Hello and welcome! Thank you for taking the time to chat. What’ve you got to share and recommend to your fans and readers?

I’m going to pick a film called Stand by Me. It was directed by Rob Reiner and released in 1986. It’s a coming-of-age film about four young guys going on an adventure. The film really touched me and I think a lot of young kids were able to relate to the adventures those boys embark on, and what they’re going through at that age. River Phoenix stars in the movie, It was his breakthrough role. It was one of my favourite movies for a long time.

Another film that I consider a game-changer is Aliens by James Cameron.  It was released in 1986. It’s the best sci-fi, action-packed war movie in space to date. It has colonial marines, cool-looking weapons, awesome set design, a female lead, a beautiful soundtrack and special effects that still hold up. It’s the real deal. Another film I would like to mention is Flight of the Navigator also released in 1986 [Laugh]. It’s about a boy who encounters an alien spaceship and goes on an adventure. The special effects in this film still hold up too.

Are there any films that rest in the back of your mind when thinking about and composing retro-themed music?

Actually, yes! I used to be an Ice-Hockey player and there’s this film from.. u know.. 1986 – I am staying in that year [laughs] – called Youngblood a hockey movie with Rob Low, Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves. The opening of that film has a great synth score. It’s pretty impressive. I actually uploaded it on the Night Arcade Youtube Channel. It was one of the first videos we uploaded on there to test the channel. Obviously very 80’s. It’s got a cool soundtrack too, very synthesized and muscular.

I would struggle to name eighties films released in the same year, but you seem to know a lot about movies released in 1986. That’s impressive!

[laughs] That’s because I’m into 70s and 80s movies. Film and music are two passions that run through my life.

Can you recall the first time you watched it?

I think it was in 1987 or so. It’s a hockey movie. Back then, I was ten years old and my life basically was all about playing Hockey. That’s why the film and its music stuck with me. Looking back, I basically grew up with the sound of Synthesizers and drum machines from that era. I remember back then, there was a jingle on Dutch TV called Postbus 51 they showed it over and over. Have a listen. It kind of rocks! Obviously a drum machine was used in this one. I feel lucky to grow up in the eighties. This stuff was all over the place.

Speaking of television, are there any particular shows that you remember watching back when you were a kid?

If we’re talking cartoons, it would definitely be Transformers: Generation 1. I’m still a big fan of the cartoon. If we’re talking about TV shows that had an impact on me when I was a kid, I’d have to go for the original late 70’s Battlestar Galactica, aired in the early ’80s on Dutch TV. I particularly love the special effects and sound design on these shows. When I got older, like any other kid in the 80’s I watched the usual stuff like Buck Rogers, V,  The A-team, Knight Rider, Airwolf, North & South, Miami Vice, although in the beginning, Miami Vice wasn’t as interesting to me, as a kid. I guess I was to young for that. I grew in to that show later on. You can say I was hooked to tv. I watched every show. Even Manimal, look it up!

In what language did you watch these movies and TV shows?

In Holland, TV shows and films were shown in their original language with Dutch subtitles. I remember there was this big channel that everyone in Europe used to watch called Sky Channel. I think it was somewhere around 1984. It had all of the best shows from the US, like the Adam West Batman TV series and The Green Hornet. We got to see Transformers on a kids’ show on Sky called Fun Factory. There were no subtitles on Sky Channel though, but we still watched it as most Dutch kids did. We also grew up with German television. The Germans dubbed every US film in their language. Back then we didn’t know any better, it was just like that.

Thanks for sharing! Are there any news and projects you’d like to share with fans and readers.

For those familiar with our Night Arcade club nights in Amsterdam. Our April 11th edition with College, Maethelvin, Lifelike, Shady Lady and myself has been cancelled due to the coronavirus. Before that happened we were already working on our October 3rd edition in Utrecht. The line up for this one is all set and ready to go. As we speak nothing in Holland is certain regarding events, nightlife and festivals. We’re are waiting for an update on this matter from the Dutch government. We’re also working on Night Arcade Records with our first release most likely coming from Utrecht based dj and producer Lektroy, The Arcade Kid and myself. More on this soon at our social channels. For now, have a look at the movies I mentioned, they’re fun and entertaining to watch. Or enjoy the video streams at our YouTube channel. I hope everyone stays safe and healthy. Thanks for having me, it was a pleasure.

