Spring is here, and March is all set to go out like a lion with the bombastic retrorific movie adaptation of Ernest Cline’s bestselling novel, Ready Player One.  JediShua and shazbazzar have a few important influences to prepare all EarBuds for the movie release this week!

In the NEWS

Indiana Jones and the Fifth Chapter not only has a release date, but a filming date as Steven Spielberg anticipates his next blockbuster after Ready Player One.  Toys ‘R’ Us is closing, but Kay-Bee Toys is coming back?  Maybe so.  Muppet Babies has returned to TV in a reboot format.  Of course, Ready Player One is everywhere.

We Love Our Cereal…

…and peanut butter?  Well, with cereal, we certainly do.  Spread some up on a couple pieces of bread and you will, too!  (Have plenty of milk handy.)

Vinyl Scratchback

Ready Player One influences this week’s Vinyl Scratchback with one of Ernie Cline’s audio influences: Rush.  The Canadian Prog Rock band features heavily in all of Cline’s work and plays an important role in Ready Player One with their 1976 album 2112.

TechnoRetro Arcade

Wade Watts played Dungeons of Daggorath on a TRS-80 in Ready Player One.  This predecessor of hits like Castle Wolfenstein and Doom earns its place in the TechnoRetro Arcade with its sparse sound effects, basic vector graphics, yet immersive gameplay.

Saturday Mornings

Cartoons weren’t the only fare on Saturday mornings.  Sometimes, live-action “cartoons” made their way to American television with shows like Ultraman that captured the imaginations of kids everywhere.  

WarGames

David Lightman is an intelligent underachiever who really likes playing video games on his computer.  He will do just about anything to play them — even hacking into Protovision (or some other computer in the Sunnyvale area).  Will he inadvertently cause World War Three?  WarGames capitalized on the Cold War worries of Generation X with a fun and somewhat frightening film featuring Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, John Wood, Dabney Coleman, and Barry Corbin.  An all-time favorite of shazbazzar and one of many rewatchable movies for JediShua, WarGames not only influenced young computer programmers to become hackers, it influenced at least two stories by novelist Ernest Cline, namely Ready Player One and Armada.  JediShua and shazbazzar make a strong case for watching WarGames one more time before heading to theaters this week for Ready Player One.

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, call-in with HalfBowl of Cap’n Crunch Mystery tips, and join discussion about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us a message or mp3 via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com. And be sure to watch WarGames one more time before going to the movies later this week!

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What do you do when your daughter brings home her first boyfriend?  Well, EarBuds, it’s best to think that question over before it actually happens.  Take it from shazbazzar.  But it’s all going to be alright as we come roaring back after a week filled with fun, friends, and six Star Wars movies playing in the evenings for visiting Spring Breakers at “shaz sha-toh” (chateau).  So pop open a can of 9 Lives and curl up with the cat for a 77-minute blend of past, present, and future with shazbazzar and JediShua on TechnoRetro Dads.

In the NEWS

Stephen Hawking outlives doctors’ expectations by over fifty years.  Ready Player One VR rave was available for test runs at SXSW.  Director Steven Spielberg experienced some anxiety as he attended the premiere of Ready Player One with a few technical glitches.  Flux capacitors are not currently in stock at O’Reilly Auto Parts.  The “Anniversary Edition” of The Dark Crystal is now available on Blu-Ray and 4K.

We Love Our Cereal…

…and SuperFriend Jorbex thinks JediShua would love Honey Hooplahs, too — if only because of the awesome name.  In the meantime, Tony the Tiger goes to the dark side with Chocolate Frosted Flakes, and Shua is convinced that shaz would think “they’re great!”

Vinyl Scratchback

With a retrotastic movie like Ready Player One coming in less than two weeks, this seemed like the perfect time to speculate about songs we think might be on the soundtrack as well as what we wish would be on the soundtrack.  And, since we’re not making the movie anyway, your opinions are as good as ours, so if you have thoughts about songs that could work into Ready Player One, let us know right away at (209) 878-7323.

TechnoRetro Arcade

Ernest Cline has it in his own home.  Wade Watts played it from an entirely different perspective in Ready Player One.  It’s called Black Dragon in Japan.  But you know it as Black Tiger and shazbazzar and JediShua take a few minutes to revisit the dungeons of Capcom and reminisce about the scantily-clad barbarian’s adventure game and how it likely has influenced both the book and the movie, Ready Player One.

