“But it’s the earplug that makes being alone and together, at the same time, possible…” It’s a very hollow definition of “together” that becomes hollower as the gadgets proliferate.
You see, the “smart” phone was inevitable.
Archive Page 56
Board Games: Chess II (Ungame, 1978)
Published November 25, 2014 Board Games/Tabletop Games Leave a Comment
What is Chess II?
You follow the rules of standard chess, devise your strategy, develop your tactics and make your move. But your playing piece attacks like a space craft, changing trajectory as it travels.
Here’s how I think it happened. The president of Ungame Corporation was smoking a joint in “the office” (a beanbag-sized section of his studio apartment demarcated by a bead curtain) and said to himself, “Like, hey man, how can I make some money on Star Wars without actually doing anything? I got no money to spend on development, no money for licenses—wait, man, wait, I’ll just make a kind of trippy chess board, call the pieces spaceships, and give one of my buddies some drugs to paint a far-out chess game in outer space…”
Was there a Checkers II? Not as far as I can tell. But there was a Space Checkers (1965), which was used as a prop in several episodes of the original Star Trek. A Space Chess game followed in 1969, hence the folks at Ungame settling on the decidedly unimaginative name of Chess II. Something wrong with Intergalactic Chess?
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Color & Build Castle (A.R.C., 1983)
Published November 24, 2014 Arts and Crafts , D&D , D&D Non-Gaming Merchandise 7 Comments
It’s not this incredibly amazing paper model of Prague Castle from the 1970s, but what is? At least it took some imagination to devise (paper craft combined with poster art), and a lot of effort to complete (you’ll see that our first owner did not get very far). And it’s versatile enough to be gaming-relevant, especially for younger players.
Warduke and friends are here, of course, prime for catapulting. There’s even a page of torture devices!
Battlestar Galactica Poster Art Set (Craft Master, 1978)
Published November 21, 2014 Arts and Crafts , Battlestar Galactica , Posters/Poster Art/Poster Pen Sets/Paint by Number 6 Comments
I had this one. Note the coloring hints, especially “These pens contain more than enough ink to complete all the posters in your set.” I call bullshit.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind Poster Pen Set (Craft House, 1978)
Published November 21, 2014 Arts and Crafts , Close Encounters of the Third Kind , Posters/Poster Art/Poster Pen Sets/Paint by Number 2 Comments
Poster pen sets and poster art became popular during the latter half of the 1970s, part of a general arts and crafts surge that included everything from latch hook rugs to paintable figurines. (The oversized, “fine art” coloring books innovated by Troubador Press were an obvious inspiration.) There were poster sets before Star Wars, but Star Wars kicked the format into overdrive, making it relevant and exciting to the emerging geek generation.
(Images via eBay)
Star Wars Screen Print (Pattern Rights, 1978)
Published November 20, 2014 Sci-Fi/Space Art , Star Wars (Original Trilogy) , UFOs 2 Comments
What the holy hell? Luke and Leia are identifiable, if absurd, but everything else is madness. Is that Manhattan blowing up? Is that a red stretch limousine? And why the holy hell are flying saucers sucking humanoids off of the planet with a tractor beam? I want to see this movie.
I don’t see Star Wars written anywhere on the pattern, so it has to be a knock-off. And it’s a brilliant one.
(Images via eBay)
The Hardy Boys Mysteries Lunchbox (1977)
Published November 19, 2014 '70s Movies/TV , Hardy Boys, The , Lunchboxes Leave a Comment
Klipsch Promotional T-Shirt Featuring Frodo (Circa 1978)
Published November 19, 2014 '70s Decor/Design/Fashion , Lord of the Rings, The 1 Comment
A very peculiar item produced and sold (and/or given away) by Klipsch, a loudspeaker company based in the Midwest. We see front and back views of Frodo holding the (fiery?) ring, straddling a Lascala model speaker. `Bullshit’ is written on the back of the shirt—in Dwarven runes!—an apparent reference to the outlandish claims of Klipsch’s overpriced competitors.
The shirt was even modeled in Klipsch promotional materials at the time, as seen below. Wear one of these while driving a Honda Hobbit and I’ll give you a Lord of the Rings key ring to round out the trilogy.
(Images via eBay and the Klipsch forums)
The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries Opening Theme (1977 – 1978)
Published November 18, 2014 '70s Movies/TV , Hardy Boys, The 2 CommentsThe theme was written by Glen A. Larson, the creator and executive producer of the show. It’s one of the very best in the medium—haunting, mysterious, and catchy as hell. He also co-wrote the themes for Knight Rider and Battlestar Galactica, among others. (Larson got his show business start in the 1950s as a singer and composer in the Four Preps.) For the third and final season, the format changed (Nancy Drew was dropped and the Boys found themselves working for the Justice Department) and the theme was very unfortunately jazzed up.
I’ve been making my way through Magnum P.I. (another Larson hit) and the The Hardy Boys for the last few months. The shows may be silly at times, and “uncomplicated” compared to today’s supposed “golden age of television,” but I find them cozy, fun, and deeply, refreshingly hopeful.
2 Warps to Neptune 