Dreamland: The RetroBlasting Podcast

While there are a ton of well-known and much loved Christmas specials, it’s Halloween that really kicks off the season. However, most people could probably only name one, maybe two Halloween specials. In this episode, we watched TEN Halloween specials spanning from 1966 to 1993. We’ll let you know which ones are hidden gems and which ones are best forgotten.

If you were a metalhead in the 80s then this movie will more than likely bring back great memories for you, as it does for Melinda and Brian! We give our thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of the movie and learn some details about the production and the killer soundtrack by Fastway. Special Guest: Brian LeTendre

Melinda and Aaron return after their break for DragonCon to discuss one of their mutually favorite properties: The Lord of the Rings. We’re talking Rankin-Bass, Ralph Bakshi, Peter Jackson, and video games - so settle in with some lembas bread and a nice bottle of the Old Winyard with us!

The KLF are known for their popular dance songs "3 AM Eternal," "What Time is Love," and "Justified and Ancient." What you may NOT know is that they gave a big middle finger to the British music industry with an outrageous display at the 1992 Brit awards, deleted their entire music catalog, and burned a million quid. Why, you ask? The answer will take us deep into discordian thought - you may never see the world quite the same way again.

This week we are joined by Thrash It Out podcast host, Brian LeTendre, to talk metal - and in particular to talk about how long-time metal fans feel when their favorite band takes their music in a new direction. Included: Def Leppard, Metallica, and Queensrÿche.

Moonlighting, the 1985 ABC show that spawned the career of Bruce Willis and featured Cybill Shepherd, was unlike most other shows in the 80s. With its regular nods to classic cinema and constantly breaking the 4th wall, it made the romantic-comedy detective show format truly innovative. Melinda and Aaron discuss the pilot episode, as well as if there is truly such a thing as the "Moonlighting Effect."

We've all heard of Batman, and most of us know his creator as Bob Kane... but as the 2017 documentary directed by Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce, "Batman and Bill," makes clear, there is a lot more to the story. Melinda and Aaron speak with comic book expert Michael Bailey (The Fortress of Baileytude podcast) to discuss Bill Finger's contributions to Batman, and why so many comic book creators from the 30s didn't get the credit they deserved.

Melinda and Aaron go back to the first episode of MacGyver to see how it holds up - and have a hilarious time! We take you through a play by play of the first episode of the iconic seven season show of the 80s, with a few fun facts about the series thrown in for good measure.

With the recent news of Billy Mitchell having his records revoked, we thought it would be fun to take a look at the story of the battle for the high score in Donkey Kong, and the insanity surrounding this entire story. Melinda and Aaron take you back through the fight for the title, as detailed in the 2007 documentary, "King of Kong," and tell you what was left out. We also discuss the current status as of May 2018.

Michael French joins us to talk about the original script for Revenge of the Jedi - in which the "Sanctuary Moon" of Endor had an actual meaning, Leia was not Luke's sister, and Han Solo was slated to have a heroic death. Listen and imagine what might have been...

Has modern "Fandom" turned into Sports culture? Is Marvel vs. DC the trendy geek version of... the red and white sports-ball team vs the orange and blue one? If so, how did it get this way? What does it mean for the non-sports fans in the room, who miss the content that came with obscurity? We answer this, and so much more.

Melinda and Michael discuss Tomb Raider, from the 1996 original video game to the 2018 movie. Warning - Spoilers ahead.

Aaron & Melinda each pick a news event from the 80s and discuss. On the table for discussion: a nuclear disaster and proposed music censorship. Don't you miss the 80s?

We bring it back to metal with a discussion of Queensrÿche's 1988 concept album Operation: Mindcrime. It usually makes the top 10 of all metal concept albums, and was a staple for most metal fans growing up in the 80s. As a long-time fan, Melinda walks you through the details and Aaron provides his insights as a new listener. If you don't remember, you will now.

The best things come in threes - comedic timing, fairy tale characters, and ancient gods. Unfortunately that isn't always the case with movie series. Our goal: pick 3 part 3 films from a franchise that we love or love to hate... and discuss. You'll never guess what we picked...