Television
SelectaVision
Once upon a time, before laser-read discs, there was SelectaVision: movie discs that were interpreted by a mechanical stylus, just like vinyl records.Read about the technology here.
And there are plenty of players and discs for sale cheap on eBay, if you want to go retro!
The first four minutes of the video below show lots of period films offered in the medium. Starting at the four-minute mark, you see the player and how it works.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jun 28, 2009 -
Comments (3)
Category: Movies, Technology, Television, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
LazyTown
This song appears to derive from the the Icelandic kids show LAZYTOWN. Man, those are some creepy characters.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jun 14, 2009 -
Comments (5)
Category: Music, Television, Children, Europe
Japanese Game Shows
It is no secret that Japan has some of the strangest game shows, but the combination of costumes, tasks, and punishment in this show is beyond explanation.
Posted By: fyshstyxx - Sun Jun 14, 2009 -
Comments (5)
Category: Games, Insects and Spiders, Television, Video, Asia
Penis Power
Posted By: Paul - Mon Apr 13, 2009 -
Comments (8)
Category: Body, Genitals, Sexuality, Television, Men, Women
The Treadmill Challenge
Weirdness from the world of Japanese game shows:
Posted By: Alex - Sat Apr 11, 2009 -
Comments (4)
Category: Exercise and Fitness, Games, Television, Asia
The New People
A TV series about plane-crash survivors on a weird island? Must be Lost, right?Well, not in 1969. Back then, it was THE NEW PEOPLE.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Mar 10, 2009 -
Comments (1)
Category: Fads, Pop Culture, Television, 1960s, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
The Veil
Television has lots of weird practices. Surely, creating ten episodes of a series and never broadcasting them is pretty weird. Yet that's what happened with the Boris Karloff spooky series titled THE VEIL in 1958.Here's the first part of one of the episodes, with five remaining segments easily found on YouTube, if this portion appeals.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Mar 06, 2009 -
Comments (3)
Category: Horror, Television, 1950s
The Fairies
I think that this Australian kiddie show has a good chance to rival Barney or the Smurfs for saccharine content.I kept waiting for a lawnmower to visit their grassy realm.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Feb 19, 2009 -
Comments (8)
Category: Music, Television, Children, Dance, Australia
Pat Paulsen in Blackface
As you might expect, this segment never made it to the airwaves.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Feb 10, 2009 -
Comments (9)
Category: Political Correctness, Stereotypes and Cliches, Television, 1970s
Gilligan’s No Exit
Today we feature a guest post from that miraculous writer of the fantastical, the great Don Webb.Take it away, Don!
Many of my generation have discovered (sometimes with the help of a certain herb) that the opening sequence of Wizard of Oz matches up with Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Co-incidence or happenstance? Who can say? Was Pink Floyd under the "influence" of Frank Baum?
Another strange co-incidence has come to light. The lyrics of Gilligan's Island perfectly match up with Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven."
Happenstance? Then riddle me this -- why does Gilligan's Island have exactly the same theme as Jean Paul Sarte's NO EXIT?
Consider:
Each one of the characters represents one of the 7 deadly sins:
- Ginger represents LUST - she wears skimpy outfits, is obsessed with her looks, and is a borderline nymphomaniac.
- Mary Ann represents ENVY - she is jealous of Ginger's beauty.
- The Professor represents PRIDE - he is an annoying know-it-all.
- Mr. Howell represents GREED - no explanation needed.
- Mrs. Howell represents SLOTH - she has never lifted a finger to help with their escape plans.
- The Skipper represents two sins: GLUTTONY - again, no explanation needed and ANGER - he violently hits Gilligan on each show.
- This leaves Gilligan. Gilligan is the person who put them there. He prevents them from leaving by foiling all of their escape plots. Also, it is HIS island. Therefore, Gilligan is SATAN.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Feb 03, 2009 -
Comments (19)
Category: Drugs, Literature, Music, Synchronicity and Coincidence, Television, Reader Recommendation, 1960s, 1970s, Europe
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |