Batman Returns SNES Playthrough!
Here’s a playthrough of Batman Returns for the Super Nintendo. I don’t know, it just seemed interesting.
As we mentioned on the latest Purple Stuff Podcast, Batman Returns is very much a Christmas movie, so I feel totally justified in tonight’s viewing choice.
(Never played this game, btw. Was it any good? It sure LOOKS good, anyway.)
Frosty’s Winter Wonderland!
I love Frosty! You do too!
So watch it!
(I needed to be quick tonight.)
PS: Frosty’s Winter Wonderland is the official sequel to Frosty the Snowman… and I’ve somehow never seen it. Wonder what we’re in for?
1980s Christmas Toys on the News!
I dug up some real treats for you tonight. Here are three ancient news reports about 1980s toy fads, all set at Christmastime. I live for this stuff!
This first video reminds us of the Cabbage Patch Kids craze, and the absurd lengths parents went to for ‘em.
While I was too young to pay much mind to the pandemonium, I do remember Toys “R” Us keeping the dolls in that weird “pen” near the front of the store. (The windowed room where they kept all of the super fancy stuff. Before Cabbage Patch Kids, it was unheard of to find such “cheap” toys in there.)
This next video has embedding disabled for whatever reason, so click here to watch it on YouTube.
It’s a strange bit about people protesting war toys — meaning G.I. Joe toys — starring a guy in a Santa Claus suit. It’s set in a department store that isn’t Sears but sure looks a lot like it. Judging by the toys on the shelves, I’m guessing this was shot in 1987. Look close and you’ll spot oodles of Real Ghostbusters figures!
Lastly (and on the lighter side) is this random spotlight on hot holiday toys, probably from 1985. So much great stuff, including shots of Thundercats and Masters of the Universe store displays!
These clips got to me in a big way. I wasn’t at all expecting to tear up over a rando in a Santa suit protesting Cobra Commander tonight, but here we are. Hope you enjoy ‘em as much as I did!
Do They Know It’s Christmas?
I’m a big fan of Do They Know It’s Christmas?, even if I agree that the lyrics get a little boneheaded and would never fly today.
The 1984 charity single featured everyone from Bono to Boy George, and while I obviously must’ve heard it as a kid, I didn’t pay any music much mind until I was in high school. The song was more a part of my older siblings’ generation, and through talking to them I’ve learned that it was even more divisive in its heyday.
Whatever. I’m a sucker for any supergroup charity song, and the fact that this one is all synthy and Christmassy makes it doubly great. Here’s a “Making Of” special that was released on video back in ’84:
Enjoy!
