Music Video of the Day: Holiday by Nazareth (1980, directed by ????)

Posted on November 5, 2021 by Jedadiah Leland

On August 1st, 1981, MTV premiered. Over the course of 24 hours, 116 unique music videos were played on MTV. Yes, there was a time when the M actually did stand for music.

The 101st video to premiere on MTV was the video for Nazareth’s Holiday. Along with featuring the band performing, this video also features some old fashioned video arcade action. There’s no better holiday than playing pole position.

Enjoy!

The First Videos Shown on MTV:

Incident at Phantom Hill (1966, directed by Earl Bellamy)

Posted on November 4, 2021 by Jedadiah Leland

During the final weeks of the Civil War, a group of Confederates, led by Joe Barlow (Dan Duryea,) hijacked a shipment of Union gold and buried it near Phantom Hill, Texas. Now that the war is over and Barlow is in custody, he makes an offer. He’ll lead the government to the gold in return for a pardon. Needing the money, the government agrees to Barlow’s conditions. A group of Cavalrymen, led by Matt Martin (Robert Fuller), are ordered to accompany Barlow to Phantom Hill and retrieve the gold. Because the gold itself is buried near Comanche territory, the men will be traveling undercover. If Martin and his men are captured or killed, the U.S. government will disavow any knowledge of the them. Cue the Mission Impossible theme.

It’s an eventful journey to Phantom Hill. When a local sheriff recognizes Barlow as a wanted criminal, Martin has to convince him not to kill Barlow. The sheriff agrees, on the condition that Martin and his men escort a prostitute named Memphis (Jocelyn Lane) out of town. When a group of outlaws discover that Martin and Barlow are heading for the gold, they take off after them. Meanwhile, Barlow has a few plans of his own.

Incident at Phantom Hill is a fast-moving B-western, the type that will be appreciated by fans of the genre. There are a few good shootouts. Jocelyn Lane is beautiful as Memphis, Robert Fuller is firm at Matt Martin, and Dan Duryea is dangerous as Joe Barlow. The outlaws are unusually cruel and the scene where the kill a comic relief character was probably shocking for 1966. The most interesting thing about the movie is its portrayal of Union officers working with former Confederates and the struggle to determine where everyone fits in now that the Civil War is over. Barlow is not to be trusted by the relationship between Memphis and Matt suggests that the country can come back together as long as everyone has a common enemy that needs to be defeated.

Game Review: Unfortunate (2021, Jess Elizabeth Reed)

Posted on November 4, 2021 by Jedadiah Leland

Unfortunate is an entrant in 2021 Interactive Fiction competition. Browse and experience all of the games by clicking here.

You are a fortune teller at a party. The person throwing the party has called your abilities into question and has dared you to correctly tell everyone’s fortune before the night is finished. Throughout the game, you observe and talk to the seven other party guests. You ask them questions and then, once you feel you have enough information about them and their relationships with everyone else at the party, you give them their fortune. Then, a few turns later, you discover whether or not you were correct.

I liked the idea behind this game. It may be puzzle-based but, instead of trying to guess the verb or figure out what part of the room you have yet to search, you’re trying to ask the right questions and correctly interpret the answers. That’s a challenge and there’s enough characters in the game and they move around enough that Unfortunate is the type of game that will be worth replaying.

There’s a few bugs in the game, though. At one point, I got trapped in the kitchen and could not get the game to respond to any of my commands. In that case, I had to restart the game from the beginning. Overall, though, this is a challenging game with a good idea at the center of it.

Play Unfortunate.

Music Video of the Day: I Won’t Let You Down by Ph.D (1981, directed by ????)

Posted on November 4, 2021 by Jedadiah Leland

On August 1st, 1981, MTV premiered. Over the course of 24 hours, 116 unique music videos were played on MTV. Yes, there was a time when the M actually did stand for music.

The 100th video to premiere on MTV was the video for Ph.D’s I Won’t Let You Down. Like their previous video that aired on MTV that day, this video showed off the band’s comedic skills. It’s emphasis on narrative, along with highlighting the music, predicted what the future held for music videos as a result of MTV’s popularity.

Enjoy!

