Episode 28 — VHS Nostalgia

[admin 330]

Director Rodney Ascher joins Jake for a nerdy chat about conspiracies regarding The Shining, VHS logos, and late night cable tv. Rodney & Jake discuss Rodney’s new documentary Room 237, the process of scanimation, and the Night Flight tv block on the USA network. They also take a look at a special Tron sweepstakes, Gary Stollman’s appearance on KNBC, and what would happen if you stayed up too late watching tv. Make sure to go leave reviews for your favorite Stanley Kubrick movie in “The Fogelnest Files” section on iTunes. If you’re in Los Angeles, come to the LIVE taping of THE FOGELNEST FILES with Shelby Fero at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre on Thursday March 28th at 9:30pm! Get tickets at www.ucbtheatre.com

[AdamFlowers 5]

I just had a visceral response to the Tron commercial. That voice over announcer was ubiquitous on TV then & did the announcing for the Star Wars Holiday Special.

[AdamFlowers 5]

The woman that does the VO on that "Night Flight" promo is Renelle Brooks-Moon. She was a mainstay DJ on 106.1 KMEL in SF/Oakland in the 80's-90's. Now she is a DJ on KISS FM & she the PA announcer for the SF Giants. I had a crush on her when I was a kid.

[DubipR 485]

Another great episode, Jake!

 

I remember that news broadcast when David Horowitz was held at gunpoint. I looked at my brother and sort of freaked out seeing someone held at gunpoint. What a great after school treat, eh.

 

BTW, is it me or does Rodney have a Jaime Gillis Meets Joe Mantagna looking vibe to him?

[akiba_drumer 12]

The second the first clip was played, I knew this was going to be a great episode. If I know anything about jake, it's that he is passionate about that screen gems logo. Which pretty much encapsulates everything I love about this show.

[Hot - Slunch 772]

Best episode thus far. I'm a huge fan of old commercial bumpers, logos, station idents, commercials, etc.

 

Plus, The Shining is literally the only movie to ever scare me. It's genuinely psychologically terrifying, and I've lost many a night to Shining conspiracies/theories. Kubrick was amazing.

 

One more thing, color correction and matting issues frustrate the hell out of me. I'm still waiting for a proper full screen release of Evil Dead. The Japanese laserdisc is the closest you can get to the way it was originally shot.

 

Great episode, all the nerdy stuff I like.

[jakefogelnest 517]

So glad people dig this episode! There's going to be more like it! I have a couple other documentary filmmakers coming up in the next few months who have made AMAZING movies.

[Kickpuncher 5012]

Best episode thus far. I'm a huge fan of old commercial bumpers, logos, station idents, commercials, etc.

 

Yes! Jake's Podmass comment was funny, because I'm sure a lot of people will have that reaction, but deep cuts like this are exactly why TFF is so great. Taking this point by point:

- Loved hearing more about Room 237. Doug Benson talked about it on DLM after seeing it at a festival, and it sounds really fascinating.

- On a personal note, the confluence of Kubrick films and VHS as a topic was really funny, because I actually still own the Stanley Kubrick Collection VHS box set (and have it and no other tapes sitting with my DVDs/BRs) despite not having a connected VCR to play it on.

- The KNBC incident was pretty incredible, and OF COURSE Jake has the transcript of his full speech and OF COURSE Jake has tracked him down on the internet.

- If any stations go off the air overnight these days, they should replace that anthem video with the "Closing Up the Plug Bag" theme. (Also, that one gave me a chuckle because my aunt and uncle lived in the probably-no-longer-growing Plattsburgh, NY area until about a year ago.)

[akiba_drumer 12]

Yes! Jake's Podmass comment was funny, because I'm sure a lot of people will have that reaction, but deep cuts like this are exactly why TFF is so great.

 

I usually think the podmass reviews are fairly decent, but all of them for the Fogelnest Files are just like.. this guy just doesn't get it. One of the reviews was ragging on jake for 'setting up the bit poorly' by asking the guest to describe what they're seeing. It's not a bit - it's that they need to have some way to describe a visual medium on a podcast, dude.

[CapricaSixSixSix 100]

My heart burst with joy even before I listened to this- i was lucky enough to see Room 237 and it will probably be my favorite film of the year. Rodney was right- by the end I was semi-convinced that Kubrick did fake the moon landing. I wish more movies got the "Room 237" treatment.

 

I know this podcast is under the comedy section - and it's damn funny - but it's become so much more than that. it's been a celebration of why pop culture is the fabric of society. I am so stoked that there will be more documentary filmmakers in the future.

 

Damn, that KNBC news teams are pros- I would have been sh*tting my pants. And then to go back on the air an hour later to report it? Total pros.

[AdamFlowers 5]

I am going to post a KOFY TV 20 bumper from the 1980's in the Submit forum. KOFY was a legendary independent station in the SF Bay Area and they had these bumpers with local dogs. There was one that became legendary because the dog falls off the table he is standing on at the end of the bumper. They played it for 10 years and we all waited expectantly for "Goober" to make his appearance during a commercial break.

[Shannon 2953]

I am going to post a KOFY TV 20 bumper from the 1980's in the Submit forum. KOFY was a legendary independent station in the SF Bay Area and they had these bumpers with local dogs. There was one that became legendary because the dog falls off the table he is standing on at the end of the bumper. They played it for 10 years and we all waited expectantly for "Goober" to make his appearance during a commercial break.

 

OMGGGGG I'm dying. That is amazing. I never thought a dog falling off of something would be so cute

[Hot - Slunch 772]

Just did some googling and found Room 237 will be screened about a half hour away from me at a random location next month. Buying tickets on Monday!

[Quasar Sniffer 4174]

I hereby submit that "The Internet is Fucking Ridiculous" become the new tagline for The Fogelnest Files.

 

A great episode, and one that I find fascinating on a cultural level thanks to things like "The S From Hell." I mean, it's just... fucking weird that there are certain people of a certain age and demographic that have this relationship with logos and bumpers and whatnot. I think I'm just old enough where I remember watching VHS tapes and syndicated TV as a kid, seeing those logos and hearing their music, and knowing what was in store for me.

[GianniRed 24]

So glad people dig this episode! There's going to be more like it! I have a couple other documentary filmmakers coming up in the next few months who have made AMAZING movies.

 

Wow Jake, What a great one-two punch over the past two episodes.

 

First I'm laughing my ass off from last week's episode, especially your "Venom at the negotiating/buffet table" impressions, and then this episode reminds me of the incredibly visceral reactions those bumpers used to evoke. Though it wasn't featured here, the Nelvana bumper always got to me as a little kid, mostly because they produced my favorite cartoon "Dinosaucers", and seeing that meant that "Dinosaucers" was over.

 

I'm definitely looking up Ascher's other stuff and yes please, get some more documentary makers on here. This was astoundingly interesting.

[daveB from Oakland 364]

It's great to hear you talking with such a simpatico dude, Jake. I think you've met your brother from another mother.