SHOULD STAR WARS HAVE BEEN A CARTOON?

Recently I saw that Akira was voted the most significant animated film of all time. I had expected it to be Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or another early Disney, but I suppose first isn't always best.

I wonder if George Lucas had made Star Wars as an animated feature rather live action it would have become more significant than Akira in that genre?

Was the technology or the finesse there in 1977 to make a world-class cartoon?

One of my Akira film acetates showing the Tentacled monster in Tokyo Bay

THE STONE TAPE AND OTHER MIDNIGHT MEDIA

I have just listened to the Stone Tape online on Radio 4 playback. It is a modern radio remake of the Seventies TV play. The version I listened to was described as being recorded in binaural sound as opposed to stereo, but with my basic headphones I couldn't really tell the difference.

That said, I enjoyed the radio remake especially the final half hour when it all goes to hell. the director, who made the Berberian Sound Studio, is like me, a fan of horror soundtracks and this remake is another of his homages to them. For techies among you the play contains many references to weird and wonderful recording gear. Its nested format, the fact that it was a radio recording about recording a recording on an ancient wall, in a Victorian house called Taskerlands, was not lost on me [available for playback online, Radio 4, for another 2 weeks].

Recording the supernatural is a common theme in horror and the original Stone Tape, which aired Christmas 1972, written by Quatermass author Nigel Kneale, contained perhaps the scariest moment ever on British television - involving a prolonged and singularly blood-freezing female scream [altogether more chilling than normal stock TV screams like the Wilhelm and the Howie]. 

Before the onset of the World Wide Web I wrote to TV Heaven in Bradford and asked if I could watch it there. I could but I never did and now you can watch it whenever you want due to the power of recordings on the World Wide Web!

Although the theory of the Stone Tape had been around since the early Sixties, it was particularly amplified in popular consciousness during 1972-73, firstly with the Stone Tape on television and then with the film The Legend of Hell House in 1973. 

Written by the prolific American Richard Matheson in 1971, his book, "Hell House" concerned investigations into supernatural sound and activity at the haunted Belasco House in Maine. The film had a memorable turn from Roddy McDowell as a medium, who along with Pamela Franklin, picked up the creepy aura better than any microphone. In fact the machine set up in the house was meant to destroy the evil forces through electromagnetism.

The concept of a past physically recorded on everyday objects - archeoacoustics - continued in books like Time Shards [1979] about pottery and Koji Suzuki's Ringu [1991] about video tape. This was eventually filmed and probably contained the single most frightening screen image since the Stone Tape, that of Sadako climbing out of a TV.

Other films include Prince of Darkness, The Woman in Black and Poltergeist. A strand which dealt specifically with the power of the sarsen stones at Stonehenge included the films The Night of the Demon and Halloween III: Season of the Witch.

The recording media used have changed over time as well, just as technology has changed and in some films it is the toxicity of these media - books, phonograph, tape, video, internet - which is explored e.g. Evil Dead, Brainstorm, Videodrome, Ring, V/H/S, REC and Unfriended to name just a few.

In the real world the establishment's own long-standing fear of the effects these new media may have [and had] on the masses i.e. lawlessness, is also reflected in part in these films and something I'll return to at a later date.

SPANISH STROLL: THE ZANCUDO X-11000 TOY

The Zancudo X-11000 by Paya of Spain.

Terry H reminded me how cool it is and yes, the stuff of dreams. 

You have far more chance of getting hold of one of these though than the much rarer Century 21 version, the Lunar Climber.

Anyone got one?

MOONBASE SATURDAY: OF CHRISTMAS TOO EARLY, BILLY ZANE AND THE SEVENTIES THRILLER

Yesterday, Saturday, was unusual. Normal in most respects but unusual in one. The date was normal, the 7th November and although quite mild the season was as it should be, namely Winter. So the 7th November, two days after Bonfire Night here in the UK.

So why are there Christmas trees and lights appearing already?

Is it just me or does this look daft; fully-decked Christmas trees in the town centres on the 7th November? For all I know they have already been up a week!

Is November now the new beginning of Christmas? What is going on? 

OK. That's the unusual bit out of the way and my rant! The rest of yesterday was spent browsing the stalls of Huddersfield Second Hand Market, which is quite a large affair and rocks up on Saturdays and Tuesdays. Among the obligatory brasses, old hoover parts and countless LP's, there are always a few vintage toys. 

This Saturday was no exception and I saw a slew of old Dinkys, some boxed Yesteryear, a tinplate Mr. Magoo-type car, a roofless and figure free original Fab1 [is it worth restoring them?], a bag of old Batmobile parts, gangs of action figures and a small library of Sixties and Seventies kids annuals like Valiant and Tina.

