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Star Wars Flying Model Rocket Ads (1977, 1978)

Published January 30, 2013 Ads , Space Toys/Playsets , Star Wars (Original Trilogy) 3 Comments

star wars model rockets-3

star wars model rockets-2

star wars model rockets

Remember when the kid in The Gate launched his big rocket at the giant four-handed demon lord thing and the giant four-handed demon lord thing exploded and closed the portal to hell and the kid’s dog came back to life? Yeah. That was awesome.

Okay, so the first video below shows what I think are the ’97 Estes re-issues (poor R2), as well as a custom built Y-Wing. The second video shows what happens when the chute on an original X-Wing doesn’t deploy. Oops.

EDIT (1/31/13): Lefty Limbo has a sweet Estes Iron-On Transfer on display here.

(Images via kenyatabks)

(Videos via Calvertfilm and proprioceptions3)

J.J. ‘Less Story, More Explosions’ Abrams to Direct the New Star Wars Movie

Published January 25, 2013 Star Wars (Original Trilogy) 2 Comments

I feel a great disturbance in the force.

 

Top Trumps Spacecraft Cards

Published January 21, 2013 Battlestar Galactica , Sci-Fi/Space Art , Star Wars (Original Trilogy) , Trading Cards Leave a Comment

titlecard

backcard

combatcraftcylon

combatcraftstardestroyer

fightercolonial

planetarylunar

spacecolonycolumbus

spacecolonydeathstar

Fascinating West German cards from about 1980. I’ve seen them on eBay/UK before, and I’m assuming they were big with the Star Wars kids across the pond. The spacecraft represented are an odd mix of sci-fi and sci-almost-fact, and the descriptions are priceless.

The speed of the Yavin Interceptor, to be in service by the year 4000, is 25 km/sec, but the speed of the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle, in service as of 1972 (how about 1969, when it actually landed on the moon), is “unknown.”

The Cyclon [sic] Raider is “super-fast,” the Colonial Viper can “change direction without turning around,” the Death Star “consists of metal that has been melted to weightlessness,” etc.

See the entire 32-card set at The Pointless Museum, where I grabbed the images above.

Star Wars Kenner Ads (1978 – 1980)

Published January 9, 2013 Ads , Star Wars (Original Trilogy) 1 Comment

Star Wars Kenner Ad-3

Star Wars Kenner Ad-4

Star Wars Kenner Ad-1

Star Wars Kenner Ad-2

Who wrote this stuff? Check out the description of R5-D4 in the second to last ad:

One of the incredible number of droids human inginuity devised. R5D4 was a highly sophisticated, semi-sentient, pro-grammable droid capable of independent action & limited decision making capability.

And how about Snaggletooth, who “stands at a deadly 2¾” high!”?

Not that I cared at the time. I just wanted them all.

(Images via Kenyatabks/eBay)

Christmas Morning, 1980: The Empire Strikes Back

Published December 21, 2012 '70s Decor/Design/Fashion , Christmas , Christmas Morning , Star Wars (Original Trilogy) 3 Comments

Christmas Morning Star Wars

Christmas Morning Star Wars-2

Christmas Morning Star Wars-3

Christmas Morning Star Wars-4

Would you let your parents dress you up in these atrocious outfits if you knew loot like this waited beneath the tree? Yes. Yes you would.

In the first shot, unboxed, we’ve got two Tauntauns (Solid Belly), the Falcon, Darth Vader’s Star Destroyer, and a Darth Vader Collector’s Case. Among the heap of boxes behind the kids, I see the Snowspeeder, the Twin Pod Cloud Car (I think that’s a second one on the far left), and the Cloud City Playset (a Sears exclusive). Only one of the toys is from the original Star Wars line: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter. You can see it better in the third photo.

Our furniture looked like this. We had those TV trays. My dad had those moccasins.

Christmas Toy Aisle Zen (1981): Lego Space and The Empire Strikes Back

Published December 20, 2012 Lego , Lego Space , Star Wars (Original Trilogy) , Toy Stores/Toy Aisles/Toy Departments 2 Comments
Toy Aisle Lego 1981

Target, December 19, 1981. (Bonnie McCune/Denver Post)

The only thing better than perusing classic toys on toy aisles during Christmastime is perusing stacks upon stacks of classic toys on toy aisles during Christmastime. Our toy department manager is stocking the Alpha-1 Rocket Base.

Behind the bundle she’s holding you can see stacks of Millenium Falcons.

(First image via Big Ole Photos)

Christmas Morning, 1978: Everything! (Part One)

Published December 19, 2012 Battlestar Galactica , Christmas , Christmas Morning , Comic Books , Remote Control , Space Toys/Playsets , Star Trek , Star Wars (Original Trilogy) 7 Comments

Mikey Christmas 1978

Are you serious? There’s an entire layer of toys that’s covered by other toys!

The Spider-Man comic on the right, underneath the Death Star, is Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #27, a Bronze Age key. It marks the first time Frank Miller drew Daredevil.

The ship on the left, above the Radio-Control Racer, is a Star Bird Avenger. Right next to it is the Star Bird Command Base, seen below via John Kenneth Muir.

Star Bird Command Base

The red box under the tree is Tin Can Alley, a shooting game from Ideal. The rifle emitted a light pulse that, if aimed correctly, would knock over the cans on the “range.”

(First image via WEBmikey/Flickr)

(Video via tvdays/YouTube)

Star Wars Fan Club Ad (1977)

Published November 29, 2012 Ads , Star Wars (Original Trilogy) 1 Comment

The most interesting thing to me about this is that it appeared in American Girl magazine. Here’s a cleaner copy of the same ad.

Star Wars FC 1977

I chuckled at the “Prices slightly higher outside the Solar System” line.

Movie Theater Marquees

Published November 12, 2012 '80s Movies/TV , Movie Theaters/Marquees , Star Wars (Original Trilogy) Leave a Comment

The Joy Theater, New Orleans, LA, 1981. Via JoyTheater/Flickr.

I guess it was too much trouble to write out The Empire Strikes Back. They could have added Han at least.

I remember watching Nighthawks on VHS. It’s standard cop movie fare, if I recall, and Rutger Hauer’s first American film (his second one was Blade Runner).

Darth Mickey Vader

Published October 31, 2012 Star Wars (Original Trilogy) Leave a Comment

Courtesy of Stargazer95050/Flickr. Thanks to Lefty Limbo for the link.

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