No matter what school looks like this year, we can always make memories that last a lifetime. The TechnoRetro Dads take a look back at their edu-macation and maybe give you a few ideas for using all the retro memories to help today’s kids. 

It’s time to head back to some form of learning!  But let’s pause and take a look back at what it was like back in the day. 

In the NEWS

• Our first impressions of Bill and Ted 3
• And Cobra Kai is making impressions with us
• Jay is looking forward to a new Star Trek book
• And there may be a possibility of a movie in your future...

TechnoRetro Cereal - News

A newly graduated student is using cereal to help with some unfortunate circumstances. And was the classic cereal mascot Quisp inspired by a comic book character. Plus, where can you find a bag of just Lucky Charms marshmallows?

TechnoRetro Arcade - The Tech of our Schools 

When did you go to school? The 80’s? The 90’s? No matter what decade you found yourself learning the basics, it is always a big deal when your school gets some new technology. Even having that freshly mimeographed worksheet passed out to you was a sign of modern times. We take a look at some of our early tech exposure such as the Apple ][ computer, or the TRS-80. And who could forget those wonderful filmstrip projectors?

Magazine Rack - Starlog September 1980

This month’s Starlog had a cover story about a legendary, cinematic special edition. Nope. Even before Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind returned to theaters with never before scenes, but not digitally-added Jabba the Hutt. There were also some great features about Space 1999, Clash of the Titans, and Galaxina. Empire Strikes Back had been out for several months when this issue came out. What was the reaction after it had successfully woven it’s way into the new decade? It may not be what you think. 

TechnoRetro School Supplies

Do you remember getting the chance to go to the store and pick out your new supplies for the upcoming school year? Even today it’s a memorable experience, but we take a look back at some of the more iconic items such as cardboard pencil boxes, Pee Chees, and Trapper Keepers. And then we get ready for lunch by grabbing our legendary tin lunch boxes with a wide variety of pop culture characters. Can we help make this school year memorable in a positive way for today’s generation? Let’s hope so 

Who is Darkman? He's everywhere and nowhere, but mostly he's Liam Neeson. 30 years ago we witnessed the birth of a new kind of hero and launched Neeson's career. The TechnoRetro Dads look back at Sam Raimi's classic.

Darkman stepped into the light 30 years ago and helped make Liam Neeson a star. We review the finer aspects of the 1990 film.

In the NEWS
Wil Weaton returns for the audio version of Ready Player Two

TechnoRetro Cereal - Coffee for Breakfast
Hostess introduces the world to two new coffee possibilities. Ding Dongs and Twinkie flavored Latte. Shua thinks it sounds intriguing. But what do you think? Let us know at podcast@technoretrodads.com

Let’s All Go to the Movies - Darkman
In 1990, Sam Raimi wanted to make a superhero movie. Not being able to gain the rights of some of his beloved classic heroes, he decided to create his own. Enter Darkman; the tragic antihero who was viciously attacked and left for dead. His recovery included severing his pain receptors, loss of emotional control, and liquid skin. This movie was Liam Neeson’s first leading role and while it is a product of its time, it is chock full of cinematic history. We take a deeper look at the movie and revisit some of our favorite Neeson films.

TechnoRetro Arcade - Games inspired by Liam Neeson movies.
If you’re going to be a big action star, you better expect a slew of video games featuring your characters. Liam Neeson’s long career gave us some good ones. Krull may be a cult movie, but it inspired a really great, underrated game full of action, rolling rocks, and glaves. Our featured movie, Darkman could be played at home in a variety of versions, Batman Begins was a hit in the cinemas and a stunning cinematic game with Neeson as the main antagonist. And of course we couldn’t leave out Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Grab your quarters and come join us in the arcade.

Tech is everywhere! But in the 80’s we looked at it with a little wonder, a little excitement, and a lot of neon. We look at the technology our heroes used to save the day and the toys that helped us grow. 

