Retroist Retro Podcast

Welcome to my final episode I plan to do about the Jaws franchise. Originally I planned on doing just a podcast about the Jaws NES Game, but as I started working on it, I thought it might be more enjoyable to throw a wider net. So on today’s show, I am going to talk about a few topics related to the film. Mainly, the board games, video games, theme park rides, and trading cards. The format is a little different, I hope not too disruptive. I started the show talking about when I first got my hands on the Jaws Game by ideal. I inherited it and lots of toys from my sister. Them being older has a lot of perks. This was one of them. My toys were normally rooted in the 80s, but as my sisters got older, I had access to all these amazing older toys that I still think of as “my toys” to this day. After I tell my story, I move onto to covering a few topics. Instead of my normal format, I just sort of talk a bit about each topic for a few minutes. This is not a comprehensive coverage of the subject, but really about the Jaws stuff I am most familiar with. You will notices that I do not cover the novelty hit, Mr. Jaws from 1975. I originally recorded a short segment about it, but I didn’t like the way it turned out, but I didn’t want to ignore the “song.” So I included some of it as a bumper. I am very surprised that the Jaws franchise is pretty dead right now. In out franchise obsessed world, it seems like a natural fit. One day, I hope a good director decides to take on the story of killer sharks again. When they do, I will be there.

I have very mixed feeling about Jaws: The Revenge. On the one hand, I found it disappointing when compared to earlier films, on the other hand I am fascinated that it was made and audiences reaction or lack of reaction to it. It is the last of the Jaws film, but was it the killer of the franchise or was the franchise already dying and this was just the last gasp? I saw most of Jaws: The Revenge by myself. I don’t think I had a critical eye at the time, because even though I wanted it to be better, I was entertained enough by it, especially once it started. The FX did stand out as bad, but I liked the change in setting and the silliness of the shark seeking revenge. On this episode of the show, I will talk about the road to making the sequel, the writers, the director, the music, its reception and much more. Its a messy film that might not be critically great, but that doesn’t mean its not interesting. This was a weird movie for me to cover in that I don’t think its a great film. That is not something I usually do. The thing is, the more I started watching it, thinking about it, and reading the novelization, the more interesting I found it. As you move further along in the Jaws sequels, fewer and fewer people see them. With this one, things have flatlined. Its reputation precedes it so much that people have avoided it like a shark plagued Amity beach. So will you think the movie is great after listening to this? Probably not, and I am not trying to convince you, but I do hope it makes you think about the movie.

Like many people at the time, I was really into the early 80s 3D revival. With interesting 3D offerings on TV and on the big screen, it was fun time to be watching stuff. Not many of these entertainment events were well-reviewed at the time, and because of the limitations of home 3D viewing, not many of them have managed to find modern fandom. I saw Jaws 3D at the theater with my best friend at the time. We were both enthusiastic about the prospect and unlike some critics, we were wow’d by the 3D effects. So much so that we completely ignored everything else about the movie and needed to see it again. Even then I am not sure, we weren’t just anticipating the FX and not paying attention to the plot or the acting. On today’s show I will discuss Jaws 3D. I will talk about the road to making the sequel, the writers, the director, the music, its reception and much more. While filming Jaws 3D wasn’t easy, you don’t hear the same horror stories about production that you hear about the first two films. Still, pre-production was messy with producers leaving and at least one writer very unhappy with how the film turned out. I might come across like I am defending Jaws 3D and I am. I am aware that it is not a great film. It is imperfect, but it also is interesting. Not only because it opted to use 3D technology, but because it took a big chance trying to change the formula of the first two Jaws’ films. Not all these decisions were good ones, but I think in retrospect especially they make the film watching or rewatching at least once.

My family was very excited to see Jaws whenever it came on television, but never mustered the same enthusiasm for its first sequel. Because of this, I had an opportunity to read a copy of the Jaws 2 novelization before I saw the film. I really enjoyed the book and was hopeful that the film would match it, but I was surprised to find they were different. While many times after this it would happen, this was the first instance of where I found a book more enjoyable than a film. On today’s show I will discuss Jaws 2. I will talk about the road to making the sequel, the change of directors, the novelization, the music, its reception and much more. As you might remember if you listened to my Jaws podcast, it was fraught with problems. So it probably won’t surprise you to learn that the sequel might have had just as many. Over the years I have come to enjoy Jaws 2 for what it is, a lighter more over the top sequel to a much better film. As directed it is a great film to watch during any summer and I am pleased to finally be able to discuss it here on the podcast.

The first time I saw Jaws was on television and I found it terrifying and compelling. After seeing it, I needed to see it again and again. It was one of the first video tapes my family rented and an early purchase of mine once I started getting a discount at Suncoast Motion Picture Company as an employee. That tape was used so often its slip cover was shredded and the tracking on the tape became impossible. I guess what I want to say is, I love this movie. So I am very happy to redo my original Jaws podcast for the 50th anniversary of the film’s release. On the show, I talk about one of my early encounters with what might have been a shark at the Jersey shore. Then I move onto the movie itself. I discuss its troubled production, the people in front of and behind the camera, alternate casting, its music, reception, and much much more. Jaws changed the movies. While it might have come out in the 70s and I didn’t get to see it in theaters until much later. Every movie I saw in my childhood was different because this film existed. So if you haven’t seen Jaws, please check out out and if you have seen it, I think its time you return to it.