Black Panther

JediShua gathered his brood for a trip to the local cinema for a MARVELous afternoon in Wakanda watching Black Panther.  Although shazbazzar has yet to see it, Shua’s glowing review of the movie doesn’t really spoil anything (surprised?)!  It’s no wonder this movie continues to impress at the box office this month.

Feedback

Isaiah Caldeira lets us know about his interesting strategy for Defender and how it didn’t quite produce the results he wanted. Jeff Baucom follows the rabbit trail from Star Wars actors in Flash Gordon to the Queen soundtrack to Toto’s soundtrack for Dune to the VHS data sheet, PLUS: Dungeons & Dragons, Knight Rider, Cylons, and Boney M!  Jeff proves the value of a well-archived catalog of old podcasts.  Jonathan spots Sean Astin’s buff brother…maybe.  Wes shares pics of his collection in his “space for being creative” as Jeffrey Fischbach shows off a TRON cabinet and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom game.  Lost Boy Eric volunteers to get an annual pass to Walt Disney World to keep everyone up-to-date with the TRON ride’s progress.

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, call-in with HalfBowl of Cap’n Crunch Mystery tips, and join discussion about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us a message or mp3 via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com. And be sure to submit your final guesses for the TechnoRetro Dads’ Easter Egg as the TechnoRetro EggHunt concludes.

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With just a couple weeks until Ready Player One hits theaters, shazbazzar and JediShua are here with over two hours of hype for the movie with SuperFriend and co-host of TRON: Decoding the Grid JAMIE!  (And, by the way, if you haven’t set your clock forward an hour by now, you’re probably late for work, so…) 

In the NEWS

John Williams will retire from Star Wars after Episode Nine.  Jon Favreau (Pre Vizsla) joins a Star Wars series again, but this time in the role of writer and director!  Disney renews their relationship with McDonald’s with new “Happy Meal” toys for The Incredibles and Wreck It Ralph this year.  The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy gets its sixth installment of the trilogy in a new radio drama on BBC.  Retro posters promote Ready Player One in some cities and more games are available for you to share and enjoy on the movie’s website.

Lazy Book Club

Four years ago this month, TechnoRetro Dads aired the first three meetings of the Lazy Book Club with Jamie, long-time SuperFriend and co-host of TRON: Decoding the Grid.  It took three (segments and EarBuds) to cover Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One four years ago, and we’re not sure we could do any better even now!  So if you’re not avoiding potential spoilers and you want to revisit the book with some friends, tune in for two hours of the Lazy Book Club from March 2014.

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, call-in with HalfBowl of Cap’n Crunch Mystery tips, and join discussion about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us a message or mp3 via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.

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The final week of the TechnoRetro EggHunt is upon you — at least the clue segment.  So listen closely for hints regarding this week’s Easter Egg and look for more clues in the artwork, guess correctly, and discover the full picture in order to solve the final puzzle and enter the drawing for the Grand Prize to be awarded on the Monday before Ready Player One hits theaters!  But that will pale in comparison to the pure joy of eating Teddy Grahams on terry cloth towels under an umbrella in Cleveland with Dr. Jones.  Even better, however, are 77 minutes of Indy films, Indy games, and Indy tunes.  No, Oscar fans, not “indie” — Indy, and in Indiana Jones.  And we’re loaded with Indiana Jones this week where we’re guaranteed to contain more than 30% Indiana Jones related content or your money back. 

In the NEWS

Dwayne Johnson’s upcoming Jungle Cruise promises to feel as if Indiana Jones might be just around the bend in the upcoming movie with Emily Blunt.  Ready Player Two is under construction as a book before novelist Ernest Cline flips over into screenplay mode again to co-write the expected sequel to the movie.  Neflix teases Lost in Space with a scene of the Robinson family walking onto the Jupiter 2.  PLUS: the end of Wilhelm?

We Love Our Cereal…

…and JediShua wants to find more cereals to love.  But he’s really looking for one that could be his king of the Briton cereals.  If you have a suggestion from his list of ten, let us know at our cereal choice hotline (209) 878-7323.

Classic TV Tunes

To introduce a new segment to JediShua, shazbazzar hosts a “Name That Tune” game that ends up giving Shua the easy win.  Even better than a successful one-guess-win, though, is John Williams’s repertoire of tunes made for TV, from movies to news to sports to classic series, the Star Wars / Indiana Jones soundtrack composer will surprise most EarBuds with the credits he’s amassed over decades of work in the field.