Technology in our favorite TV shows and the tech toys that kept us entertained and edumacated.

In the NEWS

• The Princess Bride is coming to a board game near you
• A Knight Rider movie is in the works! 
• TRON 3 gets a new director
• The last Blockbuster Video is available for a sleepover! Pack those PJs
• Space Camp may just be around for a bit longer!

TechnoRetro Cereal - Junior Spoonster

Jay brings us news of a new type of breakfast; Mac and Cheese...wait, that can’t be right. Mac and Cheese?!?!?! Would you indulge in this traditional kiddie meal as a morning feast? Let us know. And you’ve gotta check out the Teachable Machine Lucky Charms Marshmallow extractor.  It’s sure to change your late night snacking habits.

Saturday Mornings - Retro TV with Tech-Centered Stories

We loved our TV heroes! In the 80’s those heroes often got to use cool new tech to save the day. Automan was a hero straight out of TRON. He is a complex computer construct that partners up with a police computer expert. And he’s got a sweet glowy car! Max Headroom was a one of a kind piece of technology that helped shape the 80’s without ever leaving a TV screen (or having a body). The Street Hawk was a super fast, super cool motorcycle. And Airwolf saved the day from the sky while Stringfellow Hawke piloted the powerful helicopter. Finally, Michael Knight was a faithful partner to KITT, the computer powered super car whose legacy lives on to this day. How cool were they? And how much did they influence the future? 

Toys in the Attic - Tech Toys

Was there anything more exciting for a kid to get a toy that needed batteries? Electronic toys became more accessible to kids in the 80’s. They kept us entertained and helped us learn. The Little Professor calculator was where Shua learned his numbers and the Speak and Spell built his words. Most kids enjoyed their Mattel Electronic sports games, even though it was really just a few little red LED lights. But blinking lights could be fun, and be the basis of games like Merlin and Simon. The Microvision was the granddaddy of the handheld games we love today. And if you like games of fantasy, Dark Tower and Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game sparked our imagination.

The truth is out there. But since we’re hanging out at home, we’ll have it delivered straight to you! Jay and Shua take a look at some classic movies and TV shows that focused on some classic conspiracies. And we’ll take a second look at what our retro board games were really trying to do to us. 

Conspiracy movies and TV with some very suspicious board games.  

In the NEWS

• Holidays come to Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge in Disney World!
• Remembering the legend of Wilfred Brimley

TechnoRetro Cereal - Roving Spoonster

Shane shares some tasty stories this week. Tim Hortons has a deliciously sweet looking Froot Loops donut that just bowls us over (or is it a sugar coma?)  Post’s Dunkin Donuts coffee cereal is sure to wake you up. And we look at some discontinued cereal and contemplate which ones should return.

Let’s All Go to the Movies - Conspiracy Movies

Movie goers have always been fascinated with stories with plenty of intrigue. And no genre has more than conspiracy movies. We look back at some memorable conspiracy stories from the 70’s, 80’s, and even 90’s. Do you remember The Parallax View with Warren Beatty? How about some Robert Redford dramas like Three days of the Condor or All the President’s Men? Space was all the rage with the Mars launch hoax of Capricorn One or the Area 51 inspired Hangar 18. Roy Scheider traded boats for helicopters in 1983’s Blue Thunder. And we would never forget Buckaroo Banzai’s contribution to saving the world from aliens. He probably inspired Roddy Piper in John Carpenter’s They Live. And of course, the granddaddy of all the conspiracies would have to be Oliver Stone’s classic cover-up story inspired by true life events in JFK. Which ones do you like? And what did we leave off the list?

TV - More truth to be uncovered

Conspiracies weren’t limited to the cinema. TV had it’s share of intrigue. V: The Miniseries had us questioning if we were being invaded by aliens or fascists. Or maybe fascist aliens. But we’ll never stop questioning all the mysteries of the world in Leonard Nimoy’s In Search Of, or Jack Palance’s Ripley’s Believe it or Not. And as we prepared to head into the 21st Century, Agents Mulder and Scully helped us to track down the real story behind mysterious aliens and why you shouldn’t smoke so much.

