BREEDERS OF THE LOST STORK: HOWARD THE DUCK RAIDERS POSTER RECREATION

We all know the film Howard the Duck was a bomb and has often been criticized. I saw the film during its initial release in 1986 when I was sixteen. Even though I left the movie feeling disappointed, it still had some nuggets of coolness between the cracks. At the beginning of the film and inside Howard's apartment we see his collection of movie posters on the wall. Like everything on Duckworld, things are skewed towards a duck theme. For only a few frames we see the movie's gold nugget, a poster parody of Raiders of the Lost Ark, renamed Breeders of the Lost Stork. Wow! I've always loved parody and seeing a glimpse of that Breeders poster was such a fun moment.

After seeing the movie, I really wanted a Breeders of the Lost Stork poster for my poster cluttered bedroom wall. I had hoped the poster would be offered for purchase through the Star Wars/Lucasfilm fan club, Bantha Tracks. For a few issues, they sold Howard the Duck movie posters, but the club closed up shop and Howard the Duck bombed at the box office. When the internet hatched, I thought eventually, a good image besides the same screen grabs would pop up. I've never seen one. 

Okay internet, until a nice scan of the original prop poster surfaces, here's my feeble attempt to recreate the poster digitally. At least now, we can view it better outside of a screen grab.  

Maybe now that the egg is rolling, someone who is a real digital wizard will make one that's more precise than mine.

Here's the original Raiders poster that was parodied by the filmmakers as found on the Heritage Auctions website, next to the Breeders one. 

 

Due to the popularity of the Guardians of the Galaxy end credits scene, we just might get a new and much improved Howard the Duck movie. I hope tucked in the background will be a Breeders of the Lost Stork poster! Now that would be a neato cool Easter egg! 

MOVIE MAGIC: THE SPECIAL EFFECTS OF STAR WARS AND BEYOND

I can't think of a better place to take your college sweetheart on Valentine's Day than a lecture on the special effects of Star Wars!

I ran across this Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University) clipping about this neat lecture by ILM alumni Jamie Shourt and Robert Blalack. It made the college campus rounds back in 1979 and '80. I don't have much to share, but these few clippings that I found online. I thought I'd go ahead and post them and hopefully someone might shed some light on this event. The lecture probably inspired some students to become filmmakers and possibly seek a future in special effects.

Below is an ad and a small article about the lecture from Bowling Green University on April 18, 1979.

DON'T FORGET TO WISH YOUR MUMMY HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

HAPPY VLADENTINE!

And you thought Vlad only showed up during the Halloween Countdown. Like a stake through the heart, here's a group of Vladentines! (Be sure to follow Castle Vlad on Facebook!)

VALENTINE FELT SOUVENIR FROM THE 1940 NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR

FLEA MARKET FRIDAYS #87

Here's something perfect for the day before Valentine's Day.  

Last weekend, I attended an antique show and added some things to my 1939-40 New York World's Fair collection. The item I'm featuring today is a fun one, especially for this month. Interesting that this one is Valentine's Day themed, especially since the second year of the fair didn't open until April. I've seen examples of paper "school" style NYWF Valentines before but this is the first time I've seen a felt one.

Seventy-five years ago, Oscar and Bernice probably waited a few minutes at one of the many exhibits and had this souvenir  embroidered with their names. When I find personalized souvenirs like this I can't help to wonder who the people were. What was this couple's story? Young or old? Dating or married? Did they have a long life together? Always questions with souvenirs like this. One question that probably can be answered is that Oscar and Bernice apparently had a fun day being together at the 1940 New York World's Fair!  

PARTY ON DUDES, IT'S ABE'S BIRTHDAY

As we celebrate our greatest President's birthday today, let's remember one of his most excellent speeches. The one from 1988 at San Dimas High School.