TechnoRetro Arcade

Two games worthy of the name Henry Jones, Jr. are added to the TechnoRetro Arcade this week with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom from Atari and the Atari 2600 classic puzzle game, Raiders of the Lost Ark (featuring, yep, you guessed it, Indiana Jones).  But there’s even more Indiana Jones in this episode with “The Ballad of Indiana Jones” by High Adventure and a look back at the 1989 movie…

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Rats!  “X” marks the spot — this time — in an on-the-nose reversion to Raiders, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom hits all the right beats for the third movie of the then trilogy of Indiana Jones adventures.  Remember River Phoenix as young Indy?  How about Sean Connery as Henry Jones, Sr.?  Or that sad old knight guarding the Holy Grail?  Or the event that forever scarred Indy with a fear of snakes?  It’s all here in the first Indy film with a PG-13 rating, although Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom earned the addition of the rating to the MPAA in 1984.  Wilhelms and whip-snaps included.

Retro Gameshow

Monty Hall continues to be synonymous with wild audiences, kooky costumes, and bad deals.  Let’s Make a Deal was a big deal in the 60s, 70s, and 80s.  It continues even today with Wayne Brady hosting the show.  Mention the word “deal” to a GenXer, and you’ll likely hear, “This deal’s getting worse all the time,” just before a reference to Let’s Make a Deal.

Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds!  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, call-in with HalfBowl of Cap’n Crunch Mystery tips, and join discussion about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us a message or mp3 via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com. And be sure to listen for hints and watch for clues for the TechnoRetro Dads’ Easter Egg as the TechnoRetro EggHunt concludes.

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Pronunciations and enunciations are better than renunciations of almost every kind, even when the former are terrible.  But mispronouncing city names isn’t the only error.  Oh no!  The Spider-Pan from Neverland (podcast) catches the TechnoRetro Dads in another April Foolish prank from the tourism industry Down Under.  But after shazbazzar and JediShua get humbled by multiple corrections from the past couple weeks, the ‘Dads lunch into space for some alien felines.  You’ll want to be on the lookout for hairballs at breakfast and dinner today.  Ha!

In the NEWS

Hairlips or hairy lips, it makes little difference to the Flowbee, with Jay Hernandez playing Magnum P.I. in the upcoming reboot, we’re wondering if the classic mustache will be making a comeback in the new version.  Hopefully so!  Daniel and Johnny are back at it on the west coast in YouTube Red’s new original Karate Kid series Cobra Kai.  And the hype for Ready Player One kicks it up a notch with more puzzles, clues, and an opportunity to play Joust online.

We Love Our Cereal…

…but Lucky loves his newest charm — a mythical friend of the little leprechaun joins Lucky Charms cereal in disembodied form.  Your next bowl of Lucky Charms may be full of unicorn heads if you’re really Lucky.  Delicious!

And the HalfBowl of Cap’n Crunch Mystery gets some updates from one of our EarBuds as well as a peek into the TechnoRetro Bureau of Investigation.  Cicero D. Swampaluffagus thinks he may have seen King Vitamin fleeing the scene of the crime in Richmond, Virginia.  PLUS: Steve Glosson from the Big Honkin’ Show continues to help shazbazzar and JediShua in the cereal crime investigation.  If you have any information about this still unsolved mystery, let us know at our cereal crime hotline (209) 878-7323.

TechnoRetro Arcade

The mouse chases the cats in Mappy, a digital version of playing cat and mouse with a twist.  The mouse detective seeks to catch the Meowkies red-pawed by retrieving the goods stolen by the criminal felines.  And if that’s not enough to entice you, Namco added trampolines to the game play in order to give it a much-needed bounce.  If you’re looking for something different at the arcade, check out Mappy.

The Cat from Outer Space

After an alien life form crash lands on Earth, the military gets involved (including both Colonels from M*A*S*H) only to discover that we haven’t been invaded by little, green, squishy guys, but by a furry feline with a glowing collar.  Featuring Sally Duncan, Ken Berry, Harry Morgan, McLean Stevenson, and Ronnie Schell as Zunar-J-5/9 Doric-4-7 (Jake), this 1978 flick provides loads of fun with humor, comedy, and unlikely combinations as Boss Hogg and Cornelius show up for Disney’s sci-fi prelude to The Black Hole.  The Cat from Outer Space is a must-see for every fan of fun or fiction, especially since it seems to be a secondary inspiration for The Phantom Menace!

