MetaFilter posts tagged with classic

Classic Cinema Online

Turtles all the way down — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:28:11 -0800

Classic Cinema Online. A ton of old movies watchable in an embedded player.

Your favorite riff sucks.

lazaruslong — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:42:52 -0800

100 Famous Rock Guitar Riffs, in one take. List of song titles can be found here on the artist's page.

Venus Of Utapau

The Whelk — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 07:26:26 -0800

A long time ago in an art gallery far far away: Star Wars as Classic Art via

Movies in 4,096 Colors

sleslie — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:24:38 -0800

Cinemaware produced games with one goal: a "strong commitment to movie-like quality." A laudable goal, and their tools were measured in bytes rather than megabytes. They made these games in the 80s. This one intro used an entire 880KB floppy disk! A number of Cinemaware's games are available for download as ROMs, and there's even a flash version of Defender of the Crown. Some of the original artists behind the games are still creating art and music. There's other game intros available: ~~Defender of the Crown~~, err, Defender of the Crown; Rocket Ranger (C64!) There's a a new company formed from the ashes with a snazzy logo that floats and stuff and most likely uses more bytes than their entire library of released games.

Waka-waka-waka

JHarris — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:15:34 -0800

The Pac-Man Dossier is an extremely detailed description of the game logic of arcade Pac-Man. It explains why, once in a while, monsters will harmlessly pass through Pac-Man. It explains why they won't go up through the tunnels above the monster box. It explains why occasionally, after losing a life, monsters will refuse to leave the box. It explains when and why Blinky becomes Cruise Elroy, and why sometimes Pinky gets confused and loses track of Pac-Man. It even explains, as far as the player can continue to play, what to do on the kill screen. It is awesome. Previously....

What? No Gravy?

JHarris — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:38:27 -0800

"Chow Hound" - IMDB - Directed by Chuck Jones, written by Michael Maltese, voices by Mel Blanc
Classic-era Warner Bros. Generally absent (with exceptions, sometimes butchered) from the airwaves due to its connotations of cruelty, the troublesome get-up they put the mouse in at the zoo, and the ending. Quite a devious and funny cartoon. (SLYT)

M. Mattius Kaufman recreates classic album cover poses. How many can you identify?

Senor Cardgage — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 23:13:55 -0800

Can You Identify Famous Album Covers Based Only on a Mime in A Leotard? A man, a black leotard, and an famous pose. The rest is up to you. See how many of the album cover poses you can identify. The positions span several decades of indelible pop music iconography. But be fast, as you are being timed and this is much harder than you think. Take too long and the mimes just get bored and kinda stare at you, having dropped their poses.

We've got games your 10 year old wouldn't be good at.

WolfDaddy — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:38:46 -0800

Wanna play the first two Fallout games for totally cheap? Good Old Games is now open to the public. Via Blue's News, some interesting discussion there about "DRM Free" claims and whether or not Freespace 2 is really "free."

While I lay dreaming of you...

KokuRyu — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 16:36:08 -0800

The Earth Dies Screaming [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] (IMDB listing) As the film opens, people all over Britain are mysteriously collapsing, apparently dead: Trains careen off their rails; cars crash into walls; commuters drop to the ground where they stand. One blogger's opinion... Directed by Terence Fisher Score by Elisabeth Lutyens UB40 Tom Waits/28 Weeks Later mashup

Astral Decades

philip-random — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:04:22 -0800

“In the condition I was in, it assumed at the time the quality of a beacon, a light on the far shores of the murk; what's more, it was proof that there was something left to express artistically besides nihilism and destruction.” Lester Bangs on the topic of Van Morrison's Astral Weeks which began recording exactly 40 years ago today in Century Sound Studios NYC. Released less than two months later, it might not have changed popular music forever. But it definitely changed a few lives. A recent take on the title song by the man himself. Glen Hansard's 2008 Bonaroo version, which proves it's really just rebel Irish folk after all. A 1989 version of 1980's Summertime in England, just because. The metaphysics of something or other. That whole Lester Bangs essay. A recent biography just in case you were under the impression that Van was actually a nice guy.

I just want your extra time, and your... Mix.

Eideteker — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 06:21:11 -0800

Classic tracks: Can't seem to face up to the facts? Searching for the heart of Heart of Gold? Mix Online delves deep into your favorite jams, to find out what was in the air when they were conceived. Know what I mean? via

You can't beat the Axis if you get VD.

goodnewsfortheinsane — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 11:36:01 -0800

Vintage ads galore.

