy7M4A4fjMhxmcHYyXnLnpu6b7NGWBploSyus2/s677/Reveal.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="594" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Dld2QCqPOHoUwX-HS51OWdDKIuxryXHntSdnsf2g-ew4zTX4CW84OZSC36SAu942pueayTqLdwEwsoa8wdgsWzasyoY9BsYpPgfcpCNt2Sb2-cWDHD4p6UJ9mZ7vw4qDmDyrYlvJcabv2UbhWfIy7M4A4fjMhxmcHYyXnLnpu6b7NGWBploSyus2/w351-h400/Reveal.jpg" width="351" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The imposter REVEALED!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Thankfully, Anguirus probably ran back to tell the REAL Godzilla what was up, because before long, Real G shows up to confront Fake G, in a quite literally explosive battle. Godzilla does some real damage, clearly pissed that someone is trying to ruin his good name (wouldn't you be?), and in surprisingly short time, the imposter reveals himself in a blaze of electric flames. Where once the Fake G stood, now you saw the mechanoid terror above, in all of his metallic glory! And let me tell you something, this Mechajerk was no joke! He was outfitted, as you learn throughout the film, with jets for flight, heavy plated armor, re-loadable missile fingers, and bad ass rainbow laser eye beams! And if THAT weren't enough, he ALSO has a chest panel that shoots electric bolts, AND he can create a force field around himself! Those aliens thought of everything! But wait...I'm getting a bit ahead of myself.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhHaU9B1NpnutRiUOjGCA8uzVegWz6670gcylk-V7VmoH9tmkmDEGKVxyI2KmDwjAG8uLC8eY2IMNisHt28YnObTSx4bG6mCxY7r3BJBlJsnAH5-mzK_TSlz9rBFb8Vh-K5vpfkX6PNu-gMojCQalRrJrZcAIj79qcFINEgi5WVGWIBFB0VJqQdQv/s528/Aliens.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="528" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhHaU9B1NpnutRiUOjGCA8uzVegWz6670gcylk-V7VmoH9tmkmDEGKVxyI2KmDwjAG8uLC8eY2IMNisHt28YnObTSx4bG6mCxY7r3BJBlJsnAH5-mzK_TSlz9rBFb8Vh-K5vpfkX6PNu-gMojCQalRrJrZcAIj79qcFINEgi5WVGWIBFB0VJqQdQv/w400-h288/Aliens.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those alien BASTARDS!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I don't know what it is about Earth, but seriously. in Godzilla, many other old sci-fi films, classic comic books, Doctor Who, you name it, our home planet seems to be THE hot spot of the galaxy, that all of these other Cosmic Crumb-Bums want in on. In the Showa series alone, prior to Mechagodzilla, there had been no less than FIVE Toho films (including non-Godzilla fare), which saw dastardly aliens trying to take what's ours. They just won't stop! And the new kids on the block in this movie, inventors of the seemingly all-powerful Mechagodzilla, might just be the biggest jerks yet. Hailing from the "Third Planet of the Black Hole" (wherever the hell that is), where the last few batches of Xenos tried to use multiple monsters to attack us, these pricks are so arrogant, they think they're going to get it done with just ONE monster: Mechagodzilla. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTKJgQ2AzlVzkiFzOPf5rjMTZ6kknWaJ3TbsZfVgwEOCHG9ReobcOtwkxtOJEbEmcLJWvdbJE7cjoz8c2LVL2cBKDsVmbavcZ02Tm3G2Emubv6Hynhnvb8SHYYKeguM8nj-wiO42AyQiIeyYjRx8QTJymDtjDbstCrkgA6wKfAd_6-rATo_AVU98D/s960/heroes.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTKJgQ2AzlVzkiFzOPf5rjMTZ6kknWaJ3TbsZfVgwEOCHG9ReobcOtwkxtOJEbEmcLJWvdbJE7cjoz8c2LVL2cBKDsVmbavcZ02Tm3G2Emubv6Hynhnvb8SHYYKeguM8nj-wiO42AyQiIeyYjRx8QTJymDtjDbstCrkgA6wKfAd_6-rATo_AVU98D/w400-h225/heroes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of our heroes.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Meanwhile, as is always the case in these monster movies, there do also happen to be human characters milling about, do their thing. In this particular case, a couple of brothers, the Shimizu brothers Keisuke and Masahiko, are busy studying different stuff in Okinawa. While one brother stumbles across an ancient statue (with a prophecy about ancient monsters to boot!), the other goes exploring a local cave, and discovers a chunk of strange, non-terrestrial metal, that comes to be called "Space Titanium". While Keisuke runs off with a hot archaeologist he meets named Saeko, to study more about the statue, Masahiko takes the metal chunk to Professor Hideto Miyajima and his daughter Ikuko, to identify it. It is during these escapades that these guys, these gals, and these professors, get into more adventures, with Dr. Miyajima and crew witnessing the first battle between Godzilla and Mechagodzilla and finding some more "Space Titanium", which sends them on a chase looking for its source. <br /><br />While the brothers' uncle Dr. Wagura and Co., find themselves assaulted by people who are after the statue. Keisuke and Saeko also keep finding themselves running into a mystery man (pictured above), who claims to be a reporter, but he acts more like a spy. The two professors are of special note, as both are played by frequent Godzilla actors. Dr. Wagura is played by Hiroshi Koizumi, previously starring in <i>Godzilla Raids Again</i>, <i>Mothra</i>, <i>Godzilla vs. Mothra</i>, and <i>Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster</i>, among others). And Dr. Miyajima is played by none-other than Akihiko Hirata, who starred in the original <i>Gojira</i> as Dr. Serizawa, as well as <i>Rodan</i>, <i>Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster</i>, and <i>Latitude Zero</i>, among others. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNiIKAE552LvG0PC8gxTL3tJj-XuX4wzxY1QEguSbxv6vJAhXS7xko8vGxm1ooGJG8jRXhQWZ-5kf3_Osb6lSvfF1TgigI0AeQa-03GXZwDKfh5I6W-WkQtJAjt_lfgI5nTZqT0TofErEDJOmQ2Vkf0gMuOvwvZRt-7CpxNmrDFE-NYQxZqmR3XuG/s500/King.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="355" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNiIKAE552LvG0PC8gxTL3tJj-XuX4wzxY1QEguSbxv6vJAhXS7xko8vGxm1ooGJG8jRXhQWZ-5kf3_Osb6lSvfF1TgigI0AeQa-03GXZwDKfh5I6W-WkQtJAjt_lfgI5nTZqT0TofErEDJOmQ2Vkf0gMuOvwvZRt-7CpxNmrDFE-NYQxZqmR3XuG/w284-h400/King.jpeg" width="284" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The OTHER other monster.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I won't spoil TOO much more of the plot, but I will say that around midway through the film, due to some hot coffee to the face of a returning statue thief, it is revealed (no joke), that the alien menace behind Mechagodzilla, are actually weird, green-faced APE men! Far out, right? Though not as far out as, say, the aliens really being giant COCKROACHES, ala <i>Godzilla vs. Gigan</i>. Anyone who's familiar with the old <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/11/childhood-memories-mystery-science.html">Mystery Science Theater 3000</a> show, might well be aware that Japan also produced OTHER ape-men science fiction properties in the 70s, and my guess is, someone over there took a real shine to the popular <i>Planet of the Apes</i> movies that were prevalent in the decade. </p><p>Godzilla, having faced some difficulty in his first encounter with his robotic doppelganger, certainly wasn't left all by his lonesome in this story. While his good buddy Anguirus was KO'ed by that mecha-bastard, Toho had another brand new monster up their sleeve for just such an occasion. That monster would be of the "Ancient Protector of the Okinawan Royal Family" variety, referred to in the western release as "King Caesar". You know, as in Emperor Caesar, from ancient Rome? Well, on that note, it just so happens not to be the monster's actual name. In truth, the giant fluffy guy you can see above, was really called "King Shisa", which to anyone up on their Chinese mythology, was a kind of guardian spirit, a sort of "Lion-Dog". And that's basically what good ol' "Caesar" is. Except that he can walk upright, he can box like a sonuvabich, and when evil monsters shoot inevitable beam attacks at him, he can reflect them right back AT them, with his own fancy eye beams! All in all, not a bad new monster, one of the cooler ones of the 70s, I think. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNsWv8b_QtPR4pOri3NafSnD-24dNBntBEFu4jO_l6jTpM00o2ZXwjg89qDHX_ZP_BsrToZzKH0aI84H_lLE1hwL3_djoAlyrrY7oUBCJ4mmQ4c2w5qQk_2dOyEEBTEj6wwKfop8hWl6cqTkDpk_eH7ONCyVmE8eulrTO51T9H3pNGofRzzp-YN5l/s628/Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="628" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNsWv8b_QtPR4pOri3NafSnD-24dNBntBEFu4jO_l6jTpM00o2ZXwjg89qDHX_ZP_BsrToZzKH0aI84H_lLE1hwL3_djoAlyrrY7oUBCJ4mmQ4c2w5qQk_2dOyEEBTEj6wwKfop8hWl6cqTkDpk_eH7ONCyVmE8eulrTO51T9H3pNGofRzzp-YN5l/w400-h230/Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's like looking in a mirror! <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKKDXC0OLROqrOHacX8RGWen6InC1vo-RKwpfq86djwuOUK5esLo7AwYMzEUKQUXLu3XDtRQdYJpaQUeHHs47G4sREKQ6UxI21iZPmNsIjubiswQye1f5ClN85HD1VLYdArsdhkuwlLofukg_7pWX8TzMLdYOVsRjQwBALcSd6-WQ0YqFimCThy3R/s1024/Wanna%20box.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="715" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKKDXC0OLROqrOHacX8RGWen6InC1vo-RKwpfq86djwuOUK5esLo7AwYMzEUKQUXLu3XDtRQdYJpaQUeHHs47G4sREKQ6UxI21iZPmNsIjubiswQye1f5ClN85HD1VLYdArsdhkuwlLofukg_7pWX8TzMLdYOVsRjQwBALcSd6-WQ0YqFimCThy3R/w279-h400/Wanna%20box.jpg" width="279" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun Fact: Punching Space Titanium HURTS!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The only problem, is that to activate your Ancient Okinawan Protector home defense system, you've got to do some serious prayer-singing. In fact, it might take you an entire extended performance on a beach, before you finally get that sleepy giant to wake the hell up! But awake he does, and at first, Caesar actually tries to take on the Marauding Menace all by his lonesome. Without spoiling the WHOLE thing, let's just say he doesn't do so hot. BUT, our hero Godzilla finally shows up just in the nick of time, and these two strangers quickly perform the Mega-Powers handshake, and unite as the greatest tag team this world has ever known...besides Godzilla and Anguirus, that is. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsPmgtTFHTAEE_BeWw1xC-oh2zyH7kG1BqldtEKiely_rQ3o1BSBxUpai21Ic9NoH3TmkVZ3mrYf6soqF8gFYmK0qf2Cv9M5j51M08woCNwSa0jBbvSZwocToK8qpqsVejHwwTht6ZE8Yr5OKyLcSWBtqfTwI4fPNdThpiOstVeexOkC9sWNSr-UO/s301/Shield.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="146" data-original-width="301" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsPmgtTFHTAEE_BeWw1xC-oh2zyH7kG1BqldtEKiely_rQ3o1BSBxUpai21Ic9NoH3TmkVZ3mrYf6soqF8gFYmK0qf2Cv9M5j51M08woCNwSa0jBbvSZwocToK8qpqsVejHwwTht6ZE8Yr5OKyLcSWBtqfTwI4fPNdThpiOstVeexOkC9sWNSr-UO/w400-h194/Shield.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A force field is basically cheating, right?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlJ_ctr-ymH92LkTFnrWDluKCLwPExtUCzygc4HpD9XmVTRugFyGH8ZgdFQPGjPC-9OCCinK-TEGaDG-tIQaVqHmzIeGs-_nswcAkIUZFnYNu5xkJcWwxUHR-CqeUSH-Omj-snB6d8pq1dqI6C1xChFr9WYAuCPPFoac4uegZHin4mfZZ-t5PtzWt/s452/Magnets.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="452" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlJ_ctr-ymH92LkTFnrWDluKCLwPExtUCzygc4HpD9XmVTRugFyGH8ZgdFQPGjPC-9OCCinK-TEGaDG-tIQaVqHmzIeGs-_nswcAkIUZFnYNu5xkJcWwxUHR-CqeUSH-Omj-snB6d8pq1dqI6C1xChFr9WYAuCPPFoac4uegZHin4mfZZ-t5PtzWt/w400-h263/Magnets.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Movie specific power activate! <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Leaving the final battle for you to enjoy yourselves, I will reiterate that those Black Hole jerks weren't messing about when they made Mecha-G. When your killer robot can spin his head around REAL fast, and generate a nearly impenetrable force field that hurts to even try and PUNCH? That's what I call advanced planning. Thankfully, as I've mentioned in more recent previous entries, the 70s Showa films had a bit of thing for introducing new one-film-only abilities that Godzilla employs in his fight against evil. In Hedorah, it was the goofy-as-hell use of his thermonuclear breath to be able to fly through the air...BACKWARDS! In Megalon, it was the somewhat infamous (thanks to MST3K), but in my opinion awesome "Sliding Tail Kick" attack. </p><p>And in "The Cosmic Monster"? Well when Godzilla went back to Monster Island to lick his wounds from Round 1 with Mecha-G, he was assailed by a random lighting storm. The lightning struck him several times, and somehow, it infused him with some manner of electromagnetic field. WHICH he conveniently was able to basically store up in his body, until right when he would need it, late in the story. It seems to have been a one-use sort of deal, so you can understand him saving it up, much like in a video game! Godzilla is nothing, if not a master of strategy. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03wYHD_vHKp-dwiAC-mX55dz1TK7g-Iw1NMc9TpsMlTOFKcZgl1GkFRP7Cxi_-cY3bG6sYIZtVuI0ZpuUG_bk7zh_C0z9E6wGrsBTXJwUfdsc-6PNmPpt8TV7Ai2U8LXcQoEmJeNhosb3KTrs8lTcJksaxPc0lz07CmEAy_qvlZz4vqrZdwzDgoBT/s720/friends.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03wYHD_vHKp-dwiAC-mX55dz1TK7g-Iw1NMc9TpsMlTOFKcZgl1GkFRP7Cxi_-cY3bG6sYIZtVuI0ZpuUG_bk7zh_C0z9E6wGrsBTXJwUfdsc-6PNmPpt8TV7Ai2U8LXcQoEmJeNhosb3KTrs8lTcJksaxPc0lz07CmEAy_qvlZz4vqrZdwzDgoBT/w266-h400/friends.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In another life, they coulda been pals.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p> All things considered, kid me was quite happy with <i>Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla</i> upon seeing/owning it. In fact, for a long time, even though I previously owned <i>Godzilla vs. Megalon</i> on tape, and would come to see <i>Godzilla vs. Gigan</i> and <i>Terror of Mechagodzilla</i> thanks to <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2012/10/monster-madness-memories-of.html">TNT's Monstervision</a>, this gem would be my favorite 70s Godzilla flick for a long time. It wouldn't be until well into my 20s, that I would come to like Hedorah, aka "The Smog Monster" even better. At first I didn't even love Hedorah that much, as it was so WEIRD. But it really grew on me, and well into my adult years I came to be quite fond of it. But Mechagodzilla is still my 2nd favorite 70s G-flick, with good reason. Even IF Gigan extensively features my boy Anguirus. <br /></p><p>I tend to always end these things by suggesting that, if you've never seen this particular film, I really think you should (I mean why would I talk about them if I didn't want you to WATCH them, right?). And Mecha-G is no different. It's one of the best 70s Godzilla films, and while I think it misses out on my personal Top 5, I'd say it's one of the better Showa films overall. It didn't originate the concept of a monster (or hero for that matter) having to face his own bionic double. Toho themselves had done that back in 1967 with <i>King Kong Escapes</i> (another movie I'll have to write about someday)! But if you ask me, while Mecha-Kong was cool, Mechagodzilla is the bee's knees. A perfect, armed-to-the-gills foil for the mighty Godzilla. And between you, me, and the internet, probably Godzilla's deadliest foe, this side of King Ghidorah. </p><p>So with this year's Halloween season WELL underway, if you do like I do (and you should), watching horror and monster movies in celebration, make sure to add Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla to your list! You'll thank me later. And with THAT said, there's now officially only ONE last Godzilla film of the Showa series to go! So make sure to keep a look out in October, for not only the last entry in this Godzilla Chronicles adventure (at least for a solid while), but ALSO, the 10 (yes TEN) Year Anniversary of Retro Revelations itself! Make sure to watch plenty of old films, and I'll see you next month! </p><p><br /></p><p>********************************************</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is the
full list of Godzilla Chronicles articles, if you've missed any:<br /><br /><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/05/godzilla-chronicles-beginning.html">The Beginning</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2015/05/godzilla-chronicles-gojira-aka-godzilla.html">Gojira (aka Godzilla: King of the Monsters)</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/05/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-raids-again.html">Godzilla Raids Again</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/09/godzilla-chronicles-king-kong-vs.html">King Kong vs. Godzilla</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/05/godzilla-chronicles-mothra-vs-godzilla_28.html">Mothra vs. Godzilla</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">6. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/08/godzilla-chronicles-ghidorah-three.html">Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">7. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/05/godzilla-chronicles-invasion-of-astro.html">Invasion of the Astro Monster (aka Godzilla vs. Monster Zero)</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/08/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-sea.html">Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">9. <u><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/05/godzilla-chronicles-son-of-godzilla.html">Son of Godzilla</a></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">10. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/09/godzilla-chronicles-destroy-all-monsters.html">Destroy All Monsters</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">11. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/05/godzilla-chronicles-all-monsters-attack.html"><u>All Monsters Attack</u></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">12. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/09/gozilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-smog.html">Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster</a></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">13. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2021/05/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-gigan.html">Godzilla vs. Gigan</a></span><p></p><p>14. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2021/09/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-megalon.html">Godzilla vs. Megalon</a><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEnX6AYZf6L50A593N-K24rbXKZ5Giiii4m5jueb8eKPz3LhRWBlPYhPSEFojb-MOrfzbs4GhpT-yN7sCYfOCss4Np_5j9FugZwneS1fvul5nOEBm0hsi44GbXeWWceYzwP7Xp5DzT33_Nu6yiGFmROd0e5aFa_JIlGj3KptcOC8PwQnsGO5Qibqgn/s1600/McG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1288" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEnX6AYZf6L50A593N-K24rbXKZ5Giiii4m5jueb8eKPz3LhRWBlPYhPSEFojb-MOrfzbs4GhpT-yN7sCYfOCss4Np_5j9FugZwneS1fvul5nOEBm0hsi44GbXeWWceYzwP7Xp5DzT33_Nu6yiGFmROd0e5aFa_JIlGj3KptcOC8PwQnsGO5Qibqgn/w517-h640/McG.jpg" width="517" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-91658914041810001942022-06-30T18:45:00.005-07:002022-07-28T19:37:00.944-07:00Wrestling is Cool: My Favorite Chikara Characters<p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6pjkzgQdP3ZA3O4ZLHRYt6VoGbxYtV_65nv-ofONlQETWQsWKrTFR2Lp1Vjl_8wZYM0FdYyDXE93B1yDctbCvZidxm4JpZcXJodfrWA3KqZ9hMZULJljt4wJWtXPuhnEYKosqMrq3fBDrXOrWvgOjyvX5o1dlE75-JHwVWzgrlra-c-0sPJUN0zy/s1280/logo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6pjkzgQdP3ZA3O4ZLHRYt6VoGbxYtV_65nv-ofONlQETWQsWKrTFR2Lp1Vjl_8wZYM0FdYyDXE93B1yDctbCvZidxm4JpZcXJodfrWA3KqZ9hMZULJljt4wJWtXPuhnEYKosqMrq3fBDrXOrWvgOjyvX5o1dlE75-JHwVWzgrlra-c-0sPJUN0zy/w400-h225/logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I'm back with my second piece honoring the 20th Anniversary of the professional wrestling promotion known as Chikara Pro. Last month, I talked at length <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2022/05/wrestling-is-art-remembering-chikara-pro.html">about the history of Chikara</a>, and my own personal history with it, and what I loved about the company in general. Now I'm going to delve a bit deeper, and talk about many of the characters I loved, and why. Chikara Pro was a universe inhabited by all manner of strange warriors, from living ice creams, to humanoid ants, to maniacal insect overlords, and goofy white rappers, and demons, and knights from the past, and even heroes from the future! All that and more graced Chikara rings over the years, and I'm about to tell you what I feel were the cream of the crop. So buckle up!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> *********************</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_kFHeZR0isERh-sWkjYiUalp3-GzHgCZpHDz0CXM4btRrxuacqfrtiY9daZlaJa0l3h33dlhwKHsedcR3r1oy1NdIsgDRez4Cfrb7AkP_QIOrv8gBckMjLHzQtn15dCFBk3y0XWCYedZA4LNdB5DvcMc4Y-1vpJlnQ8-Pa2sV8wgF5ntebnae5bc/s700/Ultra%20Mantis%20Black.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="471" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_kFHeZR0isERh-sWkjYiUalp3-GzHgCZpHDz0CXM4btRrxuacqfrtiY9daZlaJa0l3h33dlhwKHsedcR3r1oy1NdIsgDRez4Cfrb7AkP_QIOrv8gBckMjLHzQtn15dCFBk3y0XWCYedZA4LNdB5DvcMc4Y-1vpJlnQ8-Pa2sV8wgF5ntebnae5bc/w269-h400/Ultra%20Mantis%20Black.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Name:</b> Ultramantis Black</p><p><b>Type:</b> Evil Insect Overlord</p><p><b>Style:</b> Great and Devious</p><p><br /></p><p>I'll start more or less where I started in the previous piece, talking about the character who might just be my top overall favorite Chikara persona of all time: Ultramantis Black! One of the graduates of the very first Wrestle Factory class in 2002, he was originally a heroic character known simply as "Ultra Mantis". Mantis was a send-up to Japanese tokusatsu heroes, specifically himself something of a cross between Ultraman, and the insect-like biker Kamen Rider. For the first couple seasons of Chikara, he was a red-clad hero of the people, and even spent some time teaming with fellow "Gen 1" graduate Mister Zero, a grumpy, coffee-addicted, middle-aged white-collar worker. Together, their team was known as "Ultra Zero". </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWcOLE36Jpk6moMYOdTT1_VsjXKTfrqhmn2jvn2kGKQwHCDlPOzNsiCDKhxxWpnpnYcxXJ_eIVc46nFtnIeZOYKyAwP5BnWWofp93Gz6ixnrGtUdlJ-ZtLGVBDH28NKnkh4rwm9jiTctmUEjbSjVQ7f-zr9WLgXMoLz7V6zkn2Sy8fJdI4EdVBNeH/s350/Gen%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="245" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWcOLE36Jpk6moMYOdTT1_VsjXKTfrqhmn2jvn2kGKQwHCDlPOzNsiCDKhxxWpnpnYcxXJ_eIVc46nFtnIeZOYKyAwP5BnWWofp93Gz6ixnrGtUdlJ-ZtLGVBDH28NKnkh4rwm9jiTctmUEjbSjVQ7f-zr9WLgXMoLz7V6zkn2Sy8fJdI4EdVBNeH/w280-h400/Gen%201.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Gen 1 Originals<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>But by 2004, Mantis grew tired of, at least in his mind, being seen as a joke. So he eventually turned his back on Zero, nay, ALL of humanity, and revealed a new persona: Ultramantis BLACK! This name too, was a send-up to tokusatsu, as such heroes often had evil shadowy twins or doppelgangers of sorts. It was as UM Black, that Mantis declared his hatred of humanity, and his intention to eventually dominate, or destroy, not just Chikara, but the entire world! This was the genesis of true foundation of the character: a villain very much also in the mold of Saturday Morning Cartoons, mustache twirling, monologuing, and while indeed being "Great and Devious", also at times proving to be somewhat incompetent. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgML3G8syFY6zDmd78wywCr0PzQdFnWLCDzl8XvWz7kc9B126Bg0lDxMeE_3Hv0jPuoKKQns4iI56euAR1XxMIua6EehiRSW6EJmmz0EjFEeBDLPRUpuF2fi_fJLFHMsLK8bWf4nMWN05xjArOl7Ua3aUYXZh2MjGPuIWjnGgGdS2py-PqMvCLn8L5u/s324/Order.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="238" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgML3G8syFY6zDmd78wywCr0PzQdFnWLCDzl8XvWz7kc9B126Bg0lDxMeE_3Hv0jPuoKKQns4iI56euAR1XxMIua6EehiRSW6EJmmz0EjFEeBDLPRUpuF2fi_fJLFHMsLK8bWf4nMWN05xjArOl7Ua3aUYXZh2MjGPuIWjnGgGdS2py-PqMvCLn8L5u/w294-h400/Order.jpg" width="294" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Order of the Neo Solar Temple<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>Before too long, he set about building his army to accomplish his goals. He first introduced the devastating sea monster Hydra, who was one of the tiniest members of the roster, yet thought he was a Big Show-sized super heavyweight. He also recruited Crossbones, a genuine heavyweight, with a penchant for running his mouth during matches. Together they were known as the "Order of the Neo Solar Temple", with Mantis as the mastermind and spiritual leader. Unfortunately for Mantis, and true to Saturday Morning Cartoon villainy, they didn't often have success in their maniacal schemes. To counter this, Mantis would eventually add other members, such as brainwashing the squeaky-clean rookie Tim Donst, and convincing the technical grappler that he was part of the Order (right down to painting half his face ala King Diamond, or KISS). Later still, as I explained in the first article, Mantis "recruited" his enemy Delirious, by means of total mind control, thanks to the mystical and mysterious "Eye of Tyre" crystal that came into his possession. Of course, that would also be his downfall...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33_B0jCkY3C0yzATe8UeaGZK_9cZIl9UT__S5hGtIhOZIqMzSED2TwVxU0nz79dnCmnJuCOPGEVHTdFpv7EfQ7gcWRukXXRDOkTew5JR6FI_ogUh1qci-A21y07wN0W0vaejqKqF1kWAPnIWLXunvja197SozKAYy5Z3GxsMW4xkoe74BdD3Nshmi/s500/The%20Order%20of%20the%20Neo%20Solar%20Temple.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="500" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33_B0jCkY3C0yzATe8UeaGZK_9cZIl9UT__S5hGtIhOZIqMzSED2TwVxU0nz79dnCmnJuCOPGEVHTdFpv7EfQ7gcWRukXXRDOkTew5JR6FI_ogUh1qci-A21y07wN0W0vaejqKqF1kWAPnIWLXunvja197SozKAYy5Z3GxsMW4xkoe74BdD3Nshmi/w400-h301/The%20Order%20of%20the%20Neo%20Solar%20Temple.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New and Improved?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>I covered the mishaps with the Eye of Tyre, and the BDK group who came after it, in the Chikara tribute piece. But needless to say, after years of devious machinations, Mantis' scheming backfired on him, big-time, and he ultimately wound up losing his entire Order stable. He would then "see the light", to a point, joining the side of "good", at least to get revenge on the BDK. He befriended former ally-turned-enemy Hallowicked, and his spawn Frightmare, and the trio known as the "Spectral Envoy" fought on the side of Chikara, against not one, but what would eventually be multiple waves of Chikara invaders. The Envoy era is when I first started watching Chikara, circa 2012. In fact, the first full Chikara shows I ever watched (instead of merely just clips on Youtube), was the 2012 King of Trios tournament, which (SPOILERS), I was thrilled to discover Ultramantis and the Envoy won! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcKkwpGur6PiRknAYsIamjrdfgQp7Q5LiEmHhTVtioTGB7pxqhAtRutiRuF04U8WoglYN5VqOy_NJtPa1BYBsYL6828g2q9L2hdfmLAkDCpo78tLn17CN1B02PFSqrCW3j47DKgMXXf9pJbiIRZtm1ueki_R_bza0pMM0jZ7w4lQ470ua6ID7zOM5/s642/Envoy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="642" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcKkwpGur6PiRknAYsIamjrdfgQp7Q5LiEmHhTVtioTGB7pxqhAtRutiRuF04U8WoglYN5VqOy_NJtPa1BYBsYL6828g2q9L2hdfmLAkDCpo78tLn17CN1B02PFSqrCW3j47DKgMXXf9pJbiIRZtm1ueki_R_bza0pMM0jZ7w4lQ470ua6ID7zOM5/w400-h266/Envoy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's Halloween All Year Round! <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>Looking back over Chikara's history, of which I was there actively watching from 2014 through 2016, and keeping tabs on after (and more recently going back and watching from its beginnings onward), I have had other characters who I would say were my "favorites" at the time. But when I really think about it, the character I am most entertained by, and find the most consistent and endearing from all of Chikaradom, is Ultramantis Black. In other words, I would have to call him my Top Favorite Chikara wrestler of all time. His commitment to character, his charisma, his in-ring work, his flair for presentation. He was just the "total package". </p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkAjmgaTlWv8e8PELU3-uVcR36Jo1w3kfJaJ-cjmGUHT4UW9oGMKs5P1N5AKR8qOQCPTaGVf_uCDsTwiPsuj56ka1hiTeB0kY3khgF5IPrdJue20smXIDxWxaDQqR_6QfacVkD2nv9mdBbF6BlM2XFUTV4qnja8U8YsmU7sWbexbot0iMS7G6wVRS/s693/UltraMantis%20Black%20Tattoos.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="693" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkAjmgaTlWv8e8PELU3-uVcR36Jo1w3kfJaJ-cjmGUHT4UW9oGMKs5P1N5AKR8qOQCPTaGVf_uCDsTwiPsuj56ka1hiTeB0kY3khgF5IPrdJue20smXIDxWxaDQqR_6QfacVkD2nv9mdBbF6BlM2XFUTV4qnja8U8YsmU7sWbexbot0iMS7G6wVRS/w400-h351/UltraMantis%20Black%20Tattoos.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The coolest tattoos I have ever seen.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>But more than that, even for a "Maniacal Villain", there was always something endearing and lovable about Ultramantis. In a similar way to, again, Saturday Morning Cartoon villains like Skeletor, or Cobra Commander, or King Bowser Koopa. Mantis as a character (and seemingly as a person) is a juxtaposition of disparate parts. For instance, as you can see above, while he is supposed to be this evil, devious overlord, his "evil" tattoos are literally all nice, peaceful, happy Christmas iconography. I love his tattoos more than words can express, and the hilarity and sheer awesomeness of what people would automatically assume MUST be totally EVIL tattoos, being the friendliest shit you've ever seen, is priceless. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3SztajgtBatlZx3uH0io7P-uDV-uFxVLn1gMQj2Jzynadi8e-3rQBjBwIRnpohDWHdbSkOZWRKN2OR67CSIcpPCDXDsnjO-uh9OXnxQj2VhXBuqcgk5pM1bdO5rUOioV3uBtb4lNlE6mieH4sVv0uqTB2QZnw4_8-tDkMe8qcaIJHAnk_b5qtWwc/s718/Champ.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="574" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3SztajgtBatlZx3uH0io7P-uDV-uFxVLn1gMQj2Jzynadi8e-3rQBjBwIRnpohDWHdbSkOZWRKN2OR67CSIcpPCDXDsnjO-uh9OXnxQj2VhXBuqcgk5pM1bdO5rUOioV3uBtb4lNlE6mieH4sVv0uqTB2QZnw4_8-tDkMe8qcaIJHAnk_b5qtWwc/w320-h400/Champ.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Champion!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Ultramantis Black is my favorite Chikara wrestler of all time, because he's dastardly, but charming. He's an incorrigible, arrogant rogue, yet at the same time a totally lovable, gregarious paragon. He's a mystical, supernatural character, who claims to be a sorcerer of great eldritch power. Yet he's also something of a warped, spiritual zen Buddhist. I was glad to be able to see him win the King of Trios (which was his first MAJOR accomplishment in Chikara) in 2012. And even though I wasn't watching regularly anymore by 2017, I was also happy to discover he finally won THE top prize, the Chikara Grand Championship! I wasn't thrilled with how all that was handled, and will always think his reign should have lasted significantly longer than it did. But considering he suffered a leg injury in 2015, of which I was devastated, and genuinely feared he might never wrestler again, it did my blackened heart good to see him with "The Strap". I had been genuinely hoping that he would win it before he retired, and he did. So in that, at least, I could be content. <br /></p><p><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgw0vlREn_EpJT9IuMHMURG4BPMV01Mz6-DoipOvajcTRTPaHcdVare0SMkZh3NaHz22167rFepb3X1VGmAFQmaMBQvGfsly-L5P921dJfw_OwhTXdEgPdJ5MYdRsU24iyrNwMSWtfO1eDxZqPgMJ8Le-ixBSd6iJbQWHDUYu-XTTsZyq0H5mmgHIq/s600/Nightmare%20Warriors.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgw0vlREn_EpJT9IuMHMURG4BPMV01Mz6-DoipOvajcTRTPaHcdVare0SMkZh3NaHz22167rFepb3X1VGmAFQmaMBQvGfsly-L5P921dJfw_OwhTXdEgPdJ5MYdRsU24iyrNwMSWtfO1eDxZqPgMJ8Le-ixBSd6iJbQWHDUYu-XTTsZyq0H5mmgHIq/w400-h266/Nightmare%20Warriors.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>Name(s): </b>Hallowicked and Frightmare<br /></p><p><b>Type:</b> Nightmare Warriors<br /></p><p><b>Style:</b> Brutal and Frenetic</p><p><br /></p><p>Instead of listing them separately, I might as well list Hallowicked, and his literal storyline spawn Frightmare, together. During that time that I was most actively a Chikara fan (2014-2016), I listed Frightmare as one of my probably Top 5 Favorite Chikara wrestlers. I have always liked Hallowicked too, but especially back then, I just loved Frightmare's seemingly boundless energy, his lethal combination of high-speed brutality and high-flying marvel. For his part, Hallowicked (whom I have come to appreciate more and more as I go back through Chikara's old shows), a fellow Gen 1 Wrestle Factory graduate of Ultramantis', is arguably the most overall "complete" wrestler that Chikara ever produced, that Mike Quackenbush ever trained. If 'Wicked were a Super Mario Bros. 2 character, he would be Mario, the All-Rounder. He isn't the most high flying, but he can sure fly, and he isn't THE biggest or strongest, but he's pretty big and strong. And he isn't the TOP most technical wrestler the company had, but he could tie you up six ways from Sunday when he tried. He was a lethal mixture of all the right elements, and together with Frightmare, these so-called "Nightmare Warriors" were one of the best tag teams Chikara ever had (which makes it ironic that they were never Tag Champs). </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRZbb9xvz-82EGY7cnStlJua7jaP4UpBXrFIbi352mBDDUQzozzmJ9Clb7B5GzfRzjW6e2cRAzjQs6RikN8_05F1f0lolPTTv9Rgyk2Yf26UzFMWEYVI6Kky4Yzv549c6nIogrV57AXYbCgdFrf0SFeT_GO1qFtNI1j5qNGyJb1pE8thygPSnk-NX/s400/Wicked.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRZbb9xvz-82EGY7cnStlJua7jaP4UpBXrFIbi352mBDDUQzozzmJ9Clb7B5GzfRzjW6e2cRAzjQs6RikN8_05F1f0lolPTTv9Rgyk2Yf26UzFMWEYVI6Kky4Yzv549c6nIogrV57AXYbCgdFrf0SFeT_GO1qFtNI1j5qNGyJb1pE8thygPSnk-NX/w400-h400/Wicked.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All Glory, Nazmaldun.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>When I was watching the 2014 Season Finale live, it was a roller-coaster of emotions when, first, Ultramantis defeated his old frenemy Delirious, but then Delirious turned around and got the last laugh, when he used the Eye of Tyre to seemingly take control of Mantis' friend Hallowicked (and through him Frightmare). But that wasn't quite what happened. Instead of being mind-controlled as Victims of the Eye had in the past, Hallowicked would instead seemingly be possessed by something else entirely. The very next Chikara show, the season opener of 2015, he and Frightmare came out looking completely different than they had before. Not only that, but Hallowicked, who had for his entire previous history only ever spoken in gibberish, now spoke perfect, sinister English, and they brandished the banner of some Lovecraftian forgotten god, the Lord of Rot, Nazmaldun. Hallowicked was now his scion, and he was bent on building an army for his Dark Lord, to take over Chikara (and of course, the world). </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_nTPiPqQD5kfjJ8KpS0bQNdwLpAG3ix9pH-FmZDn9swqGVTffPuF2H_DwmwA4G1ZAdfWcgODvP5jbdjCozvm6wB5-MiEhrPs-zpHIF_2vJqP9BEkEDgtSWjVZ7HFWD0D7rx9E9Dg3Byp_RcgP5HpZvSNqg7E1qqQspN8q_wSXuxtLKZ3A5M2GwD4/s1005/Grand%20Champ.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1005" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_nTPiPqQD5kfjJ8KpS0bQNdwLpAG3ix9pH-FmZDn9swqGVTffPuF2H_DwmwA4G1ZAdfWcgODvP5jbdjCozvm6wB5-MiEhrPs-zpHIF_2vJqP9BEkEDgtSWjVZ7HFWD0D7rx9E9Dg3Byp_RcgP5HpZvSNqg7E1qqQspN8q_wSXuxtLKZ3A5M2GwD4/w400-h250/Grand%20Champ.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two Princes.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>While I unfortunately never got to see Hallowicked and Frightmare capture the Chikara "Campeones de Parejas" (Tag Team Championship), I DID get to see Hallowicked, in this new "Evil Overlord" form, win the Grand Championship not once, but twice. In fact, in the entire (tragically ended) history of Chikara, Hallowicked was the ONLY 2 time Grand Champion. I was initially heartbroken (so to speak) when Wicked and Frightmare were turned against my boy Mantis, and I still prefer them as the heroes I first knew them as. But I also found the whole unexpected Nazmaldun direction to be quite interesting, and the storyline had a lot of potential. I don't think it quite lived up to that potential, ultimately, but it certainly had some cool moments. I had strongly hoped, as had been hinted before his injury, that the ultimate payoff for the story would be Ultramantis eventually defeating Hallowicked to finally become Grand Champion himself (which technically he did), and ultimately, to somehow "purify" and redeem his old friends, reuniting the Spectral Envoy one last time. That sadly didn't happen, and I'll always wish it had.<br /></p><p>Overall, Hallowicked and Frightmare, individually or as a team, are two of my favorite Chikara personalities. Frightmare for his barely-contained energy and crazy moves, and Hallowicked for his excellent wrestling and commanding presence. I loved them as heroes, but I have to admit, they also made for some truly fearsome villains. </p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvVxYnYcSYi7Dzn34c9ArZZ4rjs_tHe10c6i25xBm0O0ikpojyy9Qau74qg_dwh6S9oMrl8AhvDTRqYPNyiduwuVHz7Lu0SdbrHRK1FhsrL0EFqXjs3NrthOgH-ZD3KQC6ENwydIptcJm_lASgkah9fVL8zSKt3HcAKOlVHTgxcDHPzbBNEu5jibd/s423/Bro.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="277" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvVxYnYcSYi7Dzn34c9ArZZ4rjs_tHe10c6i25xBm0O0ikpojyy9Qau74qg_dwh6S9oMrl8AhvDTRqYPNyiduwuVHz7Lu0SdbrHRK1FhsrL0EFqXjs3NrthOgH-ZD3KQC6ENwydIptcJm_lASgkah9fVL8zSKt3HcAKOlVHTgxcDHPzbBNEu5jibd/w263-h400/Bro.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>Name: </b>Estonian Thunderfrog<br /></p><p><b>Type:</b> God of Lightning and Thunder<br /></p><p><b>Style:</b> Power and Majesty of the Baltics</p><p><br /></p><p>Right around the time that I was actually able to start watching and keeping up with every Chikara show in a given season (2014), a couple of rival "European" trios were on the rise. Originally appearing in Chikara's "Wrestling Is" satellite promotions, the two forces known as "The Baltic Siege" and "The Bloc Party" were now in Chikara proper. Both groups represented countries/regions of Eastern Europe, with the Bloc of course representing old Soviet Bloc nations, in The Proletariat Boar of Moldova, Mr. Azerbaijan, and Prakash Sabbar (who represented Georgia). The Siege, meanwhile, was made up of The Lithuanian Snow Troll, The Latvian Proud Oak, and the man we're here to talk about, The Estonian Thunderfrog. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6v8uHplI7mOJOsvyVLC342-gShPl0PUq5xilxqJM6MCCSjtj1pm3HCa8-OSicc5t-1kP-Orm57stpQhzHGdKacvao5ghdcwEhcIOMOtOPx-SjnmF7aA76AiyObCzqe9k70YUqK-DmdqIxWHDK4paXuebfzTVnsYJWRpHzKRudKufdeReXGLeNslt/s1241/Bloc.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="1241" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6v8uHplI7mOJOsvyVLC342-gShPl0PUq5xilxqJM6MCCSjtj1pm3HCa8-OSicc5t-1kP-Orm57stpQhzHGdKacvao5ghdcwEhcIOMOtOPx-SjnmF7aA76AiyObCzqe9k70YUqK-DmdqIxWHDK4paXuebfzTVnsYJWRpHzKRudKufdeReXGLeNslt/w400-h169/Bloc.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bloc Party fan art. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdcA2O7YiDxLLQEcXagPnraUBaUTpOPRx4W1-sfG67nzrL7k1Ic1ShWpkegMU_IIgBis2oMqg8oaKhVQMLQmTcmf5MJeytuw_eeWWAONIYYAui98266-QPt1Xca6UI6d66dOj982ofVK2QFXbBVtQm8CT35jnVa2srZ_gPNgHmR85TAQ36-gc5A_k/s736/Baltic.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="736" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdcA2O7YiDxLLQEcXagPnraUBaUTpOPRx4W1-sfG67nzrL7k1Ic1ShWpkegMU_IIgBis2oMqg8oaKhVQMLQmTcmf5MJeytuw_eeWWAONIYYAui98266-QPt1Xca6UI6d66dOj982ofVK2QFXbBVtQm8CT35jnVa2srZ_gPNgHmR85TAQ36-gc5A_k/w400-h309/Baltic.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baltic Siege fan art.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>The Thunderfrog character, for anyone familiar with classic Marvel comics, is an homage to an 80s Mighty Thor storyline, wherein the God of Thunder was transformed by Loki, into a life-size frog. Thunderfrog, of course, while also being a God of Thunder, is a man-sized frog...man. Who loves the ladies (especially classy milk-maidens), dancing, and justice. He speaks with a "Baltic" accent, and has that mysterious Eastern European charm. He is proud to represent the nation of Estonia, and even more proud to use his mighty "Hammer of Peace" to rain down justice upon evil-doers! In fact, true to his Thor homage roots, only Thunderfrog can lift his hammer. When others try, it proves to be too heavy for them to barely even budge! <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogbtwHJ0Z-AyyF5TJUlDTOcLG394PZXgFlYE5KvPtYhJme6Ave5PkEvUo3P7IfYlsIZwrwTBoiHBGohkPBKYa_H7BGbLOtQPwF4OhnP3utN1GSJtHekdxZohiQ4vd7iC6wPkEBJcMeZ1VMMQpkAAgC4Dda0Kfg7LSFSPEKru3MEtr1vMGgjoc83Jt/s960/Frog.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogbtwHJ0Z-AyyF5TJUlDTOcLG394PZXgFlYE5KvPtYhJme6Ave5PkEvUo3P7IfYlsIZwrwTBoiHBGohkPBKYa_H7BGbLOtQPwF4OhnP3utN1GSJtHekdxZohiQ4vd7iC6wPkEBJcMeZ1VMMQpkAAgC4Dda0Kfg7LSFSPEKru3MEtr1vMGgjoc83Jt/w266-h400/Frog.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thunderfrog, wielding the mighty Hammer of Peace.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p><br /></p><p>Not only did I immediately fall in love with Thunderfrog, as in he instantly became one of my Chikara favorites, but little did I know the emotional roller-coaster of sorts Chikara would take me on with him. Early in the 2014 season, the Siege continued their rivalry with the Bloc, and ultimately, they got the best of them. But their triumph was short-lived. Thunderfrog took part in a match that involved the great hulking behemoth of the BDK, the Nordic Nightmare, Tursas. And ever vigilant against evil, near the end of the match, Thunderfrog lifted his mighty Hammer of Peace, and used it to vanquish the giant, seemingly once and for all. </p><p>But in reprisal for such an act, the terrorizing leader of "The Flood" villain super-group that was trying to destroy Chikara at the time, the monster known as Deucalion, came out at a following show, and "murdered" the Thunderfrog, with his fearsome "Chokebreaker". Not only did his fellow Baltic Siege-mates mourn their valiant friend, but they foolishly tried to avenge him at a subsequent show, which also led to the poor Proud Oak's demise as well. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJo_s1UMLB-Sc1ATJHoYFu5wlXu3_kQIvWMt5vfKMLdF7BnFNtwph9ZsIz_3gZhQv6Cs6AyJx0-mYmVxET69qgAdGbywOViKZdiuaJ24hA02LPhontYgjDKDY5dFEmyak-gerN9dySXgp005W3kJv792xrzc5Hm3XX9JewkjWE1vU3wkwCPiRMtJI/s959/evolution.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="959" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJo_s1UMLB-Sc1ATJHoYFu5wlXu3_kQIvWMt5vfKMLdF7BnFNtwph9ZsIz_3gZhQv6Cs6AyJx0-mYmVxET69qgAdGbywOViKZdiuaJ24hA02LPhontYgjDKDY5dFEmyak-gerN9dySXgp005W3kJv792xrzc5Hm3XX9JewkjWE1vU3wkwCPiRMtJI/w400-h204/evolution.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evolution.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>For my part, I was legitimately, unironically devastated. Not only was I, yes, actually sad that the character "died" (something in and of itself that is fairly rare in pro wrestling), but I was also shocked, and even kinda pissed off, like "DUDE, what the fuck, I just got into this guy and you're already getting rid of him?" That was one of the few things that season that I didn't like about the whole Flood storyline, even though for the most part I enjoyed it. I honestly feared The Frog was gone for good from Chikara, and one of my new favorites was super short lived. Thankfully, I was wrong. </p><p>Somewhat reminiscent of the '93 "Death and Return of Superman" storyline in DC Comics, there was a glimmer of hope! At the 2014 season finale, when former villain-turned-hero Icarus led the charge to stop The Flood, and faced their fearsome leader, "Duke" alone in a cage, because of his righteous cause, he proved worthy to wield Thunderfrog's Hammer. He used it to smite Deucalion, and end the Flood threat. As a post-show "stinger", they showed a brief skit wherein a mid-west farmer, after a random lighting strike, discovered a tiny frog, wearing Thor trappings! Via mysterious means, our hero had somehow returned from Valhalla, reborn as the mortal "Estonian Farmerfrog", an incarnation of the character which would eventually appear again within Chikara rings.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctEdyNywGLK1cukg89osDcYWRJKNiDBsM8-8YFOyOxy_lUq9jcbZ8S1QX_bGRn_g673oLCaR10oaX8LV7tmHHID_8Six5ERmGef9Q7rozyF-JoM1GwGobsV2iqZ7oKBra-QGHjkyc_wrjLrdPT7vmMZwz1pB4yTFBBJWvvSH65dTjMsQZdUYUK6tv/s1023/Lion.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="571" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctEdyNywGLK1cukg89osDcYWRJKNiDBsM8-8YFOyOxy_lUq9jcbZ8S1QX_bGRn_g673oLCaR10oaX8LV7tmHHID_8Six5ERmGef9Q7rozyF-JoM1GwGobsV2iqZ7oKBra-QGHjkyc_wrjLrdPT7vmMZwz1pB4yTFBBJWvvSH65dTjMsQZdUYUK6tv/w224-h400/Lion.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Return!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>But at the 2015 season finale, a year removed from that "rebirth" vignette, Icarus, who no longer could do anything more than drag the Hammer along the ground, left it backstage before his main event match that night. He was no longer worthy to lift it, because where he had once been fighting for Chikara, now he fought for himself, to recapture the Grand Championship he had lost (to Hallowicked, Scion of Nazmaldun). Well, ol' Froggy, in yet another post-show "stinger" skit, found the Hammer leaning against a wall backstage, and touched it. Doing so caused him to be charged with lightning, and he transformed into a NEW incarnation of the fully realized Thunderfrog! </p><p>Now wearing golden "armor", and adorned with a superheroic cape, the Thunderfrog (no longer prefaced by "Estonian"), was a major player and hero of the 2016 season, for which I was enormously gratified. Not only would he take part in major matches at King of Trios, and in the main event Cibernetico Match against the forces of Nazmaldun at the season finale, but he began the season with a bang. At the 2016 "National Pro Wrestling Day" show, he won the 2016 "Young Lions Cup" tournament, and became that years YLC Champion, which he went on to successfully defend. I was happy to see him be featured prominently like that, and have some major success. Though sadly, 2016 would also mostly be the end of it. Outside of a couple appearances in later seasons, "Because Reasons", the Thunderfrog stopped appearing in Chikara for the most part in 2017, which again made me sad. But at least I got his hot 2016 run, even though I would have hoped for him to be a long-term fixture, and future Grand Champ. Alas.</p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3GFqP_6zEXSvDo0HHKFFzYMkTN6vnMiFs6y4n4bCngh9nF-_iqQh8yb-AmB2qWqHhtiuKyhzvyu97jp03mPn3rp4wQsKbRAYh5JbRBlZ6Fnp4lvWRXZTx5oFpjSrPtOBjotqJQYWdlYjtjeTIpuuncE1UBVR2vV5GKaCYssOqoN9iOJOACABnnA8/s397/Silver.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="207" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3GFqP_6zEXSvDo0HHKFFzYMkTN6vnMiFs6y4n4bCngh9nF-_iqQh8yb-AmB2qWqHhtiuKyhzvyu97jp03mPn3rp4wQsKbRAYh5JbRBlZ6Fnp4lvWRXZTx5oFpjSrPtOBjotqJQYWdlYjtjeTIpuuncE1UBVR2vV5GKaCYssOqoN9iOJOACABnnA8/w209-h400/Silver.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>Name(s): </b>Silver Ant & The Colony (Soldier Ant, Fire Ant, Worker Ant)<br /></p><p><b>Type:</b> Humanoid Insectoid Heroes<br /></p><p><b>Style:</b> Technical Wrestling Bug (Depends on the Ant)</p><p><br /></p><p>Circa 2015/2016, especially in 2015 with Thunderfrog gone, and Ultramantis injured, my answer for not only "Favorite Chikara Wrestler", but "Favorite Wrestler At The Moment PERIOD", was none other than Silver Ant, of Chikara's long-running super-group, The Colony. As explained in the previous piece, The Colony debuted in Chikara in 2005/06, as the team of Fire Ant and Soldier Ant, the two originals. Later in 2006, and into 2007, they were joined by the original (and sadly somewhat forgotten) Worker Ant. Poor Worker fell afoul of some heinous villainy in 2008, and wound up retiring. But he would be replaced by a new-comer, a literal "Green" rookie, hence he was called "Green Ant".</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPa82YLvR9Gh2aAfe6oBZmBLKX1y0sV31o7S0hIM-6HOXMOCGfcyAkarDQOkUsppcGYGYV7qu5ILnGkBP6UiJsqvRW1RckFWDznAhqD6xuRefqxBLOsDiKPTmTSjZ3vkKX2zPyi6B-7_a2TR8XJ18-jynxIZE-74AM4h1_mM88Oam5yvOr0L4dB86Z/s600/Trios.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPa82YLvR9Gh2aAfe6oBZmBLKX1y0sV31o7S0hIM-6HOXMOCGfcyAkarDQOkUsppcGYGYV7qu5ILnGkBP6UiJsqvRW1RckFWDznAhqD6xuRefqxBLOsDiKPTmTSjZ3vkKX2zPyi6B-7_a2TR8XJ18-jynxIZE-74AM4h1_mM88Oam5yvOr0L4dB86Z/w400-h266/Trios.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your 2011 King of Trios.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>All of the ants had some kind of specialty or character trait. Fire Ant was the "hot" tempered high flier. Soldier Ant, while technically proficient in his own right, was the military marching brawler of the bunch. The original Worker Ant, was the "blue collar" kid who never gave up. Even the future replacement Worker II, while he was originally the villainous "AssailANT", as one of the Colony was the big bruising power guy. But Green Ant? His specialty was technical mat-based wrestling. Much like their trainer, "The Man of 1000 Holds", Mike Quackenbush. Green may not have known 1000 holds, but he certainly knew many dangerous ones, and over time, he developed into one of the best technical wrestlers I've ever seen. And considering what a big fan of technical submission-based wrestling I am, considering All-Time favorites of mine like Bret "The Hitman" Hart, that made me a natural fan of his.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMVK8BjRB53LceHRtIxVFI0truBTEY6_-OTJe3pzB_JI3dH6l46ESvozLTNWAwqgxXp19z3cTSMm8H8jbCRmbxE4Wdz2mLVXMWM156bDGL0r5KwbAjsZB8TJ1kSvr0qxTG6y1_t1R1a_ilzVfRHCfwZdG4gfOmUGPoEJh50r6XB0ZEs8dHxD9KZGZe/s1800/Ants.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMVK8BjRB53LceHRtIxVFI0truBTEY6_-OTJe3pzB_JI3dH6l46ESvozLTNWAwqgxXp19z3cTSMm8H8jbCRmbxE4Wdz2mLVXMWM156bDGL0r5KwbAjsZB8TJ1kSvr0qxTG6y1_t1R1a_ilzVfRHCfwZdG4gfOmUGPoEJh50r6XB0ZEs8dHxD9KZGZe/w400-h266/Ants.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Colony.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>Well, when Chikara came back in 2014 from their "shut down" as part of the Titor/Flood story arc, Green was no longer a "Green" rookie anymore. So it was decided he graduate, into an older, wiser version of himself. Thus he became my preferred incarnation, and one of my top favorite Chikara wrestlers, Silver Ant! Once again, sadly, ol' Silver never won any major accolades during his Silver years, during my time of closely watching Chikara. He was another that I had high hopes would be around long-term, and one day have a run as Grand Champ, but it was not to be. </p><p>It should be stated that, in all honesty, there hasn't really been a
legitimate member of The Colony that I haven't liked. I like them all:
Silver, Fire, Soldier, Worker I, Worker II. I even liked all the members
of the villainous Swarm team: AssailANT (later Worker II), CombatANT,
and DeviANT. Or the goofy but dangerous members of the Colony Xtreme
Force: Missile Assault Ant, Orbit Adventure Ant, and my favorite, Arctic
Rescue Ant. Hell, I don't even mind the two "New Generation" additions
that popped up in 2018, Green Ant II and Thief Ant. If you find yourself
thinking "Geezus, there's been a lot of Ants!", well, you're not
wrong. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7-lUMg4EVTwRvPAtUoFMCWMB_s0jWMWFcqWgwTTiugReEL0YScTPrUFXyvBBQMsx1KX0kXcLSLrx_uTgQY_T8LQuyaIeKhTcGTqrhCv7uR7Q_DUYTc_xYGycZV_NNJjhAQzhg8lVc19k_KCWRYX_hCp5dlw-Urnw8-xGl5bfneABwhSSwojZ1pG0/s1024/Winter.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="982" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7-lUMg4EVTwRvPAtUoFMCWMB_s0jWMWFcqWgwTTiugReEL0YScTPrUFXyvBBQMsx1KX0kXcLSLrx_uTgQY_T8LQuyaIeKhTcGTqrhCv7uR7Q_DUYTc_xYGycZV_NNJjhAQzhg8lVc19k_KCWRYX_hCp5dlw-Urnw8-xGl5bfneABwhSSwojZ1pG0/w384-h400/Winter.jpg" width="384" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fire vs. "Winter" Soldier Ant. Brother vs. Brother.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>But outside of Silver Ant, my top favorite, the one I liked the best, at least a specific and limited incarnation of him, was Soldier Ant, circa December 2014 through December 2015. For that one sweet year, he portrayed what many fans dubbed the "Winter Soldier Ant", referring to the Marvel character. He had been kidnapped and brainwashed/programmed by Titor, and employed by the Flood (and later Jakob Hammermeir's new BDK), to hate the other ants, and to destroy on command. As you can see above, his outfit was riddled with bullet holes, and he was implied to have at least some kind of possible cyborg shit going on as well. </p><p>Either way, his performance during this time, in AND out of the ring, was amazing. I have rarely ever seen such an intense display of pro wrestling character, nor such dedication to constantly staying IN character, as I did with Soldier Ant that year. His mannerisms and persona were such a stark contrast from the goofy, fun-loving Soldier Ant of old. Instead, his movements were cold and robotic, he seemed impervious to most pain, he wrestled as if he legitimately possessed enhanced strength. And he was hyper angry and aggressive, yet cold and calculating. He destroyed people, and his rage engine never ran on "Low". It was short-lived, and I was a bit disappointed that he dropped all of those mannerisms entirely when his Colony-mates snapped him out of it and brought him back. But it will remain one of the best wrestling performance, one of my top favorites, I have ever seen, in ANY promotion. </p><p>Unfortunately, by mid-2017, both Silver Ant AND Soldier Ant were gone from Chikara completely, having been hired by bigger wrestling companies (obviously as non-ant personas). <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCikhztLc_x5re4H0CP8i-hysIgbVxlCNQokExwuBs1yZab2sGA3p3NmxUJh48-i5nMkcgy1sYhGLyIzqvJVArncabRIZqgwvKiJDp_xSa6YdXtsWkdoOcmPQxlWKS6JtwbTvdfJmwJ41SET2XuR-tip1qjkW9dn6zvnpjY5dOWqrJ3M7RYyP71o1/s438/Osirian%20Portal%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="438" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCikhztLc_x5re4H0CP8i-hysIgbVxlCNQokExwuBs1yZab2sGA3p3NmxUJh48-i5nMkcgy1sYhGLyIzqvJVArncabRIZqgwvKiJDp_xSa6YdXtsWkdoOcmPQxlWKS6JtwbTvdfJmwJ41SET2XuR-tip1qjkW9dn6zvnpjY5dOWqrJ3M7RYyP71o1/w400-h320/Osirian%20Portal%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>Name(s): </b>Ophidian / The Osirian Portal <br /></p><p><b>Type:</b> Venomous and Vile, Serpent of the Nile<br /></p><p><b>Style:</b> Master of Snake Style</p><p><br /></p><p>One of my top favorite Chikara tag teams, aside from the likes of the Nightmare Warriors, or the Colony, was the Osirian Portal. Consisting of Ophidian the Cobra, and the "Funky Pharaoh" Amasis, they were a pair of ancient Egypt themed characters. They were not only a pair of dancing goofballs, on the one hand, but also a very dangerous and unpredictable team on the other, steeped in Egyptian symbolism and mysticism. In their early years, there were other temporary additions to the Portals' entourage, but these two were always the core of the group. And in 2008, very early into their tenure, they managed to capture the Campeones de Parejas, as seen above. And in spite of heel-ish antics in their early days, they also managed to quickly capture the hearts of fans. </p><p>One of the reasons I liked them so much as a team, was because they were exciting and proficient in-ring wrestlers, who didn't always rely on the same exact moves every match. But they were also just highly entertaining. One of their classic "moves", and the way I first discovered them through Youtube clips, consisted of Amasis holding Ophidian up, while he did a "Snake Charm" routine, hypnotizing their opponent(s), and then making them do whatever they wanted. Which often consisted of dancing, but it also ranged from leaving the ring, hitting their own tag-partner, or whatever else. Amasis specifically also loved to challenge opponents to "Dance Offs", where he would try to show them up with his hip break-dancing moves. I love both characters, though as individuals, I always found Ophidian to be more interesting, and that echoed in his time(s) as a singles wrestler. The first of which came at the expense of Amasis himself. <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SSmsW2F7V7VV6JdiPK9Rq2nMHkBUYZS_zc4JnTXmtUiJef1jHe3kdhH4s_D6_pMgbLsE82GJ9YX6ADO_a3VWS2QggwVCZW6r_dY5sn5-pD-YAuoVT2s7FG3R-f6rdCeEfosgpJAXsTHZrhIBWkj1J-WdUeiYBIcZeKNnYtgvcOSSmO3JS6kHbWp8/s450/Ophidian%207.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SSmsW2F7V7VV6JdiPK9Rq2nMHkBUYZS_zc4JnTXmtUiJef1jHe3kdhH4s_D6_pMgbLsE82GJ9YX6ADO_a3VWS2QggwVCZW6r_dY5sn5-pD-YAuoVT2s7FG3R-f6rdCeEfosgpJAXsTHZrhIBWkj1J-WdUeiYBIcZeKNnYtgvcOSSmO3JS6kHbWp8/w266-h400/Ophidian%207.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deceiver.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1VBgraVtr2QTDERiaJSughxC3p0eGuFpomjKCWz8u2Fer69XdRilFdfqHMCLUfCeJesUYev2r7r5s0RSYv78pIYPyqeM4DgL7F9M1hCof3YT8hnzT5JtImWdp2gdh4HkyWd0GwVCbIahQfyMiD5-QThxVsEwXZu1GZAT5U99vrS6mSJVKHAxS8W4/s960/Ophidian%202.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1VBgraVtr2QTDERiaJSughxC3p0eGuFpomjKCWz8u2Fer69XdRilFdfqHMCLUfCeJesUYev2r7r5s0RSYv78pIYPyqeM4DgL7F9M1hCof3YT8hnzT5JtImWdp2gdh4HkyWd0GwVCbIahQfyMiD5-QThxVsEwXZu1GZAT5U99vrS6mSJVKHAxS8W4/w300-h400/Ophidian%202.png" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conqueror.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiM_d9yW7FYtejEcOcZjrgFnQCRKVP_seN7k6yKxNIjqjjyxAOGNNYADvlu-vqWUz3-w9fjONbEtGoH24zfUjYGcyf3PlwJLLp1q1-b1l-RzQTchIX4QVVrcyg8hDN3aJGpKmtnLBftuLGtiV8qbwgVc7Wu-i8Hmnvu5h8_zbU_FHb04lkqEEt0LjX/s1000/Ophidian%203.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="612" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiM_d9yW7FYtejEcOcZjrgFnQCRKVP_seN7k6yKxNIjqjjyxAOGNNYADvlu-vqWUz3-w9fjONbEtGoH24zfUjYGcyf3PlwJLLp1q1-b1l-RzQTchIX4QVVrcyg8hDN3aJGpKmtnLBftuLGtiV8qbwgVc7Wu-i8Hmnvu5h8_zbU_FHb04lkqEEt0LjX/w245-h400/Ophidian%203.jpg" width="245" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warlord.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>In 2011, Ophidian grew tired of the Portal's feel-good ways, and their failure to re-capture the Tag Gold. So he eventually turned on his friend Amasis, stealing his mask. He would likewise target and defeat Portal allies, such as Hieracon, taking their masks as well. After this, now a crazed solo-act, Ophidian started undergoing a long-term metamorphosis, wherein he changed his form, "shedding his skin" like a snake, and changing up his mask and outfit over time, as he continued to evolve. He ultimately came out looking rather G.I. Joe-ish, or rather, COBRA-ish, which I'm sure was deliberate. And he also wound up allying himself with the evil newcomers, the demonic Batiri, as well as their manipulator at the time, Delirious. Delirious was occupied with trying to get revenge on Ultramantis Black for controlling him with the Eye of Tyre, and in so doing took the Batiri under his wing, and recruited Ophidian to be their "Ring General" and field leader. </p><p>During much of this time, he continued to carry around Amasis' old mask, wherever he went, and even took to talking to it, having conversations with it, believing the spirit of Amasis was still communicating with him. The character had been corrupted, and was going insane, believing he kept seeing Amasis in the crowd at different shows. This was circa 2013, and before long, the true Amasis really did show up, seemingly to get revenge. But his motives were different: he wanted his friend back, and to do that, he had to "Purify" Ophidian of the evil that had gripped him. To accomplish this, he challenged him to a "Sarcophagus Match" at the final Chikara show of 2013 (the one where the company got "Shut Down"). He managed to seal Ophidian within, and even though the company was in doubt, Ophidian's soul had been saved. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4vf0x_xm2GHT5BrwIl99HupUi_qzRIDj6XDCoBn24Jil_4xTbeawNKhuzKw0QeyGT9HNazgaZlrgD2MXJdIcArivy37cOoMP7DiifdbO8rnAtoqeIu4yO1Ur_xR3fVOsC94EcEqdzceWJSrlK7slDwQEIRRCHhOwR4B7w6WUqPVIUIkd40FvCxSo/s640/Purified.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="640" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4vf0x_xm2GHT5BrwIl99HupUi_qzRIDj6XDCoBn24Jil_4xTbeawNKhuzKw0QeyGT9HNazgaZlrgD2MXJdIcArivy37cOoMP7DiifdbO8rnAtoqeIu4yO1Ur_xR3fVOsC94EcEqdzceWJSrlK7slDwQEIRRCHhOwR4B7w6WUqPVIUIkd40FvCxSo/w400-h278/Purified.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purified.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QT3IPkSDyDNCHWpF7arV4Jd83parX9xTl7Z5L-CRDps-JC3zE9rc5nikw17gwrdFSuOFd9jrvNYAudvQmIGXnZ_qNU0EvRNuRcPbU8ycUIlDWqx4arMmoKQEpGYajqtuWJ4X71fy-zluKL1C9sh21WO4y4x8gFu1sLuG8Lg4AdinT1yYaNiMscia/s489/Ophidian%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="385" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QT3IPkSDyDNCHWpF7arV4Jd83parX9xTl7Z5L-CRDps-JC3zE9rc5nikw17gwrdFSuOFd9jrvNYAudvQmIGXnZ_qNU0EvRNuRcPbU8ycUIlDWqx4arMmoKQEpGYajqtuWJ4X71fy-zluKL1C9sh21WO4y4x8gFu1sLuG8Lg4AdinT1yYaNiMscia/w315-h400/Ophidian%201.jpg" width="315" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Circa 2014.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVnefSy7uwmHX0xB4fBSFNuLdDKVtl_beZnFdErIQJXJZSjABolal07p_rNzVYJ3_LoYQ9UHsu9czt2TTYHW0Rcj0Z5uOBecK1YrzWz3BXOLibx5ElfTULjyGHs204PNhevZ_xjp_-e5dM--Cm0lnmMx-0xH8_fDu5CHuPsoskRCVpTpqg9GhWuwT/s1280/Crucible.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVnefSy7uwmHX0xB4fBSFNuLdDKVtl_beZnFdErIQJXJZSjABolal07p_rNzVYJ3_LoYQ9UHsu9czt2TTYHW0Rcj0Z5uOBecK1YrzWz3BXOLibx5ElfTULjyGHs204PNhevZ_xjp_-e5dM--Cm0lnmMx-0xH8_fDu5CHuPsoskRCVpTpqg9GhWuwT/w400-h225/Crucible.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crucible.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The main reason I share so many pictures of Ophidian, is because he's had so many looks over time. And these pictures are only some of them. When I started really watching in 2014, he looked like the middle picture above, reunited with Amasis, a hero once more, trying to protect Chikara from the invading Flood. In 2015, he led his own "Challenge of the Immortals" team, the "Snake Pit", which also involved two young wrestlers I liked, Shynron and Argus, though it also unfortunately included Eddie Kingston. That same year he and Amasis also challenged once again to become Tag Champs, though they fell short. In 2016, both would become embroiled with the growing army of Nazmaldun, with Amasis ultimately succumbing, being defeated and stripped of his mask, leaving Chikara for good. While Ophidian played a major role in defeating Hallowicked and Co., by once again becoming "Purified", and in turn freeing poor Ultramantis Black, who had become a wheel-chair bound puppet and voice for Nazmaldun himself. </p><p>Overall, Ophidian was one of the very few long-term Chikara characters, along with the likes of Dasher Hatfield, Icarus, and Hallowicked, to stick around in the company until the sad and unjust end. In later years, after failing to fully protect Chikara from evil-doers, Ophidian turned "evil" once again, though this time through ego, not supernatural malice. He was convinced only he knew how to truly protect Chikara, and thus started secretly training Wrestle Factory students in night-time "Fight Club" type sessions, building a group of would-be (but overly violent and misguided) defenders calling themselves "The Crucible". This group, in Chikara's last days, challenged Quackenbush and the old order of Chikara, led of course by Ophidian. The story never truly concluded, because the company shut down for real, which was one of many unfortunate things about the situation. </p><p>I liked Ophidian as a solo character and singles wrestler, because he was, quite frankly, one of the most interesting, complex, and compelling pro wrestling characters I've ever encountered. He was layered, nuanced, and one hell of a wrestler to boot. Ophidian could pull off moves, and "snake like" movements and mannerisms in the ring, that I've never seen anyone else do. At his peak, he had uncanny body control, and his signature moves, such as his dreaded "Ophidian Death Grip" submission, were top of the class. Whatever else can be said about Ophidian, I will always fondly remember him, and the Portal, as some of the greatest Chikara had to offer.</p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZlILOcRvaGw9Cf_blgrXh3_sZL1bluXNbOCXaZu5rhMLLonbFGaX8ZQeJLAPrSZkHF0bHMR6hxbwFvDOvJ0RL2PCgL9jUyy-ZUus0qUrGfPHDp3oJTTy2V9Z6TWcDj7qUxwCy3Ap_NzyRgx1qHU2__5hgdnNF7sfGFj56AbplIW3ZmCAr_JLhxmI/s1080/Cottonbelly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="915" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZlILOcRvaGw9Cf_blgrXh3_sZL1bluXNbOCXaZu5rhMLLonbFGaX8ZQeJLAPrSZkHF0bHMR6hxbwFvDOvJ0RL2PCgL9jUyy-ZUus0qUrGfPHDp3oJTTy2V9Z6TWcDj7qUxwCy3Ap_NzyRgx1qHU2__5hgdnNF7sfGFj56AbplIW3ZmCAr_JLhxmI/w339-h400/Cottonbelly.jpg" width="339" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Name: </b>Jervis Cottonbelly<br /></p><p><b>Type:</b> World's Sweetest Man<br /></p><p><b>Style:</b> Purveyor of Gentlemania<br /><br /></p><p>There is perhaps no more unique a personality (at least that I've ever seen) in all of professional wrestling, than Mr. Jervis Cottonbelly. Originally appearing as early as 2005, the early days of Chikara, the character of Jervis was that of a vaguely aristocratic, vaguely Victorian (or perhaps Edwardian) Era British gentleman. He was the embodiment of "Chivalry" and the ultimate Gentleman, as well as being purported to be the friendliest/sweetest man on Earth. While his appearances were sporadic prior to 2012, he eventually started appearing more regularly in the "Wrestling Is..." spinoff promotions around that time. By 2014, again the first year that I was able to watch every Chikara show and really dive in to the promotion, Mr. Cottonbelly was appearing regularly in Chikara itself. <br /><br />Implied to be possibly immortal, or at least very long-lived (and thus slow-aged), this "blast from the past" personality immediately struck my fancy. From his penchant for treating his opponents kindly, dancing with them or even gently putting them to sleep, to his ceaseless positive attitude and "Gentlemanly" charm, he won me over. Jervis was a sometimes tag-team partner of fellow "Olde Fashioned" (in fact their team name) rassler Marion Fontaine. As well as having a friendship with the Estonian Thunderfrog, which somewhat played out when he tried searching for the hero after his apparent "demise". He was ALSO a member of the 2015 Challenge of the Immortals team "Crown & Court", led by Princess Kimberlee and including the team Los Ice Creams. I have mixed feelings about the end results and aftermath, but I was happy at the time, that Jervis and his team ultimately wound up winning the tournament, the ultimate underdogs. <br /><br />The reward for winning the tournament, was that all members of the team received an automatic, un-loseable title shot for whatever Championship they wanted (Grand or Tag). But sadly, Jervis was another character who disappeared from Chikara, without any sort of storyline explanation whatsoever, in 2016. So he never got a chance to cash in, which is a damn shame, because I would have taken a Jervis Cottonbelly Grand Championship reign over Kimberlee, any day. Jervis appeared all of one more time, in the first ever "Infinite Gauntlet" Match (basically a Royal Rumble), but was never ever seen again in Chikara thereafter. Which made me very sad, as he was one of my favorites.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGAv_knc59VZPzoFZ3xqIV-Le_vuvoU3y-QXufCpyfsU315JcRcQgtIoA_89RDKTedY81OJ7YrX64YpeotHSV7eVABw2wYW_eycehH1edO3vevmYCBUo5KPLD9Bgo_VDHmwBD2wMFnbqJXNLO3eTW3g4F_ofVGistdJi_We8MiO1fag6VMbedOMDJ6/s1280/Los%20Ice%20Creams.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGAv_knc59VZPzoFZ3xqIV-Le_vuvoU3y-QXufCpyfsU315JcRcQgtIoA_89RDKTedY81OJ7YrX64YpeotHSV7eVABw2wYW_eycehH1edO3vevmYCBUo5KPLD9Bgo_VDHmwBD2wMFnbqJXNLO3eTW3g4F_ofVGistdJi_We8MiO1fag6VMbedOMDJ6/w400-h225/Los%20Ice%20Creams.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>Name(s): </b>Los Ice Creams<br /></p><p><b>Type:</b> Sweet Yet Sour Living Ice Creams...With Sprinkles!<br /></p><p><b>Style:</b> Frozen Lucha Libre</p><p><br /></p><p>Speaking of Los Ice Creams, another of my favorite tag teams in Chikara, were these vaguely sinister, but ultimately harmless fighting treats. Brothers, Ice Cream Jr. and El Hijo del Ice Cream, were supposed to be the sons of actual Mexican luchador, "Ice Cream". Originally appearing in 2006, for most of their existence, these living dairy delights were more or less "Rudos", yet they also quickly became fan favorites. They were silly as hell, and their antics were a lot of fun, known for such shenanigans as Hijo pinching people's bottoms, or the boys dropping their opponents on deadly, painful candy sprinkles!<br /><br />Unlike regular Ice Cream, these guys would often shift their look/flavor, from mint green, to purple grape, or some manner of sherbet. But no matter their look, for much of their career, the brothers were known more for goofy antics than being much of a threat. That wasn't always true, of course, as there was a period around 2007/08, where they acted as a formidable team. But by the time I really started watching, they were clownish Rudos with charm, for the most part. That all changed when they became co-winners of the CotI tournament in 2015, and unlike poor Jervis, while they bided their time before doing so, the Ice Creams DID eventually cash in, and seemingly won the Tag Team titles! There was some nonsense that saw them stripped of this win, BUT they did later actually (finally) win the belts for real, and Ice Cream Mania ran wild in Chikara for a brief but happy time. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-35503897099820347092022-05-13T11:15:00.002-07:002022-05-18T16:59:39.334-07:00Wrestling is Art: Remembering Chikara Pro<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2x0fnS_FMdKp-fPUE1L71oPsbz5vD6TW0lT5wnyQlInUXJjVIzIqGaOzizZ8eL1UkXwRgZKPfYYXbdS1_4VByxt91cNhZUUoRmCXduCiYvCU7sQxoz3yQCGIIZBEJjcecAs180vmC5EsTs302MRoRfwxN9hr0w2TY5HAC3nVriCsT5QHr_kPJ9BZv/s250/Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2x0fnS_FMdKp-fPUE1L71oPsbz5vD6TW0lT5wnyQlInUXJjVIzIqGaOzizZ8eL1UkXwRgZKPfYYXbdS1_4VByxt91cNhZUUoRmCXduCiYvCU7sQxoz3yQCGIIZBEJjcecAs180vmC5EsTs302MRoRfwxN9hr0w2TY5HAC3nVriCsT5QHr_kPJ9BZv/s1600/Logo.png" width="250" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of one of my personal top favorite Professional Wrestling entities to ever exist, I thought that I would write a piece (or two) on the promotion Chikara, both to wistfully remember something now sadly gone, and to inform and educate people "not in the know", on one of the very best things the industry has ever produced. Before I dive headlong into that, I should probably briefly revisit why I like pro wrestling in the first place. <br /><br />As explained in <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2012/10/dreams-in-darkness-visions-of-phenom.html">one of my earliest pieces</a>, circa October 2012, shortly after I first started this blog, wrestling was one of many things I was "not allowed" to watch or partake in growing up. My mother, who lived with us off and on until around 1991, was a big WWF fan, and I was peripherally aware of stars that she liked, or just in general names such as Randy Savage, Andre the Giant, and of course Hulk Hogan. In fact once she lived with us more permanently in the early 90s, she likely watched WWF wrestling in her room sometimes, though I never joined her. I'm not sure that I would have been allowed to, as my grandmother, the one who raised me, didn't like wrestling, or anything "fighting" related in general (hence she wouldn't let me take karate), so she didn't want me partaking either. </p><p><br /><br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2Fql1p9HBo1P1fT_c9VGU2COwapaYZWLpYvoLupnksNinGSd3PsFBa1kE4-oCTxCgc1Pbz8I88DDfGArpstrmtZ7eGWHUA0ZTleeYarLZizA7OF6CGgx4Fy_hntGyz0wEuFdixD5Y3oXx-9VNs853Z-qBK9J0avpIR1kkkXOoVPh8iAoe7CX6Gyh/s500/10894.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="500" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2Fql1p9HBo1P1fT_c9VGU2COwapaYZWLpYvoLupnksNinGSd3PsFBa1kE4-oCTxCgc1Pbz8I88DDfGArpstrmtZ7eGWHUA0ZTleeYarLZizA7OF6CGgx4Fy_hntGyz0wEuFdixD5Y3oXx-9VNs853Z-qBK9J0avpIR1kkkXOoVPh8iAoe7CX6Gyh/w400-h339/10894.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The greatest wrestler of all time (besides Bret Hart).