You Are What You Were. Celebrate Retro Pop Culture At Retroland.
She was the caretaker, the warden, the sweet woman who held all of the cards. She could bandage you up when you took a nasty spill on the playground, or, more importantly, grant you a reprieve for the day. She was the school nurse, entrusted with the health of the children and given the unenviable task of deciding who was really sick and who was faking. Let's take a loving look back at this essential caregiver from our childhood.
Continue reading...
For anyone, young or old, who ever doubted the existence of Santa Claus, those doubts were summarily laid to rest in the immortal 1947 holiday classic, Miracle on 34th Street. Only the most jaded scrooge could have a heart impervious to the charm that has made this a tradition holiday favorite ever since its original release.
Continue reading...
Extolling the virtues of Frosted Flakes for over half a decade, Tony the Tiger has exclaimed his way into the hearts of kids and adults everywhere with his exuberant expression, “They’re Grrrreat!” But Tony did more than that, he taught every kid a lesson along the way – the importance of having a balanced breakfast every morning.
Continue reading...
Usually when one repeats the same task and yet expects a different result, it is a textbook example of insanity. But there are exceptions. When a generous helping of Trix cereal is involved, you can’t really blame that bunny for repeatedly trying to snag himself a bowl. In fact, it’s hard not to sympathize. And for all that effort, one thing is indisputable; Trix Rabbit has sold a heck of a lot of cereal over the years.
Continue reading...
When it came right down to it, Kevin McCallister had a few more sadistic leanings than your average eleven-year-old. And it turns out, that we rather like that in a young hero, especially during the season of giving. And make no mistake, Kevin had plenty to give, in the way of bowling balls, staple guns, BB guns, and that old archaic standby, a good old blast of fire – all in the name of protecting his beloved family home. His violent antics and precocious demeanor won the hearts of millions of moviegoers who made 1990’s Home Alone one of the most successful movies of all time.
Continue reading...
There are very few times when a kid can throw a projectile at one of his friends or adversaries without parental admonishment. And yet, once a sufficient blanket of snow has fallen, the rules change. The potential for war suddenly looms ominously behind thick trees and parked cars and any other place that offers a momentary shield. Attacks come without warning and without mercy. After all, winter is here and that once-peaceful white powder is all that is needed to encourage battle, not to mention create an ample stockpile of munitions. Negotiations are futile, retribution is demanded - this is the season of the snowball fight.
Continue reading...
A classic fish-out-of-water story if there ever was one, Northern Exposure was one of the cleverest, quirkiest and most under-appreciated television series in the 90s. Following the lives of a collection of colorful characters in a small Alaskan town, the show received an avalanche of critical accolades and developed a faithful and smitten fan following that persists to this day.
Continue reading...
The residents in the town of Halloween take delight in fright. Each creepy and ugly, they aren’t malicious; scaring is just part of their job - in the delightful 1993 holiday offering by director (and former Disney animator) Tim Burton - The Nightmare Before Christmas. In this merging of two beloved holidays, Burton brought his delightfully macabre story to life with the utilization of stop-motion animation and a wonderful musical score by composer Danny Elfman. The result was a film that quickly became a must-see during every holiday season.
Continue reading...
It’s a yellow circle with a wedge missing that goes around a maze eating dots and dodging ghosts. That, in a nutshell, is the most iconic, legendary video game ever to hit the arcade. Ask anyone with access to electricity to identify Pac-Man and they’ll get it right 99.999% of the time. Created by Toru Iwatani of Namco in 1980, the game had an inauspicious release in Japan but enjoyed a far better welcome in the United States (where it was distributed by Midway). Overtaking the popular Space Invader, Pac-Man became a staple of arcades across the country and spawned a veritable media empire that is still thriving today.
Continue reading...
Ah, Scrabble. Play it often enough and you start seeing those lettered tiles in your dreams, forming words that would be worth 100 points if they actually existed. The much-loved game has endured for over 50 years, providing both family enjoyment and competitive play. Out of all the board games, Scrabble is truly a Cinderella story.
Continue reading...