Retro Curious Rebellious: The Revival

Anyone who has liked our Facebook or follows us on Twitter knows we at the Retro Revival were tuned in last night to the…interesting choices made in regards to the live version of “A Christmas Story”. This was an interesting study in how to not integrate musical numbers into a screenplay or live renditions. The tone of the story was strange while expecting some snarky or dark themes tied into it.

Anyone who has liked our Facebook or follows us on Twitter knows we at the retro revival were tuned in last night to the…interesting choices made in regards to the live version of “A Christmas Story”. This was an interesting study in how to not integrate musical numbers into a screenplay or live renditions. The tone of the story was strange while expecting some snarky or dark themes tied into the Christmas themes in the live show.

My biggest issues are with the overall presentation because there were at least 4 unnecessary musical numbers, most notably the musical numbers introducing the infamous Santa scene, and the “C+/You’ll shoot your eye out” number which drove the point like a jackhammer driving a stake into an already obvious plot point, and the number following Ralphie beating his bully up, transitioning out of the scene in such a clumsy manner that it was, in my opinion, harmful to the flow of the show. This seems to be an issue of the transition between media formats, the original movie that is the definitive version of this intellectual property was made into a musical, and that musical was brought to the screen last night, I was not myself aware of this formatting that occurred. the transition from movie to musical seems to have been the source of the musical numbers that broke realism and at times the 4th wall. I had an issue with the number done on Xmas eve where the children convene in the street and do a dance number with large candy cane props, it felt as if it had wasted a great expository moment for Ralphie and his brother to have via dialogue.

This live show was treated like a Broadway production and was far too clean in the outside scenes, not much of a patina on the buildings and this was a very idealized and whitewashed version of a post-war and post-depression America. I also had issues with the future Ralphie interacting with the past environment, it’s something that makes the experience inherently disassociating as a viewer.

Among the main cast, I found Mia Rudolph to be the MVP of the live show, the children performances were perfectly fine, and the father character had a very extreme shift in character, while this change was catalyzed by the breaking of the leg lamp, it was still incredibly abrupt and felt unearned.

Harpie’s notes; The adaptation was, in my opinion, a betrayal of the spirit of the original film, possibly resulting at least to some extent from the film to musical adaptation before the re-adaptation to the live TV format. Despite the fact that it’s delivery was a heaping pile of garbage and awkward lack of fluidity, the underlying themes of political incorrectness and the value of sharing that sense of deviance with the public resonated in a powerful and somewhat careless fashion. It touches base on the lack of appreciation given toward the housewife stereotype and the female agenda, the sense of relatability we have toward blunt and honest political incorrectness, and the schoolyard social structure. What damaged the ability for these messages to be received was how the rendition was produced. Sets and costume were on point but unfortunately, the lack of fluid 40s authenticity and logistical choppiness took away from the plot and original intention.

“Gee whiz, mom! Do I really have to put it on?” “On the double, Ralphie!” Whether you celebrate Christmas or another holiday this season, there’s a good chance that you’ve watched the tale of a young Cleveland, Ohio lad, Ralphie, whose dream to own a Red Rider BB gun was the staple of “A Christmas Story’. He embarks on a mundane adventure made classic with its relatable entertainment, from the Bumpus Hounds to the infamous Leg Lamp- which of course, was a major award for Ralphie’s dad to win. Tonight on December 17th, the holiday traditional movie takes a new form of (you guessed it) revivalism in a live remake.

Laden with celebrities, the live ACS aires tonight on Fox. Why exactly is this timing so perfect? Between the current political climate asking for greatness again paired with the latent or deliberate desire that the American public has for nostalgic traditions (sans the violence and prejudice obviously), we at the Retro Revival believe that these incidences of mainstreaming retro culture are the media’s attempt to stand and deliver. Realistically, only the privileged in America got to experience that stereotype of (estimated) 1910-1970ish lifestyle due to de-facto and de-jure effects. Today, while we rightfully recognize all persons as being equal and deserving, we also crave that slower-paced, more meaningful lifestyle that is often attributed to ‘the good old days’. Particularly appealing to the emotions is the holiday season, making the intersection of vintage and nostalgia more powerful than ever.