<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /><br /><br />Thus Pro Wrestling during my childhood, was one of several things, such as heavy metal, such as TMNT, etc., which I convinced myself "probably wasn't that good" anyway, so that I wouldn't feel like I was missing out on something that, realistically, I probably would have otherwise loved. Even from '91-'94, when I finally had my own TV in my own room, while I would eventually sneak watch things I wasn't supposed to, such as MTV, I don't think I even once ever bothered trying to watch wrestling alone. It wasn't until 1996, in point of fact, when a (at the time) friend of mine was watching WWF's "Monday Night Raw" with me around, that I finally got exposed to it. And even then, at first, I kinda looked down my nose at it, feeling like "Do we HAVE to watch this?". That is, until I caught my first glimpse of The Undertaker. <br /><br />The Undertaker, as seen above, was originally a character WWF owner Vince McMahon conceived, as an old-timey "Wild West" style undertaker, who would come out and "lay his opponents to rest". Early on, he would often put defeated opponents into body bags, to emphasize the point that they would "Rest in Peace", a saying which would become his mantra. But long story short, Mark Calloway, the man portraying the character, would take Vince's initial vision, and over time make it his own, gradually adding more and more supernatural trappings and theatrics. The Undertaker was supposed to be a quite literally undead fighter, hence his initial stiffness and slowness of movement, seeming imperviousness to pain, and seemingly supernatural physical feats for a man his size, such as performing flying clotheslines, or walking (with impeccable balance) across part of the top ring rope, before crashing down on his victims. <br /><br />Simply put, I initially fell in love with Professional Wrestling, because I fell in love with the <i>persona</i> of the Undertaker. And while I would come, over time, to love many other wrestlers who came and went through WWF/E's ring, and even in other companies, to this day, The Undertaker remains my favorite of all time. He embodied everything that I still love about wrestling; the theatrics, the commitment to always staying in character (which not all wrestlers share), the importance of ambiance, aesthetics, and presentation, not just the moves. He personified what I feel is THE single most important aspect of <i>good</i> Pro Wrestling; the fact that while it IS absolutely what I would call an "Exhibition Sport", because it is an exhibition of athletics, it is <i>also</i> what should rightly be termed "Performance Art", because everything from characters' entrances, the theatrics of their characters (if they have any), and most importantly the action in the ring, they are performing Art. Pro Wrestling is an art form, a performance of "mock battles", using the ring to tell stories of good against evil, and much more besides.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIn3AfXr4OrX_2STA-JYGWjlO2lLrCOF1_VHKZXX_r0_VIwvddmLQzGZx_anM4MjhkiUr2cwTeSRg-YF5B9NTDNp_uCCYvKtLZDtEfu_j7QHgsixOSctLqCeB1aoiBdoDd80H08vd-HbF4qC42nzj8msSyD-PgJwKPWiKS1RtoKM9ueReFGKotIsAX/s713/Trios.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIn3AfXr4OrX_2STA-JYGWjlO2lLrCOF1_VHKZXX_r0_VIwvddmLQzGZx_anM4MjhkiUr2cwTeSRg-YF5B9NTDNp_uCCYvKtLZDtEfu_j7QHgsixOSctLqCeB1aoiBdoDd80H08vd-HbF4qC42nzj8msSyD-PgJwKPWiKS1RtoKM9ueReFGKotIsAX/w280-h400/Trios.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Second Genesis?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>It was the Undertaker who made me a wrestling fan, mainly because he represented what has always appealed to me most about "The Business", and to this day, I don't think there has ever been anyone BETTER at this "Performance Art", than him. And it was because of him, that I would come to watch the WWF (later called "WWE"), quite religiously at times, from around 1997 through at least, let's say, 2007. I continued to watch after 2008, but as the quality (I felt) gradually started to slip, I too gradually started to watch it with less dedication. <br /><br />That said, ironically, I first came to truly, and fully, experience a little "Indie" wrestling promotion with a weird name, "Chikara", in 2012. I had been aware of Chikara's existence for a few years prior, due to funny clips on Youtube, and my own wrestling geek diggings around those interwebs. But when a friend and I decided to purchase and watch their marquee event, "King of Trios", in the fall of 2012, that was it. Much like my first experiences with The Undertaker, I was hooked. The thing was, I still loved Pro Wrestling. But as stated, my love for the modern WWE product was absolutely waning, to the point that by 2012, I barely watched it anymore. So you could rightly say that Chikara came into my life at a time when I needed it most, at least from a wrestling fan perspective. <br /><br />Chikara became my new primary outlet for my pro wrestling affection. And not only that, but unlike WWF/E, where I got little bites and tastes of what I loved <i>most</i> about the sport here and there, through specific characters, here I was now presented with practically an entire company full of the colorful, crazy, weird, awesome types of personas that I was most attracted to. It was a company, while "small time" compared to mainstream outlets like WWE or "Total Nonstop Action" wrestling, fully dedicated to the notion that Wrestling IS Art, and they went hard on it. Now allow me to tell you more about this strange beast called Chikara, and why I came to love it.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkphyl5nId_bX22yi2BBCKSgKIbXPIkNQLPxlvEp9ftE-1AeJBHeewXI5bvnxi4GMiz_4AOMew8VeGhpxYjHmPlFqQyPHVVn5D4ldHZhwocVNyp_fX_uO3aa70LkcafHNM57noZStM-xRuwBFwDcS_nTuGflA5QGT4NC_gwV8ilvgJVbIvAXGhNxG_/s640/Day%20One.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="640" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkphyl5nId_bX22yi2BBCKSgKIbXPIkNQLPxlvEp9ftE-1AeJBHeewXI5bvnxi4GMiz_4AOMew8VeGhpxYjHmPlFqQyPHVVn5D4ldHZhwocVNyp_fX_uO3aa70LkcafHNM57noZStM-xRuwBFwDcS_nTuGflA5QGT4NC_gwV8ilvgJVbIvAXGhNxG_/w400-h271/Day%20One.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where it all started.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>In January of 2002, "Reckless Youth" Tom Carter and "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush, two figures who had become top stars of the American wrestling "Indie Scene" by the late 90s, opened their own wrestling school, originally located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, named "The Wrestle Factory". Their vision was a well-rounded school, that not only taught students the basic fundamentals of the business, but gave them a skillset steeped in various styles, including Japanese "Strong Style", and Mexican "Lucha Libre". While it had small and humble beginnings, and Reckless left the school by the autumn, Quackenbush would keep it going, and over the course of many years, "The Wrestle Factory" would eventually come to be widely recognized as one of the best wrestling schools in the country, if not the world. The initial classes from 2002 would produce a handful of what would be long-term Chikara talent, with names like Hallowicked, Ultramantis, Jigsaw, Gran Akuma, and Icarus (then called "Ichabod Slayne"). But the school would, over time, also produce (or give additional training to) such notable names as Eddie Kingston, Claudio Castagnoli (WWE's Cesaro), Drew Gulak, Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor, Lince Dorado, Tracy Williams, Wheeler Yuta, and Madison Eagles.</p><p>On May 25th, 2002, a small wrestling promotion called "CHIKARA Pro", was born. An offshoot and outlet for the Wrestle Factory school, Chikara was meant to be a place to showcase the school's top graduates, somewhere they could start getting experience in the business. The very first Chikara show not only featured its first class of graduates, but was also headlined, as you can see in the picture above, by the (at the time) "Superstar" Main Event showdown between "The Black T-Shirt Squad" of Reckless Youth, Mike Quackenbush and Don Montoya, against Colt Cabana, Chris Hero, and one CM Punk. Those three were top stars on the "Indie" scene in the early 2000s, and all went on to have significant levels of success with bigger "mainstream" promotions, most especially Punk. So some might be surprised that they were in the main event of such an initially tiny company's show. Chris Hero, for his part, would go on to forge a long-term partnership, spending several years not only as a Wrestle Factory trainer, but also one of Chikara's top stars in its early days. </p><p>The Wrestle Factory's philosophy of dipping into different pro wrestling traditions, carried over into Chikara as well. For instance, the name "Chikara", is the Japanese word for Power, and their first (and for a few years only) championship, the "Young Lions Cup", took its name from a Japanese tournament.. Yet Chikara also integrated many aspects of Mexican Lucha Libre style, such as the "Lucha" tag rule of a wrestler rolling to the outside of the ring, counting as a "tag" to a partner, instead of having to physically slap hands. Or their tag team championship, introduced in 2006, was named the "Campeones de Parejas", roughly Spanish for "Tag Team Champions". Or Chikara's strong focus on tag team wrestling, including "trios" (three man teams), and their eventual marquee (mostly) annual event, King of Trios, a major tournament of three-man teams, which always featured major "Indie" and international talent, as well as sometimes major veteran names.<br /></p><p><br /><br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVHQgZrh3tY5qnS7E1QEjesGz7CHgDcIb8CzLSH4cg9tRkNBt4VxSRSSZBYZvEpBJ7DTEA3mS5KfL3g15UfG5QwprL2vkfWdK5I9xeJ672qPHOELQJOtHOQb39zVHzGTFq6iD3p-IlzOpW0D2-6W5hy4yIcv18Zl2AezsEcyClCNTrkX2qI_Ku-vP/s478/Necks.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="478" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVHQgZrh3tY5qnS7E1QEjesGz7CHgDcIb8CzLSH4cg9tRkNBt4VxSRSSZBYZvEpBJ7DTEA3mS5KfL3g15UfG5QwprL2vkfWdK5I9xeJ672qPHOELQJOtHOQb39zVHzGTFq6iD3p-IlzOpW0D2-6W5hy4yIcv18Zl2AezsEcyClCNTrkX2qI_Ku-vP/w400-h223/Necks.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Brodie Lee and Grizzly Redwood, The Roughnecks.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /><br />But "notable" names were not uncommon to Chikara, small time or not. Over time, many such notable names, even some legends of the business, would grace Chikara's ring. Names that include the likes of Mexican luchadors like La Parka, El Pantera, Skayde, El Oriental, and Sin Cara (then called Incognito). Japanese stars like Manami Toyota, Meiko Satomura, Akira Tozawa, Kota Ibushi, The Great Sasuke and Jinsei Shinsaki (WWF's Hakushi). And British stars like Mark Andrews, Zack Sabre Jr., Dave Taylor, Pete Dunne, Trent Seven, Tyler Bate, Johnny Saint, and Johnny Kidd. The biggest surprise might be the number of older wrestling legends that have appeared for the company at various points, with standout names including: Glacier, Al Snow, D'Lo Brown, The Patriot, One Man Gang, Demolition (Axe and Smash), Meng/Haku, The Barbarian and the Warlord, Marty Jannetty, The 123 Kid (X-Pac), Jerry Lynn, Justin Credible, Tommy Dreamer, Tito Santana, Tatanka, Too Cold Scorpio, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Stevie Richards and his Blue World Order, Jazz, Mickie James, Victoria, The Hurricane, and even one Scott Steiner! </p><p>But Chikara wasn't just a place where legends popped up. A great many stars of the American "Indie" scene, and even larger promotions such as TNA and Ring of Honor, would also grace Chikara's ring from time to time. Some of those names included: CM Punk, Colt Cabana, Bryan Danielson, Christopher Daniels (or rather, Curry Man), Sonjay Dutt, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, Kevin Steen (aka Kevin Owens), Jon Moxley, El Generico (aka Sami Zayn), and many more. But more importantly, there were many wrestlers who would go on to be standout stars in bigger companies, who were not "Wrestle Factory" graduates, yet still spent a significant amount of time "cutting their teeth", so to speak, in Chikara. Some of these include, as seen above, Brodie Lee (and Grizzly Redwood of ROH fame), Delirious, Sara Del Rey, Heidi Lovelace (aka Ruby Riot/Soho), Ricochet, the aforementioned Chris Hero, Jonathan Gresham, several members of The Dark Order (Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, John Silver and Alex Reynolds), 2.0 Scott Parker & Shane Matthews (now with whatever silly names in AEW), Johnny Gargano, and The Young Bucks, among others.<br /><br />The near-annual event, "King of Trios", was a tournament held over a weekend (usually Friday/Saturday/Sunday), three days of wrestling. A lot to take in, a lot to consume, even for an avid wrestling fan. But it was almost always well worth it. I personally looked forward to King of Trios the same way I once looked forward to, and got excited about, WWE's Wrestlemania. A big part of that excitement, was seeing who the teams would be (16 teams of 3) each year, including who the outside special guest teams were. More often than not, I tended to root for the Chikara "home" teams, but there was still always a lot of excitement and intrigue every year, as they slowly revealed the various participants. <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4r8iDzqrKNuTkYCt7fy-pJ08lxqQuTk8GD2GcaaHnzCZ_0I-pGlCVvpzGwBZJ8ByrfzLJPnb0GJ09LAvrrMIEWDX60qX5J7yqohapEKEbyjGHkpgJPm7_NaUaZglK04JBHBd6Gc_VVGRXXXOIACh0_2ERGsaTZ5csmtaaAuHtyICWyZ1ER46pF5DX/s1050/Ultramantis.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4r8iDzqrKNuTkYCt7fy-pJ08lxqQuTk8GD2GcaaHnzCZ_0I-pGlCVvpzGwBZJ8ByrfzLJPnb0GJ09LAvrrMIEWDX60qX5J7yqohapEKEbyjGHkpgJPm7_NaUaZglK04JBHBd6Gc_VVGRXXXOIACh0_2ERGsaTZ5csmtaaAuHtyICWyZ1ER46pF5DX/w286-h400/Ultramantis.jpg" width="286" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Great and Devious One<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>But what <i>truly</i> made Chikara great, and made them stand out to me, was not their guest stars or passers-through. To me, the majority of characters I fell in love with, which in turn made me a fan of the promotion itself, were the mainstays, the "home grown" stars. One such star, in fact a graduate of their first ever class all the way back in 2002, and one of my top favorites, was Ultramantis Black. Originally simply known as "UltraMantis", he was a masked insectoid hero, essentially a mix between popular Japanese children's heroes Ultra Man and Kamen Rider. Before long, however, he tired of being a good guy, and turned his back on the fans, beginning a gradual evolution into his best self, the renamed "UltraMantis Black". This send-up to Saturday Morning Cartoon villains, headed up many evil schemes, and evil groups, with named like the "Dark Breed" and "The Order of the Neo Solar Temple". Claiming to want to "destroy the world, starting with Chikara", Mantis became well known for his often inept villainy, dastardly deeds, and mysterious mystical trappings (he eventually claimed to be a sorcerer with vast dark powers). </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDX0AMWXxj3snrEnrz_G8MxM9XdR311CzK6BRSRNqT2pQ_t9itR2GZzCT8pVFA4vkRatjpHL-lwdw5CEPMp_pPsIn2-XobSVfL7cy1nUvXdBbrKkrOaZINt7b2tOnCtiqCZAzuVOO4ChS0YWVbiic7HN1Xo9u18jQP86ghUy5g-Kwmiz2QQsW6GglZ/s324/Order.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="238" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDX0AMWXxj3snrEnrz_G8MxM9XdR311CzK6BRSRNqT2pQ_t9itR2GZzCT8pVFA4vkRatjpHL-lwdw5CEPMp_pPsIn2-XobSVfL7cy1nUvXdBbrKkrOaZINt7b2tOnCtiqCZAzuVOO4ChS0YWVbiic7HN1Xo9u18jQP86ghUy5g-Kwmiz2QQsW6GglZ/w294-h400/Order.jpg" width="294" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ultramantis Black and The Order<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdW4DVIGq6VzyhzVn337tZZpA1_4i0sSv5qT-RPGnQn9AxMcvB1Rpmwa3uidzsU3JNdzjHQk0f8iAXJzWHLFEX2NeZ1mr9hySNdNKdHFTnGVmh3Stz50f95QoN85hPVNsTHtSXNfY11VbfdD7OO3xp_AfDc111A20tnWWku8OftAhb4hdyE-BNzLKV/s1158/The%20Spectral%20Envoy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="1158" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdW4DVIGq6VzyhzVn337tZZpA1_4i0sSv5qT-RPGnQn9AxMcvB1Rpmwa3uidzsU3JNdzjHQk0f8iAXJzWHLFEX2NeZ1mr9hySNdNKdHFTnGVmh3Stz50f95QoN85hPVNsTHtSXNfY11VbfdD7OO3xp_AfDc111A20tnWWku8OftAhb4hdyE-BNzLKV/w400-h200/The%20Spectral%20Envoy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hero once more.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>But this is precisely the kind of goofball shenanigans (or as I call it, greatness), that made me love Chikara. By the time I began to really immerse myself in Chikara and its characters and lore, Mantis had once again become something of a hero, leading a new group called the "Spectral Envoy", seen above, with his old "Dark Breed" cohort Hallowicked, and Hallowicked's frenetic spawn, Frightmare. Mantis still referred to himself as "The Great and Devious", retaining much of his cartoon-esque villain persona. But he had become a defender of Chikara, instead of its purported destroyer. What <i>led</i> to such a cosmic metamorphosis, you ask? Well, before we get into that...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7LWqOV83Mlr4ux3jiYySILbAlxMJa2TGAsvTdJ4wc_21So0xJNDc4GpMdE_fP78FGTU2G_0dPMIIodLoLfe4ZFif6ZtW1CD-Ie4TitDwbldEKqPl_okMETA2vCP4zfFCNE6ZV7-Rc_UkqdMF9rUEORg6p8nc31om9VvSDX6CnTSYf_F6rKAB3Q15/s470/Steel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="470" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7LWqOV83Mlr4ux3jiYySILbAlxMJa2TGAsvTdJ4wc_21So0xJNDc4GpMdE_fP78FGTU2G_0dPMIIodLoLfe4ZFif6ZtW1CD-Ie4TitDwbldEKqPl_okMETA2vCP4zfFCNE6ZV7-Rc_UkqdMF9rUEORg6p8nc31om9VvSDX6CnTSYf_F6rKAB3Q15/w400-h303/Steel.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seeing Double?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I'd like you to meet Lance Steel. He was a time displaced noble knight, from medieval England, who had somehow fallen through the cracks of time, and found himself in 21st Century America, having to vanquish evil in a wrestling ring, instead of the ancient fields of battle. Well, as it happened, after spending a time teaming with a colorful party pirate by the name of Jolly Roger, Lance would find himself joined in the present by <i>another</i> time displaced noble knight. This was, in fact, another Lance Steel, or to be more accurate, a somewhat younger version of himself. The two joined forces, calling their team "Lancelot" (get it?), and they enjoyed a decent stint as one of Chikara's most heroic tag teams. <br /><br />However, all was not kosher in the kingdom, as younger Lance was more care-free and accepting of modern things, and this included his tolerance of dragons, or more specifically, Chikara's own resident Dragon Dragon. And <i>that</i>, my friends, was something that the older, original Lance Steel, he who had been forged on the fields of battle, and gallant slayer of said dragons, simply could not stand. Which of course led the two Lances to fight, ultimately ending in a "Loser Leaves the Present" match, which saw older Lance defeat younger Lance, sending him back to his proper time for good. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7wGRlHVevjTCPcvEaCGXsobDl1L4q9T1-kkkVk5OpVAaPVYZF_EkDty3nSGi4OTrJXPcdMk25xniTWpWuDAH8276FKMXhZq0HCUfDKbG3D6cDuAac_6BbIR_B_H0go9XH0fH_L_opL3MtyeLgOfHgnPRpuDF50RvP32KApSZAoMWf0Mq4fM7Cr0O/s640/Dragon%20Dragon%20&%20Retail%20Dragon.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7wGRlHVevjTCPcvEaCGXsobDl1L4q9T1-kkkVk5OpVAaPVYZF_EkDty3nSGi4OTrJXPcdMk25xniTWpWuDAH8276FKMXhZq0HCUfDKbG3D6cDuAac_6BbIR_B_H0go9XH0fH_L_opL3MtyeLgOfHgnPRpuDF50RvP32KApSZAoMWf0Mq4fM7Cr0O/w300-h400/Dragon%20Dragon%20&%20Retail%20Dragon.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Retail Dragon and Dragon Dragon, team Triple Dragon.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>This was, in the grand scheme of Chikara, a fairly minor storyline. But it's relevant, because it was also arguably the very first time that the company, who had always had its share of outlandish and quirky characters, saw its first truly elaborate and more fantastical brand of storytelling. Certainly far more than the average pro wrestling fan would be used to. And this was only the beginning, because as the early 2000s gave way to the mid and then late 2000s, little by little Chikara would become steeped in progressively more complex and fantastical plots. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4g1GXu7KJZEJFfYVukUFClpfkHWMU6_BnWym0MWUnIzxoNaOwRYRatv6qMKt7bT2uZj_KHi7oZJHnWjRFnr02DNACVZaXoiGksi66aa0g08aRQ38MHOkV7ib1kKfctPM-lw9AIbTQhIyRgG7NRdTtD2AxF6te7zaXnXsePc7hVdArVKAjyJuLt194/s474/Unstable.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="474" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4g1GXu7KJZEJFfYVukUFClpfkHWMU6_BnWym0MWUnIzxoNaOwRYRatv6qMKt7bT2uZj_KHi7oZJHnWjRFnr02DNACVZaXoiGksi66aa0g08aRQ38MHOkV7ib1kKfctPM-lw9AIbTQhIyRgG7NRdTtD2AxF6te7zaXnXsePc7hVdArVKAjyJuLt194/w400-h224/Unstable.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The UnStable<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>One such storyline, would surface not too long after the Lance Steel episode. In 2005, a colorful masked luchador, announced as being from Mexico, named Equinox arrived. This half-fire, half-ice alleged trainee of Tito Santana, and protegee of then-Chikara star (and trainer) Skayde, was an enigmatic high flyer, who fought on the side of the Technicos (Lucha Libre for good guys, as opposed to bad guys, or Rudos). But all was not as it appeared. Some time during the course of 2007, Equinox was outed as being, in actuality, former American Wrestle Factory student, Vin Gerard. Gerard had apparently washed out of the school, but as the storyline went, found a "back door" into Chikara anyway, by donning the Equinox garb and gaining the trust of Skayde. </p><p><br /><br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMIHlq8B_jAhWwIDukxNdv87hgUDbABYNHmHVJ618QK78gZVtQKRnQPIJd537KJhBnV9H-ewC2fNmHkMjo7A0XqrjnTa_ImH3k324tmshsn7MlxU6t_ls5GVsLuJKrjwz10JI0xgw1-LAV1niMknzCUY2oPEhAKri_SCDYquGq1l1bQ7phzmJZOl2/s600/WOrk.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMIHlq8B_jAhWwIDukxNdv87hgUDbABYNHmHVJ618QK78gZVtQKRnQPIJd537KJhBnV9H-ewC2fNmHkMjo7A0XqrjnTa_ImH3k324tmshsn7MlxU6t_ls5GVsLuJKrjwz10JI0xgw1-LAV1niMknzCUY2oPEhAKri_SCDYquGq1l1bQ7phzmJZOl2/w400-h300/WOrk.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Former hero Shane Storm, and his partner Mister Zero.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>Once outed, Vin Gerard dropped the heroic attitude, and instead began a reign of terror that would last for the next couple years. He effectively replaced Chris Hero as the new top "Big Bad" of Chikaradom, and gathered around him similarly disaffected wrestlers. Former hero (and early Wrestle Factory graduate) Shane Storm, a masked, fun-loving "Traffic Regulator", who for years had been a golden boy in the fan's eyes, turned on them, tired of "being seen as a clown", and instead became the darker Stigma. And Colin Delaney, formerly Colin Olsen of the Olsen Twins tag team, who had spent a stint in WWE's "ECW" brand, and returned to Chikara believing he was "too good" for the promotion. Together, they called themselves the "UnStable", with their symbol being Chikara's own logo, turned upside down into a "U". <br /><br />But even bigger threats loomed on the horizon, than grumpy emo bad boys...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFtmzjJSxqmBsI3_EVJsdxhEg06znnU7FlWehmuCNTiF0oGmHvhunmoYOi-4NxMTp02yyqN-HCDvFfasXeOCsCeEocCRv6Wln_eA3b94CqBj7E5P1uEeMxY8HtCj3aaskR9zyGHppg33SHCowO8m_DZgf7UUWcjpSYrGkMRP5KN7yH0uM9KztuSAL/s500/The%20Order%20of%20the%20Neo%20Solar%20Temple.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="500" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFtmzjJSxqmBsI3_EVJsdxhEg06znnU7FlWehmuCNTiF0oGmHvhunmoYOi-4NxMTp02yyqN-HCDvFfasXeOCsCeEocCRv6Wln_eA3b94CqBj7E5P1uEeMxY8HtCj3aaskR9zyGHppg33SHCowO8m_DZgf7UUWcjpSYrGkMRP5KN7yH0uM9KztuSAL/w400-h301/The%20Order%20of%20the%20Neo%20Solar%20Temple.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evil Machinations.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br />While all of this UnStable tomfoolery was going down, our good friend Ultramantis Black, was being Great and Devious indeed. In an attempt to upgrade his Order of the Neo Solar Temple, from some of the goofier members it had employed in the past, Mantis decided to try a new tactic, to his own folly. He procured for himself a rather ominous and sinister artifact, one that would come to effect Chikara heavily for years, called the "Eye of Tyre". It was said that this crystalline object, could give you control over others, to make them do your bidding. But there was also a warning, that one must pass the Eye on to another after using it, or else the user would be cursed. Mantis, believing he was above worrying about such paltry things, employed the Eye on one Delirious, a crazy but dangerous wrestler, who had been a friend and tag team partner of (at the time) hero Hallowicked. With Delirious now part of his Order, Mantis felt assured that he would finally become all-powerful, and dominate Chikara. Or destroy it, whichever seemed more fun. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzVN-MqM-l8RCI0_lgTya-qMs4XBjnW7pEJzOWtitdH4x4uvr4mHM7ZysYEh3wHiSTz-aHPUlmiV1CuoOe6NOZMRonhlFyLlyx3vaWIWyGUbPIrFcAJyZyRzPQZYGZp57Pr-QyYL_5y_sS9adS_qcE6uI97OCLHy3Ua4abv2lMIUh_3wCMaSisyKq/s960/The%20Batiri.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzVN-MqM-l8RCI0_lgTya-qMs4XBjnW7pEJzOWtitdH4x4uvr4mHM7ZysYEh3wHiSTz-aHPUlmiV1CuoOe6NOZMRonhlFyLlyx3vaWIWyGUbPIrFcAJyZyRzPQZYGZp57Pr-QyYL_5y_sS9adS_qcE6uI97OCLHy3Ua4abv2lMIUh_3wCMaSisyKq/w400-h266/The%20Batiri.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Batiri, spawns of evil.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /><br />However, Mantis would come to be warned that the alleged "Rightful Owner of the Eye" was looking for it, and wanted it back. If he wouldn't give it up, they, whoever they were, would come and take it. Continuing to think himself far too Devious for any opposition, Ultramantis Black set about even more background scheming, secretly ordering a "dark army" to be trained, further foot-soldiers to come and help defend him from the Eye's owner. Thus in the fullness of time, the Devious One would find himself twice cursed, all the product of his own villainous schemes. At the end of 2009, Chikara would suffer its first full blown invasion, by the very same figure that Mantis dismissed...</p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjC9hjKgTZTeX5e5lQ4pWwS2MyOQioukVaFwFg5hhprJzQ_Szvt0dejUuN2p0L7akm_R7rSV0Mp06iiDlBk9h1MOquGtfWEcJdNaNcIMS3fqSlBrRA9uRwI4iAZPwXY_tDB_J4hVnsujOP06uWMAChlmHuEMi1TJJyVthgTXR5gHfdx9eBd0bYCI9-/s620/BDK.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="620" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjC9hjKgTZTeX5e5lQ4pWwS2MyOQioukVaFwFg5hhprJzQ_Szvt0dejUuN2p0L7akm_R7rSV0Mp06iiDlBk9h1MOquGtfWEcJdNaNcIMS3fqSlBrRA9uRwI4iAZPwXY_tDB_J4hVnsujOP06uWMAChlmHuEMi1TJJyVthgTXR5gHfdx9eBd0bYCI9-/w400-h223/BDK.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Der Bruderschaft des Kreuzes</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3E9Yk5aquxbZJo74zuxl6IJykPPSo0fMEmAGlGnx2y-3AplGZ_VG7xZjkKM2TJF5VtvEPCLlmQGS6HipnQrX-sFsaXrHmqyy3owBdnkwMj4rt_iyEau5MHuME90dEwLMeweVTUhtDPnMCrsYuji4ZNagDU2kVmzGtC4SStkQMrW0lrkfXumEEwPrm/s480/Claudio%20&%20Ares%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="480" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3E9Yk5aquxbZJo74zuxl6IJykPPSo0fMEmAGlGnx2y-3AplGZ_VG7xZjkKM2TJF5VtvEPCLlmQGS6HipnQrX-sFsaXrHmqyy3owBdnkwMj4rt_iyEau5MHuME90dEwLMeweVTUhtDPnMCrsYuji4ZNagDU2kVmzGtC4SStkQMrW0lrkfXumEEwPrm/w400-h221/Claudio%20&%20Ares%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Claudio and Ares<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>That invasion came in the form of masked mystery men who showed up, dressed in white. They unmasked, revealing themselves to be the Swiss Ares, and his monster Tursas. They were joined by several Chikara stars, who laid waste to the Chikara roster. They called themselves Der Bruderschaft des Kreuzes, German for "The Brotherhood of the Cross". Instead of merely taking back the Eye of Tyre from Ultramantis, the leader Ares, backed by Chikara hero Claudio Castagnoli (later WWE's Cesaro), decided he wanted to conquer Chikara instead. And conquer they did, joined by disaffected wrestlers like Tim Donst, Sara Del Rey, Daizee Haze, and Lince Dorado. Most interestingly, the last of their membership, Pinkie Sanchez, had previously infiltrated the heroic Colony (a group of humanoid ants), pretending to be the ant from the future, "Carpenter Ant", only to turn on them and mock them by calling himself "Pink Ant". Then again, Tim Donst was pretending to be a robot from the future named Vokoder prior to the invasion, so you know, it happens. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKnrv9VATJryqnxIVr10sCVbAlTDecYlOLkhWKRgU0UMSsBoVY25b2Oi3D8gBmbM3_m1j_P2fKBSMkRAQDTLQDv3AdhI8Fzie3Me6wBM-AKAeChK67cTaiF5COM0BvfnNBEVrr9Ihz2cN2et1MtNLu8N0wT826F37NY9-LUOvOcWdD7Sby4znbhVC/s600/Colony%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="600" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKnrv9VATJryqnxIVr10sCVbAlTDecYlOLkhWKRgU0UMSsBoVY25b2Oi3D8gBmbM3_m1j_P2fKBSMkRAQDTLQDv3AdhI8Fzie3Me6wBM-AKAeChK67cTaiF5COM0BvfnNBEVrr9Ihz2cN2et1MtNLu8N0wT826F37NY9-LUOvOcWdD7Sby4znbhVC/w400-h299/Colony%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Ant, Fire Ant, and Soldier Ant, the Colony<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>So not only did The BDK, as they came to be known, go on to dominate Chikara for over a year, but as previously stated, Ultramantis was now twice cursed. For not only did he have to deal with the BDK showing up to stomp a mudhole in his insectoid ass, and them eventually wresting control of Delirious away from him. But when that aforementioned "Dark Army" he had ordered finally showed up, in the form of the demons Kodama and Obariyon, and the "Prince of All Goblins" Kobald, led by their trainer, the evil carny Sinn Bodhi, in the midst of a crisis of conscience over his misdeeds, Mantis rejected their evil services. And so, instead of working FOR him, he now had not only the BDK, but the demonic Batiri after him as well! This is what happens when you layer evil scheme on top of evil scheme. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOigcmDLeQg2sTUqXpFikit1V8WKuHcJKBgnXx3C1sLVDFAENKI5cWnevNEmUKnZBgV7Q6KhJiHlRW5MKcQdSB9jE-m2ouwpqJ-jDQL1sDvhBnG3XCOy0mCCiEJRDyb1An0JnFfQlB2JOA520ITP-Ddf-hRT-qDAsrxu4mz8nUjlyCZgsF31pt6ll/s800/Gekido%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="800" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOigcmDLeQg2sTUqXpFikit1V8WKuHcJKBgnXx3C1sLVDFAENKI5cWnevNEmUKnZBgV7Q6KhJiHlRW5MKcQdSB9jE-m2ouwpqJ-jDQL1sDvhBnG3XCOy0mCCiEJRDyb1An0JnFfQlB2JOA520ITP-Ddf-hRT-qDAsrxu4mz8nUjlyCZgsF31pt6ll/w400-h216/Gekido%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gekido</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>It took the combined might of the Chikara Technicos AND Rudos to finally, eventually oust most of the BDK from their midst, so that things could get back to whatever passes as normal in the crazy world of Chikara. But, as I mentioned before, the BDK was only the first invasion they would suffer, not the last. In 2012, around the time I finally started gradually wading into the Chikara pool, a different hostile Rudo group showed up, calling themselves "Gekido", which is Japanese for Rage or Fury. It can also stand for Violence. Similar to Vin Gerard, three of this new group's members, a subset of ants called "The Swarm", were, according to Mike Quackenbush, jilted former Wrestle Factory students, who again had washed out. But unlike Gerard, who by this time was gone from Chikara, these boys found themselves a mysterious new teacher, one with "forbidden" wrestling knowledge and zero scruples, known only as "17", so-named for the "17 Forgotten Wrestling Holds" he claimed to know. And all of them were deadly dangerous, as he was soon to display. <br /><br />The "Swarm" were evil ants, to mock the Colony, heroes of Chikara, who called themselves DeviANT, AssailANT, and CombatANT. Joining their leader 17, was also the mysterious "Shard", who seemed to be an evil doppelganger of Jigsaw, just as 17 himself dressed as an evil doppelganger of Quackenbush. Gekido made their presence known by attacking various Chikara stars, with typical Rudo run-ins and beat-downs. But after not too long, 17 upped the ante, by beginning to use his "Forgotten Holds" to purposefully injure and thus eliminate Chikara wrestlers. This only made Chikara's leader, Quackenbush, more angry and desperate to get rid of these invaders, to the point that he began using their violent tactics against them, eventually himself injuring both CombatANT and 17. The threat of Gekido would ultimately fade, AssailANT even eventually turning good, after being forcibly put in The Colony. But their defeat also carried a heavy cost, as "Quack" had compromised himself, and this caused Jigsaw, longtime friend and hero, to turn on him, surprisingly joining what was left of Gekido. He formed a new team with his own doppelganger Shard, known as the "Pieces of Hate". </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFW56lrpxT6xXq5NUP09SU454b30odpur0ZenAh-wP4unA74RTY9gP1D-LoTiU7FzSUVL0WoGz1yg1HFZwM69tMIAjp7XjHQCKhB4-4MAA5xcRGh2XOutYgLPxgd9mEWq4CQvjyyHuxfHuuom9K3fsCUsnu7v7FL5G8ZsOIaDG33coxz4PAg-Ar8lY/s450/Pieces.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFW56lrpxT6xXq5NUP09SU454b30odpur0ZenAh-wP4unA74RTY9gP1D-LoTiU7FzSUVL0WoGz1yg1HFZwM69tMIAjp7XjHQCKhB4-4MAA5xcRGh2XOutYgLPxgd9mEWq4CQvjyyHuxfHuuom9K3fsCUsnu7v7FL5G8ZsOIaDG33coxz4PAg-Ar8lY/w266-h400/Pieces.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pieces of Hate, Jigsaw and Shard<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijNXk1whC-8lDIgIIAHUN0TfvKMfW1ABf9lhfYYS6r1t7Z7Jb2d07jeNnFRWYJ030tr2Ne-uqma4QvyXWMqw188Aje-M6gO2pvQstweIjA1knplyI25dS3vNsxAG_mUnNZTAV93XSv5BoprSN4ut5tROMkuRY6GJYy1l6q3m04oRUthpxt7ldhUyLR/s1158/Colony%20-%20Xtreme%20Force.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="1158" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijNXk1whC-8lDIgIIAHUN0TfvKMfW1ABf9lhfYYS6r1t7Z7Jb2d07jeNnFRWYJ030tr2Ne-uqma4QvyXWMqw188Aje-M6gO2pvQstweIjA1knplyI25dS3vNsxAG_mUnNZTAV93XSv5BoprSN4ut5tROMkuRY6GJYy1l6q3m04oRUthpxt7ldhUyLR/w400-h200/Colony%20-%20Xtreme%20Force.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colony: Xtreme Force<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>All was not well in Chikara, still, as it was in storyline now owned by a seemingly sinister corporate outfit known as Titor Conglomerate, and the owner's son, Wink Vavasseur, had been in charge of Chikara since the beginning of 2012. It was his idea to instigate the use of "Chikarbametrics", a goofy scheme to "spice things up" by using supposed analytics to tell him which wrestlers would be best teamed together. It was due to this that Soldier Ant was swapped into the villainous Swarm, and AssailANT joined the Colony. It was also due to this that Techonico favorite Sugar Dunkerton, was removed from the sports-themed "Throwbacks" team, and instead paired with the Rudo bullies, F.I.S.T. But in 2013, he had a new bright idea, and introduced yet another team of ants. This lot were supposed to be fun and great for merchandising, based more on action figure tropes. They were called Colony: Xtreme Force; Orbit Adventure Ant, Missile Assault Ant, and Arctic Rescue Ant. They had a propensity for yelling their names out loud a lot (especially Missile Assault), and while they started off harmless enough, they eventually fell under the villainous leadership of DeviANT. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveDKZYC2ilqYYoKZeQdP2UWC8EpULV8KVLtGXb1qZ2gmI4pwQOPPcEJqg2FVmtu7MC4mbjL2IoVVbpyki2qkvr82k3LppcKZmrOWOuQhbhLTltc0vPt1vCF-23afZzPPXuQe6c0kQ14pVMgN3pY38Rpvypa44uygVQr9K_Cbep30TC43Y0a_D8nYO/s960/Deucalion.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveDKZYC2ilqYYoKZeQdP2UWC8EpULV8KVLtGXb1qZ2gmI4pwQOPPcEJqg2FVmtu7MC4mbjL2IoVVbpyki2qkvr82k3LppcKZmrOWOuQhbhLTltc0vPt1vCF-23afZzPPXuQe6c0kQ14pVMgN3pY38Rpvypa44uygVQr9K_Cbep30TC43Y0a_D8nYO/w400-h266/Deucalion.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Monster, Deucalion. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKekLnwp1x09LABkAhUQvwtyvLcSxDEC1qjcE5an09LJmO_7ETVC19U5dPpBKJQODIq2A1MhGOUuJWHD8LSKsK9yDEec2jsIfVdZGIK_qj5xXu5SRnTrAIOAUJhZ-i52H0P9c9JGuIo2Cpgwo9QiprORC6MOrrxVEOU662z4gbTU6VqP10by_YMjex/s1158/The%20Flood.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="1158" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKekLnwp1x09LABkAhUQvwtyvLcSxDEC1qjcE5an09LJmO_7ETVC19U5dPpBKJQODIq2A1MhGOUuJWHD8LSKsK9yDEec2jsIfVdZGIK_qj5xXu5SRnTrAIOAUJhZ-i52H0P9c9JGuIo2Cpgwo9QiprORC6MOrrxVEOU662z4gbTU6VqP10by_YMjex/w400-h200/The%20Flood.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jimmy Jacobs and Co.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNFHOs48RSAYEeuLjtZMTxiYOP4nvb6mX8bnNuNzA3HVWnPv1xhSL8s0VPLn7joxB3VWgRDa9tU-C6Hd7ZggWlPBh1EnudJ-8VvBVHDoVE0m_3--ZtwQLNrpDQHDijO5LsV8QxSakqxq0EQhFHOyZSsb1NskTmMoxvxv95wMiEgsyStTxHg6faJcT/s1158/Gekido.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="1158" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNFHOs48RSAYEeuLjtZMTxiYOP4nvb6mX8bnNuNzA3HVWnPv1xhSL8s0VPLn7joxB3VWgRDa9tU-C6Hd7ZggWlPBh1EnudJ-8VvBVHDoVE0m_3--ZtwQLNrpDQHDijO5LsV8QxSakqxq0EQhFHOyZSsb1NskTmMoxvxv95wMiEgsyStTxHg6faJcT/w400-h200/Gekido.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The now evil Jigsaw and Co.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gAaVYrG8dDzFE_JTvLinlqVMHbGKQW5BGKYDnVxyzr1uBBQgw0_gUvssnTxohNpA9GlT74iG4AyyW9RBhiALyE-KM8C6M0xhk1mflpkUcxWdw77J4jjAQMTTkuU9qZjjjTWzNJcRhJP9Jwml17LPvvlabL7jBaoSRciGmiADBBYnSdpdSLybYVOR/s280/Corp.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="280" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gAaVYrG8dDzFE_JTvLinlqVMHbGKQW5BGKYDnVxyzr1uBBQgw0_gUvssnTxohNpA9GlT74iG4AyyW9RBhiALyE-KM8C6M0xhk1mflpkUcxWdw77J4jjAQMTTkuU9qZjjjTWzNJcRhJP9Jwml17LPvvlabL7jBaoSRciGmiADBBYnSdpdSLybYVOR/w400-h257/Corp.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Devastation Corporation<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The business with Wink, ultimately culminated in the most ambitious (and risky) storyline that perhaps any wrestling company has ever attempted, before or since. In mid-2013, at Chikara's PPV event "Anniversario: Never Compromise", at the end of the show, in the midst of a still ongoing championship match, Titor's own "Condor Security" forces showed up, ejected the wrestlers, ejected the fans, and began tearing down the set. Chikara was, in storyline, effectively "Shut Down", because top secret, and quite sinister information had been threatened to be leaked about Titor Conglomerate. This whole deal was so effective at the time, that fans weren't even sure whether or not it fully WAS a story, or if the company was really closed for good. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29ggyddEKFYJnhrbS1EgpjxwzYcEJxWomMD3uk48oAAGrqQQGovr3UzslXoyAFgLJNvyqoyslGGibzPSdfrtBneOajTCheI0hSqZYExB-ehM3qsfHQRNm8qUuxlIV1Kf5NuuuUGDhR5rPD9euGaG23PG6R0d9kRnv_xQY4oThS3QPFYIqd3pC-0lj/s700/Ashes%20of%20Chikara.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="467" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29ggyddEKFYJnhrbS1EgpjxwzYcEJxWomMD3uk48oAAGrqQQGovr3UzslXoyAFgLJNvyqoyslGGibzPSdfrtBneOajTCheI0hSqZYExB-ehM3qsfHQRNm8qUuxlIV1Kf5NuuuUGDhR5rPD9euGaG23PG6R0d9kRnv_xQY4oThS3QPFYIqd3pC-0lj/w266-h400/Ashes%20of%20Chikara.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ashes of Chikara<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>And this is also about where I came in, as a more regular Chikara viewer. I was already by this point a major fan of Chikara, having watched King of Trios 2012 with my friend, and done as much clip-watching and internet reading as I could, about their storylines, their characters, their history. I was hooked. But it wasn't until the 2014 "Season", that I finally found myself in a financial position to be able to afford to buy and download all their shows (and PPV events). The "Closure" of Chikara, led to basically a full year of the company only existing as a group of several smaller splinter promotions, almost all of whom carried a "Wrestling Is" moniker. "Wrestling is Fun", "Wrestling is Cool", "Wrestling is Art", etc. Over the course of that year, various villainous factions started showing up at these shows, and gradually shutting them down. Titor was still out to extinguish what was left of Chikara. <br /><br />There was also a series of online, indie-movie quality videos, dubbed the "Ashes of Chikara" series, which also slowly unfolded a storyline of Titor's attempts at destruction, and a handful of Chikara faithful, including the formerly "most hated man in Chikara" Icarus, becoming its new champion and hero, trying to pick up the pieces. They eventually turned the video series into a feature length film, and it was announced at the 2014 "National Pro Wrestling Day" show, that Chikara was <i>finally </i>officially coming back, live on iPPV, at the May 25th event "You Only Live Twice". This was the first Chikara show I got to watch live, and let me tell you, I was stoked. I more than got what I wanted out of it, and I was stoked to actually be able to watch the full season of shows going forward. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpDZNhGgpcuiCs8d9LY1A9tpGMq6Yh3YZfGXrGhTX_-0DFSS1PgIBIP7Uir4zTivSLW_Of8E_XjNcF8izpR13JcKv5Q7TR4kHSYh7owiMFXWaFapq_D2ZFfBz8dK9u1kjxaiUubyYeeK6cNoym4HtR2CSPPmybBaPsBX0OSWJad_b9HvSmxaSkSx8/s850/Icarus.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpDZNhGgpcuiCs8d9LY1A9tpGMq6Yh3YZfGXrGhTX_-0DFSS1PgIBIP7Uir4zTivSLW_Of8E_XjNcF8izpR13JcKv5Q7TR4kHSYh7owiMFXWaFapq_D2ZFfBz8dK9u1kjxaiUubyYeeK6cNoym4HtR2CSPPmybBaPsBX0OSWJad_b9HvSmxaSkSx8/w235-h400/Icarus.jpg" width="235" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Unlikely Hero, Icarus<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zqkMLUOx4Yiq0MWiYXNoMi-9OOvg9j0T3-AVTaMHsrOpUjQGu2V7ZxdZUWN3i0V2HPKg9PQ0pL2d92fGTwH4Ktvmzgn9RJUZuzKN3RGSEk5WyuVMkspnK5yAwMnPupJXaXRVMpxesksDOfLN9nMtlsjFj7BkSINcOXQ2aXATV2qNW9X4ypjbIT4a/s440/Throwbacks.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="294" data-original-width="440" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zqkMLUOx4Yiq0MWiYXNoMi-9OOvg9j0T3-AVTaMHsrOpUjQGu2V7ZxdZUWN3i0V2HPKg9PQ0pL2d92fGTwH4Ktvmzgn9RJUZuzKN3RGSEk5WyuVMkspnK5yAwMnPupJXaXRVMpxesksDOfLN9nMtlsjFj7BkSINcOXQ2aXATV2qNW9X4ypjbIT4a/w400-h268/Throwbacks.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dasher Hatfield and Mr. Touchdown, The Throwbacks<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcaJdRPNAX1GQs1Qo6zYfFPLD9RtU1Els_EnKzBe2oFE_4D7QgrbBNZ6-84cGFFQMNnNkQVY7uXHsVaIT7UXYexDPM-oMYCpG_ZksVPNVkOeIS-hYCYHo7NHXjXBlak8e8ojhC2tkuw_PRX6XUPHF07hoF6GZg2weOv8vSVOLq97un6stsPSIGRdFe/s512/Osirian.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="512" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcaJdRPNAX1GQs1Qo6zYfFPLD9RtU1Els_EnKzBe2oFE_4D7QgrbBNZ6-84cGFFQMNnNkQVY7uXHsVaIT7UXYexDPM-oMYCpG_ZksVPNVkOeIS-hYCYHo7NHXjXBlak8e8ojhC2tkuw_PRX6XUPHF07hoF6GZg2weOv8vSVOLq97un6stsPSIGRdFe/w400-h278/Osirian.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amasis and Ophidian, The Osirian Portal<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4SoTMZmwb_sn4nYZ1AwpaBjLllRq-ceg3_xOrprKShMqZ09fdhA3h2ErCSxbCDDtI_mV4ZlSjKoM68NQqlvWvvg6MYcwJ5Qf8tXraEBOdYGT_2aS-Mu89zkBy6IASkvGVaZ1ZQOhECuSABv6hmCG3CPbdskFFVBMhCuBbY0okfW0ShQQuhRsArsh6/s1920/3.0%203.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4SoTMZmwb_sn4nYZ1AwpaBjLllRq-ceg3_xOrprKShMqZ09fdhA3h2ErCSxbCDDtI_mV4ZlSjKoM68NQqlvWvvg6MYcwJ5Qf8tXraEBOdYGT_2aS-Mu89zkBy6IASkvGVaZ1ZQOhECuSABv6hmCG3CPbdskFFVBMhCuBbY0okfW0ShQQuhRsArsh6/w400-h225/3.0%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Big Magic" Shane Matthews and "Jagged" Scott Parker, 3.0<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>Of course, the overarching story of 2014, featured Chikara's third, and by far biggest invasion, by a veritable army of villains, a "Super Group" if you will, akin to the "Legion of Doom", led by the murderous "Titan of Titor", Deucalion. The group was known collectively as "The Flood", and as a bit of mythological side lore, Deucalion in Greek Mythology was the brother of Prometheus, and was a demi-god of a man (a Titan, actually), who survived a great flood. Well "Duke" and his Flood army, were here to "wash away" Chikara, destroying it completely. And with a force comprised of many smaller Rudo groups, such as Sinn Bodhi's evil "Odditorium", The Devastation Corporation (and their Wrecking Crew cohorts), Colony Xtreme Force led by DeviANT, the last vestiges of Gekido, including Jigsaw, and even a resurfaced version of the BDK, they could do it. The "Field General", or second leader in command of this lot, after "Duke", was indie wrestler and all around not-nice guy, Jimmy Jacobs. Quite a daunting force, indeed. How could Chikara possibly fight back against all of that? <br /><br />Well, Chikara had some firepower of their own, such as the now heroic Icarus, the sporty Throwbacks, Ultramantis' Spectral Envoy, 3.0 (as they were known then) and their new pal Archibald Peck, who they had rescued from the timestream and "Parts Unknown" (a story for another time), and more. The Chikara side certainly faced losses like never before, though, as this was also arguably the darkest Chikara storytelling in its history. Deucalion had a penchant for murder, favoring a deadly move he called the "Chokebreaker" (a chokeslam onto his own knee, breaking their back and "killing" them). And he used this move early and often, sometimes even against his own teammates, if they lost matches. "Duke" himself didn't even wrestle for most of the season, instead acting as a boogeyman, a terrifying phantom who at any moment during a given show, could pop up like Jason Voorhees, and destroy someone else. More than one beloved fan favorite fell victim to his might, including poor Archibald Peck, and one of my new top favorites, The Estonian Thunderfrog (think Thor, but as a frog-man). </p><p>Not to give TOO much away, but the Flood were eventually defeated, or driven off, but at a much higher cost to the Chikara roster than the BDK had ever taken. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzER3jm7fKD_Z58KcQqCwomtl4ev5moGmjmYKJEMsx33oyJEVYUU_R8sQ8Jz6gseuER0lL1jxbsitSt6XKGE0tLHDEjJMRpsz_bLqg70TEmcX3tON2y-Te2ZelayN1_xZZUUwu552N4KpzjqKTMWoIUWaS5s-QIC3OiGtY_kB8C_MyEn2ICn-Bio3/s600/Nightmare%20Warriors.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzER3jm7fKD_Z58KcQqCwomtl4ev5moGmjmYKJEMsx33oyJEVYUU_R8sQ8Jz6gseuER0lL1jxbsitSt6XKGE0tLHDEjJMRpsz_bLqg70TEmcX3tON2y-Te2ZelayN1_xZZUUwu552N4KpzjqKTMWoIUWaS5s-QIC3OiGtY_kB8C_MyEn2ICn-Bio3/w400-h266/Nightmare%20Warriors.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portents of the Future...<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYaxdCdJPjSACrmZ0Wpuq1n1TtdOOTUTb6vdtOVy3YZ7YkEzQJmLk55cWxXfXuU4XJB4n6rYMOaXvc4UjB6n-liGY16QTAlmMqmqFiXXpKTNcoTK_tjgcle99OHGupJBUgfTRlKuG4brYiPY8_q1uGnSW_A6jWU25gCoaS896HwTfpq7B_ja04K-E4/s1280/Nazmaldun.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYaxdCdJPjSACrmZ0Wpuq1n1TtdOOTUTb6vdtOVy3YZ7YkEzQJmLk55cWxXfXuU4XJB4n6rYMOaXvc4UjB6n-liGY16QTAlmMqmqFiXXpKTNcoTK_tjgcle99OHGupJBUgfTRlKuG4brYiPY8_q1uGnSW_A6jWU25gCoaS896HwTfpq7B_ja04K-E4/w400-h225/Nazmaldun.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All Glory, Nazmaldun...<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>Of course past misdeeds have a cost. The now somewhat heroic Ultramantis Black's machinations were not done with him yet. As during the course of the 2014 season, one of Deucalion's "POWs", was none other than his former thrall Delirious. Mantis had freed Delirious from the control of the Eye of Tyre at the end of 2011, but Delirious claimed to "remember everything", and would eventually come back to threaten Mantis with "Two Years of Misery" as recompense for the time he had been controlled. As an at first seemingly unwilling member of The Flood, but later willingly seeking revenge against Mantis, the two clashed at the 2014 finale, "Tomorrow Never Dies", in a "Loser Leaves Chikara" match. Mantis won, but it would prove a Pyrrhic Victory, as after the match, Delirious produced the Eye of Tyre, and used it on Hallowicked, seemingly putting he, and Frightmare who he was spiritually connected to, under his thrall, turning them against Ultramantis. <br /><br />But something else, far darker happened instead. At the 2015 opener, Hallowicked and Frightmare would show up looking radically different, donning red and white, and toting a strange new banner, as you can see in the picture above. They now seemed to be in the service of some eldrich, Lovecraftian type dark god, called "Nazmaldun, the Lord of Rot". And Hallowicked, who had always spoken in incomprehensible gibberish, spoke with a new voice, clear as crystal, but dark as midnight. He claimed to be the herald of this new power rising, and in the fullness of time, which we won't get into here, he too gathered a small army of Nazmaldun "possessed" villains to try and conquer Chikara. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2XvXiJdAx5t_exEqXiLm7pLEz91Ixv4JQxlNx_NQ3hDdkUeHNrP0_cmmlQr-WpETBffPIj2Tnix7lETyYnVan9AQ8FQB_bjeka49u4nk1dcwL5a-ecdHgmhM02irBirnkxj-t1xfD8ZfY8GnlNsCnRGiffPCOTMxu6KXnzgXwZpkAj7dyoHkedhP/s2608/Colony%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1545" data-original-width="2608" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2XvXiJdAx5t_exEqXiLm7pLEz91Ixv4JQxlNx_NQ3hDdkUeHNrP0_cmmlQr-WpETBffPIj2Tnix7lETyYnVan9AQ8FQB_bjeka49u4nk1dcwL5a-ecdHgmhM02irBirnkxj-t1xfD8ZfY8GnlNsCnRGiffPCOTMxu6KXnzgXwZpkAj7dyoHkedhP/w400-h238/Colony%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver Ant, Fire Ant, and Worker Ant (II), the New Colony.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XKJJ8dSjEjpMmhFR4ahnfD3QJc-lAb4PcL7wdSy17tLToR3oBQ0PXhLGrih6hEDQFNiugaexXKgfN2oN2C1owoL-8Cas_mBSDb9m0n5Fhsrq4qOY2ghIPSY1FXMZuJ0VERPQaaU0Tq4o4q1_S6_gRMknFSE-Akva1y6-lXcdNPy0Wbq6YtzsboT-/s1024/Soldier%20Ant%203.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="982" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XKJJ8dSjEjpMmhFR4ahnfD3QJc-lAb4PcL7wdSy17tLToR3oBQ0PXhLGrih6hEDQFNiugaexXKgfN2oN2C1owoL-8Cas_mBSDb9m0n5Fhsrq4qOY2ghIPSY1FXMZuJ0VERPQaaU0Tq4o4q1_S6_gRMknFSE-Akva1y6-lXcdNPy0Wbq6YtzsboT-/w384-h400/Soldier%20Ant%203.jpg" width="384" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Winter" Soldier Ant...<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>Meanwhile, during the course of 2014, Solider Ant, a long-time stalwart and hero of Chikara, also reappeared as a "POW" of The Flood. Soldier, after being forced to join The Swarm, eventually went AWOL in 2013, disappearing from Chikara and its satellites completely. That was a big storyline in the "Ashes" videos, was Fire Ant and Green Ant's search for him. Well, it turned out that Titor got their hands on him, and seemingly brainwashed him, and turned him into a kind of "Super Soldier" weapon to use against his old friends. Many fans dubbed this version of the character "Winter Soldier Ant", after the Marvel character, and during the course of 2015, he did indeed seem driven to destroy The Colony. Fire Ant and Soldier Ant had debuted as The Colony all the way back in 2006, and had been teammates and friends, defending Chikara, even becoming tag champs and King of Trios together. So it was only fitting that, in the end, Fire faced Soldier alone, to either find a way to get him back, or be destroyed by his friend. Ultimately, he won him back, and the friends were reunited. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcvASEd78hsG_n70LtS3HZ2ybkj77SkoSsZsnop6z77VN_Obh_3P5w2s88d_qGtX198soAvss_aygGPMOLLtnLYDpSK2ZQs1BgXoIxK5_ceeLu7_DdD1N3gALQ9kejm16WMMtjhnlqjNVD3zAt_EbW4pOfdGAZ2b7Z2Z4vVzx6XVe6KJa_MWdRP0mZ/s1075/Gentlemen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="814" data-original-width="1075" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcvASEd78hsG_n70LtS3HZ2ybkj77SkoSsZsnop6z77VN_Obh_3P5w2s88d_qGtX198soAvss_aygGPMOLLtnLYDpSK2ZQs1BgXoIxK5_ceeLu7_DdD1N3gALQ9kejm16WMMtjhnlqjNVD3zAt_EbW4pOfdGAZ2b7Z2Z4vVzx6XVe6KJa_MWdRP0mZ/w400-h303/Gentlemen.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Gentleman's Club<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO54vuAPhcI90_EMKd3ERqV5zYss-jfVvWw5WRjyiOlP4-qEAEQ_ioPdNRIyeLyXdSshyYw2eR2iqMNVKiU3JJRWrAQtx6XkC8NzhQDwqHM4OrLZXyNqQXGWU-O23SHUakR__ZkEb8EGd92vDOPzqdeVJbeiJGvW2eShsPyxs4LDMR28LxaWYXOg3X/s500/FIST%20King%20of%20Trios%202009.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="500" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO54vuAPhcI90_EMKd3ERqV5zYss-jfVvWw5WRjyiOlP4-qEAEQ_ioPdNRIyeLyXdSshyYw2eR2iqMNVKiU3JJRWrAQtx6XkC8NzhQDwqHM4OrLZXyNqQXGWU-O23SHUakR__ZkEb8EGd92vDOPzqdeVJbeiJGvW2eShsPyxs4LDMR28LxaWYXOg3X/w400-h345/FIST%20King%20of%20Trios%202009.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">F.I.S.T. (Friends In Similar Tights)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3qzI1mjdHQ6ct476gjjMdvnOx2t8gDV7IqwbioAbP1yrkVx9smQhREo-2fEtL66NRTpjkDmIjnOGMy01BEhP7NeQTpOtWEOoIYiqPPz-wT9uY-_TTypmU6PIaTyO32YWHeC5VEx9kIq8bJ5qRnB-5-6aeUQkyFx6pCkHWM7V1PGH5zRlEYS783EK/s700/Quack.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="482" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3qzI1mjdHQ6ct476gjjMdvnOx2t8gDV7IqwbioAbP1yrkVx9smQhREo-2fEtL66NRTpjkDmIjnOGMy01BEhP7NeQTpOtWEOoIYiqPPz-wT9uY-_TTypmU6PIaTyO32YWHeC5VEx9kIq8bJ5qRnB-5-6aeUQkyFx6pCkHWM7V1PGH5zRlEYS783EK/w275-h400/Quack.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Founder, "Lightning" Mike<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The point of going over ALL of that, was to illustrate the top-most reason why I love Chikara. What made me <i>fall </i>in love with Chikara Pro, and become such a big fan. From 2012 through 2016, especially, they were pretty much THE wrestling promotion I watched, for the most part. They were "My" company, my preferred flavor of "rasslin", and I thoroughly enjoyed them. I was glad to be able to afford to buy and watch every single show of 2014 and 2015 especially, and those two Seasons remain probably my favorites, overall. Not everything was perfect, I didn't love every single twist or turn or "booking" decision. In fact some I outright hated. BUT, all in all, it was a great ride, and a whole lot of fun.<br /><br />For all this talk about crazy characters and elaborate plots, and imagery of colorful masks and goofy gimmicks, don't think for a moment that Chikara lacked "serious" wrestling. There was indeed a lot of goofiness and humor. But there were also dark and serious moments, and I'm glad to say, as someone who has watched an awful lot of wrestling in his life, that there were more good Chikara wrestlers, and matches, than bad ones. I'll go into further depth another time, on individual characters I liked, and their in-ring acumen. But sufficed to say, I wasn't merely enjoying fun storytelling, but a lot of very high quality wrestling matches as well. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9t0skZquGCHxxaCH9AekCVK412POzOB85aNLgwBhYNvfVk0FM7Yr4j3WQM0lDvZaTT0i1a8ax0EgyyRGhIP5Af40wzDEgGNLAYDiW3K4Hj3C4BipwgzsYNoBRl7XgdaW-iW-S6q7HDNnGXQOv3IfL2WU-W5NGwzcw_QVDeMkgeTIaOvG6Oa5s_Zop/s1280/Xyberhawx.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9t0skZquGCHxxaCH9AekCVK412POzOB85aNLgwBhYNvfVk0FM7Yr4j3WQM0lDvZaTT0i1a8ax0EgyyRGhIP5Af40wzDEgGNLAYDiW3K4Hj3C4BipwgzsYNoBRl7XgdaW-iW-S6q7HDNnGXQOv3IfL2WU-W5NGwzcw_QVDeMkgeTIaOvG6Oa5s_Zop/w400-h225/Xyberhawx.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Xyberhawx, heroes from the future year of 2000.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>I will say, while I want to remain mostly positive, that in my personal view and experience, Chikara did, unfortunately, start to decline a bit over the course of 2017-2020. This was for several reasons, the chief one I think, being that they lost a lot of talent, either to being signed by other companies like TNA, WWE, etc., or other wrestlers simply leaving. But I will say, it definitely soured me, personally, when suddenly many of my favorites, such as Silver Ant, Ashley Remington, Shynron, Jervis Cottonbelly, Thunderfrog, etc., were now gone. New characters popped up, of course, such as the Saturday Morning Cartoon inspired "Xyberhawx 2000", whom I liked. But by and large, the new characters who came along, in my eyes, couldn't really replace the beloved ones who left. And in general, at least in my view, the stories started to become less interesting, as well. It was still my favorite promotion, I'd like to point out, but it just wasn't AS good as it used to be.</p><p>I had high hopes, I'll admit, in 2015 and 2016, when it seemed like Chikara's "comeback" was going really well, that the company would continue growing, gaining a bigger audience, making more money, and eventually gaining the recognition (and production budget) it rightly deserved. Sadly, that never materialized, for whatever reasons. And while I will absolutely not bother getting into the sordid (and frankly stupid) details, the company tragically closed its doors, seemingly for good and for <i>real</i> this time, in June of 2020. I will only say, that I don't feel the company should have ever closed, <i>period</i>, and leave it at that. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKjWbTdb1_IBdTsghuuUcznAtt4h4DNu9vib33nabU43VMhe54yXtHdHr2euZUPPPHEf4NU6_zN7a9AfMuj2TAU-HJLfzJOz1A4RLhsqCLWstlJpkCpisYX-UcHgpLxbVcV-6fE6AIO9-b0w9I6xLLUKd0u4Cox2BNU1INfPhy0G5p5QuDyG0h-LBK/s804/Two%20Quacks%20art.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="804" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKjWbTdb1_IBdTsghuuUcznAtt4h4DNu9vib33nabU43VMhe54yXtHdHr2euZUPPPHEf4NU6_zN7a9AfMuj2TAU-HJLfzJOz1A4RLhsqCLWstlJpkCpisYX-UcHgpLxbVcV-6fE6AIO9-b0w9I6xLLUKd0u4Cox2BNU1INfPhy0G5p5QuDyG0h-LBK/w400-h285/Two%20Quacks%20art.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some examples of awesome Chikara DVD art.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4VY5yf-qbTR8gsYVuZthNkAe1rboGIsA3Ar-rOot1yVhzdDJZPMI_DRbgNELZkX52n_4bvXOmcdcOIAMhpUgXCnmCC6K3ROw7aEUpVWf0I2x4prspd9NhVx8O6e-_4RO1io1eziG-8L8rA2agBZCoJ6HylHhIapZYY1fMdH8b2wL6csIqVIBwJpFM/s818/Tag%20Grand%20Prix%20night%202%20art.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="818" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4VY5yf-qbTR8gsYVuZthNkAe1rboGIsA3Ar-rOot1yVhzdDJZPMI_DRbgNELZkX52n_4bvXOmcdcOIAMhpUgXCnmCC6K3ROw7aEUpVWf0I2x4prspd9NhVx8O6e-_4RO1io1eziG-8L8rA2agBZCoJ6HylHhIapZYY1fMdH8b2wL6csIqVIBwJpFM/w400-h299/Tag%20Grand%20Prix%20night%202%20art.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many were based on classic comic book covers.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>It needs to be said, that Chikara Pro was a one of a kind wrestling company. I have never seen another quite like it, before or since, with such a dedication to emphasis on characters, with unique, fun, and elaborate personalities, and full-blown, intricate storytelling. That doesn't mean everything they tried worked, or that everything they did was gold. But more of it was gold than not, and what's important, is that Chikara made a LOT of people smile, made a lot of people's days, and gave people a lot of good memories. Myself included. Living on the West Coast, I sadly never go to attend one of their shows live, something that had been a goal of mine. But I was still a fan, from afar.<br /><br />In a "perfect" world, Chikara never would have closed. And in my heart of hearts, I perhaps naively wish that they would return someday. Though, of course, much like a lot of other modern forms of entertainment, there's no guarantee that the "reboot" would ever be as good as the original. But I will leave you with these final thoughts. If you're at all, even a <i>little</i> bit, of a pro wrestling fan. Or even if you aren't, and have never bothered watching the stuff, I think that there is a lot here for you, a lot to like, and be enjoyed. I firmly believe that Chikara Pro was one of the very best wrestling promotions of the last 20 years, and while they often had probably shoestring budgets, and not WWE's billions, I can say with some authority that this tiny company was putting on better shows than the "Big Leagues" were, for many years running. They deserve to be remembered, appreciated, and still enjoyed, because they were <i>that</i> good. And to people like me, they mattered. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>If you're at all interested in dipping your toes in yourself, you can catch ALL of their shows on "Independent Wrestling TV", at this link:<br /><br /><a href="https://independentwrestling.tv/partner/CHIKARA">https://independentwrestling.tv/partner/CHIKARA</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsmMVjRKh5yJM0d-YcpU5jR41UXvZHUb3XQJLRhCyxq6qDBvyS_hWZTNLIQUTYAxfFViG7-vfk2zWNfWZEt9xTwjnZCRq9tsPchVNKCESUCIGrH0qeotcyvI7WWF-KTzJ4Gn40F0G8uEyWgfCKI_Aenwdx7fcc-hM4WKEkoktCJg1s5A0k3ozz-au/s555/Larry%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="364" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsmMVjRKh5yJM0d-YcpU5jR41UXvZHUb3XQJLRhCyxq6qDBvyS_hWZTNLIQUTYAxfFViG7-vfk2zWNfWZEt9xTwjnZCRq9tsPchVNKCESUCIGrH0qeotcyvI7WWF-KTzJ4Gn40F0G8uEyWgfCKI_Aenwdx7fcc-hM4WKEkoktCJg1s5A0k3ozz-au/w263-h400/Larry%202.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In memory of "Sweet & Sour" Larry Sweeney, 1981-2011<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-6392755251403098282022-02-04T18:49:00.006-08:002022-02-24T21:46:00.616-08:00My Top Favorite SNES Games<p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgq8Ctoknv26CuY1Y_uXZq9-lcE9J45sx_WfLsk0MNd4Exi-ok1W-hYGFaLLa4yKUZOebwFxzIa2BEwPWs0rXHIZnJPW2vId1SzWqvlHsKX7jbrHRTxXXrwqnvWkidWpIW6B_OswcMGQlA9WM1noRhhYrQMvHvqD2bOWjjIS4DidfbZ19VFg0g9zVeO=s500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="500" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgq8Ctoknv26CuY1Y_uXZq9-lcE9J45sx_WfLsk0MNd4Exi-ok1W-hYGFaLLa4yKUZOebwFxzIa2BEwPWs0rXHIZnJPW2vId1SzWqvlHsKX7jbrHRTxXXrwqnvWkidWpIW6B_OswcMGQlA9WM1noRhhYrQMvHvqD2bOWjjIS4DidfbZ19VFg0g9zVeO=w400-h342" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>For anyone who has been following this blog (or my other RR actives) long enough, you know by now that my love for the original NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) runs strong, and deep. I've written a tribute to my <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2012/10/happy-birthday-celebration-of-nes.html">childhood memories of the console</a> (which I may revisit someday). I've also written pieces on my all-time <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-favorite-video-games.html">Top Favorite</a> games (many of which are NES), and my <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/04/my-top-favorite-nes-games-revisited.html">Top Favorite NES</a> games specifically. The NES is unquestionably my favorite system of all time, it's what really made me a "gamer", and it will forever be the system I am most fond of, and nostalgic for. </p><p>But honestly, while I had a Game Boy first, and love many games on that portable classic (which I'll likely write a Top Favorite list on someday as well), the Super Nintendo, or SNES, is my second favorite console of all time. My original experience with it was sadly fairly limited, as I didn't get a used hand-me-down SNES from a cousin until around Christmas 1995. I had been able to dabble and experience little bites of 16-bit glory, the handful of times I was given money and allowed to walk down (by MYSELF no less) to our local All The Best Video store, which had a game station where you could pay to play as many games as you wanted on their consoles for a certain amount of time (in my case usually only like a half an hour). But this was the first time I had unlimited access to a SNES of my own, so that I could fully immerse myself in that experience other kids had been having since 1991. I was still thrilled to FINALLY get one all my own, though by the time I had one, the Sega Saturn and Sony Playstation were already the new thing, and the Nintendo 64 was not far on the horizon. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQESV-5EK_DO7h0dfu1k22iYN7H-WyRyiAZui_D89M1f8kwITTnQAj4L33FjQNJPpO5VtG_oDsMEAnQyueNkbX4T_aGgaB4uqsAyGTcgDad2yLUZpy2wq8kDebauxEKh71E0TmwtH9qwFQTcWaT94rAb9PFTztwWjrieTO__o2d9DyH_FeIB9xOvTn=s385" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="385" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQESV-5EK_DO7h0dfu1k22iYN7H-WyRyiAZui_D89M1f8kwITTnQAj4L33FjQNJPpO5VtG_oDsMEAnQyueNkbX4T_aGgaB4uqsAyGTcgDad2yLUZpy2wq8kDebauxEKh71E0TmwtH9qwFQTcWaT94rAb9PFTztwWjrieTO__o2d9DyH_FeIB9xOvTn=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For many, this game WAS the SNES.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Where I had enjoyed several years growing up with the NES (which thankfully got new games through the end of 1994), for multiple reasons, I only wound up having my SNES for what amounted to probably less than two years. I was super late to the party to be playing games like Super Mario World, Mario Paint, and Sim City, which I believe were the three games my system came with. But I still enjoyed them a lot, even if I still loved my beloved Super Mario Bros. 3 more than SMB4 (World). The very first game I got "new" (as in new to me, retail from a store), was when at some point in early-ish 1996, I talked my mother into buying me Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest, from K-B Toys for $20. I loved that game too, as it was my first RPG experience outside of FF1 on NES, and games like Times of Lore and Sorcerian on PC DOS. </p><p>I was blown away by other games I was late to the party for, such as Super Castlevania IV, Super Metroid, Super Ghouls n Ghosts, Super Mario Kart, and Donkey Kong Country. As well as games I rented (either by myself or with my friend Harold), such as Super Turrican 2, Chrono Trigger, and Super Mario RPG. I also borrowed what would become my fav. rpg of all time, Final Fantasy II (known as FFIV in Japan) from a friend. That experience alone was epic to me. At some point a different friend of mine also seemingly gave me several of his games, as I recall, which included something like Mortal Kombat, but also obscure games like D-Force and Hyper Zone. One of the GREATEST treasures I got during my SNES-owning period, was when I got a Super Game Boy, which allowed me to play my handful of Game Boy games on my TV, which blew me away, and allowed me to experience them "anew". </p><p> </p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMTYMy-96EQYohsDOkK7sGK6kVWZDalKnXanVeWud7Nniw4ywGQVnl-Klib5VhZ5yfeSodwK41CVWUo3ut6RcrKKjKGDTo-Zr7do-22Ws5DXMbm6zPCXnvjCjZox6vBZ0SbzGED7cM0MjQfrLINSkNKTvL4FJ60jk_nOPkCJFhS61rs1gG_xaLWHdO=s405" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="405" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMTYMy-96EQYohsDOkK7sGK6kVWZDalKnXanVeWud7Nniw4ywGQVnl-Klib5VhZ5yfeSodwK41CVWUo3ut6RcrKKjKGDTo-Zr7do-22Ws5DXMbm6zPCXnvjCjZox6vBZ0SbzGED7cM0MjQfrLINSkNKTvL4FJ60jk_nOPkCJFhS61rs1gG_xaLWHdO=w400-h348" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my lesser SNES rentals.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Ultimately, my original SNES era came to an end, mostly by my own hand, as a bunch of shit was going down in my life around Summer 1997, and I was going through an odd teenage period where I was getting rid of various things. For whatever combination of reasons, I decided to give my SNES (along with all my games AND my Super Game Boy and GB games), to Harold's brother William (also a long-time friend of mine), who lived up in the boonies, and at that point only had an NES still. While William would take (mostly) good care of that SNES, and would eventually even give most of it (that he still had) back to me years later once he had gotten himself a Playstation, tragedy also struck around the same time. My beloved NES, which unlike my SNES and GB I was determined to hold onto, during a transitional period at age 15 where I didn't have a set place to stay, I made the unfortunate decision of having a friend hold on to my NES, games and accessories for me, only for awhile. But because he was also in a tight spot, the dumbass wound up pawning all my NES shit, probably just for enough to get a few meals. So a lot of my OG NES stuff, the love and pride of my pre-teen years, was gone. <br /></p><p>But, that's enough about that. The POINT was, that my original teenage SNES experience was relatively short. But I experienced enough during that time, to already gain several favorites. And thanks to some cheap early 2000s game collecting (before prices got ridiculous later on), as well as the magick that is emulation, I discovered more favorites over time. And that's what we're really here to talk about, after all! So without further fanfare, here is a list of what I consider to be my <b>Top Favorite SNES Games</b>! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> ******************* </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWgohOeXUePWnUDfKittr72s0AyO2N0usJo33Aa5V_WhQjwHnl-STXa1Z-bic8_6aW1DLQq7_F2kdvP22l9y7XJiI5tvZOSZNsB3zeOhy1z7uobzum1_ScoWKXlbFVan7DouKRfG9sPBi4ilWMmbIsqkxkSnrrNxuuuDxhh_Zx8NsLGVXPLA0bHxzA=s256" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="256" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWgohOeXUePWnUDfKittr72s0AyO2N0usJo33Aa5V_WhQjwHnl-STXa1Z-bic8_6aW1DLQq7_F2kdvP22l9y7XJiI5tvZOSZNsB3zeOhy1z7uobzum1_ScoWKXlbFVan7DouKRfG9sPBi4ilWMmbIsqkxkSnrrNxuuuDxhh_Zx8NsLGVXPLA0bHxzA=w400-h350" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b>1 – Game: Final Fantasy II (IV), Publisher: Squaresoft, Originally Released: 1991</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p>While there are several strong contenders, at the end of the day, there simply is not another Super Nintendo game that I am more fond of, or nostalgic over, than what I originally knew and experienced as "Final Fantasy II". Skipping over a needless explanation on 90s Squaresoft's<b> </b>silly North American naming practices, simply put, this game is a masterpiece. It was a launch window title for the Super NES, the first big RPG the system really got, and in my humble estimation, it started out with the greatest role playing video game ever crafted. </p><p>I originally experienced several spoiler-laden hours of this game, one night when I spent the night at Harold's house. He had some other friends over, and one of them had brought FF2 with him, which he commenced playing, as stated, into the wee morning hours. I, being something of a young video game addict, and having thoroughly enjoyed my own experiences with FF1 on NES, naturally stayed up watching him play. I found myself very intrigued, and the game definitely left a lasting impression on me. But many months (and a couple moves later, don't ask) after I finally got my own SNES, I borrowed FF2 off an acquaintance, and for the first time got to sit down and really experience it for myself, from beginning to end. And let me tell you, even with those previous spoilers I had been privy to, it didn't dampen the experience one bit. In point of fact, my playthrough with FF2 stands out, to this day, as one of the greatest, most fun times I have ever had, playing a video game, in my entire life.</p><p>There was nothing (and is still nothing) I don't love about this game (except perhaps running out of arrows). The charming graphics, the amazing soundtrack, the excellent gameplay, the memorable characters, the epic story. This game, as far as I'm concerned, was and remains the gold standard of what a REALLY good RPG can and should be. It's also the gold standard, as far as I'm concerned, of the entire Final Fantasy franchise. It stands out, for one thing, as the only FF game that allows you to have a party of up to 5 characters at once (all others only allow 3 or 4), something I've always liked about it. Even with the wonky English translation (they were a bit pressed for time to get it out in NA), the game has some great dialogue for its time, and a great sense of humor. This was one of not only the first console RPGs, but games period, that really put a larger spotlight on characters and storyline. And it really is no coincidence that many of my top fav. games of all time, feature music that I absolutely love. FF2/4 is no different, as it has some of the very best music I've ever heard in a game.<br /></p><p>Playing through this game, for me, at 14 years old, was a hell of ride. I was thoroughly invested in the story and characters. I actually enjoyed grinding to strengthen my party (in part because it wasn't AS mandatory as it was to do so in FF1). The boss battles were intense, especially considering I didn't have a strategy guide to help me out. Exploring the game world was fun, and seeing the different lands actually felt like an adventure. I can still remember the moment in the game, where the dwarves come up from underground, and the various nations band together to fight the Giant of Babil. That moment really had me hyped, as a young teen, and in a funny way, kinda filled me with this swell of positive vibes, like "Yeah! See? The world CAN come together!" All told, by the time I got to that second moon, and defeated the evil known as Zeromus, when I finally got to sit back, after pouring hours into the game, and watch the epic (and LONG) ending and credit roll, I was in heaven. I felt like I'd really achieved something, and it was one of the best gaming experiences (the entire game, not just the ending) I had (or still have) ever had.