The First Videos Shown on MTV:

The Raiders (1963, directed by Herschel Daughtery)

Posted on November 3, 2021 by Jedadiah Leland

In the years immediately following the Civil War, seven Texas cattleman, led by Col. John McElroy (Brian Keith), try to drive their cattle into Missouri. The terrains proves treacherous and the local Pawnees refuse to allow the cattlemen to pass through their land without paying a hefty fee for the right. McElroy and his followers go to Fort Hays and demands that the local railroad magnate, Huntingon Lawford (Addison Richards), extend his line into Texas. When both Lawford and martinet Calvary officer Capt. Benton (Alfred Ryder) refuse to help, McElroy and his man start sabotaging the railroad’s western expansion.

This brings them into conflict with Wild Bill Hickok (Robert Culp), Buffalo Bill Cody (Jim McMullan), and Calamity Jane (Judi Meredith), all of whom are working for the railroad! Hickok is an old friend of McElroy’s and Cody is sympathetic to McElroy’s cause but will they be able to broker a peace between the two sides? When Captain Benton plans to lure McElroy into a trap where he and his friends will fired on with a Gatling gun, it’s up to Cody and Hickok to try to prevent a massacre.

The Raiders starts out as a downbeat look at a cattle drive in the years when America was still trying to rebuild from the devastation of the Civil War. Brian Keith was one of those actors who was always ideally cast in westerns and war movies and he’s convincing as the tough but fair-minded McElroy. If the film had just been about McElroy, it would have been a good B-western. Instead, it brings heavily fictionalized versions of Wild Bill Hickock, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Calamity Jane into the story. Robert Culp, Jim McMullan, and especially Judi Meredith all overact in their roles and a lot of time is wasted on subplots like Calamity Janes being in love with Wild Bill and Buffalo Bill trying to prove himself to the older man.

The Raiders started out as a made-for-TV movie and it appears that it was a pilot for a proposed TV show about Calamity Jane and the Bills. (Brian Keith is even listed in the credits as being a “special guest star.”) When the pilot wasn’t picked up, the film was given a theatrical release but The Raiders still has the flat look and unimaginative editing of a television show. No matter how authentic Brian Keith’s performance might be, he can’t make up for the fact that the majority of the film was clearly shot on a studio backlot.

Game Review: Brave Bear (2021, John Evans)

Posted on November 3, 2021 by Jedadiah Leland

Brave Bear is an entrant in 2021 Interactive Fiction competition. Browse and experience all of the games by clicking here.

In Brave Bear, you are a teddy bear. In the tradition of Toy Story, you can walk and communicate with all of the other toys and devices in the house. The game is short and simple. You are walking around the house. In each room, there is a dark phantom (each representing things like insecurity and depression) that you must defeat in order to continue on your way. Some of the phantoms you can defeat on your own because you’re a brave bear. Others are going to require you to make friends and get help from the other toys in the house.

It’s a cute game, ideal for it you’re looking for something that you can play quickly. There are puzzles and puzzles are traditionally my downfall but, for once, I was able to solve most of them on my own. And if you do find yourself stuck, there’s a walk-through. It’s a simple game but who doesn’t like a brave bear?

Play Brave Bear.

Music Video of the Day: (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Undertanding by Elvis Costello and the Attractions (1979, directed by Chuck Statler)

Posted on November 3, 2021 by Jedadiah Leland

On August 1st, 1981, MTV premiered. Over the course of 24 hours, 116 unique music videos were played on MTV. Yes, there was a time when the M actually did stand for music.

The 99th video to premiere on MTV was the video for Elvis Costello’s cover of (What’s So Funny Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding. The song was originally written by Nick Lowe and performed by Lowe with his band, Benny Schwartz. Though the original version didn’t chart, Costello’s cover became one of his first big hits. It’s one of the songs that’s still most associated with Costello. Interestingly, on a day that was dominated by repeated airings of videos from Rod Stewart and REO Speedwagon, the video for Costello’s biggest hit was only aired once.

The video was directed by Chuck Statler, who was responsible for many of Costello’s early videos.

Enjoy!

The First Videos Shown on MTV:

Cattle Drive (1951, directed by Kurt Neumann)

Posted on November 2, 2021 by Jedadiah Leland

In this coming-of-age Western, Dean Stockwell plays Chester Graham, Jr., the spoiled and unruly son of a railroad owner (Leon Ames). While riding on his father’s train and making trouble for the conductor, Chester overhears his father talking about sending him to a military school. When the train makes as top, Chester impulsively runs away. The train leaves without him and Chester finds himself stranded in the middle of the wilderness. That’s when he sees cowboy Dan Matthews (Joel McCrea) trying to catch a wild stallion.