"Four score and seven minutes ago we, your forefathers were brought forth upon a most excellent adventure conceived by our new friends, Bill and Ted. These two great gentleman are dedicated to a proposition which was true in my time, just as it's true today. Be excellent to each other...and party on dudes!"

THE JUNK ART CAR OF BRANSON

 

In Branson, Missouri there used to be an art car parked next to an Old Time photo studio and T-shirt shop on Highway 76. It sat across the street from the Grand Country Square, but in recent years it has disappeared.  I'm not sure when this jalopy of hodgepodge showed up on the Branson strip. I have no clue who the artist/owner was. I really don't know zilch about this car. But for whatever reason, it kind of fascinated me. To the chagrin of the First Lady of Neato Coolville, I always made a point to acknowledge it when we drove by. "Hey, there's the junkmobile!" Maybe it reminded me of all those goofy cars featured in the pages of SuperMag, that I used to read as a kid. Also, it reminded me of Memory Jugs from way back in the day. In April 2008, I hurriedly stopped and snapped some photos of this mosaic mess of a car. I always intended to go back and take some better and more detailed shots. These will have to do.

Doesn't it look like it crashed through a flea market and everything stuck to it? Or better yet, a flea market barfed all over it. Yeah, the last analogy seems to fit it better.

Like a nightmare scene out of Toy Story. Lots of toys and action figures sit permanently affixed to the car. Two He-Man figures, a headless Prince Adam and Leech watch the Branson tourists drive on by. (Uh...well... not Adam.)

I spy Pez, Happy Meal Toys, Hot Wheels, game pieces, dinosaurs, horses, He-Man figures and a panda. Where's Waldo? Nope, there's no Waldo in this jumble. So instead, lets play Where's the Wicked Witch of the West? Can you find her. Also, for bonus points see if you can find Batman.

You know that song One Piece At A Time by Johnny Cash? Yeah, that song fits for this car!

I know Lucasfilm has licensed a lot of stuff through the years, but this is taking things a little too far! Also, I don't think license plates that came from a box of Honeycomb cereal is legal for use on a car. I'm talking to you Adam and Jim!

No souvenir plate for Branson? Missed opportunity if you ask me. 

Yikes! Are those rubber lobsters on the top or actual lobster corpses? Also, I'm guessing the shattered windshield wasn't the artist's original intention. Someone must not have been a fan of this car.

Oh, I get it! This art car is not really an art car but instead a hillbilly Transformer in the form of an art car. "Transformers, junk disguised as art! Transformers, ouch, I got something in my eye! Transformers...." Oh, sorry about that. I got a little carried away singing.

 

This car is the lizard king and chess master of art cars!

Now this section of the car is a tad bit creepy. That doll head looks a little crispy.

Wow, this car was loaded with advanced technology and powered by Radio Shack's TRS-80 computer! Maybe it talked like KITT.

God bless America and God bless this car in the unknown junk yard that it might reside in!

FOUND PHOTO: MS BROADSHOULDERS CABINET CARD

Remember the classic scene from The Carol Burnett Show? You know the famous scene! The one where Carol walks down the stairs with the curtain rod dress during the Gone with the Wind parody, Went with the Wind.

Click here for a short interview video about the dress from the famous skit.

This past weekend I found in an antique store a cabinet card photo of a real life Victorian curtain rod gal. I don't know anything about women's fashion from the 19th century, but I can say I've never seen a photo like this one before. When I discovered this photo in an antique booth, I had to laugh. So did the First Lady of Neato Coolville. Just the night before, we watched Gone with the Wind.  Then the next day, we discussed the film in the car in route to the antique store and of course the Carol Burnett spoof came up in our conversation. Just a short time after reminiscing about the classic skit, I found the photo.  Crazy-weird-funny!

Since the photo is not id'd, I've named her Ms. Broadshoulders. I doubt she had abnormally wide shoulders or a curtain rod under her dress, but my guess is that she's wearing a costume for a stage play. Anyway, this photo was just too funny not to share today.