<br /><br />It isn't hard, after saying all that, for you to perhaps surmise that this is one of my Top Favorite Games of All Time. And it's absolutely, to this day, my favorite RPG of all time. I could honestly write an entire piece just on this game, and it's likely that perhaps someday, I should. But for now, in the interest of space on this list, I'll stop gushing.<br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtMv-gQHg4M__Cx4Ro4epaoj1n2AiLL3NLyz4IAE3VD7iuTom2JJnhAFfKFnbxCS4lWUYIsP1n2Jfk8NcocyN9lT8wIH5V4PtsZjfj-z_3Iyu1ydIzhKIpq2pOEDnEdhsidP7YSnBzBWysomb9RQlrd78Fo-lTGW7wJoMlgxLDDpV3_vohO7Pxj8LP=s468" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="468" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtMv-gQHg4M__Cx4Ro4epaoj1n2AiLL3NLyz4IAE3VD7iuTom2JJnhAFfKFnbxCS4lWUYIsP1n2Jfk8NcocyN9lT8wIH5V4PtsZjfj-z_3Iyu1ydIzhKIpq2pOEDnEdhsidP7YSnBzBWysomb9RQlrd78Fo-lTGW7wJoMlgxLDDpV3_vohO7Pxj8LP=w400-h308" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>2 – Game: Super Metroid, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1994</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p>Another game that tops this list because it was a major, significant gaming experience to my young self. I don't actually quite remember how I got my hands on Super Metroid (also known as Metroid 3). It wasn't the type of game Harold would have probably owned, and I'm fairly certain that it wasn't one of my SNES rentals (though it could have been). So if it wasn't, then I guess I must've borrowed it from someone or other. But regardless of HOW I came to play it, I do know for a fact that I did have access to it, and managed to beat it. While Super Metroid wasn't AS epic an experience to play through as FF2 was for me, it was still epic in its own way. The name of the game in any proper Metroid, is exploration, and I certainly did that in spades. The game's graphics are some of the very best the SNES offered, and while I do not consider it a "rockin'" soundtrack that I'd sit and listen to on its own (thought that opening theme is amazing), the soundtrack for this game is fairly unique, in that it is perfect mood music, that is really kind of low-key, and totally helps "put you in that world", gets your head in the adventure, so to speak.<br /></p><p>The game world features several big areas to explore, and once you acquire certain power upgrades, it gradually becomes something of an "open world". Super Metroid definitely has a story, and a fairly good one, though it's a much different beast than something like Final Fantasy. Whereas FF2 is story heavy, the storytelling in Super Metroid<b> </b>is a lot more subtle. The adventure unfolds and reveals itself through scenes like you see above, silent boss encounters or quiet moments first discovering some piece of ancient architecture, or opening a new area. My favorite area in the game, actually, being the "Ghost Ship", some alien crash-landing wreck, which has not only been sitting around rotting for who knows how long, but also happens to be somewhat "haunted". I always loved little touches like the harmless robots on the ship that somehow still work, or finding the skeleton of a former crew member. </p><p>Overall, this is another game that I fully consider to be a masterpiece, and one of the greatest games ever crafted. In fact I personally consider it to be the best Metroid ever made. While the first (and second) Metroid games kicked the game-style off, and deserve that credit, Super Metroid also proved to be highly influential on specific future Castlevania games, and gave birth to what many now refer to as the "Metroidvania", exploration-heavy style of side-scrolling game. I had a blast playing through this the first time, when everything was new and surprising. Finding my way around the world, surviving perilous boss battles, and finally beating Mother Brain...then having to hurry the HELL up and get off the planet before it blows up (just like the first game). Then sitting back and enjoying a job well done, it also felt like an accomplishment. The sign of a really good game.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi20CVAMNxxJrBrvBtUQvuhRHYxiCi0e7Pr_qdS26Yeqi78FiAgd-3GllkFKi7fJUVaKadbvKN0J8wZ6e0DGc3z4aLaY65-Y1oSqryB7gWXY0-ic_fnIYzt-1FOXvEZnc3uEWflU-DK8mR75MFzt6cpO4afYDWm6pUutI3rKQqP4mvmjT2QZhyyUkfK=s416" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="416" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi20CVAMNxxJrBrvBtUQvuhRHYxiCi0e7Pr_qdS26Yeqi78FiAgd-3GllkFKi7fJUVaKadbvKN0J8wZ6e0DGc3z4aLaY65-Y1oSqryB7gWXY0-ic_fnIYzt-1FOXvEZnc3uEWflU-DK8mR75MFzt6cpO4afYDWm6pUutI3rKQqP4mvmjT2QZhyyUkfK=w400-h296" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>3 – Game: Actraiser, Publisher: Enix, Originally Released: 1990 ('91 in NA)</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>In my original Top Favorite Games piece, I do believe I ranked this behind another SNES game. But truthfully, when really thinking about it, and relating to the "epic experiences" I've talked about with the games above, Actraiser 100% belongs in the #3 spot on this list. For it too, in its own unique and special ways, was a major and significant gaming experience for me. This was another one that I'm certain I did not rent. I must've borrowed it from someone, because while I could be wrong, I don't quite recall actually owning it. Like I don't think it was another game that came with my cousin's system. <br /><br />But regardless, Actraiser, published by Enix, and developed by a company called Quintet, was another early "launch window" game for the Super NES, coming out in late 1991. In truth, the SNES had some really strong titles in 1991, that already showed off a lot of what it could do, such as F-Zero, Pilotwings, Mario World, Sim City, Super R-Type, UN Squadron, Hyperzone, Final Fight, Final Fantasy II, Super Ghouls n Ghosts, and Super Castlevania IV. Actraiser was among those, and in this man's opinion stands out as one of the best games ever made, let alone ever released on the SNES. It boasts some of the prettiest sprite-work the system ever saw, and once again, one of the absolute finest soundtracks a game has ever had. The score, composed by Yuzo Koshiro, is epic as fuck, and alternates between the peaceful, serene world-building theme, and the striking, pounding epics that accompany the action stages. In fact there is an "Actraiser Symphonic Suite" out there, a recording of a live orchestra performing the game's music, also composed by Koshiro, which is gorgeous, and I highly recommend hunting it down.<br /><br />And that really is what makes Actraiser stand out the most. It is about the only game I know of, that features such a disparate, but well-done combination of gameplay elements. As the godly character known as the "Master", you are determined to help a fledgling humanity survive and progress, in the face of violent opposition by the demon lord, Tanzra, and his armies. You do this, by playing a smoothly integrated mixture of side-scrolling action stages, destroying enemies with your sword and your magic, and top-down world building, where you help human civilization grow and evolve, while protecting them from both natural, and supernatural threats. The action and building segments of the game alternate, which flows pretty well, and one is not weighted against the other. Meaning that both types of gameplay actually PLAY very well, the dev. team gave both a good amount of polish. </p><p>I had a really fun time playing through this the first time, and frankly, while I love the action stages, I would adore getting an entire game based just on the world building, but greatly expanded. In fact, while Quintet did make a sequel, Actraiser 2 is, frankly, a bit of a mess, and quite a disappointment. Mainly stemming from the fact that Enix nonsensically made them REMOVE the world-building (it also doesn't help that the new "gliding" mechanic sucks). As a personal aside, I also personally like that they altered the semi-Christian-ish themes this game originally featured in Japan. Personally, I think that some master demon named Tanzra, is much more interesting than literally fighting "Satan". But ALL that aside, it is fair to say I adore Actraiser 1. It is a masterpiece of a game, and one that I come back to every now and then. And I STILL always chill out to that peaceful, catchy-as-fuck building tune. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGVw9rdVNBLrirjVC3z0KAwjeESI3vYfo7AGR4ewvevpKT4W6PP0AKacWCaLwGgqm5B3m8spiIbWpX7lnHQ8g8bbc-BJII-DrzmkfoANy0rCWbb8c9JYx5T6cifEV__voaiolNUu7FUAWk25-_H7DmxOgH3XgQPLvB5vb7BnkgZBLqCTudWwz6Bqr-=s640" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGVw9rdVNBLrirjVC3z0KAwjeESI3vYfo7AGR4ewvevpKT4W6PP0AKacWCaLwGgqm5B3m8spiIbWpX7lnHQ8g8bbc-BJII-DrzmkfoANy0rCWbb8c9JYx5T6cifEV__voaiolNUu7FUAWk25-_H7DmxOgH3XgQPLvB5vb7BnkgZBLqCTudWwz6Bqr-=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><b>4 – Game: Super Castlevania IV, Publisher: Konami, Originally Released: 1991</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p>Yet ANOTHER game with an amazing soundtrack! It really cannot be understated that Super Castlevania IV, along with Actraiser, Final Fantasy 2/4 (and 3/6), Street Fighter II, and Mega Man 2, are all top candidates of mine for some of the very best game music ever created. What can I say? I love good chip-tunes! But this game is so much more than that. It is, I'm not afraid to claim, a near-flawless game, certainly for its series and genre. Konami (back when they were actually good), really went the extra mile when making this. This is another early SNES game that really shows off what the console could do, whether it was with gorgeous graphics, great music, more/bigger levels, more complex gameplay, you name it. The NES Castlevania games, the Game Boy ones, Bloodlines on Genesis, Rondo on TG16, "Metroidvania" games like Symphony of the night on Playstation and Harmony of Dissonance on Game Boy Advance. They're all good. Some great, even. But this game, I feel, is the gold standard of the series.<br /><br />It is certainly, I think fairly stated, THE best of the classic style Castlevania games. The addition of the flailing, multi-directional whipping, alone, was one addition that really added to and enriched the gameplay experience. The connected ability to use your whip to swing from certain ledges or hooks, also enriched the gameplay variety. In truth, story-wise, this game is actually more of a remake/retelling of the first Castlevania game, instead of a sequel. You once again play as the great Simon Belmont, making your way through treacherous countryside and haunted ruins, on your way to rid the world (temporarily), of the malignant evil of Count Dracula. But this game is epic in scope, quite lengthy actually, and also quite challenging (though not outright unfair, as Castlevania 3 at times can be). Though I will say, FUCK Slogra! If you know, you know, and I'll leave it at that. <br /><br />Yet again, this is another game that was a major experience for me, playing through it for the first time, at some point likely in 1996, at the age of 14 or 15. This is another one that I would almost swear I borrowed from someone, yet I also know that I somehow kept it with me, and that it was even one of the titles I gave to William along with my SNES. So I suppose it may well have been another of the handful of games that were basically given to me, by the same guy who gave me Darius Twin etc. But even though I was years behind most other gamers in experiencing stuff that was amazing in 1991, I was still blown away when I reached parts like the glowing caverns, or the room with the gigantic candelabras, or the section with the almost dizzying, spinning background. The boss fights were epic, and as I've stated in previous pieces, I really don't know why I didn't rent ANY Castlevania on NES as a kid. As a major monster nut, this series with SO many creatures and fiends taken right out of mythology, movies and folklore, would have been right up my alley. As it was, CV4 was my first Castlevania experience, and I did in fact absolutely eat up all of the various ghouls and nasties, many of which I recognized what they were, or what they were from. <br /><br />I am a bit conflicted, when it comes to ALL time Top Favorite games, whether this belongs in my Top 10, or something like Symphony of the Night or Harmony of Dissonance. I love both of those games, and I love the "Metroidvania" style in general. In fact both of those games are my favorite titles on their respective platforms. But, both because of nostalgia for it being my CV "first love", but also just because it is such a goddamn great game, I think ultimately, Super Castlevania IV still belongs in that company, over the others. </p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFWFHsjtz-6b4K7g6cZNCMJmz3iMUvEPN9Arp_lNMtO2rLvXmRWwqZEFNW8w-QcoUYGtuMfL0RHdx8rR65BgpySrs_Z32drSKRLzUWfzz4mZpsJmEdGBJRg65NlWAVU4W0TrWsW8RtPiZwz2YnvpjKPSWrYEVc6N4Eh7k0GCx6RHiPu5zDr162nfGL=s576" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="576" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFWFHsjtz-6b4K7g6cZNCMJmz3iMUvEPN9Arp_lNMtO2rLvXmRWwqZEFNW8w-QcoUYGtuMfL0RHdx8rR65BgpySrs_Z32drSKRLzUWfzz4mZpsJmEdGBJRg65NlWAVU4W0TrWsW8RtPiZwz2YnvpjKPSWrYEVc6N4Eh7k0GCx6RHiPu5zDr162nfGL=w400-h270" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>5 – Game: Street Fighter II Turbo, Publisher: Capcom, Originally Released: 1993</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p>Let me tell you a little story. In 1991, when the original version of Street Fighter II: The World Warrior hit arcades, and I first encountered it, likely at our local Pizza Hut, I was instantly mesmerized, and hooked. I spent the majority of my pre-teen years, absolutely obsessed with this game. And the funny thing is, unlike most of my childhood obsessions (dinosaurs, Godzilla, mythology, monster movies, Goosebumps books, video games in general. etc.), which were all fueled by me actually getting to experience and partake in said things? My SFII obsession was quite different. For me, SFII was the Holy Grail. It was my White Whale. In large part, specifically because I rarely EVER got to actually play the damn thing. My obsession and love for this game, was driven by my desire to actually be able to play it. And I don't mind telling you, while I was fascinated by all of the characters, being the monster kid I was, Blanka was my original favorite, because he was "the monster guy". <br /><br />I loved this game so much, that I got an issue of Game Pro magazine, that featured move and combo strategies for every character. I read that thing back to front, and back again, trying to map out and simulate in my mind, what I was going to do with which character, the next time I DID actually get to play. This baby wasn't hard for me to find, even in the smaller town I grew up in, combined with my sheltered upbringing (thanks to an overprotective, often tyrannical grandmother). There were cabinets at Pizza Hut, at the local All the Best Video store, at the skating rink a town over that I got to go to for "home school skate" about once a month. There was even, and this is the only time I think I've seen this, a couple of arcade machines at our local Burger King, and once SFII rotated in, it stayed parked there. Hell, there were even SFII machines in other oddball places, like the 7/11. But the point is that I got to see it a fair bit, even by my sheltered standards. Which only fueled my fire more, and made me ravenous to actually play. I DID get some quarters now and again to play, but it was fleeting, and because I hadn't had ample practice, I of course wasn't good enough to last more than a couple fights. My grandmother at one point indicated that she would have to start saving up to get me a SNES, and I was delusional enough to dare dream that she would actually let me get SFII for it. It didn't matter, because it never wound up happening. I even heard at one point, and got my hopes up for nothing, that SFII was coming to the NES, which even if it would have maybe sucked, would have been about my only chance to own it. But it never actually did come out for NES. Hell, I would have settled for the crappy Game Boy port.<br /></p><p>I loved this game so much, that it also got me interested in martial arts. I had not grown up being able to see much martial arts or fighting-based stuff on TV or in movies. It was basically SFII and Power Rangers for me. And SFII was not only my first exposure to "real martial arts", but it actually made me want to take Karate classes. In fact I wish I could have, as learning things as a child is usually much easier than trying to learn then as an adult. Naturally, even though it would have been good for me in just about every way imaginable, my grandmother denied my pleas to sign me up. She signed me up for everything else under the sun (at different points, Christian Youth groups, Camp Fire, 4-H, etc.), but not Karate, no sir. Because, and I quote, "fighting is bad". Never mind that the foundation you learn from a GOOD martial arts teacher, IS that "fighting is bad", and to avoid it if you can. <br /><br />All that said, I had to wait a good long while, to finally be able to REALLY experience and fully immerse myself in SFII. In fact, it was a similar tale to my SNES experiences, as by the time I moved towns, and got access to play SFII regularly, it was SUPER old hat. But I didn't care, because even though I was getting into other fighters by the mid-90s, like X-Men, Darkstalkers, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, and Killer Instinct, I still adored SFII. It was, and remains, my favorite fighter of all time. I like the original incarnation far better than "Super" SFII, or any sequels that came along later. It is, in my view, pretty much a perfect game, on par with the likes of Mega Man 2 or SMB3. The graphics, yet another fantastic soundtrack, a great cast of very memorable characters, SUPER tight gameplay that still holds up better than almost any other fighter, to this day. This was THE game, that innovated and ignited an entire new popular genre of video games. And in this man's opinion, none have ever surpassed it.<br /><br />On a side note, I chose the "Turbo" edition which released for SNES in 1993, over the original game which released for SNES in 1992, because while I in some ways prefer the OG game, Turbo just has some nice "quality of life" touches, and the four playable boss characters to boot. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmXaMkxGUzLSRocrbFiDan1YG8rq3srd_vzkVPttMvfk8oO-rp3Ybt4pl2gVAG0nXRl7vkeZgMZyJXkPHKTfIJsgpD2F_r_MgQqt30Lb3w7E-vLDOjbXCvSLkMvpFfmRW8up2Pz-sPvYrs5fxvYx4rTQ3pxex_okEGfLxwuYJaBfuPAZqUxwi5ebI9=s823" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="823" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmXaMkxGUzLSRocrbFiDan1YG8rq3srd_vzkVPttMvfk8oO-rp3Ybt4pl2gVAG0nXRl7vkeZgMZyJXkPHKTfIJsgpD2F_r_MgQqt30Lb3w7E-vLDOjbXCvSLkMvpFfmRW8up2Pz-sPvYrs5fxvYx4rTQ3pxex_okEGfLxwuYJaBfuPAZqUxwi5ebI9=w400-h338" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>6 – Game: Mystic Quest, Publisher: Squaresoft, Originally Released: 1992</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p>This is a game I am going to rank based mostly on nostalgia. Not to say that it isn't a very good game, because in my estimation it absolutely is, far better in fact than many give it credit for. But, there are other RPGs I could list above it, because they are probably just generally better. But as I related early in this piece, this was the first "new" retail SNES game that I got, after getting the console. I didn't know what it was about, only that I had loved FF1 on NES, and enjoyed what I saw of FF2 on SNES, so I knew I liked the "Final Fantasy" brand, even though the back of the box clearly showed this was a bit different. But I also was quite taken by the excellent box art. A simple yet evocative image of a young warrior, standing on a hill, sword held high. I've just always thought that was a great, cool cover.<br /><br />As for the game itself? Well, as stated, Mystic Quest was my first RPG experience outside of FF1, or something like Sorcerian (which I adored) on PC. This game, as the legend goes, was actually concocted by Square as a kind of "entry RPG", to help get younger gamers, or just Western gamers period, more into the genre. As such, it is a simpler game than the actual FF line, and many consider it to be fairly easy, or as some would claim, "too easy". But to me, it was just right, bearing in mind that I played and beat the tough-as-nails grind-fest that is FF1. The way the game pans out, you play the hero, Benjamin, and get a series of secondary support characters who join you in battle, that you can either control yourself, or let the game control for you. Tristam, the ninja dude, was always my favorite. The game is very straight forward and streamlined, as you basically go from spot to spot, clearing out monsters and collecting crystals. Not as much grinding, and very little map exploration. But what you get is still high quality, and pretty great.<br /><br />All in all, Mystic Quest is hardly one of the BEST RPGs ever made, but then again, that's really subjective in a lot of ways. To me, it stands out as a game I had a lot of fun with, another great (if lesser than FF2) 16-bit gaming experience I had during this time. A game I played through, and beat, enjoyed the ending, and felt accomplished. And really, it probably IS an "easy" game compared to most RPGs, though I will always point out that it also does get fairly difficult later in, if it's your first time through and you've no idea what's coming. This game will always hold a much deserved spot in my heart, and I still need to go back and play all the way through it again, someday.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY9q2gUnuivgyPqwzJX30tCyIEpJkW4wktaq9hLDAed_KOSfCCwbzmAf9Et59-UKK8DRni10wrvU5stkcwA0bSmXmivOpUhOfs1zkcLgN_VXqc_nX5_ExXZQR2M_ars9-K7V_wI183b12Su1rW3XXN-1T-4Q6_bBFoMNGq17pt2fbeEQo02AUoYbRD=s498" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="498" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY9q2gUnuivgyPqwzJX30tCyIEpJkW4wktaq9hLDAed_KOSfCCwbzmAf9Et59-UKK8DRni10wrvU5stkcwA0bSmXmivOpUhOfs1zkcLgN_VXqc_nX5_ExXZQR2M_ars9-K7V_wI183b12Su1rW3XXN-1T-4Q6_bBFoMNGq17pt2fbeEQo02AUoYbRD=w400-h318" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>7 – Game: Knights of the Round, Publisher: Capcom, Originally Released: 1994</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p>The Super Nintendo has a wealth of great beat em ups. But when I force myself to really consider which one is my TOP favorite, while there are about three top candidates, I think my #1 (or in this case #7 Top SNES game), has to go to Knights of the Round. An excellent port of an excellent Capcom arcade game, this one stands out to me for a few reasons. The top one being, that I've been a massive fan of Arthurian Legend/Lore since I was a child, spawning from Disney's classic <i>The Sword in the Stone</i>. The second biggest reason being, that while all three characters in this are great, Lancelot is fucking bad ass. </p><p>Arthur and Percival are fantastic characters, and fit that mold of "All-Rounder" and "Power Guy". But ol' Lance is the "Light and Fast" one, and he is just cool and elegant as fuck. Plus he looks sweet in his upgraded gold armor. Which is one of many cool things about KotR, is that you gradually upgrade your characters as you go through the game, ala Double Dragon and <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/04/forgotten-gems-mighty-final-fight.html">Mighty Final Fight</a> on NES. All around, Knights is very typical of Capcom beat em ups: great graphics, very solid gameplay, visceral hit detection/combo-ing, catchy soundtrack, good enemy variety, great (but sometimes cheap) boss fights, etc. This is a great game, and I highly recommend it. I'm not gonna claim it is THE best beat em up on the SNES, that's up for debate. But it IS the one I probably had the most fun with.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhsb68_oSi2c7xb4283UmDxYSq0wbOPB3eu2ydTnrte9ANW-6ZzDAjcwjauMHn8KMTXPm9NMQtHMdQuGnD-War8byQ9crN4nYwwNqrJ3sAYbFjeCTg4zAInWacuLNauUGW04WY6Edlhsgqct8DRyTSQChCV6HDae-tHlSI7uCJPz2-I7NtCiqBZRM1k=s256" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="223" data-original-width="256" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhsb68_oSi2c7xb4283UmDxYSq0wbOPB3eu2ydTnrte9ANW-6ZzDAjcwjauMHn8KMTXPm9NMQtHMdQuGnD-War8byQ9crN4nYwwNqrJ3sAYbFjeCTg4zAInWacuLNauUGW04WY6Edlhsgqct8DRyTSQChCV6HDae-tHlSI7uCJPz2-I7NtCiqBZRM1k=w400-h348" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <b> </b><p></p><p><b>8 – Game: Mortal Kombat, Publisher: Acclaim , Originally Released: 1993</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p>For a little bit of truncated story time, related to SFII, as stated, I was a MASSIVE Street Fighter junkie in the early 90s. When this game called Mortal Kombat came along, sporting "real graphics", copious amounts of blood, and *GASP* killer FATALITY finishing moves, that was really it for a lot of kids. I was decidedly a Street Fighter Kid, obviously, but I had to deal with this sudden swing, where other kids I'd run into at, say, the local Pizza Hut, were BIG into MK1, and would even go so far as to put down SFII for being "cartoony" (because it had colorful traditional sprite graphics), and because it didn't have enough blood. And NO finishing moves! Obviously meaning that Street Fighter was a baby game for babies, while Mortal KOMBAT was for cool kids. A similar rhetoric I had to deal with from obnoxious Sega Kids, who needlessly talked shit about Nintendo. And in both cases, as you might well imagine, it pissed me the FUCK off! So for awhile, I "hated" MK, just because of stupid kids shitting on something I loved. I changed my tune, eventually, when MK2 came out, because I was attracted to the more exotic Outworld setting, and expanded mythology in the storyline. By the time MK3 (and especially Ultimate) came out, I was a dedicated Mortal Kombat fan. BUT, I never stopped being a Street Fighter Kid. <br /><br />That said, to tell the truth, my favorite MK game is probably Ultimate MK3/MK Trilogy, just because that is the one I played the most in the arcades, and I don't mind saying, got pretty good at. I like the setting, the aesthetic, and the combo system of MK3, and I probably put the most time into it. Although, MK2 does own a place in my heart, because again, the Outworld setting is really (appropriately) other-worldly, and oddly enough, MK2 is the most colorful looking of the three. In general, I prefer the first three, 2D digitized graphic MK games the best. They WERE the best, to me, and I fell out of the series when it went to 3D. </p><p>As far as Super NES goes, while I really like MK2 on it (one of the best ports of it, actually), I'm actually more nostalgic for MK1 on SNES. Which is funny, because a lot of people to this day STILL talk about how they *GASP* turned the red blood clear-ish, to make it "sweat", and altered a couple of the Fatality moves, in a feeble attempt to tone done the cartoonishly violent nature of the game. And to many kids/people, the fact that the Sega Genesis version had a code to turn the blood back to red, OBVIOUSLY made it the "better" version. But here's the thing: not only is that flat out untrue, but the blood and gore were never what attracted me to MK in the first place. To me, it was the mythology, the story, the characters, and to a point, the gameplay. </p><p>And frankly, outside of the lame attempts as censorship, the SNES port of MK1 is, I don't mind saying, reasonably superior to the Genesis one. In terms of graphical and sound quality, the button layout on the controller, tight controls, etc., the SNES one looks, sounds and plays pretty great. And the reason I'm including this over MK2 or 3, or in my Top Favorites at all, is because this is a game I likely got from the dude who gave me Hyperzone etc., and I played the hell out of it. I just had a lot of fun playing this game on SNES, especially with my boy Johnny Cage, and because of the warm feelings and good times, it belongs on the list.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMtZOWIHhCrD3476EA_HAiO_LpkEzAVwo45zq8JhU66NDgvV1NupTbVRK-5Rh_nCT9kywDmRYitBrythfcP6bNu_SVXR2JcGVJjK6ep4xpcp8l6ISKz-GG66NcobG23bEowUCwRJEVmsjUki0XWwe0Crj_KH0lZrrGrMyoBEhQO-wAI7gV5mhTQSj6=s616" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="616" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMtZOWIHhCrD3476EA_HAiO_LpkEzAVwo45zq8JhU66NDgvV1NupTbVRK-5Rh_nCT9kywDmRYitBrythfcP6bNu_SVXR2JcGVJjK6ep4xpcp8l6ISKz-GG66NcobG23bEowUCwRJEVmsjUki0XWwe0Crj_KH0lZrrGrMyoBEhQO-wAI7gV5mhTQSj6=w400-h350" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>9 – Game: Demon's Crest, Publisher: Capcom, Originally Released: 1994</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p>Another memorable SNES rental of mine, this game, which SHOULD have been called "Gargoyle's Quest 3", is one of the system's true gems. It is a side-scrolling action/platformer game, and a spinoff of the Ghosts n Goblins series. In it, you play the GnG enemy Firebrand (known in the GnG games as "Red Arremer"),<b> </b>an "evil" but honorable demon. Like Gargoyle's Quest on Game Boy and Gargoyle's Quest 2 on NES, Firebrand is out to save his homeworld of the "Ghoul Realm", also low-key the same "Makai" otherworld from the Darkstalkers fighting games, from various threats. In this case, the titular "Demon's Crests", which the demons of Makai have been fighting over for centuries. A rival of Firebrand's, called Phalanx, steals his Crest, and is out trying to gather the others, to make himself ruler of the entire demon realm. So it is up to Firebrand to both get his shit back, but also save his world (once again). <br /><br />This game is, straight up, one of the most graphically impressive on the console, with some gorgeous sprite-work, great colors, smooth animations, you name it. The soundtrack is also not too shabby, and the gameplay, while not Mega Man tight, is on par with the previous Gargoyle games. The game's main gimmick, is that as you collect the various Crests, you are able to transform into other forms, like an Earth form, a Water form, etc. that grant you different abilities. The game itself isn't terribly long, but it IS a very fun ride, and I don't mind saying, easily one of the best games on the console. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimujFLYtxgQpgkzSrY9rmNSEifhxj8j0AHejA7WTmNbiy7ZtVXAi4KqiYmpiIfqABSrTodsHSOkLeIE4jft9MyKO-zh6tnMgLNf5wqfCQ2s-v2DSFSjjCSp5R8s7vvs_zmj89_FQ3wxAznZdHFRPsO6oUSgH4fwylzNEPhkIEbznoQUBa9GbJvT5DV=s768" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="768" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimujFLYtxgQpgkzSrY9rmNSEifhxj8j0AHejA7WTmNbiy7ZtVXAi4KqiYmpiIfqABSrTodsHSOkLeIE4jft9MyKO-zh6tnMgLNf5wqfCQ2s-v2DSFSjjCSp5R8s7vvs_zmj89_FQ3wxAznZdHFRPsO6oUSgH4fwylzNEPhkIEbznoQUBa9GbJvT5DV=w400-h350" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>10 – Game: Final Fantasy III (VI), Publisher: Squaresoft, Originally Released: 1994</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p>This is a game that, while I love it, is making it higher onto the list than perhaps it should, based mostly on my very first memories playing it. This game has an odd connection for me, because it is the game I rented the day my grandmother passed away. For those who haven't been following my blogging adventures long-term, I was raised by my grandmother, who was quite a character, to say the least. She was capable of being really cool, and funny, and nice. There were definitely good times, and happy memories from my childhood. BUT, she had a LOT of problems, and honestly had no business raising a kid, even though in fairness to her, she tried her best. She had a horrible temper, and a lot of pent up/unresolved issues, which she would often take out on whoever was around. That was usually me. She also, for a variety of reasons, was both paranoid AND controlling, which made for a rather potent combo, when it came to living around her, and more specifically, UNDER her rule. She was, to put it mildly, rather tyrannical a lot of the time. Or could become so at the drop of a hat, and you never EVER knew what was going to set it off. The point being, there were arguably more bad times than good, growing up. <b> <br /><br /></b>The day she passed away, which I honestly can't remember the specific date, I feel it must've been some time in September, 1995, she had been put into Hospice finally (because of lung cancer from smoking), and my mother, who I now had to live with, was also in the hospital with pneumonia. So I was staying at my friend Harold's family's house, even though Harold himself was away visiting his father and brother William. Their mother took me to go see my mother in the hospital, even though she was oddly emotional, and I had a feeling something was going on. When we got there, several relatives were there, and I was informed my grandmother had died. They all looked at me, probably expecting me to cry, but honestly, I was just kinda numb to it, and sat down in a chair. It was a weird, awkward time, and when we finally left, Harold's mom agreed to rent me a game, I guess to take my mind off things. So the game I picked, quite awhile before I got to play FF2 myself actually, was FF3 (more appropriately known as Final Fantasy VI). <br /><br />I must say, I didn't get SUPER far on this initial rental playthrough, but what I did play I enjoyed a lot. To many people, FF6 is "better" than FF4. In fact, it is probably the second most popular choice for favorite FF game, behind FF7. And I myself like it quite a lot. It is definitely in my Top 3 Final Fantasy games, behind FF2/4, and FF1 on NES (or better yet, the excellent FF1 port on Game Boy Advance). This is yet another game with a superb soundtrack, easily on par with my beloved FF4, with even more tracks, because the game itself is longer. And while FF4 was one of the first games to really focus on story more, FF6 was one of the first to really try presenting the story in a more "cinematic" way. The game has an excellent and diverse cast of characters, a suitably epic and compelling story, and a lot of cool things going on, gameplay-wise. In my heart, FF4 trumps it hard. But that doesn't mean I don't still consider FF6 to be one of the very best RPGs, and games, of all time.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpNvsR5xpADrtfUHDwst_xUyPVlIxdpr4QPcAQgEL-HlroNjiOqekHz95_whrIiwnMfGLW8IW_LlUe6bA7dKhTpwQYfJkHaty_K17QwwdokFzlwspRkjQ-x-nfS2i9CfdPRpK8w0x9Kx1twpZzHk-jlShtqWEfLtW5IbaWpPfmBEeS4CmnX4WOGmRC=s700" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="700" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpNvsR5xpADrtfUHDwst_xUyPVlIxdpr4QPcAQgEL-HlroNjiOqekHz95_whrIiwnMfGLW8IW_LlUe6bA7dKhTpwQYfJkHaty_K17QwwdokFzlwspRkjQ-x-nfS2i9CfdPRpK8w0x9Kx1twpZzHk-jlShtqWEfLtW5IbaWpPfmBEeS4CmnX4WOGmRC=w400-h295" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><b>11 – Game: TMNT IV: Turtles in Time, Publisher: Konami, Originally Released: 1992</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p>I've probably related before, somewhere, that I did not grow up a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan. In large part because I wasn't allowed to watch it, like several other things, including pro wrestling. By the time I had my own little TV in my own room, the truth is, TMNT was still on TV, not ending until like 1996. I just never watched it, for whatever reasons. It was one of those things where I wasn't allowed to watch it as a kid, so I convinced myself that it must not be that good anyway, just so I wouldn't feel like I was missing out. BUT, I did always like the TMNT arcade game when I would encounter it. In fact, thanks to a quarter-heavy friend of Harold's once, I was able to take part in actually BEATING that original arcade masterpiece. <br /><br />Turtles in Time, called TMNT IV on SNES (because there had been 3 on NES already), is also a really great beat em up. I do, and always will, like the original arcade game better, but Turtles in Time is seriously right up there. And this SNES port is excellent. It is one of the rare cases when I would say the SNES version is actually better than the arcade original, except of course for graphics, which are still great for how early this came out in the console's lifespan. And much like the NES port, it actually added a level and a boss or so. I must say, that Konami beat em ups were always lesser than Capcom ones, mainly because the hit detection was always looser. Capcom BEUs always felt, somehow, like you were actually beating the shit out of stuff, whereas Konami's you were just kinda hitting things. BUT, that said, this game rocks hard, and is a great co-op experience (like most beat em ups). </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2tQ0cJFzRZvkBBvVS-xTXE-j3RcCQbAT9kBUEojv4utQNixCkXpxXc7K2lE2WcPPxrtXBF4jpQjSbKkLf6V6_EfKtUvXE2KWUfRmajIs-9qfoHFz21VnB9KlWN8HeWDMu2gVOjkN4p5prAxs6k8malpyOi-dYU2wiOj-SfZgLvRaJy875Jvruq884=s500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="500" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2tQ0cJFzRZvkBBvVS-xTXE-j3RcCQbAT9kBUEojv4utQNixCkXpxXc7K2lE2WcPPxrtXBF4jpQjSbKkLf6V6_EfKtUvXE2KWUfRmajIs-9qfoHFz21VnB9KlWN8HeWDMu2gVOjkN4p5prAxs6k8malpyOi-dYU2wiOj-SfZgLvRaJy875Jvruq884=w400-h350" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>12 – Game: Skyblazer, Publisher: Sony Imagesoft, Originally Released: 1994</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p>This is a lesser known gem that actually wasn't a rental. I didn't actually experience this until Harold and I got more into emulation (and when his computer and internet speed would actually accommodate "finding" SNES roms)<b>. </b>But when our earnest collecting started in the early 2000s, I eventually came to own it, and I'm putting it on the list, both because it is genuinely one of my favorite games on the console, but also because I just think it deserves a lot more recognition. It was made by the same development team behind Hook on SNES, which it shares certain design and gameplay elements with, to a point (like the jumping animation). But whereas Hook was OK, Skyblazer is bad ass! </p><p>The basic gameplay is a side-scrolling action game, with basic punch and kick martial arts attacks, along with a cool wall-cling/jump feature similar to games like Ninja Gaiden or Mega Man X. Outside of that, you also gain various magical abilities, which you need to fill your magic bar to use. While the game's story is pretty generic "gotta save the sorceress" fare, the gameplay is very fun and responsive. The game also boasts some very pretty graphical aesthetics, like the layered clouds and rain seen above, and a very nice soundtrack. I would consider this a "Forgotten/Hidden Gem", and would highly recommend fans of 2D action games to check it out.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidmd33ZbJEEL_t3XalSAllKGxIEM_CcemDDeBW7Lw8E_CNrjQD1yBFbb-oQQcFdYqi9qcCqEaEA9-KWFlWsySAIQT8vNsFu4SG7FiDdVRlqURVhB4mPuzdw71tyzBnHl48aeLVrhtDO4oK3op0woWyLyNksfh77ScsK8qouFCJs-mnQRf-m2GzVIoU=s700" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="700" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidmd33ZbJEEL_t3XalSAllKGxIEM_CcemDDeBW7Lw8E_CNrjQD1yBFbb-oQQcFdYqi9qcCqEaEA9-KWFlWsySAIQT8vNsFu4SG7FiDdVRlqURVhB4mPuzdw71tyzBnHl48aeLVrhtDO4oK3op0woWyLyNksfh77ScsK8qouFCJs-mnQRf-m2GzVIoU=w400-h350" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>13 – Game: Super Bonk, Publisher: Hudson Soft, Originally Released: 1994</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p>1994 was a very good year for video games, most especially on the Super NES. Super Metroid, Demon's Crest, FF3/6, Donkey Kong Country, Knights of the Round, Skyblazer and more all released that year, including this weird-ass little gem. My initial experience with Bonk came when I visited Harold's house, on 4th of July, 1995. It was a mixed bag of a day, because I technically had fun seeing (and playing a little), of this game for the first time on NES (the NES port of the TG16 game came out in 1993). But it was also the day that, while hanging out at a creek which had been converted into something of a public "pool", some dumb bitch shoved me while I was standing on the edge, and when I fell in, I cracked my big toenail open. It was painful, gross, and my toenail has been messed up because of it to this day. I even had to have a little toe-cast on, and subsequently limp around, for like a month afterwards.<br /><br />But back to Bonk, I eventually got to try the OG Bonk games on the TurboGrafx 16 (via emulation). And one day, lo and behold, Harold and I discovered this little gem, at Toys R Us or somewhere, for pretty cheap. It is very much your classic, fun Bonk game. But it also takes the outright bizareness of the series into new stratospheres. The game is heavily based on Bonk 3 for the TG16, with the ability to grow to giant size via candies you eat. But I do believe it was Super Bonk that also added candies that shrink you to tiny size, to get into small spaces. The BEST part, however, are the weird forms you can take on with the power ups, like Crab Bonk when you get squished, and Chicken Bonk, and my favorite, Godzilla Bonk, which you can see above. The game is really just kind of batshit insane, with a weird variety of stages, like a Chinatown, a stage where everything is gigantic ala Honey I Shrunk the Kids, the inside of a Dinosaur (which is a Bonk staple), and even outer space! There's also a oddball and random "basketball" bonus game. In some ways this isn't a TOP Top Favorite of mine. But I also love it, and feel it is worthy of inclusion for just how unique it is.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlEyHU9--SXCUGC5-h-KywxOr-USePhgb5Z6cDuBK7RjzyGyAw6dMfq9BbMLDtILyUQLQhC17mChholwqU06Cr1xyeY_648DtMP0VC283Eh1c-z4Zk6hEQFWCQda2U1Bj_CCQke-UQEG1wQ8hFli_kUyxWGHSJea6KVN6PZgb2Z02Vsd6tOubG0I3F=s513" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="513" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlEyHU9--SXCUGC5-h-KywxOr-USePhgb5Z6cDuBK7RjzyGyAw6dMfq9BbMLDtILyUQLQhC17mChholwqU06Cr1xyeY_648DtMP0VC283Eh1c-z4Zk6hEQFWCQda2U1Bj_CCQke-UQEG1wQ8hFli_kUyxWGHSJea6KVN6PZgb2Z02Vsd6tOubG0I3F=w400-h348" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>14 – Game: Super Turrican 2, Publisher: Ocean Software, Originally Released: 1995</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p>This was another rental that I thoroughly enjoyed, even if it got rather difficult as the game progressed. I had never played Turrican on anything else, so I was largely unfamiliar with the series. But when I rented this, I was blown away. It is the product of developer Factor 5, who were known for being wizards at squeezing the most out of hardware that they could (far more than most other studios, in fact). They would go on to make some pretty amazing Star Wars games for N64 and Gamecube, among other things. But as a later release in the SNES' life cycle, this game really was a sterling example of just how good a 16-bit game could be. <br /><br />The graphics, as seen above, had some genuinely impressive and complex visuals going on. The game even boasted short little bits of essentially "Full Motion Video" cut scene sequences, which Harold and I both thought, for SNES, was amazing. The sound is also exceptional, with top notch sound effects, and a nice, brooding soundtrack. The gameplay is, at its core, a "run n gun" action game, which is what the Turrican series is all about, with a nice variety of different weapons you can use, along with bombs to clear out enemies. But this particular entry in the series also added a very "Bionic Commando" type element, in the form of a hook-shot you can use, to latch onto and reach high areas. Think Bionic Commando with better action, and you can also jump. I can't honestly remember if I beat this when I originally rented it, because it was damn hard. But I still had a blast with what I did manage to experience. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSV7J6uiC4T2MPQKyuElNAyo_l7baePGGyUzWwJN018SNQx85LubyIS4_7FXR5BiaJpiYIhKPYnaUpatMDdEKfzWrxs_Rwj1V9z0_OEsrVAA1S1tvZSOzf7b6xsKeL3dNKgiqqTKI5ck63WF27FwD6VC7PX83oLE3GM9Xw_iH45eECXaA-Hw6r4uZ2=s1000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="1000" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSV7J6uiC4T2MPQKyuElNAyo_l7baePGGyUzWwJN018SNQx85LubyIS4_7FXR5BiaJpiYIhKPYnaUpatMDdEKfzWrxs_Rwj1V9z0_OEsrVAA1S1tvZSOzf7b6xsKeL3dNKgiqqTKI5ck63WF27FwD6VC7PX83oLE3GM9Xw_iH45eECXaA-Hw6r4uZ2=w400-h304" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <b> </b><p></p><p><b>15 – Game: Mario Paint, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1992</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p>In the interest of saving myself more time writing, and because this has already become a fairly meaty piece as it is, this is going to be my last entry, making it a "Top 15" list, I guess. I debated quite a bit as to what really belonged in some of these last spots, as many are deserving. But I've tried to stick to games that really stuck out to me, with a few exceptions, as real "Gaming Experiences" I had when I had this system "new", in my teens. There are many games that are arguably more deserving, because I like them more, or there's far more TO them,, to occupy this spot. For example, Illusion of Gaia, or Chrono Trigger, or Tiny Toons. But at the end of the day, this is making it as "Number 15", because it was one of the first SNES games I got with the system, one of the first I experienced, and spent a lot of time with.<br /><br />This game, simply put, was an attempt by Nintendo to cash in on the popularity of the Windows program, "MS Paint". Hence why it's called Mario Paint. But you know what? I'm glad they did it, because it is a very fun and unique entry into the system's library. I myself spent many hours, trying to make bad pictures with that plastic mouse and mouse pad. I also spent a lot of time trying to make tunes with the limited music mode. AND I spent an undue amount of time playing that stupid Flyswatter mini-game! But looking back, while there are MANY other SNES games that I, in general, LIKE more than this, Mario Paint will always stick out in my memories, as a fun early 16-bit experience for me. It meant a lot to me, to finally (FINALLY) get a SNES, after being a poor kid and waiting what felt like forever. Finally getting one when the system was "Old News", passe. But not to me. To me, even though I should have held onto the damn thing longer, and even though NES will always be THE best, my SNES opened up a whole new world, a whole new level of gaming to me, that I had not (unlike so many of my peers), been able to experience growing from a pre-teen into my early teen years. And Mario Paint was part of that. So I'll always cherish the game, symbolically, for that. </p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b> ***********************</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>There are, of course, MANY other SNES games I like. In fact some I outright love, and they really belonged in this Top 15, or if I had done a Top 20, or whatever. Some of these include:<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Super Mario World</b></p><p><b>Kirby Super Star</b></p><p><b>Illusion of Gaia</b></p><p><b>Final Fantasy 5<br /></b></p><p><b>Aladdin <br /><br />Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Busts Loose<br /><br />Super Ghouls n Ghosts (I actually beat this as a teen, don't ask me how)<br /><br />Donkey Kong Country 1</b></p><p><b>Donkey Kong Country 2<br /><br />Super Smash TV<br /><br />Chrono Trigger</b></p><p><b>Breath of Fire <br /><br />Killer Instinct<br /><br />Final Fight<br /><br />Top Gear 2<br /><br />Magic Sword<br /><br />Captain Commando<br /><br />Mortal Kombat 2<br /><br />Sim City<br /><br />Super Mario Kart<br /><br />Zelda: A Link to the Past</b></p><p></p><p><b>Super Mario RPG<br /><br />etc. etc. etc.</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> *******************</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p>So that's it's for now. I'll be back soon enough, but until then, Keep It Retro!<b> </b><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p> </p><p> <br /><br /></p><br /><br />Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-57369257844809332202021-10-22T06:56:00.003-07:002022-10-13T23:06:31.320-07:00The Inner Beast 2: Werewolf Cinema of the 80s and 90s<p> <br /></p><div class="entry-text">I started the <b>Retro Revelations</b> blog, back in
October of 2012. So it will soon be something of a Nine Year Anniversary
for me. During that first month, both wanting to celebrate Halloween,
and the whole writing blog articles thing being new to me, I churned out
several different pieces. One of those initial articles was entitled <a class="m_-7603439451210367920OWAAutoLink" href="http://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-inner-beast-history-of-classic.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">“The Inner Beast: A History of Classic Werewolf Films”</a>.
That article, as the name implies, literally went over what I could
find of the early history of werewolf cinema, from a bit of info on some
(now mostly lost) silent era films, as well as getting into the better
known “Golden Era” Hollywood films, such as <i>Werewolf of London (1935)</i>, <i>The Undying Monster (1942)</i>, and of course the most infamous, Lon Chaney Jr.’s starring role as <i>The Wolf Man (1941)</i>, among others. I even touched upon some werewolf films of the 50s and 60s, including Hammer Horror’s own <i>The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)</i>.
<p>There were a handful of werewolf movies in the 1970s, but none that I
feel were truly of great note. But the 1980s? That’s a whole different
story. In the 80s, werewolf fiction became all the rage again, hitting
with full force in 1981 most especially. In that year, in a span of
fewer than 12 months, four major werewolf films released, a couple of
which at least are now considered to be perennial classics of the genre.
I’m here today to talk about some of the more notable werewolf films of
the 1980s and 1990s. I will mainly be covering films that specifically
focus on werewolves, and don’t merely feature one. And for the interests
of space and redundancy, I also won’t be covering individual sequels.
So without further adieu, let’s dive into it!</p><p> </p>
<p> ***********</p>
<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2PuYdj0WJJbS7EmTRiQiNTGfsX4B90-ziyIjc6laFht9cr2OtJa2h8GT25zVlfz1PjsUaGyfmo0c1KgEQZPl6mYV8lFR1NQHx0Kr-65ZRrY3QNNUnTbhwfML323lRlvJXWopcByo2sU/s552/The+Howling.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="368" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2PuYdj0WJJbS7EmTRiQiNTGfsX4B90-ziyIjc6laFht9cr2OtJa2h8GT25zVlfz1PjsUaGyfmo0c1KgEQZPl6mYV8lFR1NQHx0Kr-65ZRrY3QNNUnTbhwfML323lRlvJXWopcByo2sU/w426-h640/The+Howling.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<p><b>Film:</b> The Howling</p>
<p><b>Year:</b> 1981<b> </b></p><p><b> Director:</b> Joe Dante</p>
<p>First up, on the trail of his cheeseball satire of Jaws, the Roger Corman produced <i>Piranha (1978)</i>, but before the smash hit that truly launched his career in <i>Gremlins (1984)</i>,
Joe Dante helmed this, the first major mainstream werewolf thriller to
come along in many years. An adaptation of a novel of the same name by
author Gary Brandner, the story, at least at first, plays out more like a
murder mystery. A television reporter, played by Dee Wallace of
(later) <i>E.T.</i> and <i>Cujo</i> fame, is investigating a series
of murders, and trying to get close to the killer by setting up a
private meeting (like an idiot) at a local porn shop. During the
encounter, she briefly sees the killer’s “true form”, that of a
werewolf, though she and the audience naturally don’t get a good look.
She screams, the police barge in and shoot him, and that’s that. Except
that the reporter, Karen White, is now traumatized and amnesiac. She
sees psychiatrist Dr. Waggner, played by Patrick Macnee of Avengers (60s
TV show) fame, who recommends she go to a private retreat he runs to
recover from her ordeal. And of course, everything gets crazier from
there.</p>
<p>The film also stars a young Dennis Duggan, a fairly unknown actor who
would go on to become a pretty successful comedy director, of such
films as <i>Problem Child (1990)</i>, <i>Happy Gilmore</i> (1996), <i>Beverly Hills Ninja (1997)</i>, and <i>Saving Silverman (2001)</i>.
One way in which this film stands out from most werewolf fiction is
that the werewolves within it, do not conform to the established “rule”
of only transforming during full moons. Without spoiling the whole plot,
it turns out that this “retreat” called “The Colony”, is, in fact, a
colony of werewolves, of which the serial killer, Eddie Quist, had been a
member. And as the heroes come to learn, these werewolves can
apparently transform at will, day or night. In point of fact, that was
the one outstanding thing about this film upon release, was that for
its time, the werewolf effects, and in particular the transformation
effects, were some of the best practical effects yet seen. As a movie,
it works for the most part. It grabs your interest with the mystery of
the main plot, and as most good horror films do, gradually ramps up the
weird, creepy, and horrific, until the final climax.</p>
<p>It is not one of my personal favorites, as far as horror films or Joe
Dante films go, though he is one of my <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/06/my-top-favorite-filmmakers-pt-1.html">favorite directors</a> of all time.
But it is a very well made film, for the most part, and if you like werewolf or murder mystery fare, it’s got everything you could want in
that genre of film. The success of this movie also went on to spawn
seven (yes seven) sequels or prequels, etc. Although none of them are
really quite of the quality of Dante’s original.</p>
<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9FrY6I8NjySkAORs-vDfrxmEqFQjgM3OJAiIjnErz9kYJsnYEvQaFiWbmNBrlH34fryEPUShgkHlAnebmB-cEJ3QWjRBlikaNs8l_f5IGzO2BqcqMxgFPx8qC2CWZ1pjSJl2T401LXE/s591/Wolfen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="428" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9FrY6I8NjySkAORs-vDfrxmEqFQjgM3OJAiIjnErz9kYJsnYEvQaFiWbmNBrlH34fryEPUShgkHlAnebmB-cEJ3QWjRBlikaNs8l_f5IGzO2BqcqMxgFPx8qC2CWZ1pjSJl2T401LXE/w464-h640/Wolfen.jpg" width="464" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>
<p><b>Film:</b> Wolfen</p><b>Year:</b> 1981<br /><p>
<b>Director:</b> Michael Wadleigh</p>
<p>Another film based on a late 70s novel, this time written by Whitley Strieber, better known for his 1987 alien story <i>“Communion”</i>.
This film also plays out like a murder mystery, though this time the
main character trying to solve the case is a retired police officer
named Dewey Wilson, played by veteran actor Albert Finney. This story,
however, unfolds on the East Coast, vs. <i>The Howling’s</i> California
setting, specifically, New York City. The basic plot is that Captain
Wilson has been brought back to active duty to help solve a series of
murders that is stumping local law enforcement. The investigation
eventually leads Wilson to contact a militant Native American activist
he once arrested, Eddie Holt, played by Edward James Olmos. Through Holt
and other Natives, it is learned that the killings are being committed
by “Wolfen”, which they regard as wolf spirits, who “only kill to
protect their hunting ground.”</p>
<p>The film also features Diane Venora, Gregory Hines, and Dick O’Neill.
One major thing of note is that this was apparently the director’s only
fictional film, as he was more known as a cinematographer and director
of documentaries, the most famous of which being <i>Woodstock (1970)</i>.
For his only shot at a fictional film, let alone a supernatural horror
story, it’s actually pretty impressive. As far as the film itself goes,
unlike perhaps any of the others on this list, the story actually plays
out more like a gritty crime drama with supernatural elements. And the
“werewolves” in question, are either literally spirits, or they are more
like how werewolves were depicted in the earliest werewolf movies, as
humans who could transform fully into wolves, instead of the more
transitory “Wolf Man” hybrid-like state. Either way, it deserves
recognition for being a very unique entry in the genre.</p>
<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpywnoSTQmoC5eWJ_5xU6Q-EppyVIIt92n5Up6I29jszZJz-_NnrISHkKJlEex1tysurAVmnx4a4CbNQyS5SqgMG9fvr9kgTpFUUkdxjo9X87DgtBVPGuyvIdACdh7i-HpvsauB3jsZY/s629/American+Werewolf+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="398" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpywnoSTQmoC5eWJ_5xU6Q-EppyVIIt92n5Up6I29jszZJz-_NnrISHkKJlEex1tysurAVmnx4a4CbNQyS5SqgMG9fvr9kgTpFUUkdxjo9X87DgtBVPGuyvIdACdh7i-HpvsauB3jsZY/w404-h640/American+Werewolf+in+London.jpg" width="404" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>
<p><b>Film:</b> An American Werewolf in London</p>
<p><b>Year:</b> 1981 <b> </b></p><p><b>Director:</b> John Landis</p>
<p>Now we come to both the first at least semi-comedic entry on this list, as well as being the first to <i>not</i> be
based on a book. Written and Directed by John Landis, a longtime friend
of Joe Dante, this is not only most likely the most well known of the
films on the list, but it’s also arguably the weirdest. This movie also
had the benefit of having veteran special effects man Rick Baker in
charge of the (again for the time) rather lavish and complicated
practical effects, which actually won multiple awards. As far as John
Landis goes, he’s definitely known more as a comedy director, not the
least of which were the two prior films of his that had already
established him as a big name in the business: <i>Animal House (1978)</i> and <i>The Blues Brothers (1980)</i>. He would mostly stick to comedy again after this, though he did take a stab at it (pun intended) with 1992’s vampire flick <i>Innocent Blood</i>.
But while you could argue that this is more of a “dark comedy”, Landis’
first foray into the horror genre must have been pretty good for its
time, as it’s still one of the most iconic and remembered werewolf
films, even today.</p>
<p>The plot sees friends David Kessler and Jack Goodman (played by David
Naughton and Griffin Dunne) traveling to England on a backpacking trip.
While walking across the Yorkshire moors at night (against the advice
of somewhat hostile locals), they accidentally wander off the road and
are attacked by a huge wolf-life beast, and Jack winds up dead. David is
taken to a hospital in London, and from there things only get stranger.
One of the signature things people remember about this film, is the
very disturbing and surreal visions and dreams of the dead that the
character David keeps on having. For one thing, he keeps seeing his
friend Jack’s ghost, who informs him he is now a werewolf, and is
something of a gruesome comedy relief. As he transforms and kills local
Londoners, their ghosts also appear to him, urging him that he must kill
himself before he transforms again. But perhaps the weirdest, most
disturbing, and most memorable scene from the entire film is the
so-called “Mutant Nazi Nightmare” scene, where he dreams that he is back
home in America with his family, only to have grotesque undead Nazis
break into their house and slaughter his family while he watches. A very
random scene, arguably out of place, but it fits with both Landis’
style and the odd tone of the film in general.</p>
<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTGbgkGfThR8vVGg9KBxr4fnM-IrZuZTJCAUaLADOX3tQMkso0KY3RMVkQtrPviZEfHkkgpXZ-w26CG1zQ828uGy_yYvQsz4ZqcdzRsvrhxYuTV-qBg9vZj-HOIg7bSXof6-yQpsxUtPs/s550/Full+Moon+High.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="386" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTGbgkGfThR8vVGg9KBxr4fnM-IrZuZTJCAUaLADOX3tQMkso0KY3RMVkQtrPviZEfHkkgpXZ-w26CG1zQ828uGy_yYvQsz4ZqcdzRsvrhxYuTV-qBg9vZj-HOIg7bSXof6-yQpsxUtPs/w450-h640/Full+Moon+High.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>
<p><b>Film:</b> Full Moon High</p>
<p><b>Year:</b> 1981<b> </b></p><p><b>Director:</b> Larry Cohen</p>
<p>The fourth, certainly silliest, and probably most obscure of the “Big 4” 1981 werewolf films, is <i>Full Moon High</i>. Directed by Larry Cohen, previously known for both exploitation films like <i>Black Caesar</i>, and horror films like <i>It’s Alive!</i>,
this was his first real attempt at a pure comedy film. In fact, it’s an
outright goofy film, which is a welcome departure from the typical
sombre mood of werewolf stories. It is in part a send-up to the 1957
film <i>I Was a Teenage Werewolf</i>, itself a more serious and for
its time somewhat groundbreaking work. But it also, ironically, shares a
lot of similarities with the later mid-80s hit film <i>Teen Wolf. </i>Both
feature a boy who becomes a werewolf but tries to live a normal life in
spite of that, and both have a focus of a werewolf trying to make it on
his local high school sports team, though in this case, the main
character Tony Walker, is trying to play football. </p><p>Both are comedy
films, even farcical ones, but I’d have to say <i>Full Moon High</i> has
a more blatantly silly tone. The werewolf of this story is portrayed as
being more of a “town nuisance” than a dangerous threat, even going so
far as having a gag where he keeps biting people on the ass, instead of
killing them. Though the film also provides some more subtle social
commentary on how America had changed since the 1960s when Tony had
become an “ageless” werewolf, and the 80s, where all of his friends have
also grown up and changed.</p>
<p>One thing to note about this movie is that it features both the main
star, Adam Arkin (Tony), as well as his brother and famous
actor/director father, Anthony Arkin and Alan Arkin. The movie also
stars comedian Ed McMahon, most well known for his long stint on the <i>The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson</i>. It also has appearances by Pat Morita, Elizabeth Hartman, Kenneth Mars, Desmond Wilson, and a young Bob Saget.</p>
<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHhWDuQRXbVUkrcx20MK0Vv0bbZPU9rwHwNDZI2UOtT3inPla0jFwiyPHZs2NtASHu0bITVbbnRLdbVL7AketVQNjaNo7eoBLObmQczGg1I5Z41Uh67VMJAnLXBECeET8pGK1vVz7hAk/s1036/Company.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="687" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHhWDuQRXbVUkrcx20MK0Vv0bbZPU9rwHwNDZI2UOtT3inPla0jFwiyPHZs2NtASHu0bITVbbnRLdbVL7AketVQNjaNo7eoBLObmQczGg1I5Z41Uh67VMJAnLXBECeET8pGK1vVz7hAk/w424-h640/Company.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>
<p><b>Film:</b> The Company of Wolves</p>
<p><b>Year:</b> 1984<b> </b></p><p><b>Director:</b> Neil Jordan</p>
<p>Perhaps the most obscure movie on this list, this is more of a
“Gothic Fantasy” from the UK, by director Neil Jordan, who would a
decade later go on to direct his biggest hit, <i>Interview With a Vampire (1994)</i>.
The film is unique for its very odd narrative structure, which sees a
young girl from the modern day, dreaming that she lives in a “fairytale
forest” of earlier centuries. In fact, her character Rosaleen is
basically “Little Red Riding Hood”, complete with red cloak, and a
granny who lives in the forest. During the course of the film, which is
already established as a dream, there are several “anthology” style
shorter stories told, from one character in the film to another,
all of them dealing with wolves or werewolves. While the main framing
tale is a direct analog to “Little Red Riding Hood”, the overall story
winds up being something of a “cautionary tale”, albeit a bit of a
contrived one. Not a great movie, but a decent one, notable for being a
British entry into the genre, and more a fairytale take on werewolves,
instead of straight horror.</p>
<p>The film stars Angela Lansbury as the girl’s grandmother, as well as David Warner and Terrance Stamp, among others.</p>
<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqu_XbGAgb_5iO7FpJ-wJds4d44HGElFuT8qtOS6nYK0VG9hTI7Uty71KJXb6OJDIlPcUTX66PLqvBNa7n7HtAFvhSOdaGwZOSjumXpjFgTVVYWsDEduEInmgs6kgcCKGgbc9z1JRAyA/s596/Teen+Wolf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="384" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqu_XbGAgb_5iO7FpJ-wJds4d44HGElFuT8qtOS6nYK0VG9hTI7Uty71KJXb6OJDIlPcUTX66PLqvBNa7n7HtAFvhSOdaGwZOSjumXpjFgTVVYWsDEduEInmgs6kgcCKGgbc9z1JRAyA/w412-h640/Teen+Wolf.jpg" width="412" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>
<p><b>Film:</b> Teen Wolf</p>
<p><b>Year:</b> 1985<b> </b></p><p><b>Director:</b> Rod Daniel</p>
<p>1985 was arguably the year of Michael J. Fox. He was not only
starring in the hit television comedy <i>Family Ties</i>, but he had two
films that took the box office by storm that year as well: <i>Back to the
Future</i> and <i>Teen Wolf</i>. Both films were comedic and unique twists
on other genres (science fiction and horror), and both films were
definitely high school-centric, coming of age stories. And both just so
happened to also turn out being a couple of THE most quintessentially
“80s” films of the decade.</p>
<p>The film <i>Teen Wolf</i> itself, is a story, much like <i>Full Moon High</i>,
about a boy who becomes a werewolf, but tries to cope and continue
having as “normal” a high school existence as possible. In this
particular case, Fox plays the character Scott Howard, a kid who is
tired of being bland and “average”, in his life, on his high school
basketball team, with the girls, etc. Things most teenage boys could
probably relate to on some level, making the story very relatable. But
the Howard family has a secret: the condition known as “Lycanthropy”, or
werewolfism, runs back into their history, but sometimes it skips a
generation. Meaning that Scott’s father Harold (played by James
Hampton), is also a werewolf. Scott tries to live his regular life,
dealing with normal teenage things, like trying to make it on the
basketball team, trying to impress a girl, and trying to fit in. But
because of his werewolfism, he also does things like, say, accidentally
claw a girl he’s making out with, or using his now super-sense of smell
to help his friend find pot. Because why not? While far from a horror
film, it’s still a dumb, fun 80s movie, and watching it, it’s easy to
see why Fox became such a likable star.</p>
<p>The movie was a big box office success, in fact the biggest of director Rod Daniel’s career, along with <i>Beethoven’s 2nd (1993)</i>.
It was written by Jeph Loeb, who went on to become a well-known
television and comic book writer, among his works are runs on Superman,
Captain America, and Cable. There would be one loosely related sequel,
titled <i>Teen Wolf Too (1987)</i>, which follows Scott’s cousin Todd Howard.</p>
<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECbiU74GTsvSY9wXXk4RpGm77rALIUlRMJdbQwG2HXR5uqT7-zSoi7AwipT_Njdqcsac3PqyKJT3gM7iTXnYbK2vggqX7B-3jcQc5ZxRHjK9JFxg6rfr24ljyPPseX2qufj_F9RGtAbk/s568/Silver+Bullet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECbiU74GTsvSY9wXXk4RpGm77rALIUlRMJdbQwG2HXR5uqT7-zSoi7AwipT_Njdqcsac3PqyKJT3gM7iTXnYbK2vggqX7B-3jcQc5ZxRHjK9JFxg6rfr24ljyPPseX2qufj_F9RGtAbk/w450-h640/Silver+Bullet.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<p><b>Film:</b> Silver Bullet</p>
<p><b>Year:</b> 1985<b> </b></p><p><b>Director:</b> Dan Attias</p>
<p>Also released in 1985, Silver Bullet has a couple of major
distinctions that set it apart. The first of which being, that it is one
of the only films, let alone horror films, that features a physically
disabled central hero. And the other, of course, being that it’s the
only one based on a story written by the “Master of Horror” himself,
author Stephen King.</p>
<p>An adaptation of the novella <i>“Cycle of the Werewolf”</i>, the
story is set in the small town of Tarker’s Mills, Maine. Marty Coslaw
(played by Corey Haim) is a paraplegic 10-year old, who still tries to
live a fairly normal life, in spite of his malady. His family consists
of his older sister Jane, father Bob and mother Nan, as well as his
“black sheep” uncle, Red (played by Gary Busey). A series of murders
rock the town, occurring over several months, but they are all
either explained away as accidental deaths, or left unexplained. Eventually,
when Marty’s best friend becomes the latest victim, not only do the
town’s people form a vigilante force to go out and “hunt the killer”,
but Marty himself becomes determined to solve it once and for all, for
his friend. His Uncle Red gives him a custom built
wheelchair/motorcycle, called the “Silver Bullet”, which he rides around
town on his quest. Marty eventually discovers that it is the town’s
religious leader, Reverend Lowe (played by Everette McGill), who is not
only the (somewhat reluctant/remorseful) killer, but is of course a werewolf. He and his sister Jane become
determined to fight the werewolf and enlist their uncle’s aid in doing
so.</p>
<p>While the movie apparently differs in some key ways from the novella,
it’s still classic King, probably one of the better King story
adaptations. It can be rather dark and gruesome (again, King), but it
also has a lot of heart, and there is a really nice relationship
displayed between the siblings, and with their Uncle Red. I would
definitely say it’s one of the strongest werewolf films out there. In fact I would say it's my favorite on the list, as far as straight werewolf movies go. Though my TOP favorite on the list, is the following entry...<br /></p>
<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_U0h0qretbesW7Mp0wR3Q64RKS2kGd5Swr9UQc5xdGhKV1JncKCruDewHwX08Kr3_7SbVqe1DfvmSpRoWRshm0n2p03uztwCsNaN_-W805ycNzltHhEdZNrtYC5DM6qgABINAeaz7sg/s633/Monster+Squad.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="408" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_U0h0qretbesW7Mp0wR3Q64RKS2kGd5Swr9UQc5xdGhKV1JncKCruDewHwX08Kr3_7SbVqe1DfvmSpRoWRshm0n2p03uztwCsNaN_-W805ycNzltHhEdZNrtYC5DM6qgABINAeaz7sg/w412-h640/Monster+Squad.jpg" width="412" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>
<p><b>Film:</b> The Monster Squad</p>
<p><b>Year:</b> 1987<b> </b></p><p><b>Director:</b> Fred Dekker</p>
<p>The one film that I will break my rule for, I am including this in
the list purely on the basis that it happens to feature one of the
better werewolves ever committed to film. Written and Directed by Fred
Dekker, who previously wrote the story for <i>House (1986)</i>, and directed
the cult classic <i>Night of the Creeps (1986)</i>, the film is a love
letter to the classic Universal monsters of the 1930s-50s. It was also
co-written by Shane Black, a good friend of Dekker’s, who would have a
solid career as a writer in Hollywood, before finally becoming a
director himself, with his big hit thus far being <i>Iron Man 3 (2013)</i>. In fact, Dekker and Black again collaborated on the film <i>The Predator (2018)</i>, which represents the first feature film Dekker has worked on since 1993 (sadly, as he’s a great talent).</p>
<p>But as for the <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/10/silver-screen-stories-monster-squad.html">movie itself</a>, if you’re unfamiliar, it has been
described as “The Goonies with Monsters”, which is not an unfair or
inaccurate statement. I would say Monster Squad has a bit more
“attitude” (though I love The Goonies), but it really is its own unique
entity as well. I’ve never seen another film quite like it, and it is
another one of those movies that are, in part, so great specifically <i>because</i> it
is totally a product of its decade. All of the monsters, Dracula,
Frankenstein’s Monster, The Creature (From the Black Lagoon), The Mummy
and The Wolf Man, all get 80s updates, and the designs for each actually exceptionally good. </p><p>They definitely spent money and care for detail. And the
werewolf is no exception, as it definitely pays homage to the classic
Chaney look for the monster, but it also manages to look a bit more
organic and lupine. Still not “perfect”, but for a lower budget 80s
movie, it’s pretty damn good. Actor Jonathan Gries also does an
excellent, and very sympathetic portrayal of the human version of the
Wolf Man, probably the most compelling of the bunch, outside of good ol’
Frankenstein. If you love monsters, love the 80s, and love good movies,
and have never seen <i>The Monster Squad</i>, please do yourself a favor and see it. You’ll thank me.</p>
<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6gZ9CstDCQ0Ta5se63et2T9aBiIQRMStPVWLSVtxH199y3KbMVfkn3aziQhhYgbb0diinf_W5lqA4CpCqwo1agKDns3XKImyUdAE2jAgsz_02bTt8dHxH0SoWaC8jXcLd1-c_r03-d0/s592/My+Mom%2527s+a+Werewolf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="407" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6gZ9CstDCQ0Ta5se63et2T9aBiIQRMStPVWLSVtxH199y3KbMVfkn3aziQhhYgbb0diinf_W5lqA4CpCqwo1agKDns3XKImyUdAE2jAgsz_02bTt8dHxH0SoWaC8jXcLd1-c_r03-d0/w440-h640/My+Mom%2527s+a+Werewolf.jpg" width="440" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>
<p><b>Film:</b> My Mom’s a Werewolf</p>
<p><b>Year:</b> 1989<b> </b></p><p><b>Director:</b> Michael Fischer</p>
<p>Possibly the most obscure film on this list, next to <i>The Company of Wolves</i>, this is a <i>very</i> “80s” movie, very much in the same mold as something like <i>Teen Witch (1989)</i>.
For all I know they might have both been part of a late 80s trend to
have supernatural comedies with a focus on teen female characters. But I
will say, while this one isn’t a great movie by any means, it’s
definitely better than <i>Teen Witch</i>.</p>
<p>The basic premise, and what makes this film stand out and worth
including, is that, as the title suggests, it’s about an “everyday
housewife” who becomes a werewolf. Played by Susan Blakely, said mom
Leslie Shaber is your typical put upon housewife, whose well-meaning but
oblivious husband doesn’t pay her enough attention, her teen daughter
sasses her, etc. Fed up, she goes shopping (what else?), and remembering
their dog needs a flea collar, she drops into a downtown pet store to
get one. While there, she meets the curious shop owner, Harry Thropen
(played by John Saxon of <i>Enter the Dragon </i>fame), who
seems to have a hypnotic gaze, and she becomes fascinated with him. </p><p>Through a series of events, he eventually uses his “mysterious gaze” to
seduce her, basically making out with her in a public restaurant, all
while her teenage daughter, who was coming to find her, sees the whole
thing. The daughter Jennifer decides to try and follow her mom around
town to see what’s really going on, and they wind up back at the pet
shop, where ol’ Harry tries to get mom into bed. Just barely failing
because of biting her toe (yes really), Leslie slips away back home, but
the dastardly home-wrecking werewolf remains determined. Meanwhile, ol’
mom starts showing signs of becoming a werewolf herself, like growing
apparently unbreakable fangs and displaying a more aggressive attitude,
which her husband Howard (played by character actor John Schuck), finds
out in bed later that night.</p>
<p>The film is full of dumb moments and silly hijinks galore, as the mom
starts growing fur all over her body etc. The daughter Jennifer is
obviously kind of meant to be the main character, palling around with
her horror-obsessed best friend Stacey. They even track down the
stereotypical gypsy woman (played by comedienne Ruth Buzzi), to discover
what to do about their mom (even though she comically gives the wrong
advice). John Saxon, good actor that he usually is, turns in a pretty
solid performance as the creepy wife-stealing pervert werewolf, and
while the movie contains plenty of face-palm worthy moments, it’s also
not a horrible way to spend an hour and a half of your life.</p>
<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhkqafHKvYqdHXRupGo3Xs0ZmVjP3ZIZnpLquY7NjhFl5XCFNnaYW2_Y7j5wU1beWTnmYnlhMTq-0SiFgrFhVJ2gWIO362hlQrZDS7uIAvckA2bqcexAnXmHeMN6_LUMvaV_sbyZMNBo/s600/Wolf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhkqafHKvYqdHXRupGo3Xs0ZmVjP3ZIZnpLquY7NjhFl5XCFNnaYW2_Y7j5wU1beWTnmYnlhMTq-0SiFgrFhVJ2gWIO362hlQrZDS7uIAvckA2bqcexAnXmHeMN6_LUMvaV_sbyZMNBo/w426-h640/Wolf.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>
<p><b>Film:</b> Wolf</p>
<p><b>Year:</b> 1994<b> </b></p><p><b>Director:</b> Mike Nichols</p>
<p>I remember seeing commercials for this film when I was a kid,
thinking that Jack Nicholson (who I was not all that familiar with at
the time), certainly seemed pretty scary. Which is a pretty fair
assessment. I also was not familiar with werewolves all that much as a
kid, as mysteriously it was one genre that my grandmother never really
let me watch (the same with vampire, Frankenstein or mummy films). I
didn’t actually wind up seeing this movie until a few years later, in my
teens, and while I didn’t love it (nor did it scare me much by that
time), it’s still pretty solid for what it is. Which is basically a big
budget, “mainstream” Wolf Man attempt.</p>
<p>Directed by Mike Nichols, who was previously known for such films as
<i>The Graduate (1967)</i> and <i>Catch-22 (1970)</i>, this film is more of a drama
with horror flavoring than a straight up horror movie. Jack Nicholson
(who let’s be honest, is a pretty perfect choice for “crazed werewolf”),
plays Will Randall, an editor-in-chief of a big publishing house,
plenty of money, big house, hot wife, the “whole nine yards” as they
say. One day while driving home, he gets bitten by a wolf, and his life
just kind of spirals from there. He loses his position, getting demoted
in the process, to rival Stewart Swinton (played by James Spader), who
it turns out not only connived behind the scenes for Will’s job, but
he’s also having an affair with Will’s wife Charlotte. He tries to move
on with his life, getting with the bosses daughter Laura instead (played
by Michelle Pfeiffer), but things continue to go awry, as it turns out
that maybe Will turned that asshole Stewart into a werewolf also.</p>
<p>Overall, it’s a well-made film, but it’s really not all that much of a
horror story. It focuses a lot more on the bestial nature and senses
that the werewolf gains, and otherwise is kind of just a rich guy drama
story, with supernatural trappings. One thing I will say is that for the
(at the time) rather huge budget, the werewolf makeup and effects
aren’t all that impressive. I understand that they had one of the top
actors in Hollywood as the star and maybe didn’t want to cover up his
face all that much. But still, that’s shallow Hollywood reasoning at
best. For most of the film, it’s basically just Jack Nicholson with a
bit more hair, some claws, some fangs, and yellow eyes. It’s a solid
film, but I wouldn’t say it’s essential viewing unless you’re a big fan
of Nicholson or Pfeiffer.</p>
<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QDHFHD7jFFw9t-7H7CmokaRRsE9M2uiq4pvJVyc_K-qK-OkFpKBRUqwheErJksPTxF_1IloKts5nEYqBjbxXAnQ6WKizrnM25pK5oC3k5pEPqqwHEZGmWVrS4uOgLJg6TYiDKNxN1e4/s534/Werewolf+MST3k.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="381" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QDHFHD7jFFw9t-7H7CmokaRRsE9M2uiq4pvJVyc_K-qK-OkFpKBRUqwheErJksPTxF_1IloKts5nEYqBjbxXAnQ6WKizrnM25pK5oC3k5pEPqqwHEZGmWVrS4uOgLJg6TYiDKNxN1e4/w456-h640/Werewolf+MST3k.jpg" width="456" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>
<p><b>Film:</b> Werewolf (aka Arizona Werewolf)</p>
<p><b>Year:</b> 1996<b> </b></p><p><b>Director: </b>Tony Zarrindast</p>
<p>Being best known for getting lampooned on an episode of <i>Mystery Science Theater 3000</i>, is probably not the <i>best </i>distinction a movie could have. But hell, it worked pretty well for <i>Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966)</i>,
right? There really isn’t a ton to say about this one, but I felt I
should include it just for its infamous badness. I am not one of those
who really subscribes to the “so bad it’s good” philosophy, but
regardless, this movie is just bad. The only thing that actually makes it
bearable to view, is the hilarious ribbing it gets by the MST3K guys. So
if you’ve never seen it, and want to, PLEASE watch that version.</p>
<p>This movie was surprise surprise, a very low budget, direct-to-video
affair. And like most such films, it’s just really kind of a mess, from
start to finish. Set in the Arizona desert, some archaeologists on a
dig, manage to unearth what they just happen to decide must be a <i>werewolf</i> skeleton.
Through a series of starkly idiotic events, one of the foremen gets
into a fist fight with some of his digging crew, and he just happens<i> </i>to
fall on the werewolf bones. Which turns him into a werewolf. Because,
you know, that happens. The plot isn’t really worth getting into deeper,
if you truly care, then, by all means, watch the film. I haven’t seen <i>every</i> single
werewolf related movie ever made (and there are lots), so I can’t say
with 100% certainty that this is the very worst werewolf movie ever
made. But I <i>can</i>, I think with some authority, state that this is easily the worst werewolf film <i>I’ve</i> personally ever seen. And let’s just leave it at that.</p> </div><div class="entry-text"> </div><div class="entry-text"> </div><div class="entry-text"> </div><div class="entry-text"> </div><div class="entry-text"> </div><div class="entry-text"> </div><div class="entry-text"> </div><div class="entry-text"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkZaGf7L-dVrx-nyTa1rDiYp9IQOkyew9PLLefrJHw_zos7xOWckuR-dpH7IROzVTO5SJDFYJYy3JrKvzesXUQ8MfCEVbU3FgjnZhbxMc_qoWOU0EV0BLO4x_TfXhA-oI4Sbse2igHfs/s514/An+America+Werewolf+in+Paris.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="350" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkZaGf7L-dVrx-nyTa1rDiYp9IQOkyew9PLLefrJHw_zos7xOWckuR-dpH7IROzVTO5SJDFYJYy3JrKvzesXUQ8MfCEVbU3FgjnZhbxMc_qoWOU0EV0BLO4x_TfXhA-oI4Sbse2igHfs/w436-h640/An+America+Werewolf+in+Paris.jpg" width="436" /></a></div><br /> <p><b>Film:</b> An American Werewolf in Paris</p>
<p><b>Year:</b> 1997<b> </b></p><p><b>Director: </b>Anthony Waller</p>
<p>So I figured I might as well bookend this article, finishing where we
began, so to speak. This is the one film off of this entire list, that I
actually saw in theaters. I had just recently turned 16 at the time,
and while it released on Halloween in the UK, apparently they thought it
would be a great idea to release this on <i>Christmas Day</i> in the
United States. I remember being kind of excited to see this movie,
because I thought werewolves were pretty cool, and I saw it with my
friend Brian, who was huge into wolves and werewolves himself. I also
remember the promotional shit leading up to this, including the Bush
song “Mouth”, which Brian also liked. But as enthusiastic as I was to
see this, I have to say, it wound up disappointing me.</p>
<p>It is supposed to be a loose sequel of sorts to John Landis’ 1981
film, though he had zero involvement with it, and it shows. It is also
listed as being a “comedy horror”, but I don’t remember the movie being
very funny. Like at all. It is more of a serious, straight horror film,
and as such, it loses the weird, f’ed up charm that the original had.
The basic premise is that yet another American middle-class kid named
Andy (played by Tom Everette Scott, who was in a lot of things in the
late 90s), along with his buddies Brad and Chris, are vacationing in
“The City of Love”. They are in fact going to bungee jump from the
Eiffel Tower because you know, it’s the late 90s, and everything was all
about “EXTREME”. Before Andy jumps, he sees a blonde girl basically
trying to jump to her death, and he saves her. Afterward, she
disappears, and that’s that. Later Andy and Co. go to a club, because
that’s something else extreme young men do, and it turns out, guess what
guys, the club is actually a place where a secret society of werewolves
lure tourists so they can kill them. Because people totally wouldn’t
catch onto that at all.</p>
<p>The blonde Andy saved earlier shows up, and tries to rescue the idiot
Americans, though dumbass Brad falls behind and gets killed. Andy also
gets bitten, and blacks out. He later finds himself at the girl’s
apartment, and it turns out, because why not, she’s the daughter of
David from the first film, and Alex Price, the nurse he fell in love
with. Because David was her father, she’s also a werewolf, and she’s
morose as hell because she accidentally wound up killing her own mom. As
I said, the levity and charm form London are completely devoid in Paris
(the movies that is), and the entire thing just kind of plays out like a
plodding, overly “dark and gritty” horror film. Which is par for the
course in the late 90s. So anyway, to save time, the ghost of Brad shows
up (because that happened in the first movie too!), and informs Andy
that all he has to do to save himself from being a werewolf, is <i>eat the heart</i> of
the werewolf that bit him. First off, that’s gross, and secondly, that
would have been a super helpful rule to know about for poor David in the
first movie.</p>
<p>Long story short, in my opinion at least, this movie sucks. I’ve seen
worse, yes. But it’s just dull and lifeless. And worst of all, again,
in my opinion, the CGI werewolf designs in this film, are some of the
very worst looking werewolf designs I’ve ever seen. Like yeah, it’s
partly that it’s the 90s, but there was CGI from <i>Jurassic Park</i> in
1993 that looks a TON better. No, the design is just bad. The film has
one advantage (in my book) over the first, in that they gave the main
character a saving grace, and he and Wolf Girl (whose name is Serafine
for some reason), more or less live happily ever after because they find
a way to control her wolfness. But even having a happy-er ending,
doesn’t save it from being a lame movie.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p> **********</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p> </p><p>So there you have it. Trust me when I tell you that just in the 80s and 90s alone, there were a <i>lot</i> more
werewolf films I could have listed and shared with you all. But I feel
like I picked the best or most notable, and it’s a pretty healthy sized
list as it is. So if you’re in the mood for some good beastly horror,
look one of these up and give it watch! Cheers.</p>
</div>Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-10762364177957789102021-09-28T05:26:00.001-07:002021-09-28T12:35:21.012-07:00Godzilla Chronicles: Godzilla vs. Megalon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1euGpYiPRResF4TBCc5YaxekxcVs_1sofH9yr4VQb5UVa5lqcBV5GHBO3TB2Oo84ieTgid_MoxMU8pIGOr0NKCVrtACS9q2hWAufASszVVtFS5XXQ-5JLcZ7MLC7Vu1S6-jdZTs2i6s/s1350/colors.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="997" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1euGpYiPRResF4TBCc5YaxekxcVs_1sofH9yr4VQb5UVa5lqcBV5GHBO3TB2Oo84ieTgid_MoxMU8pIGOr0NKCVrtACS9q2hWAufASszVVtFS5XXQ-5JLcZ7MLC7Vu1S6-jdZTs2i6s/w472-h640/colors.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><br /><p><br /> </p><p> </p><p>On the heels of the previous Godzilla Tag-Team match, 1972's <i><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2021/05/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-gigan.html">Godzilla vs. Gigan</a></i>, Toho gifted the world yet another crazy Tag-Team affair! But this time, instead of teaming with my boy Anguirus, the Big G would be seen joining forces with...Ultraman? Not quite, but close enough! And while as you can see in the poster above, the oddball Gigan is back for more action, instead of teaming up with the awesome King Ghidorah, he instead mixes his might with another monster, equally as bizarre as he! In what is quite probably the second weirdest entry of the Showa series outside of <i><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/09/gozilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-smog.html">Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster</a></i>, I'm about to tell you of one of the most bizarre films of my childhood. Buckle up...</p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf75LaOWNcJL_MXjgEUjTPWQl21QG_ZeWif5KecadBBZNX_1UDx3YZrUC67V3Q44jMT8Th6Mr6ZtlJ2-XTJLjmoTsqn-sF0z3tOTUC2mrEA1Iagw_LprQlXEGGWn3w36eehnGcn346urQ/s800/Jet.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="800" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf75LaOWNcJL_MXjgEUjTPWQl21QG_ZeWif5KecadBBZNX_1UDx3YZrUC67V3Q44jMT8Th6Mr6ZtlJ2-XTJLjmoTsqn-sF0z3tOTUC2mrEA1Iagw_LprQlXEGGWn3w36eehnGcn346urQ/w400-h398/Jet.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jet Jaguar<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifK4UQI61JHxVMbVilHgrnzEmU6wf5Ul_6n-ee8MTUwv8-pj6SON07At7ZAq_wqu7zI0k4IcKiPCyDSAtzbgS6epWUsnphLQbZg-LGQ4rqoKTvYs8Ktk2me6z1TiWECtJUfx8i4slBRSo/s500/Ultra.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="389" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifK4UQI61JHxVMbVilHgrnzEmU6wf5Ul_6n-ee8MTUwv8-pj6SON07At7ZAq_wqu7zI0k4IcKiPCyDSAtzbgS6epWUsnphLQbZg-LGQ4rqoKTvYs8Ktk2me6z1TiWECtJUfx8i4slBRSo/w311-h400/Ultra.jpg" width="311" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The True OG, Ultraman<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Perhaps the weirdest thing about <i>Godzilla vs. Megalon</i>, is that aforementioned robot side-kick! The singular personality of Jet Jaguar was born out of a contest held by Toho in 1972. The contest winner would have their design featured in an upcoming Toho production! The winner was a school-boy, who came up with the very Ultraman-inspired "Red Arone", which was later reworked by Toho into what we would come to know as Jet Jaguar. Supposedly, when shown the reworked design, the kid who created "Red Arone" was quite unhappy, as it didn't resemble his creation as closely as he would have liked. But just the same, it must have been cool to be a kid, having SOME version of a character you made up yourself, featured in a movie! <br /><br />Speaking of Ultraman, it was Godzilla's own special effects wizard creator, Eiji Tsuburaya, who kicked off the Tokusatsu (or "Special Filming", meaning special effects based) "Giant Robo-Man" craze, in the mid-60s. Beginning with the very X-Files-like show <i>Ultra Q</i>, which featured something of a paranormal investigation team, dealing with various weird creatures, aliens and monsters, in 1966, the concept later evolved into a second show which debuted later in the year, <i>Ultraman</i>. Ultraman featured a dedicated team of anti-monster fighters who protect the Earth (or rather, Japan) from supernatural threats. Shin Hayata, prominent member of this "Science Patrol", unbeknownst to his teammates, had fused with an alien being, and when things were too tough for the Patrol to handle, he would transform into the gigantic, robot-looking warrior known as Ultraman, to defeat the monsters. Ultraman proved to be so popular with kids, that several other VERY similar shows were created in the late 60s and early 70s, including <i>Giant Robo</i>, <i>Mirrorman</i>, and Toho's own <i>Zone Fighter</i>, which featured several appearances by Godzilla himself! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdM9rHSOCkjc4kDjibCpsUDp-MwVLUWrCzE6D0yN9ZwwIIPcfWz4w3jkvSSW_KZMqnwt0zUQIqG0RuElvBZd7aGH6T0fDEi8ROOqJKqQ7Nwecncfo7Gqf4MSfsm73x3qT_yry7Gv02Fm4/s494/Mirrorman.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="352" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdM9rHSOCkjc4kDjibCpsUDp-MwVLUWrCzE6D0yN9ZwwIIPcfWz4w3jkvSSW_KZMqnwt0zUQIqG0RuElvBZd7aGH6T0fDEi8ROOqJKqQ7Nwecncfo7Gqf4MSfsm73x3qT_yry7Gv02Fm4/w285-h400/Mirrorman.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mirrorman</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDbANUR3DLMQqe6mTzodCfQ4aSfSU4E0quWVhQud-sKp6rRgrrt_ZxAy_FeH9P9LcMXazHrnLL69NbdGenPg0MwuI19W0XISZ9iBTJIyrXhsM6IEcdZc6IKq9A2xiZz2TyOTTRX9TfksA/s500/Zone+Fighter.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="353" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDbANUR3DLMQqe6mTzodCfQ4aSfSU4E0quWVhQud-sKp6rRgrrt_ZxAy_FeH9P9LcMXazHrnLL69NbdGenPg0MwuI19W0XISZ9iBTJIyrXhsM6IEcdZc6IKq9A2xiZz2TyOTTRX9TfksA/w283-h400/Zone+Fighter.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zone Fighter, teaming with Godzilla.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Ironically, Toho's <i>Zone Fighter</i> show was produced within the same time frame as <i>Godzilla vs. Megalon</i>, and would debut not long after the movie itself, also in 1973. The show is considered "canon" to the Showa Era movies, and not only featured appearances by Godzilla, but villain monsters like Gigan and King Ghidorah as well! If Toho had any long-term plans for Jet Jaguar, they certainly never came to pass, unfortunately. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycqCnj-35JBgW1-CNJLGGdWOyYwNOE938VLiaBXRUShT71iM_t9_RECTOHNhQfRFZg-t1i41DXDjNxUpGeN18C-0GbjOAtGgxyFUBax1PK-55YTJt8CIx1l_tW1Tb5TTdSJOs_1FQEaU/s512/Inventor.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="512" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycqCnj-35JBgW1-CNJLGGdWOyYwNOE938VLiaBXRUShT71iM_t9_RECTOHNhQfRFZg-t1i41DXDjNxUpGeN18C-0GbjOAtGgxyFUBax1PK-55YTJt8CIx1l_tW1Tb5TTdSJOs_1FQEaU/w400-h169/Inventor.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jet Jaguar's creator, Goro, and his friend Hiroshi.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ZpzzMHFRDzqjTrV5CJS1fc-nALDh6tAFxW34EAodP8PdiYVmUqv0ZVuCRtfN_0OVl7wguqavEDIls-IfXyr83IYO4BGjTyjFFHFOmVDFynps9uOeIs3lr6JavpegIynYuIb3g3YrVTE/s1050/Fishy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1050" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ZpzzMHFRDzqjTrV5CJS1fc-nALDh6tAFxW34EAodP8PdiYVmUqv0ZVuCRtfN_0OVl7wguqavEDIls-IfXyr83IYO4BGjTyjFFHFOmVDFynps9uOeIs3lr6JavpegIynYuIb3g3YrVTE/w400-h206/Fishy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little brother Rokuro, and his weird-ass fish thing.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>In the film's story, scientist and inventor Goro Ibuki, has created a sophisticated android, apparently just for fun, called Jet Jaguar. WHY Jet Jaguar? Well, that is a mystery the movie leaves unexplained. One day, when Goro, his hip friend Hiroshi Jinkawa, and little brother (whom he seems to be raising on his own) Rokuro Ibuki, are enjoying a seemingly peaceful day at a local lake. As you can see above, Rokuro was playing out on the water, with what looks like a very odd "mother fish and children" floating water-bike of some kind. No doubt another invention of Goro. And while it looks goofy as hell on the surface, I'll fully admit that seeing it as a kid, I actually thought it was pretty cool, and wanted one. Though to be perfectly fair, seeing it in action, it does seem RATHER slow moving, so maybe that wouldn't be so much fun after all? </p><p>The boys' idyllic day at the lake is abruptly interrupted, and ruined, by a giant fissure that opens, draining the entire lake into the deep underground. After saving his kid brother with a towing line, Goro and Company, left stunned by the demise of their favorite lake, make for home. But upon coming home, they are attacked by mysterious assailants, who have broken into their very odd, cube-shaped science hut. The bad guys make a get-away, but return soon enough, as they're after the amazing Jet Jaguar! It seems they are agents of a lost, now underground civilization, the remnant of essentially ancient Atlantis, called "Seatopia". Seatopia has been suffering lately, due to earthquakes caused by the surface-dwellers' idiotic nuclear experiments. And now, they want revenge! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyA7C5jaoeiGYzwsLF0oSsZ2S4vBvk9klAATwAGFkkzNXwBNfyB8BbEoqzTI1Fo7QnlsTXU_hjU4dAtk7RxFpK0jT5XpawgryiBkfG9u1z3Bc03LE_zFvylbDbjmluzvIOGM9tZGeyc5g/s1280/Seatopia.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="1280" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyA7C5jaoeiGYzwsLF0oSsZ2S4vBvk9klAATwAGFkkzNXwBNfyB8BbEoqzTI1Fo7QnlsTXU_hjU4dAtk7RxFpK0jT5XpawgryiBkfG9u1z3Bc03LE_zFvylbDbjmluzvIOGM9tZGeyc5g/w400-h246/Seatopia.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An average day, down in Seatopia. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4u3iifIsH-MkWeL90dW8lty_8mjh-uf9WBNJBDZdwzBxg62lPDZyEZ8XPIz9gWan1Mo0TPliWVcnOtiMC0x4GChG1wsctr5LsS5mn1cxr1zSddI8aZxSnxDteY8L3dcLvFuc7VhZmTcI/s1024/Emperor.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4u3iifIsH-MkWeL90dW8lty_8mjh-uf9WBNJBDZdwzBxg62lPDZyEZ8XPIz9gWan1Mo0TPliWVcnOtiMC0x4GChG1wsctr5LsS5mn1cxr1zSddI8aZxSnxDteY8L3dcLvFuc7VhZmTcI/w400-h266/Emperor.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seatopia's fashionably 70s leader, Emperor Antonio.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Surprisingly, it would seem that Seatopia's retaliation for the destruction of their own home, is going to come in the form of, believe it or not...a giant monster! In this particular case, a gigantic beetle-thing whom they worship as a god, called Megalon. Their plan seems to be, to get control of Goro Ibuki's miraculous Jet Jaguar, who they will in turn use to guide Megalon, as he hops and glides and bombs his way to the utter destruction of the surface world! Or at least Tokyo.</p><p>The problem is, those damn surface dwellers seem more clever than anticipated. After a thwarted attempt to dump poor Goro and Rokuro down the fissure in a big metal cargo box, they double back, and that blasted inventor manages to cook up a supersonic device which allows him to retake control of Jet Jaguar! He sends Jet on a mission to Monster Island, to enlist the aid of Godzilla, which forces Seatopia's Emperor Antonio to call on his own aid, this time from those deep space bastards of Space Hunter Nebula M, the very same giant cockroach aliens from the previous film, <i>Godzilla vs. Gigan</i>. The roaches promise to send Gigan to help, setting up the Tag-Team rematch between Godzilla and Gigan that I mentioned early in this very same article! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgue1zILzgk4r8xk8Kbrq4nehs_CWg7qjr20OuKROwRXqEjUdIDBKkTz-Q-FBCBqyhMIrEtucmX7BFE8zF7eqQ3o4pLLf51z5bVzao2jkspYlflk3gCqhzUNCh20pFv5ugTAgDhvB0uILM/s611/Tag+Team.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="487" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgue1zILzgk4r8xk8Kbrq4nehs_CWg7qjr20OuKROwRXqEjUdIDBKkTz-Q-FBCBqyhMIrEtucmX7BFE8zF7eqQ3o4pLLf51z5bVzao2jkspYlflk3gCqhzUNCh20pFv5ugTAgDhvB0uILM/w319-h400/Tag+Team.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New partner, same bad attitude!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As an aside, it seems that this movie was made rather hastily, after a previously planned Godzilla project had been canned at the last minute. It seems that director Jun Fukuda was left to basically write the script, based on a rough story outline, by himself, and the production took place over three weeks. Not that Gigan before it was some elaborate masterpiece, but it's a shame, as usual, that Toho, especially in the 70s, was being so cheap when it came to their Godzilla films. Because it would have been interesting, and preferable, to see what Megalon could have been, with more time, and more budget. Then again, what I just said applies to the vast majority of "genre" (science fiction, fantasy, horror, etc.) films from yesteryear, most of which were (and this applied to TV shows as well) constrained by smaller budgets and less time than they should have been given. Such fare was considered "low brow" back then, and thus it was very rare for shows, or films of such nature, to be given the kind of treatment they deserved. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eNjtTOcF9OsyWGvm3NbMF585jiuHRmWOh1yySCJLcrnhfYTIFqTcruL0UJ0WkDZy8fOBnwWPFzc-fGvLkfjUN-12lqiWK0x4QHWZgpem2ExnASI6H3ix2Ee9OdyqIfgdWjyVWg8-wZ4/s594/Fearsome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="594" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eNjtTOcF9OsyWGvm3NbMF585jiuHRmWOh1yySCJLcrnhfYTIFqTcruL0UJ0WkDZy8fOBnwWPFzc-fGvLkfjUN-12lqiWK0x4QHWZgpem2ExnASI6H3ix2Ee9OdyqIfgdWjyVWg8-wZ4/w400-h400/Fearsome.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fearsome Godzilla<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jruDdOSj44Mz_6u35ckHtqhTM2G6ZuAbxzT2M2q-T_JIepiy9q4fTIlxeuT5I_3rgOokKzhfvJ0uQiydjlcz30sPJ1xbRx-jQwhNKQ0bfzUUE4Cwa_O09rayVpBWuBMJJCGlm7RxDV4/s607/Megagoji.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="329" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jruDdOSj44Mz_6u35ckHtqhTM2G6ZuAbxzT2M2q-T_JIepiy9q4fTIlxeuT5I_3rgOokKzhfvJ0uQiydjlcz30sPJ1xbRx-jQwhNKQ0bfzUUE4Cwa_O09rayVpBWuBMJJCGlm7RxDV4/w346-h640/Megagoji.jpg" width="346" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute Godzilla<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As a SIDE-side note, it must be said that the suit featured in this movie, dubbed "MegaroGoji", is a major contrast to the suit used in multiple prior Godzilla films. Where as the suit which had been used from <i>Destroy All Monsters</i>, all the way up through <i>Godzilla vs. Gigan</i> (in another cheap move, Toho was REALLY getting their mileage out of these suits in the 70s), was featured arguably the most fearsome, and certainly most angry looking face of the bunch, this new suit was quite the opposite. The "MegaroGoji" suit, which would be featured in the <i>Zone Fighter</i> show, as well as ultimately the final three Godzilla films of the Showa Era (including this one of course), features a decidedly softer, friendlier look. In fact, many fans consider it to look somewhat "dog-like", and is arguably the cutest looking Godzilla. Toho really wanted to drive home the fact that Godzilla was now firmly a good guy, and humanity's friend and guardian, no longer the city-trampling terror. This suit was said to be slapped together faster than any other suit in the series, but in all fairness, it looks pretty damn good if that's the case. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHj1hYJrsZny6ucUf0kq32EVtLTNIefWwLYkSInZIaXls4xjVvVRNQ9ujYYyGcJ9YDMtUN2Ia7W2aV53u4QFKlmepdzzl3uh1tiL875Qp0QPa_-56K2xHJqT5pRbXDz8VPgMAdL28jZKI/s878/Megalon.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="467" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHj1hYJrsZny6ucUf0kq32EVtLTNIefWwLYkSInZIaXls4xjVvVRNQ9ujYYyGcJ9YDMtUN2Ia7W2aV53u4QFKlmepdzzl3uh1tiL875Qp0QPa_-56K2xHJqT5pRbXDz8VPgMAdL28jZKI/w341-h640/Megalon.jpg" width="341" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My VHS cover.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZM2trtSN1ylP8clPGAK-A1JA30k_waj5us-g1Mk7zm5jVPpAskr31B37RK41GLz1xua6Es8iItjn3PdQjt9lyCCAXnCL2YgPPNHK20BRpN1QeK_vZg5vQJxEzDIMtZOEYJTwwt50Mrj4/s2048/VHS+bro.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1082" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZM2trtSN1ylP8clPGAK-A1JA30k_waj5us-g1Mk7zm5jVPpAskr31B37RK41GLz1xua6Es8iItjn3PdQjt9lyCCAXnCL2YgPPNHK20BRpN1QeK_vZg5vQJxEzDIMtZOEYJTwwt50Mrj4/w338-h640/VHS+bro.jpg" width="338" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alternate VHS cover<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><br /><p>My own experience with <i>Godzilla vs. Megalon</i>, comes from that period of my childhood, around 1989/90, when we finally first got a VCR in our household. As I've related in the past, I'm pretty certain that the first Godzilla movie I ever came to own on tape as a kid, was <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/08/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-sea.html"><i>Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster</i></a>. But other early inclusions in my collection, were <i>Godzilla: King of the Monsters</i>, <i>Godzilla vs. Monster Zero</i>, and the bizarre classic we're here talking about today. On an interesting side-note, if you look above to the top picture of the cover of my own VHS copy of this film, you'll see that it features rather bland, and rather odd artwork. In point of fact, that image of Godzilla, is taken from the first film in the Hesei Era series (the only one I that knew existed until I got later into my teens), <i>The Return of Godzilla</i>. I'm going to guess that art was used, as perhaps they figured that was the version of Godzilla that U.S. audiences might be most recently familiar with, as the American version of the film, <i>Godzilla 1985</i>, was I'm sure a popular rental of the time. I know I rented it pretty early into our VCR ownership. As for the bottom image? I've actually never seen that art before I did research on this piece, but while it's kinda goofy looking, I think kid me would have preferred that cover. </p><p> As for what kid me actually thought of this film? Put bluntly, I'd have to imagine, of the growing number of Godzilla (and related Toho) films that I came to own, or see thanks to <a href="http://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/10/childhood-memories-monstervision.html">TNT's MonsterVision</a>, that Megalon was not one of my favorites. But that isn't to say that I disliked it, by any means. In fact, I loved pretty much any Godzilla or monster movie in general, as a kid. ANYTHING Godzilla-related was my bag back then, meaning even if it wasn't a favorite, I still loved it. A slight exception would be poor <i><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/05/godzilla-chronicles-all-monsters-attack.html">All Monsters Attack</a></i>, which I saw on TV as "Godzilla's Revenge", a movie that I hardly HATED, but didn't love either. Mainly due to the fact that most of the monster footage was taken from other movies. But as for Megalon himself? I suppose I probably felt he was a pretty cool monster. The idea of Jet Jaguar, and a little boy who gets to live with his cool inventor brother, and have cool gadgets to play with, and NOT be bossed around, I'm sure held a lot of appeal. And of course this movie was actually my own personal first experience of the monster Gigan, along with the <a href="http://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/07/forgotten-gems-godzilla-monster-of.html">Godzilla: Monster of Monsters</a> NES game, as I would not come to see Gigan's debut movie until a few years later, on TV. </p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8ThCRze-mFRTIMBolAi_oS1FYQcjyCt6tPVQKN980DkJCNWtI_ksF9CvikK0pmlA2FskrkCbcujIYKjnZP_xWUr51c3inTLxUzhcSECqwd2jRAwbs0QWjN4Sw6T2x3cM9tJnU85J0TQ/s884/Bullies.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="884" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8ThCRze-mFRTIMBolAi_oS1FYQcjyCt6tPVQKN980DkJCNWtI_ksF9CvikK0pmlA2FskrkCbcujIYKjnZP_xWUr51c3inTLxUzhcSECqwd2jRAwbs0QWjN4Sw6T2x3cM9tJnU85J0TQ/w400-h280/Bullies.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those damn bullies! <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As an adult, all these long years later, my opinion of the film is that it was obviously rushed. Like Gigan before it, Megalon suffers from too-short a production cycle, and a similarly cheap over-use of stock footage of city destruction and other such scenes, used from various previous Godzilla movies. Neither movie is BAD, by any means, at least not in my view, or likely the view of most fellow die-hard Godzilla fans. But it is, again, a damn shame that these productions were treated as they were, because these films deserved to be much more than they got to be. In the end, I think stacked up next to each other, even ignoring the fact that Gigan has my beloved Anguirus in it, as well as King Ghidorah, I think Gigan still comes out on top over Megalon. Megalon is, I'm sorry to say, one of the weakest of the Showa Era, and certainly of that tail-end 70s period. </p><p>However, as a movie, it's also still a lot of fun. It is quite possibly the overall goofiest of the bunch, though it has very stiff competition from <i>Son of Godzilla</i> in that regard. But with the colorful Jet Jaguar, the goofy kid-brother, the cheese-ball Seatopian villains, and incredibly weird nature of Megalon himself, there's a strong argument to be made. Megalon, as a monster, while surely gigantic and fearsome in his destructive capacity, also has moments of acting, even just left on his own, spectacularly goofball. On the one hand, the dude's got metal "hands" that come together to form a drill, which he can use to bore under the ground. He also can shoot deadly electric beams from his rhino-beetle-like horn, and he can spit what seem to be highly destructive organic bombs from his mouth to boot. On the other hand, Megalon seems to like hopping across the land in a hilarious fashion, and at one point, left without the guidance of Jet Jaguar, he even busts out some "fancy gliding" dance moves for no apparent reason whatsoever! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispalOaCfsU6Q6s6FFGuwhX1iojhG-Mnd6T1fOOm10pN29qHzb34IATXReu4W7FuZjGKYTWzm-vhP_tnf1OwdgJ3Um_1rb92tNemB3xYcDs1M5R6VdhL-s9qY5SchBTIHuWgEEEvsZVSQ/s471/Slide.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="471" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispalOaCfsU6Q6s6FFGuwhX1iojhG-Mnd6T1fOOm10pN29qHzb34IATXReu4W7FuZjGKYTWzm-vhP_tnf1OwdgJ3Um_1rb92tNemB3xYcDs1M5R6VdhL-s9qY5SchBTIHuWgEEEvsZVSQ/w400-h280/Slide.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Slide<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Of course, THE single goofiest moment of the film, and the thing that is most infamous about this movie, is "The Slide". Known, thanks in large part to <a href="http://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/11/childhood-memories-mystery-science.html">Mystery Science Theater 3000</a> (one of my favorite shows of all time), even to people who don't know Godzilla movies at all, let alone the exact movie it's from, this incident has become something of a Godzilla-meme unto itself. Which is both hilarious, but also a bit unfortunate. Hilarious because it IS such a genuinely ridiculous moment, and is entertaining in its own right. But unfortunate, at least in this man's view, because it is one of the single cheesiest moments in what is already (somewhat unfairly) a Godzilla series that is known by the mainstream public as being "cheesy" to begin with. It's unfortunate, I suppose I would say, that when many people who don't know or love Godzilla films as I do, think of Godzilla, they might likely associate that name most closely with a cornball image like this one. </p><p>The move in question, comes late in the film, at the climax of the great Tag-Team battle between Godzilla & Jet Jaguar vs. Megalon and Gigan. By this point, Gigan has already had enough, and has flown off back out into space, leaving poor old Megalon all on his own. Jet Jaguar holds Megalon up, pinning his arms back, and Godzilla, backing up enough to build up some steam, proceeds to tail slide a RATHER long way, to give ol' Mega a "kangaroo kick" from hell. And he does this not once, but twice! Megalon is left so utterly defeated and humiliated, that he burrows back into the earth, and those dastardly Seatopians give the hell up for good. For what it's worth, while this is inarguably an incredibly cheesy moment, I WOULD argue that Godzilla using his own death breath to fly (backwards) in <i>Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster</i>, is still more ridiculous than this. </p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBps75BmzELebbkVMjzX5kVLM0_173mKKK-Kfe-CYd5q46mWHBwgCLD0lmRoKWsEQHRElap0x0qCMzuZ9xg9AbB2uiStGft1DUEIgu6lD8-kwXqdFjIAmhLxClWsGWqSijxnHJkMSqOk/s500/Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="332" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBps75BmzELebbkVMjzX5kVLM0_173mKKK-Kfe-CYd5q46mWHBwgCLD0lmRoKWsEQHRElap0x0qCMzuZ9xg9AbB2uiStGft1DUEIgu6lD8-kwXqdFjIAmhLxClWsGWqSijxnHJkMSqOk/w424-h640/Poster.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The US poster.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZB-lH46y_WoEUBBBhGckd8emdCwlJ0fZkqLx-Wm5ufVtTOUP67yiFzNpi_Edfuzc1FwtVQeqW8Uxq3w9V5mZiUddqNHYnUiUroeui-yryhFIElk7kpYxl-kLVhqLbmVNhlR2u_dg3rI4/s898/Kong.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZB-lH46y_WoEUBBBhGckd8emdCwlJ0fZkqLx-Wm5ufVtTOUP67yiFzNpi_Edfuzc1FwtVQeqW8Uxq3w9V5mZiUddqNHYnUiUroeui-yryhFIElk7kpYxl-kLVhqLbmVNhlR2u_dg3rI4/w456-h640/Kong.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The German poster...<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As another aside, if you look above, you'll see a couple of the international promotional posters for this film. In the American one, taking a book right out of the promo art for the 1976 remake of <i>King Kong</i>, Godzilla and Megalon are depicted as fighting, in the United States, on TOP of the World Trade Center buildings. As if the sheer bulk and weight of monsters that large, wouldn't absolutely crush those buildings in the first place! And speaking of King Kong...below it is the poster for the movie in Germany. It's a bit too long and convoluted a story to fully get into, but let's just say that Germany had a long history with false advertising, when it came to promoting Godzilla (and related) movies. The general idea here, being, that somehow Jet Jaguar is actually just King Kong...turned into a robot? </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3AnSzYc4ueixopkuZFgyo5luXcOb_tDoiLxvXGMm_ej-3xkCDCErqzcaOFxnrrH7ec_UfT6SSu2gpGvPfj942jhTLRZtKUU1RQ3FunK7XQc05hOunjnQyW-zTY07hXTG5N_0jCA7pWY/s1024/Pals.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3AnSzYc4ueixopkuZFgyo5luXcOb_tDoiLxvXGMm_ej-3xkCDCErqzcaOFxnrrH7ec_UfT6SSu2gpGvPfj942jhTLRZtKUU1RQ3FunK7XQc05hOunjnQyW-zTY07hXTG5N_0jCA7pWY/w400-h400/Pals.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pals.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjprUNUoBeha-dxBNozcmO-xlbUlx7alfAXYPyFywAMoopmrXzwF85xuRzMt5Gns5oTxTLTRdKliWTwc0g9v9k4eXQJiwErKgK0HmynskU1iC1YPLHm2cDFVd300Vxp6WDPprPB7NlH8/s940/The+Stars.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="940" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjprUNUoBeha-dxBNozcmO-xlbUlx7alfAXYPyFywAMoopmrXzwF85xuRzMt5Gns5oTxTLTRdKliWTwc0g9v9k4eXQJiwErKgK0HmynskU1iC1YPLHm2cDFVd300Vxp6WDPprPB7NlH8/w400-h225/The+Stars.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just hangin' with the boys.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> As with pretty much any of the original Showa series of Godzilla and related monster movies, I would honestly recommend watching this one. Not as a first or even second choice. But it's still worth seeing, and it's a fun, and perhaps unintentionally funny, ride. I'd say it's the most "70s" of the bunch", in its own way, right down to the incredibly catch Jet Jaguar theme song at the end.</p><p>I don't generally like to think of Godzilla films as something to laugh at, and it genuinely bothers me, I'll admit, that so many people do view them that way. That isn't to say that I don't recognize and even treasure the goofier, and admittedly funny moments that the series can provide. I just dislike the notion that the films' "cheesy" effects, and just the movies as a whole in general, are "bad", and something to be sneered at, or only viewed/enjoyed ironically, as in "so bad it's good, let's watch them and laugh at them" kind of fare. </p><p>It isn't that I take Godzilla SO seriously, but I do think, viewed through the right lens and taken in the proper frame of mind, that most of these movies, have a lot more substance, and a lot more to offer, than merely laughs. These films, and especially the "Big G" himself, are very dear to my heart, and they are 100% a connection with that inner kid in me who, in spite of everything I've been through in life so far, has refused to become totally cynical and dead inside. I suppose you could say, that Godzilla is a connection to that inner child, and thus, what still remains, in the face of a VERY cynical world, of my innocence, and sense of wonder. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> ********************* </p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>So go watch yourself some Godzilla flicks, including this one! And I'll be back next month, with a brand new Halloween piece for all you boys and ghouls! In the meantime, stay dialed to the various <u><b><i>Retro Revelations</i></b></u> social media, for "Halloween Countdown" goodness.<br /><br /></p><p>Here is the
full list of Godzilla Chronicles articles, if you've missed any:<br /><br /><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/05/godzilla-chronicles-beginning.html">The Beginning</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2015/05/godzilla-chronicles-gojira-aka-godzilla.html">Gojira (aka Godzilla: King of the Monsters)</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/05/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-raids-again.html">Godzilla Raids Again</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/09/godzilla-chronicles-king-kong-vs.html">King Kong vs. Godzilla</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/05/godzilla-chronicles-mothra-vs-godzilla_28.html">Mothra vs. Godzilla</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">6. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/08/godzilla-chronicles-ghidorah-three.html">Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">7. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/05/godzilla-chronicles-invasion-of-astro.html">Invasion of the Astro Monster (aka Godzilla vs. Monster Zero)</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/08/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-sea.html">Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">9. <u><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/05/godzilla-chronicles-son-of-godzilla.html">Son of Godzilla</a></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">10. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/09/godzilla-chronicles-destroy-all-monsters.html">Destroy All Monsters</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">11. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/05/godzilla-chronicles-all-monsters-attack.html"><u>All Monsters Attack</u></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">12. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/09/gozilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-smog.html">Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">13. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2021/05/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-gigan.html">Godzilla vs. Gigan</a> <br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWOGlKcWF_tMJ8OZA6D3y689_80OKSEI0BCgucefJ8rW54jMIsXNcI-WQiPzCC4ks2UjK1AxOeXf5I0T7i4-CsyrrkXHAw5PGEqp-Uro3okq2pGrMVUHJpuvomjw4qKYgIXPEiRNHY-A/s1081/Art.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="762" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWOGlKcWF_tMJ8OZA6D3y689_80OKSEI0BCgucefJ8rW54jMIsXNcI-WQiPzCC4ks2UjK1AxOeXf5I0T7i4-CsyrrkXHAw5PGEqp-Uro3okq2pGrMVUHJpuvomjw4qKYgIXPEiRNHY-A/w452-h640/Art.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><br />Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-88273036598406829912021-08-24T09:14:00.002-07:002021-09-18T02:08:41.934-07:00The Black Cauldron: Disney's Forgotten Masterpiece <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKeFh5yKZ6BmMIGA4zO59qyhf7e6uqM3KZQn4FFdN7swDT8txhb-YkjaZDuEs69lEps7Lr8lNRIyQS2OpcKomZ2VFwsuUcf9V0_yS5tNzFe3l3PF4tfpLfysGrtey6H_LsqKUMycti5Kw/s827/Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="497" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKeFh5yKZ6BmMIGA4zO59qyhf7e6uqM3KZQn4FFdN7swDT8txhb-YkjaZDuEs69lEps7Lr8lNRIyQS2OpcKomZ2VFwsuUcf9V0_yS5tNzFe3l3PF4tfpLfysGrtey6H_LsqKUMycti5Kw/w384-h640/Poster.jpg" width="384" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Walt Disney was, inarguably, one of the single most influential figures not only in film animation history, but film history period. He was a visionary, an innovator, and a driven workaholic, which at times made him difficult to work with (or for), but it also pushed his animation teams to expand and evolve an artform which the man himself, loved dearly. It can, and should, rightly be said, that without Walt Disney, modern animation as we know it would not be the same. It might not even exist, as we know it today. </p><p>I will most certainly have to dedicate an article to the man himself someday, as along with the likes of Jim Henson, Ray Harryhausen, and many others, he is one of my personal heroes. But it goes without saying that when he and his company risked everything in the late 1930s, taking a massive risk in producing the first ever feature-length animated film, he was creating one of the single most important works of cinema in history. When <i>Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs</i> released in 1937, no one, certainly not Walt himself, knew whether it would succeed or fail. If it had failed, his company very well could have been done for good, and full-length animated movies might not be a thing today. But because it was a massive critical and box office success, not only was Disney's future assured, but he paved the way for seemingly countless animated movies to come. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2yh3mYQKFR9iXJut_ZLhR4gvmhUSzTklzZLfiSkTMOqZKu_ynbhFi39bcMzLxj8pY7fmIqkhyam9K9E1UuPy4MqRrNj6hEcB4aWQ5omIdkGbDlNS2TWi8dpNJOiqqN0HRbbwQEQt2zQ/s1200/Walt.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="908" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2yh3mYQKFR9iXJut_ZLhR4gvmhUSzTklzZLfiSkTMOqZKu_ynbhFi39bcMzLxj8pY7fmIqkhyam9K9E1UuPy4MqRrNj6hEcB4aWQ5omIdkGbDlNS2TWi8dpNJOiqqN0HRbbwQEQt2zQ/w303-h400/Walt.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Master.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>From Disney themselves, with a dip in the 40s due to World War II, the world received a steady flow of high-class, high quality features, a mix of original tales, and now infamous adaptations of classic stories. Most film and animation historians would agree, that the "Golden Age" of Disney animated theatrical films, lasted from 1937, until probably into the 1960s, before Walt's death in late 1966. Among those "golden" classics, beyond the masterpiece that was Snow White, were <i>Pinocchio</i>, <i>Bambi</i>, <i>Fantasia</i>, <i>Alice in Wonderland</i>, <i>Peter Pan</i>, <i>Sleeping Beauty</i>, and <i>The Sword in The Stone.</i> And in all honesty, while Disney's 60s output was still fantastic, for a variety of reasons, the overall quality of art and animation itself, seemed to start gradually changing (and arguably dipping) after Beauty's release in 1959. From Snow White to Sleeping Beauty, there was a premium by the studio, put on having these animated classics be as technically advanced and beautiful as possible. But starting with 1961's <i>One Hundred and One Dalmatians</i>, there was a very noticeable shift in the look of their movies. </p><p>It would not be fair, nor correct, to say that the art or animation became POOR. Not by a long stretch. But comparing Beauty to Dalmatians, there is, however, a stark contrast in style. The biggest factor, as I understand it, was a major shift in animation technology, as while in the previous 16 films, Disney animators had applied ink to each individual cells (or frames) of animation by hand, with Dalmatians they began using Xerox methods to copy drawings to cells instead. This saved them a lot of time, and subsequently a lot of production cost. Apparently Beauty had been so expensive to make, that if they hadn't come up with the Xerox method, they would not have been able to afford to keep making animated films.<br /><br /> So it IS accurate to state that this was a literally cheaper method of animation, though it would still be unfair to state that the animation was now "cheap". It was, however, as previously stated, notably different. The films from Dalmatian onward tended to have a "grainier" look to them, I find. And most noticeable, the films started employing, for whatever reason, very visible black outlines around characters and objects. The background art also, for the most part, started being less "picturesque", and more stylized, less realistic. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1GaXadsG4KP2rKbBxmvi4zuXhDdPBwZ12RyXQOcHEl4nhQKU_ej0hZVTGBcwJAPSbrjIiyZz_496hucnwK9unmDaOrWdv0BUNgD8ORHEuKjQMCsBHKZVQa6TLnPTeW4Oi9Ilgc8kRTQ/s970/Art.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="970" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1GaXadsG4KP2rKbBxmvi4zuXhDdPBwZ12RyXQOcHEl4nhQKU_ej0hZVTGBcwJAPSbrjIiyZz_496hucnwK9unmDaOrWdv0BUNgD8ORHEuKjQMCsBHKZVQa6TLnPTeW4Oi9Ilgc8kRTQ/w400-h245/Art.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black outlines, simpler drawings and backgrounds.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>That is not to say, by any means, that the art or animation didn't still have great moments and great beauty. But it would also be dishonest and disingenuous for even the most ardent Disney fan, to not acknowledge that there was a definite drop off, from the 50s to the 60s. 1967's <i>The Jungle Book</i>, was the final animated feature in production before Walt died. Two more features, 1970's <i>The Aristocats</i> and 1973's <i>Robin Hood</i>, would be produced before their animation department essentially took a hiatus. For what it's worth, both Cats and Hood, are still great movies in their own right. Deservedly remembered as classics. But it is also undeniable, again, that the overall quality continued to erode. Most people, of course, are keenly aware of the so-called "Disney Renaissance", which began with 1989's The Little Mermaid, and lasted until, more or less, the early 2000s (before traditionally animated theatrical features sadly faded away in the United States). That era saw a major resurgence in more elaborate and more expensive art and animation. No more black lines, no more "lesser" looking animation or scenery.</p><p>But in-BETWEEN that Golden/Silver era, and the 90s "Renaissance", was a whole other era of Disney animation. An era less talked about, less known about, and in some circles, much less highly regarded. Unfairly so, I might interject. And it is that era, and more specifically one film in particular from that era, that I'm here to talk about. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd1LL0ew6KDf6b7Hop94V1dF3J8qRWBhPXVmf0TgzcWj9PdNEH4Gd9xd38scemRnfloDeKwUUVWu0TiCdSs-WbcKusHnbIqb6gw9SHswbp0NnsxHtdAie8k7JGalVWDEqb5hOnMLxev8s/s538/Rescue.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="538" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd1LL0ew6KDf6b7Hop94V1dF3J8qRWBhPXVmf0TgzcWj9PdNEH4Gd9xd38scemRnfloDeKwUUVWu0TiCdSs-WbcKusHnbIqb6gw9SHswbp0NnsxHtdAie8k7JGalVWDEqb5hOnMLxev8s/w400-h256/Rescue.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Rescuers.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>For the purpose of convenience, if we're going to refer to the 1937-1959, pre-Xerox period of Disney animated films as the "Golden Age", and thus let's call the following 1961-1973 period the "Silver Age", then it only stands to reason, continuing to follow that comic book convention, that we refer to the period I'm here to talk about, as the "Bronze Age". First and foremost, it bears pointing out that there was what I consider one "In-Between" film, a leftover from the "Silver Age", that was released in early 1977, <i>The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh</i>. This is a splendid film, one of their stronger works in fact. But it is also an anthology release, with a bit of new material made to connect three previously released Winnie the Pooh short films, into one "cohesive" story. The film that I consider to be the true start of the so-called Disney "Bronze Age", also released just a few months later, in the summer of 1977, was film seen above, <i>The Rescuers</i>. </p><p>While it absolutely still had some involvement (in some cases brought out of retirement), of some of the original "Nine Old Men" of Disney's animators, Rescuers also was significant for employing many new animators, among them and most influential on this particular project, Gary Goldman and most especially Don Bluth. Those names are, of course, important, because a couple years after the release of Rescuers, dissatisfied with how then-current Disney did things on the animated front, they along with many other animators, walked out and formed their own studio. Bluth films would go on to dominate much of the 1980s, not to mention shaping the animation landscape, but we're getting a bit ahead of ourselves. As far as Rescuers itself goes, while it clearly still made prominent use of "Silver Age" trademarks like black outlines and simpler backgrounds, it was also, I think, quite a bit more stylized and experimental in certain ways, compared to those earlier movies. Looking at Rescuers, and Don Bluth's later directed films (he only animated here), I think his influence is quite clear, and the film was all the better for it. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzETsdCSwaq_azlIdc-DhdWGkliqxL9baEWRVWAKjyAc4WiPou36dJ7OEUuLk_eny-57eQ8y1sTKVFnHKHx5RVTifM5uU8ahG6llFO9l2Y4FH4PVo8o_eBgVokpG_mx3N7VofS_Am1TlM/s1280/NIMH.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzETsdCSwaq_azlIdc-DhdWGkliqxL9baEWRVWAKjyAc4WiPou36dJ7OEUuLk_eny-57eQ8y1sTKVFnHKHx5RVTifM5uU8ahG6llFO9l2Y4FH4PVo8o_eBgVokpG_mx3N7VofS_Am1TlM/w400-h225/NIMH.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The future?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>One thing that Bluth was most passionate about, beyond wanting a return to the higher standards of art and animation practices of those early "Golden Age" days, was, in a way at least, to "treat animation more seriously". Meaning, at least earlier in his career, Don Bluth firmly believed that not only should "cartoon movies" not be made strictly with children in mind, but that (much like Jim Henson believed), children could not only handle more somewhat darker and more serious fare, but that they would even like it! On that token, I think that Walt Disney himself must have had similar feelings once upon a time, as when you look at the early feature-length output in that "Golden" era, the likes of Snow White, Pinocchio, Bambi, Fantasia, Alice, etc., those were all actually rather dark in their own way, and at times quite somber and serious in tone. <i>The Rescuers</i>, I feel, hearkened back to this kind of tone, as it is definitely a darker and more somber film than the company's several previous outings. </p><p>Bluth, Goldman and company walked out during the production of Disney's next "Bronze Age" picture, which was <i>The Fox and The Hound</i>, a story aimed at children, but also dealing with many harsh and sobering facts of life, and nature. I don't think that Bluth had any issue with the content of Fox, but rather, he strongly disliked Disney's then-current method of doing things, how they went about producing animation. His group would eventually themselves produce the masterpiece you see above, <i>The Secret of NIMH</i>, a decidedly "anti-Disney" style of animated film. It was dark, it had many "scary" moments for children, it had zero song-and-dance scenes, and it tackled some pretty serious, fairly heavy and "grown up" subject matter. Yet it was a modest success, and on a personal note, one of my very favorite childhood films (and still to this day remains one of my top favorite animated films of all time). Ironically, the next project that Disney would tackle after Fox, would be far more like NIMH, far more Bluth-esque and "anti-Disney", than I think anyone would have ever expected. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uSmaSyCvSrlgJIfupoUS1xELJSpVkrsl3GVhNKwlbs1IF3QhccM2JVnlZyc2_wqKd_6nnFZzRFyhZyctMmtMwMwLKY7yFwcxfZ6BzWyIesyEnJcITop8K3mjNh58t7dFTbT9xN4fi4Q/s1286/Pryddain.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="853" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uSmaSyCvSrlgJIfupoUS1xELJSpVkrsl3GVhNKwlbs1IF3QhccM2JVnlZyc2_wqKd_6nnFZzRFyhZyctMmtMwMwLKY7yFwcxfZ6BzWyIesyEnJcITop8K3mjNh58t7dFTbT9xN4fi4Q/w265-h400/Pryddain.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Source.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVssfHlnD3yRSGiWQwvR-DDax4bxs9bQM6zpDia4iCqNk3f3gPF6O0XGlTnUczL0SXxd-KW2_snXTnsHSuw9eebm8UQ_IlnH3ALJCWt7nQcXesced8bSF79Ajy42oxhRlBF5I1lp2lZp4/s755/Heroes.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="755" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVssfHlnD3yRSGiWQwvR-DDax4bxs9bQM6zpDia4iCqNk3f3gPF6O0XGlTnUczL0SXxd-KW2_snXTnsHSuw9eebm8UQ_IlnH3ALJCWt7nQcXesced8bSF79Ajy42oxhRlBF5I1lp2lZp4/w400-h275/Heroes.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Heroes.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>All the way back in 1973, the year of the last true "Silver Age" release, in fact, Disney was chasing after the rights to a series of fantasy novels by author Lloyd Alexander, called "The Chronicles of Prydain". Full of stories and characters heavily steeped in Welsh culture and Celtic mythology, these were epic tales of sword and sorcery, seemingly right up Disney's alley. But after taking most of the decade trying to develop the story into a "workable idea" for a feature film, and then after the animator walk-out during production on Fox and Hound, the movie that would come to be known as <i>The Black Cauldron</i> was pushed back to a 1984 release. Many new faces would be working on this epic project, one of whom was named Tim Burton, who had previously done some animation work on Fox and a little flick known as <i>Tron</i>. While his tenure on the production of Cauldron wasn't long, he did do some conceptual character art for the film.<br /></p><p>Now it needs to be acknowledged up front, after all of my prattling about animation history, where it concerns Cauldron as a film, that it is widely, and I would personally add QUITE unfairly, considered by many film buffs to be "the film that almost killed Disney". It's also considered by many, again unjustly, to be one of the "worst films Disney ever made". The first claim, I'm sorry to say, is at least PARTIALLY true, but we'll get into that in a moment. The latter, however, I would most strongly argue, could not be any further from the actual truth. The production of Cauldron was a rough and somewhat infamously difficult one. Not so much because of the animators or production crew themselves, but more because of the tumultuous times that Disney as a company was going through. In the early 80s, the Walt Disney Company had, in just a few years, not one, not two, but three different CEOs. It was a time of major uncertainty for the company, and especially its animation division, which was seen at the time as not nearly as profitable as it once was. And to top it all off, with Michael Eisner coming on board in 1984, he brought with him one Jeffrey Katzenberg, who was put in charge of Disney's film production. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZPI8Dcq0Ut2fb7nUVZnLb-OtfVOq-tYov8QT3TsXWgEwmjhZQ5x_8GDYNZ5vdgTeWx1Spta1ZzLjD05tApL7yj2a4shsI7onKamnuwVI46nMNoZsHfeJSThEBCcmduuhHdpe17bONRE/s512/Magic+Pig.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="512" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZPI8Dcq0Ut2fb7nUVZnLb-OtfVOq-tYov8QT3TsXWgEwmjhZQ5x_8GDYNZ5vdgTeWx1Spta1ZzLjD05tApL7yj2a4shsI7onKamnuwVI46nMNoZsHfeJSThEBCcmduuhHdpe17bONRE/w400-h245/Magic+Pig.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fearful omens...<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The production of Cauldron had a lot of issues before Katzenberg came on board, with various names either being removed or voluntarily removing themselves. There were also various "cooks in the kitchen" over time, and thus some serious conflict in just what the tone and direction of the film should be. But ultimately, it was Katzenberg, one man, who I think had the most detrimental impact on the movie's possibility for success. After seeing the final print, and feeling it was "too scary for children" etc., he personally edited a whopping 12 minutes from the movie. And it was already finished when he did this, mind you. It was pushed back from its December 1984 release date, all the way to summer of 1985. And while perhaps nothing major was cut in his editing rampage, it still had an adverse effect on the final product, especially the climax. </p><p>All that said, I want to be perfectly clear about something. <i>The Black Cauldron</i>, as a movie, is NOT a "bad" film. Not even remotely close. In point of fact, while I'll elaborate more in a bit, I personally consider it one of the best animated features Disney has ever produced, and yes that really is saying something. It is hardly a "perfect" picture. Fans of the books would swiftly point out that while it draws its material from the first two books in the Prydain series, that it is not especially accurate to them, instead telling its own story "inspired by", really. Disney fans would also, somewhat rightly, point out that Cauldron absolutely is the "red-headed step-child" of their animated feature catalogue. As stated before, a very a-typical, in many ways "anti-Disney" Disney film. But none of that, in this man's estimation, makes it a "BAD" movie, at all.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHpOt5ZoJ01A6smr8-qdBHnlXFV10IDEZnWfm0Pe4TSoh-a5s3OUA7dPEww4O3Ww6_14MjOZ4TQjSjDi5UJAKt0wiCoYcGm3_VcJLRpEXuTpCrKvEe-ZR874vzGnzcf5fq1q3FGflt4o/s1024/Ellonwy+and+Orb.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1024" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHpOt5ZoJ01A6smr8-qdBHnlXFV10IDEZnWfm0Pe4TSoh-a5s3OUA7dPEww4O3Ww6_14MjOZ4TQjSjDi5UJAKt0wiCoYcGm3_VcJLRpEXuTpCrKvEe-ZR874vzGnzcf5fq1q3FGflt4o/w400-h301/Ellonwy+and+Orb.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eilonwy and her magic Orb.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The story the movie tells, in a nutshell, is that the land of Prydain has been besieged by war, from the forces of the powerful and mysterious Horned King. He seeks an ancient artifact known as the Black Cauldron, so that he might use it to raise an army of undead called the "Cauldron Born", soldiers who cannot be killed, to finally conquer the kingdom. The enchanter, Dallben, who is responsible among other things for the care of a special pig, Hen Wen, who can produce visions, fears that the Horned King seeks his pig, to use it in finding the Cauldron. Also in Dallben's care, is his assistant, a farm boy named Taran who dreams of being a great and heroic warrior. The old man charges Taran with hiding with Hen Wen in the forest, until he comes for them, hoping that will keep her from the Horned King's clutches. But his dragons find the pig anyway, when Taran was day-dreaming carelessly, and take her away. It is then up to Taran, with new friends he makes along the way, to try and get Hen Wen back before the worst is realized. </p><p>I have heard it said that this film, among its other perceived faults, has a "weak story" compared to other Disney classics. A claim that I find to be laughable, considering that, even though it deviates from its source material (as many Disney films do anyway), Cauldron's plot is actually, while straight-forward, pretty unique. You don't often run across stories about undead wizards seeking undead armies, and prophetic pigs and mystic cauldrons. I have also seen it said that this film, unlike many other Disney classics, has "weak characters", which I also find to be rather dubious. Quite frankly, I would contend that The Black Cauldron has stronger and more interesting characters that many of Disney's highly praised masterpieces. Taran himself is a bit of a cliched "well meaning bungler who must grow up and realize his potential" type of hero, yes, but he's still a charming and relatable character. Eilonwy, while indeed an initially kidnapped princess, is hardly a mere "damsel in distress", rather being portrayed as fairly equal to Taran in the story. The goofy bard Fflewddur Fflam, whose lute always seems to bust a string whenever he's being less than honest, is good comic relief, as well as a wizened adult voice to help temper the youthful heroes. The fairy Doli, is an a-typically grumpy and stern, but likeable ally. And last but not least, Gurgi the...creature, is an all at once cowardly wretch of a sneak thief, but also a lovable (and apparently stinky) loyal friend. I actually think of all the characters, Gurgi undergoes the most growth throughout the story. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIcity-jmpmRaiwP9xZl9MNVV_EPivIDL0GNOujY3HQB2YBrE6Z8U2bahs7zTnK14ev-l6F55C3hx4J0GjrR-Xos7fxli2YG-_Igr6Omn2alnXBo92_ZjhUIMJoGYm80FEY0Xz1R_yQIw/s1350/Horned.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="975" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIcity-jmpmRaiwP9xZl9MNVV_EPivIDL0GNOujY3HQB2YBrE6Z8U2bahs7zTnK14ev-l6F55C3hx4J0GjrR-Xos7fxli2YG-_Igr6Omn2alnXBo92_ZjhUIMJoGYm80FEY0Xz1R_yQIw/w289-h400/Horned.jpg" width="289" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Big Bad.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURbNmT_xCEQx3Y3YwVZilpbtTmav1nrG4fRX_9ndFmpjNMTMQQdso0O9DHk_nYnrA3wA1fzQXhq6zeKG94eZVI5qu_P96AG2TaE8Qyend3GDuwpgStJLR2CIgGyRIvSEEWIcLdihxXW8/s959/Magic.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="959" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURbNmT_xCEQx3Y3YwVZilpbtTmav1nrG4fRX_9ndFmpjNMTMQQdso0O9DHk_nYnrA3wA1fzQXhq6zeKG94eZVI5qu_P96AG2TaE8Qyend3GDuwpgStJLR2CIgGyRIvSEEWIcLdihxXW8/w400-h284/Magic.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fearsome Foe.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOdMFUMigh3G3RJ3UOfvt0Ohwe9T5yuQpxibFPxH_3sR358dHJ4NWwsN1hzcrTfns-ufYxHUFPvDtApPO5aNL3ynnEkO6a7fsozDriHLJsLCqBudarr2v4Qe0VMassmV4dLOOkMYegO8/s1000/Creeper.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="1000" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOdMFUMigh3G3RJ3UOfvt0Ohwe9T5yuQpxibFPxH_3sR358dHJ4NWwsN1hzcrTfns-ufYxHUFPvDtApPO5aNL3ynnEkO6a7fsozDriHLJsLCqBudarr2v4Qe0VMassmV4dLOOkMYegO8/w400-h339/Creeper.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "loyal" minion.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Of course no hero can be great, without a great villain, and Black Cauldron provides no exception. I would say, hands down, that the Horned King is the most fearsome, and certainly scariest baddie of the Disney lot. Having never read the books, I have to trust the internet when it tells me that, apparently, The Horned King is not any one direct character from the source material, but rather something of a mishmash of villains. Or if you prefer, more of an original Disney creation, in a very real sense, and in THAT light, I think one of their best. It doesn't get much more intimidating than a dude who is basically an undead, skeletal wraith himself. And voice actor John Hurt, who had previously voiced the heroic Aragorn in the 1978 <i>Lord of the Rings </i>film, does a marvelously sinister job, making the Horned One sound rather otherworldly. And no great villain is complete without a memorable minion, to which the king has Creeper, a pint-sized goblin, who seemingly lives to serve, yet also seems like he'd bolt if only he thought he could get away with it. </p><p>The point being, that the movie is full of memorable and charming characters, including the likes of the jovial Fairy King Eidelleg, as well as the sinister yet self-serving three witch sisters straight out of Shakespearean myth, Orddu, Orgoch and Orwen. Not to mention Hen Wen the pig herself, who, while she has no lines, beyond her prophetic abilities, is quite emotive and endearing. <br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHPJ-O9p7hE7tx-RcMXDHg0ZlNTQe4ixo2atBCYxz3i9HHB5YcGvWg98prktSUqB-PLH44iwmBeXty-_2iCDFNLtKwFzRn92wRngQw9IHeWC0UuqPBL5916qhf3U5VMczYp9NIw3N5QI/s755/Witches.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="755" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHPJ-O9p7hE7tx-RcMXDHg0ZlNTQe4ixo2atBCYxz3i9HHB5YcGvWg98prktSUqB-PLH44iwmBeXty-_2iCDFNLtKwFzRn92wRngQw9IHeWC0UuqPBL5916qhf3U5VMczYp9NIw3N5QI/w400-h191/Witches.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Witches.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqprlt0bdcSF1DUoOExxt2ysO203lxiDsrgPHZU6SMCZBKoIEmnM1WhZXCGgIaamZCWNyEtcUFNpZkysl6oXThB8n24NeZ7SMiKCxTDI6GnQUv_okxspJBnIIFw7Tv7t20pgEUOXwlIY/s1200/Fflam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="919" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqprlt0bdcSF1DUoOExxt2ysO203lxiDsrgPHZU6SMCZBKoIEmnM1WhZXCGgIaamZCWNyEtcUFNpZkysl6oXThB8n24NeZ7SMiKCxTDI6GnQUv_okxspJBnIIFw7Tv7t20pgEUOXwlIY/w306-h400/Fflam.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bard.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcflYzV7HOCVWKyDUmkHuiV3jkSCRoQP6Fgk_kSJ99HgP04TavlMIhNatxLdiHknU1ltK_8qXRfPQppOBcrS6Lzlj97CJX6adctQsG3GOEZpayeuPM06gIX_x7lzJBfssBvthNVjFQK2I/s497/Gurgi.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="497" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcflYzV7HOCVWKyDUmkHuiV3jkSCRoQP6Fgk_kSJ99HgP04TavlMIhNatxLdiHknU1ltK_8qXRfPQppOBcrS6Lzlj97CJX6adctQsG3GOEZpayeuPM06gIX_x7lzJBfssBvthNVjFQK2I/w400-h289/Gurgi.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gurgi the Great.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I did not, thanks to Disney's own idiotic lack of foresight, get to see this film as a child, and I really wish I had been able to. I SHOULD have been able to, and I'm certain I would have adored it, just as I adored other "dark" 80s kids movies like <i>The Dark Crystal</i>, <i>The Secret of NIMH</i>, and <i>The Land Before Time</i>. The reason I didn't get to, is because the film bombed at the box office, in large part I feel, due to Disney's own mismanagement and mis-marketing of it. But also due to some kind of public perception at the time that it was "too dark for a Disney movie". Which is sad, because OTHER "dark" kids or family films did well in theaters, in the 80s. But worse, because of this, and I suppose not yet understanding just how big of business home video could be yet, Disney decided to NOT release the movie on VHS at any point in the 80s, in fact not releasing it on home video at all until 1998. It also was never shown on television, on The Disney Channel, which meant that if you were like me, and didn't get to see it when it was out in 1985, then you were shit out of luck. I literally had to wait until I was around 16, perhaps nearly 17 years old, before I could finally watch this movie. <br /><br />And it's funny, because at the time it finally released so I could rent it, I really didn't have much idea at all about its apparently "infamous" stature, that it was "the film that almost killed Disney", etc. To elaborate on that a bit, this movie at its time of release, was the single most expensive animated movie ever produced. And if you ask me, it shows, as it is a massive step up from that (still great) "Silver Age" fare, or even from <i>The Rescuers</i> or <i>The Fox and The Hound</i>, in the visual department. The animation in this movie is top notch, and the artwork in general is downright gorgeous. Its one of the best looking animated films ever produced, flat out. It was also the first time Disney used CGI in one of their animated features, though I'm sure the long production time didn't help the inflated budget. Either way, it probably wound up costing way more than it should have, and even though they already had their next animated movie in somewhat concurrent production, this movie losing money like it did, "put the future of Disney's animated division in serious doubt". It isn't that this movie literally would have killed Disney the company. I'm sure they would have soldiered on with live action flicks, their theme parks, The Disney Channel, etc. But I suppose it's possible that they could have been REALLY stupid in overreacting to Cauldron's U.S. box office, and decided to not release <i>The Great Mouse Detective </i>the following year. </p><p>For what it's worth, Cauldron did well in certain other markets, such as France, where it apparently did good business. It was mainly the United Stated/North American market that for whatever dumb reasons, didn't go see it in droves. And again, the thing is, I don't believe that Cauldron failed because it was "dark". Not simply on that fact alone. Don Bluth went on to have MASSIVE success with "darker", more serious animated fare, such as <i>An American Tale</i> and <i>The Land Before Time</i>, within the same time frame, from the same audiences. So either Americans really were holding Disney itself to a silly double-standard, or I don't know...maybe Disney really did mismanage the film's release. What I do know, is that I hardly think the content of the movie itself, can truly be blamed for its lack of monetary success. And while not AS much so, Disney's following 80s movies, Mouse Detective and <i>Oliver & Company</i>, had similarly darker tones, but found at least moderate success themselves. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkZEMCo3bhfqvXat0WAEfauHUKcRzQeoGCjc7zoff6t_W-nu4vKqKYVyHmWEUOWwNSVYlTo4QUmUE309SMA0JLa1o3NwoOMsl3wgIauJaIkP7dBv5wfNJe39GHyCn74O3QXkYbjYP7VI/s989/Cauldron.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="989" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkZEMCo3bhfqvXat0WAEfauHUKcRzQeoGCjc7zoff6t_W-nu4vKqKYVyHmWEUOWwNSVYlTo4QUmUE309SMA0JLa1o3NwoOMsl3wgIauJaIkP7dBv5wfNJe39GHyCn74O3QXkYbjYP7VI/w400-h291/Cauldron.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cauldron in Question.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZQsjWzhwfosRgCObFvfb90In8vyu6S8tdfm5IZibh_3m1HmGuvaxn0ab68_sQJ9ONy6y3i5kkL71PqO2R4xiMmn-VOhc4HOJTUmXKtNkGXXIL64vSiDsxcLo_1WJy9D4KZiqGrekD8c/s480/The+Dead.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZQsjWzhwfosRgCObFvfb90In8vyu6S8tdfm5IZibh_3m1HmGuvaxn0ab68_sQJ9ONy6y3i5kkL71PqO2R4xiMmn-VOhc4HOJTUmXKtNkGXXIL64vSiDsxcLo_1WJy9D4KZiqGrekD8c/w400-h300/The+Dead.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creepy dudes.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I would hardly go so far as to try and argue that this film doesn't have flaws. In fact with the nature of the production, and the 12 minute hack-job, it was inevitable that it would have some. However, I would argue that the movie does not have any GLARING flaws, and I do feel fairly justified in considering Cauldron to be, in spite of the production, one of Disney's strongest works. I believe it really deserves a second chance by audiences, and a more sincere reconsideration on its merits as a movie. Because it really is a great piece of work, beautiful to look at, interesting story, compelling and likable characters, scary bad guy, dark and creepy atmosphere but genuinely funny moments of levity. It has very solid writing, good acting, with voices by veteran character actors like Freddie Jones, Nigel Hawthorne, John Hurt, and Phil Fondacaro (not to mention narration by the great John Huston). A very nice score by Elmer Bernstein. And in spite of the stupid cuts, good flow, as the story really doesn't drag at any point. <br /></p><p>This film really doesn't come up sorely lacking in any area. And I think if more people gave it a genuinely fair shake, public opinion of it would improve dramatically. This film suffers mostly from what I fully consider to be a poor reputation, dating all the way back to 1985, its financial failure, and Disney's stupid decision not to release it on VHS. If they had done just that one thing, I earnestly believe that it would have become a hit on home video (as many movies that didn't initially do well in theaters did), and people would consider it a cult classic. What's more, as an aside, while I like <i>The Lion King</i>, and love <i>Aladdin</i>, overall I like the "Bronze Age" output more than the revered "Renaissance" output that followed it. Rescuers, Fox & Hound, Black Cauldron, Mouse Detective, and Oliver & Company, that's a pretty damn strong lineup if you ask me. <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEACpZY8FjO2MvEfKNLe0X0KhrmXyiH3wVo8dYqfKPgyqr6Skt55_Pppo4-HmDgUHnj_WGgJctnp8vs0COvx-OY0awpb-iCCU6waAwHJLBthd7uW_iljt82M81WGNKdojlOm5IVg2rrg/s900/The+Sword.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEACpZY8FjO2MvEfKNLe0X0KhrmXyiH3wVo8dYqfKPgyqr6Skt55_Pppo4-HmDgUHnj_WGgJctnp8vs0COvx-OY0awpb-iCCU6waAwHJLBthd7uW_iljt82M81WGNKdojlOm5IVg2rrg/w400-h266/The+Sword.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magic swords are pretty much always awesome.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaOxT177Ydd9WVfjMVUAzaAbpDiynyHZpLsIxvUedoI7n04Vq1qpN0Bu-SySF0g_n_y6mP0NJeWgKvxOACzLJyFUhVoNst4jKUCpPyCLgHdFJ_xmHna-nDF-hjCvQ5riWqpFMUtDBxnU/s631/poor+gurgi.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="631" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaOxT177Ydd9WVfjMVUAzaAbpDiynyHZpLsIxvUedoI7n04Vq1qpN0Bu-SySF0g_n_y6mP0NJeWgKvxOACzLJyFUhVoNst4jKUCpPyCLgHdFJ_xmHna-nDF-hjCvQ5riWqpFMUtDBxnU/w400-h278/poor+gurgi.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The most poignant moment in the movie.