Saturday Mornings

Spacecats (not to be confused with the “Space Cats” episode of Heathcliff) was a short-lived (pronounced with a long “i” sound — thanks, Scott Ryfun) animated/puppet TV show from the early ‘90s.  Paul Fusco voices the leader of the Spacecats, Captain Catgut, in every episode’s introduction as a short, furry puppet.  Charles Nelson Reilly is the Disembodied Omnipotent Ruler of Cats (D.O.R.C) in a role that suited his Hollywood Squares personality.  In the cartoon segment, the voice talents of Townsend Coleman, Pat Fraley, and Rob Paulsen bring the two-dimensionally drawn Spacecats to life for a single season before the show didn’t last longer than a single fall and subsequent spring reruns.  Too bad, too, since we never really discovered that the real reason the Spacecats came to Earth was to investigate tales of an alien life form who threatened the indigenous feline population with his voracious appetite and complete lack of willpower. 

Feedback

Darth Taxus answers lingering questions about Garfield and Friends.  Steve Bennett (#TeamSteve) adds fragrance to our Olfatrix smell towers with a Hot Topic exclusive that shouldn’t expire until 2045 at least with Ready Player One “Gunter Life” cologne.  Speaking of Ready Player One, EarBuds went wild with comments about Easter Eggs in the official poster.  PLUS: Mark Reingrover, Jovial Jay, James Burns, and Mike MacDonald with fantastic feedback!

Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, call-in with HalfBowl of Cap’n Crunch Mystery tips, and join discussion about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us a message or mp3 via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com. And be sure to listen for hints and watch for clues for the TechnoRetro Dads’ Easter Egg with the ongoing TechnoRetro Egg Hunt.

Share and enjoy.

Share and enjoy.

From snowstorms up north to the feel of summertime in the south, the past week of the Winter Olympics have challenged both athletes and couch potatoes in more ways than one. But we’ll never ask you to choose between watching skiing or going skiing.  We will never push you into a conundrum of choosing between mowing the lawn and keeping up with the figure skating finals.  You can take TechnoRetro Dads with you wherever you can take your ear buds, EarBuds, as we remember Saturday morning cartoons enjoyed with a bowl of cereal, revisit the arcades of our youth, and reminisce about the best parts of being kids in the ‘70s and ‘80s.  So whether you are Farmers or freelance photographers, we’re your friendly neighborhood podcast — even if you don’t remember the glory days of GenX!

In the NEWS

As we anticipated, the upcoming incarnation of The Greatest American Hero features a female lead as Hannah Simone is cast as the next unlikely superhero to wear the red pajamas. We wonder who her counterpart will be. Before V was for vendetta, the Roman numeral signified visitors from another planet who have come to earth to feast on human flesh.  Creator of the original mini-series, Kenneth Johnson, will be directing a big screen adaptation of the iconic ‘80s TV show.  Whether Dar or Freddy Kruger will appear in the new version is unknown at the moment.  Doc Brown could soon find a replacement for the demolished DeLorean from Back to the Future 3 in Humble, Texas as brand new DMC-12s begin rolling off the assembly line next year.  Built from unassembled original parts from the early ‘80s, these DeLoreans will combine the classic look with updated and upgraded engines and electronics assembled on “x” frames.  Do we want them?  Yes!  Can we afford them?  Uh…no.  WarGames is making a comeback through a new game about hackers produced in collaboration with Eko.  Matthew Broderick?  We doubt it.

We Love Our Cereal…

…and so do burglars in Richmond, Virginia. Olivia Davis came home recently to discover her apartment had been ransacked, her toilet paper had been stolen, and someone had been eating a bowl of Cap’n Crunch on her bed…and left before finishing the bowl!  When the criminal is this smooth (or maybe not-so-smooth), there’s only one person we could call to make sense of this crime — Steve Glosson.  The host of the Big Honkin’ Show joins shazbazzar and JediShua to investigate the details of this very strange tale of missing cleaning supplies, tables of wigs, and a half bowl of Cap’n Crunch cereal.

TechnoRetro Arcade

Seems like sequels are the rage in early ‘80s video games.  Last week, we talked about Ms. Pac-Man.  This week, the success of Centipede gives rise to Millipede, a faster, more intense version of the rollerball shooter with more arachnids, insects, and dangerous mushrooms that might put you in a panic if you’re not expecting the onslaught of tiny creatures attacking your bug blaster in this fun and frenetic game that will get your heart racing.

