A Holiday Slice Commercial (1986)

Man, I just finished eating some super salty country ham so I’d kill for an ice cold can of Slice right now.

Until I came across this commercial the other week, I had forgotten all about Slice. Originally, it was Pepsi’s answer to Sprite and 7Up in the 1980s. There’s a disclaimer in the commercial saying Slice is not available in all areas but I never had any problem finding it when I was growing up in Virginia.

Other flavors would eventually arrive such as fruit punch, grape, orange, strawberry and pineapple essentially making making the whole Slice line of soft drinks Pepsi’s answer to Fanta. In 2000, Pepsi replaced lemon-lime Slice with Sierra Mist but in recent years started selling some of the other flavors of Slice exclusively at Wal-Mart (though I don’t recall ever seeing any).

And hey, 10% real juice? Can’t go wrong with that.

Top Five Peanuts Specials

Inspired by the airing of Happy New Year, Charlie Brown last month, I began to reflect upon some of my favorite Peanuts specials. A staggering number of specials have aired on television or debuted on video since 1965. Looking down the list, there are a few that I remember like Snoopy’s Reunion (I think I even had the children’s book adaptation), You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown and It’s Spring Training, Charlie Brown. I’m sure by way of school and video rentals and TV airings, I’ve seen most of the Peanuts output from the late ’70s into the early ’90s but most of these specials are a blur.

Here are the five specials that are special to me. You may find the absence of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown to be shocking but, despite my obsession with Halloween, I never found that to be a very compelling special.

Which specials do you look fondly on most?

1. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

A Peanut special that needs no introduction and it is certainly an undisputed holiday classic that would rank at or near the top of anyone’s Christmas specials list, let alone a Peanuts specials list. You really can’t go wrong with Christmas. It was the very first Peanuts special to air (but not the first to be produced) and it set the tone for heart & humor the franchise is known for.

Buy A Charlie Brown Christmas (Deluxe Edition) on DVD at Amazon.com

2. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)

Over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go! Man, just thinking about that feast the gang had is making me hungry right now! Truly a Thanksgiving feast for the ages! Another classic special that everyone should be aware of  by now.

Buy A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (Deluxe Edition) on DVD at Amazon.com

3. It’s Magic, Charlie Brown (1981)

I really, really loved this special as a kid. I’m not sure if this is considered “classic” material amongst Peanuts aficionados, but it certainly is a classic to me as my family had this one recorded onto a VHS tape and I watched it about a hundred times during the ’80s.

For those of you that aren’t familiar with it, here’s a brief description of what’s going on: Snoopy has learned a few magic tricks and ends up turning Charlie Brown invisible and Snoopy tries to get him to back to being visible. There’s some really funny moments with Snoopy’s various magic tricks her performs during his magic show and in the ways Snoopy comes up with as a temporary fix to make Chuck visible again. Oh yeah, there is a really awesome scene featuring Chuck and Lucy that vindicates Chuck after years of a playing the fool… if only temporarily.

I haven’t seen this since the and ’80s and to my delight, this special is available as a bonus feature on 2008 edition of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Buy It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Deluxe Edition) on DVD at Amazon.com

4. Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (1986)

Already discussed this one in a previous post. Fun stuff featuring Charlie Brown being Charlie Brown and unintentionally screwing himself over while trying to do what he thought was the best thing to do.

Girls > school work. Always remember that, kids.

This one is available on DVD as a bonus feature too, on the release of I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown.

Buy I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (Deluxe Edition) on DVD at Amazon.com

5. Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (1975)

Another special where we viewers take perverse pleasure and humor in seeing just how sad and pathetic Charlie Brown is. In short… a classic! There’s two stories going on in this one: Linus has fallen in love with one of his teachers and Charlie Brown frets over no one giving him a Valentine’s Day card.

Buy Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (Deluxe Edition) on DVD at Amazon.com

Halloween Scream has moved to…

It’s over here now, along with more of the horror movie October schedules you NEED in your life. Stop by and help me celebrate the 2nd year of Halloween Scream at TheMetalMisfit.com!

Horror movies I need to watch in October

So with the official start of fall rapidly approaching, and Halloween not too far behind, my mind now shifts into horror movie mode. Sure, I have a fairly large collected that was amassed during my video store years (at a nice discount, to boot), but I need some fresh… blood this year.

Here’s what I’m thinking about picking up…

Monster Squad – I’ve YET to ever see this movie. It had been flying under my radar until about 2 years ago. I can’t believe I’ve missed it, sounds like something I’d love.
Halloween II – I don’t care what anyone says, the sequel is almost as good as the first one.
Diary of the Dead – Haven’t seen, I’ve heard mixed review, but Romero + zombies = me buying it.
28 Weeks Later – I loved 28 Days Later and I’ve heard this was just as good, if not better, another no brainer…
Chopping Mall – 80s horror cult classic cheesefest from what I’m told– sounds good to me!
The Prowler – I’m trying to pick up the lesser known (or at least lesser grossing) 80s slashers, this is just another on my list but probably the most prolific of what’s left for me to track down.
Pumpkinhead – A classic that I’ve never owned and there’s a new DVD edition coming out, so why not?

Answer my call, McDonald’s! Give us back the peppermint sundae! (UPDATED)

As we march on in search of truth about the mysterious Monster Pops, let us not forget about McDonald’s peppermint sundae. I’ve made no secret that this item is at the top of my list of foods I want BACK in production. It’s a no-brainer really. Ice cream + peppermint syrup + holidays = $$$. Why McDonald’s ever dropped this one from the menu I’ll never know– but WAIT! I WILL know because I just sent the McDonald’s Corporation a letter requesting the return of and information on this delicious treat. Here’s the letter… Will I get a reply?

“To the fine makers of Chicken McNuggets, Oreo McFlurries, and those wonderfully golden french fries…

There comes a time in every man’s life when he has to stand up for what he believes in, no matter what the cost. They say a man that stands for nothing will fall for anything, and I’m writing to tell you that I stand (well, I’m actually leaning back on my desk chair) firm in my belief that your fine company once produced one of the greatest desserts ever– the peppermint sundae. Or would that be the McPeppermint sundae?

Now, as a child, I remember having this wonderful holiday treat back in the 80s and the whole world wants confirmation that it actually existed. A picture or a few words from a company spokesperson explaining the history behind the peppermint sundae will suffice. Were there two different flavors or just two different colors? I seem to remember a red syrup and a green syrup.

I say this to you, you simply must return the peppermint sundae to the TOP of the holiday dessert heap! Forget about doing any market research, if you put out a frosty pepperminty treat during the holidays– it is going to sell. I can’t fathom why the peppermint sundae went extinct, but let’s make 2008 a comeback year!”

UPDATE: The pictures shown above are a strawberry sundae and a Shamrock mint sundae, both a virtually identical to what the peppermint sundae would have looked like. I’m pretty sure red & green syrup were offered. Red being peppermint and green being mint. We at least know that the mint sundae existed at some point, but darnit, I want my peppermint sundae!