June Summer Sizzlers

June Summer Sizzlers
K-Mart (1988)
This advertisement was shared by Dinosaur Dracula earlier this year. All six of these dinners combined cost less than your average meal at a chain restaurant today, and five of them come with a beverage.

The Ghost Of Black Friday's Past

Crucible Of Terror
Goodtimes Home Video (1971)
I picked this tape up from the VHS wall at the Mahoning Drive-In Theater over the weekend.  The first thing that I noticed was the fact that it was released by Goodtimes.  This is generally a red flag for tape collectors as they were notorious for putting out a poor quality product, but the Zayre price sticker on the cellophane caught my eye.

Standard Speaker - July 28, 1989

Zayre's was a discount department store chain that operated in the eastern United States from 1956 to 1990.  The Zayre's in my hometown was the west end anchor store in the Laurel Mall from 1973 to 1989.  My grandparents usually stopped in this store when they brought me to the mall when I was a kid.  That, combined with the fact that Zayre's disappeared when I was nine years old when the chain was purchased by Ames, are the reasons that the store is one of the things that I associate with my childhood in the 80's.

I flipped the Crucible Of Terror box over to read the description of the movie and was surprised to find that the original sales receipt was slipped into the cellophane on the back.

The receipt is from Zayre Store #240.  So far, I haven't been able to find out which city had Store #240, but the date of November 28'th, 1987 shows that it was purchased for $5.99 on the day after Thanksgiving.  This could possibly have been a gift that someone purchased while they were doing their Black Friday shopping.

Citizen's Voice - October 24, 1987

The closest Zayre's sales circular that I could find to the date that this movie was purchased was a newspaper insert that went out one week before Halloween, and this tape is listed as one of the items available for sale.

The Crucible Of Terror tape was part of a collection of horror movies that they were selling for $5.99.  The other movies named in the circular are Little Shop Of Horrors, Night Of The Living Dead, Horror Express, Alice Sweet Alice, and Psychomania.

 

The tape played about as well as I could have hoped from a Goodtimes release.  Most of their VHS releases that I've come across use as little tape as possible to fit the film in either LP or SLP speed, so there's a ton of static and tracking issues throughout the entire movie.  These tapes usually played like crap when they were brand new in the 80's and 90's, so I'm amazed that this copy of Crucible Of Terror that is almost forty years old played as well as it did.  I was going to encode it to share, but Flick Vault has already uploaded it with a much sharper picture quality.  It's a pretty good movie about a psychotic artist.  Click here or click play above to watch it.

Don't Change The Channel. Don't Touch That Dial.

UHF

Show banner designed by Andrew Kern
Mahoning Drive-In Theater - Lehighton, PA
Sunday night at the Mahoning was dedicated to one of my favorite comedies ever made; the 1989 Weird Al Yankovic classic UHF.

The special concession item of the night was the snack that George Newman makes for his best friend Bob to cheer him up after he got the both of them fired from Big Edna's Burger World.  The Twinkie Wiener Sandwich is a Twinkie that's sliced down the middle like a hot dog bun, then stuffed with a hot dog and topped with Easy Cheese.

 

The MVP on the lot was Stiricide who set up her own Wheel Of Fish game show in front of her car.

Everyone was welcome to come up and spin the Wheel Of Fish to win a little plastic fish.

You could, of course, trade in your fish for the Mystery Box.  What was inside the mystery box?  Nothing... absolutely nothing!

The cherry on top of this awesome sundae was a group of guys sitting outside of the car parked behind her who would scream in unison "Stooopid!  You're so Stooopid!" every time someone chose the box.  It echoed across the lot and made us laugh every single time.  Angie and I were sitting three rows away just relaxing in our chairs, listening to Vince's DJ set of Weird Al classics, and talking with Tom and Jackson when we'd hear the chorus indicating that yet another Wheel Of Fish contestant chose the Mystery Box.

I won a little grey fish with blue eyes.

 

An introduction to the film by Weird Al Yankovic was played on the big screen right before the start of the film, which was pretty damn cool!

Finally, we got to see the comedy classic UHF on the big screen.  It had to be projected from the digital booth because no known copies of the film on 35mm are known to exist, but for as cool as watching movies on 35mm is, I don't think that this being a digital presentation really mattered all that much to anyone in attendance.  The lot was packed full of Weird Al fans and everyone had a great time.

This was our second time seeing UHF at the drive-in as it was screened on August 2nd, 2021 at the We Saved The Mahoning event that celebrated the fact that the solar farm that had threatened to replace the drive-in had pulled out as a result of fan protests.  That was a special night for obvious reasons, but since all of the movies that were shown at that event were secret features, the fans in attendance weren't specifically there for Weird Al or UHF.  This time was different.  In fact, with the exception of the screenings of The Room and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, this movie had more fan interaction than anything else I've seen at the Mahoning.  The audience erupted in cheers several times during the movie and called back some of its lines, the loudest of which was Gedde Watanabe shouting "Stooopid... you're so stooopid!" at the Wheel Of Fish contestant.  I think they might have heard us at the Wal-Mart down the street for that line.  The whole night was an incredible experience, and I hope they do it again sometime in the future.

The Many Faces Of Batman

The Many Faces Of Batman
Mahoning Drive-In Theater - Lehighton, PA
This weekend was a celebration of Gotham City's caped crusader with four films spanning 42 years of Batman on the big screen.

Show banner designed by Andrew Kern

Show poster designed by Andrew Kern

The banner, poster, and t-shirt for this event were designed by Andrew Kern.  I think this is my favorite shirt and poster of the season so far.

The icing on the cake was the screen accurate 1989 Batmobile that was parked on the grass under the big screen, courtesy of TV Show Cars.  This is the same company that brought out the 1967 Batmobile to the Mahoning three years ago.  This one was just as incredible!

There was a professional photographer on hand to take pictures of folks standing next to the Batmobile.  They also printed 8x10 copies of the photos for fans who participated.

 

We had a book club meeting on Saturday, so we had to get a group photo next to the iconic car as well.

The subject of our book club was John Jackson Miller's 2024 novel Batman Resurrection.  I'm happy to say that I was able to finish this one before our book club met to discuss it.  This is pretty unusual for me, but this has been on my list of books that I've wanted to read since I first learned about it.  The story is set in Tim Burton's cinematic universe.  It takes place between the events of his 1989 blockbuster Batman and his 1992 sequel Batman Returns.  If you're a fan of these Batman movies, I strongly recommend it.

 

There was a vendor event in the hours prior to showtime which was headlined by The Big Kid Store.  They hosted a scavenger hunt on both nights of the event with prizes given to the winners.  We had a lot of fun doing these last year when they were on the lot, but it was insanely hot, so we crashed in our chairs under some sun umbrellas.

One of my favorite things to do when The Big Kid Store comes to the Mahoning is to look through their stock of vintage Garbage Pail Kids.  They didn't have any cards that I needed for my collection, so I hunted to see if I could find cards that had names that matched each of our friends that were on the lot.  The only one I managed to find was this 1986 Series 4 Hy Gene card for Gene, who had his own vendor table near the concession building.

Gene also bumped into WWE veteran and former WXW heavyweight champion Gene Snitsky who was in attendance on Friday to enjoy some Batman flicks.  The pro wrestler, who graduated from nearby Panther Valley High School where my dad taught, lives fairly close to the Mahoning.  I hope that he comes back out for Reel Rumble.

One last vendor that I wanted to mention was the Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company who had cans of their official Mahoning brew Showtime At Sundown in addition to several others.

 

Under normal circumstances, I would have brough home a case of Summer Dollars which is my favorite beverage of theirs out of the ones that I've tried.  However, I've been following my diet very closely over the past six weeks and I'm already starting to see positive results, so I didn't want to get too off track.  I did take the opportunity to try one that they brought out to the Mahoning for the first time.  It's a dark mild ale called Obsolete Vernacular.  Very tasty!

The cosplays were off the charts on the lot this weekend with Hobbs End Cosplay, Muji, and my Horror Screamover buddy Nick absolutely killing it as The Joker and his gang from Batman '89 and The Dark Knight.

 

Virgil and his son came out to the lot in awesome Batman and Robin costumes, and for some reason, this dude showed up as Egon Spengler.  There were a lot of other folks in costume that I didn't get photos of, including a guy who had a perfect 1960's tv series Penguin cosplay.

Night One - Friday, June 20

Batman: The Movie (1966) / Batman (1989)

The first movie on Friday night was the 1966 Batman movie.  This is the one starring Adam West and Burt Ward that's based on the 60's television series.  We saw this on the big screen three years ago, but it was a pretty rainy night and it was before we met most of our friends on the lot.  I'm glad to have had the opportunity to see it again at the Mahoning on a night that was clear and warm and that we could share the experience with Mike, Kate, Carrie, Johnny, Andrew, and Nick.

The second half of Friday night's double feature was Tim Burton's Batman.  There's no way that I can properly explain how massive this movie was in the summer of 1989.  The only movie in my lifetime that I can think of that even comes close to the media saturation of Batman '89 is The Phantom Menace.  You couldn't turn on your tv, listen to the radio, or go out in public in the summer of '89 without seeing or hearing something Batman-related.

My grandfather too me to see Batman at the Church Hill Cinema shortly after my ninth birthday and my grandparents gave me the movie on VHS later on that year as a Christmas present which I watched countless times.  I was absolutely obsessed with this movie.  Having the opportunity to see a 35mm print of it on the big screen again in my mid 40's was an amazing experience.

Night Two - Saturday, June 21

Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm (1993) / The Dark Knight (2008)

The animated film Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm kicked off the double feature on Saturday night.  It's based on Batman: The Animated Series which I did watch when I was a teenager, but for some reason, this movie passed me by and this screening at the Mahoning was my first time seeing it.  It's a damn good movie!  I wish that I had caught it in the 90's, but at the same time, I'm kind of glad to have had the opportunity to see it for the first time on the big screen.

The final movie of Batman Weekend was the 2008 film The Dark Knight.  This screening was my second time seeing it on 35mm at a drive-in theater.  My wife and I saw it during its original theatrical run at the Laurel Drive-In Theater in Hazleton back when we were still dating.  It's an action packed movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat, but I was kind of shocked to find that I don't dig it as much today as I did in the summer of 2008.  It's not that I didn't enjoy it, but it's one of those movies that just keeps coming at you without giving the story a second to breathe.  It's a movie that every fan of the caped crusader needs to see at some point in their lives, but I found the pacing to be jarring to the point where I'd have to rank this as my fourth favorite film of the event.

And that's a wrap on The Many Faces Of Batman.  There are so many movies in the Batman cinematic universe that they could probably run this back for the next couple of years without repeating a film.  I'm sure it will be fun if they do, but I can't imagine any combination of films topping this past weekend's event.  This was a gem!

Seems Like The Work Of Pathological Weirdos

Blood Diner
Mahoning Drive-In Theater - Lehighton, PA
This week's Thursday Thread-Up was an 80's flick that I've never heard of before - the 1987 horror comedy Blood Diner.

Show banner designed by Andrew Kern

Show poster designed by Tom Bifulco

This movie begins with a message informing the audience that "all of the mutilations, bodily dismemberments, and cannibal rituals were performed by seasoned professionals - please do not attempt any of these stunts at home", which pretty accurately sets the tone for the madness that follows.

The story begins when Anwar Namtut, who is a suspect in the Happy Times All-Girls Glee Club slaying, is spotted running from the police while being "armed with a meat cleaver in one hand and his genitals in the other".  He arrives at the home of his two young nephews who he has been training in the rituals of the ancient Lumerians.  He gives each of the boys an amulet that is "over five million years old" and instructs them to remember his teachings so that they can resurrect the goddess Sheetar.  The story fast forwards twenty years.  The boys are running a diner and have brought their uncle back from the dead as a brain and eyeballs in a jar.  The rest of the story is the three of them working to bring the goddess Sheetar back to life.

This may be the most batshit crazy movie that I've seen at the Mahoning outside of VHS Fest, and I loved every minute of it.  If you're the type of person who enjoys horror flicks that are flat out ridiculous, this should be on your watch list.  You can stream it for free on Tubi.

Here's To Swimmin' With Bow-Legged Women

Jaws
Universal Pictures (1975)
The film that set the tone for summer blockbusters turns fifty years old today.

You can stream Jaws on Peacock today.

The Summer Of George

KFC.com Homepage

Kentucky Fried Chicken (2002)
Tomorrow is the first day of summer, so be sure to live it up and have your own Summer Of George like renowned "chicken fanatic" Jason Alexander.  (Screenshot archived by the Web Design Museum)

Put Down That Chainsaw And Listen To Me

Dare To Be Stupid
Weird Al Yankovic (1985)
The third studio album from the one and only Weird Al Yankovic was released forty years ago today.

Yoda
Weird Al Yankovic (1985)

I met him in a swamp down in Dagobah

Where it bubbles all the time like a giant carbonated soda

S-O-D-A, soda

I saw the little runt sitting there on a log

I asked him his name and in a raspy voice he said, "Yoda"

Y-O-D-A, Yoda

Yo-Yo-Yo-Yo-Yoda

Well, I've been around, but I ain't never seen

A guy who looks like a Muppet, but he's wrinkled and green

Oh, my Yoda

Yo-Yo-Yo-Yo-Yoda

Well, I'm not dumb, but I can't understand

How he can lift me in the air just by raising his hand

Oh, my Yoda

Yo-Yo-Yo-Yo-Yoda

Yo-Yo-Yo-Yo-Yoda

Well I left home just a week before

And I've never, ever been a Jedi before

But Obi-Wan, he set me straight, of course

He said, "Go to Yoda and he'll show you the Force"

Well I'm not the kind that would argue with Ben

So it looks like I'm gonna start all over again

With my Yoda

Yo-Yo-Yo-Yo-Yoda

Yo-Yo-Yo-Yo-Yoda

So, I used the Force

I picked up a box

I lifted some rocks

While I stood on my head

Well, I won't forget what Yoda said

He said, Luke, stay away from the Darker Side

And if you start to go astray, let the Force be your guide

Oh, my Yoda

Yo-Yo-Yo-Yo-Yoda

I know Darth Vader's really got you annoyed

But remember, if you kill him, then you'll be unemployed

Oh, my Yoda

Yo-Yo-Yo-Yo-Yoda

Well, I heard my friends really got in a mess

So I'm gonna have to leave Yoda, I guess

But I know that I'll be coming back someday

I'll be playing this part till I'm old and grey

The long-term contract I had to sign

Says I'll be making these movies till the end of time

With my Yoda

Yo-Yo-Yo-Yo-Yoda