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>For me personally, to tell the truth, when I did finally first get to see this in my teens, for whatever silly reasons, I seem to vaguely recall not being that into it. I couldn't tell you why, now, though I can say that I did the same thing on initial viewings at that age of several OTHER movies I would go on to absolutely love. But when I gave it another chance myself, years later, in my 20s, I did fall in love with it. My reasons for liking it so much, and coming to regard it so highly, I suppose you could say are varied. For one thing, I'm huge into mythology and folklore in general, especially Celtic stuff. I grew up a massive monster nut, as many of you know, and usually gravitated towards anything that had monsters, or magic, and cool adventures in general. And this movie has all of that. So it definitely appeals to the kid in me, who somehow magically hasn't fully died over my crappy adult lifetime. </p><p>But it also has things that appeal to the cerebral adult in me. Such as the relationship between Taran and Eilonwy. I love the fact that she isn't a helpless or airheaded damsel. In fact when he first meets her, she is showing initiative, finding her way out of her captor's dungeon. If it weren't for her, Taran might not have escaped himself. I'm less a sucker for the stereotypical "strong, independent female" (though I do like such characters a lot, when done RIGHT), than I am a total sucker for the kind of relationship between a hero and heroin, that is totally equal, as in they need each other, have to rely on each other, and wind up saving each other. Which Taran and Eilonwy definitely do. In fact, of the four main heroes of the story, all of them get their moments to shine, their times to be brave, and to matter. You don't always get that with stories, let alone movies. And while it's major *SPOILERS*, as the picture above hints, possibly the strongest moment in the entire film, is when Taran is going to sacrifice himself to the Cauldron to stop the Cauldron Born, but previously cowardly Gurgi stops him, insisting that Taran matters more, and opting to himself jump to his doom instead. Naturally, in the end they get Gurgi back, but it is still a super poignant, tear-jerking kind of moment. *END SPOILERS* <br /><br />So as I often end these pieces by saying, if you have never seen this movie, or haven't seen it in a long time, do me a favor, do yourself a favor...hell, do the MOVIE a favor, and give it a first/second/whatever chance. It really is a great, super underrated work, and I really do believe, in its own way, a bit of a masterpiece. The Black Cauldron is a very good movie, at the least, and I truly feel that it deserves to be recognized as such, after all this time. </p><p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvw-lh1WTHcSknUTwuAwCm2Q_mTteCf9GVk18AYV3PzHLIDfqTqYh3TTZGtrwCUPHeribdQ3oKKTHh1RlDRvR-IKpECQFRqUx2OXIC_x7fE5P9plwnaXgEL7O8EcMx4knvPumSIOD6Fg/s667/Hugs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="667" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvw-lh1WTHcSknUTwuAwCm2Q_mTteCf9GVk18AYV3PzHLIDfqTqYh3TTZGtrwCUPHeribdQ3oKKTHh1RlDRvR-IKpECQFRqUx2OXIC_x7fE5P9plwnaXgEL7O8EcMx4knvPumSIOD6Fg/w400-h203/Hugs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-46343589689986265352021-05-31T19:30:00.001-07:002021-05-31T19:30:58.833-07:00Godzilla Chronicles: Godzilla vs. Gigan<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJFwKLbUEXU7T94PX1WlfeHhMaDYEStWJsYA-Kqo7qMvlHORjQL6Ys1zfoSh01aTUinxYkNz038MkbS4YjREYnIGRnGe3a-0sZ5Xw4ylbfCQcfQPdX0gQzjzznPrQ126IXapyV7JvFT8/s1600/Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1117" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJFwKLbUEXU7T94PX1WlfeHhMaDYEStWJsYA-Kqo7qMvlHORjQL6Ys1zfoSh01aTUinxYkNz038MkbS4YjREYnIGRnGe3a-0sZ5Xw4ylbfCQcfQPdX0gQzjzznPrQ126IXapyV7JvFT8/w446-h640/Poster.jpg" width="446" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>We have now reached the 13th entry in this fantastic little side series! In the last Chronicle, we kicked off the 1970s, with THE weirdest, but also one of the best Godzilla films, <i>Godzilla vs. Hedorah</i>, aka <i><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/09/gozilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-smog.html">Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster</a></i>! Well buckle up, because while nothing can QUITE match that film, the weirdness of the 70s never lets up....</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqy1d6XdmmVV4ccwOaoT7sqzj6DDLeHSpd3qyvoJquD28rg7hmV01rBQ3_u0EpGn0up_R4zqziKjUWiyugOKQYRqXLWGIjQgpcUiar7J0jatnqUbA618E9HN-vO-Xfqj5iiygYYJgpn14/s500/Monster+Island.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="320" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqy1d6XdmmVV4ccwOaoT7sqzj6DDLeHSpd3qyvoJquD28rg7hmV01rBQ3_u0EpGn0up_R4zqziKjUWiyugOKQYRqXLWGIjQgpcUiar7J0jatnqUbA618E9HN-vO-Xfqj5iiygYYJgpn14/w410-h640/Monster+Island.jpg" width="410" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MAN, that diet has really worked wonders...<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>When I first encountered this film as part of <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/10/childhood-memories-monstervision.html">TNT's MonsterVision</a>, specifically as one of their "Godzilla Bash" marathons, it was called <i>Godzilla on Monster Island</i>. Which was apparently the US title it was given when it got brought over. An odd thing, too, because while yes, Godzilla DOES appear on Monster Island (first introduced in <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/09/godzilla-chronicles-destroy-all-monsters.html"><i>Destroy All Monsters</i></a>), that title makes it sound as if it's the focus of the story, which of course it isn't. The proper title, which I suppose is a major spoiler for the new monster in the mix, is <i>Godzilla vs. Gigan</i>. </p><p>My thoughts/feelings on this movie upon first seeing it then, at age 12 or 13 in the mid 90s, besides of course being excited just to SEE more Godzilla films, was kind of mixed. On the one hand, it had King Ghidorah back, who always makes a great villain, and a new addition I'd actually already seen in Gigan, due to having already owned the following movie in the series, <i>Godzilla vs. Megalon</i>, on VHS tape. It ALSO had Anguirus, who would go on to become my 2nd favorite Toho Daikaiju behind Godzilla himself, but I'll get more into that a bit later. </p><p>On the OTHER hand, it also had a weird ass plot, and even from my more limited experience (not having been able to see films like <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/08/godzilla-chronicles-ghidorah-three.html"><i>Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster</i></a> and <i>Destroy All Monsters</i> yet), I could still tell, at least to a point, that this movie made some liberal use of stock footage from older movies. However, considering that the story basically sets up a big monster tag-team match, I'm sure that my overall experience was enjoyment. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIr9bJ5172HZ23HY52Qozjw-6buHyONFGFD4bowPQAh7srPItprHy-G6oAWPiMm9PCq5Pi7d6aPbR2R6ClgAr1adT3dVSt7r6kjhVxrzlUTeGtFVtqSlgIs4Y4Q_lNFL0wvNtHsN-Wqaw/s1600/Laser.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIr9bJ5172HZ23HY52Qozjw-6buHyONFGFD4bowPQAh7srPItprHy-G6oAWPiMm9PCq5Pi7d6aPbR2R6ClgAr1adT3dVSt7r6kjhVxrzlUTeGtFVtqSlgIs4Y4Q_lNFL0wvNtHsN-Wqaw/w400-h225/Laser.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dental hygiene is very important! <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Speaking of the plot, here it is in a nutshell. This dude, Gengo Kotaka, is a manga artist. He's trying to sell his (admittedly goofy) new kaiju creations, like Mamagon the monster of strict mothers, to manga outlets. Having no luck, he instead finds himself drawing interest from another, unexpected group. The fine folks at World Children's Land, a new theme-park dedicated to "World Peace", and featuring the wonderful Godzilla Tower you can see above, claim to like his work, and want him to do designs for their park. But of course, along the way, he begins to suspect that there's more to his new employers than is readily apparent. </p><p>He bumps into a strange girl, running away from building security, and recovers a tape reel that she drops in her haste. Later encountering the girl, named Machiko Shima, again, and her goofy hippy friend Shosaku, they try to "stick him up" to get the tape back, with what turns out to be just a foil-wrapped corn on the cob, but he believes it to be a gun and faints. They take him back to (I'm assuming) Shosaku's apartment, and explain the truth to him: that Machiko's brother Takashi Shima, is an engineer who works for World Children's Land, but disappeared several days before. </p><p>This ultimately leads the trio, joined by Gengo's somewhat bossy (yet martial arts bad ass) girlfriend Tomoko, to run afoul of the WCL people, as they begin to learn too much of a developing and diabolical plot. Naturally, as became common for many of these late Showa Era Godzilla movies, the nogoodnicks are ACTUALLY aliens from outer space, this time some kind of giant cockroaches to be precise, and the Earth is just the place to be it seems, so like every OTHER no good alien in the galaxy, they want it for themselves! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEM38efggFVHHz0XsuuG8FDW4Xp8Zqru1S8rMplds38qNQ80OGROrn9B_v5OW8bK1uw2shftRrqVLrSRD3RQ1-m7HTBuFNg5-F7zjhKS2iTEv8AXPF6AcK92hw4DsCFeTC2_iZgEckguA/s885/Gigan+Group.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="885" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEM38efggFVHHz0XsuuG8FDW4Xp8Zqru1S8rMplds38qNQ80OGROrn9B_v5OW8bK1uw2shftRrqVLrSRD3RQ1-m7HTBuFNg5-F7zjhKS2iTEv8AXPF6AcK92hw4DsCFeTC2_iZgEckguA/w400-h328/Gigan+Group.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rumble of the century!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The aliens' dastardly plan, leads us to the thing we REALLY care about, which is the monster fights! Their big plan, is to use "Action Plan Tapes", to guide two awful space monsters to Earth, to wreck human civilization, so that the Roach Folks can take over. Since <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/05/godzilla-chronicles-invasion-of-astro.html"><i>Invasion of the Astro Monster</i></a>, every Alien-Come-Lately seems to just copy Planet X's idea, to control monsters to defeat and conquer Earth. Super lazy, right? Well this time, in addition to arguably Godzilla's most fearsome foe, King Ghidorah, returning in what would be his last Showa appearance (outside of a couple Zone Fighter TV episodes), this movie introduces us to another new monster, Gigan! </p><p>While not AS interesting or unique as Hedorah the Smog Monster, Gigan is still one of the more unique Godzilla enemies. He's basically a freaky alien cyborg...thing. As you can see above, he's got metal hook things for hands and feet, and a deadly SAW-BLADE in his belly! He also had fins on his back, which allow him to fly. So already, the alien tag-team has some major advantage over our Earth Boys, because they BOTH have deadly weapons, and BOTH can fly! </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJJp8RyZByD066_Ev0cKS9qhuhow8S6wovAS2ehiGT5UBF0kuqkLLEYgwFAmqHevRdVNPeWQh10T1CuZ6ahgn-yfKFC-lLfrzSqv7ux_Bq3x5GuDwHjkZW-XskPgd5Rj9Ho2PM_F8x9k/s602/Uh+Oh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="602" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJJp8RyZByD066_Ev0cKS9qhuhow8S6wovAS2ehiGT5UBF0kuqkLLEYgwFAmqHevRdVNPeWQh10T1CuZ6ahgn-yfKFC-lLfrzSqv7ux_Bq3x5GuDwHjkZW-XskPgd5Rj9Ho2PM_F8x9k/w400-h324/Uh+Oh.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They've got the G-Man on the ropes!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As for the fight itself, well, referring back to the stock footage comment from earlier, Toho around this time was having some financial trouble (the entire Japanese film industry was), and so they got cheap with their Godzilla flicks, more-so than ever. For one thing, they use quite a bit of stock footage from Ghidorah and Destroy, for "monsters destroying cities" and other various scenes. Secondly, after the special effects bonanza that was Destroy, Toho changed how they filmed the Godzilla movies. Before, they would have two main film units, one to film the monster scenes, and one to film the human footage. In the 70s, they now only had one production unit to film both, and less people working on the special effects. So Ghidorah, for example, in this film is less active, less head-movement, flying, etc, because there was less crew to operate all his parts. </p><p>Outside of that fact, the battle between the two teams is actually still fairly cool. Naturally, Godzilla's side is a bit undermanned, because poor Anguirus lacks any kind of beams or weapons, outside of the his spikes. But Godzilla's power, and Anguirus' fearlessness and determination, make up the difference, and stock footage aside, it's still a hell of a show! </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNXNB-RhAU1PDUxohO0cHodlkdt2mIoH2ElqgDBAP4KGsgvFr0-5kbYdEIP4jMeyazQ6TER6SboVvHFtUMEo5Qe-7AgYYlYIEBrKlv3ieBQOBTSOHHJkgYMnhYM7YLatJgEx8d6uMFyk/s1280/G+and+A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1280" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNXNB-RhAU1PDUxohO0cHodlkdt2mIoH2ElqgDBAP4KGsgvFr0-5kbYdEIP4jMeyazQ6TER6SboVvHFtUMEo5Qe-7AgYYlYIEBrKlv3ieBQOBTSOHHJkgYMnhYM7YLatJgEx8d6uMFyk/w400-h290/G+and+A.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The DREAM Team!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjW7oxhrYwEyF62Zx7n9MqTUKN88gyAMtcTiOhmxKiZnKjfDXnbLIdCDvCz4L9lXMNXj-1GI6Lp-TSknTCWoJN8MOhyQp7KhyphenhyphenWMj7GHTOptVb6RGCpenq8DdzbzXUDIz4ANfdaVcdm7w/s500/Gigan+vs.+Angy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="500" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjW7oxhrYwEyF62Zx7n9MqTUKN88gyAMtcTiOhmxKiZnKjfDXnbLIdCDvCz4L9lXMNXj-1GI6Lp-TSknTCWoJN8MOhyQp7KhyphenhyphenWMj7GHTOptVb6RGCpenq8DdzbzXUDIz4ANfdaVcdm7w/w400-h343/Gigan+vs.+Angy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Never tell Anguirus he can't hang with the Big Boys!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>And speaking of Anguirus, I feel the need to take some time to really elucidate just why I love and appreciate him so damn much. Originally appearing as Godzilla's first monster foe all the way back in 1955's <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/05/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-raids-again.html"><i>Godzilla Raids Again</i></a>, Anguirus has always been the underdog. He walks on all-fours, he has no beam or major weapon attacks. He's smaller than many other monsters. And I think for me, that's part of why I love him. What Anguirus lacks in size or raw power, he makes up for in spades with a ton of heart. He's got spunk, and I like that in a monster! </p><p> His back IS covered with a shell of razor sharp protective spikes, and he has claws, teeth, and some horns he doesn't make nearly enough use of. He has major appearances in only three Showa films, Raids, Destroy, and this film. Rodan got four appearances, Mothra also got four. King Ghidorah as a VILLAIN even got four. I think that Anguirus was perfectly deserving, and wish he would have gotten one more movie. Technically, he does have cameo appearances (one of which purely stock footage), in two following 70s films, but I don't count those. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2nLLU4kBH46XJxy85KA3INfLc6ip5xDJPXtwzqd5qjVeBN4mLM6VLH0rj2vZanF1q3drKEwc-R2ncNnyY712O_S-rR6ZXmk0h7jY40BTieUWuT09XNxBM2zYHD1TiA_g0jajmG6iHWbc/s1375/Angy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1375" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2nLLU4kBH46XJxy85KA3INfLc6ip5xDJPXtwzqd5qjVeBN4mLM6VLH0rj2vZanF1q3drKEwc-R2ncNnyY712O_S-rR6ZXmk0h7jY40BTieUWuT09XNxBM2zYHD1TiA_g0jajmG6iHWbc/w400-h279/Angy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How can you not love this face?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>But in spite of his lack of spotlight, I still grew to love this spiky brawler. In large part because of seeing this movie, actually. I owned Raids before I saw this, but in that he's Godzilla's enemy, who eventually gets trashed, because Godzilla is the fuckin' man. But in Gigan, he gets a spotlight as not only Godzilla's friend, but even something of Godzilla's EQUAL. And I like that. He's Godzilla's "Little Buddy", the Gilligan to Godzilla's Skipper, if you will. Though not as goofy and inept. </p><p>In all seriousness though, in the world of giant monsters, I think Anguirus does genuinely get passed over a lot, and is highly underappreciated. He didn't even get a single, not even cameo appearance in the entire Hesei (80s and 90s) series! And I strongly feel that he deserves more love and respect. He's a great monster, the small dog in the fight who doesn't know he's small, and what he lacks in "Wow Factor", he makes up for with moxy, and frankly, meanness! I mean the dude bit Ghidorah's NECK and hung the hell on when his foe flew into the air, in <i>Destroy All Monsters </i>(a scene that gets re-used in this, by the way)! He also gets a cool move in Gigan, where he is thrown spikes first at his enemy! </p><p> All in all, Angy (as his friends call him), is one rough and tumble monster. He's a loyal friend, and (in his later appearances) a staunch defender of the Earth from all bastard alien monsters! What's not to love? If Godzilla didn't hold a permanent nostalgic place in my heart as THE man, Anguirus would honestly be my pick for favorite monster, no joke. If Godzilla is the King of the Monsters, then Anguirus is the Prince!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSP_X28_TTUiQwo53btJyFjl5XVaHokXEDPU9uffFa1_K91XnQ-gA4OSfxKllbuhgeKLyn0OOxjDxxOkJOFB_hTZBnhdA41ii_lb29NNeAL8KGF2sXzH2Iuyk7QzA5ijZZEhOLuXDoXtI/s864/Gigan+Art.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="581" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSP_X28_TTUiQwo53btJyFjl5XVaHokXEDPU9uffFa1_K91XnQ-gA4OSfxKllbuhgeKLyn0OOxjDxxOkJOFB_hTZBnhdA41ii_lb29NNeAL8KGF2sXzH2Iuyk7QzA5ijZZEhOLuXDoXtI/w430-h640/Gigan+Art.png" width="430" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some incredible fan art of this tag match for the ages!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>In the grand scale of things, I would not put <i>Godzilla vs. Gigan</i> on my personal Top 5 Godzilla Films list. But it will always have a special place in my heart, purely for the fact that it gives Anguirus such a spotlight, and gives life to the relationship between he and Godzilla, as best pals, not mortal enemies. It wouldn't be one of my top recommendations to see for people who haven't seen any classic Godzilla movies. But it IS a worthwhile watch, stock-footage and all, because it's a fun brawl, at the end of the day. In my view, the 70s, with a couple exceptions, generally was a weaker period for Showa Godzilla than the 60s were, which was the franchise's height. But it still produced some worthwhile Godzilla moments, and this is one of them. In fact, if it wasn't FOR the stock-footage overuse, I would call it one of the strongest. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> *********************************</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p>I shall return with another Godzilla piece for you all, leading up to Halloween later this year!<br /></p><p>But for the time being, here is the
full list of Godzilla Chronicles articles, if you've missed any:<br /><br /><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/05/godzilla-chronicles-beginning.html">The Beginning</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2015/05/godzilla-chronicles-gojira-aka-godzilla.html">Gojira (aka Godzilla: King of the Monsters)</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/05/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-raids-again.html">Godzilla Raids Again</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/09/godzilla-chronicles-king-kong-vs.html">King Kong vs. Godzilla</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/05/godzilla-chronicles-mothra-vs-godzilla_28.html">Mothra vs. Godzilla</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">6. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/08/godzilla-chronicles-ghidorah-three.html">Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">7. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/05/godzilla-chronicles-invasion-of-astro.html">Invasion of the Astro Monster (aka Godzilla vs. Monster Zero)</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/08/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-sea.html">Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">9. <u><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/05/godzilla-chronicles-son-of-godzilla.html">Son of Godzilla</a></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">10. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/09/godzilla-chronicles-destroy-all-monsters.html">Destroy All Monsters</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">11. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/05/godzilla-chronicles-all-monsters-attack.html"><u>All Monsters Attack</u></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">12. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/09/gozilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-smog.html">Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster</a> <br /></span></p>Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-69780661097393633352021-03-22T04:44:00.003-07:002021-09-26T01:39:51.119-07:00The Soundtrack to Adventure: My Favorite Film Composers<p>I've been thinking about this one for a bit, and decided to finally "pull the trigger" on it. Anyone who has been following Retro Revelations for even awhile, knows by now that among other things, I am a massive film and animation buff. I've talked about many of my Top Favorite Movies of All Time (<a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2015/08/top-favorite-movies-of-all-time-pt-1.html" target="_blank">Part 1</a> & <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2015/09/top-favorite-movies-of-all-time-pt-2.html" target="_blank">Part 2</a>), though in 2021 I would revise it. All of the Top 10 films on the list would remain, though if you care to take a peak at my <a href="https://letterboxd.com/retrorevelation/list/top-favorite-films-of-all-time/" target="_blank">Letterboxd list</a>, you can see the updated order where I've shuffled them around a bit (as well as getting a greater glimpse at my other favorites). </p><p>I've also talked about my Top Favorite Filmmakers (<a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/06/my-top-favorite-filmmakers-pt-1.html" target="_blank">Part 1</a> & <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/07/my-top-favorite-filmmakers-pt-2.html" target="_blank">Part 2</a>), IE directors (and in some cases also producers), or at least some of them. But one thing that I've yet to ever touch on, that is actually a SUPER important and integral part of any feature film, show, or short experience: the music. Music has been a huge part of film since the Silent Era, when that was all a film had to enhance the picture, at all. It continued to be a key part of film as the Sound Era began, and in truth, in my estimation, a film's soundtrack is every bit as important, in many respects, as its direction, its cinematography, its writing and its acting. A great soundtrack enhances key scenes, emphasizes emotions or major plot points, and helps the film tell its story. Probably far more than most filmgoers ever stop to realize, likely half of what we experience when we love a movie, is due to the right music being played at the right time. And the people behind that, who often go unheralded, are the composers, the "music men" of the industry. <br /></p><p>So with respect to that, I am going to talk about some of my personal favorite film composers.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAs9VdtPjepnXjza3qpFPVR0Ul-UntL6kODwJL2LcPLCap4HyETuoUvTu_PNlBhlqRYPzUA1Tc4kdfI_PvmSBYkbzYa8CiH-3a1m_ERNzKO6CQr8J8ChlhtIDrg5J-ZZV57qkvbVRG8uw/s700/Akira.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="700" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAs9VdtPjepnXjza3qpFPVR0Ul-UntL6kODwJL2LcPLCap4HyETuoUvTu_PNlBhlqRYPzUA1Tc4kdfI_PvmSBYkbzYa8CiH-3a1m_ERNzKO6CQr8J8ChlhtIDrg5J-ZZV57qkvbVRG8uw/w400-h315/Akira.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Akira Ifukube</b></p><p>Going back to my childhood again, those of you who are long-time readers, know full well just how huge Godzilla and his films were to me in my lonely formative years. He is, after all, the unofficial mascot of my Retro Revelations "brand". And so, Godzilla movies, and related classic Toho films, are the perfect place to start, to illustrate my point. I can tell you with lifelong authority, that of the things that were emblazoned upon my memory, my very soul, watching these movies as a child, along with, naturally, visual scenes of Godzilla bad-assery, of giant monster battles and no-good aliens, was the music. The music of those old Showa Era Godzilla films are permanent parts of my pysche, every bit as much as, say, the music of games like Super Mario Bros. or Mega Man are, every bit as much as classic rock songs I grew up loving. </p><p>Of what are generally considered the most classic Godzilla/Toho movies, most of them involved the collaboration of three men: Director Ishiro Honda, Special Effects guru Eiji Tsuburaya, and composer Akira Ifukube. Those first two names, are largely credited with giving birth to the phenomenon known as Godzilla, Tsuburaya most especially, because of his effects magick. But I don't think it would be off base to also claim, that Mr. Ifukube's musical genius also helped breath life into THE greatest film monster of all time. Without his haunting melodies, these spectacular classic monster movies would simply not have been the same, especially the immortal "Frigate March" military theme, and the "Fury of Godzilla" theme. Versions of these two tunes alone, would echo and carry on in many other future Godzilla movies. </p><p><br /><b></b></p><p><br /><b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCPONh5RlHP2C8gE64iT0LAAiM99w5SsiLoAETSG7uSmeWuCBnq0tzeE-2bPmqCPtzunLwecIz1I9jDcCH-mD-gtzNnXiW3fP0INNy7_azgKyzNAeHhSta_XZzPWfn6h1i0E3ORZkwxY/s500/Gojira.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCPONh5RlHP2C8gE64iT0LAAiM99w5SsiLoAETSG7uSmeWuCBnq0tzeE-2bPmqCPtzunLwecIz1I9jDcCH-mD-gtzNnXiW3fP0INNy7_azgKyzNAeHhSta_XZzPWfn6h1i0E3ORZkwxY/w400-h300/Gojira.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Immortal imagery, immortal music. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /><b></b></p><p></p><p></p><p>But as I stated, those tunes are etched into my consciousness. I often will find myself humming one of his rousing military marches, or one of the various "Godzilla themes". Like any good film soundtrack, Ifukube's music always perfectly fit and accentuated the moment, any given moment, of the monster movies he worked on. Naturally, he did soundtracks for many, many other kinds of movies, but my experience of him, and thus what matters most to me, and to child me, are his timeless epics of the Godzilla franchise. From the beautiful and haunting post-rampage pieces accompanying images of monster-wrought devastation, to his military tunes that made you want to get up and fight, to the spooky and otherworldly strains of his "Planet X" theme from <i>Godzilla vs. Monster Zero</i>, he always knew the exact right music to create the precisely right mood for each scene. And his monster themes, truly did evoke feelings of a massive creature coming your way, impending doom on the move.<br /></p><p>And in all blunt honesty, I know that to anyone but hardcore Godzilla fans, and perhaps some general film buffs, most people aren't really going to care much or be able to recognize Akira Ifukube's music, let alone have any idea who he is. But I can tell you, as a lifelong Godzilla fan, that those movies would not be the same experience, would not be as memorable or as good, without his wonderful work to help bring them to life. And for that, his tunes, just like the movies they inhabit, are forever an important part of my life.</p><p><b>Some Film Scores That I Like:</b> <i>Gojira (1954)</i>, <i>Rodan (1956)</i>, <i>King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)</i>, <i>Atragon (1963)</i>, <i>Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster (1964)</i>, <i>Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965)</i>, <u><i>Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)</i></u>, <i>King Kong Escapes (1967)</i>, <i>Destroy All Monsters (1968)</i> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7ds7WZsCL9hZEQ6oZ3WgzUZFq367cnZMxyFeuO7PzXoYmWbcEW5DU6HXmtdxQa8DvP_8bITPDgW1NUBtd4NtjN9HIDrazqkdtziiRPWLy_OrtaUn3Drh-_Ug0Xu7Qkac2JL-M43Mv5w/s265/Bernard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="265" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7ds7WZsCL9hZEQ6oZ3WgzUZFq367cnZMxyFeuO7PzXoYmWbcEW5DU6HXmtdxQa8DvP_8bITPDgW1NUBtd4NtjN9HIDrazqkdtziiRPWLy_OrtaUn3Drh-_Ug0Xu7Qkac2JL-M43Mv5w/w400-h287/Bernard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Bernard Herrmann</b><br /></p><p>Another great, classic film composer, Herrmann is actually most well known for his many memorable collaborations with infamous director Alfred Hitchcock. And indeed, many of his scores for films such as <i>North by Northwest</i>, <i>Vertigo</i>, and <i>Psycho</i>, are perhaps some of the best in film history. It actually bears mentioning, that the first major film score he ever did, was for none other than Orson Wells' <i>Citizen Kane</i>, which has got to be perhaps the most remarkable first of anyone's career. He also did scores for such films as <i>The Devil and Daniel Webster</i>, <i>Cape Fear</i>, <i>Fahrenheit 451</i>, and <i>Taxi Driver</i>. He was a world class film composer, with one of the most stellar careers in the history of the industry, by any measure.</p><p><br /><b></b></p><p><br /><b></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hwmwR5fl-dmXQgTl8qtMKAbHiXFHBe2QGWjQSXgSHgc2LOQehd-Lf1o_ibto2gojZ9QdF6f7TCDF7yAZUQltjtBJmte7LM3tw0sR0oWihWKQa1jRpB-RQzRlDXO46b5RAcc1BhAj9pM/s2048/Sinbad.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1362" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hwmwR5fl-dmXQgTl8qtMKAbHiXFHBe2QGWjQSXgSHgc2LOQehd-Lf1o_ibto2gojZ9QdF6f7TCDF7yAZUQltjtBJmte7LM3tw0sR0oWihWKQa1jRpB-RQzRlDXO46b5RAcc1BhAj9pM/w426-h640/Sinbad.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A soundtrack every bit as magical as its story and monsters.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /><b></b></p><p><br /><b></b></p><p>But to THIS "monster kid", the most important works Herrmann did, were on classic science fiction and monster films, most especially his many collaborations with producer Charles Schneer and effects wizard Ray Harryhausen. Outside of his work with them, he did scores for classics like <i>The Day the Earth Stood Still</i> and <i>Journey to the Center of the Earth</i>. Both great films from the 50s, both of which all the better for his timeless music. But when you talk about Ray Harryhausen films, what stands out about them very nearly as much as the incredible stop-motions effect of the master himself, are the wonderful, vibrant musical scores. He worked on several Harryhausen projects, including <i>The 3 Worlds of Gulliver</i>, <i>Mysterious Island</i>, and the infamous <i>Jason and the Argonauts</i>. </p><p>But for my money, no soundtrack Herrmann ever composed, on any film, comes anywhere near as close to the absolute perfection that is his score for <i>The 7th Voyage of Sinbad</i>. I will fully admit to bias in this case, because that film is one of my Top 5 favorites of all time. But just like everything else in that, my most beloved and revered Harryhausen masterpiece, from the acting, to the story, the pacing, the sets, and of course the monsters, the music truly does make the film. It would still be a VERY good film, I think, without Ray's stop-motion magic, and perhaps even with someone else's music. </p><p>But Herrmann's score, almost as much as Ray's effects in my view, make this film not only GREAT, but practically perfect. It is, hands down, one of my favorite movie soundtracks ever, and while I haven't put the time or thought into sussing out such matters, it may very well be my top favorite movie soundtrack of all time, or damn close. I can't honestly think of a single tune from 7th Voyage that isn't great, and not a single scene where the music doesn't fit the exact mood, tone and context perfectly. The shores of the island of Colossa sound ominous and foreboding, the dance of the snake woman sounds mysterious and mystical, and when Sinbad does battle with the living skeleton, it actually sounds like the beat is being played on ancient bones. <br /><br />And I defy anyone to point out a cooler, more "tone setting" opening theme, for any film. It just screams magic and adventure, and fully gets you ready for the ride that is to follow those opening credits. </p><p><b>Some Film Scores That I Like:</b> <i>The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)</i>, <i>The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)</i>, <u><i>The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)</i></u>, <i>North by Northwest (1959)</i>, <i>Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)</i>, <i>The 3 Worlds of Gulliver (1960)</i>, <i>Mysterious Island (1961)</i>, <i>Jason and the Argonauts (1963)</i></p><p><i> </i></p><p><i> </i></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBn8ctA2LJX2RL-K-eMKB9xzOjHAPFlNSpiKOyHwcHLLinBNdsZdlrswkVIOT1semEpIUuBgwoYVEL8gx2axKC59QNTg6IlnOj1FcjSkMPBQYuQYfd0bKP2gYAsBFFf1Rf8EuGHAuyI8U/s1200/John.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1200" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBn8ctA2LJX2RL-K-eMKB9xzOjHAPFlNSpiKOyHwcHLLinBNdsZdlrswkVIOT1semEpIUuBgwoYVEL8gx2axKC59QNTg6IlnOj1FcjSkMPBQYuQYfd0bKP2gYAsBFFf1Rf8EuGHAuyI8U/w400-h311/John.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><i><br /> </i><p></p><p><b>John Williams</b></p><p>As much as I absolutely love and adore the works of the two men I've already talked about, it is entirely possible, at least in this man's opinion, that no single other film composer in history, has ever produced as many absolutely timeless, classic, and infamous pieces of film music, as John Williams. This man has created masterpieces that even people who don't watch a lot of movies, hell even some people who haven't seen the movies these pieces are from, still know his music! Just the main themes alone, for such movies as Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, E.T., and Jurassic Park, just THOSE tunes alone, make this man a god amongst film composers. Merely because the movies these pieces are from were popular and successful? No. But because these musical pieces he wrote, embody those classics, and in a very real way, MAKE them the classics they are. </p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjana47YjyHRBy109u_7aJ31pKHYTGfeChBVdQPsqQTGDHZ_F8pJyy94uvMhp2yp1Q-MluVHfuTKs6je-jh2nCimoEF42ahgxBWE4BKmYt4l6Ol4g_cq-uBKSGS37aFw1y4mewv6xAvpOI/s700/Star+Bro.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="465" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjana47YjyHRBy109u_7aJ31pKHYTGfeChBVdQPsqQTGDHZ_F8pJyy94uvMhp2yp1Q-MluVHfuTKs6je-jh2nCimoEF42ahgxBWE4BKmYt4l6Ol4g_cq-uBKSGS37aFw1y4mewv6xAvpOI/w426-h640/Star+Bro.jpeg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The epitome of epic and timeless.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /> </b><p></p><p><b> </b></p><p><b> </b>I can rightly say, just as much as Bernard Hermman or Akira Ifukube, that John Williams "wrote the soundtrack to my childhood", in a very real way. His scores are every bit as ingrained in my psyche, and his music accompanied some of the most iconic and memorable film images from my childhood. It was his music that had me on the edge of my seat at 4 or 5 years old, as Elliot encountered E.T. for the first time. It was his music that made my heart race, as Indiana Jones struggled to escape that first deadly temple. It was his music that entranced me with the story of a little boy who defended his home from burglars on Christmas Eve. His music that made me believe an adult Peter Pan could still remember how to fly. And it was he, who provided the perfect soundtrack to heroic battles in a Galaxy Far, Far Away. </p><p>It isn't exaggeration to state that I associate John Williams' music, in my mind and "in my heart", with the movies he worked on, every bit as much as actors and imagery in them. If any one film were to earn my "perfect" soundtrack mark as much as <i>The 7th Voyage of Sinbad</i>, it would likely be the first <i>Star Wars</i>. The sequels possess fantastic and timeless music as well, but that first movie has a magic to it that few other do. Like 7th Voyage, I cannot think of a single scene in that movie that doesn't have great, absolutely fitting music. And while I stand by my ardent love of the opening theme to 7th Voyage, if ANY movie were to have an opening theme even close to being on par with that, in my eyes, it would be <i>Star Wars</i>. That main theme is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the greatest pieces of music the film industry has ever produced. It's one of the best pieces of music ever produced, period.</p><p>I will say this, above all else, about film music. The true sign of a great piece of film music, is not merely that it fits the scene or story of the film it accompanies like a glove, though that too is true. No, I would say that the ultimate sign that you've listened to a truly great piece of film music, is when you unconsciously find yourself thinking of and even humming along with that piece of music, at any old time, in any old place, and when you do, you are immediately transported to the worlds and people and adventures of that movie, the stories that music helps tell. Every time. THAT is what John Williams has given the world, with his film scores. Whether we're talking about <i>Jaws</i>, or <i>Superman</i>, or <i>Jurassic Park</i> and beyond, he has, as first stated, crafted more iconic themes for iconic films, than perhaps any other composer in film.<b> </b>When you've created tunes that are every bit as remembered and beloved as the films they're from, you know you're a Master. <i> </i></p><p><b>Some Film Scores That I Like: </b><i>Jaws (1975)</i>, <u><i>Star Wars (1977)</i></u>, <i>Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)</i>, <i>Superman (1978)</i>, <i>The Empire Strikes Back (1980)</i>, <i>Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)</i>, <i>E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)</i>, <i>Return of the Jedi (1983)</i>, <i>Home Alone (1990)</i>, <i>Hook (1991)</i>, <i>Jurassic Park (1993)</i>, <i>Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)</i>, <i>Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)</i></p><p><i> </i></p><p><i> </i></p><p>I would be remiss if I didn't at least mention a few other composers I like. Many of them even deserve in depth discussions about their work and why I like them, but in the interests of space and time, I will at least list their names, and key scores they've done. </p><p><i> </i><br /><b></b></p><p><i> </i><b>Jerry Goldsmith:</b> <i>Planet of the Apes (1968)</i>, <i>Logan's Run (1976)</i>, <i>The Omen (1976)</i>, <i>Alien (1979)</i>, <i>Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979, also created famous ST theme)</i>, <i>Poltergeist (1982)</i>, <i>The Secret of NIMH (1982)</i>, <u><i>Gremlins (1984)</i></u>, <i>The 'Burbs (1989)</i> </p><p><b>Alan Silvestri:</b> <i>Romancing the Stone (1984)</i>, <i>Back to the Future (1985)</i>, <i>Summer Rental (1985)</i>, <u><i>Flight of the Navigator (1986)</i></u>, <i>Predator (1987)</i>, <i>Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)</i>, <i>The Abyss (1989)</i>, <i>Back to the Future Part II (1989)</i>, <i>Fern Gully (1992)</i>, <i>Forrest Gump (1994)</i>, <i>Richie Rich (1994)</i>, <i>Cast Away (2000)</i>, <i>Van Helsing (2004)</i>, <i>Captain America (2011)</i>, <i>The Avengers (2012) </i> </p><p><b>Randy Edelman: </b><i>The Chipmunk Adventure (1987)</i>, <i>Twins (1988)</i>, <i>Ghostbusters II (1989)</i>, <i>Kindergarten Cop (1990)</i>, <i>The Mask (1994)</i>, <i>Billy Madison (1995)</i>, <u><i>Dragonheart (1997)</i></u></p><p><b>John Carpenter: </b><i>Halloween (1978)</i>, <i>The Fog (1980)</i>, <i>Escape From New York (1981)</i>, <u><i>Big Trouble in Little China (1986)</i></u>, <i>They Live (1988)</i>, <i>In the Mouth of Madness (1994)</i>, <i>Escape From LA (1996)</i></p><p><b>Danny Elfman: </b><i>Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985)</i>, <i>Beetlejuice (1988)</i>, <i>Scrooged (1988)</i>, <i>Batman (1989)</i>, <i>Dick Tracy (1990)</i>, <i>Edward Scissorhands (1990)</i>, <i><u>The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)</u>, Mission: Impossible (1996)</i>, <i>The Frighteners (1996)</i>, <i>Spider-Man (2002)</i>, <i>Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)</i></p><p><i> </i><b>James Horner: </b><i>Star Trek II (1982)</i>, <i>Cocoon (1985)</i>, <i>Aliens (1986)</i>, <i>An American Tale (1986)</i>, <u><i>The Land Before Time (1988)</i></u>, <i>Honey I Shrunk the Kids (1989)</i>, <i>Hocus Pocus (1993)</i>, <i>Braveheart (1995)</i>, <i>Jumanji (1995), Apollo 13 (1995), Titanic (1997)<br /></i></p><p><b>Elmer Bernstein: </b><i>The Ten Commandments (1956)</i>, <i>The Magnificent Seven (1960)</i>, <i>To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)</i>, <i>The Great Escape (1963)</i>, <i>Airplane! (1980)</i>, <i>The Blues Brothers (1980)</i>, <i>Trading Places (1983), <u>Ghostbusters (1984)</u>, The Black Cauldron (1985) </i><br /><b></b></p><p><i> </i><b>John Morris:</b> <i>The Producers (1968)</i>, <u><i>Young Frankenstein (1974)</i></u>, <i>Blazing Saddles (1974)</i>, <i>The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975)</i>, <i>Silent Movie (1976)</i>, <i>High Anxiety (1977)</i>, <i>History of the World Pt. 1 (1981)</i>, <i>Haunted Honeymoon (1986)</i>, <i>Spaceballs (1987)</i>, <i>Life Stinks (1991)</i> </p><p><b>Michael Kamen:</b> <i>Highlander (1986)</i>, <i>Lethal Weapon (1987)</i>, <i>Adventures in Babysitting (1987)</i>, <i>Die Hard (1988)</i>, <i>Hudson Hawk (1991)</i>, <i>Last Action Hero (1993)</i>, <u><i>The Iron Giant (1999)</i></u></p><p><i> </i></p><p><i> </i></p><p><i> ************</i></p><p><i> </i></p><p><i> </i></p><p>So that's all for now! Until next time, watch some good movies, enjoy some good movie scores, and above all else, enjoy yourselves! <i> </i><br /></p>Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-63996018057470481262020-12-23T06:04:00.000-08:002020-12-23T06:04:25.676-08:00Sugarplum Visions: Memories of Childhood Christmas Gifts<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWRmRj1-6nNLt9XLLSmAi82_Wu3TVGXQo8Da6PjZoTSHr96O6-uvvsfjEQDkiuABu8-XIBI2HHo5ypI8ls1SG13dT94XjUqX4nPyrdbiR8vbVdR-YAfci8W8POeoCdrFDvlL1WJJgejs/s682/tree.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="479" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWRmRj1-6nNLt9XLLSmAi82_Wu3TVGXQo8Da6PjZoTSHr96O6-uvvsfjEQDkiuABu8-XIBI2HHo5ypI8ls1SG13dT94XjUqX4nPyrdbiR8vbVdR-YAfci8W8POeoCdrFDvlL1WJJgejs/w281-h400/tree.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The image above, was the quintessential, be-all end-all for many of us as kids growing up. The sight of a brightly decorated Christmas tree, with wrapped presents underneath it. The very sight of that tree, heralded excitement, knowing that presents would soon be underneath it. And seeing those colorful wrapped gifts, heralded "Sugarplum Visions" of what could possibly be inside. That was half of the fun, in some ways, not knowing what they were, but looking at them endlessly, or sometimes even managing to sneak a feel, or a shake, trying to figure out what they MIGHT be. <br /><br />For me personally, as I've <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/12/christmas-memories.html">recounted in the past</a>, Christmastime was pure magic for me. I had a fairly lonely childhood, being raised by an overprotective grandmother as an only child, home-schooled, with few friends. But no matter what, when the Holidays rolled around, I was filled with wonder. That last three month block of the year was my absolute favorite. October brought the spooky wonderment of <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/10/halloween-memories.html">Halloween</a>. November brought the tasty goodness of Thanksgiving, and every few years even on the same day, my birthday. And of course, December brought the mystical joys of Christmas, and to a lesser extent New Years Eve. But as much as I loved all those other times, as much as I got exited for my birthday and the presents that would bring, I honestly got even more excited for Christmas, just because of the entire ambiance of it all.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6v-StcFiouu7AqduLH5WlkbM9qZSuZl811-Q7LqUBwYpN_ozAQt35F-16vcTFJsMzWEg3iRvVVWhPULCGl70AB-ilHWnyeNTJMge62Q-DFEdUQnbXjmI2xewvPplsrOmsubDSTcN_4s/s1000/stocking.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6v-StcFiouu7AqduLH5WlkbM9qZSuZl811-Q7LqUBwYpN_ozAQt35F-16vcTFJsMzWEg3iRvVVWhPULCGl70AB-ilHWnyeNTJMge62Q-DFEdUQnbXjmI2xewvPplsrOmsubDSTcN_4s/s320/stocking.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The often unappreciated step-brother of wrapped presents.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Before I dive in to what this piece is REALLY about (the presents), I felt I should take a moment to give some respect and due appreciation to the phenomenon known as "Christmas Stockings". I'd imagine not ALL families do this, but if you were anything like me, there were stockings we'd drag out every year, that looked a bit like the picture above, except with hand-made names on each, including one that said "Jesse", for my little self. While the wrapped gifts were the main event, the stocking was the appetizer. And as is traditional, mine would typically be filled with various candies like Hershey's Kisses, or those little assorted Hershey bars, or candy canes, and other things, such as sometimes smaller toys, or baseball cards, things like that. I don't know how you did your Christmas, but in my childhood experience, we always did the stockings first, to whet the appetite (and build that anticipation), I suppose. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoGL90uAUfIOvDflIq0of84OJWjvWxzZvWslUpexdtAETZJL0yLB4FNFJyaZzS-KsSnKwQpiMHhQDOvmmtdEeuEmp0ou5CTVJ7Y8BzTyzjCvQUAshPAOEQq9uHa2BbwiVBVcCckjlVNY/s570/San+Diego+Zoo+playset.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="570" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoGL90uAUfIOvDflIq0of84OJWjvWxzZvWslUpexdtAETZJL0yLB4FNFJyaZzS-KsSnKwQpiMHhQDOvmmtdEeuEmp0ou5CTVJ7Y8BzTyzjCvQUAshPAOEQq9uHa2BbwiVBVcCckjlVNY/w400-h320/San+Diego+Zoo+playset.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good ol' Fisher Price.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Now of course, Christmas itself is HARDLY all about the presents. Even for me, as a child growing up, it was very much about the entire package: the candy, the tree, the lights, the music, the TV specials, the general feelings that come with the season, and the high-minded ideals like "Peace on Earth" and the spirit of giving. But this particular piece, is focusing on what most kids cared about most: the gifts. The earliest specific gift that I can very vaguely remember getting, as I assume it was a Christmas gift, was a Fisher Price playset that was essentially what you see above: a zoo. Some of my earliest memories, are of living in San Diego as a toddler, ages 2 and 3, and taking trips to Sea World and the San Diego Zoo. This set was not an OFFICIAL San Diego Zoo product, but in my child mind, I always associated it as being such.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNC9IPGBa0geriP-f45cSgV9hcjFAmD6Qd-sy-u6nFgzNX4ltPfwbdXowXhxd-Ff9V244LXINi2D4T0kwMSt5ZzX_j5Eu0_Gw1x-9WtJINGAEopXa0TrOOhAqdlOOcK9ekTW3mig0phc/s1100/Dinos.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="1100" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNC9IPGBa0geriP-f45cSgV9hcjFAmD6Qd-sy-u6nFgzNX4ltPfwbdXowXhxd-Ff9V244LXINi2D4T0kwMSt5ZzX_j5Eu0_Gw1x-9WtJINGAEopXa0TrOOhAqdlOOcK9ekTW3mig0phc/w400-h268/Dinos.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bring on the dinos!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As I've related in past articles, as a child, before I became more of an all-around MONSTER nut in the early 90s, growing up in the 80s, I was an absolute dinosaur nut. I don't remember exactly what age this all started, but it was pretty early on. Certainly full-bore by the time I was in Kindergarten. For a poor kid, I still had an extensive amount of dinosaur stuff: various books, coloring books, t-shirts, a dinosaur blanket of some sort, and of course, cheap plastic toys! I cannot honestly remember specific dino toys that I got on Christmas, but I know as big of a nut as I was during that age range, I MUST have gotten several. </p><p>Whether I got it as an Xmas toy or not, the one that sticks out most in my mind, was a generic, kinda fat looking little gray T-Rex toy, with stubby ass little arms, which I named "Dino". This was my TOP favorite toy for some reason as a little kid, and I carried it around with me everywhere. It was in a very real way, the precursor to what would later in life become my "thinking pencils", as I would hold onto it as I ran or paced around, thinking and daydreaming. At some point, because I used to play with him extensively, poor ol "Dino" got all sorts of wear and tear, including losing one of his stubby arms. But I still loved him, and among many other childhood things, I honestly wish I still had him to this day, just to have, and keep on display somewhere. Until I later got obsessed with Godzilla and video games and the X-Men, things like that, "Dino" was my #1 toy, and as sad as it may sound, in some ways my "best friend". </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAj4tOWICjFSdqHpuIlz9MrIClt2O0vy6fsu38VugNbcQ5LAKlHZFZe6B6Wik9rdrLHlcfRreB9OrWPfN_gAHt8xpK5UuovWxhf1GeEdHUMuYkafFuMoycl5K-z6xNXLW9DuoH5eqdyk/s2048/Duplo+bro.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAj4tOWICjFSdqHpuIlz9MrIClt2O0vy6fsu38VugNbcQ5LAKlHZFZe6B6Wik9rdrLHlcfRreB9OrWPfN_gAHt8xpK5UuovWxhf1GeEdHUMuYkafFuMoycl5K-z6xNXLW9DuoH5eqdyk/w400-h300/Duplo+bro.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Duplos, too big for kids to choke on.<br /><p><br /></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2YjWmDJqSdY9vORMTZAlmVpMHUAkOUqkuaLYxIx856LY2xYzjdlfjBDuDva9PzeLE0561wurEzqzHmcZl24EwQQnt7BUNUlP3yzuPuQLmifWJ9Tgzy-wnLCT8DnrsWKt2-XBU-waPTk/s363/Lego+Set.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="363" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2YjWmDJqSdY9vORMTZAlmVpMHUAkOUqkuaLYxIx856LY2xYzjdlfjBDuDva9PzeLE0561wurEzqzHmcZl24EwQQnt7BUNUlP3yzuPuQLmifWJ9Tgzy-wnLCT8DnrsWKt2-XBU-waPTk/w400-h296/Lego+Set.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That big ol' Bucket o Legos!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Another toy I'm certain I got on some Xmas or other, were of course Lego blocks. But BEFORE I got Lego blocks, around the age of I'm assuming 4 years old, I got Duplo blocks first. Duplos are basically giant Legos, that kids can't choke themselves on like idiots. Duplos were something I had a lot of fun with as a toddler, I'm sure. But the REAL fun started within the next few years, as I got old enough to have actual Lego blocks instead. I acquired several specific Lego sets over the years, the ones that come with specific pieces that you build a specific thing out of, like a race car, or a spaceship, some of which I'm certain I got as Christmas gifts.. And don't get me wrong, some of those were awesome. <br /><br />BUT, hands down, the most fun I ever had with Legos, were just using random pieces, and my imagination, to try and build just whatever came to mind, within my limited means. One year, let's say when I was probably around 6 or 7, I got a big old bucket of Legos, very similar to what you see above. Except that somehow I also had a much bigger, thinner "ground" piece, and a lot of tree and flower pieces. I used to try and build houses, or a castle, or whatever. There weren't enough pieces in that one bucket, or even adding stuff from those specific sets, to REALLY go wild. But it was more than enough to take up hours of my time. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewqGyrHDRlqj4doj_WIq1zGZSMVm-W0-KvL8PTzd7YBBNx80UK-FvS5jK2K9KHLx3Ka20aHB9sulM9hY-gHL_Dfi0xXtgH5hhzqND9CEwsTtv83H9DEy9IAR-NS5xfrMZ48bIWBOjKKM/s644/robo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="429" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewqGyrHDRlqj4doj_WIq1zGZSMVm-W0-KvL8PTzd7YBBNx80UK-FvS5jK2K9KHLx3Ka20aHB9sulM9hY-gHL_Dfi0xXtgH5hhzqND9CEwsTtv83H9DEy9IAR-NS5xfrMZ48bIWBOjKKM/w266-h400/robo.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good ol' 80s robots.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3g4FDqUTQrPOwvICMAvyCLr2rU3FFCCN73HTf9mJLIWT7V7RkKwlHC6aosy4I11MGYojNxri58sklvkBfqbGvnydXM1Pprf4pv9YQSEgZ1s5CDi2QrS7f7ob_KEUJzurkn3hWJNDxGmc/s800/mouse+trap.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3g4FDqUTQrPOwvICMAvyCLr2rU3FFCCN73HTf9mJLIWT7V7RkKwlHC6aosy4I11MGYojNxri58sklvkBfqbGvnydXM1Pprf4pv9YQSEgZ1s5CDi2QrS7f7ob_KEUJzurkn3hWJNDxGmc/w400-h400/mouse+trap.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh look...it's Mouse Trap.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPg_qhAYZfHfURr57ax3y9h9Arpmvgmie0Fu7htIh1haZJ-tX_vEmDkdvjA4IEp1FX_s7jieZLe4S7Vnaj6XcsZ1gs0-lbYCUkcZCtypdu_-HWH9tiYDttQBGgqt1e6d9IoMlNWD8hKs/s500/Rodney+Reindeer.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPg_qhAYZfHfURr57ax3y9h9Arpmvgmie0Fu7htIh1haZJ-tX_vEmDkdvjA4IEp1FX_s7jieZLe4S7Vnaj6XcsZ1gs0-lbYCUkcZCtypdu_-HWH9tiYDttQBGgqt1e6d9IoMlNWD8hKs/w400-h300/Rodney+Reindeer.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holiday Oddities.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Of course I got various assorted random things over my childhood Christmases as well. I got a couple of different battery-operated <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/06/childhood-memories-80s-robot-toys.html">Robot Toys</a>, which were neat because they moved around and lit up, or even made noises. I got card or board games, I'm sure, such as Uno, or Mouse Trap. You remember Mouse Trap, right? It's that game with all the crazy pieces, that it turns out is FAR more fun to put together, than it is to actually play the game and spring the "trap". And then there were SUPER random things, such as the late 80s oddity known as "Rodney Reindeer". I'm not even sure of the history or story behind Rodney, but I know it was what you see above, and I had most of those pictured. Cool little guys, that again, I wish I still had. But also super random. Must've been a fad like one year, and then gone. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurY2ZLb_ELuaUbJI1hkRayHfYznwUU8srjj_lW81nF2OswqtP2sK_dP4H7TT05dI9eMF5-FoRMqECdtejFM9n8ILqpLYx3xo560bzldAMr2rl-xW0xT-O9mHfFgRUqKGc0DmPJTDIkH8/s365/lionel+ad.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="267" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurY2ZLb_ELuaUbJI1hkRayHfYznwUU8srjj_lW81nF2OswqtP2sK_dP4H7TT05dI9eMF5-FoRMqECdtejFM9n8ILqpLYx3xo560bzldAMr2rl-xW0xT-O9mHfFgRUqKGc0DmPJTDIkH8/w293-h400/lionel+ad.jpg" width="293" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All aboard!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Now as a little kid, again probably around 4 or 5 years old, I know that I got what was probably a fairly cheap, battery operated train set. Have no idea if it was name brand or not, as we were fairly poor. But I probably still loved it, because it moved. Later in life, I'm guessing about Christmas 1988 or 89, I got an actual, honest to goodness Lionel brand train set, and THAT thing was pretty cool. It was nothing likely as fancy, and certainly not as expensive, as what is shown above. It was simple, pretty basic, a couple of different layouts you could set up the track as, several cars, and an on switch. But it was a neat present. Even though I wasn't SUPER into trains, I do remember thumbing through the Lionel catalogue, and daydreaming about having fancier, far more elaborate train set ups. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAY6_JECaRaECVT7u1SoE0zwy99ZtMzlg8UInPQGKgN-6MasiqT5I_OYM-7dANY7v5KLUtiCcSkgDkUC-g_ogvN9_XxcbAg9u5Lu7NGgv7uv_f_mTtu6-5CDxM9Jw89aeV7IqLuNP6rho/s429/Dino+Rider+bro.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="429" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAY6_JECaRaECVT7u1SoE0zwy99ZtMzlg8UInPQGKgN-6MasiqT5I_OYM-7dANY7v5KLUtiCcSkgDkUC-g_ogvN9_XxcbAg9u5Lu7NGgv7uv_f_mTtu6-5CDxM9Jw89aeV7IqLuNP6rho/w400-h246/Dino+Rider+bro.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With FULL Battle Accessories!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPoEFRw4MRtV1FLov0cZe_W-AEzJ6MClatV7K_MZIQqD7DF7GFwVjjfeRklO5ccBgBYKEqr2MLdppQIXfZu2DifqY9ujk4GR3tfGXy8T8iS-j9D5gTdPJ76gr993s61-TFK4j3lXGlq4g/s1024/Dinonychus.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPoEFRw4MRtV1FLov0cZe_W-AEzJ6MClatV7K_MZIQqD7DF7GFwVjjfeRklO5ccBgBYKEqr2MLdppQIXfZu2DifqY9ujk4GR3tfGXy8T8iS-j9D5gTdPJ76gr993s61-TFK4j3lXGlq4g/w400-h400/Dinonychus.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deinonychus was cool, before anyone knew what the hell a Veloceraptor was.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOQuwofJt9SUjd4gfIbpzg4wmr3pct_lmjgdHwnil2WXjQSZdIqx1j8FP7ocoOiaxOoJPT3orXp2zG9SEbdiLewgCqb7vG4wehwl4aTNVI56pGTHOpbReOTZvVrZxXy16hk5e2KvInuo/s500/Llahd.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOQuwofJt9SUjd4gfIbpzg4wmr3pct_lmjgdHwnil2WXjQSZdIqx1j8FP7ocoOiaxOoJPT3orXp2zG9SEbdiLewgCqb7vG4wehwl4aTNVI56pGTHOpbReOTZvVrZxXy16hk5e2KvInuo/w400-h300/Llahd.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just your average hang-gliding setup.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMwX2xMqXTX57IaN3YwEg953RF3m9BwXy8P-2q3DCXfJZ7BwrlQ9KVoshR2dt3JzVRtjeB9qyk-_xr5k9rYgbV8d7tZRvCE6NKvjF4CpmFhEBwc03EB6lk6XJuo5uDg1SI52uZo70loo/s422/Rasp.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="422" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMwX2xMqXTX57IaN3YwEg953RF3m9BwXy8P-2q3DCXfJZ7BwrlQ9KVoshR2dt3JzVRtjeB9qyk-_xr5k9rYgbV8d7tZRvCE6NKvjF4CpmFhEBwc03EB6lk6XJuo5uDg1SI52uZo70loo/w400-h261/Rasp.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The villainous Rasp, aboard his fearsome Pteranodon. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Circling back around to dinosaurs for a moment, pictured above are relics of a late 80s phenomenon known as "Dino Riders". As part of the VERY 80s phenomenon of having cartoons with toy lines, Marvel actually produced this particular venture. There was a one-season cartoon series, that was actually quite serious for an 80s kids show at the time. I myself had a coloring book telling the Dino Riders story. And of course, the toys. Now precisely WHAT toys I had, is a little fuzzy. I know I didn't have too many, and certainly not the big, cool ass ones like Rulon leader Krulos, riding his giant battle T-Rex. But I DO know for a fact that I 100% had Rasp, the snake dude pictured above, complete with his decked-out Pteranadon, who had a button in its back, which would make the wings flap.</p><p>Where it gets fuzzier, are the other pictures figures. Because on the one hand, I definitely remember having the Deinonychus toy, as outside of T-Rex he was my fav. dino as a kid. But I don't have strong memories of having that Rider. Meanwhile I also KNOW that I had Llahd, the blonde kid Rider, and the hang-glider setup seems familiar, but I have less strong memories of having that Pteradactyl. But, thing is, obviously, if I remember Llahd, and I remember that Deino, I MUST have had the rest of that stuff, right? Either way, Dino Riders was a very cool, but short lived phenomenon. What I REALLY wish, however, is that the OTHER action-based late 80s dinosaur show I loved FAR more, <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/07/childhood-memories-dinosaucers.html">Dinosaucers</a>, had had a toy line. I would have ate it up. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_fp7Svoy0cwtvL2gx_E6w2aUs3z0HmbU3KAGv1MB9ivTBJGEX7uLbJaUeK1RnVNygI6wbnQLHzF75_TrNLQZ5czTTyym83xPUgI5A8bWkKbnQkyxPuavzKWT6kQN_k-kdKGhnrLvC2U/s604/Hot+Wheels.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="604" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_fp7Svoy0cwtvL2gx_E6w2aUs3z0HmbU3KAGv1MB9ivTBJGEX7uLbJaUeK1RnVNygI6wbnQLHzF75_TrNLQZ5czTTyym83xPUgI5A8bWkKbnQkyxPuavzKWT6kQN_k-kdKGhnrLvC2U/w400-h296/Hot+Wheels.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at those sweet ass cars.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLa4X4JnLG-Ff1jppdKFoIh7WlpaqfNV4f2mALOZLmMaouOwfruvOLVC5fDBHT0NBjbX4Ms0yXaCTIhthlBAnB8nQhxZsmR5pvBpS6EfIIU40DyXvA_y3rPQAfT4afKdxPaoQP8vNrzEA/s488/gas+station.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="488" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLa4X4JnLG-Ff1jppdKFoIh7WlpaqfNV4f2mALOZLmMaouOwfruvOLVC5fDBHT0NBjbX4Ms0yXaCTIhthlBAnB8nQhxZsmR5pvBpS6EfIIU40DyXvA_y3rPQAfT4afKdxPaoQP8vNrzEA/w400-h400/gas+station.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not quite what I had.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68SbdEQNR0t5Md_i8JmdyLeOSGbbcnfWXcbhELXOpV9x7403JsZdp7D9HOjsZkwn3wFrqKBhZVb57wv6R9VIQ2PfLEK9mM_Rm3sLL3yWwnxSPM1R69s4Eozlogs2K5Aifbtfcm39n1dw/s1500/Micro+Bro.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68SbdEQNR0t5Md_i8JmdyLeOSGbbcnfWXcbhELXOpV9x7403JsZdp7D9HOjsZkwn3wFrqKBhZVb57wv6R9VIQ2PfLEK9mM_Rm3sLL3yWwnxSPM1R69s4Eozlogs2K5Aifbtfcm39n1dw/w400-h225/Micro+Bro.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">M-m-m-MICRO Machines!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Similar to trains, I was never (and am still not) HUGE into cars. But of course some of the earliest toys I remember having, were little toy cars. And chief among those, were Hot Wheels. In fact I'm sure that I got some of the Hot Wheels I had, from that very McDonald's promotion pictured. I know for a fact I got that weird drag racer type car from there. But one of the VERY few things I still have from my childhood, somehow, are two plastic cases mostly full of old Hot Wheels cars. So I clearly had enough of them over the years, to fill two cases. I also have vivid memories of having some kind of "Gas Station" playset that I used my Hot Wheels (and other toys like Monster in My Pocket) with. It wasn't THAT playset, I don't think, but it was very similar, with two stories, a garage, a store, etc. <br /><br />Coming out in the late 80s, while I remember them being more of a 90s thing, I also got at least a handful of Micro Machines. You remember those old commercials, with fast-talking John Maschitta Jr? They made Micro Machines sound SO cool, and I got myself a pack or two in my day. Nothing specific, no specific cars, really stand out in my memory, and I sadly no longer have them. But they were a very neat thing back in their day. Look up one of those commercials sometime, they're hilarious.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFi6Eahkqf9cycCgNNdgRcKC8EBt2Pvo5BStRv-9K8PaVFkAWZvAVykm4c1lrAGcLhLZA3qTMcxAtLEN-moTj4HYicv7M-2XDcqDtMQCkXFXsSKl_BLCPWkMOlgUITO3rW40IEcLa7As4/s751/Clip+Godzilla.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="736" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFi6Eahkqf9cycCgNNdgRcKC8EBt2Pvo5BStRv-9K8PaVFkAWZvAVykm4c1lrAGcLhLZA3qTMcxAtLEN-moTj4HYicv7M-2XDcqDtMQCkXFXsSKl_BLCPWkMOlgUITO3rW40IEcLa7As4/w393-h400/Clip+Godzilla.jpg" width="393" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This cute little guy.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOvva6Ns4NVw-V53UtGBdik6Vv0S9rScaSLE-W8pY8n1bFslzYkSTTYoy-51SiAO8X-wQORNd9iqDyKHc7-xDHQ62klSfxPu5FCfLOSXrpR-rjAVJGFSUFLeonngSNH6vL31Ndt6CnGc/s500/fake+G+toys.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOvva6Ns4NVw-V53UtGBdik6Vv0S9rScaSLE-W8pY8n1bFslzYkSTTYoy-51SiAO8X-wQORNd9iqDyKHc7-xDHQ62klSfxPu5FCfLOSXrpR-rjAVJGFSUFLeonngSNH6vL31Ndt6CnGc/w400-h400/fake+G+toys.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THESE dudes.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p>Now we're getting down to the "REAL shit", some of my top most loved and remembered Xmas gifts. Anyone who is even vaguely familiar with this blog, and the Retro Revelations brand in general, knows that I love Godzilla. Hell, he's my unofficial mascot! You would think, as huge of a G-fan as I was in my late childhood/pre-teen years, that I would have had a lot more Godzilla type toys. But nope. Largely due to the fact that, frankly, by the time I was into Godzilla, he just wasn't a popular entity in the states at that time. I mean I don't think there were ever a LOT of Godzilla toys, but there were like NONE when I was a kid, really.<br /><br />The lone exceptions, were what you see above. The first, is a little rubber Godzilla clip, essentially. In the late 80s/early 90s, these kinds of clip dolls/toys were pretty popular. All kinds of stuff, from Mickey Mouse to Garfield to Bart Simpson, etc., with clip arms that you could use to have them hang from things like curtains, or whatever. Well somewhere, I don't remember where, we found this very generic "Godzilla" one, and naturally I HAD to have it, as it was the only Godzilla type toy I had ever seen, anywhere. I DO still actually have Clip Godzilla, as one of the few things I somehow managed to hold onto.<br /></p><p>As for the other dudes, growing up, my Aunt Maggie, who lives on the East Coast (I lived on the West Coast), would send us these big, HEAVILY taped packages every year for Christmas, with all kinds of stuff inside. I always looked forward to her packages, because there was always something neat stowed away in there for me. Well one year, coming as a total surprise, I got these two 1-foot or so figures, of which I had no idea they even existed. They must have been something she found in a Goodwill or something somewhere, and knowing I loved Godzilla, she got them for me. Doing research as an adult, it seems they were made by a Taiwanese or somesuch company called Dor Mei, which made knock-off generic "Godzilla" type toys, among other things. Neither one of them was really "Godzilla", or any of his other monsters for that matter. But I still thought they were hella cool, and again, something I REALLY wish I still had.</p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /></p><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIiDHYvA5YVGunAZG5gbA4vrSVdOwoNp6h1Dm7IzdrKx1rXOtMyUUCUmdd5ywPGrZhu14mC9l_flFz9RzvzR1d-Fj8da8PuwR54Zro50Gg8rs3_e6lLVOHAsoxEou1eF4jYvouTi_YR8/s500/Break.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIiDHYvA5YVGunAZG5gbA4vrSVdOwoNp6h1Dm7IzdrKx1rXOtMyUUCUmdd5ywPGrZhu14mC9l_flFz9RzvzR1d-Fj8da8PuwR54Zro50Gg8rs3_e6lLVOHAsoxEou1eF4jYvouTi_YR8/w288-h400/Break.png" width="288" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard but fun.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULFRrgwK_Cl0ahow8lRkJgUOWfAwfMdZZtBhVs2fxRPFg1tllUSfedmWRHyexNOm5pI4mQauKyXIViPR0FKkLliZ6tMRAaCK_jXeOLzNOaNJUPG5dt2gPfTmCOCB8w0Rqq247PKDTgiU/s960/Kid+Niki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="702" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULFRrgwK_Cl0ahow8lRkJgUOWfAwfMdZZtBhVs2fxRPFg1tllUSfedmWRHyexNOm5pI4mQauKyXIViPR0FKkLliZ6tMRAaCK_jXeOLzNOaNJUPG5dt2gPfTmCOCB8w0Rqq247PKDTgiU/w293-h400/Kid+Niki.jpg" width="293" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Totally Radical!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86B-qFJ_uS6NO0ax1kjo3nlruCjy-lGYjkgoEAvngvrAGNHkVeHwnqRKu9b9vlLK3dFVQrldSCPho4F6w-x_g-u18FjjT7w9ZS51kNfLd8S38SnLzqE5bUi55rhvvmS3KWVwhwaF4zI4/s1131/Spy+vs+Spy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86B-qFJ_uS6NO0ax1kjo3nlruCjy-lGYjkgoEAvngvrAGNHkVeHwnqRKu9b9vlLK3dFVQrldSCPho4F6w-x_g-u18FjjT7w9ZS51kNfLd8S38SnLzqE5bUi55rhvvmS3KWVwhwaF4zI4/w283-h400/Spy+vs+Spy.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun...if you have friends.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Now we get down to what you might call the "Main Event" of this piece. Obviously, I had a great love and appreciation for most of the presents, certainly the FUN ones, that I got during my childhood. The cars, the dinosaurs, the Legos, the random occasional robot, you name it. But when I got my Nintendo Entertainment System in late 1990, all bets were off. As much as I was (or would become) obsessed with things like Godzilla or other monster movies, or Fantasy/Tolkien type stuff, or Goosebumps books, or superhero cartoons like the X-Men or Spider-Man, once I got my very own NES, everything paled in comparison. Not unlike other kids growing up I'm sure, video games were from then on, always, ALWAYS my top most desired gifts.<br /></p><p>So that same aunt, a year or so later, surprised me with what I'm sure was another thrift store pick-up. This time in the form of two random NES games, both of which happened to be published by the great Data East, both of which were (very decent) ports of arcade games I had, at that age, never heard of. I feel like this was a Christmas where I didn't get any other video games, so the fact that Aunt Maggie hooked me up with not one, but two, was pretty bad ass. And, as it turned out, NEITHER of them sucked! In fact, both of them are rather fun games, and while a bit hard, I eventually put in the time and was able to beat them both. As for Spy vs. Spy, I DO believe this was another Xmas gift from that same aunt, just on a different year. Either way, it was still cool to get, though in all fairness, Spy vs. Spy is not as fun or good in general as Kid Niki or Breakthru were. And it was really meant to be a 2-player game. Playing without a friend, against that bastard computer, lost its charm after a bit. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsN49gFlQw8XYe0fM_lXllCxthOi7sTzOx4bPCS1McmWjc3GX5sU0tFWZs7owJ28EqELRVb3R_XnGiWPf_g4ap8_OASAxXnO2YJtieB7lproQp897k33m_NVtiGgawHFls0Sdof9AVnws/s400/Bugs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="292" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsN49gFlQw8XYe0fM_lXllCxthOi7sTzOx4bPCS1McmWjc3GX5sU0tFWZs7owJ28EqELRVb3R_XnGiWPf_g4ap8_OASAxXnO2YJtieB7lproQp897k33m_NVtiGgawHFls0Sdof9AVnws/w293-h400/Bugs.jpg" width="293" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's up, Doc?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5bz5M2EUHGyX_SihVio3MsKwfdOyiA6VZRQ33L1UTKk7Z2Xp3qOfS7lk1fptljjXDKJdX5ZxE15umfgseuh6Jijk15pz7Td5R9h6pZEKdTPB7zeZTbTolui4tmCkX1_qI8SSLvsPh6jo/s696/Dr.+Mario.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="696" data-original-width="510" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5bz5M2EUHGyX_SihVio3MsKwfdOyiA6VZRQ33L1UTKk7Z2Xp3qOfS7lk1fptljjXDKJdX5ZxE15umfgseuh6Jijk15pz7Td5R9h6pZEKdTPB7zeZTbTolui4tmCkX1_qI8SSLvsPh6jo/w293-h400/Dr.+Mario.jpg" width="293" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Speaking of Doc.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLwDCF2i-HJn25AUVh_XE5paJolKKNv4QQiCRhRTesx53nDnU2loiJouhr_2DqLumhgp7NDW2KffU03nZCmddOLiIG9bjAInWjAEjNVpo9birB2hyphenhyphenk8hDRUah-xYDjuId7Lng8rn80qpc/s1200/Sansui.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="1200" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLwDCF2i-HJn25AUVh_XE5paJolKKNv4QQiCRhRTesx53nDnU2loiJouhr_2DqLumhgp7NDW2KffU03nZCmddOLiIG9bjAInWjAEjNVpo9birB2hyphenhyphenk8hDRUah-xYDjuId7Lng8rn80qpc/w400-h210/Sansui.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE best NES controllers.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrJQhJE6656bMx1r0rHiLXCY7HFuE1qaStJHOxLRqXw4ZvHoYAnetqXlDqnNX4TmUanwi8UF_TFjoIkMhyphenhyphenMJ3h0kVu1YqXxyciL8dxUTX7T59_avQkWnyjt3SERZfYJ6lQ5aYfI7pm0Y/s2048/Super-Mario-Bros-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1530" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrJQhJE6656bMx1r0rHiLXCY7HFuE1qaStJHOxLRqXw4ZvHoYAnetqXlDqnNX4TmUanwi8UF_TFjoIkMhyphenhyphenMJ3h0kVu1YqXxyciL8dxUTX7T59_avQkWnyjt3SERZfYJ6lQ5aYfI7pm0Y/w299-h400/Super-Mario-Bros-3.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE best, IMO, game ever crafted.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I have shared this particular Christmas story many times, in various mediums, including the RR Youtube channel. But it was so great, so epic, that it deserves repeating. For Christmas 1990, just a few short months after I had first gotten my NES, I received a package gift that will forever stand in my memory as the coolest/most exciting Christmas present I ever received. There it was, this mysterious, unwrapped, plain brown box. I honestly had zero idea what was inside. But when I opened it, you could easily have played that stereotypical "HALLELUJAH" song, like right out of a movie. Within this plane ass box, sat not one, but THREE NES games, and two controllers to boot. </p><p>In point of fact, as I was opening the box, I couldn't tell how many games were in there. All I know is I must have seen either Dr. Mario or Bugs Bunny first, both games we had already rented. And I thought that was pretty cool. I was happy. And then I see another game, whichever of those two wasn't first. And I got happier. But then my eyes REALLY lit up, as I remember it, Mario 3 was hidden further down, probably on purpose. When I saw THAT bad boy, my eyes lit the fuck up, let me tell you! I had very briefly experienced SMB3 at an aunt's house earlier in the year, and embarrassingly, I actually barely played it, because the map felt awkward to me. I spent more time with my first TRUE gaming love, Super Mario Bros. 1, which I had been playing the ever-living shit out of in the months before Christmas. But having a real chance to play SMB3 again, I was absolutely beside myself. Let me make it clear, that Super Mario Bros. 1 IS the game that made me fall in love with gaming, it's the game that turned what had always been a fascination with video games, into a full blown childhood obsession. And to this day I love SMB1, I always will, it's a fantastic, timeless classic. BUT, when I really got to dig my mits into SMB3? It was game over, it was instantly my favorite game, that I played a ridiculous amount over the next several years, and to this day it remains my favorite game of all time.</p><p>As for the controllers, while an afterthought, even then, they bear mentioning. They were Sansui Joycard controllers. Yes, a very odd, very Japanese name for them. And I don't know, my grandmother must have seen them in the Finger Hut catalogue or something, otherwise where would she find something like that. I'm not even sure why she got two. But they were awesome, and instantly became my favorite controller. They were modeled very much after the Japanese Famicom controllers, with more comfortable, rounded edges. They also included a headphone jack, so you could listen to your games without annoying people. And most importantly, they had rapid-fire switches, to enhance that gaming experience!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qPmk7_Ghr3Ngvwe4HwkB0yjm2XYNZFWpnuaBbWrh1eK7bWEp2lBp7ea6EhV9DqdtpXASsdlSKk7hYRZKsSh_zN9R4CSFmNdSRgGiT5gDpVBM-eNoUhF0hE6IkD5xM01MN3nUQ72TWbM/s1200/gameboy-color-advance-and-games-1200x675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qPmk7_Ghr3Ngvwe4HwkB0yjm2XYNZFWpnuaBbWrh1eK7bWEp2lBp7ea6EhV9DqdtpXASsdlSKk7hYRZKsSh_zN9R4CSFmNdSRgGiT5gDpVBM-eNoUhF0hE6IkD5xM01MN3nUQ72TWbM/w400-h225/gameboy-color-advance-and-games-1200x675.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now you[re playing with power. PORTABLE power.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybQ6uTKclqmsE6vUQ28Did0rcUoUU6F14qJZOgwMf5_huHddjRENEHGqTJiMbTSfOrwBu2rDs8I7hg4P3znte5atdUMwiRowtaG5U6a9aZATA0TU70P4LKILxhtaWhQBh__flZVzEqVQ/s803/Link+Bro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybQ6uTKclqmsE6vUQ28Did0rcUoUU6F14qJZOgwMf5_huHddjRENEHGqTJiMbTSfOrwBu2rDs8I7hg4P3znte5atdUMwiRowtaG5U6a9aZATA0TU70P4LKILxhtaWhQBh__flZVzEqVQ/w399-h400/Link+Bro.jpg" width="399" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still the best Zelda game, to me.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Last but hardly not least, were the last video game related, and
probably anything related, Christmas gifts I remember getting while my
grandmother was still alive. So essentially the last Xmas gifts from my
childhood, before I hit my teens and life changed a lot. As stated, that
"Mystery Box" with Mario 3 and Co. in it, was THE coolest, most
exciting gift I ever got as a kid. But perhaps a close second, was Xmas
1993, when I received my very own Game Boy. </p>For a little bit of
background, before my 12th birthday that year, one fine fall afternoon, I
had been playing, you guessed it, Super Mario Bros. 3. I was playing it
when my grandmother went to go take a nap. And unfortunately for yours
truly, I was also STILL playing it when she got back up, a good 2-3
hours later. Why had I been playing so long, you ask? Well, it was
simple really, I beat the game, and because I had never bothered/been
able to beforehand, I decided I wanted to beat it through a SECOND time,
with all of those P-Wings in tow. I was curious to see if you got ANY
sort of different ending if you beat it twice. The answer was big, fat,
disappointing no. But then, in one of my less smart childhood decisions,
I decided, being bored, that I would for no actual good reason
whatsoever, KEEP playing it for awhile, a third loop through. If I had
been smarter, I would have turned that shit off after my "Second Loop
Experiment" was done. If I had, my grandmother would have still been
laying down, and I would have been just fine. But instead, she got up,
asked if I'd been playing the entire time she was asleep, to which I
stupidly said yes. And she flew off the handle, as she so often (and
irrationally) did, and in true Grandma fashion, she grounded me from