Dan is a part of a cattle drive. Knowing that he can’t leave Chester to die in the wilderness, Dan brings him back to his camp. The other members of the company aren’t too keen on having to look after a spoiled brat along with the cattle and Chester isn’t too happy to hear that he’ll be expected to work if he expects to get fed. But with no choice but to work together, Chester, Dan, and the rest of the company make the journey to Santa Fe. Chester finally drops his attitude enough to work with the company’s cook (Chill Wills) while Dan deals with a rival cowboy named Currie (Henry Brandon). Chester learns about responsibility and Dan finally finds the courage to consider settling down.

Of the many westerns that Joel McCrea made over the course of his career, he considered Cattle Drive to be his favorite and it’s easy to see why. Cattle Drive features McCrea doing what he did best, playing a tough but good-hearted and down-to-earth cowboy who looked after an outsider. If you were ever lost in the old west, Joel McCrea is precisely the type of cowboy that you would hope would come to your rescue. The plot features almost every single cattle drive cliché that you could imagine but McCrea plays his role with a winning combination of grit and compassion and he and Dean Stockwell, who is also very good, make a good team. Shot in Death Valley and Utah, Cattle Drive feels and look authentic and should be enjoyed by anyone looking for good, heartfelt western.

Game Review: The Song Of The Mockingbird (2021, Mike Carletta)

Posted on November 2, 2021 by Jedadiah Leland

The Song of the Mockingbird is an entrant in 2021 Interactive Fiction competition. Browse and experience all of the games by clicking here.

You’re not just a cowboy. You’re a singing cowboy! You’re as fast with your guitar as you were with your six shooter. You’re in love with Rosa, a sensuous dancer. Unfortunately, Black Blade’s gang of outlaws have not only abducted Rosa but they also stole your gun! If you’re going to rescue, Rosa you’re going to have to use your wits and your ability to pay attention to all the little details of your surroundings. It won’t be easy. From the minute you start the game, you go from happily singing The Yellow Rose of Texas to being ambushed by Black Blade’s men.

The Song of the Mockingbird is a western. There really haven’t been that many western IF games, which is strange because the western genre seems like it would be a natural fit for the Interactive Fiction format. The Song of the Mockingbird makes a good case that maybe there should be more western games. Well-written and full of memorable details, The Song of the Mockingbird is an entertaining and fun Inform game. It’s a text adventures but the descriptions are so vivid that you don’t really need any fancy graphics to help you visualize the world of the game. The game mixes serious western action with some satirical but affectionate digs at the whole singing cowboy genre.

There are a lot of puzzles in The Song of the Mockingbird. Some of them are simple and some of them are not. Of course, having to solve puzzles have always been my downfall when it comes to IF games. Fortunately, Song of the Mockingbird comes with a walk-through, which you can use as a last resort. I will admit that I referred to it a few times but, when I did, I discovered that Song of the Mockingbird’s puzzles aren’t really difficult. They just require the play to pay attention to every detail of their surroundings. This is a game where it pays to be attentive.

Play The Song of the Mockingbird.

Music Video of the Day: Vienna by Ultravox (1980, directed by Russell Mulcahy)

Posted on November 2, 2021 by Jedadiah Leland

On August 1st, 1981, MTV premiered. Over the course of 24 hours, 116 unique music videos were played on MTV. Yes, there was a time when the M actually did stand for music.

The 98th music video to premiere on MTV on its first day of broadcast was this video for Ultravox’s Vienna. Due to budgetary limitations, half of this video was shot in London while the other half was shot in Vienna. Ultravox’s label was not convinced that music videos would ever catch on so they weren’t willing to put out a lot of money to make one. You would not know that from watching this video, which in many ways predicted the type of narrative-driven music videos that would become popular as MTV grew and developed.

One reason why this video looks so good is because it was directed by Russell Mulcahy, of Highlander fame. Mulcahy also directed the video for Video Killed The Radio Star which, of course, was the very first video to ever air on MTV.

Enjoy!

The First Videos Shown on MTV: