Firing again...with blanks!

After Lazy Game Reviews posted the video below on his Twitter account, I was inspired to start up ye olde VHS blog again!

After watching that fun video, I decided to look through my old blank tapes to find as many different boxes from blanks as possible. There may be more I missed, but here are the ones I did find...

I wonder if it was JVC or Sony who put a couple on the box first. 

I would say the Kodak ones are my favorites, especially the right and left ones. Kinda leaning toward the right. Anyway, great, instantly recognizable design. I would say the worst is that Memorex third in from the left in the bottom row. Just so...blah.

For cool factor, this one has to be the winner simply because it's hard plastic. But really, in my experience, Fuji was the worst, at least that one on the bottom row was! Initial quality was decent, but long-term was awful. I regretted using so many of them, as the picture degraded much faster than others, especially with contrast boosting issues.

Kenny and Company

But not just any Kenny and Company...

...it's the Japanese VHS version! A friend in Hawaii sent it to me. I had never seen it and he sent it on a whim that I'd like it. Well, I sure did! What a crazy flick! I'm sure kids loved it back then and would dig it now. It's like a group of Dennis the Menaces. :p I don't think you'd see anything like this now, just for the imitable acts alone!

Interesting little pumpkinheaded skateboarder there.

Good news! You can watch the whole thing on YouTube. :) I highly recommend you check out this quirky slice of mischievous life.

The other parts are available from the same user.

Las Vegas Weekend

Sadly, that car is the best thing about the movie...and that's not even the one that appears in it! The one in the movie is actually much cooler; very muscular with side pipes and everything. ;)

Before we go on to the back cover, let's take a look at an interesting screen that appeared after the standard FBI and Interpol warnings...

I had never seen this before. Kinda neat! But, again on a sad note, such a practice is one foot in the grave, the other above a banana peel nowadays. Let's see if the back cover can cheer us up...

Nope. The movie really doesn't go anywhere and the ending is quite predictable. Barry Hickey did a good job with what he was given to work with, though. I'd watch another movie he was in.

Your World As I See It

Ah, Ernest... A big part of my growing up in the 80s. I didn't even know this special/tape/special tape existed until I bought...

 ...this! (and it only cost $5 at Wal-Mart!) Highest recommendation possible on this if you're an Ernest fan! Ernest's Greatest Hits are especially great, as it compiles a TON of his commercials ("nice mumu, Mrs. Johnson!"), plus bloopers. There is a second volume as well, though not quite as special.

Anyway, back to the tape...

I wish I knew how this was originally broadcast. The way it's done—Astor Clement introduces every story individually, which does get tiresome in a lumped-together format like VHS or DVD, I must say—makes me think that maybe they were interspersed throughout some TV special. Does anyone know?

Dangerous Curves

Dangerous Curves? Oh, I get it! ;) (actually, it's a play on the female form and the main plot of the story)

Porsche = "bikini magnet." Sounds perfectly cromulent to me. Stack and Nielsen are in it, so that's pretty cool. I kinda doubt either would've considered this a particularly noteworthy entry in their long, impressive careers, though.

Just to reiterate, there are several bikinis in this movie. (or whatever bathing suit that is considered)

Here is a trailer for the movie:

Even more bikinis. You have been warned.

Whacky Racers!

I'd've spelled it Wacky, but it wasn't my decision. ;)

These Havoc-like tapes are often hit-and-miss, or just contain stuff I don't want to see (deadly collisions and such), but this one is actually pretty good! Certainly worth the 25 cents I paid for it.

My favorite segment on it, besides any of the rally-type stuff, is a competition held on a beach (Brighton, England, maybe? Can't remember...) where hundreds of motorcyclists race. They all seem to start out fairly well, but then when they hit the first hill, the field is pretty much cut by 2/3. Some try and try and try to get over, but it just doesn't happen for many of them. Must be incredibly frustrating...but it's fun to watch.

Animal Farm[s]

I have two different copies of the 1954 cartoon adaptation of George Orwell's Animal Farm. I'll display them in the order I got them, starting with this more artsy one...

I quite like this one! Simple and very effective. :) A more adult presentation, if you will.

The more novel-like approach continues on the back. Very classy.

Now let's take a look at the much more kid-friendly version...

Simple watercolor painting for this one. I don't know why they have the American flag there instead of a Union Jack, since Manor Farm is in England. Marketing, I guess. :p

Somewhat non-descript back cover with somewhat hard to read text. (but not too bad)

As is the case with many old films, it's YouTube time! I definitely recommend it! :D

Enjoy!