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The Final Frontier

Sunday Circular: This New-Fangled Star Trek Show!

by Jamie Frevele | 2:27 pm, February 26th, 2012

As we start seeing little bits and pieces from J.J. Abrams‘ second Star Trek movie, it’s always fun to take a look back at where it all began — with an “Earthman” and a Vulcan. This advertisement for Star Trek: The Original Series boasts a sneak preview, “in color!”, of the show that goes “where no program has gone before.” On one of the cheapest sets possible! They probably had no idea that they’d have to wait until after the show to complete that five-year mission.

(via Vintage Ads)

Previously in Star Trek

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It Came From Outer Space

Quite Possibly the Best-Worst Gift Ever: The Invisible Space Helmet

by Jamie Frevele | 2:27 pm, February 19th, 2012

Can I make a pitch? For a new holiday? Since some portions of the population don’t exactly enjoy Valentine’s Day, I’m going to propose Astronaut Day. On Astronaut Day, boys and girls, men and women, all ages, all cultural backgrounds, everyone — everyone takes one day out of the year to put on our very own “Invisible Helmet” that when worn, “nobody but nobody can tell who you are”! We can pretend we’re aliens, we can pretend we’re NASA astronauts, we can pretend to walk on the moon … Come on, this would be so awesome! And for just $1.98 in 1950s money! Sure, that might be about $16 and change now (ish), but being able to see “everybody and everything” in this totally inconspicuous and realistic space helmet is a sound investment if you ask me.

But like the ad says: Make sure you’re the first to get your hands on this. Because only then will you be the astronaut who will be worshipped. And sacrificed. Wow, this turned into The Hunger Games so fast.

(Vintage Ads via Boing Boing, who gets props for beating me to the Johnny Space Commander Mask reference)

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Olden Lore

Ooo, Swish! 1930s Newsreel Predicts the Futuristic Fashions of 2000 AD [Video]

by Jamie Frevele | 11:29 am, November 26th, 2011

Oh, remember the olden days, you guys? Even before Y2K, when the year 2000 was barely even conceivable, and that by then, we’d have flying cars and lightsabers? This British newsreel from the 1930s (Pathetone Weekly) has a look at what the space-age style of the 21st century would look like — to people from the 1930s. That means flashlight-headpieces, no more skirts, cantilever heels (these practical things), and climate control belts! And remember to fill your futuristic fanny pack with “candies for cutie”!

(via io9)

Things We Saw Today

Things We Saw Today: Something Better Than a Cat

by Jamie Frevele | 5:29 pm, September 10th, 2011

Look, we have nothing against cats. But when we see a really ambitious and tiny turtle trying to eat something as big as itself … well, show us a cat trying to do that. (at Diary of a Death Starlette)

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Our Adorable Past

The Best Way to Sell Coffee in Decades Past? Shame Your Wife Over the Coffee She Made. [Video]

by Jamie Frevele | 5:45 pm, September 2nd, 2011

Back in the 1950s and 1960s, men just wanted their coffee to be perfect. Robust, smooth, and American. And that was totally up to their wives. And you know what those wives should have said if their husbands deemed their coffee less-than-perfect? We have an idea.

(Boing Boing via The Daily What)

Our Adorable Past

For the 20th Anniversary of the SNES, We Give You … Paul Rudd [Video]

by Jamie Frevele | 6:00 pm, August 20th, 2011

Yesterday marked 20 years since the SNES was introduced, and back in 1991, this was a huge deal. It was an even bigger deal for then-unknown actor Paul Rudd, who starred in this commercial before anyone knew he’d become one of the funniest people ever. Lookit, he’s all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and super excited about those wild 16-bit graphics! Do you think he thought to himself, “Man, it will never get any better than this”?

(Geek Tyrant)

Things We Saw Today

Things We Saw Today: Shulkie

by Jamie Frevele | 5:30 pm, May 8th, 2011

Today, let’s celebrate all the powerful women who can pick it up, put it down, and keep it all together. (At DC Women Kicking Ass)

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