Just the facts Ma'am

tylerfulltilt — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:40:07 -0800

This is the city, Los Angeles California. I work Here. I carry a badge. My name's Friday. Jack Webb envisioned Dragnet as a showcase for the realities of police work. The original Radio Series debuted on NBC radio in 1949. The show's insistence on realism and naturalistic dialogue were a departure from the melodrama found on radio at the time. Using plots pulled directly from the case files of the LAPD, the show covered topics considered harsh and taboo by the standards of the day. Its depiction of sex crimes, crimes against children, and drug use were edgy for the time. Although it was slow to gain listeners, Dragnet found it's audience. Jump ahead a couple of years to 1952 and the first television series begins. This version of the show is probably not familiar to most people. Filmed in black and white, The TV version brought the radio show's grittiness and realism to the burgeoning format of Television. Both the radio show and the black and white television version ran successfully and consecutively until the late 1950's Webb mounted a revival of the television series in 1967. This version of the show is most familiar to modern viewers, as this was the version picked up for syndication by Nick at Nite. It ran from 1967 to 1970. Although it seems hokey by today's standards, Dragnet's legacy in the history of entertainment is secured. It was voted into Time Magazine's list of the 100 greatest tv shows of all time. Its use of actual case files as the basis for plots makes it the forerunner to Law and Order. The show's insistence on using technical jargon and details of investigation make it a forerunner of shows like CSI. The show's main four note theme is instantly recognizable. And it even spawned a catchphrase that can still be heard today. Webb was attempting to mount third revival of the show when he passed away in 1982. His funeral was attended by officals from the LAPD, the badge he used on the show, 714, was retired from service, and an LAPD police academy auditorium was named in his honor. Auditorium was named in his honor.

Throwing bones in the air as 2001 turns 40

slimepuppy — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 07:40:13 -0800

Throwing bones in the air as 2001 turns 40. Stanley Kubrick's film, 2001: A Space Odyssey turned 40 yesterday and Movie City Indie collated a good selection of links about the film and its maker to commemorate the occasion. Yeah, the links to moviewavs are annoying, but the rest of the content is ace.

ROM CHECK FAIL

CrunchyFrog — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 23:53:08 -0800

ROM CHECK FAIL is a goofy little PC game, in the classic 1980's arcade/home console genre of ... err ... Use the space bar to fire your blaster. Or sword. (Or jump.) Use the arrow keys to control your ... guy as if you were playing ... that ... classic game. Eliminate all the enemy, well, things in the expected way, and go on to the next maze/planet/cave/highway. Look, just play it, OK? It's fun!

Mimimimimimi, mimimimimimi, mimimimimimi

not_on_display — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:22:58 -0800

NetClassicsFilter: ~~All~~ 24 of the 25 GI Joe PSAs redubbed by Eric Fensler, via YouTube: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 [some nsfw] [previously] [also via] [bonus] Fensler's video for Daniel Johnston's "Monster Inside of Me."

You are not yet enlightened, Inky-san.

JHarris — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 13:57:41 -0800

Retro Sabotage is a collection of recreations of classic video games. Or is it? Hint: It's not, but to explain them would be to spoil it. If a button needs to be pressed, it's the space bar unless it's explained otherwise. My advice is to try the Pac-Man and Space Invaders ones first, but Pong 2.0 is a highlight.

Mubetubafubiltuber

not_on_display — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:52:33 -0800

