1982. Has there ever been a year with more epic movies? Maybe, but it sure was a fun one. Jay and Shua look back at a long list of great (and not so great) movies from thirty-eight years ago. 

Each year brings us a variety of movies that you may like, or could rather do without. And many of them pass through the night without another thought. But not in 1982. The entire year gave us so many influential and memorable movies that we continue to revisit today. Let’s take a look back at a bunch of them. 

TechnoRetro News

• A napkin with the original design for KITT has been found, and it’s a great piece of history
• Fortnite continues the fun crossovers with a TRON skin
• A special announcement concerning the future of TechnoRetro Dads

Cereal

Do you think the Crunchcup is a good idea, or another kitchen dud? Grape Nuts apologizes for the shortage by giving away free cereal!

Let’s All Go to the Movies

Were you around in 1982? If so, you may have seen one of the many movies that came out that year. Action movies like Firefox and First Blood. Culture-changing stories like Tootsie and Deathtrap. And who could forget the plethora of Sci-Fi. Star Trek II, TRON, Blade Runner, and more! We look fondly back on almost 50 movies that we loved, how they made a difference, and the legacy they have created. 

Love! Horror! What better combination? In honor of Valentine's Day, we look at some famous arcade couples. And in honor of anniversaries, we look at the 30th of Silence of the Lambs. Get ready to hold your sweetie!

What better motivation than love? As we celebrate Valentine’s Day, we honor some legendary arcade characters and the love of their life that they must save. And 30 years ago Hannibal Lecter gave us something to fear and menus to avoid in the award winning Silence of the Lambs. 

TechnoRetro News

• RIP Christopher Plummer and all his legendary roles.
• Play Dungeons & Dragons as a Muppet in this adaptation of the classic game. 

Cereal

Everyone seems very excited about the new Little Debbie’s Cosmic Brownie Cereal. Is it for you? Let us know what you think?

TechnoRetro Arcade

So many of our favorite, legendary arcade characters started their adventures by rescuing their true love. Mario and Peach, Link and Zelda, Dirk and Daphne, who did you relate to? And were the damsels in distress in as much distress as we thought? We look at the games we loved and the relationship tips we got from the arcade. 

Let’s All Go to the Movies

Thirty years ago, Jonathan Demme brought us one of the scariest films of all time. Silence of the Lambs earned all of it’s accolades and awards as Jodie Foster portrayed a strong, intelligent woman against the insanity of Anthony Hopkins and his portrayal of Hannibal the Cannibal. The movie led us into an era where our culture was obsessed with crime drama, but none ever came close to scaring us like this. But Shua is pretty wimpy when it comes to scary movies, so he needs to silence his lambs by watching some horror comedies. Abbott and Costello, Monster Squad, Transylvania 6-5000; there were bunches of options for those that needed the kids table of scariness.

Pew! Pew! Lazer Tag has always been a fun way to express our aggressive nature in a safe, futuristic way. From fun centers like Photon to backyard competitions on warm summer nights, the futuristic toy led us into the 21st century to prepare us for any zombie apocalypse that we may be facing. 

Lazer Tag was Pho-tons of fun! It was a futuristic way to play cowboys. We got to run around and shoot lasers at each other in places like Photon. Jay and Shua remember the fun of running around in the dark getting zapped. Plus, news, cereal, jokes and more. 

TechnoRetro News

• RIP Screech. Dustin Diamond passes away at age 44
• Will George Clooney be the new Buck Rogers?

Magazine Rack

The February 1981 issue of Starlog Magazine features David Cronenberg’s Scanners. Plus, news about the Space Shuttle’s first launch, George Takei in politics, and a new book called Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Why didn’t we get our annual sequels to Christmas in the Stars? And some great looks at movies of the time. 

TechnoRetro Arcade

Did you ever go to Photon, The Ultimate Game on Planet Earth? It was a popular, albeit brief, facility where you could go play Lazer Tag without having to furnish your own batteries. Jay recalls his Saturday nights with his buddies, and even still has his Photon card. 

Toys in the Attic

If you weren’t lucky enough to have a Photon, maybe you had your own Lazer Tag game to play with your friends in the neighborhood. This Worlds of Wonder toy was very popular until some unfortunate accidents. It even spawned a cartoon, puzzles, and a Commodore 64 game. 

The Muppet Show was a groundbreaking television show that showed us that puppets weren’t just for kids. With the show soon available to everyone, we take a look back at the history of the show, some of the memorable guests, and how Henson’s vision grew into something even bigger. 

It’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights. In 1974 The Muppet Show helped Jim Henson to build his vision of bringing his creations to the world. On February 19, Disney Plus will make the show available for streaming.  In addition, we look at the book and the music album that helped to share the show across other mediums as well.  

TechnoRetro News

• The Godzilla vs Kong trailer blew us away
• Did Cookie Monster start out as a rock?

I Love My Cereal

A tasty new Japanese Hershey’s cereal looks great in a variety of ways. Now we just need someone from Japan to send us some. A new cereal restaurant is opening in Indianapolis, but what are the mysterious pictures coming from the Cereal Box, Inc. Instagram all about?

Muppet Show Special Look

We have loved the Muppet Show since the very first pilot in 1974. But it was a long road to get there. We look back on how Jim Henson started building his vision from his early days on Saturday Night Live, to he crazy pilot called Sex and Violence. And who were some of our favorite guest hosts on the show? Mark Hamill, Vincent Price, John Denver, and so many more made legendary appearances over the years. This is what we call the Muppet Show!

Vinyl Scratchback

Shua shares songs and memories from The Muppet Show Album that includes some songs from the show along with some classic skits. So much Muppety goodness.