Five Things - 02.29.16 - I Swear By My Tattoo

Saturday Morning Sneak Peek

Well, they called it what it was. No razzle, no dazzle, no confusion. Also, this was apparently before drop-shadow was invented.

Avery Schreiber and Jack Burns host this 1973 ABC special, under the premise that the comedy duo is setting up a surprise party for Schreiber’s nephew. Burns pulls some strings to invite who he considers the Hollywood A-list: Bugs Bunny, Yogi Bear, Batman, Superman, and Lassie.

Oh, and Rick Springfield.

Oh, and Superman is played by Chuck Woolery.

As they wait for the party to begin, each attendee shows off a reel of their Saturday Morning show: Lassie Rescue Rangers, Superfriends, Yogi’s Ark, and Mission: Magic, which looks absolutely bananas. Springfield predictably introduces his cartoon musically.

Can’t find the full episode of this anywhere, so I don’t know how the party goes but thanks to Avery Schreiber’s son we have about 15 minutes of ’70s-era-TV-magic. And it is magical.

The Power of He-Man

This 1983 home video game features some fantastic box art, a pack-in comic, some great advertising and….some mediocre graphics and gameplay. I’m a little upset that I wasn’t aware of this game in 1983, when I was in the middle of my He-Man Mania. He-Mania? Nevermind.

Pretty ads, right? Here’s our hero in the game:

Oh wait, here he is as He-Man:

The first portion of the game is a side-scroller in He-Man’s speeder.

The second portion is a gorgeous ripoff of Yars’ Revenge set in Castle Greyskull.

Here’s a playthrough:

Radiological Defense

To me, this film is more chiliing than The 8th Day from last week. It’s a 1961 public informational film that goes to lengths to both educate its viewer on the nature of fallout and radiation itself as well as provide information on what to do in the event of a nuclear attack. This one has a kinder hand than most films of this type – there’s not a lot of fear here, just a compassionate sort of education. And some great illustration.