Toys in the Attic - Board Games or Conspiracies

We grew up with so many great board games. But were they given to us to entertain ourselves or control our minds? Take the quiz and listen to the evidence. Can you identify the board game by the conspiracy theorist description?

You don’t have to be a Real Genius to know that Weird Science can get out of control. Science was all over the place in August of 1985. If you want the fiction of it, just look in Starlog Magazine. We take a look at the classic Sci-Fi publication in a new segment called Magazine Rack. 

Starlog Magazine, plus the sciencey movies Weird Science and Real Genius 

In the NEWS

• Longtime character actor John Saxon passes away
• A Transformers/Back to the Future crossover? Could that really happen?
• We got our first look at the live action Tom and Jerry movie
• Coming soon: A Back to the Future 4K set, complete with tiny floating hoverboard
• Please consider helping to save Space Camp for future generations of young scientists by donating to savespacecamp.com

TechnoRetro Cereal - Tiger Paws

Jay tries the new Kellogg’s snack and lets us know if it’s worth it. Well, if you like sweetness, it may be for you!

Magazine Rack - Starlog August 1980

In a new segment on TechnoRetro Dads, we take a look back at the classic sci-fi magazine Starlog. This month’s cover story is an interview with Harrison Ford, the star of the newly released Empire Strikes Back. There are also some great articles about how the 1980’s sci-fi genre entered the 80’s. Battlestar Galactica left TV, Buck Rogers was grasping for one last chance, and a little science fiction movie from Ridley Scott, starring Harrison Ford was on the horizon.

Let’s All Go to the Movies - Weird Science/Real Genius

August 1985 was a rich time for science in the movies. Well, science may be a little generous when describing these films, but they certainly felt sciency. John Hughes’s Weird Science starred Anthony Michael Hall, Kelly Lebrock, and Ilan Mitchell-Smith. It tells the story of Gary and Wyatt trying to fit in with their High School peers by creating the beautiful, smart, and magical Lisa from thin air. Aahhh, remember when you did that in high school? Then, watch Val Kilmer at his finest in the classic smart people against the government story Real Genius. Chris Knight helps his roommate Mitch to build a super powerful laser, but must stop it when they realize how it’s going to be used. Both movies featured quotable lines and lots of laughs. And if you want a little science cherry on top, check out the third movie that month, My Science Project. 

Vinyl Scratchback - Weird Science/Real Genius Soundtrack

There may have only been a few memorable songs from these movies, but the 80’s vibe was very important to the flow of both. We break down which ones were important, such as Oingo Boingo’s hit Weird Science, and the Tears for Fears favorite Everybody Wants to Rule the World. 

Ever wonder where to go during an earthquake? How about what to do in case of fire? Would you duck and cover at the first sign of a meteor? These disaster and much more made up a good portion of movies in the 70’s and 80’s. Everyone wanted to know how their favorite stars were going to survive and become heroes. It even transferred to the arcade in great games like Missile Command. Get ready to shake and bake as we relive massive destruction!

Retro disaster movies and Missile Command 

In the NEWS

• Jim Varney was much more than just Ernest P. Worrell. A new documentary will show off his brilliance
• We are excited to see how the prequel animated series based on Gremlins will avoid feeding tose little guys after midnight.
• The hit YouTube series ‘Cobra Kai’ moves every season over to Netflix
• Hide your skyscrapers because Godzilla vs Kong just release a trailer for the upcoming flick 

TechnoRetro Arcade - Missile Command

In 1980, Atari was preparing us for any kind of attack from the sky we may have to face. Missile Command was a new kind of video game for the arcade, with a trackball and multiple firing buttons. And despite the fact that there’s no way to win, the frenetic pace mad it a fun game to play. 