Being an adopted Yorkshireman I have sadly become somewhat spendthrift; I only buy something if it really takes my fancy and the price is modest. On this occasion, with the approving nod of Missus Moonbase, I spent £2 on some old plastic Christmas figures in a very appealing Sixties box, which I'll blog during the festive season proper [so that'll be December!]

After stuffing ourselves on fancy burgers and proper chips, whilst reading about the town centre Ghost Walk [does everywhere have one now?]  at one of the City's many boho eateries, I considered what to watch in the evening at home with a Jagermeister or two. Missus Moonbase would be catching up with X Factor so I would be on the laptop.

The answer came from a book I'm currently reading in the toilet library, Tomarts Guide to Horror Collectibles, as pictured, published in 2003:

I've had this softback guide for years but because it covers more modern fare like Buffy and Freddy I've just not bothered reading it. Being a Sixties kid the only monsters worth their salt are the classics, but I love Tomarts guides and magazines so I bought it and stored it. 

Having released it from bookshelf limbo I am really enjoying it! Yes, the writers have covered 'new' stuff like Buffy but also many of  the old guys like Drac and Wolfie, buts its films and series I never really took seriously that have caught my attention e.g. Night of the Living Dead and Tales from the Crypt [Nineties version].

And there it was - in the EC comic - inspired section: "Demon Knight" from 1995. I love EC comics and having seen the Cryptkeeper's other film, Bordello of Blood, I new what I was going to watch Saturday Night.

I wasn't disappointed. Demon Knight was as EC-inspired as they come: a salutary tale of greed, selfishness and avarice in the comic's grand tradition, with an interesting biblical back story to boot. Billy Zane performs some memorable demon dancing as he attempts to bring Hell to Earth and his blessed antagonist, the Demon Knight of the title, fights tooth and nail to stop him. 

As with all EC-type stories there is a happy ending and good defeats evil. The morale of the story is basically to be as kind as possible to your fellow man when faced with a demon army outside!

On the strength of Billy's performance in Demon Knight I then watched him, along with Martin Sheen, as two magicians slugging it out in "Well Cooked Hams" [the title doesn't fit the story!], part of the Tales from the Crypt TV series.

I followed this slice if Americana with some traditional British creepiness, in the form of  the very first episode of the Seventies series, Thriller, which I loved as a kid.

The simple title music is perhaps the most chilling I've ever heard and to this day sends a shiver down my spine. Listen to it yourself courtesy of You Tube. Do you remember it readers?

The episode itself, Lady Killer, is still unfolding as its over 90 minutes long. I fell asleep half way though as by this point it was after Midnight! To be continued.

CHEERIOS SPACE ROCKET TV COMMERCIAL

MORE YORKSHIRE T: SOME MORE OF MY T IN A CIRCLE TOYS COLLECTION

To continue my home display picture posts, here are a few more unused shots of my T in a Circle/ Tai Hing toys collection, which I had out for Scoop and Bill to look at the other weekend.

Ever since getting hold of my T in a Circle SWORD Moon prospector and Moon Bus in the early 1990's I have been fascinated by the brand. Sleek and colourful, T in a Circle toys are things of plastic beauty as is the crisp card packaging, testament to the finesse of the Hong Kong toy industry during the 1960's. I hope you agree.

My collection represents just a fraction of all the different T in a Circle toys released. Often confused with Tarheel of America [a T without a circle], you can find out about more of the range on our T in a Circle Toys Checklist created by reader and fellow T fan Arto. Its link is now conveniently stationed at the top of the blog under the header. Check it out. Arto and myself are always on the lookout for more T toys to add to the list so please get in touch if you have one that isn't [most of them have a model number].

THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO : RELIC

The latest TAG episode, ' Relic'  starts with the folks on Tracy Island enjoying spectacular views of the Leonids  meteor shower.
Unfortunately, some of these particular meteors  are threating to crash into Shadow Alpha 1 moonbase on the dark side of the moon, manned by Jeff Tracy's friend, Captain Taylor  - cue Scott and Alan in Thunderbird 3!

Relic contains quite a few references to Jeff Tracy's past , about the time he and old pal, Captain Taylor  ( voiced by comedian Rich Hall) built the base  many years ago.

I get the impression in this story (written by Patrick Rieger) contains a few nods to some of Gerry Anderson original  shows. The  name of the base is an obvious reference to UFO and Space 1999. Even the design draws inspiration from Moonbase Alpha. There's even a music cue when we see the base, that reminds me of one of Barry Gray's old Mysteron theme's.

Relic is certainly  a fun episode, with plenty of fast paced action. Unfortunately it's yet another story that features the rescue of  another character that has connections to the Tracy family.

  

REMCO ASTRO TRAIN TV COMMERCIAL

Remco Astro Train - brilliant short TV commercial on You Tube. I never had one of these but I wish I had!

https://youtu.be/6TtLBPaEKnk?t=57m22s

Anyone have one readers?