Saturday Mornings

He’s orange.  He’s striped.  He loves lasagna.  He’s the iconic fat cat with a very Presidential name.  He’s Garfield.  If you’re a child of the ‘80s, you remember him, not only from the funny pages of your local newspaper, but from Saturday mornings on CBS from 1988 to 1995.  Garfield and Friends featured not only Garfield and Odie, but also several friends from the farm as Jim Davis’s creation gets animated on a weekly basis in this cartoon.  JediShua does discover that Garfield was inspired by the creator’s grandfather, a cantankerous man named James A. Garfield Davis.  Does the “A” stand for “Andrew”?  We just don’t know.

Feedback

Isaiah Caldeira tries Steve Glosson’s chocolate super cereal surprise and enjoys watching Animaniacs.  Jonathan Bell geeks out with his TechnoRetroGrandDad on the Input Junkie podcast.  Dave Atteberry sends us pics of his “super” man cave and we’re amazed because it’s spectacular.  The talents of Jimmy in Georgia and Uncle Ben Foster are on display with Jimmy’s Dungeons & Dragons art and Ben’s pen-and-ink drawings and musical repertoire.  Chef Armando is thoroughly enjoying The Toys that Made Us on Netflix and Twitter.  Jason from The Colony, Texas shares his thoughts and Darth Taxus embraces Flash Gordon with his whole family.  Michael Goldtrap tastes Nutter Butter cereal.  Jeffrey Fischbach suggests names for the Pac-Fam and The Neverland Podcast solves the mystery of Ms. Pac-Man’s name.  Ahh-choo!  

Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, and lend your voice to our discussion about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us a message or mp3 via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com. And be sure to listen for hints and watch for clues for the TechnoRetro Dads’ Easter Egg with the ongoing TechnoRetro Egg Hunt.

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As important as learning your ABCs, getting a fundamental education in the glory days of the ‘70s and ‘80s will prepare you for success in today’s pop-culture climate.  The TechnoRetro Dads continue to serve the public with 77 minute interstitials to reawaken the hearts and minds of GenXers while providing Millennials more than a basic introduction to the movies, music, TV shows, games, and toys that made these decades some of the best times to be a kid.  Who knows when you might have an opportunity to put the knowledge of timeless trivia to the test in order to win an OASIS of treasure (and free prizes) in a contest the likes of Ready Player One?  Make sure you’re tuned in every Monday morning for TechnoRetro Dads — just the thing to get your work week off to a great start.  Hurray!

In the NEWS

What do you mean Pluto still isn’t a planet? EarBuds from all over the world rapidly responded to the news from last week to let us know that, no, Pluto has not been reclassified as a planet.  Aw!  Maybe someday.  But things are looking up for TRON fans as construction begins in O’Lando for the Lightcycle Power Run.  If only they would start filming TR3N.  But the biggest news is about the star of Nintendo games, Mario!  Whether you’re talking about seeing the original “Jump Man” on the silver screen or seeing the popular plumber sans shirt, Mario is super at making headlines on the GRID!

We Love Our Cereal…

…and Post is boxing up bowls of great tastes, it seems.  Start looking for Great Grains Coconut Almond Crunch, Grape Nuts Trail Mix Crunch, Double Chocolate Brownie Crunch, Cinnamon Dino-Bites, Golden Honey O’s, and MOM’s Best Crispy Cinnamon Rice.  With two cinnamon additions to cereal aisle shelves this year, it looks like things are heating up for your taste buds, EarBuds!

Vinyl Scratchback

They may go “Crazy on You” if you’re a “Magic Man”, and that might not be a bad thing.  Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson have been the thrumming heartbeat of Heart for the past four decades with loads of familiar songs from the ‘70s and ‘80s, even as the band’s sound developed alongside the times as the heavier beats and guitars gave way to cleaner, pop-centric synthesized choruses that matched well with high school dances (and even movies about high school dances). PLUS: JediShua discovers a Heart-shaped cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song”.

TechnoRetro Arcade

How do you follow up a hit video game?  With a sequel that’s not only more colorful, faster, and smoother, but wrap it up with a big bow — on top of the main character’s head.  Ms. Pac-Man debuted in the States in 1982, with cut scenes showing how Pac-Man met Ms. Pac-Man, their fast-paced love affair, and (with implied promises of a third game in the series) Pac-Man, Jr.  Bouncing fruit added to the challenge of the game as gamers guided Ms. Pac-Man around mazes to avoid colorful ghosts (monsters), eat up fruit (and pretzels), and chomp down on the power pill that lets her eat up her enemies.  Ms. Pac-Man is the perfect game for this Valentine’s Day!

