Hello and welcome to another Vintage Media Millennial blog. We’re trying to get our act together at Old Time Review, and make an effort to expand on the idea of this blog section. My intention is to make it a weekly post that covers the different elements of vintage media separately.
Each week, there will be small columns devoted to television, music, film and (maybe sometimes) radio. I’ve enlisted the help of fellow Old Time Review writer Jane Grandle to help me bulk things up; Her contributions will be clearly marked.
Television
The Golden Girls on Disney Plus
the Golden Girls is one of those legendary sitcoms that often gets talked about. When I first sat down to watch it, I was concerned that talk was nothing more than rose tinted nostalgia; A common thing when re-evaluating a past favourite. Safe to say though, this is one which still holds up incredibly well.
The Golden Girls aired on NBC between 1985 and 1992, running for 180 episodes over 7 seasons. It starred Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty as four housemates who navigate the adventures of love, friendship and life. It steers between funny, heartfelt, cheeky and bawdy beautifully. Some of the quips feel near the knuckle in places, but they are often met with expressions from the supporting cast.
I have nearly finished the first five seasons of this show, and I can tell you it’s a revelation. I feel like I know these women, and enjoy following their journey. Just when I think things adhere to a formula, they switch it around and turn it on its side. The running gags, including, St Olaf, only get funnier as time goes on.
Praise should go to the four leading ladies, who never miss a beat. They all had long careers by the time they started this show, and it only serves to make it better. Never more does it show than when The Golden Girls decides to go heavy with its subject matter. Occasionally clunky by modern standards, but mostly well thought out and considered. Overall, a heartwarming show with still plenty of bite.
The Golden Girls is available to stream on Disney+ in the UK.
Music
Destination Jail – Bear Family Records
Written by Jane Grandle
Destination Jail contains 31 tracks all centred around the theme of incarceration. There are some duplicates here, such as two different recordings of Folsom Prison Blues (one by Billy Tidwell and the Chivells and the other by Reb Allen). In these cases, there is enough difference in performance and style between the performers that two versions do seem justified.
Highlights for me include Webb Pearce’s In The Jailhouse Now, George Champion’s Hanging Day and Bill Carter’s Shot Four Times and Dying. Many of the artists featured on Destination Jail will be familiar to fans of Bear Family‘s releases. The tracks are all very squarely tied to the theme of jail, none of them feel out of place. As a complete listening experience, this compilation is haunting. The booklet which contains a small write-up about each song is a nice companion to the music.
For full tracklisting and further information, please visit Bear Family Records’ website.
Film
Can You Recommend a Film?
This section will normally feature an opinion or review about a vintage film. In this edition, I want to ask for recommendations on what to see. For this website, I tend to prioritize movies made before 1990. I’m not particularly a fan of Horror, but I do enjoy the Action and Comedy genres.
My favourite films of all time include Back to the Future (1985), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) and Toy Story. (1995). I will try to review any suggestions that I receive, either on this section or in its own post.
Radio
My Modern Radio Habits
Although I have been a fan of radio for many years, I have started to drift away from listening to the platform regularly. I can’t say specifically what has prompted this change in my listening habits, but it’s probably a mixture of family responsibilities, work and headspace. There are a few things that I would count as exceptions though
Some of the old friends that I occasionally visit on the air include Keven Cohen on the Talk station The Point in South Carolina; His breakfast show has been a great comfort to me since I discovered it in the mid-2010s. Despite being thousands of miles away, I have always enjoyed the universal topics that he covers, along with features such as today in history. I love the politics-free section that he does on a Thursday on his afternoon show. I love discussing popular culture, and I find his choice battles a riveting listen, even if I don’t always agree with listeners.
Another thing that I tend to switch between is Ten to the Top on BBC Radio 2, and Popmaster on Greatest Hits Radio. Funnily enough, I have been a contestant on both. Both Vernon Kay and Ken Bruce were consummate professionals, and really friendly. I enjoy these features because they offer a fun way to engage in music, and reignite interest in anything I may have ignored. For example, a question I recently got wrong concerning The Boomtown Rats sent me down an interesting rabbit hole.
Lastly, I have found myself listening to the excellent Boom Radio a bit. During our dinner times, we have had the station on in the background, and enjoyed the mix of new, old and obscure music. I am not the target audience by a long shot, but I appreciate their successful attempt at recreating a feeling without veering into parody. They respect radio history without resorting to cliches and caricatures. Over Christmas, I tuned into a number of shows featuring legendary broadcasters, including Chris Tarrant and Paul Burnett. It was like they’d never left, and it’s the same for the other names. Long may it continue.
Thank you for reading this edition of Vintage Media Millennial. If you have any thoughts on the content above, please leave a comment below. Alternatively, you can email Jame@OldTimeReview.co.uk with the subject line VMM.