Let’s All Go to the Movies - Disaster Movies

In the 70’s a wave of disaster movies swept through theaters like a hurricane! Audiences were shaken when they watched their favorite stars escape from every danger the world could drop on them. People like Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Sean Connery, and Lorne Greene burned their performances into our memories forever. Stay home, away from germs, and listen to our look back at the most entertaining destruction you’re gonna get this side of the fault line!

I’m alright. Nobody worry about me. Because we love watching movies. This week we take a look back at the 1980 classic comedy Caddyshack. For 40 years fans have been inspired by the wacky humor and quotable lines. Plus, it had a cool soundtrack. We also head to the arcade to play a legendary digital golf classic, Golden Tee. 

Caddyshack, it’s peppy soundtrack, and the arcade Golden Tee. 

In the NEWS

• The Battlestar Galactica is in energetic preparations on the Peacock streaming service
• Star Wars animation gets an exciting boost with the announcement of Bad Batch
• Jon Hamm will star at the title character in the Fletch reboot 

We Love Our Cereal

The Roving Spoonster digs deep once again for the best in cereal news. After far too many years, we will finally be getting a female cereal mascot. Even if she is undead. Will South Koreans enjoy the much anticipated Green Onion Chex cereal? And put the matches away, because you won’t need a campfire to enjoy the new S’Mores cereal. 

Let’s All Go to the Movies - Caddyshack

40 years ago the guys that brought us National Lampoon set their sights on the golf course. Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Rodney Dangerfield, and a variety of hilarious actors prove once again that bullies will get their come-uppance in any environment. Grab that 9-iron and be the ball. 

Vinyl Scratchback - Caddyshack soundtrack

Kenny Loggins beat out Pink Floyd when got the opportunity to write songs for the movie. And he is still singing about how he’s “Alright” today. Plus, an iconic Journey song made it’s way into the movie. More specifically into Al Czervik’s golf bag. 

TechnoRetro Arcade - Golden Tee

Some arcade games have medieval action. Some have enemies from space. Some have plumbers chasing turtles. But if you’re ready for something a little slower-paced, then we have a golf game for you. In 1989 Incredible Technologies gave us the strategic golf simulator “Golden Tee”. The series continued for years and was popular with those that would rather stay inside and swing the clubs. 

July is JediShua’s top month because he gets all the attention for his birthday! To celebrate the TechnoRetro Dads find some fun facts about the 35 year old favorite, Back to the Future. What makes the best cereal cake? We want you to tell us. We’ll wait, but in the meantime let’s play a little Dig Dug and remember some cool birthday gifts from the past. 

Back to the Future fun, cereal cake, Dig Dug, and birthday toys from days gone by. 

In the NEWS

• Great big news as we get some very promising news about TRON 3! Shazbazzar stops by briefly to celebrate
• What was the top movie at the box office on Independence Day weekend? It’s not what you may think! 
• Your chances of getting your very own two-wheeled, perfectly balanced, transportation system just got slimmer because Segway will be ceasing production. 
• We are enjoying Gary Larson’s return with new Far Side comics out now
• And more great news in the future of retro entertainment as Ernest Cline’s “Ready Player Two” gets a release date. 

We Love Our Cereal

JediShua tried to make an ice cream cone out of Cinnamon Toast Crunch with mixed results. For Shua’s birthday he wants a cereal cake. But which one? There are 3 really good ones to choose from. Why not make one and let us know which one would be best? Here’s some links with recipes. 

Fruity Pebbles Cake

https://www.popsugar.com/food/Cereal-Cake-Recipe-44091253 

Froot Loops Rainbow Cake

https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Rainbow-Cereal-Cake-1542919 

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cake

https://livforcake.com/cinnamon-toast-crunch-cake/ 

TechnoRetro Arcade - Dig Dug

Go underground in the 1982 classic arcade game Dig Dug. It’s fun to sadistically pump up Figars and Tookas as you create crazy mazes in the dirt. Both Jay and Shua liked the gameplay, the music, and the fact they could actually play the game well. Let’s revisit Dig Dug. 