Let’s Go to the Movies: Young Love

He’s the everyman, the dork, the kickboxer who keeps getting kicked in the face by love.  From the iconic image of the lonesome lover hoisting his boombox over his head in Say Anything to a cross-country road trip to find The Sure Thing, John Cusack became the face of teen romance movies and rom-coms of the ‘80s.  Remember Lane Meyer fleeing from the persistent paperboy in Better Off Dead?  This budding cartoonist brought burgers to life in his “real job” before nearly killing himself skiing the K12 in hopes of finding love (from France).  Retaining his role as a teenage cartoonist in a warmer season, Cusack played Hoops McCann in One Crazy Summer with Bobcat Goldthwait playing Godzilla in a movie about a boat race that helps our hero win love, yet again.  Not to be forgotten is Danny, Lauri’s slacker boyfriend who ends up saving his girlfriend’s family from psychotic killers with the help of some mellow islanders and an off-kilter boat captain with a penchant for Robert Louis Stevenson.  Hot Pursuit, directed by Steven Lisberger, may indeed be shazbazzar’s favorite romantic comedy of all time.

Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, or lend your voice to our discussion about toys, cereal, games, or movies and shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback on voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us a message or mp3 via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com. And be sure to listen for hints and watch for clues for the TechnoRetro Dads’ Easter Egg with the ongoing TechnoRetro Egg Hunt.

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It's all over! The month of January, the lunar eclipse with a blue and blood super moon, Groundhog Day, and the Super Bowl are all behind us, but shazbazzar and JediShua keep the action going with New York Jets Quarterback Flash Gordon, digital Xs and Os on a black-and-white screen on a cocktail table version of football from Atari, paper triangles on lunchroom tables, and an explanation of the first week of the TechnoRetro EggHunt by Matt Marks. This episode of TechnoRetro Dads will transform your winter blues with warm feelings of nostalgia, humor, and perhaps some deceptive humor for the next 77 minutes of your life.

In the NEWS

Scientists admit their error (sort of) by reclassifying Pluto as the ninth planet of the Solar System because...popular opinion? We discover that Mr. Rogers will be represented on screens, not only in documentary format, but in a full movie starring Tom Hanks as everyone's favorite neighbor in You Are My Friend. Indiana Jones 5 is slated as Steven Spielberg's next project and should hit screens sometime in 2020. Crocodile Dundee gets lost in the Outback in a new trailer for the fourth movie in the franchise. And thousands of baby names from 2017 may sound as if they've arrived from a galaxy far, far away.

TechnoRetro Arcade

Ratchet up your rollerball arm for some seriously cool game play from 1978 with the cocktail table head-to-head arcade hit Atari Football when a quarter could buy you 90 seconds of play time to get your Os past your opponent’s Xs to score a touchdown on the black and white scrolling screen. By choosing your formation from an onscreen menu and then controlling your players by spinning the rollerball with some hot rod moves. Run, pass, tackle, and intercept as you see the “players” move smoothly across the digital football field. The game keeps players going from huddle to huddle as gamers take brief breaks for their right arms. Although a few four-player versions were produced, the two-player tables were the most popular machines in arcades in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.  Some of these are still around and would be great for next year’s Super Bowl party at your house!

Toys in the Attic

Sometimes the toys we remember best were those we made ourselves. Back in school, we all learned to fold paper into various shapes for passing notes, but we also learned how to transform leaves of wide-ruled paper into hefty triangles to compete with our friends in the school cafeteria or at home on the kitchen table. Tabletop football was popular among kids in the ‘70s and ‘80s because with a single piece of paper, an entire game of football was possible. If you could “flick” your football to the opposite edge of the table without falling off the side, you could score a touchdown.  Then set up for the extra point by “kicking” the paper triangle through your opponent’s goal posts and you were on your way to winning the game. It was fun then, and its fun still.  Just the thing to keep football season alive in the off season.