Over the years, I have been slowly trying to cover all of Atari’s console releases. The first one I talked about, the Atari 5200, was way back in 2009. Well, I am happy to announce that I have finally covered all of the released consoles now with this podcast about the Atari XEGS. This console was interesting in that it combined a computer and gaming console in an attractive and cohesive packages. Unfortunately for Atari, releasing it in 1987, was just too little too late. And while there was some initial enthusiasm for the system, it quickly faded, buried under the efforts of Nintendo and to a lesser extent Sega. Still, while it might have failed, it was an interesting effort and worth discussing. On today’s show, I talk all about the Atari XEGS. Discussing its designer, the company who made it, its reception, release, and much more. This being an Atari release, I found some great retro audio to include that I hope you enjoy. Many consoles have been released that didn’t set the world on fire. That doesn’t mean they should be forgotten. Atari was trying something that certainly had been attempted before, but I think you could argue that they did it best up to this point.

Arcades in the early half the 80s had a constant flow of new machines. Some were food, you would play them a few times and forget about the, but other’s attracted a crowd. Robotron 2084 attracted a crowd. I can still remember trying to catch glimpse of the screen while adult after adult kept playing the game. Eventually I made my way to the screen and put my quarter in. The experience was intense, but I was hooked. On this episode of the Retroist Podcast, I am going to discuss this arcade classic. I start off talking about what an incredible workout the game could be before moving onto the game itself. Then I go over the games evolution, the company and people who made it, its reception, scoring, the world record, and much more. The thing about Robotron that makes it so good is that it's a lot of fun when you start out and you're just shooting everywhere. But the game is at its best when it is completely out of control. When you do not expect to survive, and you sometimes do. So the challenge of making this game is to funnel and control the chaos, giving the player of the game just amount of agency to win. But it's always a tightrope that they're walking. And they do it so well with colorful graphics, amazing sound, wonderful level design in a great package. So if you haven't played Robotron in a while, never played it before, go find a way to do so. It's one of the great games of the early 80s, and it's worth your time.

In the late 1980s, a new multiplayer beat-em-up hit arcades, Golden Axe. It took what other games had done and added new depth to combat, a healthy dose of magic, and wrapped it all in Conan-style sword & sorcery. It wasn’t just a hit with me and my friends, but an international success that spawned multiple ports and sequels, each adding something to the franchise and the brawler genre as whole. I loved playing this game in the arcade, but one of my best memories of it was wrapped up in the Sega Genesis version. So I start the show discussing how a game rental turned into the last all-night game sessions I ever had with a childhood friend. Then I move onto the game itself. I talk about the company and people who made it, its release, reception, and technology. While I might not be a Golden Axe master, I have played it through several times, so I also share some of my strategies for the game. Golden Axe remains significant for its role in shaping the beat 'em up genre. So significant that it looks like we might be getting a TV show based on it. One can hope that this will lead to future sequels or reimaginations of the original. And why not? With its blend of action, fantasy, and cooperative play, it helped set a new standard and one of its sequels was arguably even better. This is an important title in the history of video games, so I hope you give the show a listen and then go check out the game for yourself. If you can bring a friend, the experience will be all the better.

A few months ago, I was chatting with my sister and out of nowhere she asked me if I had done a Valley Girl podcast yet. She loves this movie and it has come up a few times over the years. I responded that I hadn’t gotten to it yet and that I would get to it soon. I had actually tried to record it many years ago, in my first year or so of podcast, but I don’t think I handled it well, and never released it. I felt a little guilty and so I decided that I needed to get a Valley Girl episode into the feed. I start the show talking about what it was like not having agency in what videos were rented in your house. Being the youngest, I was a little resentful at the time, but now I realize how much richer my life is because of all the movies I was exposed to that I never would have chosen. One of those is Valley Girl, which my sister rented for herself, but I was never one to shy away from new entertainment and I watched it as well multiple times. After I finished telling my story I move onto the film itself. I discuss how a Zappa song turned into a lawsuit that didn’t derail a film that has often been described as Vall-sploitation. Other films in this genre were released, but non were as well-made and well-acted as this one. Then I talk about production, the case, the music, the reception, and much more. I am not sure why Valley Girl isn’t more popular. Maybe its because its a little rough around the edges, but I find that charming. It, and movies lie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, helped to establish tropes that other 80s films would borrow, and it deserves to be watched and celebrated.

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 sister asked a great questions, “What is Mr. Roarke?” It was a simple questions, but would have an effect on how I consumed media moving forward. I start the podcast talking about how that questions came up before moving onto the show itself, where I do find an answer to it. Maybe its not an official answer, but its pretty close. Then I talk about the show’s development, production, cast, broadcast, and much more. The idea behind Fantasy Island is strong. Strong enough that they have attempted to re-use the idea multiple times. Which is why I don’t understand how the full run of the show isn’t on physical media. It is a show that’s future I worry about, and I hope it gets a few of you to check it out and/or revisit it.