video playing Nintendo for TWO whole months. <br /><br />To kid me, that was a prison sentence. It was devastating. Never mind that the VERY same day she pronounced sentence, we went to Wal-Mart and she bought me Mario Teaches Typing for PC. She DIDN'T want me talking about goddamn Mario for two months, mind you. But she DID like the idea of an educational game. Unrelated, at some point I eventually also got Mario is Missing on PC. However, on that SAME awful trip to Wal-Mart, I learned by seeing it through the clear blue plastic bag, that she was returning one of my birthday gifts: a copy of Kirby's Adventure, which I had rented once and adored. I was DOUBLE devastated to learn that. I could hardly have been more miserable at the time. She DID allow me to play NES with my friends on my birthday for a couple of hours, and as it turned out, Harold's family got me a copy of Super Mario Bros. 2. She ALSO still got me a cool "Nintendo Chair", even though she was sicking of hearing about Nintendo. <br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGC8VEfon4BZ-Mfx1IaWcXxRBmZl7d4v3Omy1Vkd3fkYDKKUs0zhdmbSP_wfDjS7d6QZzIhVtluYwvueBhnxFYEG0CgLSNKueKzjI_BvuV9Bdq2Gj5nfM-KWX1q5RgV8JBrB0DraegaU/w396-h400/DK+bro.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="396" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A really fantastic expansion of a classic.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIzzTAzzNcRMjlNUif_a3LSDYWcX5c3b07mQJA2ldiBfXeel893UpPcnLLrICKV2NRWtKZLstgiQpgRCN8zEW9hLH9St8f570X5LbJ5zMI-NdgbGl407G0ttWVae27B9zDaQHyJjiMVc/s608/Mega+fuck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="608" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIzzTAzzNcRMjlNUif_a3LSDYWcX5c3b07mQJA2ldiBfXeel893UpPcnLLrICKV2NRWtKZLstgiQpgRCN8zEW9hLH9St8f570X5LbJ5zMI-NdgbGl407G0ttWVae27B9zDaQHyJjiMVc/w400-h359/Mega+fuck.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SUCH a great, truly unappreciated entry in the franchise.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span><br /></span></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Anyway, with all that in mind, my grounding was over by Christmas, for sure. And that's a good thing, because she ALSO still wound up getting me a Game Boy, and at least a few of initial games. Even though she was sick of hearing about Nintendo. So Xmas 93, I got a Game Boy, packed in with Tetris, which much like Dr. Mario she herself played WAY too much. And I also got, at least, Kirby's Pinball Land, and Zelda: Link's Awakening, which is still my favorite Zelda game to this day. </p><p>Where it gets a bit fuzzy, is precisely WHEN I got the other GB games I owned, because all told, I only had six of them. The others were Wario Land, and as pictures, a bad ass 100 level Donkey Kong remake, and <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/06/forgotten-gems-mega-man-v.html">Mega Man V</a>, which is my 2nd favorite MM game behind Mega Man 2 on NES. But here's the thing. All three of those games came out at various points in 1994. And Mega Man specifically, according to the internet, didn't come out until September of 94. Which really throws a monkey wrench in my memories. Because for years, I've remembered it that the last video game gift that my grandmother got me while she was still alive, was The Jungle Book on NES, for my 13th birthday in 1994. Which by the way, was a bit of a letdown. But since she DID get me Mega Man, and I DIDN'T get it for my birthday, that leads me to believe that I HAD to have gotten it for Xmas 1994. There's no other logical explanation, because I know for sure I didn't get any new games from her in 1995. <br /><br />So, memory fuckery aside, yes, my last two Christmases then, were filled with Game Boy goodness, as I imagine I probably got both Mega Man and Warioland for Xmas. I didn't have many Game Boy games, but I'm proud to say none of those I did own, sucked. They were all QUITE good in fact, and I enjoyed them all, and played them all, quite a bit. I will point out, however, that I didn't actually play my GB "on the go" very much, mainly because the screen was so damn DARK without a direct light source. To that end, both for me and for her Tetris addiction, my grandmother eventually got me a "Light Boy" attachment, which was both a light for the screen, as well as a big bulky magnifier for the screen. I would sit in my bean bag chair in the corner of my room, with the GB plugged in, and play that thing with the "Light Boy", sometimes for hours. Which to me was a major win, because I had originally wanted to put the NES in my room, and wasn't allowed to. So getting to play games in my room finally, was great! Funny side note about the "Light Boy" though. I also got a Game Genie for GB, and both peripherals attached to the top of the system, in the game slot. So you could ONLY use either the Game Genie, or the LB. You could either use cool cheats, or actually SEE the screen, your choice. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> *********************</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>So that's it for my Christmas Gift memories. There were likely other cool things I got as a kid, but frankly I can't really remember them, or they weren't that important to bring up. I hit on all the big and landmark ones, for sure. 2020 has been a real garage year for pretty much the entire planet. I hope that all of you have a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and here's hoping we ALL have a MUCH better New Year! <br /></p><p><br /></p>Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-59504164029331925802020-10-29T20:01:00.003-07:002020-10-30T15:57:22.007-07:00Bela Lugosi: The Ultimate Dracula<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL8mJjVI9rbioj2sBSxk4DauSYtTpauF3difb6voXgNWJO2NZ6-QdCpNeZtZHbyQHy7WJ7qZTYSEXg2wCYU4vTd0TbiW1mqlbyD-kSPi8WO4pAr3LncRDquWoJDit3uCoVn4ZmY6RfLm8/s237/Dashing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL8mJjVI9rbioj2sBSxk4DauSYtTpauF3difb6voXgNWJO2NZ6-QdCpNeZtZHbyQHy7WJ7qZTYSEXg2wCYU4vTd0TbiW1mqlbyD-kSPi8WO4pAr3LncRDquWoJDit3uCoVn4ZmY6RfLm8/w287-h400/Dashing.jpg" width="287" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><p>The character of the vampire lord, Count Dracula, as made famous by Irish author Bram Stoker, is one of the most recognized and iconic figures in not just horror fiction, but ALL of popular fiction. There are very few people in the "developed world" today, I'd wager, who didn't at least have a general passing knowledge of who Dracula is. He's been depicted in everything from serious works of art, to toys, to comics, to cartoons and even sketch comedy. But the medium in which he became most famous, naturally, was film. </p><p>There have been many, MANY depictions of Dracula in film, by some counts, the character has made over 200 film appearances, allegedly second only to Sherlock Holmes. But again, I would wager that more people, especially young people, know who Dracula is, than even the great detective. Narrowing it down a bit, there have been, at the LEAST, around or probably over 40 films made that center around the character of Dracula more specifically, most of them direct adaptations, of some manner or other, of Stoker's original novel. But while several of those film depictions of the Count have been quite memorable, some even iconic, there is one who, I think it's completely fair to say, stands head and shoulders above all the rest.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kMBYNZtkcgUASKKL-18DMfvrUvhCEAQQ4rq3dfl3cgzuJKYpZ4mO1z7DDvKcVT1U4F3GXILb5FQjNl7hZ2sCgWxp8p6OLE9DiE5DLU0gaKTJRWkL7rNZ8BYT_qXvJeafq9B_7y4VU4Y/s657/Play.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kMBYNZtkcgUASKKL-18DMfvrUvhCEAQQ4rq3dfl3cgzuJKYpZ4mO1z7DDvKcVT1U4F3GXILb5FQjNl7hZ2sCgWxp8p6OLE9DiE5DLU0gaKTJRWkL7rNZ8BYT_qXvJeafq9B_7y4VU4Y/w305-h400/Play.jpg" width="305" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lugosi in the original Broadway play.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó, otherwise known as Bela Lugosi, was born on October 20th, 1882, in Lugos Austria-Hungary, what is now known as Lugoj, Romania. Meaning that, ironically, the man who would go on to become synonymous with the character of Dracula, was originally from the same basic land that was also home to the Count's native Transylvania. Lugosi dropped out of school at age 12 (something not at all uncommon in those days), and began his acting career in the very early 1900s. After years acting in stage plays in Hungary and elsewhere, he got his first silent film role in 1917. He went on to act in several Hungarian and then German films, before finally leaving Europe for political reasons, to immigrate to the United States in 1920. After living and working in the States for many years, both as a laborer and immigrant actor, by 1931 he finally became a naturalized citizen. </p><p>Lugosi's acting work in America started out in his native Hungarian, playing to immigrant crowds. His first English speaking role came in 1922, and for his first several English plays, he had to learn his lines phonetically, as he could not yet speak English very well. During the 20s, he also acted in several silent films, the first of which being J. Gordon Edwards' <i>The Silent Command</i>. But the role that would come to define his career, for better and for worse, fell into his lap in the late 20s. In the summer of 1927, he was approached to play the role of Count Dracula in a Broadway production, which would go on to be a smash hit, playing 261 times before embarking on a national tour that ended in California. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUTUQ3_6ZzPgrNitXwUEBH-zr1Z-Wq4w_BDa5fl5KNiL4l9MJ5QzEliDj454lKsmEH4R7rXvNTxZm4dbAA6xj8AZP-wARn-HTonvT4OVgkDaYdA7OtoL4b-vu9R9R_fnvMsTIrGvBKrI/s1202/Drac+Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUTUQ3_6ZzPgrNitXwUEBH-zr1Z-Wq4w_BDa5fl5KNiL4l9MJ5QzEliDj454lKsmEH4R7rXvNTxZm4dbAA6xj8AZP-wARn-HTonvT4OVgkDaYdA7OtoL4b-vu9R9R_fnvMsTIrGvBKrI/w426-h640/Drac+Poster.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A poster almost as iconic as the film's actor.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>When Universal Pictures optioned the rights to the play and began production in 1930, as hard as it may be for many to imagine, and in spite his own lobbying for the role he felt was his, Lugosi was actually not the studio's first choice to portray the title role. After considering many other actors, in part because he lobbies hard and won them over, but also reportedly in part because he agreed to take the role for considerably less money than he could have commanded, Bela Lugosi did, however, win the role that so badly wanted to portray on the "silver screen". </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUF_O-eY8iGzZmypDUxzzf2nbtTFgnr3VbwdcchxENsX5jwjle12nKA4tJq-265km0koLZ-s87QjqPPU9tuj46Hqcb-s72nPPmXHIMEnZu_DLeVuXXxQnDnSUUcBGMQ43KI_H271Doss/s516/Spanish+Bleh.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="371" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUF_O-eY8iGzZmypDUxzzf2nbtTFgnr3VbwdcchxENsX5jwjle12nKA4tJq-265km0koLZ-s87QjqPPU9tuj46Hqcb-s72nPPmXHIMEnZu_DLeVuXXxQnDnSUUcBGMQ43KI_H271Doss/w288-h400/Spanish+Bleh.jpg" width="288" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spanish Dracula<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpx6F_pmkeZgTOoXD653E6INxhiuW15Qp3t3Y0LEHDmcxMDwtNLTIObA15Xevf5KGnif7wiTp972MQgy5wzxbBzRRL2xoRxyz7KjqPH_Hz0Hx6rlucoUQoHUnyh2zURdKTo33C7F4gYI/s569/Spanish+Ren.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="569" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpx6F_pmkeZgTOoXD653E6INxhiuW15Qp3t3Y0LEHDmcxMDwtNLTIObA15Xevf5KGnif7wiTp972MQgy5wzxbBzRRL2xoRxyz7KjqPH_Hz0Hx6rlucoUQoHUnyh2zURdKTo33C7F4gYI/s320/Spanish+Ren.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spanish Renfield<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJoyi5-5C-uu_bp6PaI3eERy1tVJGP6lnsrRbWwxhyphenhyphenrhGCPbFpNtzDghxNJNEGM9_ubtUls_zkeqk7-v71_6aTLzCX_PN9m54MViP1KHJwbjtrBLe39CtD952oo37q_eQrxp-Zj6o-czI/s500/Spanish+Van+Helsing.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJoyi5-5C-uu_bp6PaI3eERy1tVJGP6lnsrRbWwxhyphenhyphenrhGCPbFpNtzDghxNJNEGM9_ubtUls_zkeqk7-v71_6aTLzCX_PN9m54MViP1KHJwbjtrBLe39CtD952oo37q_eQrxp-Zj6o-czI/s320/Spanish+Van+Helsing.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spanish Van Helsing<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>In an unusual, but in those days not uncommon occurrence, Universal had two productions of <i>Dracula</i> filming at the same time. The more famous English production would film during the day, and then when they were done, the Spanish production would use the exact same sets at night. For many years, the Spanish version of the film was actually thought to be lost, though surviving prints were eventually found. It would seem that to many film historians and even some film buffs, this Spanish language film is considered "superior", mainly due to a few, in my opinion minor points. For one thing, the Spanish production apparently had the advantage of watching the English "dailies", watching their camera-work etc., and were able to try and improve upon it, such as the camera moving up the stairs to zoom in on Dracula when he first appears to Renfield. They also added a bit more "flair" in certain scenes, such as smoke rising from Dracula's coffin when he awakes, and things like that. Lastly, the Spanish film, for whatever reason, clocks in at nearly 20 minutes longer than the English version, which some feel gives the story a bit more room to breath, and a bit more time for character development. </p><p>Personally, however, I reject the notion that the Spanish version is "superior". I absolutely recognize the longer running time, slightly more lavish special effects, and somewhat more complex camera-work. But to me, none of these things really "improve" the story itself to a significant degree. I think for what it was, especially considering it was made on a smaller budget than the English version, the Spanish film is well done, and a solid movie overall. But as far as I'm concerned, there really is no contest between the two, and I'll explain why. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZ_n1JRlcsv-kmG4dsZIe865s6Fvy0IfN9UqZ8Ml5Zsjd_0yWiKKZVd990hQ_BmtLzdhi1dAWU-cfuVeMeBjkWiVDI4q57JBgiPN9_nmLaNqwpGbCgyo-LFJqGi-xEJih7oruQLSOBrg/s512/Stairs.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="416" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZ_n1JRlcsv-kmG4dsZIe865s6Fvy0IfN9UqZ8Ml5Zsjd_0yWiKKZVd990hQ_BmtLzdhi1dAWU-cfuVeMeBjkWiVDI4q57JBgiPN9_nmLaNqwpGbCgyo-LFJqGi-xEJih7oruQLSOBrg/w325-h400/Stairs.jpg" width="325" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">English Dracula<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UZLcrz9pbXZNwW72h7wBbZqJdOnpDV0GyFExMduvPaKGvUWiRLZw59lIJ7YSxvUUfV-ANM5qglHbQZcz7peqmLhhaWN9nKSush7v3QD88GiY87LU8QJYSGLPJbR2TNGhweIePqRvJfA/s445/Renfield.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="445" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UZLcrz9pbXZNwW72h7wBbZqJdOnpDV0GyFExMduvPaKGvUWiRLZw59lIJ7YSxvUUfV-ANM5qglHbQZcz7peqmLhhaWN9nKSush7v3QD88GiY87LU8QJYSGLPJbR2TNGhweIePqRvJfA/w400-h321/Renfield.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">English Renfield<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ozS7ZVr9OcvMgRNWtKC4RYsxfJmtbLiKAKSu57pIKvnBn7u8pnde70i71egV6mqav7cz4WgcGoXuOIsiB7Ry50llwc0KCkgl3vggqTAo-SUIwUqLlzzsdW-IDuuRBECkKmuqPYDENFA/s256/Fucking+Helsing.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="220" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ozS7ZVr9OcvMgRNWtKC4RYsxfJmtbLiKAKSu57pIKvnBn7u8pnde70i71egV6mqav7cz4WgcGoXuOIsiB7Ry50llwc0KCkgl3vggqTAo-SUIwUqLlzzsdW-IDuuRBECkKmuqPYDENFA/w344-h400/Fucking+Helsing.png" width="344" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">English Van Helsing<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The English version has also been criticized by some critics retroactively, for being "too much like silent film". And I honestly, for the life of me, don't understand how this is a legitimate complaint. Director Todd Browning, though he left a lot of the actual filming to Director of Photography Karl Freund, was a successful director of silent films. He reportedly was never quite comfortable with sound films, and this being one of very first, it shows. But as far as I'm concerned, his silent era proclivities are not a hindrance to the movie, but rather, a strength. The film has a lot of silent moments, with hardly any music (which wasn't unusual for early sound films anyway), and a lot of long, still shots. To me, this lends to the creepy atmosphere, mood and tone of the story. The darkness, silence and stillness, lend the film, in my opinion, a much spookier and more menacing air, than the busier, more technically complex Spanish production. </p><p>The acting in this movie, has also been described by some as basically being stage acting, which, again, I don't find any real fault in. For one thing, Bela Lugosi and Edward Van Sloan, had already played Dracula and Professor Van Helsing respectively, opposite one another hundreds of times in the play. Which, I might add, attributes itself both to their chemistry together on screen, working off of each other so very well. But it also explains, as far as I'm concerned, why they both seem so comfortable and natural in their roles. Because they had literally already played them to death. And really, I think along with what I personally consider more appropriate cinematography for the tone of the film, that the acting is really the shining strength that makes the English, not the Spanish version, the "superior" 1931 <i>Dracula</i>. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jzmdKFiRg5FPxnCmN4Y_j82ZA-WVPkBKVRBt6prEJYkBAz1ILsTnfXZOKLXFbTVA3AiR2UMqCtG-U8F-gndjMxqAGCAOzjp67V6jxu7DKQYu5Kgjiu_hs9qIgFZH4XVjx8wUImBHDlk/s1486/Drac+%2526+Van+Helsing.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="1486" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jzmdKFiRg5FPxnCmN4Y_j82ZA-WVPkBKVRBt6prEJYkBAz1ILsTnfXZOKLXFbTVA3AiR2UMqCtG-U8F-gndjMxqAGCAOzjp67V6jxu7DKQYu5Kgjiu_hs9qIgFZH4XVjx8wUImBHDlk/w400-h296/Drac+%2526+Van+Helsing.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect in their roles.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>While I have no wish to slight the acting job of the Spanish crew, to me at least, the acting in the English version of Dracula, is simply better. It's top tier, in all of the major roles, and even in some of the smaller ones. One such smaller role that really stands out, as a bit of valuable comic relief, is that of the Seward Sanitarium attendant, Martin, played Charles K. Gerrard. His thick, Cockney-esque accent, delivering humorous jabs in his interactions with the insane Renfield, are genuinely funny, and shine appropriately comedic light on the otherwise macabre nature of the man eating flies and spiders. Helen Chandler and David Manners also stand out, as the haunted Mina Seward, and her concerned, protective lover John Harker. </p><p>But the three characters who truly steal the show, and carry the film, are appropriately the three biggest roles. First off, it should be mentioned that Dwight Frye was an incredible character actor of his era, bringing both capable physicality, and true dramatic chops to his roles. The role of Renfield, I think, is arguably the finest of his career, and certainly the most complex of the entire film. Renfield starts off a very decent, if somewhat simple, and good-natured, well meaning real estate solicitor, who was hired by Dracula to arrange for his purchase of the decrepit Carfax Abbey in England. But after Dracula gets control of him, becomes a man quite literally possessed, a tortured soul who hates and mourns what he is made to do, and what he has become, but is also thoroughly controlled by his cravings for "smaller lives" (flies, spiders and other bugs), and his fearful loyalty to his "master". </p><p>Frye expresses such a fantastic range of emotions as this character, from well mannered and even joyful, to outright menacing and stark raving mad. And then of course there are his periods of solemn, remorseful sadness. By comparison, Pablo Alvarez Rubio as Renfield in the Spanish version, is convincingly manic and insane. But he also comes off, at least to me, as a bit TOO over the top with his craziness. Dwight Frye's performance, even at its most manic, just comes across as more subtle and menacing. He also, to me, feels like more of a conflicted character. All around, his performance is an absolute highlight to the film. <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRBQOkcpv6ZrQJC1xDJWTjdfTeLpTnUmDJCUDd8VswhrMzcCxOjoiX4rCBEbd_ijzqs0WRHuRzrGMQK8aTIRODQ1enSN4IdsepikhCvUZreH4fYWGKMkfd_DaxzC1IwYkGaWTdHDTEPQ/s500/Drac+Girl.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRBQOkcpv6ZrQJC1xDJWTjdfTeLpTnUmDJCUDd8VswhrMzcCxOjoiX4rCBEbd_ijzqs0WRHuRzrGMQK8aTIRODQ1enSN4IdsepikhCvUZreH4fYWGKMkfd_DaxzC1IwYkGaWTdHDTEPQ/s16000/Drac+Girl.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dracula descending. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The true "meat and potatoes" of the story, of course, is the mental chess game, and actual conflict, between the characters of Van Helsing, and Count Dracula himself. As stated before, I feel that Edward Van Sloan and Bela Lugosi were perfect for these roles, both because they had already made these roles their own on stage, but because their individual personas, acting idiosyncrasies, and even their accents, in Bela's case natural, were perfect. For his part, Van Sloan as Professor Van Helsing, is great to me, tied in my mind with Peter Cushing's portrayal of the character in the later Hammer films. He is all at once wise and very learned about supernatural and scientific matters, even a tad arrogant while also still coming off as politely humble. He is a charming and commanding presence, who garners the respect and often obedience of those he is trying to help, merely by his presence and personality. He is a self-assured, yet cautious hero, who would rather quietly observe, waiting for the right moment to strike, rather than rush in foolishly. He is a man of action, but only when the proper situation presents itself. </p><p>Eduardo Arozamena, Van Helsing in the Spanish version, does a perfectly fine job in the role. In fact he shares some of the characteristics of the character as Van Sloan does. But at the same time, his Van Helsing also seems to bit more of a timid, even bumbling old man, at times even somewhat fearful of Dracula, something that Van Sloan's Professor never is. Whether he is faced with Renfield's madness and threats, or Dracula's brooding yet charming menace, Van Sloan's portrayal of the good doctor, never once bats an eye. Not that he isn't, perhaps, deep down fearful, but because he is confident that he knows how to deal with it.</p><p>Even in the iconic scene where they are alone together for the first time, and they both "lay their cards on the table", so to speak, and Dracula tries to mesmerize and control Van Helsing, he does now cower. He does, in fact, momentarily nearly fall under the Count's sway, so strong is the undead fiend's power, but Van Helsing's will proves to be quite strong, as he steadies himself, standing up straight and defying the vampire lord. Lugosi's Dracula expresses, more than once, genuine respect, perhaps even slight admiration for his new enemy. And because of Van Sloan's confident, wizened portrayal of the character, you can actually believe that he truly means it. His Van Helsing earned Dracula's begrudging respect, even though they fully, and openly, intend to destroy one another. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurx-5AEyj40NwSevMZt40gsQkY0GqGXOL2QTJjrCixhvDGO05P0sSAzYaYrNyRlqilcTQ8wNZIEba7vN_r_yhW37nJS7fpkYWu_-SfKS0oZI9ty0SJvUmr_IKpcJT4GnOk1WdXBKX2mM/s640/Eyes.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurx-5AEyj40NwSevMZt40gsQkY0GqGXOL2QTJjrCixhvDGO05P0sSAzYaYrNyRlqilcTQ8wNZIEba7vN_r_yhW37nJS7fpkYWu_-SfKS0oZI9ty0SJvUmr_IKpcJT4GnOk1WdXBKX2mM/w400-h300/Eyes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those haunting eyes.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As for the person we're really here to discuss, Lugosi as Count Dracula, if you've ever even seen but a small clip, or even just a picture of his performance, really speaks for itself. His exotic, charming yet sinister look, and his natural Hungarian accent, just lent themselves to the character. He isn't an immediately physically imposing figure, not someone who commands instant fright upon first seeing him. And yet, you can also immediately tell there is something more, something dangerous about this persona, and he is not someone you would want to meet alone, in the dark. By comparison, <span>Carlos Villarías' Dracula in the Spanish version, while capably acted, both because of his general mannerisms, but also because of his quite frankly sometimes goofy looking facial expressions, comes across as a far less menacing, sometimes even comical vampire. Again, no offense to Carlos, but to all those who try to claim that the Spanish version is "superior", I don't think his portrayal holds even a small candle to Lugosi's. <br /></span></p><p>Lugosi's Dracula is a monster, no doubt about it, but he is a monster who is not often given to recklessness or foolish chance. Much like his opposite, Van Helsing, he too is a very calculating mind, who plans much and risks little. Not because he is afraid, but because he is a mastermind who is always several steps ahead of most of his victims and enemies. He's a man who has had centuries to learn and hone and perfect his role as vile hunter of the living, and his mental command of the weaker-minded is pretty much unparalleled. He is still supernaturally strong, mentally powerful, and able to change his physical form, etc., just as most versions of the character are. But with Lugosi's portrayal, the characters strength lies more in his cunning, and almost sardonic charm. He's scary, but often more because of what he COULD do to you, or even make you do to yourself, than because of more graphic acts of intimidation or violence. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-a_AqMOz2S2U6sl5qmp_IVfloc4lX5048Pu9zyRr7-e3rku7gyvWi3y72fXyRz9YRYSRulzkh6JNRzVFYRQEQhswUVFcQdSNGMJ7h_hNpPR5Yi-QjNxCUDQMzprrrw0jDqBKJ1WItrM/s729/Nosferatu.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-a_AqMOz2S2U6sl5qmp_IVfloc4lX5048Pu9zyRr7-e3rku7gyvWi3y72fXyRz9YRYSRulzkh6JNRzVFYRQEQhswUVFcQdSNGMJ7h_hNpPR5Yi-QjNxCUDQMzprrrw0jDqBKJ1WItrM/w264-h400/Nosferatu.jpg" width="264" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Max Schreck's Count Orlok.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-HpoN6EVo6vAuTjRdtxsYEhOQaMBtXxy4fIwZKQZwXEB9Tdu7_BdAeGzHP-yPKxL0-7VeIWCos9aqvzHtE29AhHk3PeSqAe06Fxo0h4gRCUicszBUfxfZ9aUhC9Br_XCdjP_2_HxQlaA/s1520/Lee+Dracula.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1520" data-original-width="1099" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-HpoN6EVo6vAuTjRdtxsYEhOQaMBtXxy4fIwZKQZwXEB9Tdu7_BdAeGzHP-yPKxL0-7VeIWCos9aqvzHtE29AhHk3PeSqAe06Fxo0h4gRCUicszBUfxfZ9aUhC9Br_XCdjP_2_HxQlaA/w289-h400/Lee+Dracula.jpg" width="289" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christopher Lee's "Hammer" Dracula<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BsOUqL3YAFaFjsW98SzFKLx8UZASA1qyVk64XjYHMdx3LOaNYzJOsLNjt5ZIvafY969ul5ub_t2hFJpuOVzp6kfYBUxULGuSRd_0bDHQdi7kgKuXRP5-Hrl5tUjkLiVl-vcy3KDS-Kw/s887/Fucking+Dracula.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="887" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BsOUqL3YAFaFjsW98SzFKLx8UZASA1qyVk64XjYHMdx3LOaNYzJOsLNjt5ZIvafY969ul5ub_t2hFJpuOVzp6kfYBUxULGuSRd_0bDHQdi7kgKuXRP5-Hrl5tUjkLiVl-vcy3KDS-Kw/w400-h293/Fucking+Dracula.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bela Lugosi's OG Dracula<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>I think in the minds of most film fans and historians (often little distinction between the two), there are really three main film portrayals of Count Dracula, that are the most memorable and iconic. They are pictured above. While in the 1922 silent film <i>Nosferatu</i>, for legal reasons they had to rename the character Count Orlok, it is still meant to be Dracula. And in all blunt honesty, Max Schreck's incredible turn in that film, is hands down the creepiest. His character eschews any pretense at handsomeness or charm. He looks and acts like the monster he truly is, and his image and performance are no doubt the scariest, if we're talking about pure horror. </p><p>As for Sir Christopher Lee, he played the character of Dracula probably more times, in both Hammer films and outside of that studio, than any other actor. His portrayal is unquestionably the most intimidating and certainly the most actively, visibly violent. But for all of his visual evocativeness, I must say, for all the times he played the character, Lee's Dracula also has the least "character" of the three. That definitely isn't a knock on him, as Lee was a great actor in his own right. But the combination of how he was directed, the scripts he was given (or sometimes chose to ignore), and his own personal choices in portraying the role, while his Dracula is absolutely fearsome, even "badass" as some would rightly say, you could also argue his Dracula has the least "to him", if that makes sense. If anything, he almost feels like more of an evil force, than he does a character.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MeaqCXwW8xgfr5RYUZbLmB6oM2473oeFPz6pjphRSiRtV9GR8RdYhHHYA8mfhfygbDCrSP0w-5VU1UVw4nq1Z6EX1YUteQVjD0oYTClf3Jyi_xkQK1M9mMlTMq__4aY0EQvea9Qlekw/s568/Bleh.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MeaqCXwW8xgfr5RYUZbLmB6oM2473oeFPz6pjphRSiRtV9GR8RdYhHHYA8mfhfygbDCrSP0w-5VU1UVw4nq1Z6EX1YUteQVjD0oYTClf3Jyi_xkQK1M9mMlTMq__4aY0EQvea9Qlekw/w398-h400/Bleh.jpg" width="398" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That pose.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5d-ls32zP6_8bqeFwYH6tdiERlkztndibzFJLAVlp7tgOihVCAFWP0UdYmEa7f-Nd_r68LgHHAXNC6gu0VtiLUDxa32fkfRTvY1dPhc2QcEFZVdYDioKan6y867-e_TT2GgYSGQr7lNs/s450/Candle.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5d-ls32zP6_8bqeFwYH6tdiERlkztndibzFJLAVlp7tgOihVCAFWP0UdYmEa7f-Nd_r68LgHHAXNC6gu0VtiLUDxa32fkfRTvY1dPhc2QcEFZVdYDioKan6y867-e_TT2GgYSGQr7lNs/w320-h400/Candle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That expression.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mNSq_3DrCqO5df62q-7vvZ4ysdcuZ-p8zlCkcegGxUfteaiSVsfAQZ4qeLh0bI3H2evwH7u_3ScLWhHn_jYdLGqhzOYgOHhiF2iU6NE5LjQUp-a54rN6iD7XTX0DoOqnzV3NbO1Mb40/s1000/Eyes+Art.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="707" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mNSq_3DrCqO5df62q-7vvZ4ysdcuZ-p8zlCkcegGxUfteaiSVsfAQZ4qeLh0bI3H2evwH7u_3ScLWhHn_jYdLGqhzOYgOHhiF2iU6NE5LjQUp-a54rN6iD7XTX0DoOqnzV3NbO1Mb40/w283-h400/Eyes+Art.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That stare.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>But for my money, as a film fan, as a horror fan, as a fan of supernatural fiction in general, Bela Lugosi is, as the title of the article states: The Ultimate Dracula. His character is the prefect mixture, of just charming enough, just intimidating enough, and just sinister enough, that he is the complete total package as far as I'm concerned. There are good reasons why it is his portrayal and very image, that is most popularly and most infamously associated with the character. He made that role his own in a way that few actors ever accomplish in their entire career. And this was, on a professional note, both a boon and a curse to him as an actor. That one iconic role achieved him a kind of "immortality" that few ever achieve. But at the same time, being so associated with that role, along with his thick Hungarian accent, also caused Lugosi to become very typecast for the rest of his film career. A fact that he, rightly, hated. He loved the character, so much so that he was buried with the original cape when he passed away, something his family thought he would have liked. But he also hated what it did to his career, a career full of many other iconic roles and great turns. But he could never quite escape The Count, much like his victims in the story. </p><p>Regardless of that unfortunate fact, the truth is, Lugosi was a fantastic actor, a reality that shines in his immortal performance as Count Dracula. The Spanish version made by Universal may well have been more "technically sound" in certain ways. But I hardly think those extra touches make it "superior", and as as stated, I feel that acting-wise, it is most certainly the inferior film. And there have surely been a great many adaptations of the story since 1931, which have been more lavish, more expensive, more technically impressive, etc., including Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 film, which featured Gary Oldman in a very strong performance. But I do not earnestly believe, out of all the films that have come since, or perhaps ever WILL come, that any of them are as simple, pure, and darkly, hauntingly beautiful, as Todd Browning's 1931 classic. That <i>Dracula</i>, as far as I'm concerned, is perfect, and is one of the few films I would give "5 Stars" to. </p><p><br /></p><p>Bela Lugosi IS Dracula, to entire generations of people, and deservedly so. If you've never seen the movie, I implore you, this Halloween Weekend, please do yourself a favor and watch it. It is a slow, often understated burn of a film. But it is never boring, always captivating, often creepy, and if you ask me, a pure delight to take in. I'd like to wish everyone a <u><i><b>Happy Halloween</b></i></u>, and stay safe out there!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaUxiWjXHrRMMEgfrZJ8R8aJ9qGm2LEFkXUda2C5Nu0tWlAWL3HmK5n_JpexoghIjqiVHys_xVjqSnsyHIosvsegAUhHMtKtdyflsN5zHbFvv4piXIiwpS2RJUmDfB8tK0vZ_7ODYr2Hk/s512/Older.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaUxiWjXHrRMMEgfrZJ8R8aJ9qGm2LEFkXUda2C5Nu0tWlAWL3HmK5n_JpexoghIjqiVHys_xVjqSnsyHIosvsegAUhHMtKtdyflsN5zHbFvv4piXIiwpS2RJUmDfB8tK0vZ_7ODYr2Hk/s16000/Older.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-65813293977652600652020-09-29T07:32:00.000-07:002020-10-01T14:17:23.935-07:00Godzilla Chronicles: Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjY2UErhlZ5fHY27XzqFpHAW5WBcs99HfH-PD8M-NUqsITutaKtxIslXqjmpXwsUI2vaGBgNeK2gyP55R2iMAI0pmrOXcK9zyqsodEZ8AIKeGZD_ksAaF-F6Lx1pip5b8hThaIbRhKYm8/s768/poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="544" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjY2UErhlZ5fHY27XzqFpHAW5WBcs99HfH-PD8M-NUqsITutaKtxIslXqjmpXwsUI2vaGBgNeK2gyP55R2iMAI0pmrOXcK9zyqsodEZ8AIKeGZD_ksAaF-F6Lx1pip5b8hThaIbRhKYm8/w453-h640/poster.jpg" width="453" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>In the last <i><b>Godzilla Chronicles</b></i> entry, we looked at the bizarre, childhood fantasy near-spinoff project known as <i>Godzilla's Revenge</i>, aka <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/05/godzilla-chronicles-all-monsters-attack.html"><i>All Monsters Attack</i></a>. But if you thought THAT film was odd, well then buckle in tight and hold onto your seats, because as the old saying goes, "You ain't seen nothin' yet!" </p><p>Even by the late 60s, Toho was beginning to feel that the Godzilla series, which had seen a new entry nearly every year since 1962, was beginning to get a bit stale. It was due in part to this, that I'm sure they were willing to allow Ishiro Honda to experiment as he did, with <i>All Monsters Attack</i>. This experimentation continued on the next Godzilla project, but in different ways. With Honda looking to scale back his filming (he actually wound up basically taking a break for a few years), Toho turned, surprisingly, to a new director, Yoshimitsu Banno. A man with very different ideas, and a new take on Godzilla in particular. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtJR6dzCpOoOHOu2396H0IsM0qIDhmd7E8qqqTJSu0A3ITcUJmVQ2FfYbuJ4yEwMYskaZ_R_Yje_q9SbMIaaSFY9-MXBxiNWiD_GvMHpSmstIi683M205abV6Jc5WUqCaJSjBJH_jDZg/s1224/trippy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="792" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtJR6dzCpOoOHOu2396H0IsM0qIDhmd7E8qqqTJSu0A3ITcUJmVQ2FfYbuJ4yEwMYskaZ_R_Yje_q9SbMIaaSFY9-MXBxiNWiD_GvMHpSmstIi683M205abV6Jc5WUqCaJSjBJH_jDZg/w414-h640/trippy.jpg" width="414" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fan art, representing the "trippy" nature of this film.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Banno's biggest conceptual theme that he wanted to build his contribution to Godzilla around, was the environment, and how it was being poisoned by pollution. He saw Japanese cities rife with horrible smoggy air, and Japanese coastlines foaming with crap that people threw into the water. All pretty terrible, disgusting, frightening stuff. And his idea was "Hey, what if this pollution came to life, and became a monster that attacked humanity?" To this end, he created the alien creature, Hedorah, an originally microscopic being from deep space, who came to Earth via a meteorite, and eventually started growing and mutating into an enormous, sludgy mess, after feeding on humanity's ample pollution.</p><p> But clearly, Banno's vision didn't stop at having a strong environmental theme, something in and of itself that was used by several other filmmakers in the 1970s. Likely being a part of it himself, he also wanted to play to what he likely saw as a more "modern" Godzilla audience, one which represented the so-called "Hippy" counter-culture that was going strong at the time. To this end, "Hedorah" features, outside of a couple of major exceptions, a "hipper" young adult crowd at its core of human characters. There's a hip night club featuring "painted" dancers, and a woman singing about the environment. There are montages and animated segments that are VERY "60s". And late in the film there is even a moderately large gathering in the hills of young Japanese "Hippy" types, dancing around a fire and singing songs to...defeat Hedorah with positive vibes? But I'm getting ahead of myself. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RJM4D-Qpkgxrywt7fqOP8NrLVtm49kqWgHyAyCSiFDU7SwAjEbl5XOlxS-xiVl9BaOZUFNQ-4dSvfwLafyVaRD7sQED5xi5TYfrfXmrsjmdqyklLkBYLdB4u2oPQjlvjmV4GXtCcino/s658/fan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="658" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RJM4D-Qpkgxrywt7fqOP8NrLVtm49kqWgHyAyCSiFDU7SwAjEbl5XOlxS-xiVl9BaOZUFNQ-4dSvfwLafyVaRD7sQED5xi5TYfrfXmrsjmdqyklLkBYLdB4u2oPQjlvjmV4GXtCcino/w400-h306/fan.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A true Godzilla fan.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Pictured above is die hard Godzilla fan, Ken Yano. His father, Dr. Toru Yano, a marine biologist, has been collecting odd samples from the sea lately, seemingly mutated sea-life, results of humanity's pollution. Ken's mother, Toshie, often acts as his assistant. After discovering a strange "tadpole", Ken accompanies his father to the beach, where he patiently waits while Dr. Yano goes diving to see if he can find traces of this "tadpole", as well as a mysterious sea monster that has appeared, sinking an oil tanker. </p><p>Toru is attacked while underwater, by what turns out to be Hedorah in its early, aquatic form, badly burning his face. A small piece of the monster also attempts to attack Ken on the shore, but only manages to burn the boy's hand. Now fully aware of the existence of Hedorah, Dr. Yano tries to warn the public, using his own tragedy as a cautionary tale. Meanwhile Ken, apparently the world's biggest G-Fan, has a vision of Godzilla saving the world from Hedorah, and firmly believes in his heart that this will actually occur.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISaz1L5hqnv7A_FRw-Mo2XKzfw4c2QbQ7u3FOloZufEYb6TOaQBRx8f-3eHQMRqhRdCX-n2L1IOJpTqeoAGBQIeEoUbsxniv4wEjXd6LU2P8HLou2deuCKxptUHt1bww6xqpWWVpIm_w/s280/gross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="280" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISaz1L5hqnv7A_FRw-Mo2XKzfw4c2QbQ7u3FOloZufEYb6TOaQBRx8f-3eHQMRqhRdCX-n2L1IOJpTqeoAGBQIeEoUbsxniv4wEjXd6LU2P8HLou2deuCKxptUHt1bww6xqpWWVpIm_w/w400-h343/gross.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of several odd animated segments, showing Hedorah feeding.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_NDW-ZnUv1kK_mEpmNCuBHn7tADEddHbLVlt3gUaKPInCwQR28SGXQ7xjElDMEWIO0BL5ecEIvmIVZ03dDIfY9wxfCOvwciIgfyHAZUXI9aPYdWeZRV0WiU1xlWCrKVZX4-GGGA5lmk/s355/Blah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="355" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_NDW-ZnUv1kK_mEpmNCuBHn7tADEddHbLVlt3gUaKPInCwQR28SGXQ7xjElDMEWIO0BL5ecEIvmIVZ03dDIfY9wxfCOvwciIgfyHAZUXI9aPYdWeZRV0WiU1xlWCrKVZX4-GGGA5lmk/w400-h315/Blah.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The creature's second form.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>It isn't long before Hedorah is no longer satisfied with feeding on oil and pollution found in the ocean. It grows stronger, and metamorphoses into a more amphibious form, which allows it to come up on land, seeking out new kinds of human poison, such as the smoke stacks of factories. As it turns out, not only does the monster feed off of and grow stronger because of pollution, but it is also essentially composed of highly toxic, pollution sludge itself. So much so, that the slime and fumes from its body, are highly dangerous, even lethal, as evidenced by the Yanos' burns. </p><p>But Hedorah becomes even more dangerous, when it displays the ability to shift between its more "frog-like" land form, and a deadly "flying saucer" form, in which it can fly, and pour out highly acidic, toxic exhaust, which is even shown to melt human beings right down to their bones. That alone is highly gruesome and unusual for the Godzilla series, and I'm sure may well have caused some controversy upon the film's 1971 release. But it also needs to be said, that regardless of what one might think of the movie itself, love it or hate it, the monster Hedorah is arguably the most unique ever conceived "daikaiju" the series has ever produced. And it was certainly very well realized by the special effects team for this movie as well. Not just Hedorah's unique, pollution-based nature, but also the fact that it shifts between so many different forms, and evolves throughout the story. If nothing else, Hedorah the monster itself, deserves major kudos for creativity and execution. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRX2VZWkWIqoX_Ic-zoy7R4qB0_YgCDKswFsl1lT09dynwEcVrkf6XPAcyqtnfPlNK4RJ6TBGRkvNcO-2QEi49oIhExLkYbSXTUfJVHf2JW2USdb6isL2_AQw8kNfApfsc4kHBjqzjxI/s990/fly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="990" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRX2VZWkWIqoX_Ic-zoy7R4qB0_YgCDKswFsl1lT09dynwEcVrkf6XPAcyqtnfPlNK4RJ6TBGRkvNcO-2QEi49oIhExLkYbSXTUfJVHf2JW2USdb6isL2_AQw8kNfApfsc4kHBjqzjxI/w400-h265/fly.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dreams DO come true!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>True to little Ken's vision, Godzilla does indeed arrive in Japan, to show this new monstrosity what's up. Their initial battle goes Godzilla's way, as he basically hands "Frog Hedorah" its ass. But Hedorah doesn't stay defeated for long, consuming more pollution, and transforming once again, into its "Perfect Form", a more upright, bi-pedal form. In addition to this, he uses his "Flying Saucer" form to pepper Godzilla with toxins, and the "Big G" is actually wounded and somewhat defeated himself, to the horror of Ken and his adult friends, Yukio and Miki. </p><p>All seems lost, and for some insane reason, Ken's parents let him go to the aforementioned "Hippy" party up near Mt. Fuji with Yukio and Miki, where a renewed, but equally hopeless battle between Godzilla and Hedorah breaks out. But, as it happens, Dr. Yano and his wife discover almost by accident, that the small Hedorah samples they had been studying, when dried out turn to brittle ash. Dr. Yano theorizes that if a large amount of electricity can be used to essentially "dry out" the giant pile of shit that Hedorah is, it too would become brittle and vulnerable, unlike its seemingly indestructible slime form, giving Godzilla a chance. The army, naturally, sets to work right away, setting up a giant electric trap for the monster, right nearby where the hippies happen to be partying. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHyEMNbSYE2doCbEmzVC8U1O0vP3Exe1cdklniBl0U-iXYbTbU-nNVSJ-JA9eWyEoA1KUUlWXCichr5-i2mteTOnPCJ-CFvb9W2VK_cnRPfobDMnT2mBlMVOE-JXhwFmkL7TN19PxkJ0E/s680/fight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="680" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHyEMNbSYE2doCbEmzVC8U1O0vP3Exe1cdklniBl0U-iXYbTbU-nNVSJ-JA9eWyEoA1KUUlWXCichr5-i2mteTOnPCJ-CFvb9W2VK_cnRPfobDMnT2mBlMVOE-JXhwFmkL7TN19PxkJ0E/w400-h381/fight.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Godzilla lamenting the ignorance of man's polluting ways.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1oVc1DUheCpFZC8HcmMOglw1RpnCqf227zukwzvjkrX8BIGlG5wu-vixhcdcvA_HPIGRTtyEkwR1v5EmjqzqxiMnlE8hAaWUGJbiaEDNHANPhglETNIgl930J6_hL2LvcHoA3T8aehNc/s282/what.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="271" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1oVc1DUheCpFZC8HcmMOglw1RpnCqf227zukwzvjkrX8BIGlG5wu-vixhcdcvA_HPIGRTtyEkwR1v5EmjqzqxiMnlE8hAaWUGJbiaEDNHANPhglETNIgl930J6_hL2LvcHoA3T8aehNc/w384-h400/what.jpg" width="384" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the ridiculous visuals in all of Godzilladom. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The battle between Godzilla and Hedorah doesn't go well at first, as Godzilla can't seem to harm the damn thing, and in return gets his eye and hands burnt, and then gets drown in sludge after being thrown into a small chasm. But all would not be lost, as the Yano's plan is put into action, and Big Slimy gets zapped with trillions of volts of juice. The monster's battle damages the apparatus before it can totally dry out Hedorah, but not before it makes the thing vulnerable (FINALLY) to Godzilla's attacks. </p><p>Hedorah tries to flee after finding itself damaged, and as you can clearly see above, to keep hot on the trail of its flying form, Godzilla suddenly decides that HE can fly as well, in perhaps the most ridiculous way possible: by rocketing himself through the air via his atomic breath! This would be the first of several "one use/film only" abilities that Godzilla would conveniently discover, a trend through several of his 70s outings. It also happens to be one of the most comical looking Godzilla moments in the series' history, but it's damn entertaining. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrU9rYWkIEOaiE6MTnc5sDnhQr-NFB1EtkZGbqa-iBArJVZK3TM6VRRGrSUqkCSXoruo8bFG5ddFH9OK-JskKO0_QNHoiVkQ121L9keQe5Z42pqzwA4SCVp2BPUWV3Dzcvbk1NmAZpK8/s1600/Smog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1288" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrU9rYWkIEOaiE6MTnc5sDnhQr-NFB1EtkZGbqa-iBArJVZK3TM6VRRGrSUqkCSXoruo8bFG5ddFH9OK-JskKO0_QNHoiVkQ121L9keQe5Z42pqzwA4SCVp2BPUWV3Dzcvbk1NmAZpK8/w516-h640/Smog.jpg" width="516" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The awesome Criterion artwork.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Ultimately, the film didn't perform super well, probably in part because of its darker, more gruesome nature, but also probably because of its oddball "Hippy" sensibilities. Long-time Toho Godzilla producer, Tomoyuki Tanaka, reportedly hated it, and allegedly banned Banno from ever directing another Godzilla film, claiming he had "ruined Godzilla". Banno himself was extremely pleased with the final product, and had a sequel planned that supposedly would have taken place in Africa, another unique choice in Toho films. This sequel never happened, however, as Jun Fukuda, director of 60s Godzilla island romps <i>Godzilla vs The Sea Monster</i> and <i>Son of Godzilla</i>, was brought back to direct the following three Godzilla films. </p><p>As for myself, this is one of those Godzilla movies that I didn't get to see until I rented it sometime in my later teen years. I <i>did </i>have the opportunity to own it as a child, as ONE solitary time, I saw the cover for it at my local Walmart VHS rack. But that just so happened to be one time where, for whatever reason, my grandmother to my horror said "No". And thus, there went my ONE chance during my biggest, most fanatical Godzilla fandom phase, to be able to see it, and experience it as only a child/pre-teen can. I wish that I had been able to see it at that age, as surely I wish I had been able to see ALL the "Showa Era" films at that age, along with many other movies I missed out on. Because, quite frankly, before my teens, before depression and the horrible jaded bitterments of adulthood creep in to kill off childhood wonder, everything I experienced as a child, be it music, comics, literature, cartoons, shows, movies, you name it, everything was far more raw, and BIG and pronounced. Seeing these old movies as a kid, even the shittier ones, everything I took in at that age, was, looking back, experienced to the max, to its fullest extent. Versus the more numbed, jaded experiences one has as a "Grown Up". </p><p>Would I have liked, or loved, Hedorah back then? I think so. I think I would have been mortified by the toxic burns and the poor people being melted by that vile Smog Monster. I was like that as a kid, even feeling bad when villains would die in media I watched. I still feel a bit that way as an adult, that little part of my childhood that has never fully submitted to exile. But yes, even though it's bizarre as hell, I think that <i>Godzilla vs. Hedorah</i> has some great moments, and I would have taken the environmental message VERY seriously as a kid. Hedorah is one of the most interesting monsters Toho ever produced, and at the end of the day, it's a GODZILLA movie, so I would have ate it up regardless (even though to be fair, I wasn't fully impressed by <i>Godzilla's Revenge</i> at that age). But this is a movie my grandmother should have gotten, and I should have been able to see back then, because I think I would have ultimately enjoyed it. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> *********************************</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Well, that's it for now, folks! I'll be back soon enough with a new Halloween-time article for you all. But for the time being, here is the full list of Godzilla Chronicles articles, if you've missed any:<br /><br /><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/05/godzilla-chronicles-beginning.html">The Beginning</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2015/05/godzilla-chronicles-gojira-aka-godzilla.html">Gojira (aka Godzilla: King of the Monsters)</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/05/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-raids-again.html">Godzilla Raids Again</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/09/godzilla-chronicles-king-kong-vs.html">King Kong vs. Godzilla</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/05/godzilla-chronicles-mothra-vs-godzilla_28.html">Mothra vs. Godzilla</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">6. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/08/godzilla-chronicles-ghidorah-three.html">Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">7. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/05/godzilla-chronicles-invasion-of-astro.html">Invasion of the Astro Monster (aka Godzilla vs. Monster Zero)</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">8. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/08/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-sea.html">Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">9. <u><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/05/godzilla-chronicles-son-of-godzilla.html">Son of Godzilla</a></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">10. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/09/godzilla-chronicles-destroy-all-monsters.html">Destroy All Monsters</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">11. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/05/godzilla-chronicles-all-monsters-attack.html"><u>All Monsters Attack</u></a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCwL-ivnNQ_CXtuGwgpHJJ0FdIb9fdwyCCEOx217Qao05yPf1Ou-9MB9GBGIv89PfpgVMNx6YPP9sFwRYnjgYj2iH-QjeEVyqyWzdC_MdHqZe8bdi6NXTJebqbQVGJro8wcLWX0E0XDY/s1600/godzilla_vs_hedorah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1054" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCwL-ivnNQ_CXtuGwgpHJJ0FdIb9fdwyCCEOx217Qao05yPf1Ou-9MB9GBGIv89PfpgVMNx6YPP9sFwRYnjgYj2iH-QjeEVyqyWzdC_MdHqZe8bdi6NXTJebqbQVGJro8wcLWX0E0XDY/w422-h640/godzilla_vs_hedorah.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /> </span><br />
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<p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-74548206082725688682020-07-31T21:12:00.003-07:002020-08-04T03:57:12.691-07:00Classic Songs: I Love The Night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's time to take another look at one of my favorite songs of all time. Unlike the <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/06/classic-songs-dust-in-wind.html">last two</a> I've done pieces on, which are <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/06/classic-songs-unforgiven.html">more personal</a> to me, and I experienced (in both cases) in my teens, this is a song I'm fairly certain I didn't hear until I was at least in early adulthood. So I don't have as much of an emotional connection to it. BUT, it is a song that grew on me over time, to the point that I don't mind saying, not only is it my favorite song by the band who created it, but it's easily in my Top 5 favorite songs of all time, ever.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 1977 rock classic, Spectres. </td></tr>
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Blue Oyster Cult as a band, is an odd duck, to begin with. They are one of the weirdest, and arguably the most eclectic rock bands of their era. For me personally, I encountered them at a younger age in life than I did Kansas and Metallica, the bands who originated the two previous songs in this series. That is, except for briefly seeing Metallica play "Enter Sandman" on some awards show in the early 90s, which for whatever reason at that age didn't yet grab me (though you'd think it would have). </div>
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As I've covered when talking about my <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/05/godzilla-chronicles-beginning.html">childhood experiences with Godzilla</a>, during that glorious <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/10/childhood-memories-monstervision.html">TNT's MonsterVision</a> Godzilla marathon, they played a promo in between movies, a video package which played BOC's song "Godzilla" over movie clips. I had never heard that song before, and at about age 11 or 12, I thought it was the most bad ass thing I'd ever heard. So you could easily say that I was instantly a Blue Oyster Cult fan, due to that song, even though I wouldn't experience more of their catalogue until I was into my very late teens. It's entirely probable that I heard at least a clip of their most famous hit, "Don't Fear the Reaper" play on TV at some point. But "Godzilla" was the one that stuck with me.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BOC, in their 70s prime.</td></tr>
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For a bit of history, the band that would come to be known as Blue Oyster Cult, started out as a college band called Soft White Underbelly, in the late 1960s. Band friend and rock critic, Sandy Pearlman, offered to be their manager, and also wound up being their creative partner. He was hugely influential in both their music and their success. After going through several name changes, and adding lead vocalist Eric Bloom, they would finally settle on Blue Oyster Cult, and saw their first official self-titled album release in 1972. </div>
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From the start, BOC was a very unique act, both due to the quirky, more intellectual sensibilities of the band members, but also because of their collaborations with various outside personalities. Sandy Pearlman, being probably the biggest of these, contributed several of his own poems over the years, which were used as the basis for certain BOC songs. They would also collaborate lyrically with both rock critic Richard Meltzer, and early Punk Rock icon Patti Smith, among others. Another element of the band that was fairly unique, is that even on their first album, almost every band member sang lead vocals at some point. A tradition that persisted through their entire career, even though Eric Bloom and Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser have always been the main singers.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BOC's first album, part of their "Black and White era" of the early 70s.</td></tr>
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While their early albums, which all featured black and white cover art, featured a few minor hits, such as "Cities On Flame With Rock n Roll" and "Astronomy", and the band saw steady growth through 1975, it wasn't until their 1976 epic "Agents of Fortune" that they finally hit the "big time". Their hit single "Don't Fear The Reaper" reached into the Top 15 on radio airplay, and became an immortal opus for the band ever since. </div>
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They followed this success up with 1977's "Spectres", which produced another massive radio hit, the aforementioned "Godzilla", which also became a permanent favorite for fans at concerts. Buck Dharma, who also happens to be one of my favorite guitarists of all time, not only wrote (and sang) "Don't Fear The Reaper", he also wrote both "Godzilla", and the song I'm actually here to talk about, the low-key ballad "I Love The Night". They would continue churning out hit albums into the early 80s, culminating with what is arguably their overall best record, 1981's "Fire of Unknown Origin". Their success as a top act would wane during the course of the 80s and beyond, but Blue Oyster Cult had already forever etched their name into the proverbial Rock of Ages, as far as rock music was concerned. They had already achieved musical immortality.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLo0TTx0aDeUmbtORo_gqLVcFcYWkOlDn-5SGzEJfRRlMWYmER_1AzuHwVaet07eIXKs74FU5mYleaBLVmho6PkHk4LbXfbtO0bLtLJ5v0CZfElShxOAIUl_6k6nEvAzXpMnXK4YshoYk/s1600/Dudes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="500" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLo0TTx0aDeUmbtORo_gqLVcFcYWkOlDn-5SGzEJfRRlMWYmER_1AzuHwVaet07eIXKs74FU5mYleaBLVmho6PkHk4LbXfbtO0bLtLJ5v0CZfElShxOAIUl_6k6nEvAzXpMnXK4YshoYk/s400/Dudes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left to right, the three guitarists of BOC, Allen Lanier, Eric Bloom, and Buck Dharma.</td></tr>
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The reason that "I Love The Night" has grown over time into one of my favorite songs, is first and foremost because of its incredible tone, and mood. It has just such a chill vibe, with haunting, almost baroque guitar work. Dharma's vocals are equally both peaceful and haunting, as well. It's such a great song to relax to, the perfect thing to put on if you're stressed out, or angry, or otherwise in a foul mood. It has a delicious melancholy to it, even a slight sinister tint, but it also somehow manages to exude such positive, calming vibes.<br />
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Lyrically, the song comes off as a very poetic, if not a bit spooky, love song. But underneath, it has supernatural undertones, the "Lady in White" being either some kind of ghost, or perhaps vampire. Regardless, the man in the song becomes mesmerized by a woman who dominates his thoughts, and whom he can only see under the darkness of night. Done perhaps any other way, especially considering the possible vampiric connotations, this is not necessarily the kind of lyrical content that I would gravitate towards, nor even enjoy. But the way Dharma's lyrics, singing, and guitar work intertwine, telling this haunting tale, it just captivates me. It's actually hard for me to believe that this song originally FAILED to be a major radio hit for the band. But for me, while Blue Oyster Cult has produced quite a few truly great songs over their career, this song (perhaps tied with its spiritual twin "Don't Fear The Reaper") is their greatest work.<br />
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Here are the lyrics, and the song, so that you may experience, and hopefully be captivated by it yourself:<br /><br /><br /><br /><span></span><br />
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<i><b><span>That night her kiss told me it was over,</span><br /><span>I walked out late into the dark.</span><br /><span>The misty gloom seems to soak up my sorrow,</span><br /><span>The further I went on, I felt a spreading calm.</span><br /><span><br />Then suddenly, my eyes were bathed in light,</span><br /><span>And the lovely lady in white was by my side.</span><br /><span>She said "Like me I see you're walking alone.</span><br /><span>Won't you please stay?" <br />I couldn't look away.<br /></span></b></i><span><div class="ujudUb">
<i><b><span>She said I love the night,</span><br /><span>The day is ok and the sun can be fun,</span><br /><span>But I live to see those rays slip away.<br /></span><span>I love the night,</span><br /><span>There's so much I can show and give to you,</span><br /><span>If you will welcome me tonight.</span><br /><span>If only you had been there my dear,</span><br /><span>We could have shared this together.<br /></span><span><div class="ujudUb">
<span>No mortal was meant to see such wonder,</span><br /><span>One look in the mirror told me so.</span><br /><span>Come darkness I'll see her again,</span><br /><span>Yes I'm gonna go, 'cause now I know...</span></div>
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Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-90608613492204095972020-05-31T18:09:00.001-07:002020-05-31T18:34:09.254-07:00Godzilla Chronicles: All Monsters Attack<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcpjtP5lB7CKR7KddCAAgDFCc3vSQLYWEfv2_9fSg3Vjtdexr4oUhzG8jrKGAActGa5wOxVECaLBFSDidU5Y4OhFI_MicsD3T9CkveaQlPNsgYuu21nuK4g510M1sw8Jv2QGKdbmN_G8/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3250" data-original-width="2295" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcpjtP5lB7CKR7KddCAAgDFCc3vSQLYWEfv2_9fSg3Vjtdexr4oUhzG8jrKGAActGa5wOxVECaLBFSDidU5Y4OhFI_MicsD3T9CkveaQlPNsgYuu21nuK4g510M1sw8Jv2QGKdbmN_G8/s320/goddamn.jpg" width="368" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well it's that time again, for another entry of the <b><i>Godzilla Chronicles</i></b>! Last time, I looked at what is to many the crescendo of the original Showa series, <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/09/godzilla-chronicles-destroy-all-monsters.html">Destroy All Monsters</a>. This time, I'm gonna slow things down a bit, and talk about what to many fans, is the lowlight, the least, of those films.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmC9vek_60-RPPtN96A-5pP6LchxZ3i_Gs1l6JPIBmPvJH0V00JPuqsXZak37UTRukIIJswMjFKB9wWManSE9aWLBcQkkouQwm4LdNRVLP7U9gUaDU8feBeTUcknjfzBwkLC3T50w2c7o/s1600/revenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="409" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmC9vek_60-RPPtN96A-5pP6LchxZ3i_Gs1l6JPIBmPvJH0V00JPuqsXZak37UTRukIIJswMjFKB9wWManSE9aWLBcQkkouQwm4LdNRVLP7U9gUaDU8feBeTUcknjfzBwkLC3T50w2c7o/s640/revenge.jpg" width="364" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the VHS covers.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I've mentioned in the past, in the early to mid 90s, as a kid gradually heading into my pre-teen years, I was obsessed with monsters and monster movies. And nothing truly helped fuel that for me MORE, than <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/10/childhood-memories-monstervision.html">TNT's MonsterVision</a>. In that pre-Joe-Bob Briggs era (bless him), that less people seem to remember or be familiar with, I was hit with wave after wave of awesome (and sometimes kinda terrible) old movies, most of which I had never seen before. MonsterVision helped me to experience many <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/05/an-animated-life-tribute-to-ray.html">Ray Harryhausen</a> films I'd never yet seen. It also helped me to see many other films considered classics, such as <i>This Island Earth</i>, and <i>The Thing From Another World</i>, and <i>The Time Machine</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But MonsterVision, through a couple of (to child me) incredibly awesome weekend marathons, ALSO allowed me to experience FAR more Godzilla and related Toho films than I otherwise would have been able to. After we finally got a VCR in 1990 or so, I was able to talk my grandmother into buying the occasional Godzilla VHS tape from Walmart. This is how I came to own some of my first Godzilla films, perhaps the first I'd ever seen, such as favorites <i><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/05/godzilla-chronicles-invasion-of-astro.html">Godzilla vs. Monster Zero</a></i> and <i><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/08/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-sea.html">Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster</a></i>, as well as a stand-alone film like <i>Rodan</i>. Thanks to these "Godzillathons", I was able to see movies like <i>Mothra vs. Godzilla</i>, <i>War of the Gargantuas</i>, <i>Godzilla vs. Gigan</i>, and <i>Terror of Mechagodzilla</i>. My grandmother even let me use blank VHS tapes to record these movies off of TV, to technically add to my collection.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But there was ONE movie that was part of that set, that was not like quite like the others...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQ05M761deEA0xnc2M29qpHPtUzZQ460RGHRBI0xXZ8ny-zxpKHSlY6LvBOJniV9BAPvX5fHTsYMa7rLrwMtwQrbQ5xNWzEAxbHUu1QJfrTeIJ4D8B0v9xoJo9cZN2fdk0No-TTd4xNE/s1600/kid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1400" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQ05M761deEA0xnc2M29qpHPtUzZQ460RGHRBI0xXZ8ny-zxpKHSlY6LvBOJniV9BAPvX5fHTsYMa7rLrwMtwQrbQ5xNWzEAxbHUu1QJfrTeIJ4D8B0v9xoJo9cZN2fdk0No-TTd4xNE/s400/kid.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a lonely boy...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Called "Godzilla's Revenge", it's American title, this 1969 curiosity was like nothing else I'd seen. But at the time at least, not necessarily in a good way. Directed by Ishiro Honda, the main guy behind a majority of the best known Showa era Toho monster/sci-fi films, this film known as All Monsters Attack, was the result of, I believe, a combination of Toho being cheap, and Honda himself perhaps getting tired of doing monster movies, which by that point in his career, was all about all he made anymore. Instead of your typical Godzilla flick, focusing on some alien mystery, or new monster threat roaming the countryside, this was a much more small scale, intimate story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It centers around a little Japanese boy named <span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;">Ichiro Miki, who is a so-called "Latch-key" kid, meaning both of his parents work and are gone from home a lot, so he will often find himself at home, alone, after school. Ichiro is a lonely boy who seems, at least at the outset of the story, to have almost no friends, except for a girl named Sachiko, and his neighbor </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;">Shinpei Inami. Shinpei is an older man, and a toymaker, who also happens to help look after Ichiro sometimes, cooking him dinner, and things like that. Ichiro's main source of strife in his life, besides his loneliness, are a group of school bullies, led by big-kid Sanko Gabara, who seem to torment him on a regular basis on his walks home from school.</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friends come in all shapes and sizes.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Now, just on the surface, it would seem that there was certainly a lot that kid-me could relate to in this film. Ichiro is a lonely, only child, with barely any friends, who uses his vivid imagination as an escape, and is obsessed with monsters. That was basically me growing up, to a T, minus the fact that I didn't even have parents as he did, but rather, a (sometimes tyrannical and somewhat abusive) grandmother. But the thing is, at that age, around 12 or so years old, I wasn't watching MonsterVision, let alone GODZILLA movies, for a story about a little boy and his lonely life. While I'm sure I recognized the parallels with my own life, I wasn't able to really appreciate that then, because what I was there for, as ANY "Monster Kid" would be, was, you guessed it, the MONSTERS!</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">And the thing is, </span><i style="font-size: 14px;">All Monsters Attack</i><span style="font-size: 14px;"> HAS those. Just not quite the way it should have. To help him escape his boredom and loneliness, as well as a way to cope with the daily stress of being bullied (something else I would come to identify all too well with, years later in my teens), Ichiro used his powerful imagination to dream up fantastical things. In particular, using parts given to him by Shinpei, he would utilize a little TV/radio type set, to daydream that he was travelling to Monster Island, where Godzilla and the other monsters are now kept. He would go there to visit his friend, Minilla, the eponymous <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/05/godzilla-chronicles-son-of-godzilla.html"><i>Son of Godzilla</i></a>, who in this tale could shrink down to his human child size. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet Gabara, the King of Jerks.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In Ichiro's daydreams, Minilla (alternatively called Minya), is having his OWN troubles with a big bad bully, who just so happens to ALSO be named Gabara. This Gabara, however, is a giant, no-good monster, with green scales and a magic horn, who seems to be able to electrocute with a touch. He tries to goad Minilla into fights, picking on the weaker monster of course, seemingly just for fun. Much like Ichiro himself, Minilla simply doesn't know how to deal with this, and doesn't truly WANT to fight.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overmatched.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Of course, he does try to fight him, because his pops, Godzilla, would want him to. Unfortunately, he's just too small, and hasn't yet mastered his dad's thermo-nuclear radioactive breath attack. Gabara winds up beating him, and he winds up having to have his dad come to his rescue. Much like in his own debut film <i>Son of Godzilla</i>.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Father and Son.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And really, especially for kid me, there-in lies the problem: the monster fights. I think I would have enjoyed this movie a lot more, and really been able to better appreciate it at that age, if not for one thing: most of the monster fights are canned! Meaning, that in a very cheap move on Toho's part, most of the monster scenes are stock footage, taken from <i>Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster</i> and <i>Son of Godzilla</i>. No joke. The scenes with Gabara are brand new, and he is an interesting enough monster, even though he only exists in Ichiro's dreams. But as a kid, starving to see NEW Godzilla films with NEW Godzilla fights, the fact that it just re-uses a lot of scenes of Godzilla battles from OLDER movies, was really lame. To be perfectly honest, I felt very let down and cheated by that.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkYN32CeEAzEDPJ0hV4hSzz7oUFdkWGqDO-C_H4WNR5buFJ7i1LyDBchTjSktXAI7Ipc4UuvesFS7Owfhyphenhyphent3ZUrmYvEfCdMIVc-KgFcPhz5Q5YeS2fS_y7YkOUp-6-YEpZ1oozvNMylfg/s1600/criterion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1288" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkYN32CeEAzEDPJ0hV4hSzz7oUFdkWGqDO-C_H4WNR5buFJ7i1LyDBchTjSktXAI7Ipc4UuvesFS7Owfhyphenhyphent3ZUrmYvEfCdMIVc-KgFcPhz5Q5YeS2fS_y7YkOUp-6-YEpZ1oozvNMylfg/s640/criterion.jpg" width="515" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new Blu Ray art.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the course of the story, Ichiro finds himself being taken hostage by a couple of numbskull bank robbers, who hold up in some abandoned factory, trying to avoid the police. Naturally, Ichiro uses his imagination as both an escape and a means to cope with this situation. And through watching Minilla grow up and learn how to stand up for himself against the monster Gabara, he himself learns to find the courage to escape from the robbers. He later even finally stands up to HIS real-life Gabara, as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">At its core, <i>All Monsters Attack</i> is far from a bad film. In fact, I think at its heart, its a very GOOD story, with a good message, that as an adult I'm able to fully take in and appreciate. In some ways, the human story happening in the film is probably one of the best that Honda ever directed. But as a MONSTER movie, as a GODZILLA movie, specifically because of the lazy use (or even OVER-use) of stock footage fights, it winds up being rather lacking. It could have, and should have, been a stronger film that it is, and its unfortunate that it was undermined by Toho's cheapness. Because really, it ISN'T a bad movie, and doesn't deserve most of the hate it gets.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I always say with these articles, if you are someone who hasn't seen many, or ANY, of the old Godzilla movies, I would not recommend this one as something to start with, at all. You aren't going to miss it if you never see it. BUT, if you ever do wind up watching this obscure and curious little gem, I think there are things here worth seeing. I definitely think for anyone who has kids, this would be a good movie to watch with them, ESPECIALLY if they aren't able to recognize the old stock footage fights!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For now, for any who may have missed them, here are the other <u><b>Godzilla Chronicles</b></u> articles, in order:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/05/godzilla-chronicles-beginning.html">The Beginning</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2015/05/godzilla-chronicles-gojira-aka-godzilla.html">Gojira (aka Godzilla: King of the Monsters)</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/05/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-raids-again.html">Godzilla Raids Again</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/09/godzilla-chronicles-king-kong-vs.html">King Kong vs. Godzilla</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/05/godzilla-chronicles-mothra-vs-godzilla_28.html">Mothra vs. Godzilla</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">6. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/08/godzilla-chronicles-ghidorah-three.html">Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">7. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/05/godzilla-chronicles-invasion-of-astro.html">Invasion of the Astro Monster (aka Godzilla vs. Monster Zero)</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/08/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-sea.html">Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">9. <u><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/05/godzilla-chronicles-son-of-godzilla.html">Son of Godzilla</a></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">10. <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/09/godzilla-chronicles-destroy-all-monsters.html">Destroy All Monsters</a></span><br />
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Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-51627054445956698202020-04-30T14:12:00.001-07:002022-02-04T22:19:40.560-08:00My Top Favorite NES Games: Revisited<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfq5b0VRPBVovBPpo0xXsQAGuvsoRObRSn_jjnYk4Mj92F9tc0CO8Od7Irvgh0kfY2Lp_SxyKb1bSc-zXw08r2s3V0xrFta2ZsP42bNhbgmU_3FubH7eEKk79uCHD__oA-kEo2ufGQPA/s1600/NES.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="800" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfq5b0VRPBVovBPpo0xXsQAGuvsoRObRSn_jjnYk4Mj92F9tc0CO8Od7Irvgh0kfY2Lp_SxyKb1bSc-zXw08r2s3V0xrFta2ZsP42bNhbgmU_3FubH7eEKk79uCHD__oA-kEo2ufGQPA/s400/NES.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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For those of you who have been following along with this blog, or my Youtube videos, for years now, it will come as no surprise then that my favorite video game console of all time, is the original <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2012/10/happy-birthday-celebration-of-nes.html">Nintendo Entertainment System</a>, or NES. In this man's humble opinion, while later systems certainly had more horsepower, more sophisticated graphics and sound, more buttons, etc., none have ever, or will ever, top the NES. Firstly, this console richly deserve its celebrated status as the thing that "resurrected" a dead home gaming market in North America (specially the U.S.). While arcades and home computer gaming were growing and going strong in the mid-80s, it is a fact that the flooded home console gaming market caved in upon itself in 1983, with too many systems (Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Odyssey 2, Vectrex, Intellivision, Colecovision, etc.), and in Atari's case, too many unregulated games flooding the market. When Nintendo took a chance and test-released the NES in New York in late 1985, it began what is rightly seen as the renaissance of home gaming in America. For that alone, the console is legendary.<br />
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But more importantly, I think, and what caused it to BE that success, and help revive home gaming, is the fact that over time it had an outstanding library of, for their time, truly remarkable and even incredible games. Surely, as every popular system since the 2600 has, the NES also got its share of "crap" games, in spite of Nintendo's efforts to ensure better quality. But the sheer volume of anywhere from really solid, to truly great games that came out for this thing, is if you ask me, pretty staggering. We're not just talking legendary titles like Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda, innovative, ahead-of-their time masterpieces that helped define entire genres for decades to come. We're also talking about the fact that this system introduced us to so many classic games, or franchises, including but not limited to: Mario Bros., Zelda, Metroid, Ninja Gaiden, Castlevania, Adventure Island, Gradius, Metal Gear, TMNT, Double Dragon, Final Fantasy, Dragon Warrior (Quest), Tetris, Dr. Mario, Punch Out, Mega Man, and the list goes on and on.<br />
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For many, especially of my age/generation, this was the system that took home video gaming from being neat on Atari, to being amazing, and if you were like me, a childhood obsession. In the past, I did a two part article where I discussed what, at the time, I thought was a pretty solid order of my favorite games for the console. You can find those <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/08/my-top-nes-games-pt-1.html">here</a> and <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/08/my-top-nes-games-pt-2.html">here</a>. But looking back at that list, it doesn't truly reflect what I feel, now, is the proper order. So I'm here to revisit the topic, and this time, instead of listing games that, in many cases, I felt SHOULD be on the list, I am now going to endeavor to use my heart, not just my head, and suss out a proper list that actually represents the games I love most of all. So without further buildup, let's get to it! <br />
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<b> 1 – Game: Super Mario Bros. 3, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1988 (’90 in NA)<br />
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Simply put, while SMB1 was the game that got me to
become obsessed with gaming, SMB3 was the game that stole my heart,
and made me fall <i>in love</i> with gaming. As far as I’m concerned,
it is the greatest game, the MOST flawless video game ever crafted, of
all time. This was Nintendo in their prime, at their absolute best,
getting the most they could out of that NES hardware in the late 80s,
and stuffing as much content as they could into that little gray
plastic cartridge.<br />
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They perfected the
platforming/side-scrolling controls and mechanics that they themselves
had pioneered. They had honed the “Mario formula”, which they had been
tweaking and messing with, down to its finest and most distilled
elements. They took the ridiculously catchy nature of SMB1’s music, and
composed a bouncy soundtrack that simply refuses to get the hell out
of your head. They provided a wide array of worlds, with a plethora of
challenges and unique experiences contained in each. They presented
gamers with an enormous menagerie of different monsters to overcome,
and a bad ass arsenal of new power-ups with which to do so. This game
established so many precedents, such as the Mario Suits, the Koopa
Kids, a fuller picture of what the Mushroom Kingdom/World actually
looked like, etc.<br />
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Simply put, this game has a bit of
everything, for everybody. And while it’s easy for anyone, of any
gaming experience level, to just pick up and play, and enjoy, it also
happens to be arguably the <i>hardest</i> Mario game ever made, as it
has some downright sadistic levels contained within it. There was a
time when I played this game SO often, that in my childhood years (ages
9-13), I got so good at it that I could go through the entire game,
without warping or skipping levels, while losing very few lives at all.
