Sorry for the delay, but many things are changing here at the Archives! So, while I had a moment, I thought I would finally get this video up- It’s… ME!
in 1990, I had just moved to the Tampa area from New York. I was Hired on at Fun N’ Games that January as The Assistant Manager Of the Tyrone Square Mall location ( the youngest ever hired at that time) and within 3 months, I had the Eastlake Square location as Manager ( Youngest ever hired as well- Still hold that record!) well, here’s a video I made for My Mom For Mother’s Day that year. The sound is out of sync a little, and I wish I had walked around the arcade more (and slower) but I took out the mushy stuff, and here’s whats left- ME… Manager of Fun N’ Games, Eastlake Square Mall- 1990! BTW- see how many games you can point out!
…And if you didn’t get enough Saturday morning goodness, here’s the 1983 CBS Saturday Morning Preview Show with Saturday Supercade! This also has the introduction of Dungeons and Dragons TV show, which was awesome as well! So lets join Boss Hog, Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, and… Scott Baio? in this Saturday morning preview from 1983!
I love Saturday morning cartoons almost as much as video games- it’s a shame Saturday morning isn’t treated with the same reverence it was when I was a kid (but thanks to networks like Cartoon network and The Hub, it’s getting a little better!) The next best thing back then to Saturday morning, was the Saturday Morning Preview! This would happen on a crisp Friday evening in September, the day before the season would start officially. It was always a huge gathering of kids, comics, ventriloquists, voice actors, and stars of the shows, and a host ( this time its Dick Clark!) But more importantly, the previews! Of course this the year Pac- Man got his own show – and we didn’t see that until the end (as we slid closer and closer to the TV after every commercial!) They also had previews of The Little Rascals and Mork and Mindy (I was a HUGE Mork and Mindy fan back then!)
So grab a bowl of of your favorite cereal, sit WAY TO CLOSE TO THE TV, and watch the 1982 Saturday Morning Pac Preview Party!
Well here’s another one from the good folks at Warner Archive… PAC-MAN! This is the first season of this great cartoon- Available January 31st!
From the Warner Archive site-
“Pac-Man! The game that gobbled up a nation’s quarters while its hero gobbled up those annoying Ghost Monsters spawned sequels, spin-offs, toys, games and more. Taking note of Pac-Man’s avid fan base, famed carton studio Hanna-Barbera hit upon the idea of adapting the game for Saturday morning animation – becoming the first video game to make the jump to TV. Kids were immediately enraptured and a score of other arcade favorites soon followed Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man and Baby Pac-Man from the gaming console to the cathode ray tube. In this 2-Disc, 13-Episode collection, Pac-Man does battle with Inky, Blinky, Pinky, Clyde and Sue, the Ghost Monster minions of the dreaded Mezmaron, who lusts after Pac-land’s precious power spheres. Aided by his plucky and charming wife and son, Pac-Man saves the Pac-President, confronts the vampiric Pacula, discovers the Abominable Pac-Man and more. Pac-Venture awaits – no quarters required!”
I will say- If Dragon’s Lair was any indication, Pac Man will look great too! As they are using newly-minted interpositives, made directly from their original camera negatives (As Warner Archive said on their own site)
They had a free preview yesterday of two episodes (1/26/11) and of what they did show – the colors were vibrant and the sound was spot on. Much better than the old video tapes I’ve had for 30 years! And we keep supporting them, they will release more! Stay tuned!!!
I know we have all seen “The King Of Kong- Fistful of Quarters” and you know how much I enjoy it. But did you know another documentary exists about the history of arcades? About the people who could really play? What happened during that amazing time in their lives- and their lives since? People call “Chasing Ghosts- Beyond the Arcade” a compliment movie to ”The King Of Kong- Fistful of Quarters” but I think it’s the opposite! seeing what these guys accomplished and how their lives changed (for better or worse) is really where you have to start. Love em’ or hate em’ , they help define our generation. Reading of their exploits in all the arcade gaming magazines made me want to play better as well as most of you. And to think, it was started by one man, Walter Day, and that up until this year, he continued to preserve our history and way of life is astounding. Sadly, this movie has never seen the light of day on DVD or Blue Ray. Only a few sparatic showings on Showtime and HBO has the public been able to enjoy this wonderful documentary. And If the powers that be would listen- RELEASE THIS ALREADY!!!!!!!
Of course you can watch it on HULU-
Hey gang, remember, this movie has some vulgar language and nudity-
3/4/12 – Hey gang- good news!Chasing Ghosts is now available for streaming onNetflix! This is big- could a DVD or Blu Ray release eminent? Maybe- I think the hold up was the music. They had a few 80s classic songs in there- I don’t think they were able to get the rights to them. Now, they have replaced those songs with instrumentals- so lets hope that they finally get this released! At least for now, we can watch it commercial free any time we want!
Pac-Man Fever. The arcade album that all Arcaders memorized. It was our soundtrack. Someone finally went into the arcade, and were singing to the world about it. Buckner and Garcia were talking TO US…. But they weren’t the only ones.
