Archive for July, 2013

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Kid Art (1982): Raiders of the Lost Ark

Published July 19, 2013 Kid Art , Raiders of the Lost Ark 3 Comments

Raiders Whelan 1982

Neil Whelan describes his fine work:

On 12 June 1981, Raiders Of The Lost Ark was released in America. Alongside Star Wars, it was a defining film for a generation and 30 years later it’s still one of my top three favourite films of all time.

As was the tradition back in those days before DVD and high definition, films stayed at the cinema for months [after] their initial release rather than being pulled from screens after a couple of weeks.

By the look of this old text book, I didn’t get to see it until 17 April 1982, eventually reviewing it the following Thursday. I think I summed up the plot pretty well and you can instantly see what my favourite scene was.

You have to admit, it is a damn good plot summary, and he nails the scene.

Kenner’s Raiders of the Lost Ark Toys: Map Room Adventure Set (1982)

Published July 19, 2013 Kenner Toys , Raiders of the Lost Ark 2 Comments

ROTLA Map Room 1982

ROTLA Map Room 1982-2

ROTLA Map Room 1982-3

It’s hard to believe now, but no one anticipated how massively successful Raiders of the Lost Ark was going to be. Kenner picked up the merchandising gig late, and the Raiders play sets and action figures didn’t appear until the second half of 1982—after E.T. was released. By then it was too late. Yo Joe!

Apparently looking through the mini headpiece on the mini Staff of Ra revealed the location of the ark in 3-D.

(Images via eBay)

Fantastic Films #27 (January, 1982): Interview with Jim Steranko

Published July 18, 2013 '80s Movies/TV , Blade Runner , Comic Books , Fantastic Films , Jim Steranko , Magazines/Zines , Outland , Raiders of the Lost Ark , Sci-Fi Movies/TV 4 Comments

FF #27 FC

FF #27 TOC

FF #27 pg. 50

FF #27 pg. 51

FF #27 pg. 52

FF #27 pg. 53

FF #27 pg. 62

Comics and illustration genius Jim Steranko on his Raiders of the Lost Ark pre-production art:

The first Raiders painting I did established the character of Indiana Jones. There was really no actor discussed at this point, at least not with me […]

I got a note from George’s [Lucas] secretary describing Indiana Jones, which said that Indy should have a jacket like George wears. That was the only instruction. Fortunately, I knew what kind of jacket George wears. It all worked out very well. I perceived Indiana Jones as a cross between Doc Savage and Humphrey Bogart […]

The definitive image appears on Kenner’s 1981 Raiders of the Lost Ark Game.

Raiders Board Game

Steranko’s Outland adaptation was serialized in Heavy Metal from June, 1981 through January, 1982. You can read the first few pages here.

The movie it’s based on, written and directed by Peter Hyams (Capricorn One, 2010), is generally dismissed as a heavy-handed retelling of High Noon (1952). That’s a mistake. As Steranko says, “[Outland] struck me as being the first noir science fiction film, somewhat in the ‘Chandleresque’ vein.” The film also verges on cyberpunk, and it came out a year before Blade Runner.

It’s fitting that Steranko, deeply influenced by the pulps, also did the cover for the Marvel Super Special Blade Runner cover.

Marvel Blade Runner

Iron Maiden Concert T-Shirt (1982): ‘The Beast Tames Texas’

Published July 17, 2013 '80s Decor/Design/Fashion , '80s Music 2 Comments

Iron Maiden Tee-2

Iron Maiden Tee

Album Covers: Somewhere in Time by Iron Maiden (1986)

Published July 17, 2013 '80s Music , Album Covers , Records (LPs) and Cassettes 8 Comments

Iron Maiden Somewhere in Time

Iron Maiden Somewhere in Time-2

I really wanted to buy this album so I could stare at the fucking fantastic wrap-around cover all day long (click image to enlarge), but in 1986 I was in the punk and post-punk club, and clubs didn’t mix. We listened to Metallica’s Master of Puppets while skateboarding, but that was the extent of my metal intake.

The artist is Derek Riggs, who painted all of Iron Maiden’s ’80s album covers and created Eddie the Head, the grisly mascot who appears in Maiden artwork in different guises. Riggs says of Somewhere in Time:

This is the most complex album cover ever done by anyone… and I’m not going to do it again. It’s too much fucking work. This may be the biggest version that some of you have ever seen. there’s tons of stuff in here, you will have to look and find it for yourself. There’s more about the painting of this in the book “Run for Cover” which is available from my website. They said they wanted something a bit Bladerunner looking so I painted this.

Riggs’ covers for the singles are below as well.

P.S. I’m going back and listening to Iron Maiden’s catalog, starting from the beginning. (Thanks for the reminder, Jason.)

Iron Maiden Stranger

Iron Maiden Stranger-2

Iron Maiden Wasted

Iron Maiden Wasted-2

Ideal’s Battling Tops (1968) and Battling Spaceships (1977)

Published July 16, 2013 Board Games/Tabletop Games , Commercials , Star Wars (Original Trilogy) 4 Comments

Battling Tops 1969

I would like to play this game. Watch the commercial here. In 1977, Ideal repackaged it as Battling Spaceships for obvious reasons. A game board was added around the fighting ring, but the battling part is exactly the same. The box and commercial are below.

See more at Board Game Geek.

Battling Spaceships 1977

Battling Spaceships 1977-2

(Images via eBay; video via D Heine)

Birthday Party, Circa 1969

Published July 16, 2013 '60s Decor/Design/Fashion , Birthdays/Birthday Parties , Board Games/Tabletop Games 7 Comments

BP 1969

BP 1969-2

Read the note.

They’re playing a game called Battling Tops. I’ll do a separate post on that.

(Photo via Look-Around Lounge)

Toy Display, 1980

Published July 15, 2013 Robots , Shogun Warriors , Space Toys/Playsets , Toy Stores/Toy Aisles/Toy Departments 5 Comments

Toy Display 1980

Toy Display 1980-2

In 1980, toys from the ’50s and ’60s were considered vintage, and transformable robots like the DX Daimos (far right) were the hot new thing.

Today, toys from the ’50s and ’60s are forgotten relics, transformable robots are vintage, and the hot new thing is selling vintage toys (and replicas thereof) to 40-year-olds because kids don’t really play with toys anymore.

The “Thank you, Canada” sign refers to what’s now known as the Canadian Caper, the 1979 rescue of American diplomats in Iran fictionalized in Ben Affleck’s Argo.

(Photos via ed/Flickr)

The Coolest Movie Posters of the ’80s?

Published July 12, 2013 '80s Movies/TV , Movie Posters , UnderScoopFire! 1 Comment

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I name my favorites today at UnderScoopFire! Check it out and let me know what you think.

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