Thumbnail photo by Robin Ono (with special thanks to Anthony at Retro Synth Fury!)

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This months Retro Motors looks back at some of the best cartoon vehicles. Again the 80’s and early 90’s were the host to an abundance of all action vehicular combat based cartoons; ranging from the absolutely absurd, to some of the finest animated work to date. Taking a look over what people consider “The best cartoons” today, it’s clear to see that we have moved away from the more classic storytelling and instead opted for balls out, physiologically unsettling and surreal. Back then it was good vs evil, David vs Goliath, man vs machine- or a mix of all three. Not only did the majority of these cartoons tell of a great adventure or explore some primal instincts but they also looked damn cool.

A group I wholeheartedly feel should exist in real life is M.A.S.K (Mobile Armoured Strike Command). If money were no object I’d mobilise a team akin to M.A.S.K and chase ivory poachers with a flying Camaro that shoots rockets. People like Elon Musk think they’re doing the world a favour by producing silent cars and an underground tunnel, but I feel if I was wealthy enough, people would much rather watch a live feed of me in a flying Camaro bombing Japanese whaling boats.

Thunderhawk

No list of the coolest cartoon vehicles could end without mentioning Transformers, although my favourite robot was not only a bad guy but was never a vehicle in the first place. Sound wave, for me, always stood out for the fact he decided to talk through a vocoder and his arsenal consisted of a massive cannon and weaponised cassette tapes.

Yet no other cartoon character made such an impact on me than Optimus Prime. I seem to remember entering a Video Nest here in the UK and choosing a film for Friday night with my dad. From Thundercats to HE MAN, Jason and the Wheeled Warriors to Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles. What could go wrong with a full feature length film about these mighty metal heros? Optimus Prime could go wrong, that’s what.

Optimus Prime

There are some people who still believe that certain human beings, deceased yet period correct, still wander the earth as ghosts. It is believed that certain spectral entities come back with such tasks as moving trinkets, walking without purpose or simply switching on and off the lights. They may be one of the most underwhelming myths of the natural world but the Ghostbusters on the other hand are real and the film is a masterpiece. The Real Ghostbusters was the name of the animated series and what a series it was- exploring further into the characters whilst retaining all the fun and bizarre ghost stories of New York City.

Ecto 1 is a Cadillac- in case you didn’t know. Miller-Meteor, the famous coach builder, designed and manufactured modified versions for businesses who required a classy looking vehicle as big a boat. It had been used as an ambulance-come-hearse in some states of America and became infamous when it starred in the Ghostbusters film. The unforgettable wail of the siren and the bright colour scheme are as iconic as that silver car from Back To The Future.

Ecto 1

The best Batmobile has been and gone when Michael Keaton drove it back in 1989. Long, black, sleek and sexy, complete with mounted guns, turbine and armour plating. Since then the Batmobile has gone from looking like it runs the city, to something that looks like Super-Goth is trying to compensate.

A little later in 1992 Batman the animated series was launched. A beautifully animated, well scripted; timeless, moving comic, also featuring its very own Batmobile. In keeping with the gothic art deco style of the series, the Batmobile of this era is a brutal looking, four wheeled slab of a car. Housing what appears to be a monstrous V12 and with all the essential gadgets like teargas, bullet proof armour and missiles. The dark deco style was inspired by Tim Burton’s work and in my opinion deserves a live action version someday, if only to see the car for real.

The Batmobile

Not exactly a cartoon, more like an animated schizophrenic episode- Akira is an extraordinary masterpiece of technical ability, eccentric storytelling and cult imagery. Any New Retro Wave fan will tell you, the Neo-Tokyo setting is an unnerving mix of real world imagery and sci-fi elements that blend in such a brutal way, it’s going to leave a mark.