In 1982, John Lombardo and D. J. Michaels, with some studio artists (as the story goes) record “Get Victimized” under the nom de plume R. Cade and the Video Victims. Released by Arrival Records, the album cover features some interesting artwork, ( aliens playing games with us as the “victims” in the game) and as the cover boasts, there is 3 foot poster of the album art! Well I have always had my copy of “Pac- Man Fever” but not this jem… until now!
I finally got my copy of this long lost (and highly sought after) album off Ebay just before Christmas (yea, me!) and I thought I would review the songs. Just how good are they?
1-Victim Of The Video
Here’s the first of the arcade “anthems” on the album. It’s about an ordinary guy getting hooked on video games, and what it does to him. I dug it. It’s not my favorite, but it speaks to me about what all of us Arcaders already know- once your hooked, your hooked for life! And if anyone ever did a movie about arcades in the 80′s ( Joysticks 2, anyone?) this could be on the soundtrack. I would say that this could be the theme song, but I think that distinction is for another song on the album. But I like this one. It’s haunting.
2 -FRENZY!
I like this one! I love the game- It improves on Berserk in so many ways, and this song puts you in the middle of it! The one song I was always disappointed with on Pac- Man fever was Berserk. I sounded like a love song. This song completely redeems it! If Coleco had used this song in the commercial for the Frenzy cartridge, they would be selling Colecovisions today (no joke!)
3- Video Magic
This one’s just… CREEPY! Now, don’t get me wrong, I think we all get where they were going with this one (A guy falling in love with a video game) , but it comes out like a theme song for that weird guy hanging out in the arcade with kids 10 to 15 years younger than him, offering tokens to the ones he “likes”. EWWW… I just creeped myself out! (YUK)
4-Donkey Kong
This was the one song I felt was a waste. They couldn’t top Buckner and Garcia’s version, so why try? For filler. I would have chosen anther game (Mr. Do! perhaps?) This song just stinks!
5-In The Arcade!
Now, this is the theme song!!! OUR THEME SONG!!!!! Everything about it is a fond memory of what is was like living in 1980′s – in the one place were WE belonged! Like I said before, If the powers that be decided to do a movie about the arcade lifestyle, this is the song to start out with! I play this one in the Archives often, and it makes me smile every time I hear it! You know who you are… YOUR A VIDEO STAR! so play!
6-We Fell In Love At The Video Arcade
This ones…Ok. I guess I guess its the couples skate song on the album. I think this has happened to all of us while playing- wanting to impress that girl or guy next to you, but it could go the other way at any moment and be another “VIDEO MAGIC” situation….EWWW… I just creeped myself out again! (YUK)
7-Defender Contender
Here’s another filler song… It just doesn’t feel like the game its talking about. Defender is a strong, fast moving game, and this song doesn’t reflect it. if you want a good Defender song, listen to “The Defender” on the Pac- Man Fever album. This could have been a good “anthem ” song if the they had changed the topic. Like if the song was about a kid coming in to the arcade for the first time, and wants to be the best player in the room. Kinda like “Jukebox Hero” of the arcade! “Arcade Contender”- has a good ring to it!
8- Change Attendant!
Finally, A song about someone WHO WORKS IN THE ARCADE!!! This is a good song! Catchy, fun, it even has change SOUND EFFECTS!!! Working in the industry, I can tell you, this song is exactly what it was like working as a change attendant! AWESOME SONG- BEST ON THE ALBUM!!!!!
9- Scramble!
This is a great song on the album. I like that R. picked a game that didn’t have anything written about it before. Like Frenzy, It’s very descriptive and action packed, and would have made a great commercial theme song if say, Coleco had made a home port of this great game! Give it a listen!
10- Ms. Pac- Man!
I’m glad they went out on a high note with this song! Very original on its own, while giving props to Pac- Man Fever itself! It too has original sounds from the game, background chorus, great lyrics, and feels as polished as the song that put Buckner and Garcia on the map (This should have been the one that was on the radio for these guys!) It makes a great companion to the original Pac- Song… just like the games do!
So, after hearing all the tracks, what do you think? Well I tell you what I think…. It’s a great album! Given these guys probably had a limited budget, with no corporate backing in sight, and limited release, I think they did a amazing job! and with only two real stinkers on the whole album! I have to give them props in originality as well. The idea of have several songs on here not really about any specific game but about the culture itself- what it was like to be in the arcade, playing or working there. In that spectrum, they really caught that moment in the 80′s perfectly! And a three foot poster to boot! Do yourself a favor- get this one if you can!
Can Ya Believe It?
Till next time Arcaders- KEEP PLAYIN’ LIKE IT”S 1981!
Here’s another one gang- an episode of Donkey Kong Jr from Saturday Supercade called… A Christmas story! will DKJr and Bones stop the bad guys from stealing the toy duplicator from Santa’s helper Mr. Anderson? You bet he will! MMMMMONKEY MMMMUSCLE!!!!
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