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!

The Jet Benny Show

*sigh* It's The Jet Benny Show...

Prepare yourself indeed! But how?! This painting reminds me of something... No, don't tell me! :p

The packaging is nice, as is the logo. (which also reminds me of something...) Anyway, the premise is interesting, but overall, ugh. It drags on and on and on and on and on... I picked it up at a video store that was closing and I believe it had been rented twice in the past 25 years. :p

This is the only clip I could find of it at YouTube:

So there you go. Here are a couple of other Bennys...

Benny "The Jet" Urquidez versus Jackie Chan...

and Benny (on the right), one of the cats that lives outside...

UPDATE Mar. 16, 2020: I don't know what happened to Benny, but her brother Handsome on the left is still around. Saw him yesterday. He'll be 8 in a couple of months!

Psycho Skate

I love old school skateboarding videos and still buy VHS copies when I find them. The older and more obscure the better. :) I was so happy to find this legendary (and controversial, as explained below) video!

 

 Typical busy, though not terribly interesting, cover. The huge bright lettering certainly draws your attention, though.

Same busy look on the back. (obviously)

 

This tape featured a LOT of the big names at the time, including Vision posterboy Mark "Gator" Rogowski. A lot of people hated his parts in this at the time (some goofiness, some arrogance), viewing him as a bit of a corporate sell-out. He had the look and they took advantage of it. (this even led to the rise of smaller companies like Blind, who tried to be the opposite of the corporate machine called Vision) Sadly, he later became a rapist and murderer, so some people also hate this video in hindsight. (similar to how people say that WWE is now supposedly erasing Chris Benoit from history) I take it for what it is: a fascinating snapshot of a great era of skating. It really has everything.

Happily, the entire video is available for your viewing pleasure! :)