So, ACS is situated in a modest 1940s home, complete with accurate furnishings and set, costumes and relative language. It an attempt to bring all Americans (and really, all people) closer to that warm and fuzzy feeling, ACS Live offers the chance for that nostalgic inspiration to seep into every home this Christmas season. It encourages all the best facets of ‘back in the day’- like ankle length coats for mom, durable snow gear, walking home from school, haggling a price for Christmas trees, waiting for the mail, comfortable living without excess, and (a personal favorite) teaching school-age children good penmanship. Perhaps what makes this movie an excellent revival is an-absence of any prejudice within the film, likely due to its release date being in 1983 as opposed to being produced any earlier in the 20th century.

Still not convinced? Tune into Fox tonight at 7 PM EST and let’s see how this remake satisfies the sweet tooth in us all for the swell of retro living. And to all those who celebrate, we will be signing off until New Year’s Eve. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Manny’s notes:

Another benefit to this format for a television program is that it puts Hollywood/film & television actors into a stage performance style performance where there is no reshooting, only rehearsal and performance. This kind of programing if done more often offers stage actors an in with television shows and also challenges seasoned television actors to keep their live performance skills sharp.

Now that the FCC has approved the splitting up and selling off of individual internet services such as (but not limited to); streaming, social media, gaming and many things we all use every day, all that separates it from reaching the public is a vote in the Supreme Court. This partitioning and selling off of services is part of the downward spiral that occurs when greed is allowed to control policy decisions as a result of legalized bribery, courtesy of the Citizens United ruling that allows companies and corporations to be seen as people. We are witnessing what is a desperate attempt by some ISP’s to squeeze every last possible cent from their customers while providing less service for more money. With each service sold there is potential for fees for providing the service that you are already paying for. Ultimately, this results in a capital gain for the upper 20% of shareholders in the service package providers, while stripping clean the wallets of those potential consumers.

So here’s the real question: How is this at all relative to the retro lifestyle? As a result of the death of the internet, it may be harder to keep and utilize these services, therefore; we as a nation will have to learn to adapt to the true pre-internet way of life. One of the most valuable services to us on the internet is Google, a search engine that makes information around the world available to us without very much effort. I suspect that if you do not want to pay for the new unregulated internet services you may want to subscribe to the encyclopedia Britannica so that you can open up a volume of this knowledge-rich book to find out things that have been included and added to the volumes over the years (if only an instant access information site was available). If you can’t afford to pay for unregulated internet check out the encyclopedia Britannica store to stay up to date with last year’s current events!The Encyclopedia Britannica

Most exciting for me is that if streaming becomes a pay for access services (such as YouTube (where I publish my videos on this site and my own gear reviews and music antics), and Spotify (and all other streaming platforms)), the overall packages will become extra expensive for residential use. If you are paying for Spotify Pro then you will be spending even more, if only these services didn’t cost more than they already do. This could lead to the resurgence of the record store while the public resorts to buying albums, as well as the expansion of the market for CD, vinyl, DVD, and blue-ray. Yes, Netflix and Amazon Prime video will still be available (but both losing customers if net neutrality is lost and streaming becomes a separate service). Feel free to join my protest by voting with your wallets and canceling online services while the FCC helps ISP’s attempt to drain us of our last penny. Youtube will be losing many creators as part of this as well, and they may lose my patronage because I won’t be able to watch their videos. This will hopefully lead to the resurgence of the movie theatre and the video rental store, I genuinely miss the fun of going into a blockbuster or family video and renting a B movie and laughing with friends about how bad it is: truly retro in the best way. This new market for physical products does, however, mean that the price of physical media may go up as demand goes up. While not a pastime of mine, the “Netflix, and chill” method of spending time with a special someone will have to become dates out at a movie theatre, and some people may have to learn the subtleties of communication and courtesy of spending time with someone else and not being able to go to a nearly limitless movie theatre on their home tv systems or computers. Record Stores in the USA

Another advantage of not having access to Youtube or streaming could be the resurgence of live music scenes when people no longer have easy affordable access to live streams and mp3’s or any of the nearly infinite convenient services that bring the music to them! The transfer of information will suffer most; with corporate-owned newspapers that control their messages and do not report honestly regarding their sponsors if there are genuine matters of concern regarding the will become our main source of news and information, while responsible reporting would be hoped for, it is not guaranteed. We would also be living in a world where we find out tomorrow about an event happening as opposed to immediately. TV services are going to still exist, but this doesn’t mean that the corporate owned networks that may even own the ISP’s that are trying to parcel off the different aspects of the internet that we use will be honest in their reporting if a sponsor or donor doesn’t want specific and potentially vital news getting out about a public health or safety issue brought on by the constant deregulation of business practices and the deregulation of environmental protections.