I’m not sure I’ve ever done a DEATHLESS run, but I was goddamn good at
it. In my old age now? Not so much.<br />
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But as mad as this
brilliant classic now makes me sometimes, I still love it to death,
and I easily and gladly maintain that it is my very Favorite Game of
All Time.<br />
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<b>2 – Game: Mega Man 2, Publisher: Capcom, Originally Released: 1988 (’89 in NA)<br />
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Very similar to how SMB3 shows Nintendo at it’s
finest, firing on all cylinders, you could easily make the same case
for Mega Man 2. While later Mega Man games would, little by little, add
neat little elements that more often than not really did add to the
overall experience, such as the slide, the charged Mega-Buster shot,
and Rush the robo-dog, MM2 really kinda was the old school Mega Man
team at their very best. And while it seems popular to say that “MM2 is
the best Mega Man ever”, it really kind of is, with there being some
very specific reasons for saying so.<br />
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This game was,
simply put, a pure passion project. This was Keiji Inafune and his team
at their height of caring and dedication, as the original Mega Man was
actually <i>not </i>a big hit, and Capcom did not desire a sequel. But
Inafune-san more or less begged them to allow his team to make another
game, and they gave him permission to do so, so long as they did so in
their own free-time, while they were also working full-time on
whatever game Capcom actually wanted them to make. And the very fact
that this game was a passion project, bleeds through in every single
pixel and bloop you experience.<br />
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Like SMB3, it takes the
basic mechanics and formula that MM1 established, but refines and
pretty much perfects them all. The controls are tighter, the bosses are
cooler (all of them), the level designs are more intricate and
creative, many of the boss powers tend to be far more useful. And the
MUSIC! My god, the music. This game has the reputation, by many, of
having the single greatest soundtrack of any game ever made, and while
I’m not certain I would say THE SINGLE best of any game ever,
personally, I absolutely will say it’s right up at the top. It isn’t
just incredibly catchy, it’s actually damn good tunes! MM2 may not
fully perfect and refine the Mega Man formula the way SMB3 did for
Mario, as sliding, and Charge Shots are pretty damn cool/useful.
But it IS, I would argue, the most “perfect”, top to bottom, for what
it is, of any Mega Man game, or for that matter most games ever made.<br />
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I think I would, in fact, actually go so far as to say that I think MM2 is the second greatest game ever made.<br />
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<b> 3 – Game: Kirby’s Adventure, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1993<br />
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There may well be a recurring theme here, at least
for these Top 3 games. The original game, Kirby’s Dreamland, released
for the Game Boy in 1992, and was one of the earlier big hits for
Nintendo’s original portable console. It was a fun, but short and very
simplistic game, basically perfect for the <i>“on the go fun”</i> vibe
that GB was originally all about. But it was with the NES sequel,
Kirby’s Adventure, in its full glorious 8-bit color, that Iwata,
Sakurai and Co. went absolutely nuts, making what would turn to be a
rather huge game. In just about a year’s time, it would seem, they
managed to churn out not just a “by the numbers” sequel, but to put it
in modern gamer vernacular, a <i>“Megaton”</i>.<br />
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This
was the same basic deal, in many ways, as MM2 and SMB3 before it, in
that they took a formula, added to it, refined it, and perfected it.
When I rented this game in the mid-90s, even though what I had seen of
the SNES (didn’t own one yet) and Genesis and of course Arcades were
“way ahead” of it, I was still blown away by this game. It floored me
just how much content they stuffed in this game, from the fact that it
has 20 (yes 20) different powers, a huge slate of enemies and bosses, a
wide variety of very different and very creative levels, catchy tunes,
hidden secrets, and awesome mini-games. The final (full) world, <i>“Rainbow Resort” </i>by
itself, with its crazy level designs, even providing a “grayscale”
Game Boy style level, really impressed me. What they achieved on aged
NES hardware in 1993, was honestly every bit as impressive and
innovative as anything that had been achieved during that same era on a
variety of considerably more powerful consoles. It isn’t just a major
achievement, I don’t mind calling it a masterpiece.<br />
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This
instantly became one of my very favorite games of all time,
permanently winning a spot in my heart, both for the Kirby character,
but also for this game specifically. They even made an awesome remake of
this, 16-bit style, on the Game Boy Advance, years later, called <i>“Nightmare in Dreamland”</i>. You even get to play as <i>Meta Knight</i>
if you can 100% the game! However, no matter how many new Kirby games
come out in the series, much like MM2 and SMB3, to me THIS game will
always be the quintessential Kirby experience. It’s the best Kirby, in
my opinion, ever created.<br />
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<b>4 – Game: Star Tropics, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1990<br />
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I originally rented this game, and liked it a
lot, even though it’s challenging, as a kid. I eventually wound up
owning a copy, and beat the entire game. I don’t mind telling you that
when I beat this game, it was a major childhood triumph, and to me at
the time, the (unusually elaborate for the console) ending was totally
worth it. Star Tropics is an oddity, in that it was developed in-house
by Nintendo, but specifically for the “western” market, meaning that it
was never originally released in Japan. Which of course makes zero
sense, because I think Japanese gamers would have loved this gem just
as much as Americans and Europeans did.<br />
<br />
Now, this game
may be an acquired taste for some. It features, to put it nicely,
rather rigid gameplay, with a lot of well-timed jumping being the key
to greatest success. It’s not quite as “pick up and play” as Mario or
Zelda, or even Kirby. But it’s also not all that hard to get into, or
get used to, and once you get the “cadence” of the jumping down, you
really can conquer this game. The main challenge actually lies in a few
moments of rather clever (and even devious) puzzle solving you are
tasked with, including an infamous submarine code that could
(originally) only be discovered by dampening a piece of paper that came
with the game. But all in all, with it’s tongue-in-cheek, self-aware
cheesy dialogue, catchy soundtrack, cool story, and sense of wonder and
exploration, it’s a game that I would say any gamer should at least
try.<br />
<br />
It was a unique and fresh experience for it’s time, that still holds up to this day.<br />
<br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxlxXFVjnltPBCt1Uzect0l0cHQCrU2Ij7fQT6fw_ms0LKGrFhhBayYjrm4Do-Nk7WHeWMrFN_v6aXZeu_bgTRI7HC1ih2nzr2nu0uiPQM7u3EXZmk4AZE_saCsZNJAZrWsWJF7xRnOc/s1600/mimp.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxlxXFVjnltPBCt1Uzect0l0cHQCrU2Ij7fQT6fw_ms0LKGrFhhBayYjrm4Do-Nk7WHeWMrFN_v6aXZeu_bgTRI7HC1ih2nzr2nu0uiPQM7u3EXZmk4AZE_saCsZNJAZrWsWJF7xRnOc/s400/mimp.png" width="400" /></a></b></div><p>
<br />
<b>5 – Game: Monster in My Pocket, Publisher: Konami, Originally Released: 1992<br />
</b><br />
<br />
As detailed <a href="http://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2012/10/childhood-memories-monster-in-my-pocket.html" target="_blank">here</a>, probably my single favorite toys from my childhood, were a line of monster figures called <i>“Monster in My Pocket”</i>,
released in the early 90s. Thankfully, someone decided to cash in on
the (sadly) temporary craze, and made a game of it, because it turned
out to be one of the best games I’ve ever played. Developed by Konami,
back when they actually made good games (or actually made games at all,
really), I would say this was one of the best games they ever put out. </p><p>You play as Vampire and Frankenstein’s Monster, and go against a legion
of other monsters from the set, all possessing the same point values
the figures themselves did (nice touch). You journey through five or
six stages of miniature mayhem, before finally taking on the master of
disaster himself, the Warlock. It’s a great game, lots of fun, with
co-op 2-player, and a bad ass soundtrack. Aside from having co-op play that isn't awful for a somewhat platform-y game, one stand-out feature MimP has going for it that most games don't, is that every single stage is unique, even going so far as having their own exclusive sets of enemy monsters, that you wouldn't (with the exception of a late-game boss rush), find anywhere else in the game. Just an absolute gem, all around. <br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpr3GariCvBLonUNrcpUogH9k50rMBjwoYGw1BttNuaed9VwUxAmIgNXrQ91XpfI17RaSNF_GLRzKER8-EIa64enOzaeGXXi_iMJsZGjWq4uYRl5WAnc4r-rhnqX9wQX5FA-d4zwPD7zs/s1600/smb1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpr3GariCvBLonUNrcpUogH9k50rMBjwoYGw1BttNuaed9VwUxAmIgNXrQ91XpfI17RaSNF_GLRzKER8-EIa64enOzaeGXXi_iMJsZGjWq4uYRl5WAnc4r-rhnqX9wQX5FA-d4zwPD7zs/s400/smb1.png" width="400" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<b>6 – Game: Super Mario Bros. 1, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1985<br />
</b><br />
<br />
I wondered to myself which of the original two
Mario games I thought should come before the other in this list, but
the original won out. The primary reason being, as mentioned before, it
was <i>this </i>game, specifically, that made me go from having a
passing childhood interest in video games, thinking they were neat, and
fun to play if I could get my hands on them, to growing into an
outright childhood fixation. This game captured my attention upon first
seeing it at my friend Harold's house, and captured my imagination and
my heart, as soon as I was finally able to own an NES myself, a
late-comer to the scene, in 1990.<br />
<br />
This game drove me
nuts at age 8/9, to the point at least once of crying when I got to one
of the last levels and couldn’t beat it. But it also became ingrained
in my psyche, as I would very often pass the time or distract myself
from homework, etc., by imagining Mario running and jumping around my
house, or wherever I happened to be at the time. The main Mario tune,
in fact, to this day is still always somewhere playing in the back of
my mind. And I was very proud that I was the first kid I knew to figure
out that goddamn last castle, and beat the game. I even showed Harold
and his brother how to beat it. I felt like I was the shit, for that.<br />
<br />
But
this is also THE game that more or less revived console gaming in the
United States, and it also single-handedly made the NES the king of
consoles in the mid-to-late 80s. It’s one of the best games ever made,
and the only reason SMB3 tops it, is because it took everything about
this game, and perfected it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliEy3fPYi2M6qL9JvdmCnfMQPWhKk2zEykldmsecXlwmik0xOS_4mDKwcE2AoxRe5tH72a_iwVPKPSO_2VnSscdWRLkNhw5oCo0rgOuzavfiz2TrNyD88DD878T2vpIgc3ueI3ws5j24/s1600/Arkista%2527s+Ring+%2528U%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliEy3fPYi2M6qL9JvdmCnfMQPWhKk2zEykldmsecXlwmik0xOS_4mDKwcE2AoxRe5tH72a_iwVPKPSO_2VnSscdWRLkNhw5oCo0rgOuzavfiz2TrNyD88DD878T2vpIgc3ueI3ws5j24/s400/Arkista%2527s+Ring+%2528U%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>7 – Game: Arkista’s Ring, Publisher: American Sammy, Originally Released: 1990<br />
</b><br />
<br />
The first game that I owned, was the SMB1/Duck
Hunt cart that came with so many NES units. The other two earliest
games I remember owning, were another Light Gun shooter called <i>“To The Earth”</i>,
a space-based shooter that was hard as hell, but I did somehow beat,
and <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/04/forgotten-gems-arkistas-ring.html">this obscure gem</a>. At first glance, I’m sure to some it seems like a
Zelda clone. In fact, my grandmother stopped me from actually <i>renting </i>Zelda
1 myself (a heinous crime, to be certain), because she claimed it
“looked too much like that other game you own, try something different”.
However, it is actually not much like Zelda at all.<br />
<br />
It’s
an odd little game, that comes straight from the arcade era of gaming.
It literally seems like it would be a port of a 1980s arcade game, as
it has the style, the points, the simple, limited stages, etc. But
nope, it’s an NES original, and it’s actually a lot of fun. You play
Christine, a female warrior elf, trying to save the kingdom, etc. etc.,
you use a bow and arrow, though you can upgrade to fireballs and a
couple other odd powers. The game features about 31 stages, and true to
older type games, you have to beat it not twice, but THREE times over,
to get the “Ending”. Otherwise, it’s a great, underrated gem that I
think more people should try.<br />
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<br />
<b>8 – Game: Adventure Island 2, Publisher: Hudson, Originally Released: 1991<br />
</b><br />
<br />
The Adventure Island games are a classic part of
gaming history. And the way they’re set up, you could argue they were
some of the first to lend themselves to “speed running”, as that is
literally what you have to do: run for your life and avoid obstacles, trying to get through the stages as quickly as possible. Originally <i>“Wonder Boy”</i> in the arcades, published by Sega, Hudson Soft partially licensed that game, and continued and refined the formula as <i>“Adventure Island”</i>
on the NES. Meanwhile Wonder Boy actually went on to become something
totally different on the Sega Master System. I actually only rented the
first of this series myself as a kid, though I did play either 2 or 3
at a friend’s house. I chose AI2 because it’s my favorite, and my pick
for best of the NES set, though they’re all highly fun (and
challenging) games.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5uYghqINObsW06wjjVQFyDliy0aj1jI5BIT1QswIkA5ZwpZRZgNO42Qs4PgQ-kzVBLq9A2tLD_g-a-F7ZeL5hH4Mviawh0godFKpd2xVs4IzimkEiJ1cfRlday9_vdj-KvCZ-J6Q24g/s1600/bugs+buny.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5uYghqINObsW06wjjVQFyDliy0aj1jI5BIT1QswIkA5ZwpZRZgNO42Qs4PgQ-kzVBLq9A2tLD_g-a-F7ZeL5hH4Mviawh0godFKpd2xVs4IzimkEiJ1cfRlday9_vdj-KvCZ-J6Q24g/s400/bugs+buny.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
<b>9 – Game: Bugs Bunny’s Birthday Blowout, Publisher: Kemco, Originally Released: 1990</b><br />
<br />
I will say that this is,
to date, still the <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2020/02/forgotten-gems-bugs-bunny-birthday.html">best Looney Tunes game</a> I’ve ever played. I rented
Kemco’s older “Crazy Castle” game as well, and while it has its own old
school charm, it doesn’t hold a candle to this one. This was a title
that I first rented, and wound up later owning, thanks to that awesome
Christmas box that included Dr. Mario and SMB3. The
game stars Bugs, on his way to a birthday party (the game is celebrating
his 50th anniversary), and his “friends”, the other Looney Tunes, seem
to suddenly be out to get him, trying to stop his progress. You
eventually face off against most of the LT greats, like Daffy, Elmer,
Tweety, Sylvester, Pepe Le Pew, Foghorn Leghorn and Yosemite Sam. And
you do get to bash everything with a huge hammer, so there’s that. Far
from a masterpiece, but an underrated gem that I greatly enjoy.<br />
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<br />
<b> 10 – Game: Yoshi, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1990 (’91 in NA)<br />
</b><br />
<br />
To be perfectly honest, there are probably many
games that I could make an argument for deserving a Top 10 spot.
Maybe even some games that, at some time or another, I have played the
living shit out of and have loved more than this game. BUT, it just so
happens that, behind only <i>“Puzzle Bobble”</i> (aka <i>“Bust a Move”</i>
in NA), this game is probably my second favorite puzzle game of all
time. Most people seem to know of its more bizarre cousin, “Yoshi’s
Cookie”, which released on NES and SNES a year later, but somehow this
little treasure is more obscure to the greater gaming consciousness.<br />
<br />
And
that’s a damn shame too, because it is, I don’t mind saying, a far
better game than Cookie. Part of its immediate allure to me as a kid,
of course, was that the puzzle “pieces” that you have to match up in
this particular Tetris-inspired puzzler, happened to be actual,
honest-to-Boswer enemies from Mario games. More specifically, their
sprites were obviously inspired by the enemy designs of Super Mario
Bros. 3, which just so happened to be my favorite game. The game
featured Yoshi, an invention of <i>“Super Mario Bros. 4”</i> (World) on SNES, but it otherwise screamed SMB3, which suited me just fine.<br />
<br />
But
beyond aesthetics, it’s a genuinely fun, addicting, and clever puzzle
game, wherein you have to stack up enemy monsters to clear the game
board. That in and of itself isn’t terribly unique in a post-Tetris
world. But the clever part of the gimmick, was that you could also
sandwich monsters in between halves of a Yoshi egg, and depending on how
many monsters you stacked before putting the top on, you would get a
bigger Yoshi, and thus more points. It's just a colorful, cheerful, simplistic and fun little game, that I think is criminally underrated in the world of puzzle gaming.<br />
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<br />
<b>11 – Game: Final Fantasy, Publisher: Squaresoft, Originally Released: 1987 (’90 in NA)<br />
</b><br />
<br />
This game gets up pretty high on the list for two
reasons. The first being, it was basically the first console RPG I ever
played. I had played a couple of old PC RPGs, such as Sorcerian (great
game) and Times of Lore, but this was the first so-called “jRPG”
styled game I experienced. The second reason being, while it is VERY
“old school”, very simple and even obtuse in certain ways, it is still a
really, really good game. Having to buy your magic sucks, and having
to grind for days for levels and gold can get old, but the original
Final Fantasy has a lot to offer, and hard-as-nails or not, it still
captured my imagination, and I eventually beat it. I was rather proud
of myself.<br />
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<br />
<b>12 – Game: Super Mario Bros. 2, Publisher: Nintendo, Originally Released: 1987 (’88 in NA)<br />
</b><br />
<br />
I’m very glad, personally, that <i>this </i>is the “Mario 2” that we got. Because, while not a bad game, in my opinion at least, what would later come to be known to us as <i>“The Lost Levels”</i>,
the original Japanese Mario 2 is an uninspired, professional hack of
Mario 1. Some people love it, and I can understand that, but I can also
fully see and appreciate why Nintendo decided against bringing it
stateside. Instead, they gave us THIS masterpiece, which was not
originally a Mario game at all, but they covered it with Mario paint
(pun-intended), and it is now forever part of Mario lore. I specifically
remember originally renting this game and not liking it all that much,
because “hey, THIS isn’t like Mario 1 and 3 at all!”<br />
<br />
But
I later came to own it, played it more, and came to appreciate it for
the brilliant little platformer that it is. In fact, I really wish they
would make another 2D Mario game in this style. Or hell, even a game
starring Toad or SHY GUY (one of my fav. Mario enemies), so long as it
has this same gameplay and takes place in Subcon, the land of dreams.<br />
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<b>13 – Game: Kid Klown, Publisher: Kemco, Originally Released: 1992 (’93 in NA)<br />
</b><br />
<br />
A very similar case to “our” Super Mario Bros. 2, this game was originally released in Japan as <i>“Mickey Mouse III: Balloon Dreams”</i>,
and part of me wishes we had gotten this game, if only so that the NES
would have had a GOOD Mickey game. But, I am alternatively glad we got
a repurposed game, because on the one hand he’s a cool original
character, and on the other, we got the amazing name for the new bad
guy: The Night Mayor! That name alone sells the game all by itself, as
far as I’m concerned.<br />
<br />
But in all seriousness, <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/04/forgotten-gems-kid-klown.html">this game</a>
is a LOT of fun, plays very well, and features a defining game
mechanic that I have perhaps never seen a developer make better or more
diverse use of, in any other game. Your main (only) weapons are red
balloons, but with these balloons, you can throw them (including
varying distances), you can hold them as a shield, you can drop them on
the ground to jump on (giving you a boost), throw them straight down
to jump on mid-air, and even hold them in the air to float-jump. If for
no other reason than that multi-purpose balloon action, I would say
retro game lovers owe it to themselves to try this game out.<br />
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<br />
<b>14 – Game: Mighty Final Fight, Publisher: Capcom, Originally Released: 1993<br />
</b><br />
<br />
A late NES era rental that I fell in love with, <i><a href="http://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/04/forgotten-gems-mighty-final-fight.html" target="_blank">Mighty Final Fight</a></i>
is a somewhat miniaturized port of the arcade classic. But in all
honesty, while it is missing two-player, and one of the areas from the
arcade, it is still in many ways, at least in this man’s opinion, the
best port of FF. The action is crisp and responsive, the soundtrack is
rockin, and the game even features a <i>“Double Dragon”</i>-esque
leveling system that is unique to this version. Plus, unlike the SNES
port, you get to choose between all three characters, Cody, Guy, and
Haggar. This game, while maddeningly tough at times, gets my vote for best beat ’em
up on the NES.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-maNfmYSYZdZ0JlifA_yhR8JhIUpSz-d2eDvu9kCYz4MjG1MBtesqxIv0tA6uXBnMFA8qIi1_PfqdoemBEZaunc7eLI1OHf_ENsvQ7eLm4VYEt4Ye2l2JHxfFL2Uo7yvwytOzmPu33M/s1600/Xexyz.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-maNfmYSYZdZ0JlifA_yhR8JhIUpSz-d2eDvu9kCYz4MjG1MBtesqxIv0tA6uXBnMFA8qIi1_PfqdoemBEZaunc7eLI1OHf_ENsvQ7eLm4VYEt4Ye2l2JHxfFL2Uo7yvwytOzmPu33M/s400/Xexyz.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>15 – Game: Xexyz, Publisher: Hudson, Originally Released: 1988 (’90 in NA)<br />
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Probably one of the most obscure games, and certainly the most
obscure Hudson game on my list, this was a game that I’m pretty sure I
just somehow randomly came to own. There were multiple stores that went
out of business in the early 90s in the town I grew up in, and I reaped
the benefit of them having clearance sales. This may have been one of
those. But regardless, it is a very unique sort of game, not fully
comparable to anything else. It alternates between side-scrolling
action/platformer levels, in which you must earn money to upgrade your
weapons and abilities, and horizontal space shooter levels. Both of
which task you with some pretty epic boss fights. And it’s all in the
name of saving your love, and the world. Naturally. It’s a very little
known, but really great game.<br />
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<b> 16 – Game: Bonk’s Adventure, Publisher: Hudson, Originally Released: 1993</b><br />
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Originally released in 1989 on a console that was, in many ways,
Hudson Soft’s own console (they made many of the big hits for it), the
Turbografx-16 (known in Japan as the “PC Engine”), Bonk’s Adventure was a
fun and unique platformer. Bonk himself became something of a mascot
for the TG16 in NA, as he would go on to have a trilogy of games for the system. But in 1993, Hudson, who had maintained friendly relations
with Nintendo for most of their history, and had continued making games
for their consoles as well, decided to release a slightly downsized (but
still awesome) port of the game for NES. This version is missing a bit
of content, but overall, it’s a very faithful port, and wall-biting,
head-bonking action is every bit as fun.<br />
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<b> 17 – Game: Monster Party, Publisher: Bandai, Originally Released: 1989</b><br />
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That one picture pretty much encapsulates everything <a href="http://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/10/forgotten-gems-monster-party.html" target="_blank">this game</a> is. An
odd, obscure, out-of-left-field experience at every turn, and all the
better for it. In this game, you play a young baseball playing boy named
Mark, who is approached by a gargoyle looking alien (because why not),
to come help him save his world. The alien melt-melds with the poor kid,
and whisks him away. This game was a rental for me, never owning it
till adulthood, but I fell in love with it based on the first level
alone. The game starts very bright, cute, bouncy and colorful, with
smiles everywhere and happy music. And then midway through, BOOM, the
entire level transforms into blood, and darkness, and monsters, and
creepy music.<br />
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It shocked me, but it also got me hooked. The game
features a ton of little boss fights, almost all of them weird as hell,
from killer Tempura, to dancing zombies that you don’t actually have to
fight (spoilers), to an already-dead corpse that you <i>literally</i>
don’t have to fight. The game’s difficulty isn’t too tough for much of
it, as you shift between baseball kid and gargoyle with special pill
power-ups. But lemme warn ya, late in the game, the last level
especially, it becomes a very special brand of f***ed.<br />
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<b> 18 – Game: Felix the Cat, Publisher: Hudson , Originally Released: 1992</b><br />
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Another rental of mine, this is another Hudson classic. And let me
just take this opportunity to point out, that Hudson Soft really was one
of the best developers of all time. Not just in anyone’s personal
opinion, but objectively, beyond one of the most popular franchises of
all time in <i>“Bomberman”</i>, they made such a high volume of quality games over the years (including the original <i>“Mario Party”</i>
games). That said, this game is no different, cashing in on a slight
Felix revival that was happening in the early 90s, and featuring his
awesome magic bag from the old 50s cartoon, this is a very solid
platformer, in which you can upgrade his bag into all sorts of powers,
including a tank, plane, etc.<br />
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<b> 19 – Game: TMNT 2, Publisher: Konami, Originally Released: 1990</b><br />
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One of the best arcade ports ever made, right up there with the SNES port of its sequel, <i>“Turtles in Time”. </i>Right
in line with a lot of other weirdness of my childhood, directly to do
with my grandmother and her inconsistent views, I was not allowed to
watch the classic TMNT cartoon as a kid. Which is a damn shame, because I
likely would have loved it. But I DID get to experience the arcade
game, both at a local Pizza Hut, and a local skating rink. And from what I got to play of it, I thought it was awesome. And this NES port,
while certainly downsized, is very true to the arcade, even adding an
extra level and boss or two. I will say that as part of being downsized from the arcade original, the animations and thus beat em up action doesn't feel AS good or satisfying, but it still holds up well on the 8-bit hardware. The final boss, Shredder, is an absolute
son-of-a-bitch, but this game rocks. And FYI, I’m a Donnie guy.<br />
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<b>20 – Game: Castlevania, Publisher: Konami, Originally Released: 1986 (87 in NA)</b><br />
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The one game on this list that you might be surprised to know DIDN'T officially make the original list, but absolutely should have. It was a heated inner-debate about which game should take up the 20 spot here, but ultimately, true to my word about heart over head, I kept feeling a slight tug at the old heartstrings, every time I considered this classic. I have no childhood memories or experience with the Castlevania series, outside of my beloved cartoon series <i><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/03/childhood-memories-captain-n.html">Captain N: The Game Master</a></i>. I don't know why, in fact I'm quite sure I had access to them, but for some reason I never rented any of the three original NES games as a kid. I should have, considering how much I loved monsters, and in spite of its difficulty, I feel I really would have enjoyed this game a lot at that age.<br />
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What swayed me to choose this over other games that I had a more personal connection with growing up, was that it genuinely is a total package ordeal. The only major flaw this game, or any of the classic entries in the series have, is those god awful, stiff as hell jumping mechanics. Once you jump in a given direction in this game, be it to either side, or even straight up, you basically have to commit, because you cannot adjust yourself in mid-air, ala Mario. I discuss this more in-depth <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2015/02/blam-coming-soon.html">here</a>. To be blunt, that shitty jumping in Castlevania is the main reason its so hard. But outside of that, it has everything else going right for it: great, moody graphics (especially for 1986), varied level designs, cool sub-weapons, one of the best soundtracks to ever grace a video game, and most importantly to the "Monster Kid" who still lives inside me, one of THE coolest things about this series has always been the fact that it makes liberal use of a plethora of monsters, many taken right out of folklore, mythology, even old literature and movies. <br />
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It's too simple an answer to say "It Has Monsters" as the reason I included this in my Top 20 list, but at the same time, it's also 100% fair to admit that that was the deciding factor.<br />
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For any who have read the original two-part list, you may note that not only is the order largely different here, but there are also many games I put on that list, that are not present on this one. In the interest of completeness and fairness, I will now include a short appendix list, basically filling out more games, in no specific order, that I also like or even love for the NES. In the cases of those games I included on the original list, I will add an asterisk next to them, so that if you feel like, you can read what I had to say about them there. Some of the other NES games I like include:<br />
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<b>Tetris*<br />Double Dragon<br />Double Dragon 2</b><br />
<b>The Legend of Zelda*<br />Zelda 2*<br />Kid Niki<br />Breakthru<br />Star Tropics 2*<br />Joe & Mac<br />Duck Tales*<br /><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/07/forgotten-gems-godzilla-monster-of.html">Godzilla</a>*<br /><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/07/forgotten-gems-godzilla-2-war-of.html">Godzilla 2</a><br />Quattro Arcade* </b><br />
<b><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2012/11/what-ever-happened-to-mick-and-mac.html">M.C. Kids</a> </b><br />
<b>Rescue Rangers<br /> Adventure Island </b><br />
<b>Adventure Island 3<br />Adventure Island 4<br />Metroid<br />Totally Rad<br />Mega Man 6<br /><a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/04/forgotten-gems-flying-warriors.html">Flying Warriors</a>*<br />Gargoyle's Quest 2<br />Bugs Bunny's Crazy Castle<br />Castlevania 2<br />Castlevania 3<br />TMNT 3<br />Tiny Toon Adventures<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> </b>***********<br />
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Thanks for reading, as always, and stay tuned next month for the next installment of <i><b>Godzilla Chronicles</b></i>!<br />
<br />Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-50054914735802260342020-02-28T15:00:00.000-08:002020-02-28T15:03:31.511-08:00Forgotten Gems: The Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAGJYAW7pzj6V-7lRuGxLM8TnIpxy7_I-MIrvGRVH7pPjpPZeZRtc0qLXvvRUji_MEoaWhyphenhyphensebjjqkh5j04QwiwUcaSvdborsKnxmBWpTalsyO3intcEi564dIcGn_NrJoMURAnpHMQk/s1600/Bugs+Bunny%2527s+Birthday+Blowout+%2528F%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="535" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAGJYAW7pzj6V-7lRuGxLM8TnIpxy7_I-MIrvGRVH7pPjpPZeZRtc0qLXvvRUji_MEoaWhyphenhyphensebjjqkh5j04QwiwUcaSvdborsKnxmBWpTalsyO3intcEi564dIcGn_NrJoMURAnpHMQk/s640/Bugs+Bunny%2527s+Birthday+Blowout+%2528F%2529.jpg" width="464" /></a></div>
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As I've related <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2012/10/happy-birthday-celebration-of-nes.html">in the past</a>, I grew up a poor kid, who didn't get a Nintendo Entertainment System until late 1990, as an early birthday present. My NES system came with the infamous Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt combo cartridge, which of course I played the ever loving shit out of (IE as much as my grandmother would let me). In the handful of months between when I got my NES early, as an incentive to be more focused about doing homework (I was allowed to play only if I got it done), and Christmas, I actually did get at least a couple of other games, including another Zapper shooting game called <i>To The Earth</i>, and one that would become an instant favorite, <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/04/forgotten-gems-arkistas-ring.html"><i>Arkista's Ring</i></a>.<br />
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But thanks to our fairly close proximity to an "All the Best Video" store, which was obviously one of my favorite places growing up, we also rented a fair few games too, just trying out what was on the system. In the future, I will have to write up a piece on the now mostly lost glory of rental stores and game rentals. But for now, sufficed to say, in that same span of time, I was allowed on some weekends, to pick out a game to try. And I want to say that, as I recall, I gravitated early on, to a game based on Bugs Bunny, one of my childhood heroes.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujF5H8traUTA3Jhjq0_KSWfhl6w50Dzp08wEItEIk_HryFLfCYNGdcg88Oz1azTmU7dnsQL22obUWM3H7cHdKfeqd-q8lsDXQOoofW0EEMlvrHX3b2FeA5VXifSQSoPk6afgLcwFru-0/s1600/Bugs+Bunny%2527s+Crazy+Castle+%2528F%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="538" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujF5H8traUTA3Jhjq0_KSWfhl6w50Dzp08wEItEIk_HryFLfCYNGdcg88Oz1azTmU7dnsQL22obUWM3H7cHdKfeqd-q8lsDXQOoofW0EEMlvrHX3b2FeA5VXifSQSoPk6afgLcwFru-0/s400/Bugs+Bunny%2527s+Crazy+Castle+%2528F%2529.jpg" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my earliest game rentals.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAAzvTDhTzlMlLbPpQWCAOYjp9Ws3GnsFUTjkGpOgoFegElNzMT7uC6_E9JWjV7gcfWfw9APRSjMMTiKo60FfRJLwDQAPyuaNdYR9uXKHeYIJuOl-n0n5pPEuT9IwM6hrxsWHoF_kZqQ/s1600/trouble.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="215" data-original-width="244" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAAzvTDhTzlMlLbPpQWCAOYjp9Ws3GnsFUTjkGpOgoFegElNzMT7uC6_E9JWjV7gcfWfw9APRSjMMTiKo60FfRJLwDQAPyuaNdYR9uXKHeYIJuOl-n0n5pPEuT9IwM6hrxsWHoF_kZqQ/s400/trouble.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THREE Sylvesters, now THAT'S trouble!</td></tr>
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That game, as seen above, was called <i>The Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle</i>. Though I wouldn't know this for many years, it was originally released in Japan on the Famicom, as simply <i>Roger Rabbit</i>, the first video game to be based off of that amazing piece of late 80s cinema. Not having the Roger license in North America, however, Kemco decided to tweak the graphics a bit, and released it as a Bugs Bunny game instead.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelmIl0qv-j_EvZp-ERQTIm1U5mqkrSStWI1vE5zkOtUOfgPfJZtGKssxj5OLSn4oQl7n3xnFQLbsFFvyDvMJCbKhbg1en43LhtjxhavHgnsiLh4XTwCbCKk0olAaBWZ0zqvuZ-z1g8_k/s1600/Roger+Rabbit-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="248" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelmIl0qv-j_EvZp-ERQTIm1U5mqkrSStWI1vE5zkOtUOfgPfJZtGKssxj5OLSn4oQl7n3xnFQLbsFFvyDvMJCbKhbg1en43LhtjxhavHgnsiLh4XTwCbCKk0olAaBWZ0zqvuZ-z1g8_k/s400/Roger+Rabbit-3.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Roger Rabbit original. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifprlK3b60tuTSrWcWMCuY__zsVVhzEqKq15_fmMDva0p4qoTOp7OhNedxuMGZZRSQFmbrf0wG0VQn6bZHfrVvAMBfyxDTuYCTbIVh6krgxD8fQ_hovvEnnlgf1l77jwvs41eljeE3IR8/s1600/mickey.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="320" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifprlK3b60tuTSrWcWMCuY__zsVVhzEqKq15_fmMDva0p4qoTOp7OhNedxuMGZZRSQFmbrf0wG0VQn6bZHfrVvAMBfyxDTuYCTbIVh6krgxD8fQ_hovvEnnlgf1l77jwvs41eljeE3IR8/s400/mickey.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mickey Mouse on Game Boy.</td></tr>
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As you can see, the Roger-based Famicom game and the Bugs Bunny game I rented, are basically the same. Roger's sprite was swapped out for Bugs, and the Weasels from the movie, were instead turned into multi-colored Sylvesters. He would be joined by other Looney Tunes favorites, such as Daffy Duck, Wile E. Coyote and Yosemite Sam. The complicated and interesting nature of game licenses doesn't merely stop with Roger and Bugs, however. In Japan, Kemco continued the series on Game Boy as Mickey Mouse games. But they didn't have the Mickey license for NA, so again, they became multiple Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle installments in the States instead. But to go ever FURTHER, what was known as <i>Mickey Mouse II</i> on Game Boy in Japan, was Bugs Bunny in America, and a game based on the character Hugo, over in Europe. Not only that, but for extra fun, what was known in Japan on Game Boy as <i>Mickey Mouse IV: The Magical Labyrinth</i>, in America became based on The Real Ghostbusters, and in Europe, on the beloved cat Garfield! That might well be the only time in gaming history, certainly that I know of, where a video game series featured six (ultimately seven if you count a Woody Woodpecker game on Game Boy Advance) different licensed properties across its games.<br />
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I can't say for 100% certain, but I vaguely remember beating this game, probably the first such rental that I beat. Which is no small feat, considering the game has, as I recall, around 50 stages of gradually increased difficulty. The game itself, regardless of incarnation, revolves around simplistic arcade style action, wherein you have to collect all of a certain item in a given stage, and then reach the exit, without getting caught by the baddies. In <i>Roger Rabbit</i>, you had to collect hearts. In the Bugs game I played, you have to collect, naturally, carrots. In the later games on Game Boy, regardless of character/region, you instead have to collect keys. But all in all, the Crazy Castle games are, in this man's opinion, good simple fun. I am most nostalgic for the first Bugs game I rented, of course, but I would say any of them, with perhaps the exception of the Woody game on GBA, are well worth checking out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqYuzKkv6uU4I6dmM2efiWWuVA_YBEGzUO8UDhyphenhyphenL2TXaW6eHmV92VoTg6q4GE7wPx8tzNbui2I9Fmh1jBHYzLx7r6xzRY-yKzp9gUkAw-A1N2JZoEauX59iZROKAilOCVZvbIOepNo8KE/s1600/gfs_9261_2_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="256" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqYuzKkv6uU4I6dmM2efiWWuVA_YBEGzUO8UDhyphenhyphenL2TXaW6eHmV92VoTg6q4GE7wPx8tzNbui2I9Fmh1jBHYzLx7r6xzRY-yKzp9gUkAw-A1N2JZoEauX59iZROKAilOCVZvbIOepNo8KE/s400/gfs_9261_2_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mickey Mouse</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePEftCb0klf7pfssoHyBVpkXNr4o5YVqy61sgr-1npliyuQ390QUnDgmobpNCSjUNu4Us0iPYfvVP_Mb-ViSEeErSUUdDrpqJ0vAvYoJUMi6Zk3D6JwqtBQ7YmCumucyQHHlHv4P2Uo8/s1600/Kid-Klown.jpg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="512" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePEftCb0klf7pfssoHyBVpkXNr4o5YVqy61sgr-1npliyuQ390QUnDgmobpNCSjUNu4Us0iPYfvVP_Mb-ViSEeErSUUdDrpqJ0vAvYoJUMi6Zk3D6JwqtBQ7YmCumucyQHHlHv4P2Uo8/s400/Kid-Klown.jpg.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kid Klown</td></tr>
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As a quick aside, this tangled Crazy Castle series, also had a spin-off of sorts. Originally released in Japan as a Famicom sequel to the first two Game Boy Mickey Mouse games, this spin-off was called <i>Mickey III: Balloon Dreams</i>. In it, Minnie has been kidnapped by an evil sorcerer, and with the aid of some awesome magic balloon abilities, you have to go save her. In all honesty, it would have been pretty great if they had managed to release this as a Mickey game in America, because as Mickey games go, it's one of the best. But, their Mickey license remained Japan-Only, so for the NA release, they transformed the game into a vehicle for a brand new, Kemco original character, known as <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/04/forgotten-gems-kid-klown.html"><i>Kid Klown</i></a>! This too was a childhood game rental for me, quite some time later, but one that I thoroughly enjoyed, and wish I had owned back then. It, like the game I'm actually here to talk about today, is one of my top favorite NES games.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkr7aoZXhlDMNi3qmMMJvi3RlGVp8F-PjT0QhQRDNRnxfqiEc5TxEibpRi_pNKzzSpRSR1TZEVDDUDjrGxekW1KpRrIB4YUKfjV-1H15mwQkpXGL_RhMTLUt5Qa08_mOVl6-6ZYSC7_r4/s1600/50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkr7aoZXhlDMNi3qmMMJvi3RlGVp8F-PjT0QhQRDNRnxfqiEc5TxEibpRi_pNKzzSpRSR1TZEVDDUDjrGxekW1KpRrIB4YUKfjV-1H15mwQkpXGL_RhMTLUt5Qa08_mOVl6-6ZYSC7_r4/s1600/50.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the greatest stars of animation, ever.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjDP9qh0qe0XlPNCWI6VcynW-3S_RRRIA0cDEZIwbRbXTVTHQadzEoE16UcxlHPsgFa1kY3O5cIpA06yoltbth4JEX7cI-b0FqRPfFUoXFZu1OKSgRaHltKjwbvBYZQ44mR7lRTJFPm8/s1600/bugs+bro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="584" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjDP9qh0qe0XlPNCWI6VcynW-3S_RRRIA0cDEZIwbRbXTVTHQadzEoE16UcxlHPsgFa1kY3O5cIpA06yoltbth4JEX7cI-b0FqRPfFUoXFZu1OKSgRaHltKjwbvBYZQ44mR7lRTJFPm8/s400/bugs+bro.jpg" width="345" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Evolution of Bugs Bunny. </td></tr>
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As fortune would have it, while the original Crazy Castle game was released in 1989, 1990 happened to be the 50th birthday of Bugs Bunny himself. Technically speaking, as you can see above, a white rabbit, sometimes referred to as "Happy Rabbit", essentially a prototype version of Bugs, was first featured in the Porky Pig short "Porky's Hair Hunt". A goofier looking, gray rabbit with black-tipped ears, would appear in a couple of early Elmer Fudd cartoons. But what is considered to be the first "Official" Bugs Bunny cartoon, was released in 1940, called "A Wild Hare". This was the first time Bugs had his now infamous look, and the first cartoon in which his well-known personality was truly on display.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QIDbPBN-kheQbb3PXC41laqkmnZDo_9KWqODn5yR_si4T56hJScYFmPbGbga5cEOUve_LMyYSde5DeqoBSxHJ3CtNQaGqegwg4Nrndc1SSEcWtzEZumMRfcibPqcG5fTEdmTBXGG47U/s1600/Bugs+punk.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QIDbPBN-kheQbb3PXC41laqkmnZDo_9KWqODn5yR_si4T56hJScYFmPbGbga5cEOUve_LMyYSde5DeqoBSxHJ3CtNQaGqegwg4Nrndc1SSEcWtzEZumMRfcibPqcG5fTEdmTBXGG47U/s400/Bugs+punk.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That wascally wabbit! </td></tr>
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To capitalize on this monumental anniversary, Kemco made a new game, technically unrelated to the Crazy Castle franchise. In this particular case, the game released in all regions basically the exact same, and it was dubbed <i>The Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout</i> (or <i>Happy Birthday Bugs</i> in Japan). The game's plot, in fact, was based around Bugs' birthday, and it was, for its time, strongly promoted with the anniversary tie-in.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFRqgQdXSQtSS5eo66vUyzyEpOr6L8c6ExBPs60QxQrt3FDgEEO3VtiU63h8pR2RwaGghmDtKFJ_Jf2bwfiqbNpS9FD3uSPzhrC9DJQr9OTuvpvHM6EGoAMSC_ic0YZZJ55md-NAz3Ec/s1600/invite.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="219" data-original-width="241" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFRqgQdXSQtSS5eo66vUyzyEpOr6L8c6ExBPs60QxQrt3FDgEEO3VtiU63h8pR2RwaGghmDtKFJ_Jf2bwfiqbNpS9FD3uSPzhrC9DJQr9OTuvpvHM6EGoAMSC_ic0YZZJ55md-NAz3Ec/s400/invite.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If only he knew...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5mqrPdhsALZGFQd4JG8FVdmepgs_L4NOruIorrU7ykSPEqvInOZTRjEvpXK0oq0VRu4qj3145mUg5LQ3RFktrbpy_zehf0RL1e8VOq0o7ZQ1dE3mSex5sWcG_CpMcFRo6ZQtv_R5aBo/s1600/fuck.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="248" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5mqrPdhsALZGFQd4JG8FVdmepgs_L4NOruIorrU7ykSPEqvInOZTRjEvpXK0oq0VRu4qj3145mUg5LQ3RFktrbpy_zehf0RL1e8VOq0o7ZQ1dE3mSex5sWcG_CpMcFRo6ZQtv_R5aBo/s400/fuck.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a trap!</td></tr>
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This game was an early rental for me as well, as I guess I must've been on a Bugs kick. And I must admit, that while I enjoyed Crazy Castle, I instantly loved Birthday Blowout much more. A side-scrolling platformer, you play Bugs, who has received a mysterious invitation to a party. Little does he know, that it was sent by his fellow Looney Tunes stars, who apparently are jealous that he is so popular and gets all the fame. So to GET to this party, he has to traverse what turn out to be vast lands, including rolling hills, scorching deserts, haunted caves, and even a live volcano! <br />
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The basic gameplay is still pretty simple, but more involved than that of Crazy Castle. As Bugs, you can run and jump, staples of the platformer genre. In fact, being a rabbit, Bugs can jump fairly high, in comparison to most other such games. As his method of defending himself from the variety of traps and monsters that have been set against him, he employs the use of a rather sizable gray mallet, which you use to bonk enemies, and smash blocks in your way. As a kid, I found the block smashing to be rather fun, and even imagined that Bugs' day job must be some sort of construction (or in this case demolition) worker.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ8z1lSb7lqof6z-25c-hnPWXEGTb_8h3RJYSKCat8CeCCpWOTOYENiCRAdhl60C42MLvUOeoHwfVhKnWKGRvfTph8_6BoempjJD_UjbVs-IjMHv1VvpSn0hyphenhyphen65q8SSAVd0EnCRZFtSEY/s1600/willy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="364" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ8z1lSb7lqof6z-25c-hnPWXEGTb_8h3RJYSKCat8CeCCpWOTOYENiCRAdhl60C42MLvUOeoHwfVhKnWKGRvfTph8_6BoempjJD_UjbVs-IjMHv1VvpSn0hyphenhyphen65q8SSAVd0EnCRZFtSEY/s400/willy.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remember this guy?</td></tr>
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Another focus of the game, like Crazy Castle but not, is collecting carrots. In this game's case, you collect them for use in the between-level bonus games. In point of fact, this game can be rather generous with the extra lives, IF you're good at collecting carrots, and if you don't just completely suck (or not touch the controller at all), during the bonus games. The most typical bonus stage you get, is a kind of number match game, that is, frankly, nigh-impossible to actually get the numbers you want, due to them cycling by at ridiculous speed. So it's more of a game of chance.<br />
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At the end of every world, however, you get the bonus game seen above. It stars the lesser known "Willie the Weasel" character, featured in a few Foghorn Leghorn shorts, and it's basically Whack-a-Mole. You have much more control over whether you get 1-Ups or not, as you have to whack as many Willies as you can within a given time limit. If you reach the next required number whacked, you continue on. I always found this bonus both fun, and a bit frustrating, as sometimes the Willies will psych you out and not actually pop up when you think they will.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRddmGqAGgU7fa-yGFdJ5Favwccew5dtJgzPaQdI91DlERDLDTlzz9lGfmRn-0q8rNtQl0tDeYo2TNHF6SJxB-1WuKmcijtRXoKj2VAo6IHGKldkFyVnylkj_FEMRYd3mz7fQullW96vc/s1600/cowabunga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="400" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRddmGqAGgU7fa-yGFdJ5Favwccew5dtJgzPaQdI91DlERDLDTlzz9lGfmRn-0q8rNtQl0tDeYo2TNHF6SJxB-1WuKmcijtRXoKj2VAo6IHGKldkFyVnylkj_FEMRYd3mz7fQullW96vc/s400/cowabunga.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cowabunga, dudes!</td></tr>
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The game features six worlds, each with four stages, for a total of twenty four levels. These include grassy hills, a desert, a fiery mountain, haunted caverns, a wild jungle, and finally, an ancient (super dangerous) temple. Each level features an end boss, which happens to be one of your fellow Looney Tunes "friends". The most common is Bugs' friend/rival Daffy Duck, though he is also by far the easiest. I guess ol' Daffy's heart just isn't really in it, as his "fights" require you to avoid him, while getting to a giant carrot that turns into a hot air balloon. In a few of these, it really requires no effort to avoid him, whatsoever. But to be fair, Daffy is also the only boss you can't hit, either.<br />
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On the other hand, all of the game's OTHER bosses, feature actual fights, where you have to avoid their attacks, whilst bashing them with your giant hammer. These bosses include: Tweety Bird, Sylvester J. Cat and his son Junior, Elmer Fudd, Wile E. Coyote, Foghorn Leghorn, Pepe Lepew, and Yosemite Sam. At the end of the game, the final boss is none other than the Tasmanian Devil himself, who instead of employing his trademark spin attack on you, he throws...footballs? Very slow motion footballs. While none of the game's bosses are SUPER hard, the fact is, getting through that last Temple level is actually fairly challenging. And beating Taz once you get to him, is not. That is, unless you're super low on hearts, thanks to the damn level prior to him.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt55sKgvJx9Di3XszgpvVSexukR9y16Ccrs06mf0LEm9ZNdKjPNXGDuOp5Uo2X3hmBC4XpXEWDGpdMRejS4B8B3oqYk8Y8JzSU6OwYXrn2OTKLTQDMX5A8YDjCedgQDlytxVkrDrVt7w0/s1600/japan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt55sKgvJx9Di3XszgpvVSexukR9y16Ccrs06mf0LEm9ZNdKjPNXGDuOp5Uo2X3hmBC4XpXEWDGpdMRejS4B8B3oqYk8Y8JzSU6OwYXrn2OTKLTQDMX5A8YDjCedgQDlytxVkrDrVt7w0/s1600/japan.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone forgot to color Bugs in!</td></tr>
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When I rented this game all those years ago, I didn't beat it, though I did enjoy it. I don't think I LOVED it at the time, certainly nowhere near the level of <i>Super Mario Bros.</i>, or even <i>Arkista's Ring</i>. But I did enjoy it. So when Christmas 1990 came along, and I got that glorious big brown box, filled with Nintendo goodies, I was rather pleased to find that one of the three games inside, was none other than good ol' Bugs Bunny. Unfortunately for Bugs at the time, not only had I recently played it, but it was also far overshadowed by the MAIN event of that box, the game that would become my instant childhood obsession for years, and still remains my favorite game of all time to this day: <i>Super Mario Bros. 3</i>. But once the initial "HOLY SHIT I OWN MARIO 3" shine toned down a little, I went back to Bugs, and eventually beat that bad boy too!<br />
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For some reason, amongst so-called "Retro Gamers", Kemco games, especially Kemco NES games, seem to get a bit of a bum rap. But to me, they produced some genuine gems on that console, two of which, Kid Klown and this, being probably two of my favorite games of all time. Birthday Blowout is a bright, cheerful, fun game, with bouncy tunes and solid gameplay. The game isn't a nail-biter by any means, in fact like Kid Klown, I'd say much of it goes along at a somewhat leisurely pace. But that's OK, because to me that is part of their appeal. Bugs certainly presents challenge, but it isn't so hard it makes you want to throw anything across the room. It's not so long a game that it gets tiresome, but it also has enough meat on them bones, and enough variety (including the bonus games), that there is plenty to come back to. If you've never given this Looney Tunes classic a whirl, I highly suggest you do so, because in this man's humble opinion, it is one of the better games on the system. Certainly one of the best Looney Tunes games ever crafted, I think. <br />
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If you'd like to see the game in action, and don't mind some spicy, goofball commentary (and colorful language), then I'd also suggest you <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kUGeRTz5w8&list=PLGRU1C-n2ohpXR2Y2J7clZQO1U5FGayo1&index=1">watch my recent playthrough</a>, over on the Retro Revelations Youtube channel! Until next time, T-t-t-t-that's All, Folks! <br />
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Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-10627747826901030682019-12-23T02:37:00.003-08:002019-12-23T02:37:28.683-08:00Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the most infamous and popular characters in modern Christmas/Holiday folklore, is Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Pretty much all kids hear about him and his story growing up. But the story of Rudolf isn't merely a fun tale centered around Christmas. It's the story of a misfit, an outcast, someone who is different, and thus doesn't fit in with "normal" people. A lot of us can identify with that, which I feel is a huge part of why the Rudolf mythos has remained so strong over the decades.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The legendary song.</td></tr>
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Rudolf was born out of the imagination of one Robert Lewis May, in 1939. The department store Montgomery Ward had been giving out coloring books for kids for years, but wanted to save money by releasing their own story, instead of licensing out others. So they hired May to create a coloring book for them, and what he ultimately came up with, was the tale of a misfit reindeer with a shiny red nose. Originally outcast because of his difference from other reindeer, he eventually gets accepted, even celebrated, when his unique nose helps Santa save Christmas.<br />
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The book was a huge hit, becoming a repeat seller in later years. It also got turned into a popular song, which most of you are familiar with, originally sung by country-western singer Gene Autry. As insane as it sounds, that record was so popular, that it sold over 25 million copies, and was the second best selling album of all time until sometime in the 1980s (I'm going to imagine it got unseated, perhaps, by Michael Jackson's "Thriller"). The song alone is one of the top "Christmas Songs" people tend to associate with the season, along with other perennials like "Frosty the Snowman", "Silver Bells", "White Christmas", etc.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The original cartoon.</td></tr>
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On November 11th, 1948, Max Fleischer released the first ever film adaptation of the Rudolf story. Produced at the time to help advertise Montgomery Ward, it was one of his last major projects, after such a successful earlier career with properties like Betty Boop, Popeye the Sailor, and Superman. This theatrical short, takes more after the original book than the song, in fact the first release didn't even include the song. But it is a great piece of animation, and a faithful, simple telling of Rudolf's story. It's widely available to watch now for free online, as it's in the public domain, and I highly suggest if you've never seen it, dedicating eight minutes of your life to experience what you could rightly call Fleischer's last masterpiece.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The one EVERYONE knows. </td></tr>
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The more famous adaptation, of course, wouldn't come until roughly sixteen years later, in 1964. Arthur Rankin Jr and Jules Bass, who had founded the production company called "Videocraft International", later known as Rankin/Bass Productions, were just starting what would be a long and successful career for them as creators of (mostly) television content.As Fate would have it, the project which would become their first major success, would be a new adaptation of the Rudolf story. In point of fact, it would go on to become THE most enduring and popular telling of it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Different from birth.</td></tr>
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Narrated by the great folk music legend Burl Ives, himself known for some great Christmas songs, in the friendly guise of Sam the Snowman, the Rankin/Bass telling was based more around the by-then famous song. Rudolf, born to Santa's lead reindeer, Donner, and his wife, is immediately noticed by his parents for being different. Even Santa, who stops by to see the child, takes note of the "Shiny Nose", and Donner swears he'll grow out of it. Except that poor Rudolf DOESN'T grow out of it, prompting Donner to fashion a silly looking fake black nose, to make his son look "normal".<br />
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Meanwhile, Hermy the Elf, a completely new character who doesn't especially love Christmas or making toys like all the rest of Santa's elves do, instead has aspirations to be a dentist. This gains him the ire and derision of his fellow elves, making him a misfit as well. I'll note here, that Hermy also doesn't seem to look like the other elves, outside of being short. Most notably, he has rounded, human-like ears, instead of pointy ones. This is never addressed in the special, but one would imagine his looking different, like Rudolf, would also set him apart.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dashing young doe, Clarice.</td></tr>
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When it comes time for young Rudolf to play in the "Reindeer Games", where they get trained to fly and such, he immediately makes what seems to be a friend, in Fireball, the son of Comet. He also takes notice of a pretty young doe named Clarice, who seems to be the daughter of another of the famous Eight Reindeer who pull Santa's sleigh. He works up the courage to talk to her, and she tells him she thinks he's cute, which sends him leaping off into the air, flying better than any of the other young reindeer. Comet, the coach, is impressed, until Rudolf's nose, after roughhousing with Fireball, is revealed to all. He is, as the song goes, forbidden from playing in any more "Reindeer Games", all because of his looks.<br />
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I'd like to take the time to point out that in this special, <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-life-and-adventures-of-santa-claus.html">Santa Claus</a>, a character for whom I have great life-long affection, spends most of his time acting like a stressed out grump. Mrs. Claus spends her time trying to get him to eat, because he's "too skinny" at the time. And Santa, upon seeing Rudolf's nose, which he didn't grow out of, is shown expressing disappointment to Donner, even telling him "you ought to be ashamed". While I love this special, I think the portrayal of Santa is silly, as realistically, this character who is supposed to be the embodiment of jolliness and generosity, would not be so petty and low as to care about, much less shame, Rudolf's odd "malformity". But I digress.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCxJ9LQ_QR5EfUrWdUEPd4VThpbetcIXq9VLcZji59iRIRMn2hDDfmnQBOT6G8je-wEnYV26nPSgC9O1-VR2yx2t44JcZg40nud0Ivl2RtAzVhG2eBtv7ReAhn5Q6i7a1NopmHRyyOyBo/s1600/lead_720_405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="720" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCxJ9LQ_QR5EfUrWdUEPd4VThpbetcIXq9VLcZji59iRIRMn2hDDfmnQBOT6G8je-wEnYV26nPSgC9O1-VR2yx2t44JcZg40nud0Ivl2RtAzVhG2eBtv7ReAhn5Q6i7a1NopmHRyyOyBo/s400/lead_720_405.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New best friends.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqL61L4URbVxnuhySjLvMDmj8_c2HdD_Tf9o1kXNsOyVCzCst9uGRsSgDS6GaO0tunFKvf8bH4eplP_fuoSzhD3M22u5ZqMiLGTTZmLHh40s3NjULf3NYo0KZi4fZLrfQxreVSrSKmLnU/s1600/yukon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1196" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqL61L4URbVxnuhySjLvMDmj8_c2HdD_Tf9o1kXNsOyVCzCst9uGRsSgDS6GaO0tunFKvf8bH4eplP_fuoSzhD3M22u5ZqMiLGTTZmLHh40s3NjULf3NYo0KZi4fZLrfQxreVSrSKmLnU/s400/yukon.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Their savior, Yukon.</td></tr>
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After Rudolf runs away, being ridiculously shunned by the other reindeer, Clarice runs after him, telling him she doesn't care about his nose. In fact, she seems to have taken quite a liking to him, though her father shows up, and tells Rudolf in no uncertain terms that "no doe of mine is going to be seen with a red-nosed reindeer!" This is the final straw, and Rudolf, after a chance meeting with the equally shunned Hermy the Elf, decides that together, they are going to run away, since they're not wanted.<br />
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This leads them out into the frozen wastes of the North Pole, and they find themselves having to hide Rudolf's nose in a snowstorm, lest they be seen, and presumably eaten, by the Monster of the North, the Abominable Snowman. Somehow surviving the night, even though they clearly have no idea what they're doing, their fortunes change when run across a new friend, a human named Yukon Cornelius, who has traveled so far north with his sled-dogs, in search of Silver and Gold. Ol' Yukon shows them the ropes, and helps them to survive, though they run afoul of "Old Bumble" once more, causing them to flee on an ice drift.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDt-PcOGcTfWhYLEM6B0rPsyYFQKQsdMJ6hfOH2J-qPU4JSXWlKaSsXnnvDhuti5B44PlqJMZCv5NrDdeDuAtfmtJ1PUBBHQcY7V35Bi6KePpzoatKVxs_vu9WagCFzDLzTe4cg3yvFkI/s1600/Bumble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="640" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDt-PcOGcTfWhYLEM6B0rPsyYFQKQsdMJ6hfOH2J-qPU4JSXWlKaSsXnnvDhuti5B44PlqJMZCv5NrDdeDuAtfmtJ1PUBBHQcY7V35Bi6KePpzoatKVxs_vu9WagCFzDLzTe4cg3yvFkI/s400/Bumble.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bumble.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King Moonracer, of the Island of Misfit Toys.</td></tr>
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They wind up on a hidden island, The Island of Misfit Toys, where toys seemingly unwanted for various defects, live because allegedly no child would want them. They are introduced to the island's ruler, King MoonRacer, a magical winged lion, who tells them of the toys' plight. They resolve that they should eventually return home, and tell Santa about the toys, in hopes that he'll find homes for them. Rudolf, still believing himself to be a danger to others, takes off on his own, returning home first, only to find that his parents and Clarice have gotten lost somewhere, out looking for him.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a hero.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCXACD-AUoMtSYbZFAai6Zfgv6wodzukuPg4PK9vfP1Xurr4BynW5hL2Pj0_vHU3WROP9a4-vjW5h0ghOpmW19R5twS-JV4YsV6QBHNhjS4a1h-VoQf2V5hbFMhUXAZvSGN3zhzUzUEY/s1600/nose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="740" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCXACD-AUoMtSYbZFAai6Zfgv6wodzukuPg4PK9vfP1Xurr4BynW5hL2Pj0_vHU3WROP9a4-vjW5h0ghOpmW19R5twS-JV4YsV6QBHNhjS4a1h-VoQf2V5hbFMhUXAZvSGN3zhzUzUEY/s400/nose.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally being recognized.</td></tr>
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He tracks them down, only to find that they are endangered by the Abominable himself, who Rudolf stands up to, only to get knocked out. Ultimately, the day is saved by Yukon, who seemingly perishes falling over a cliff with the monster. The reindeer return home, in time to find that Christmas is in trouble, because the worst snowstorm in years is making it so Santa won't be able to fly his sleigh to take presents to the world's children. But wouldn't you know it, he sees Rudolf's glowing nose, and EUREKA, he realizes that it could act as a lamp to light their way! Christmas is saved, and Rudolf, who has been unjustly ostracized all along for something he can't help, is finally not only accepted, but is the hero of the day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtZ_oGskh2VbuqMvAutAzuFm7G2lgZJVwQIBRbfQhwTS9B2klmp1qaW9v7FWySSAP-imE5t71HpDLvGJA4EefM8zEJOzuS6YbZgf-Lc_gPtqBI51txgVCWZxO7xipgJtSyJfMzRs6UXsQ/s1600/reindeer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="800" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtZ_oGskh2VbuqMvAutAzuFm7G2lgZJVwQIBRbfQhwTS9B2klmp1qaW9v7FWySSAP-imE5t71HpDLvGJA4EefM8zEJOzuS6YbZgf-Lc_gPtqBI51txgVCWZxO7xipgJtSyJfMzRs6UXsQ/s400/reindeer.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The NEW lead reindeer.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Misfit Toys.</td></tr>
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They also manage to keep their promise, and stop by the island, to pick up the Misfit Toys, whom Santa finds homes for. They even learn that Yukon survived, because duh, "Bumbles Bounce", and that Hermey, who had stayed behind to look for him, used his dental accumen to remove the poor monster's teeth, rendering him harmless. Not only harmless, but friendly, as he helps put he star on the North Pole Christmas Tree! All's well that ends well, and everyone seems to live happily ever after.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNMLSCDgUcff4MkMjryAf5GQ60qqSLVCkb3WspR3Mc_PXHN7S2WBQ0geZGE06DVB_UJbU2sKfpVmn_DyMlvuaTg94Idp025xf2swtHECWtX4zH7BHiYbmUOyT7k2c0F4coh9ILcHPRX3Q/s1600/Song-SilverAndGold.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNMLSCDgUcff4MkMjryAf5GQ60qqSLVCkb3WspR3Mc_PXHN7S2WBQ0geZGE06DVB_UJbU2sKfpVmn_DyMlvuaTg94Idp025xf2swtHECWtX4zH7BHiYbmUOyT7k2c0F4coh9ILcHPRX3Q/s400/Song-SilverAndGold.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam the Snowman.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3p74lfLK2MQNPK_n0gCLToyruX_-qTkNq4xurJCE-1XOmNT85aGqiOSnSpe6-EbOf1VQa7CmpVrHe9xQ09NKScaZPx4jp9EfMu_Kh4y6wSaDc_8dOonLrFEJj11KoL4VIyTyDR_0sGY/s1600/Burl+Ives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="425" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3p74lfLK2MQNPK_n0gCLToyruX_-qTkNq4xurJCE-1XOmNT85aGqiOSnSpe6-EbOf1VQa7CmpVrHe9xQ09NKScaZPx4jp9EfMu_Kh4y6wSaDc_8dOonLrFEJj11KoL4VIyTyDR_0sGY/s400/Burl+Ives.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Voiced by Burl Ives.</td></tr>
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As a kid, like many kids I'm sure, I saw this special at an early age. Early enough, in fact, that I had already seen it multiple times by the time I was in pre-school, and knew how it went. So when they showed it at school, I stated matter-of-factly that I had "already seen it", and was allowed to go play with toys while the other kids watched, even though I still watched some of it anyway. Pre-school snootiness aside, I've always been a fan of this Rankin/Bass Production, as I was of many of their other creations (including the 80s shows Thundercats and Silverhawks). I remember being afraid of the Bumble monster, and even at a young age dreaming of finding "my own Clarice".<br />
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In its own way, this special is a masterpiece. The stop-motion animation, handled as most of their animation was in Japan, while certainly not up to the standards of theatrical excellence that Ray Harryhausen set, is still rather good. The characters are memorable, as are the songs, mostly sung by Burl Ives, including one of my favorite Christmas standards that he made famous, "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas". I actually remember my grandmother owning some Burl Ives tapes, one of which was a Christmas album, which I would listen to often as a child. His voice, in many ways to me, was the "Voice of Christmas" as I was growing up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHqj-JUmMgrddooRVw6MvHiU6mH-MA-bbsJeW-dMWZnUmR3na2wKlSKEiZ_UF6DH8zKadiQrRuV__1G7V0Y3v-CONVbcTR2kAOy5IsEUMmE6PTxTYCDwrEuUZsgav_PF3iWYHJYRx3y4/s1600/helping+hand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="641" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHqj-JUmMgrddooRVw6MvHiU6mH-MA-bbsJeW-dMWZnUmR3na2wKlSKEiZ_UF6DH8zKadiQrRuV__1G7V0Y3v-CONVbcTR2kAOy5IsEUMmE6PTxTYCDwrEuUZsgav_PF3iWYHJYRx3y4/s400/helping+hand.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lending a helping hand.</td></tr>
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All in all, the story of Rudolf itself, I think endures because it is a tale of difference, and being accepted for your differences. The Rankin/Bass special, has played on TV every single year (sometimes multiple times), since it's debut in 1964, which makes it the longest running Christmas special of all time. A pretty cool distinction if you ask me, though to be fair, <i>A Charlie Brown Christmas</i> and <i>How the Grinch Stole Christmas</i>, have also been shown pretty much every year since their debuts as well.<br />
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To me, as a life-long fan of stop-motion animation, I'm glad that the Rudolf special endures, because it allows the art-form, as well as the great special itself, to be seen by new generations of kids. And I think that's important, personally. If I ever get to have children, while they are of course free to like whatever new stuff they want (even if I hate it), I am absolutely going to raise them on all of the classic things that I myself love. I'm going to share my passions with them, and this special, and others like it, will be a part of that. And it goes without saying, that yes, my kids will be allowed to believe in Santa. I think it's ridiculous, even mean-spirited, to not allow that. Santa, and the Christmas Season in general, meant so much to me as a kid. It's such a time of wonder, and fun, and I think every kid, regardless of culture or religion, deserves something like that.<br />
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Anyways, I hope that you all have a Holly Jolly Christmas, or whatever you celebrate. And if you get a chance, give the old Rudolf special a spin, especially if you have kids who have never seen it before!<br />
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<br />Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-15469796869153696352019-11-30T23:58:00.000-08:002019-12-04T05:18:39.458-08:00Silver Screen Stories: The 7th Voyage of Sinbad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTREe5cnStS-qZJjQ1AamLV_fWFsVZX2Mj83gIuL78FhBQTgt9BU409s1dN4zMQnJbGUrfhvhAR7DhHS-wzgKzcCjQ4uMZsPF60JtS0ALEByC9OuanhtGjOkdFv2Dk96KKHOIq_XS2CNA/s1600/7th-voyage-of-sinbad-poster2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="1349" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTREe5cnStS-qZJjQ1AamLV_fWFsVZX2Mj83gIuL78FhBQTgt9BU409s1dN4zMQnJbGUrfhvhAR7DhHS-wzgKzcCjQ4uMZsPF60JtS0ALEByC9OuanhtGjOkdFv2Dk96KKHOIq_XS2CNA/s400/7th-voyage-of-sinbad-poster2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Growing up as a child in the 80s and early 90s, the legendary figure of Sinbad the Sailor, was something of a hero of mine. I don't remember at what age I first saw a Sinbad film, but it must have been young enough, because when I was freshly 6 years old, I got my first dog, a fluffy white terrier mix that I named Sinbad. Clearly, the character was in my kindergarten age consciousness enough, that I chose that name, and was aware who the mythical sailor was. <br />
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I'm going to venture a guess, that the first Sinbad movie I ever saw, was not one of <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/05/an-animated-life-tribute-to-ray.html">Ray Harryhausen's</a> masterpieces. Instead, it was probably a film that I'll get to in a few moments. To start with, of course, the stories of Sinbad, for the unfamiliar, originated as late entries into the infamous "1001 Arabian Nights" story collection. The same collection that characters such as Aladdin, and Ali Baba came from. If you actually look at the old stories, much like actually looking at the stories of Greek heroes like Jason, Heracles or Perseus, you'll see a character who looks far less virtuous and heroic than what we know and think of in modern media. Let's just say that I'm glad I didn't read his stories as a kid, for I likely wouldn't have been nearly as big a fan of him.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzt8_YSnP1uUtNQmx9XS8lhagBIEmoNNCz0lmAdiVig_96g17dWcIX420bqh3ODLg2Z8crPEg0bVgH6RUvB8z9Aj1nL8bAFx9h7xoKFsIMlXCoAXeUIS4HdxU9VbzNg51E2ppJiwsT_g/s1600/iwerks+sinbad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="725" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzt8_YSnP1uUtNQmx9XS8lhagBIEmoNNCz0lmAdiVig_96g17dWcIX420bqh3ODLg2Z8crPEg0bVgH6RUvB8z9Aj1nL8bAFx9h7xoKFsIMlXCoAXeUIS4HdxU9VbzNg51E2ppJiwsT_g/s640/iwerks+sinbad.jpg" width="420" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Animation innovator Ub Iwerks' take on the character.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQYQHbbw-0pcS5cEswmhCCW3bjZNbdUobuSXyUWGiapFWZ6xZM88GZw9tMyMCPbDQwTRJzIgEbPwzf-XOa18VMWuO6qgF8HGb_zPvc3w69GMMiVOJJfeC9FeGYV2ijbDCjQgcWqZbEvs/s1600/Popeye_Meets_Sinbad.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="580" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQYQHbbw-0pcS5cEswmhCCW3bjZNbdUobuSXyUWGiapFWZ6xZM88GZw9tMyMCPbDQwTRJzIgEbPwzf-XOa18VMWuO6qgF8HGb_zPvc3w69GMMiVOJJfeC9FeGYV2ijbDCjQgcWqZbEvs/s640/Popeye_Meets_Sinbad.PNG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fellow innovator Max Fleischer's unique, villainous take.</td></tr>
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The first two depictions of Sinbad on film, were actually cartoons. The first, produced by Ub Iwerks studio after he had (temporarily) parted ways with Walt Disney, was a 1935 theatrical short, which featured the typical "Disney-like" whimsy that Iwerks brought to his productions. A year later, Disney's primary competitor on the theatrical short front, Fleischer Studios, led by brothers Max and Dave Fleischer, released their own, more unique take on the character. Max Fleischer had been an innovator on the animation scene, pioneering advanced techniques like Multi-Plane and Rotoscoping. With his biggest success of the time, predating his great Superman cartoons, Popeye (along with Betty Boop and others), he was giving Disney a run for his money. And when he saw that Disney was preparing a feature-length animated film, something risky and unheard of at the time, he saw that his own dream of an animated feature was possible.<br />
