Archive for the 'Video' Category
Company Picnic
April 11th, 2008While viewing one of Shout! Factory’s Best of the Electric Company DVDs yesterday, a couple of clips stood out in a) unearthing tingly deja-vu feelings, and b) showcasing the often daring visual and musical cues the show took. These are both from episode #453, which first aired on January 15, 1975. The kinetic and colorful […]
It’s Always Time for Flying Penguins
April 2nd, 2008An April Fools joke from Terry Jones and the BBC:
Mmmm … Chromey
March 11th, 2008Awesome! The music video for Justice’s “DVNO” might as well be a love letter to ’80s motion graphics. With all the animated neon lights and chrome surfaces on display, one can see the influence of stuff like the widely beloved HBO Feature Presentation intro, the Cannon Films logo, and … all of this demo reel.
Forever My Girl
January 29th, 2008Long, long ago I can remember seeing a clip on Entertainment Tonight of a teenage Paula Abdul frolicking in some godforsaken low-budget musical set in a high school cafeteria. She looked dorky, the song was dorky, and the kitsch gods were smiling down on me. Eighteen-odd years later, I revisited it — and, yeah, it’s […]
It’s All in the Game
January 13th, 2008I still consider myself a gaming neophyte, but from reading the reviews at various sites I could tell that Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros Treasure looked like the kind of quirky, under-the-radar sort of thing that I might enjoy. Although the name leaves something to be desired (honestly, it felt embarassing asking the guy […]
TV, Kitty, TV
December 25th, 2007Today I take a respite from the holiday to share a byproduct of playing around with your new Christmas toys. Christopher got me my very own digital camera, one which even includes an option to record short movies. I turned the camera on and shot a pan from our TV set showing a Mercury Meltdown […]
The Exciting Home of 1999, Today!
December 21st, 2007Strange and neat — 1999 A.D. is a 1967 industrial film projecting what family life in the future might be like. A fascinating, low budget version of the future that includes Wink Martindale, that is. I wish I could see the entire film, but right now we’ll have to make do with the three clips […]
Most Frugalicious Office Christmas Party Ever
December 19th, 2007This clip of the Promises, Promises cast performing “Turkey Lurkey Time” on The Ed Sullivan Show, circa 1968, has got to be the grooviest thing I’ve seen in a long time. Dig that energetic choreography! Michael Bennett was the greatest. Via Plastic Pumpkins, who correctly notes that “if you didn’t love and adore that number […]
The Electric Light Orchestra/Animation Connection
August 12th, 2007Recently I bought one of the recently marked-down Simpsons DVD box sets at Amazon. Needing something else to qualify for freee Super Saver shipping, I tossed in a copy of The Essential Electric Light Orchestra. Now, this was a band that I liked as a kid. I can remember having my mom buy me a […]
Ethel Smith’s Busy Fingers
July 31st, 2007Enjoy Ethel Smith performing her signature song “Tico Tico” in the Esther Williams musical Bathing Beauty (taken off an old VHS tape, apparently). I love Ethel Smith. There’s something about the combo of her hyperactive hands and the cheesy “roller rink” sounds emanating from her Hammond organ that is so weirdly compelling. I couldn’t locate […]
Pieces of Eighties
June 26th, 2007You know how things that were normal and harmless 20+ years ago often appear so weird looking today? I got that in spades while browsing through YouTube user dcbatwing’s collection of local station promos, demo reels and other video effluvia of the past. One such item is this neat demo reel that motion graphics company […]
Getting Gay with Kids Is Here
June 14th, 2007Another embedded video to share because I’m too lazy to write anything substantial, I know, but this one’s a real kitschy gem. Back in 1986, NBC celebrated its 60th anniversary with an all-star special which somehow escaped my notice back then. The clip below showcases Nell Carter, Bea Arthur and others (Punky Brewster!) singing “Family” […]
God Hates Reckless Drivers
June 12th, 2007You gotta love the internet these days, when you can read about something in a book and then turn around and check it out online. The book: Amid Amidi’s Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in Fifties Animation. The film: Stop Driving Us Crazy from 1959. This jazzy short occupies the weird intersection where Christian values […]
Military Style Hare Cut
May 28th, 2007Happy Memorial Day. In honor of our fighting men and women, let’s watch Bugs Bunny, fat Elmer Fudd and Porky Pig shilling war bonds to the tune of Any Bonds Today? Because nothing says “patriotism” like Bugs doing an Al Jolson impersonation:
Moogs and Beer, a Heady Combination
April 9th, 2007I totally dig this old Schafer beer commercial with Edd Kalehoff noodling on a moog synthesizer. It’s the very personification of grooviness. Kalehoff composed the early Price Is Right showcase music, which probably explains why this commercial’s soundtrack has a familiar feel. The clip comes from the DVD for the stupifyingly boring 2004 documentary Moog.
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