Most interestingly we may see the protection and utilization of libraries again if the internet is minced into tiny chunks as the FCC ruling would allow, which offers some more public interest in their libraries. We should enjoy them regardless of the greed-fueled systemic cannibalism we are in the midst of witnessing.

In addition to the dangers of bias being integrated into the National and global news, the chances for shopping pattern shifts are high. Without the Amazon and Ebay luxuries that power our abilities to purchase a variety of goods sight-unseen, many major retailers like ModCloth, Groupon, Airbnb, Uber, and ASOS will lose out entirely on a profound percentage of their overall consumers. What might save our collective asses is that the barons of these fallout companies will find themselves rather outraged at the greater system responsible for their n-dollar losses. We digress… This does sound like the greatest resurgence of Harpie’s favorite piece of furniture: the gossip bench! Used for telephones, phone books, and notepads for taking messages, this mid-20th-century staple is an icon of 40s modern living. With enough catalogs to contemporary that of Sears Roebuck back in the day, Americans may find themselves dialing in from landlines to get all their fulfillment in dry goods. What a shame it would be to have to speak to someone and learn effective communication skills through a telephone order. We may even learn delayed gratification if the lines are busy.

Now, we at the RR blog are rather adverse to the use of Chromebooks by school-age children to basically take the place of all their scrap paper and assignments, but this is exactly why on overdependence on technology when unmitigated is bad as well. While it would cost parents a tuition or a severe localized tax increase, the Chromebook technology has taken a toll on children’s learning in the united states. The use of writing and repetition helps to affirm in the minds of students the concepts they study. Without net neutrality, these parents will additionally have to pay for their at-home services to allow students to complete coursework at home when dependent upon Chromebooks. The implications for Online college and postgraduate scholars are frightening as well. Would school require certain internet packages? Would it be possible to depend purely upon libraries and Starbucks for Wi-Fi for school work? With what money will they pay for their Blackboard or eCollege residential packages?

Let’s be clear. The Retro Revival Blog and its authors strongly advocate against over-dependence on the internet and technology as a whole. We think that in a healthy balanced way, the internet and its comforts can be beneficial. America especially can use a serious wake-up call with how severe its addiction to the internet is. Consider this scare your wake-up call. You do not necessarily need to purchase with one-day shipping on a routine basis or constantly ‘Like’ your neighbor’s erratic posts about her twelve obese cats, but these are comforts that have improved life to some extent and hindered social skills and understanding as well.

In case the FCC ruling flings us back into the 1970’s we will be making a newsletter so that the Retro Revival lives on regardless of the FCC destroying the internet as we know it. 

If you want to fight for Net neutrality please go to http://www.goFCCyourself.com and go to the express link in order to tell them that you stand for net neutrality.

In my recent pilgrimage to one of the happiest places I can think of (Michaels Craft Store), I stumbled upon perhaps one of the greatest treasure troves of retro-inspired home decor. Aptly titled the Jingle Jolly Way collection, (primarily manufactured by Ashland decoratives), this Michael’s exclusive offers a delicate nostalgia for a midcentury Christmas experience. Pair these home accents with a warm batch of cookies, a flour-dusted apron, some family, and a good gallon of egg nog by the fire and you’re sure to have the most remarkable retro holiday ever. Some of our favorites are:

Still can’t get enough? Retro inspiration for the season is palpable across the market. Vermont Coutry Store and similar online retailers alike have found success in sales of classic ceramic tabletop trees such as these: Nostalgic Trees!

It seems that thematically, the recreations of the classics are made with the same materials with very few changes to the overall product. For instance, the ceramic trees are still made of ceramic as opposed to a newer or synthetic contemporary, which is considerably authentic. For the Jingle Jolly Way collection, these are modeled after color schemes popular from midcentury culture, while opting to use newer materials. Turquoise and red pay homage to the classic red and green of the holiday season while tributing some pastels back to the 1950s.

We are delighted to bring the retro back into the traditions of christmas (and all the other holidays too!)

It is such a busy and festive time of year no matter what our darling readers celebrate. But from us to you, may your days be merry and bright!

Click click click click click click…. Ding!