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So he took his top star, Popeye the Sailor, and set him up against his rival, Bluto, playing the part of a more vain, villainous take on Sinbad the Sailor. A duel, if you will, of which great sailor was better. The 1936 <i>Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor</i>, was a double-reel cartoon, clocking in at about sixteen and a half minutes. Fleischer would continue to use Popeye in other short films, where he would continue to experiment and up the ante, in stories based on Ali Baba and Aladdin, working his way towards his 1939 feature release, <i>Gulliver's Travels</i>. Of the three extended Popeye "specials", however, the original Sinbad one was and remains the most popular. Personally, what stands out in the Sinbad Popeye cartoon, aside from the usual humor, was Bluto's great turn as a boastful, bully Sinbad, and his island of various animals and monsters. The one thing the two very different Sinbad cartoons had in common, was the giant mythical monster bird known as Roc, said to be big enough to carry off elephants in its claws. The Roc featured in one or more of the original Sinbad stories, and would be important in a certain future film.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOd-0tGHaDR-3OKEJI2pm5-F6Xq3OH4Kf-KIfBHohvFG0Jk8dYhBzDrljMKh1Yernq-3QmzOrZRVWu9Pf6GxKWqKgFzfhcZqhwLaS0re88wrUEVW0Pd4wksgtJ9-e1fG_DQx7zm7PuP0/s1600/40s+Sinbasd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="650" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOd-0tGHaDR-3OKEJI2pm5-F6Xq3OH4Kf-KIfBHohvFG0Jk8dYhBzDrljMKh1Yernq-3QmzOrZRVWu9Pf6GxKWqKgFzfhcZqhwLaS0re88wrUEVW0Pd4wksgtJ9-e1fG_DQx7zm7PuP0/s640/40s+Sinbasd.jpg" width="470" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first live action Sinbad.</td></tr>
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Sinbad would first see representation in a live action film, in the more comical 1942 <i>Arabian Nights</i>, from Universal Studios. There, he was played by Shemp Howard of Three Stooges fame, of all people, and was more of a minor character. His first, true debut to feature movies, was in the 1947 RKO film, appropriately titled <i>Sinbad the Sailor</i>. Starring dashing Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in the titular role, with Maureen O'Hara as the beautiful Shireen, this story is much tamer than the later Sinbad adventures. The plot focuses on Sinbad learning of the treasures of Alexander the Great, and his adventures trying to find them. There is little to no real magic or supernatural happenings in this film, which makes it lesser in my eyes (and many other fans', most likely). But it's still a solid film for what it is, and Fairbanks makes a good Sinbad. A few years later, in 1955, RKO released another movie entitled <i>Son of Sinbad</i>, which featured western cowboy star Dale Robertson in the role of the legend's alleged son. It too featured no real magic or epicness. I wouldn't see either movie until my adult years anyway, which is just as well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcI9jYrBK7sSfpt7MWcQOdTx73mMlBhybku4qNPUKgUhP_B9WZGJZaLDf1MKvbpoTdSnsbTBkFhMVi2m7E52-4O61YQNglzKiekNJAZhiTZ9lciYbPIv5fxCJNYXUiPFV3o_FbrUGw4FQ/s1600/Sindbad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="300" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcI9jYrBK7sSfpt7MWcQOdTx73mMlBhybku4qNPUKgUhP_B9WZGJZaLDf1MKvbpoTdSnsbTBkFhMVi2m7E52-4O61YQNglzKiekNJAZhiTZ9lciYbPIv5fxCJNYXUiPFV3o_FbrUGw4FQ/s640/Sindbad.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about!</td></tr>
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While it came it several years later than the movie we're here today to discuss, the first Sinbad movie I probably saw as a child, on TV, was 1963's <i>Captain Sindbad</i>. I'm not entirely sure about the alternate spelling of the name, perhaps they just wanted to be different. But all the same, THIS was the kind of Sinbad tale the character deserved. While it lacks, and seriously could have benefited from stop-motion magic like Harryhausen's, this MGM production is still packed with all of the magic, and wonder, and adventure you could want in such a fantasy feature. Starring Guy Williams as "Sindbad", the tale includes threats such as an arena battle with an invisible monster, a deadly Hydra, and a magically guarded tower. I think this film deserves its own article someday, but for now, it's enough to say that it is likely this that left the impression on me as a child, and inspired me to name my dog after the hero.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EsidP_07aE2U0PGmCz2A1Q78OHPWCph47KtrTUBF-mmDe73kc6WFUYE5h3YGDaUNzXJV40Mixjvq9y4bsJqnbu5GesiybFWFUqSELo3ZRuiALHv9pxy16Kx0BzOT1Jefek0u4ywZ_gE/s1600/VHS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="213" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EsidP_07aE2U0PGmCz2A1Q78OHPWCph47KtrTUBF-mmDe73kc6WFUYE5h3YGDaUNzXJV40Mixjvq9y4bsJqnbu5GesiybFWFUqSELo3ZRuiALHv9pxy16Kx0BzOT1Jefek0u4ywZ_gE/s640/VHS.jpg" width="344" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cover of my VHS copy.</td></tr>
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As I've explained in previous articles, my love of both <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/05/godzilla-chronicles-beginning.html">Godzilla</a> and Harryhausen films, really both exploded thanks to our finally getting a VCR player around 1989/90 or so. Just as <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/08/godzilla-chronicles-godzilla-vs-sea.html"><i>Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster</i></a> was likely the first of his films that I got to own, <i>The 7th Voyage of Sinbad</i> was definitely the first (and only) Sinbad movie I owned in my childhood. I would get to see <i>Captain Sindbad</i> again on TV somewhere around this time, and I would see Harryhausen's two other Sinbad greats (The Golden Voyage and Eye of the Tiger), along with his others epics like <i>Jason and the Argonauts</i> and <i>Clash of the Titans</i>, thanks to my childhood obsession, <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2017/10/childhood-memories-monstervision.html">TNT's MonsterVision</a>.<br />
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But while I love all of those movies dearly, both in equals parts because of childhood nostalgia, but also because it's a truly great and wonderful film, 7th Voyage to this day is still my favorite Sinbad film, and live action fantasy film in general.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN75LfYrZtG00hlexGx8GVRdlT4deJtmtmi6NYjN4StWn2g_rXU68w4I2VVZeVINLJOSNS8tzL4NpcKp9t_FygBfol_VMProyoh99XGQNn4hKGaotSKicKi51ksr_i44XHUZwXlJTZqxY/s1600/195867__30347.1519250945.500.500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN75LfYrZtG00hlexGx8GVRdlT4deJtmtmi6NYjN4StWn2g_rXU68w4I2VVZeVINLJOSNS8tzL4NpcKp9t_FygBfol_VMProyoh99XGQNn4hKGaotSKicKi51ksr_i44XHUZwXlJTZqxY/s400/195867__30347.1519250945.500.500.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The film's two starring heroes.</td></tr>
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Ray Harryhausen had, up until this film, pretty much exclusively done science fiction movies, including standouts <i>The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms </i>and <i>Earth vs. The Flying Saucer</i>s. He started teaming with producer Charles H. Schneer on the 1955 monster film <i>It Came From Beneath the Sea</i>, and they began regularly teaming from then on. So it was Schneer who helped bring about this first true fantasy epic Sinbad tale to the screen. Nathan Juran, who had worked with the pair on their previous project <i>20 Million Miles to Earth</i>, was hired to direct, while composer Bernard Herrman, who had done great work with Alfred Hitchcock, and would go on to score other Harryhausen films like <i>Mysterious Island</i> and <i>Jason and the Argonauts</i>, would bring the action to life with fantastic music.<br />
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To play the titular hero, they cast actor Kerwin Matthews, in his first starring role. They cast the young Kathryn Grant as Princess Parisa, Sinbad's love, and Torin Thatcher, in a marvelous turn as the mysterious magician Sokurah. As the Genie of the magic lamp, they cast child actor Richard Eyer, who had previously starred in the only other film to feature the great Robbie the Robot (of <i>Forbidden Planet</i> fame), 1957's <i>The Invisible Boy</i>. All told, the cast, the music, the production, the locals and sets, and of course Ray's stop-motions magic, were all on point. The film released in 1958, becoming a financial success that would not only boost Ray Harryhausen's career, but also help lead to something of a surge in fantasy films.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQy1eaPjjUKfTrszS0Tj2BjW6aSCZeqkVe-ieibqabieInI1sLiqNFSDLVx6Jshh7dZpzhDzXgYWPLO1lQ3jNYlnrCmV4hZkEhsz-ztbsV0Tbu3_EMcoS0x3peKPnYRAJx8PpTg8ShLs/s1600/Lamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1023" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQy1eaPjjUKfTrszS0Tj2BjW6aSCZeqkVe-ieibqabieInI1sLiqNFSDLVx6Jshh7dZpzhDzXgYWPLO1lQ3jNYlnrCmV4hZkEhsz-ztbsV0Tbu3_EMcoS0x3peKPnYRAJx8PpTg8ShLs/s400/Lamp.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sinbad, and tiny Parisa. </td></tr>
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The core of the plot, sees Captain Sinbad and his crew, caught in a storm, which has blown them far off course. They are trying to reach Baghdad with the Princess Parisa on time for their wedding, which will also help avert a war with her country of Chandra. The storm blows them off the shore of mysterious Colossa Island, where they disembark to gather food and fresh water. Unfortunately for them, they run afoul of a giant Cyclops, who is chasing an enigmatic magician called Sokurah, for he has stolen from them the prized and powerful magic lamp. He uses the lamp to create a barrier between Sinbad's men and the Cyclops, to aid both their and his own escape, but the Cyclops has other ideas, hurling a great boulder over the barrier, capsizing their rowboat, and causing Sokurah to drop the lamp into the sea, which the Cyclops then retrieves.<br />
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Beside himself with grief, the sorcerer is obsessed with getting that lamp back, as the genie's power is immense. To that end, he offers Sinbad a bag full of precious gems, worth a fortune, stating there is many times that treasure hidden by the Cyclops back on his island. But Sinbad refuses to turn the ship around, knowing they are already running late for he and Parisa's wedding. The wedding is set to take place, but Sokurah, unable to convince the Caliph of Baghdad to grant him an expedition back to his island, casts dark magic to make Parisa shrink to the size of a living doll. This causes her blustering father to declare war on Baghdad, and Sinbad manages to convince the exiled magician to stay and help them return Parisa to her rightful state, not knowing it was Sokurah who has caused it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgicOOu5VTP_nV_VSr9NTO7IeCBC845hai7AvPFXCO4NtedFu6kQzZo5pHxk-uWfLY-87y_7GCP2UZnFkF0vXV9b2Mx1UES5PiyKawi8ko-UOnuhK30SGs0fDtGHaOt9mCkjxWQpt8JvV0/s1600/roc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="705" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgicOOu5VTP_nV_VSr9NTO7IeCBC845hai7AvPFXCO4NtedFu6kQzZo5pHxk-uWfLY-87y_7GCP2UZnFkF0vXV9b2Mx1UES5PiyKawi8ko-UOnuhK30SGs0fDtGHaOt9mCkjxWQpt8JvV0/s400/roc.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The monstrous bird, Roc. </td></tr>
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Naturally, the last ingredient for the potion to cure her, happens to be the shell of a Roc egg, which can only be found, you guessed it, on Sokurah's island of Colossa. With Sinbad's old crew mostly refusing to go back to that accursed place, Sinbad is forced to recruit criminals from Baghdad's prison, offering them freedom in return for making the voyage. Many agree to go, but as the voyage nears its destination, they try to mutiny, only failing because of a nearby island, whose demons' wails drive men mad, and drive their ships to smash on jagged rocks. Sinbad and company are freed to save the ship, and within little time, they are back on Colossa, gigantic crossbow in tow, to help them fend off any Cyclops.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigl6R049VGmRcYNGobACkIgOi3R71SlH8q88ekBfBiOOS3abwwTHmU6FNJsX55kJFu6iUgmVI0PGRjQDNCIcBRr2mbJ3MTsYJ-j-PqLLAH9TVuKjM94Xh4SEDXuqssXqHPX9fTpluVl6k/s1600/barani.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="650" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigl6R049VGmRcYNGobACkIgOi3R71SlH8q88ekBfBiOOS3abwwTHmU6FNJsX55kJFu6iUgmVI0PGRjQDNCIcBRr2mbJ3MTsYJ-j-PqLLAH9TVuKjM94Xh4SEDXuqssXqHPX9fTpluVl6k/s400/barani.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The genie, Barani. </td></tr>
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Not to give away too much of the plot, you could probably guess that when Sinbad's dwindling crew manage to secure a piece of Roc's eggshell, that bastard Sokurah snatches Parisa, in a bid to force Sinbad to come to his hidden castle and give him his precious lamp. Before this, however, Parisa had braved to venture inside the lamp itself, meeting the genie, who looks like a little boy. He is a slave to the lamp, though there is a prophecy inscribed which states he could possibly be freed some day. Parisa promises to try and free him, if he'll teach her the words to summon his aid, which she in turn taught to Sinbad. It is thus with the Genie's help, that Sinbad finds Sokurah's castle, and rushes to the final confrontation. <br />
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One thing that stands out about this film, to people who follow mythology and folklore, is that Harryhausen took some liberties with a couple of the film's primary monsters, namely the Roc bird and the Cyclops. He chose to give the Roc two heads, both the hatchling they run across and the angry parent, perhaps to make it more imposing. Though if you ask me, a ginormous bird with one head would be pretty terrifying. And for the Cyclops, he altered their Greek myth form, of essentially just being gigantic one-eyed people, to instead being more inhuman, satyr-like beings with cloven hooves, and a horn crowning their heads. Departure or not, I love his version of the Cyclops, and I think it is one of the single most iconic movie monsters of all time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-5ef4WlgMmnb9imIDdi7-LGkW4twYXWIYMvFYxaMQ83MNyhs0ob5D0jOHocT0h6xDcP4HxK91mnIKxv26tYPjMJwounjQSTUr114hOrJpFr3svhTHBfD3LDrQxHZlOjsVGfEq13EeDw/s1600/sketch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="370" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-5ef4WlgMmnb9imIDdi7-LGkW4twYXWIYMvFYxaMQ83MNyhs0ob5D0jOHocT0h6xDcP4HxK91mnIKxv26tYPjMJwounjQSTUr114hOrJpFr3svhTHBfD3LDrQxHZlOjsVGfEq13EeDw/s400/sketch.jpg" width="307" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of Ray's gorgeous concept drawings.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSiIzASUfX4ntLVJYNCojrmwhyphenhyphena8Cx3ieqv4f0x7vk33zC0h9q20qJ15j7kSREgwaxDfNMQiJnNIT_V-VF0V5L3y_aFAMQ7gGSmk8EFW4BuVaC1LxgudZaXtnfaxHf2Limng7G7_Tspw/s1600/fuck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="486" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSiIzASUfX4ntLVJYNCojrmwhyphenhyphena8Cx3ieqv4f0x7vk33zC0h9q20qJ15j7kSREgwaxDfNMQiJnNIT_V-VF0V5L3y_aFAMQ7gGSmk8EFW4BuVaC1LxgudZaXtnfaxHf2Limng7G7_Tspw/s400/fuck.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From concept to reality.</td></tr>
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Additionally, while not AS iconic in most fans' minds as the infamous skeleton fight in <i>Jason and the Argonauts,</i> which came five years later, 7th Voyage features a duel with a single animated skeleton warrior, seen above, which would serve as Ray's prototype for the later, more ambitious scene. Still, nothing like this fight between Sinbad and the Skeleton had ever really been done before, and Kerwin Matthews had to train with a fencing master, to the point of getting down dance-like timing, to be able to act as if he were fighting an opponent who was not truly there. This was, of course, decades before such things would be attempted with the aid of computer graphics. Not only did Matthews have to get all of his movements precisely correct, but Ray had to match the skeleton's movements up precisely as well. The final product, is one of the coolest scenes in movie history, which still looks great and stands up to this day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWjmJ8bpfwkJj0U30rnsx0-Z6YEIaQZ7JOEA0KgyHpF3Qm9Jt8kVC2unHNN1LDRurycAAkoHvBrircuFPoUcHpAPI-t3XQZP7BTYqpnEGKSgeR0pLV4wWFheKmgkmrQMVM8t96TXjYBU/s1600/sokurah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="391" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWjmJ8bpfwkJj0U30rnsx0-Z6YEIaQZ7JOEA0KgyHpF3Qm9Jt8kVC2unHNN1LDRurycAAkoHvBrircuFPoUcHpAPI-t3XQZP7BTYqpnEGKSgeR0pLV4wWFheKmgkmrQMVM8t96TXjYBU/s400/sokurah.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That sly devil, Sokurah.</td></tr>
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To me, as a child, I was absolutely entranced by this movie, just as much in '89/'90 as I'm sure kids/people were when it originally released in 1958. That's not only a testament to how good Harryhausen's special effects were, but also a testament to how good the movie in general is. Trust me, I have seen some movies with cool stop-motion effects, which as MOVIES go, are garbage. But to my mind, everything about 7th Voyage stands out. The pacing and cinematography are on point, the casting and acting are great, and the story itself, while simple and fairy-tale-like, is also just really entertaining. And it needs to be said that Bernard Herrman's magical score fits the mood of every scene perfectly. From the very opening of the Columbia logo, the main theme of the film kicks in and really grabs you, holding on throughout. Scenes such as the magic snake dance in Baghdad, feature such wonderfully imaginative and fitting musical flourishes and refrains, and the score never feels off or out of place. Like a good movie score should, it helps tell the story as much as the visuals and acting do.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieGZ9t2gDahpJmuQygaYkHrHF-dS8HWyfqTC4BJy08ekcCk-7G_ACAu1gYhN6GiEPJ0A9H8G3T4c64184ldWlaAbctVkJHkcSzG-4N9JFlmWdtzTy5Lj3tbcdaEJEmqoGUZ50gY9YURv0/s1600/fight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieGZ9t2gDahpJmuQygaYkHrHF-dS8HWyfqTC4BJy08ekcCk-7G_ACAu1gYhN6GiEPJ0A9H8G3T4c64184ldWlaAbctVkJHkcSzG-4N9JFlmWdtzTy5Lj3tbcdaEJEmqoGUZ50gY9YURv0/s400/fight.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perhaps the most iconic scene of the film.</td></tr>
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Of course, while I loved the entire film and watched it a ton as a kid, at that age, the part that naturally stood out the most to me, "monster kid" that I was, were the monsters themselves. And the climactic battle between a Cyclops and Sokurah's protective dragon, was the main event! I liked, and still like, the Cyclops. But even as a child, I've always had a thing for dragons, which perhaps led to my love of dinosaurs, and Godzilla, etc. One of my favorite childhood films, even though it was goofy, was the original <i>Pete's Dragon</i>, with me of course wishing I had a dragon friend like him. So it probably goes without saying then, that I rooted for the dragon in this fight.<br />
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Within the next couple of years of my young life, as TNT started their marathons, and other stations played late-night monster movies as well, as I said before, I was able to see <i>Captain Sindbad</i> again, and <i>The Golden Voyage of Sinbad</i>, and <i>Sinbad and the Tiger's Eye</i>. But while I think those are all excellent films, and I love them all a lot, to my mind, <i>The 7th Voyage of Sinbad</i> is still the best of the lot. As awesome as Tom Baker and Margaret Whiting are as Koura and Zenobia, or even Pedro Armenderiz as the vile El Kharim in "Sindbad", to me Torin Thatcher as Sokurah is the perfect villain. He may not even be as purely evil as those others, but his obsession with power and specifically with owning the magic lamp, push him to deliciously dastardly ends.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboMfhwBB0-S5AR0KMmW49szLAs3Ao-PkY4CCQTb_BLDkUt4bghfefJn7GOL-rI7-PktbEutxfjiCwO4eextrqjQ0-hweEFSg40r6C-vamKTbARwKus7GQZu6Gybenwzh8MuBfJt0Ewdc/s1600/shit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="178" data-original-width="320" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboMfhwBB0-S5AR0KMmW49szLAs3Ao-PkY4CCQTb_BLDkUt4bghfefJn7GOL-rI7-PktbEutxfjiCwO4eextrqjQ0-hweEFSg40r6C-vamKTbARwKus7GQZu6Gybenwzh8MuBfJt0Ewdc/s400/shit.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Princess saving the day.</td></tr>
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Or, for example, while the other Sinbad movies feature some genuinely gorgeous, and even cool leading ladies, for my money, Princess Parisa rocks. Not only was she beautiful, but she wasn't your typical damsel in distress. When she is shrunken to tiny size, and her whole world is ruined and her father flies off into a warmongering rage, she doesn't freak out or cry, she keeps her cool and even comforts a mourning Sinbad. And twice during the tale, it is she, using her size to their advantage, who displays great courage and resourcefulness, saving Sinbad and his crew from a cage, and later braving the magical unknown to try talking to the Genie of the lamp. She is also incredibly honorable, as even though they could use the Genie's magic late in the story, she remains steadfast in her promise to try and free him instead.<br />
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For that matter, as much as I love ALL of Harryhausen's monsters, especially the ones from the Sinbad films, none of them are AS classy or as classic to me, as the Roc, and the Cyclops, and the Dragon. And while I think that all of those Sinbad actors, from Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in the 40s, to Guy Williams, John Phillip Law, and Patrick Wayne (son of John Wayne), are good and they all owned the role in their own way, they ALL made good Sinbads. I would still argue that Kerwin Matthews was the best in the role, and at the very least, he's my personal favorite Sinbad, and always will be.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWHJoo2PbvbmAeEe_y9Av5B9r0ryef2CjyleJXh7B2rWaSDBTfSISlDOH4hEhe1vJyMVqggTVkaUtNo-1tGG_uuOQXnqUivDfbcU6aOqjMQmSc_2XW0_zL1VNMLpmPcMeSnviMwQytEg/s1600/ray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="349" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWHJoo2PbvbmAeEe_y9Av5B9r0ryef2CjyleJXh7B2rWaSDBTfSISlDOH4hEhe1vJyMVqggTVkaUtNo-1tGG_uuOQXnqUivDfbcU6aOqjMQmSc_2XW0_zL1VNMLpmPcMeSnviMwQytEg/s400/ray.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ray and his babies.</td></tr>
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While in many ways, the later two Harryhausen Sinbad epics, both of which feature a Doctor Who (Golden has Tom Baker and Tiger has Patrick Troughton), are even more elaborate and epic films with arguably superior effects work, 7th Voyage still stands above them as the most charming, whimsical, and complete of Ray's unofficial "Sinbad Trilogy". And while a majority of film fans and historians seem to agree that <i>Jason and the Argonauts</i> is Ray's greatest work, and I myself call 1981's <i>Clash of the Titans</i>, sadly his final feature film, to be his magnum opus, his masterpiece. I would still ultimately say that to ME, for my money, in my heart of hearts, 7th Voyage is his best overall film. And again, at the very least, it is MY personal favorite Harryhausen movie.<br />
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It actually stands the test of time in my <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2015/08/top-favorite-movies-of-all-time-pt-1.html">Top 5 Favorite Films</a> ever, which have fluctuated in position a bit, even since I wrote that article talking about them. For one thing, Jim Henson's <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2019/08/silver-screen-stories-dark-crystal.html"><i>The Dark Crystal</i></a> arguably belongs in my Top 5, instead of merely Top 10. If you were to ask me right now, while the movies themselves remain the same, the position for my Top 10 favorites of all time, would look more like this:<br />
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<b>1. The Hobbit (1977)<br /><br />2. The Dark Crystal (1982)<br /><br />3. </b><b>The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)</b><br />
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<b>4. </b><b><b>Young Frankenstein (1974)</b></b><br />
<b><b> </b><br />5. Big Trouble in Little China (1985)<br /><br />6. Godzilla vs. Monster Zero (1965)<br /><br />7. Ghostbusters (1984)<br /><br />8. Throw Mama From the Train (1987)<br /><br />9. The Goonies (1985)<br /><br />10. The 'Burbs (1989)</b><br />
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But 7th Voyage has, and will continue no matter what, to remain in my personal Top 5, even over a Godzilla film, for the rest of my life.<br />
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As I always seem to say, if you've never seen this film, or ANY Harryhausen movie for that matter, then please, do yourself, your kids, your pets, everyone a favor, and watch The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. It is, in a word, delightful. And if the word "wholesome" should ever be attached to any fantasy/adventure epic, this would be it as well. It is, I'm not afraid or ashamed to state, at least as far as I'm concerned, the best (live action at least) fantasy film ever crafted.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAO84wMy0pG4ElCEMhTgwhQNUhPvtsmhzuR-6GvWIajvjf5AJaMgl_yzvFFJYjzCYr1zTiQofXZZNQN1FhfOhD8qTwkrS44QUB8o5ihjLTpxCLKew8vB8EXdQkkCsBd6tO_cg39Jnavo/s1600/monsters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="736" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAO84wMy0pG4ElCEMhTgwhQNUhPvtsmhzuR-6GvWIajvjf5AJaMgl_yzvFFJYjzCYr1zTiQofXZZNQN1FhfOhD8qTwkrS44QUB8o5ihjLTpxCLKew8vB8EXdQkkCsBd6tO_cg39Jnavo/s640/monsters.jpg" width="525" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE master of movie magic and special effects, 1920-2013. </td></tr>
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<br />Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-20118173914191408272019-10-31T03:29:00.000-07:002019-10-31T04:25:19.658-07:00Attack of the Sweet Tooth: Memories of Halloween Candy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Just in the nick of time for the big night itself, here's the one thing most kids remember....</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5jY-o-F2mlxx6dej7yZU-o00n_EXYesndKrhew_S_K0Uwws_Uy4wrn_ExayNVRM-Ckc0JMM6IZInL4lhWcfCD15lDVZCbtd_UHCMfLLr_uACejcfSgLt6IhVwgtGR_sIpkpkUFljDYM/s1600/trick+or+treat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5jY-o-F2mlxx6dej7yZU-o00n_EXYesndKrhew_S_K0Uwws_Uy4wrn_ExayNVRM-Ckc0JMM6IZInL4lhWcfCD15lDVZCbtd_UHCMfLLr_uACejcfSgLt6IhVwgtGR_sIpkpkUFljDYM/s1600/trick+or+treat.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trick or Treat!</td></tr>
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I've talked a lot over the years, every October in fact, about various things <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2014/10/halloween-memories.html">Halloween</a> related. I've talked about movies and games, costumes and cartoons. I've even talked about the spiritual and historical significance of a day that, to me, happens to be just about the "holiest" day there is. But one thing that every kid who has ever celebrated the big night remembers, THE one thing that every kid who has ever been lucky enough to "Trick or Treat" remembers, is also the one thing most associated with the (commercial aspect) of the holiday. For many adults, it's (sadly) either drinking in a dumb costume, or (more awesomely) watching horror and monster movies. But let's be real here. For kids, and just in general, the ONE thing that stands out in most people's memories of Halloween...is Candy.<br />
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For better and for worse, "Trick or Treating" and Halloween candy are the things that stick with us our whole lives, no matter what else changes. Even when the ToT-ing stops, because kids get "too old" (if you ask me, NO ONE should be too old, but certainly not teens), they still remember the candy. And most adults buy candy to give out to kids, as a guise to have that sweet, sweet tooth-rotting goodness for themselves as well. I myself have briefly touched on the subject before, but I thought that candy was important enough, and synonymous enough with the holiday, that I'd be remiss if I didn't write a piece dedicated to it, and more specifically, to my memories of it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Sw_VS8CBs_ic4NvBObjLMJeXvrjBiZsRXmkttH-mg12t1PMap_utJGxE1griUj8O2dVjtEKvoZ0d8-KzxJ31eNsYBB7R72kuosBw1Gf4PG9DWmbLFCd-kLdap-adCIYQffruDCAviuE/s1600/candy+corn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="165" data-original-width="220" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Sw_VS8CBs_ic4NvBObjLMJeXvrjBiZsRXmkttH-mg12t1PMap_utJGxE1griUj8O2dVjtEKvoZ0d8-KzxJ31eNsYBB7R72kuosBw1Gf4PG9DWmbLFCd-kLdap-adCIYQffruDCAviuE/s400/candy+corn.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone's favorite? </td></tr>
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Pictured above, you can see what is perhaps the most iconic "Halloween Candy". Meaning it is perhaps the most closely associated with the holiday, and with "Trick or Treating". That doesn't mean that everyone loves the stuff. In fact, many don't. I myself am somewhat ambivalent to it. I liked it and ate it as a kid, but I wouldn't say it excited me, and they were hardly my favorite. That being, so-called "candy corn", and the pumpkin variants there-of. There were, in my childhood as I recall, other "flavors", sort of, such as ones with chocolate flavored tips. I'd say that they aren't terrible, though they do seem to be the butt of many Halloween candy related jokes. But love them or hate them, there is no denying that there really is no specific candy more associated or more iconic of Halloween, than this stuff.<br />
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Now if you want to talk BAD Halloween candy...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogL_HjAgTBTkbHCNGPn5q5kisl2rQYwp4cDR5ZuauDpqB4qHhOL0RoyPbLRLr5Pk_1ljkoC92yvnxehVGKZVRdMD1gN3Wu3Aj1QlMqOn2Sd9fj_A1elhWnUukgEyh0oaxvwjiELAV1X0/s1600/wax+lips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="172" data-original-width="215" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogL_HjAgTBTkbHCNGPn5q5kisl2rQYwp4cDR5ZuauDpqB4qHhOL0RoyPbLRLr5Pk_1ljkoC92yvnxehVGKZVRdMD1gN3Wu3Aj1QlMqOn2Sd9fj_A1elhWnUukgEyh0oaxvwjiELAV1X0/s400/wax+lips.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How bizarre.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7wMGknC1ULuQZEikaczHtOKl9y3vMUKEZKN6vybBCVwEsUY-0a0igNL0fdd5bb_zh4Xh6cIxWEnMGO0Z5xkn3MvtxFxSbrTV-ZcI7tzuwj__ruMR0WRwqRDCN8Y2IO6ixLE15yQdHiU/s1600/fucked+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="385" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7wMGknC1ULuQZEikaczHtOKl9y3vMUKEZKN6vybBCVwEsUY-0a0igNL0fdd5bb_zh4Xh6cIxWEnMGO0Z5xkn3MvtxFxSbrTV-ZcI7tzuwj__ruMR0WRwqRDCN8Y2IO6ixLE15yQdHiU/s400/fucked+up.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How insidious...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqZYrqeORUT0k-ynXwSx-lbObWI4cd1hVF__7umxjkyckgRnrJiECcM3P8LV64Xs4zIKKbig4tB0n7LNIcNKfWJ37T2d0WERfFpsbUzN6pYbkNg02zK2Zw3Yfp1Q9TesdZtkHNg32cVo/s1600/circus+peanuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="840" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqZYrqeORUT0k-ynXwSx-lbObWI4cd1hVF__7umxjkyckgRnrJiECcM3P8LV64Xs4zIKKbig4tB0n7LNIcNKfWJ37T2d0WERfFpsbUzN6pYbkNg02zK2Zw3Yfp1Q9TesdZtkHNg32cVo/s400/circus+peanuts.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How gross!</td></tr>
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From top to bottom, what we have here are: Wax Lips, Candy Cigarettes, and Circus Peanuts. I will start by saying that as far as the candy cigarettes go, I don't clearly remember if I myself ever actually got any for Halloween. And I'd imagine most responsible parents wouldn't be thrilled if their kid got any, either. I DID however, get these multiple times as a little kid, from my chain-smoking grandmother no less. They basically taste like sweetened chalk, and as if it weren't obvious, were created, most likely, by some cigarette company or another, as a means of getting some "early starters", so to speak. To give kids the idea that smoking is "cool", and start them young. I myself, while I'm sure deep down my grandmother absolutely didn't want me to ever start smoking (even though she had no problem smoking AROUND me for the first 10+ years of my life), she still bought me these on occasion when I was basically toddler or pre-school age. And you know what? I definitely imitated what I saw my grandmother doing, puffing on them and pretending to smoke them, before I'd actually eat them (because they weren't all that good as candy). And I DEFINITELY thought they were pretty cool at that age, and thought I was cool to be "smoking" them. So I know first-hand, while I've never taken up actual smoking because it's fucking disgusting, the affect these forsaken objects can have on impressionable children.<br />
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As for the others, well...what is there to say about Wax Lips? I seem to vaguely remember OTHER, non-lip-shaped wax "candies" as a kid, but these are the ones that stick out, and the most famous. I clearly remember these popping up in store displays during my childhood Octobers, and while I didn't love them by any means, I did seem to get them more than once. To be perfectly honest, it isn't really accurate to say that Wax Lips taste "BAD". Because they don't. They just kinda don't taste...much at all. They certainly have a flavor, of sorts. Waxy. But as far as sweetness goes, while it's THERE, it's very subtle.You're basically just chewing wax, after holding the thing between your lips and pretending they were YOUR lips for a bit first. Whoever came up with these things, I'd put them right up with with "My Pet Rock" (I had more than one of those as a kid too), as being the most successful, truly DUMB ideas in history.<br />
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Lastly, we have the scourge known as "Circus Peanuts". Even as a kid, while I liked most candies I ever encountered at least a little, and while I DID eat these many times, I never genuinely liked them much. The main reason for this is...they're just not very good. Granted, SOMEONE, somewhere on planet Earth must think they're great, because they're still around, still manufactured, to this day. But I couldn't tell you why, except that some people must have weird ass taste. Speaking of taste, if you've never encountered these things in your own life, they basically taste like, to put it bluntly, stale marshmallows. Which is basically what they are, as far as I'm concerned. They have the flavor and texture of a marshmallow that has maybe been sitting out for a long time, and they're kinda tough, and kinda chalky, and just really...bleck. Moving on...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASPVxAahFRteTeaARKFjot1ameltICNFg7rhce04e9u_xTXmeZRiK1gvJsKr_kLKbISZkVFl58Dp-nHsT4oUGMTBHWoQB85vW6MBrvU9pY3i7bFVfoUF2A-Lem0g6vbAJjkEnZnKX13M/s1600/necco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASPVxAahFRteTeaARKFjot1ameltICNFg7rhce04e9u_xTXmeZRiK1gvJsKr_kLKbISZkVFl58Dp-nHsT4oUGMTBHWoQB85vW6MBrvU9pY3i7bFVfoUF2A-Lem0g6vbAJjkEnZnKX13M/s400/necco.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An early childhood favorite.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1cVaUqvkYQch6DOQn9E-NqjlP9ZjUvUDs7Xmb7X8JYYE6NMz0TGp29wjxtppM2OM2b1CDobqUJoq3RgNiJ6VUt0vAsCqJJEonCSfxwjf_G0UUOceI-zWwCz8k-65JR8nbgI0E3dleg0/s1600/Pixe+Sticks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1cVaUqvkYQch6DOQn9E-NqjlP9ZjUvUDs7Xmb7X8JYYE6NMz0TGp29wjxtppM2OM2b1CDobqUJoq3RgNiJ6VUt0vAsCqJJEonCSfxwjf_G0UUOceI-zWwCz8k-65JR8nbgI0E3dleg0/s400/Pixe+Sticks.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Child Crack. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZqpEM0YCm32tYgo6aUJa5Nc-O3cFanZwq7ZOkDVyNZZsNLkx1a9kfRKpbQl-jypcZr-xjSGOEZ3YpeoIFERGisiZ_AN6SNI-xGlWpD2839Hh0oB3FrMOvz9gM8N88qxTYyc5eRNNmgs4/s1600/popcorn+ball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1040" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZqpEM0YCm32tYgo6aUJa5Nc-O3cFanZwq7ZOkDVyNZZsNLkx1a9kfRKpbQl-jypcZr-xjSGOEZ3YpeoIFERGisiZ_AN6SNI-xGlWpD2839Hh0oB3FrMOvz9gM8N88qxTYyc5eRNNmgs4/s400/popcorn+ball.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yup.</td></tr>
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For a few more odd or obscure Halloween items, I present to you: Necco Wafers, Pixie Sticks, and last but certainly not least...Popcorn Balls. As far as the Neccos go, they really were a favorite of mine as a kid. Some of my very most favorite things when I was between the ages of, let's say, 3 and 6 years old, were Fig Newtons, Squirt soda, and Necco Wafers. I especially loved the "chocolate" flavored ones, that you could find in their own exclusive package. To be perfectly honest, Necco Wafers aren't especially great. They are, as one might imagine, fairly chalky, and the flavors are fairly subdued. I'd say that they taste less strongly, and probably less pleasant, than something like Sweet Tarts, a similar product. But for some odd reason as a child, I really really liked them.<br />
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Pixie Sticks are something I'm sure most kids are familiar with, and to put it simply, they are really just sugar in a closed-off straw. That's really basically it. Some kids absolutely love these things to death, and it's not hard to see why, because it's essentially skipping the bullshit and trappings of what candies of any sort really are. and just giving the common base element straight: sugar. Which is why they are also essentially childhood crack. I myself didn't LOVE them, oddly enough. As a kid, I guess I preferred the trappings and the bullshit, I liked various shapes and flavors, and apparently didn't just want to eat straight sugar.<br />
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The last, is something that I have a feeling younger kids nowadays are likely less and less familiar with. They still sell them in some stores, and I'm going to take a stab in the dark and imagine that there MUST still be some adults out there who might hand out home-made ones to "Trick or Treaters". But Popcorn Balls are a genuinely odd duck. They aren't BAD as a concept. And sometimes, if you're lucky, they're not bad as a reality either. It's just that when you get a bad one, you get a BAD one. They're generally supposed to be what they look/sound like: a bunch of popcorn, stuck together in a ball shape by some kind of sugary glaze. If you're unlucky, you'll get ones that taste stale as hell, as I feel like I must have. Because while I definitely liked popcorn as a kid, I really never cared for these damn things. And regardless, I feel like most kids were probably disappointed, when they got non-candy items like these, in place of that sweet childhood gold they were REALLY after.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsmXHFuQTFI_cBEh3a_r1uxFu4b7yG40wJqxKcAku9cYafxOw7hZxivfp2XxG5jjCRC6KR4CzCVMDGA1_laH8glFlRPymyi-psHPw7I7kjWkDmL1N3_nkWSECb9HalGNGe6hFuz5hPcU/s1600/hard+candy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsmXHFuQTFI_cBEh3a_r1uxFu4b7yG40wJqxKcAku9cYafxOw7hZxivfp2XxG5jjCRC6KR4CzCVMDGA1_laH8glFlRPymyi-psHPw7I7kjWkDmL1N3_nkWSECb9HalGNGe6hFuz5hPcU/s400/hard+candy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More traditional hard candies.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8BIPwK6ZoHafdLZVKJ1obgMY7P-Yvwy0gzd1La9WEQCOT_e-0TW-8z9sHlZMIWL2du4IR8j1wSjEDbsLB-8k5bNmtIoMHVtaL7yavYGdvQoH7S387rJixBr-cL0cor_NXf0qhYJD9BU/s1600/Gum+Drops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8BIPwK6ZoHafdLZVKJ1obgMY7P-Yvwy0gzd1La9WEQCOT_e-0TW-8z9sHlZMIWL2du4IR8j1wSjEDbsLB-8k5bNmtIoMHVtaL7yavYGdvQoH7S387rJixBr-cL0cor_NXf0qhYJD9BU/s400/Gum+Drops.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gum Drops.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHtAiUR3a3Wvm7NJT0iJd-OCVtt5d-AmHLjstYKYfa9o6C3OkTjxF_8KI9NdyyVW3pLKqvNcJ0DI5ihZqvmpLZwSW5R1Osxve58DOvuqsOLFYS66_cquXEXLXAlG19rJ-clSCYxROMsE/s1600/nestle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="299" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHtAiUR3a3Wvm7NJT0iJd-OCVtt5d-AmHLjstYKYfa9o6C3OkTjxF_8KI9NdyyVW3pLKqvNcJ0DI5ihZqvmpLZwSW5R1Osxve58DOvuqsOLFYS66_cquXEXLXAlG19rJ-clSCYxROMsE/s400/nestle.jpg" width="341" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Various candy bars.</td></tr>
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Pictured here, are, besides Candy Corn, what I'd consider more "traditional" types of Halloween candy. Hard candies were, when I was a kid in the 80s and early 90s, a fairly common thing to get for Halloween. I have no idea what "Trick or Treaters" get from people now, but if what my roommate buys to give out every year is any indication, I'd imagine they get a lot less of these types, or the weirder fare that I've already shown, and a lot more of the name brand candy bars and stuff that most stores tend to sell in huge (often expensive) packs now. Granted, not all hard candy, or Gum Drops or what-have-you, are great. But I think there is something to be said for variety, and for the air of mystery involved in your Halloween candy, versus basically getting the same limited set of stuff from most houses. As an aside, I'd like to point out that for a certain duration of my pre-teen and early teen childhood, I fuckin' LOVED Butterfinger bars. But as I got older, I got really tired of them sticking in my teeth constantly, and frankly, I fell out of love with their "not really peanut buttery" flavor.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTouJGeZj42fdPM4K-Avv_YHDEUbaEuATkV-E-QU0QbwnsSrWnFD5KQp40puKetoDdcjJ0OSno9z-j_fic6h4PPDJl5qDKhNZtLitJ-nWK4CMGYe6vUi5cPb0lIMWvsV1-ttWP9Y9nM_c/s1600/Reese%2527s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTouJGeZj42fdPM4K-Avv_YHDEUbaEuATkV-E-QU0QbwnsSrWnFD5KQp40puKetoDdcjJ0OSno9z-j_fic6h4PPDJl5qDKhNZtLitJ-nWK4CMGYe6vUi5cPb0lIMWvsV1-ttWP9Y9nM_c/s400/Reese%2527s.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Childhood Gold.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4D8X6Bu7OuXHdqsSGolAvRDb6lNbCNQIW5reVvq97poz7HIe_JCuLmZtdiqVSol_VGlt0SxAewSAIDEThdcrxwJeJrnWowdT9zXPAHmv9CmKhzil0i_66kTagJ0vJPremapd_ci6xLH4/s1600/tootsie+roll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4D8X6Bu7OuXHdqsSGolAvRDb6lNbCNQIW5reVvq97poz7HIe_JCuLmZtdiqVSol_VGlt0SxAewSAIDEThdcrxwJeJrnWowdT9zXPAHmv9CmKhzil0i_66kTagJ0vJPremapd_ci6xLH4/s400/tootsie+roll.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The King of Off-Chocolate Taffy Stuff.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyJceUF27Ya2iViDJ0R_JkbAjjGGM2uxSKF_RHgmyegECk4-1vScffqJzIpG84mfLgvYVSw7yd1f5C67eJEmMKPaaw_XZivLjHPeIGbyMg7s4ArqRnabfj3nMEmqTiCSQRyVrSriwUv8/s1600/Nerds.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="755" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyJceUF27Ya2iViDJ0R_JkbAjjGGM2uxSKF_RHgmyegECk4-1vScffqJzIpG84mfLgvYVSw7yd1f5C67eJEmMKPaaw_XZivLjHPeIGbyMg7s4ArqRnabfj3nMEmqTiCSQRyVrSriwUv8/s400/Nerds.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weird, fun, and delicious!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifz-smvuHDKMMJsCX2OB2vS0lyoBFbH8Svn7z9rZWg4IXkoZNpMTfcZhqzm050e4et7f7MUNaWXjaVHQ6Uo_4FougsFqzLgMlkPkneD4pvjKDe_K9AkQk3010Ya-XvVzcXQObZ_NLU9lQ/s1600/pay+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="580" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifz-smvuHDKMMJsCX2OB2vS0lyoBFbH8Svn7z9rZWg4IXkoZNpMTfcZhqzm050e4et7f7MUNaWXjaVHQ6Uo_4FougsFqzLgMlkPkneD4pvjKDe_K9AkQk3010Ya-XvVzcXQObZ_NLU9lQ/s400/pay+day.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peanuts stuck to caramel = genius.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QGXFMPe89U8Os5T9WFjfl9f_QIUWmvOfPadw0cJR-BHfEcNXOWzHKjRcCOinIa74ZqifbnaZhX_DfuIXHz1NMSBnSQBxcII0B4QoudZB8D9eLa_5VC1OTtDdDcI-LGj1y2ZdydN_j_A/s1600/Starburst.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QGXFMPe89U8Os5T9WFjfl9f_QIUWmvOfPadw0cJR-BHfEcNXOWzHKjRcCOinIa74ZqifbnaZhX_DfuIXHz1NMSBnSQBxcII0B4QoudZB8D9eLa_5VC1OTtDdDcI-LGj1y2ZdydN_j_A/s400/Starburst.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only flavors that existed when I was a kid.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6pEjJXk-tnKBva76h1OJmzmHl6CZGiq58YWv6h63HHry2EtHkGW01UlRV7VNFzKVKiF-w33_NvI-j1YVEiPX4fdsftBnpZxYp9dDo62u-rPyq8wZZ38ByFm4Ff87Wb5lu7rejm6h7lY/s1600/york+patty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="580" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6pEjJXk-tnKBva76h1OJmzmHl6CZGiq58YWv6h63HHry2EtHkGW01UlRV7VNFzKVKiF-w33_NvI-j1YVEiPX4fdsftBnpZxYp9dDo62u-rPyq8wZZ38ByFm4Ff87Wb5lu7rejm6h7lY/s400/york+patty.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool, minty, refreshing!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8xUGAHPDit0YMrWGWrhoethszW8YLwiEOQkM_6AHVJa1Ane75lHnYfSrZIYYBMPi7YpFm8CeNpgG8U6yLcqdUC-StqFp35g4Dwo9eHT4PiD4K5gAtTDZ4w6-Zq1CnANyCViOIs4GBoE/s1600/assorted+hershey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8xUGAHPDit0YMrWGWrhoethszW8YLwiEOQkM_6AHVJa1Ane75lHnYfSrZIYYBMPi7YpFm8CeNpgG8U6yLcqdUC-StqFp35g4Dwo9eHT4PiD4K5gAtTDZ4w6-Zq1CnANyCViOIs4GBoE/s400/assorted+hershey.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE best, for Halloween, Christmas, or any time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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So, this cavalcade of candy pictures embodies most of my top favorites to get as a kid. THESE were the true gold I was after, and ever-hopeful for, when I would go "Trick or Treating". On a random side-note, as a kid I always associated the York Peppermint Patties with the Peanuts (Charlie Brown) character Peppermint Patty. Eating them always made me think of her. Weird, but hey.<br />
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Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, it goes without saying, are godly. I have loved them my whole life, hands down. But while some may find it odd, I have always, ALWAYS preferred the "mini" cups pictured above, instead of the bigger, normal ones. Not that I didn't LIKE the bigger ones. But I just always liked the small ones better. I guess to me it was a perfect chocolate-to-peanut-butter ratio. I've always liked Reese's Pieces (made famous in the film <i>E.T.</i>) as well, though I don't know if any of you have noticed, the peanut butter in those things does NOT taste the same as in the cups. And I've always preferred the cups. They remain one of my top favorites to this very day.<br />
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Starburst were more of a childhood favorite, with me liking them less as I got older. Not that I DIS-like them now. But a combination of eventually becoming diabetic (not because of candy), and eating candy less and less in general, saw them drop off as I hit adulthood. But let me tell you, four flavors or not, in the early-to-mid-90s, these things were my jam. And yeah, I probably did like the pink ones best, though to be fair, I really did like the yellow, where some claim not to.<br />
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Tootsie Rolls are also something that I came to love less as I got older. Not because I grew to dislike the flavor, I still like how they taste, that weird, off-chocolate taffy type flavor. But similar to Starburst, I just ate them gradually less and less, till now I hardly ever touch them. But again, as a kid, I absolutely adored these things. I've always preferred the smaller, "bite sized" ones, but the longer ones, and especially getting the rare "KING Sized", was pretty exciting. I also remember the non-chocolate flavors they had, such as vanilla, and a few fruit flavors. Those were all pretty good, though I never loved them nearly as much as the traditional chocolate.<br />
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As far as Nerds go, I'm sure people exist who don't, but WHO honestly doesn't love these things? They were pint-sized bits of hardened, flavored sugar. In the shape of silly creatures no less. And came in boxed that usually had two different flavors, so somehow you felt like you were getting more "bang for your buck", to so speak. I seem to remember these things coming into existence during my lifetime, and it would seem I'm correct. I really don't remember having them till the late 80s, at the earliest, but it would appear that they came into existence in 1983. If you've never had Nerds, do yourself a favor, go grab a box, if only to experience them once in your life. It's a Bucket List sort of deal. And who knows, you MAY just love them.<br />
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Payday bars were something I don't really remember getting until the 90s, my later childhood years, though it seems they've been around quite a long time. If you've never had one, it's pretty simple: peanuts, literally rolled around a stick of caramel. To be perfectly honest with you, I have never LOVED caramel. It is good in small measure, WITH certain other things. But it's never been my favorite on its own. However, Payday bars are the ONE exception, considering most of what the bar is, is caramel. But to be perfectly fair, and to give credit where it is most certainly due, it is the PEANUTS that bring the party to your mouth. The salty, peanut-y goodness, is what makes all the caramel bearable, and the caramel is just there to get those peanuts into your gullet. The two flavors go great together, I'll admit. But it really is the peanuts that make the bar.<br />
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And last but DEFINITELY not least, are the phenomenon known as "Assorted Mini Hershey Bars". These things were a staple of both Halloween and Christmas during my childhood, and I looked forward to them every year. Regular, plain-ass milk chocolate Hershey is pretty decent, and something I'm nostalgic about, at least in "Kiss" form (Hershey Kisses were something I really only got or associated with Christmas as a kid). But it was the three OTHER kinds that you wanted, always. Krackle and Mr. Goodbar are basically the same thing with a different added ingredient. Krackle is milk chocolate with Rice Crispies (the cereal) basically, and they're pretty swell. My preferred of the two, though, was Mr. Goodbar, which instead had peanuts. I guess I just like peanuts.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cM1rbsEMBvgks8bvGohPcpj2fzusaXYBzAGk92GqFf3R9cetmlyBa8Q5jgcdNM9Zh_BoY2HrZ9QcFis2_8kBMX9_9KqRfvhtxy5HqpA7fMcKZTcWsPYzB-NVOxOcvkA6fmuniz-_QHQ/s1600/dark+bro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="580" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cM1rbsEMBvgks8bvGohPcpj2fzusaXYBzAGk92GqFf3R9cetmlyBa8Q5jgcdNM9Zh_BoY2HrZ9QcFis2_8kBMX9_9KqRfvhtxy5HqpA7fMcKZTcWsPYzB-NVOxOcvkA6fmuniz-_QHQ/s400/dark+bro.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food of the Gods.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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But my FAVORITE, by far, perhaps in part because they always seemed more rare than the others, were the "Special" Dark Chocolate ones. Either in bar, or in my adult years especially in "Kiss" form, I will admit, I adore Hershey's Dark Chocolate. It is my favorite KIND of Dark Chocolate, in point of fact. Both because I am nostalgic for it from my childhood, but also because I just like the way it tastes. I have, just to let it be known, had other, more expensive and fancier, even EUROPEAN kinds of Dark Chocolate. And it has been brought to my attention by chocolate snobs, that Hershey's (or if they're extra-snotty ANY American-made chocolate), is "garbage". But hey, you know what? Fuck those people. Because I love Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate, and I prefer it over the fanciest Euro shit I have yet to ever put upon my taste buds. I'll stand by that one, hardcore: Hershey's Dark Chocolate fuckin' ROCKS!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJi1uzOTVvelAKIZsMUWz9oypoL-kSwgW9JOg6Yirs8JBfkj__pXY7EQQ89GjX_XvAHkTXZK1QnQyZaxBUnEOdCb9YEZUDQ36ZPNIo2hA2odElOSEvh_hNgsolb9K6zywm6M3UV_idwcs/s1600/skittles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="709" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJi1uzOTVvelAKIZsMUWz9oypoL-kSwgW9JOg6Yirs8JBfkj__pXY7EQQ89GjX_XvAHkTXZK1QnQyZaxBUnEOdCb9YEZUDQ36ZPNIo2hA2odElOSEvh_hNgsolb9K6zywm6M3UV_idwcs/s400/skittles.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not to be forgotten.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9h1yDmRtqYeCzgm3iceM-amPgNdwc510ZNDVqVsuiReZE_pHGJ1mtPpCIkHeqBrHQsSaKxxrCqr8TPYrkjxkAISBlZf67wRe1yjPDz2VV87LUAR5YOpn5mmQEG956uLXx5-_sTaS_WGA/s1600/M%2526Ms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="860" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9h1yDmRtqYeCzgm3iceM-amPgNdwc510ZNDVqVsuiReZE_pHGJ1mtPpCIkHeqBrHQsSaKxxrCqr8TPYrkjxkAISBlZf67wRe1yjPDz2VV87LUAR5YOpn5mmQEG956uLXx5-_sTaS_WGA/s400/M%2526Ms.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Back in MY day..."</td></tr>
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I'd like to give a quick shout out to the "round candy-shelled drops of goodness" variety of candies, lest I be accused of forgetting. I've already mentioned that I liked, and still like, Reese's Pieces, though as previously stated, the "peanut butter" within those candy shells, simply does not taste the same, nor as good (to me), as in the cups. I also loved (and still like) Skittles, which of course, to my memory, during my childhood in the 80s and early 90s, what you see above is what you got. I may be wrong, but I'm PRETTY sure that all I ever saw or had as a kid, was the regular ass Skittles. All the billion other flavors didn't start coming on until the later 90s, I think. And the cartoon ad for the M&Ms, I included to illustrate the same. To my recollection, the only varieties of M&Ms, the BEST varieties of M&Ms, that existed, up until the mid-90s and my early teen years, were regular and peanut. Peanut, perhaps not surprising and part of an obvious trend here, are my favorite kind. Well...almost...I also happen to REALLY love the Dark Chocolate kind.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2L4B8L-nvCLybE_Ul9lzvIgtJAMnl7QQdmPU7gGPMovEGtP39YyQbeegsUc0LFfKZzjNiv_kt9pBdF_P19l3wbgOb26Z0UhGwijF7RAiChMDFMUyka6dpo0f1JHA0Ehm95zDZEtqG4xw/s1600/bad+candy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="692" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2L4B8L-nvCLybE_Ul9lzvIgtJAMnl7QQdmPU7gGPMovEGtP39YyQbeegsUc0LFfKZzjNiv_kt9pBdF_P19l3wbgOb26Z0UhGwijF7RAiChMDFMUyka6dpo0f1JHA0Ehm95zDZEtqG4xw/s400/bad+candy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anyone who would ever do this, should be shot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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So I can't wrap this sugarpocalypse up, without first talking about the way you GOT this candy on Halloween night, as a kid. To me, though as with most things my experience was odd or limited thanks to my grandmother, "Trick or Treating" was a magic all its own. I'm sure most kids feel some fashion of the same way. The whole ordeal, the entire package experience, was pretty great. You got to dress up in some goofy, or weird, or if you were really lucky, cool costume. If you were UNLUCKY, as I was a couple of years, you were either poor as fuck, and/or your parental figure is just lazy or has bad taste, and won't let you pick your own costume. In that case, you might get stuck with a SUPER shitty costume, like that of a crappy clown, or cowboy. But I digress, regardless, the dressing up part was, while hardly the MAIN event of the evening, pretty damn cool. Then you got to go out, AT NIGHT (or in the evening), when the weather was finally getting colder (if you, like me, lived in California, at least). You got to go around, in my case always with adult supervision (which sucks when you're a kid, but as an adult, I get it), to various neighborhoods, in my case always of total strangers. You got to see other kids' costumes. You got to, if you were lucky, see various manner of cool (and sometimes even scary) Halloween decorations, which could range from cheap and tacky, to incredibly elaborate. And best of all, to most kids anyway, you got to go up to people's doors, and ask them for FREE candy, which they usually gave you.<br />
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It was all at once both thrilling, and a bit scary, to go knock on complete strangers' doors, hoping they'd give you that sweet glory you were dreaming of. The mystery and anticipation of it all was, in a way, half of the fun. The general "rule" was, that if a porch light was on, USUALLY, this meant you were welcome to knock. If not, then no-go. But this wasn't universal, as some of the folks who were more into it than others, who went all out with decorations, would have the light off to be "spookier", and so you had to kind of go with your (or your grandmother's) gut, when it came to reading the situation. All in all, from what I can remember, I seem to recall good, mostly positive vibes from my "Trick or Treating" experiences.<br />
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In fact, probably the worst I had, was the last year I did it, October 1995, when I was almost 14. Two of my friends and I, also young teens, went "Trick or Treating", like any other year, expecting to have the same fun experience. Except that, while we DID still get some candy, and to be fair maybe we picked a bad neighborhood, we ran into a FAIR few houses that would either be a bit snotty but still give us candy, or some that outright REFUSED to give us any. In all of those cases, it was always the same shit: "Aren't you a little OLD to be doing this?" And frankly, I'd just like to state, for the record, that that attitude and practice of ostracizing teenagers who want to keep "Trick or Treating", is complete bullshit. The idea that giving out candy should ONLY be for younger kids? Incredibly lame. But worse yet, is the accompanying snottiness, as if they're trying to shame young teens for "being too old" to still want free candy and have fun. It's like, what would society rather have? Teens out committing crime, doing drugs, and who knows what else? Or would they rather let teens who WANT to still "Trick or Treat", do so with open welcome, treating the TEENS with just as much friendliness and kindness as the younger children. What a concept, right?<br />
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Last but not least, as the picture above alluded, is a phenomenon that I myself, thankfully, never experienced. Though because my grandmother was an over-protective hawk about most things, I still lived under the spectre of the fear that it COULD happen. And that is, the fact that apparently, while most treat it as an "Urban Myth", there ARE in fact some heartless, sadistic, shitbag assholes out there, who will actually try to basically "booby trap" the candy they give out. By putting sharp things, or even something like POISON, hidden in the candy. To deliberately hurt innocent kids who are just trying to have fun on a special night. The very idea, that grown ass adults would find it amusing to try and ruin Halloween for kids, but worse yet, actually seriously HURT these kids? That is beyond fucked up. I won't linger on the subject, but let's just let it be known, anyone who would do that to kids, or anyone really, should at the very least, have every bone in their body broken.<br />
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So with that, I'll end this diabetes-inducing article. I likely have more candy memories than I've shared, many other sweets that I experienced growing up, like taffies, and Twizzlers, and gummies, and "Chocolate Truffles" (hot DAMN), etc. etc. etc. But I think I've left a pretty good amount laid out there as it is. If you're an adult, I'd say to make sure, if you're going to bother, to try and make the "Trick or Treating" experience as safe, and welcoming, and friendly, and fun, for the kids as possible. And if you're taking kids "Trick or Treating" yourself, obviously, it goes without saying, to make sure they have fun, but also that they stay safe! I hope everyone has a great, electricity powered, safe, and fun-filled Samhain night. And as always, make sure to watch (or show others) some classic Halloween-type cartoons and movies!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_TAt3dldMeuB4ELjlVZYXJXlo5cshgObmOwpldE_HbOFPmWvnedqg_2hkUaznLN-Y-OStXTZJNI12hFXhyphenhyphenu-8mpx9ACxXp6FNuA1gYsjZ-0EK_TZWLH4XFWuBE2y-OZpESz8KZBamXc/s1600/Boo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1422" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_TAt3dldMeuB4ELjlVZYXJXlo5cshgObmOwpldE_HbOFPmWvnedqg_2hkUaznLN-Y-OStXTZJNI12hFXhyphenhyphenu-8mpx9ACxXp6FNuA1gYsjZ-0EK_TZWLH4XFWuBE2y-OZpESz8KZBamXc/s400/Boo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778893551955833444.post-89325733235381329492019-10-14T14:09:00.000-07:002019-10-14T14:09:31.920-07:00Childhood Memories: More Halloween Specials<i>The Halloween Train is a'rollin'! Our next stop? Some sweet childhood memories...</i><br />
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Several years ago, October 2013 in fact, I wrote about some of my favorite and most memorable <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2013/10/childhood-memories-halloween-specials.html">Halloween Specials</a>, from my childhood years. The big ones were covered, like <i>It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown</i>, and <i>Garfield's Halloween Adventure</i>. But there were certainly many more, some I remember clearly, and some that are more or less lost to the vapors of time. Today I'm here, all these years later, to finally get around to talking about some more of those pieces of my childhood. So let's get started!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHqvRDeb8XOPt_yNom09MemA3VovQJajmgTqff0JWVCuaOCAVrF4ac2NOWcZ5HOCBxk7BJt1kdjQGQT3eJsjSsz-9xEHlXRcJrNBtgURJzp47Oh0SRoYeRnyGUWQFYRtbYfkahVSYk3LY/s1600/pumpkinsmile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="300" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHqvRDeb8XOPt_yNom09MemA3VovQJajmgTqff0JWVCuaOCAVrF4ac2NOWcZ5HOCBxk7BJt1kdjQGQT3eJsjSsz-9xEHlXRcJrNBtgURJzp47Oh0SRoYeRnyGUWQFYRtbYfkahVSYk3LY/s400/pumpkinsmile.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Few things are worse than a sad pumpkin. </td></tr>
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<b>The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile (1979)</b><br />
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Directed by one of the greatest figures in animation history, Mr. Chuck Jones himself, this Raggedy Anne & Andy cartoon was something of a follow-up to the previous year's Christmas special, <a href="https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2018/12/childhood-memories-christmas-specials.html">The Great Santa Claus Caper</a>. While that story featured someone (who looked an awful lot like Wile E. Coyote) trying to ruin Christmas, in this story, Halloween is in the process of BEING ruined, for two sad, lonely souls. The first, is a little boy name Ralph, whose Aunt Agatha thinks that Halloween is a pointless holiday, just an excuse for children to get into mischief, and thus won't allow little Ralph to partake. Anne and Andy, voiced by veteran voice actors June Foray and Daws Butler, set out to find a Halloween pumpkin for Ralph, to try and cheer him up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNgrYKschUOQYWx7zHYuc_vU8LIVITGUPVYrnDcLrFNL_TEJryI3gup4yCBsk1fIpFhicRIsoGlh5-ydLBYJCSRFG0vMVQnHLAI1ohE3bPyMtEEdq9J0TFrjxBtKxXpRODYhLIMbmGqg/s1600/Chuck+Jones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="360" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNgrYKschUOQYWx7zHYuc_vU8LIVITGUPVYrnDcLrFNL_TEJryI3gup4yCBsk1fIpFhicRIsoGlh5-ydLBYJCSRFG0vMVQnHLAI1ohE3bPyMtEEdq9J0TFrjxBtKxXpRODYhLIMbmGqg/s400/Chuck+Jones.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The principle players (minus Agatha).</td></tr>
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Which of course brings us to the second lonely soul, a lone pumpkin in a pumpkin patch, who hadn't been picked by anyone. Utterly depressed and crying uncontrollably, the pumpkin was resigned to rotting, or possibly becoming someone's pie, but of course Anne and Andy have other ideas. With the help of their dog Raggedy Arthur and his trusty skateboard, they manage, with a few hijinks, to get the pumpkin down the hill, to Ralph's house. They hoist him up to Ralph's window, where the boy instantly falls in love, but their job isn't quite done just yet. There's still Aunt Agatha (also voiced by Foray) to contend with. Raggedy Anne speaks to Agatha in her sleep, and reminds her of when she was a little girl, and had loved Halloween, to which Agatha awakes and remembers. Agatha realizes that her nephew deserves to have those beloved memories and good times too, so she has a change of heart, dresses up like a witch, and takes Ralph out Trick or Treating while there's still time.<br />
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All in all, a simple but sweet special, and very much embodying Chuck Jones' sense of heart that most of his works possessed. I loved this special as a kid, which they would show in reruns various years. Even though it made me sad for the boy and the pumpkin, to have these two lonely souls come together and have each other, and to have Aunt Agatha flip the script and become fun again, it was a nice emotional ride that made me feel good. Plus I really wanted my own Raggedy Arthur!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNApUN0upt9_qV0Lx2trdpcEoupKhNSiV1P5m4taTbxZWt0YUGel1bKJ64bLRgrbVzsD9SN3w7zQzvYYu_96FNOFUDW3eQEdtzsOCf-zlofJ9PYE_fIpDmgRs9KbNf8gviEkYUX40wodA/s1600/Boo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNApUN0upt9_qV0Lx2trdpcEoupKhNSiV1P5m4taTbxZWt0YUGel1bKJ64bLRgrbVzsD9SN3w7zQzvYYu_96FNOFUDW3eQEdtzsOCf-zlofJ9PYE_fIpDmgRs9KbNf8gviEkYUX40wodA/s400/Boo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Childhood terror.</td></tr>
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<b>The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1949)</b><br />
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Actually one half of the two-story 1949 Disney feature <i>The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad</i>, both this and the Wind in the Willows segment were played with some regularity on the Disney Channel when I was growing up in the 80s and early 90s (back when the channel was worth a damn). This wasn't exactly a "Halloween Special", per say, but either as part of the Disney's Halloween specials of the 80s, or just by itself in full, the Disney Channel tended to play this classic gem pretty much every year, in some form.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaBqj-bQJzOxHhTn9aNmmn8p69rH07Uuuu-C2kEYl-VFoZ5gTyKabzZ2PvLG7Yrq2Qh2waqXEuywhAWhx7J4F-c2KZ4o_MJnMIpawqjTYcz5IVZ6dBVh-x5uDUPnWC36EMm97DvzE7hE/s1600/Oh+Shit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="677" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaBqj-bQJzOxHhTn9aNmmn8p69rH07Uuuu-C2kEYl-VFoZ5gTyKabzZ2PvLG7Yrq2Qh2waqXEuywhAWhx7J4F-c2KZ4o_MJnMIpawqjTYcz5IVZ6dBVh-x5uDUPnWC36EMm97DvzE7hE/s400/Oh+Shit.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stuff nightmares are made of.</td></tr>
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For as much of reputation for being "kiddy" as Disney seems to have (even when I was a kid), they certainly had a way of embodying fear, and darkness, and evil, in their animated movies over the years. Whether it was Queen Grimhilde, who turned herself into the old witch in their original <i>Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs</i> feature, or the fearsome Sheer Khan in <i>The Jungle Book</i>, or The Horned King in the underappreicated classic <i>The Black Cauldron</i>. And the spectre of the Headless Horseman, roaming the woods on Halloween Night, is no exception. In fact he might be the most fearsome of all!<br />
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Based on the 1820 short story by Washington Irving, the Disney adaptation faithfully tells the story of the tiny town of Sleepy Hollow, and their new eccentric schoolmaster, Ichabod Crane. Crane fancies the young and beautiful Katrina Van Tassel, heiress to much local farmland and fortune, and wants to make her his wife. But the local hero and roughneck, Brom Bones, has other ideas. So at a harvest party at the Van Tassel house one night, Brom proceeds to tell a scary story of the "Legend of the Headless Horseman", who allegedly accosts travelers on that very night, and drags them to hell if they can't outrace him and cross the covered bridge, which he is incapable of crossing.<br />
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To me as a kid, the tale itself WAS legitimately spooky, but the sequence that followed, of poor Ichabod on his moonlit ride home, was outright scary. As he and his lazy horse get spooked by various sights and sounds in the night along their way, they eventually come to the darkest part of the wood. It's there, that they are indeed accosted by a mysterious cloaked form, who indeed seems to be missing a head. That Headless Horseman has a sword, and seems to be after Ichabod's head! The atmosphere of fear and dread that Disney created for this sequence is fairly unmatched, I think, in the history of animation, as far as creating a truly frightening scene goes. It is the perfect haunted tale, and thus is perfect for any Halloween. I always liked to think that Ichabod truly did get away, but that's up to each viewer to decide.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8oqOZUFE9LaSc-_Cxeki8gEuluGdPO4FHftd5MYmk9MtrOLGLpcDI0bwGFsm2vCZZ7l-RuCM6Z9efOYAfydq4sLQvy5f8WB2napC5ToiAe-2dcjS9v6Qcddqu8RTQJk7-wlhumJAs2v4/s1600/Family.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="667" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8oqOZUFE9LaSc-_Cxeki8gEuluGdPO4FHftd5MYmk9MtrOLGLpcDI0bwGFsm2vCZZ7l-RuCM6Z9efOYAfydq4sLQvy5f8WB2napC5ToiAe-2dcjS9v6Qcddqu8RTQJk7-wlhumJAs2v4/s400/Family.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Davis Family.</td></tr>
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<b>Mr. Boogedy (1986)</b><br />
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Unlike the previous two specials listed, this one was new when I was a child. I would have been about five years old when it premiered on the Disney Channel. This live action special is unique for a couple of reasons, but the chief one is, that it manages to be both goofy as hell, yet at parts legitimately creepy, especially if you were a kid like me. Starring Richard Masur and Mimi Kennedy as Mr. and Mrs. Davis, as well as young actors Kristy Swanson and David Faustino (who would later go on to fame in the <i>Married with Children</i> show), the Davis family (including youngest son "R.E."), are a perfectly likable, yet goofy family. Carlton, the father, who adores pranks and jokes of all sorts, runs a novelty gag shop, which he is moving, along with his family, to the sleepy hamlet of Lucifer Falls. He's moving them into a requesitely spooky old house, with a purported haunted history to boot!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boogedy Boogedy, BOO!</td></tr>
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As silly as this movie can be, including the town historian Mr. Witherspoon, played by the great John Astin (of Addams Family fame), to me as a little kid, it also genuinely scared at least a little shit out of me at times too. It turns out that their home used to belong to a mean old bastard named William Hanover, who loved a young widow Marion, who did not return his feelings. So he made a deal with the devil himself, to gain a magic cloak which granted him great power. He used this cloak to kidnap Marion's son Jonathan, in an attempt to force her to marry him, but when he used the magic he couldn't control, he accidentally blew up his house, killing all three, who would be stuck in the place as ghosts. The Davis boys, Corwin and R.E., first meet the ghost of Jonathan, who still has the cough he died with, and the entire family eventually begins getting haunted by Hanover, the titular "Mr. Boogedy" of the film, who has the ability to possess objects, and even people.<br />
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The Disney Channel played this for several Halloweens when I was growing up, as well as its somewhat unnecessary sequel <i>Bride of Boogedy</i>, though I think they had stopped playing it in favor of newer stuff, sadly, by the time the mid-90s hit.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH72v69-f2ZzT9jcnKRIPrPLdK6pmhl2r0mVkAzT7gHpfrwhdJFnilaCMrjdf5CiTY5DCuZCZyj6f6tIgkxYoR9wXx33aP2lGNcLnxwo0h1oEHb1zBXsjNLsJW1ru6DsVRT4euQOMj0LM/s1600/halloween-grinch-night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="500" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH72v69-f2ZzT9jcnKRIPrPLdK6pmhl2r0mVkAzT7gHpfrwhdJFnilaCMrjdf5CiTY5DCuZCZyj6f6tIgkxYoR9wXx33aP2lGNcLnxwo0h1oEHb1zBXsjNLsJW1ru6DsVRT4euQOMj0LM/s400/halloween-grinch-night.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That says it all.</td></tr>
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<b>Halloween Is Grinch Night (1977)</b><br />
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Another spooky piece of my childhood, this was played at least two or three times on TV as I was growing up, in repeat of course, as I wasn't born until late 1981. Produced by Dr. Seuss himself, as almost all of the animated specials based on his works were, this one was, I do believe, a TV exclusive sequel, much as the later The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat was. It was executive-produced by DePatie-Freeling Enterprises, co-founded by legendary animator Friz Freeling of Looney Tunes fame. DFE was responsible for the Pink Panther shorts of the late 60s and 70s, as well as most of the Dr. Seuss specials, and several TV shows like the 70s Fantastic Four and Spider-Woman. As for this special itself, while not AS classic as the original 1966 adaptation of <i>How the Grinch Stole Christmas</i> (directed by Chuck Jones), I'd personally say that it's pretty close.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That mean ol' Grinch! </td></tr>
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I suppose that you could, as I do, consider this to be a prequel to the Grinch's Christmas story, as he's still terrorizing Whoville at this time. The setting is on Halloween night, which in Whoville means trouble. For on Halloween night, that's when the "Sour-Sweet Wind" starts a'blowing, and that sets creatures like the Gree-Grumps and Hakken-Kraks to making all sorts of noise. Which in turn makes the Grinch, who is permanently grump, go into EXTRA grump mode. And THAT means that Whoville is gonna suffer, because when he's EXTRA grump, he likes to scare people!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He ain't afraid of no ghosts!</td></tr>
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But there's one little Who, who doesn't give a single shit, or at least pretends not to, about this scary, scary Grinch, on this scary scary night. His name is Euchariah, an intelligent and learned little fellow, who has to use the "Euphemism" (the outhouse) after those Sour-Sweet Winds start raging, and those winds blow him all the way up to Mt. Crumpit, where the Grinch lives. On the road, he encounters said Grinch, driving his Paraphernalia Wagon with the begrudging help of his dog Max, down to Whoville to stir up trouble. But in Euchariah, he finds a boy who claims not to be afriad, and so he decides to put the boy to the test, inviting him into the wagon, and all the terrors that await. The boy does just that, which leads to a surreal and awesome segment where all manner of Dr. Seuss weirdness abounds. But in the end, ol' Euch ain't havin' it, and tells the Grinch to stuff it! It's a great testament to standing up to your fears, but it's also a really great special, perfectly suited to the holiday.<br />
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While the great Boris Karloff, who originally voiced the Grinch, was about a decade passed by this point, voice actor Hans Conried, who would voice Thorin Oakenshield in my beloved Rankin-Bass adaptation of <i>The Hobbit</i> the same year, filled in admirably in the role. In a fun bit of trivia, Henry Gibson, of <i>Laugh In</i> and <i>The 'Burbs</i> fame, did the "voice" of Max the dog. This is one of my favorite Halloween specials, and in my opinion the second-best Seuss cartoon, after the original Grinch affair.<br />
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So there you have it! Some more Halloween Special goodness, which I'm sure some of you were aware of, and some of you weren't. If you've never seen any of these, or even if you have, do consider looking them up and dusting them off during this month of October. Classic horror movies are nice, but nothing beats a good Halloween Special, if you ask me. Stay tuned, as there just MIGHT be one more Halloween treat headed your way before the big day hits! Cheers!<br />
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<br />Retro Revelationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10035054609739978634noreply@blogger.com0