Retroist Retro Podcast

I don’t think that Fantasy Island was a show that was meant for the entire family, but with my family’s liberal bedtime and television policy, it became a hit with my sisters and I. Half the time, I didn’t really understand what was going on, but the show was mysterious and exciting. So every week I looked forward to watching it, and when I discovered it was shown in re-runs, I would check it out there as well. Then one day, my sis...

The Magnavox Odyssey 2 was a contender early on in the video game console world. It had a lot going for it, but it was up against a gaming juggernaut, the Atari 2600, and just couldn’t keep up. Still it is a memorable system and worth spending some time remembering. So, on todays, show I will talk about this often overlooked gaming console.

I begin by talking about my childhood encounter with the Odyssey came about because of a cas...

I have met a couple of adults who are unlucky enough to have never visited a Chuck E. Cheese as a kid. Many of them were not able to fathom why anyone would feel affection to the chain. Some of them would be lucky enough to see it through their kid’s eyes’ eventually, but for many, they will just never understand the magic. So on today’s episode of the Retroist Podcast, I want to talk a little bit about that magic.

I started by dis...

Streets of Fire is a rock n roll fantasy film that crossed genres and had music at its center. Unfortunately, even though it was wildly creative, when it hit theaters in 1984, the reception to the film was underwhelming. Fortunately though, when the film made its way to home video and cable TV, it started to develop a following. Nowadays its has a high-level cult status and many critics have looking more kindly on it.

While mediocr...

For years I have been considering doing a Monkees podcast. It has always felt like a big subject since I believe the band was very important in the history of pop music. I have tried to record it a couple of times, but was never happy with the direction or the results. This time I decided to mainly focus on the TV show, and I am happy with how it turned out.

On the show, I start by discussing a friend in school who was obsessed wit...

At one point in the mid-80s, two light based combat gun games hit the market, Lazer Tag and Photon. I wanted Lazer Tag and would eventually get one, but the first set I got was Photon. Which my grandmother got me as a very thoughtful Christmas Gift.

In the episode I start by talking about how poorly I received the gift, but to my grandmother’s credit, she kept it in mind. Many months later she would surprise me with a visit to a Ph...

Like most people, I grew up in my own bubble filled with things that me, my family and friends enjoyed together. It didn’t even occur to me that the rest of the world didn’t love UHF. It was very high on my re-watch for at least a year and was very quotable.

I begin the episode talking about what my friends and I took away from our first viewing, Twinkie Dogs! We decided to try it and the results were mixed. I later learned that We...

When I say Burger Chef to most people, they might recognize the name from its appearance on Mad Men, but most people haven’t heard of. This, despite it being the second largest fast food chain in the United States by 1973. Its rise was dramatic, its fall, sad. On this episode of the show, I want to talk to you about this wonderful fast food restaurant.

I start the show talking about my childhood visits to the chain. They were all s...

The hype around Santa Claus the Movie put it at the top of my must-see list in 1985. My family were big Dudley Moore fans and McDonald’s was pushing it with a Happy Meal tie-in. So we drove a few towns over to see it the weekend it opened. It was a great movie-going experience with a very well-decorated theater and an appearance by Santa Claus. I was convinced this was going to be a huge hit, but unfortunately it wasn’t in the Unit...

I remember seeing the trailer for Three O'Clock High and then seeing the ad in the newspaper. Luckily my best friend and I went to see it the week it opened because it wasn’t in the theater very long. For years afterwards we would try and champion the film and when we would convince people to watch it, they almost all walked away as a fan. So I am hoping to convince you to watch it by talking about it in a podcast. This episode doe...

In 1987, what is arguably the best Thanksgiving movie ever made, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles hit theaters. Like many people who saw it, I instantly fell in love with it and over the years I have watched maybe over a hundred times. Its a heartfelt comedy, that isn’t afraid to go over the top with humor (or its language). So I am very happy to be able cover it on this newest episode of the Retroist Podcast.

I start the episode ta...

In the 1990s, I fell in love with the western genre because an amazing show premiered on FOX, The Adventures of Brisco Country Jr., starring Bruce Campbell. This show was expected to be a big hit and widely praised, but failed to find a home and sadly had only one season. Despite this, or maybe because of it, the show developed a cult following.

I start the show talking about the closest thing we had to the old west in New Jersey, ...

Halloween is just around the corner, and I wanted to talk about a made-for-TV movie that I first saw as a kid: Dark Night of the Scarecrow. This spooky revenge film revolves around a terrifying scarecrow and has haunted me ever since I first watched it. It’s a perfect film for this time of year, with its eerie atmosphere and unsettling themes, so I hope you’ll consider giving it a watch.

I kick off the episode by sharing a personal...

Back in 2009, I recorded a podcast about It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. It was a childhood favorite and a podcast that many people have emailed me about over the years. So now that I am committed to revisiting some of my older episodes, this one went straight to the top of the list. It's a great subject to cover at this time of year, and I hope you enjoy it.

I start the episode by talking about a memorable time when I watch...

The Retroist Podcast is back with an episode I promised to release during my first year of the podcast, The Goonies. On this episode, my first of the new season, I am happy to finally have covered this classic and beloved film.

I start the show off by talking about how the film was inspiring to me in unexpected ways that have had a positive long-term effect on me. Then I move onto the film itself, I talk about the people in front o...

Welcome to the 400th episode of the Retroist Podcast. On this episode, my last of the season, I decided to talk about the 1984 Summer Olympics. These Los Angeles games were a big deal for me. I don’t remember any Olympic activity before it, and no other Games have been as enjoyable for me.

I begin the show discussing my bit of bootleg patriotism that I wore proudly that summer. Then I move onto the games itself, covering the lead u...

On the newest episode of the Retroist Podcast, I am revisiting a subject I dealt with over a decade ago, the VCR. The original episode I did, had always been a favorite of mine, but I have wanted to revisit it to update the audio, mix, music, and information. It was fun to not just redo the episode, but listen to the original and see how much has changed with how I do the show. Still, I think the DNA of the show is pretty much the ...

As this season of the Retroist Podcast wraps up, I wanted to cover some of the films that tried to cash in on the breakdancing craze.  Breakin’ was the first film to hit the theaters, and it captured the attention of my friends and I.  Our dancing crew wasn’t very good and didn’t last long, but it was a lot of fun.  I start off the show talking about one of our last dance sessions.

Then I move onto the movie itself. I talk about th...

I wanted to wrap up my coverage of Indiana Jones with a discussion of some Indy odds and ends. So on this episode of the Retroist Podcast, I am going to talk about Indiana Jones Merchandise. I focus on the things I was most familiar with while growing up, so this is not comprehensive.

The show starts with a little story about comic book collecting. Although maybe it is more of a story about how collecting has changed over the years...