Flash Gordon

Ming the Merciless is set on destroying Earth — for fun! But Dr. Zarkov is prepared for this attack with his homemade rocket — if only he could find someone to help him blast off.  When Flash Gordon and Dale Arden arrive at his front door (well, through his front door, on their crashed airplane), he got more than he bargained for.  The three heroes find themselves in the weird and wild world of Mongo on a psychedelic trip into a 1980 version of Flash Gordon with an unforgettable soundtrack by Queen.  This cult-classic continues to thrill audiences today as parents introduce their kids to this crazy, campy sci-fi, comic-book movie that seems more than a little disjointed. With loads of actors from a galaxy far, far away, this space opera owes a lot to the popularity of Star Wars, just like Star Wars owes its existence to Flash Gordon.

Feedback

JediHolmes chimes in with his memories of The Last Starfighter and Beastmaster 3.  Andy Lindemann asks about Atari comics, remembers Dungeons & Dragons, and totally relates to the Cylonic appearance of K.I.T.T. in Knight Rider. Adam O’Brien is back with some memories of Dungeons & Dragons, as well, as he recalls a show from his childhood called Boris’s Breakfast Club.

Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, or lend your voice to our discussion about toys, cereal, games, or movies and shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback on voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us a message or mp3 via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com. And be sure to listen for hints and watch for clues for the TechnoRetro Dads’ Easter Egg with the ongoing TechnoRetro Egg Hunt.

Share and enjoy.

Call me.  Call me Ishmael.  Call me Horatio.  I don’t care what you call me, as long as you call me for breakfast.  Speaking of which, it’s Monday morning, and that means it’s that time again — so grab a box of cereal, pour it into your favorite bowl, add the milk, pick up a spoon, and enjoy your morning meal with your ear buds, EarBuds, because TechnoRetro Dads is part of a good, balanced breakfast that will get your work week started right!

In the NEWS

Etsy has become a place to find some really cool #TechnoRetro gadgets, like a Blu-Ray/DVD player disguised as an Apple Floppy Disk Drive.  Totally awesome!  Superman dons the red underwear for Action Comics #1000, and we’re pleased to see the classic design back in action. The New York Times publishes a complete compilation of the publication’s Star Wars coverage over the past 45 years.  Yes.  45 years.  From 1973 to today.  So cool.  PLUS: Ready Player One continues to make news with a Virtual Reality peek into Aech’s garage.  It might make you run out and buy a PS4.

We Love Our Cereal…

…and so do our EarBuds!  Although we have no new reviews and no new news about cereal, @Im_Goobs chimes in on the Cinnamon Toast Crunch “puffs” that we’ve been hearing about.  According to his research, yep, it’s crunchy.  Michael Goldtrap expands the discussion of cereal-flavored milk with three jugs of “Cereal Milk” at Wal*Mart.  it looks like a #TechnoRetro trend is on like TRON at the supermarket!

Vinyl Scratchback

“The Tide Is High”, and we’re not talking about another Alabama championship.  The Videodrome queen, the Angel that Omar loves, Deborah Harry captured our hearts with her unique voice and Blondie’s disco-punk sound from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.  We take a spin on the turntable with some memories of Blondie through the years and discover that the band is still together after all this time.  And you thought they had a “Heart of Glass”.

TechnoRetro Arcade

Though not exactly a “home console” game, Zork was a text-based computer game highlighted in Ernest Cline’s best-selling novel, Ready Player One, where Gunters could get the Jade Key by blowing a specific whistle after assembling the full collection of trophies in the case located inside a dilapidated old house on the planet Frobozz.  Like other text-based games, Zork relied on brief commands to move to the next section of the game as players tried to solve the game in a computer-simulation of a role-playing adventure game like Dungeons & Dragons. 

Saturday Mornings

Combining cartoon characters from different titles to create a new show was not an original idea in 1978, but by setting this Wacky Race-styled cartoon in space with a Star Wars-esque font was.  Well, maybe not original or unique, but it was pretty cool. Yogi’s Space Race capitalized on the space-craze of the late ‘70s by pitting Yogi, Scare Bear, Quack Up, Huckleberry Hound, Jabberjaw and more against each other in weekly races between teams on their speedy space ships hurtling through a space race course.  In case you never saw it, Yogi’s Space Race was exactly what you’d expect: Cartoon Captains led their crews toward victory against other teams while avoiding the treachery of the rotten villains of the program.  Everyone should check this out for 22 minutes of good ole fun every now and then.