My lasting memory of the film however was not the face melting fight sequences but the bike. Kaneda is a young teen with a bad attitude. He’s also the leader of a biker gang who take no shit when it comes to the open road. His chosen chariot is renowned even before you get to see it. Rumour has it this thing was a 200mph, electronically driven sports bike. Whatever it is, it’s one of the coolest animated vehicles to date. Some die hard fans of the franchise have spent thousands creating exact replicas. It has even inspired Honda to create something that closely resembles Shotaro Kaneda’s iron horse.

Kaneda’s bike

These vehicles were at first animated, then became toys and now in some cases would become a reality. I may not be able to have my very own Batmobile but I’ve always thought cars and bikes bring adventure and can become a very real emotional attachment. I hope that even with the decline of fossil fuel burning vehicles, we could see a revival of memorable characters and and equally as memorable vehicular concepts.

This past week marked the anniversaries of two classic animated films. The first being the R rated cult film HEAVY METAL based on the adult graphic magazine of the same title or originally titled Metal Hurlant in France.

It was August 7, 1981 and Heavy Metal for some reason was made into an anthology animated feature film. A collaborative effect directed by Gerald Potterton and produced by Ivan Reitman and Leonard Mogel. The stories within were taken from the pages of the source material coupled with new material.

The title sequence was written by Dan O’Bannon (Aliens, Return of the Living Dead). The story “Harry Canyon” was written by Daniel Goldberg (Meatballs, Feds, Stripes) and Len Blum (Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone); with the voices of John Candy and Richard Romanus. Den was directed by Robert Balser, using rotoscoping, written by Heavy Metal writer Richard Corben with the voice talents of John Candy, Jackie Burroughs and Marin Lavut. My favorite story of the bunch is Captain Stern, directed by Paul Sebella and written by legendary comic book artist Bernie Wrightson (EC Comics, Swamp Thing). Voiced by Rodger Bumpass (SpongeBob Squarepants, Joe Flaherty (SCTV), Eugene Levy (American Pie), John Vernon (I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, Airplane 2, Josey Wales) and Music by Cheap Trick. B-17 written by Dan O’Bannon. So Beautiful So Dangerous written by Angus Mckie who wrote and illustrated the story originally for Heavy Metal magazine. The final story is “Taarna”, an original story by Daniel Goldberg and Len Blum; inspired by Moebius’ Arzach stories.

The release grossed nearly $20,000,000 in spite of critics dismissing the film (like Suicide Squad). Prior to official release on VHS and Laserdisc in 1996, the film was re-released to 54 theaters on March 8, 1996 taking in $550,000. The subsequent home video release moved over one million units. The film was released on Blue-ray Disc on February 1, 2011 as a Best Buy exclusive and it was later released everywhere on June 14.

The first sequel, titled Heavy Metal 2000, was released in 2000. A second sequel has been in various stages of development since, in other words who knows.

Second is TRANSFORMERS: the Movie. Released in North America on August 8, 1986 and in the UK on December 5, 1986. The film was co-produced and directed by Nelson Shin, who produced the originalTransformers television series, and features the voices of Eric Idle (Monty Python), Judd Nelson (Breakfast Club), Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek), Casey Kasem (Top 10 radio), Robert Stack (Airplane, Unsolved Mysteries), Lionel Stander, John Moschitta, Jr. (Micro Machines), Peter Cullen and Frank Welker. It also marked the final roles for both Orson Welles (Citizen KANE, Touch of Evil), who died the year before its release, and Scatman Crothers (Coonskin, The Shining), who died months after its release.

The story takes place in 2005, 20 years after the events of the TV series’ second season and serves to bridge into the third season. Yadda Yadda Yadda, you know who dies. The whinny one is the chosen one. Bad guy becomes even more super powered henchmen for Galactus… I mean Unicron. Autobots go here and then go there. Lazers. Lazers. Big fight. Boss Battle. Big Win. Explosions. Happy Happy. Killer Soundtrack, although not better than Heavy Metal’s. The End.

The film was released on 990 screens in the United States and grossed $1,778,559 on its opening weekend. It opened in 14th place behind “About Last Night” (great movie) which had been in theaters for six weeks at the time. The film’s final box office gross was $5,849,647 which made it the 99th highest-grossing movie of 1986.

So if you ask me, just watch HEAVY METAL.

Stay cool and keep your memories alive and your fingers on that damn rewind button.