Write ZOOM, Z-double-oh-M, Box three-five-oh, Boston, Mass, OH-two-ONE-three-FOURRRR! C'mon and Zooma Zooma Zooma ZOOM! ZOOM was produced for PBS by WGBH in Boston, and originally aired from 1972 through 1978. It literally was television for kids, by kids -- the show's various segments were culled from thousands of ideas submitted by viewers (by mail to the address above). Sometimes these kids were featured in the clips themselves. From a 1972 Time Magazine article: "Virtually all the material is by children and is selected by the seven-member cast (ages nine through 13). The kids sing, dance. play games, talk in 'Ubbi-Dubbi'--a catchy code language reminiscent of past generations' pig Latin-show home movies and give laconic instructions in all manner of skills. The first show featured a filmed demonstration of how to build a raft from tree limbs, leaves and an old tarpaulin. A 4-minute karate exhibition aimed at defeating bicycle thieves was on the second. The third will include a thoroughly befuddling lesson in the game of "cat's cradle," with a perplexed young instructress tangling her string and admitting, 'I got it wrong.'" Ubbi-Dubbi? Well, let Wikipedia break it down for you. Wait, that was no fun... better yet, pbs.org has a Flash-based Ubbi-Dubbi Translator. I had it translate its own instructions into Ubbi-Dubbi: "Uball yubou hubave tubo dubo ubis subay UBUB bubefubore ubevuberuby vubowubel subound. Uband thubis Ububbubi Dububbubi mubachubine hubas bubeen prubogrubammubed wubith thube ubabubilubituby tubo rubecubognubize whubich vubowubels ubare suboundubed, uband whubich ubare subilubent!" You can hear Ubbi-Dubbi spubokuben fubulubentluby by nubatubives at the beginning of thubis clubip of the ZOOMers' production of the Mad Tea Party scene from Alice in Wonderland. Wikipedia also comes close to de-funnifying Fannee Doolee: "Fannee Doolee is a fictitious girl acted in the playhouse by the ZOOMers on ZOOM. During the play, Fannee Doolee does not face the audience and she does not speak; instead, Fannee Doolee's unheard dialog is exposed when the person she was seen talking to turns to talk with others. The play is a comedy and the repeating gag is that Fannee Doolee likes and dislikes things that are similar and the people around her are perplexed by this inconsistency. For example, she likes stools but not chairs; she likes coffee but not drinks; she likes rolls but not bread; she likes cheese but not dairy. (I bet she loves LOLLing but hates MetaFilter.) Here's a clip of the cool Fannee Doolee song'n'dance. Here are some segments: - Roll out the ZOOMBarrel: a game called "Cracker Whistle" - this clip made me laugh when I was young, and again now. Play "Cracker Whistle" responsibly. It's fun. - ...doo-wah-zoom-doo, Do A ZOOMDo! These girls show (not tell) you how to make Stained Glass Cookies! - Bernadette shows us how she does that thing with her arms. Bernadette has her own ZOOMstalgia web page, too. This guy gets all mushy, shooting an eight-minute Youtube about how Bernadette answered his email. - ZOOM's Play of the Week: A melodrama about two lost fishermen. Written by someone just like you were back before the web sucked all the imagination out of you. - A nice piece of music: "I am a City Child I live on the tip-top floor Of an old apartment building With a very creaky door" And, as a bonus, here's the first episode of ZOOM, before the rugby shirts were de rigeur: Part 1 - Intro to the Merrymac, Intro to Ubbi-Dubbi, the ZOOM Play of the Week (an absurdist classic) Part 2 - ZOOMovie (Rated R, "Ristricted"), ZOOM Guest (Roy West, wordlessly showing you how to build a cool raft), The Ubbi-Dubbi Weather Report Part 3 - ZOOMgame (A Merrymac), ZOOMrap (a really nice piece that has the kids talkin' about their experiences with doctors and hospitals), a song ("The Cat Came Back") Part 4 - The address rap (Joe's and Nancy's lines are the best), and Closing Credits. Rugby shirts, jeans, and bare feet. The second season won a daytime Emmy. C'mon and ZOOM! (ZOOM was revived by PBS in 1999, but we'll save that for an FPP in 2035.)

There ain't no sin and there ain't no virtue. There is just stuff people do.

miss lynnster — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:08:19 -0800

John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath Steinbeck won the Pulitzer Prize for The Grapes of Wrath on May 6, 1940. The "Wrath" link is the Henry Fonda film in its entirety.

They send you a book, you review it.

goodnewsfortheinsane — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 09:58:13 -0800

Blog a Penguin Classic.

Inspired feelings of terror among the local Baptists

netbros — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 21:28:14 -0800

"If the truth was really known about the origins of Jazz, it would certainly never be mentioned in polite society." The expression arose sometime during the later nineteenth century in the better brothels of New Orleans, which provided music and dancing as well as sex. Jazz has been around for more than a hundred years now. It is not the result of choosing a tune, but an ideal that is created first in the mind, and willed in the music, inspired by A Passion for Jazz.

Open source classics

hoverboards don't work on water — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 15:27:03 -0800

You've heard of ScummVM and MAME, but harvest time is approaching in the field of reverse-engineered open source re-implementations of other classic games too:
OpenTTD (Transport Tycoon), LinCity (Sim City), Advanced Strategic Command (Battle Isle), Freeciv (Civilization), Enigma (Oxyd), Widelands (Settlers), OpenArena (Quake 3), Spring (Total Annihilation), JJFFE (Frontier First Encounters), Vega Strike and Oolite (Elite), FreeOrion (Master of Orion), Pingus (Lemmings), Stratagus (Warcraft II et al.), CloneKeen (Commander Keen), Exult (Ultima VII), FreeCNC (Command & Conquer), REminiscence (Flashback), LGeneral (Panzer General), Pioneers (Settlers of Catan), and Freedoom (Doom).

That's (Almost) All, Folks

tsarfan — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 20:01:43 -0800

The 50 Greatest Cartoons Ever: the List - including links to the full-length videos of the corresponding toons on YouTube and Google, etc. Based on a twelve year-old-vote by the animation industry, which explains why there are no appearances by Cartman, Bart, or Fry.

you are a robotron head.

6am — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 16:36:30 -0800

Have you played Robotron today?

Ugokie-ko-ri-no-tatehiki

a louis wain cat — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 18:28:30 -0800

Japanese animation from 1933. A bizarre Max Fleischer-inspired 11-minute cartoon about some critters from traditional Japanese folklore, complete with a soundtrack of traditional Japanese music. [youtubefilter]