I often credit my mom with teaching me how to type quickly and accurately. The truth is, while my mom’s expertise was the foundation for my computer literacy, I think that acquiring a Smith-Corona was the impetus for me to type smarter. Sure, speed is excellent, especially in our fast-paced world; but no one talks about accuracy. Almost every software program on modern computers includes spellcheck and/or autocorrect features. So, why bother learning perfection if a program does it for you? …Are we really evolving into a half-assed population?

I will be bold enough to suggest that all young people should learn to type on an old, loud, rickety typewriter to learn a skill rather than muscle memory alone. Keyboards aren’t fit for children for several reasons: they aren’t posture-sensitive, peak no curiosity, and there’s not emphasis on the human touch when using a computer. Shall we dig deeper, darlings?

Unless keyboards and computer desks are specially prepared with wrist rests, a proportionate chair, and other fixings, children are bound to develop a slouch or scoliosis (like Harpie, who is critically conscious of her sitting position right now). No school is going to spend extra money on non-necessities, and likely would instead blame scoliosis on desks and lack of activity. With typewriters, they are far more elevated, which defaults the children to sit up straight to see what they’re doing.

Which brings another point into perspective: the little learners will want to engage with the odd-shaped contraption because this isn’t your boring-ass MacBook (sorry Manny Dylan, but your computer doesn’t ding after I type each line). It makes new sounds, looks different, and produces lettering that is standard (much like that fancy Times New Roman in 12-point font) but unique from a printer’s methods.

Last on my venting list for the shameless promotion of typewriters is just that! Feeding a printer and seeing your work on a screen is completely devoid of human contact! Writing is an art, an expression, and most importantly, it is a form of contact. I’ll bet you’d be far more thrilled with someone who took care enough to use a typewriter to send a letter than someone who typed and printed a few messages on your letterhead. It simply has deeper meaning. Children will learn that. Over time, they will notice and learn to appreciate it. The revival of the writing bug will extend itself past the typewriters and expand to the boosting of cultural and heritage morale.

All just because you (collectively) taught those children to type first on a typewriter. It’s cool. It’s nifty. Typewriters can be teachers. Embrace the clickety clackety beasts!

Click Here for a Typewriter Testimonial 

Thanks to the People’s Store in Lambertville NJ for their photogenic typewriters! I’m still swooning over the Remingtons.

There was a lot of discomfort in the small group of people congregated on the steps to the lost mansion at Duke Farms today. I half anticipated to see tourists thrilled at the sight of newly-opened acres, but instead I saw some empathy of the experience settle in. Faces of disappointed and mourning visitors looked toward me, half confused and half desperate for the answers to the absurdity beneath our feet.

It was gone. There was nothing quite the same since then, and I admit it was some relief to know I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. Despite everything, there was some glimmer of hope, some indications that the ownership was ashamed of their actions, and some sense of direction to protect what remained.

Today I share with you Operation ORCHID, the loosely-knit organization advocating for the accurate and fullest amount of information on the Duke history, and encouraging change of methods at the property’s executive level. As one of the cornerstones of our mission, Op ORCHID wants to acknowledge the intricate level of horticultural design preserved in the meditation gardens area just southwest of the mansion’s memorial, but we would also like to identify that there are no paths in the area where the house stood, meaning that there was literally nothing that the mansion was in the way of.

Of particular interest is that the Duke Farms social media outlets don’t seem to share information on the reopening of these acres. Why, if after more than two years of arguing that their decision to demolish was the correct thing to do, would the foundation forget to publicize one of their biggest ‘accomplishments’? Maybe after seeing the landscape without the house, someone realized that it wasn’t what they were hoping for. It’s a very sad reminder, but that’s not something we can put back and get a ‘re-do’ on. Another fascinating component of today’s wandering brings us back to the Duke Gadens greenhouse structure. It seems as though its ancillary structure, the visitor’s center (which now houses an empty vending machine and bathrooms), has been liquidated of its files, records, furnishings, and any other affects that suggested it was used in recent years. These empty shelves can be found through the windows of the visitor’s center, which is in sharp contrast to the previous observations made of a room heavily stocked full of papers and boxes, office furnishings and file cabinets.

We took some photos of the somber scene as time stands still at the Duke Estate. Want to know more about what you can do to promote preservation at this historic paradise? We are available 24/7 now by email at theretrorevivalist@gmail.com. Start holding these exectives accountable for the extreme display of demolition and neglect. There are several fountains, structures, statues, and a series of greenhouses from Duke Gardens that still need to be cared for, not forgotten.