Ladyhawke

No, it’s not deja-vu. We have covered Ladyhawke before, but it’s been a while since we talked with Michael Witwer: The Last Gen-Xer (Empire of Imagination) about this romantic tale of fantasy, magic, and shape-shifting soul-mates starring Matthew Broderick, John Wood, Rutger Hauer, and Michelle Pfeiffer set in middle-ages France to the tune of synthesized music from Alan Parsons.  You can listen to the episode from three years ago here after listening to this week’s show if you want to hear more.

Prime Time: Captain America 

Before The First Avenger, before the Winter Soldier, before Civil War, there was a wacky and wild attempt at another superhero show on prime time television with the made-for-television movie event, Captain America.  To no one’s surprise, this pilot didn’t get picked up for a season.  We said everything good we could think of in a very short Prime Time segment this week.  

Feedback

Radio Free Endor is using the 1979 Star Wars calendar this year.  Geeky Dad finds the Fall Guy plane from Tonka.  Eric from The Neverland Podcast reminisces about The Last Starfighter before Adam O’Brien talks about a possible sequel to the 1984 film, The Lost Starfighter. Chris from Arvada gets in a few words about Queen after hearing last week’s episode of TechnoRetro Dads.

Don’t forget to contribute to Cure Childhood Cancer through the Annual GOLiverse Marathon by making your tax deductible donation to GeekOutOnline.com/cure by January 31st.  Then, feel free to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, or lend your voice to our discussion about toys, cereal, games, or movies and shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback on voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us a message or mp3 via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com. And be sure to listen for hints and watch for clues for the TechnoRetro Dads’ Easter Egg with the ongoing TechnoRetro Egg Hunt.

Share and enjoy.

Whether you’re thawing out from a southern ice storm or you’re just waking up to piles of snow in your front yard, you’re in for a special treat this medieval Monday morning on TechnoRetro Dads as we plunge into dungeons, plow through dragons, embark on a quest for a queen, and even watch a dark Knight ride a bird into battle — a TransAm Firebird, that is — as shazbazzar and JediShua watch Knight Rider.  The Eighties are turned up to eleven for seventy-seven minutes of #TechnoRetro fun!

In the NEWS

The Incredibles 2 is likely to be the first Pixar movie to become a LEGO game and we think that’s just incredible!  Ralph Breaks the Internet with a single piece of concept art from Wreck It Ralph 2 with ads, avatars, and cat pics.  Childhood neighbor Fred Rogers earns a tribute with an upcoming documentary chronicling the life and legacy of Mr. Rogers.  Nintendo’s Game Boy is coming back, and Nintendo isn’t the one making it!

Vinyl Scratchback

This brand new segment takes the ‘Dads back to the ‘70s and ‘80s with recollections from their record collections as they recall their musical memories from Queen.  From “Another One Bites the Dust” to “Who Wants to Live Forever”, Queen thrilled audiences with front man, Freddie Mercury, on stage, on screen, and on the radio.

TechnoRetro Arcade

Adding to the “home console” section of the ever-growing imaginary TechnoRetro Arcade, the legendary Atari series Swordquest comes under scrutiny as shazbazzar and JediShua dive deep into Waterworld, dig into Earthworld, burn through Fireworld, and soar with the storks in Airworld.  Although Atari was unable to complete the intense, imaginative contest, the concept is an unforgettable part of the history of Atari games.

Saturday Mornings

Dungeons & Dragons continues to occupy the ‘Dads’ minds as we return to the short-lived series that began as an amusement park attraction based on the beloved role-playing game.  This time, shazbazzar and JediShua think about which characters from the cartoon best emulate who they were (or wanted to be) in the ‘80s.

Prime Time: Knight Rider 

David Hasselhoff played a man who did not exist in Knight Rider, an hour-long episodic action-drama on NBC that began in 1982.  Michael Knight championed the oppressed, the down-trodden, and the helpless each week as he rode around in a talking car with an indestructible, molecular-bonded armor shell.  The Knight Industries Two-Thousand (K.I.T.T.) looked like a nice, new Pontiac Firebird TransAm with a cylon visor on its grill, but it was actually crime-fighting supercar with an A.I. brain.  Knight Rider thrilled car-loving kids week after week as Hasselhoff drove the car, beat the bad guys, and got the girl in almost every episode.

Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, or lend your voice to our discussion about toys, cereal, games, or movies and shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback on voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us a message or mp3 via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com. And be sure to listen for hints and watch for clues for the TechnoRetro Dads’ Easter Egg with the ongoing TechnoRetro Egg Hunt.

Share and enjoy.