Let’s All Go to the Movies - Back to the Future

35 years ago we experienced a movie that’s changed our lives. It’s no secret how much we love Back to the Future, and we thought we knew everything there was to know about the classic film. But we found some facts that were not only obscure, but totally interesting too. And we get to enjoy a song from Biff too!

Toys in the Attic - Birthday gifts from our past

Do you still have any of the toys you got for your birthday when you were a kid? Even if you don’t you still have the memories.  Jay enjoyed his Star Wars Landspeeder and the Death Star that seemed to reproduce. Shua had the immortal Suckerman and a sweet Walkman. What gifts do you remember?

Looks like you picked the wrong week to stop eating cereal. 40 years ago one of the funniest movies of all time was unleashed. Airplane! flew over Macho Grande and into our funny bones. We stay a mile high as we look back at memorable airplane video games and Evel Knievel  teaches us new ways to land. 

Look! Up in the sky! Airplanes, video games, and Evel Knievel!

In the NEWS

• The 80’s ‘kid running from the government’ classic movie DARYL gets a sequel TV series
• Ever wondered where the Ferris Bueller song “Oh Yeah!” came from? The writers reveal their inspiration
• We say goodbye to comedy legend Carl Reiner

We Love Our Cereal

We love new ways to use cereal, and the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cheesecake recipe may be one of the sweetest ways to do it. General Mills releases several new cereals along with Kellogg’s and their superfood for kids. And the Roving Spoonster has us excited about Froot Loops Tropical. 

Let’s All Go to the Movies - Airplane!

In 1980, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, and David Zucker spoofed the forgettable movie Zero Hour! to create the comedy classic Airplane! It starred Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty, plus a collection of classically serious actors like Peter Graves, Lloyd Bridges, and of course Leslie Nielsen. We look back at the quotes, the jokes, and all the fun that inspired a whole new genre of comedy.  

TechnoRetro Arcade - Airplane games

 How many airplane video games do you remember? We start in the early days of gaming all the way back in 1970 with the first flying game ever, Jet Rocket. As the years went on, we saw graphics change but our joy of flying never dwindled. As long as we dream of soaring, they’ll keep simulating it.

Toys in the Attic - Evel Knievel

If you’re like us, you probably used your bikes for some pretty crazy stunts when you were little. You may have been inspired by the motorcycle stuntman Evel Knievel. We look at his life and the cool toys that he inspired. Don’t try this at home, kids! 

Do you remember your first car? The freedom it gave us was the beginning of an important chapter of the TechnoRetro Dads’ lives. And the FM radio we listened to kept us entertained as we cruised down the road. 

A look back at our first cars and the FM Radio that we all listened to!

In the NEWS

• Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water, it’s the 45th anniversary of the classic Spielberg movie Jaws
• Sir Ian Holm passes away at 88
• Cobra Kai is coming to Netflix
• A new book focuses on the toys of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

Toys in the Attic - Our first cars

You never forget your first ride. Jay had a VW Beetle and Shua had a...well, he’d like to forget. We remember what our first cars meant to us, and share some of the sweet wheels our earbuds had too. What did it mean to you and what ended up happening to it? 

Vinyl Scratchback - FM Radio

In the 70’s and 80’s there was almost no form of entertainment so accessible as the radio. We listened in our bedrooms, our living rooms, doing yardwork, in our headphones, and especially in our cars. And FM stations crowded the airwaves giving us the legendary music that is still popular today. Shua break down a short history of how FM was developed into what it was when DJs ruled the airwaves. Then we remember some of the stations that were big in the cities where we grew up. 

Saturday Mornings - Speed Buggy

Speed Buggy was a Hanna-Barbera cartoon that only lasted for 16 episodes, but it left a mark that keeps it in our memories today. Part Scooby Doo, part Josie and the Pussycats, it told the tale of a little dune buggy and his friends.