West wing

Emptiness

Used to be a real fountain

The gates finally open

meditation garden, from the other side of the fence

Boat House, currently off limits

meditation garden from south facing field

landscape changes

Only partially accurate

half truths

walking toward the memorial

something is missing

The Duke Gardens Insignia still stands

pretty lamp

incomplete

walking Doris home

Wilted White Orchid

missing

fountain bed

modified landscaping

front doors facing palm room

to boat house

fresh coat of paint and a failed water circulation system

mcmansionhell.com/ (Click for direct link): this amazing little site normalizes the conversation about oversized, gluttonous houses that lack most classical components of good architecture. As retro culture advocates, it is so valuable for us to recognize that a huge house for the everyday resident doesn’t make a lot of sense. People don’t actually need 4,000 square feet of living space to be comfortable. Back in postwar America (late 40s through the 50s), the tax percent on the wealthiest citizens was 91% (americansfortaxfairness.org) and even then, the middle class lived in neither squalor nor excess.  We aren’t here to talk heavy politics, but this is a key reason why American society functioned so differently than today. So let’s dig:

Retro is stereotypically matched with the midcentury culture of America. Given this, it makes sense that those who identify with this theme of reviving the good stuff would find large, 16-bedroom houses to be a bit… excessive. But it’s not the sheer size that frustrates us. It is the lack of real craftsmanship and old-world class. McMansion Hell (operated by Kate Wagner) identifies with this concept of lackluster architectural mishmash and thrills at the opportunity to poke fun at the curious components of these residential beasts.

I’m sure some of you are asking, “Didn’t the RRBlog stand in solidarity against the demolition of a huge house?” We are glad you stayed curious! Yes, we did and we still do. The difference is in the decades; unlike historic houses or the careful craftsmanship of older homes, the houses featured on Wagner’s website are devoid of authentic, classical character or features that are made like they used to be. These pompous structures are the subject of her satire often because of the seemingly shoddy replicas of features produced after the 1980s! No carved wood or parquet flooring here!

For several weeks, Wagner faced Zillow, the booming online business that features sales and rentals of all sorts fo structures for individuals to search through. Although the multi-billion dollar company owns none of the pictures used on her site, Zillow is outraged at the satire. This is an amazing story of the people winning their cases, however. At the end of the experience, McMansionHell was up and running again, but with some compromises. The site, although active and essentially winning their lawsuit by default when Zillow dropped their charges, has had some formatting changes and had to rescind several dozen posts from the previous website versions.

Of course, we are grateful that Kate’s story is a successful one and the Retro Revival will continue to encourage people like her for promoting a healthier sense of craftsmanship, pride in one’s work, and cultural artistry of all kinds!

https://americansfortaxfairness.org/tax-fairness-briefing-booklet/fact-sheet-taxing-wealthy-americans/

http://www.seattletimes.com/business/real-estate/zillow-vs-mcmansion-hell-seattle-company-not-backing-off-fight-with-blog-despite-pr-fiasco/

Two weekends ago at the Retro Revival, our writers congregated in Hillsborough to discuss a local phenomenon aimed at bringing members of the community closer together. The concept, ‘Hillsborough Rocks!’ is an ongoing state of hide and seek played by colorfully decorated rocks placed around public areas of the town. It’s a playful little reminder that we all live and create art in this darling little corner of the world. This theme is revived from a previous concept though: we compared the rocks to a good old-fashioned lawn flamingo flock!

Hillsborough Rocks isn’t the only arts-n-craftsy community glue of its kind- many towns in the locality and across the country are participating. It’s an odd little pleasantry, really. Much like the happy staples of the midcentury’s residential landscapes, these flamingoes were placed around town to promote congregations, emphasize togetherness, and remind everyone of the symbol of the flamingo itself: don’t worry, be happy. The best way to keep track of these artfully decorated stones is to watch on Facebook pages pertinent to your town. It’s easy to begin and more fun to watch others get started, pick up a paintbrush, and colorize the township, one rock at a time.

It was quite an adventure into the arts for us two, but we are grateful for the results. These feathery fancies aren’t quite so feathery- Among them are tiny silhouettes, minimalist styles, and inverted colors, all flocking together for a grand total of 8 unique flamingo-inspired designs. Can you find all the members of the rock flock? If you can find one of our Hillsborough rocks, be sure to post a photo of it on our Facebook page at Facebook.com/retrorevivalist before you re-hide it!

Stay Curious and thanks for playing!