The Wacky 70's

[AndyC]

Big screen tales of dystopian societies, technology run amok, and futures that were bleak but really cool to watch. This is another trend that started around the end of the 60s, with movies like Planet of the Apes, but really became a 70s phenomenon.









In general, science fiction movies of the 70s got a little grittier. And the wondrous, shiny future of earlier movies gave way to the "lived-in future," particularly in Star Wars and Alien. Filmmakers started to realize that even stuff that seems shiny and new to us is going to eventually get old and broken down. In general, the future, even when viewed with optimism, started to look a little less idealized and more based on the society of the day, extrapolated and often exaggerated. Really, movies just caught up with science fiction literature, and seemed to turn more to literature for source material.

[The Burgomaster]

Somebody else had the MONSTER MAKER?  I had something much like that as a kid, and I have tried and tried to tell people about it, and no one else remembers.  I vaguely remember a rubbery cube that you put into a special incubation chamber, and it slowly popped up and changed into a little toy dinosaur!  Seems like you could make them turn back to a cube, but I don't remember how.

I had that, too!  It came with a little vise contraption that you could put the dinosaurs in and squeeze them back into cubes.  I also had a huge mountain/valley set that you could put the dinosaurs and cavemen in.  My sister and I used to put cookies in the incubation chamber ("oven") and heat them up.

[RCMerchant]

Somebody else had the MONSTER MAKER?  I had something much like that as a kid, and I have tried and tried to tell people about it, and no one else remembers.  I vaguely remember a rubbery cube that you put into a special incubation chamber, and it slowly popped up and changed into a little toy dinosaur!  Seems like you could make them turn back to a cube, but I don't remember how.

I had that, too!  It came with a little vise contraption that you could put the dinosaurs in and squeeze them back into cubes.  I also had a huge mountain/valley set that you could put the dinosaurs and cavemen in.  My sister and I used to put cookies in the incubation chamber ("oven") and heat them up.

I had that too! And the Creepy Crawler set-but that was about 1968. I was 6-my parents gave me an electric heating toy.  


GI Joes were my favorite toy-GI joe was my buddy! I could throw him outta trees-roll him down the hill in back of the barn in his Jeep-where he would crash into the old barb wire fence,throw dirt bombs at him (dirt bombs were clumps of compacted dirt that-on impact-looked like they were blowing up-or something-hey-I was a kid! We didnt have video games!),make him swim in the creek on my fishing pole! Ah-good times!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLL67CN2hnw

[retrorussell]

More games:
Milton Bradley's Microvision!

Parker Brothers' Merlin!  6 games in one!

Electronic Battleship!

He he he!  BABY ALIVE!

In Oregon we had a local kids show called "Bumpity", hosted by a green cookie monster-type puppet where a human guest would read stories.

[Flick James]

WOW! I didn't expect so much contribution when I started this thread. I just wanted to make some observations about what a peculiar decade the 70's was. Nice to know there are so many that not only know the 70's, but know it well.

[Raffine]

CLACKERS!



One of the best deadly toys of the 70's. They may look harmless but it was possible to crack your wrist and forearm hard enough with these the bring tears to your eyes. When you bored of making the things go 'CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK' you could go for the exciting up and down double clack 'CLACKCLACKCLACKCLACKCLACK'. Then you could use 'em as bolas and aim for your friends' legs.

There were several pair of Clackers wrapped around the branches of the big oak tree in our front yard, just waiting for the string to rot and bean an unwary child.

In the bedroom I shared with my brother there is still a deep dent in the wall where he launched a pair at my head. I still remember they were purple, like the ones in the photo.

There were stories of kids getting broken bones and even getting killed by the bright shiny balls so they were ultimately banned.

A safe version came out in the 90s. You could never crack your ulna with these wimpy embarrassments.

[The Burgomaster]

CLACKERS!



One of the best deadly toys of the 70's. There were stories of kids getting broken bones and even getting killed by the bright shiny balls so they were ultimately banned.

I had a set of these.  I remember hearing stories that chips would come flying off and go into peoples' eyes.  Before long, you couldn't buy them anymore.

[retrorussell]

More candies:

Charms Blow Pops!

Freshen-Up gum! 

[Raffine]

At our school 'Freshen Up' gum was dubbed 'Cum Gum'.  

Another great potentially dangerous toys: WIZZERS!



These were brighty colored gyro tops that you'd rev up and let 'em spin. If you revved 'em up on your mom's hardwood floors you'd leave a mark on the floor - and your mom would leave a mark on your head.

The danger from these little devils was a bit more subtle than the Clackers or the infamous Yard Darts. After you got tired of watching the things balance on their little orange plastic pylons, a fun alternative use was to rev one up and place it the hair of an unsuspecting buddy (or sister) - the longer the hair the better. The Wizzer would immediately twist up the hair and clonk the victim on the noggin. The only way to get the thing out of your hair was to cut it out.  

I can still hear the "Zunnnn zinnnnnnn ZEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" sound the things made when you revved them across the floor. I actually still have one packed away somewhere...

[retrorussell]

More junk food:

This came out just as the '70s were ending, and they remain one of my all-time faves:

And these are still great:

[Raffine]

Seven Up candy bars!



This candy bar had nothing to do with the soft drink, but it had seven parts each with a different filling. The seven fillings were: Orange Jelly, Maple, Caramel, Brazil Nut, Fudge, Coconut, and Cherry, according to the Candy Addict site.

[RCMerchant]

At our school 'Freshen Up' gum was dubbed 'Cum Gum'.  

Another great potentially dangerous toys: WIZZERS!



These were brighty colored gyro tops that you'd rev up and let 'em spin. If you revved 'em up on your mom's hardwood floors you'd leave a mark on the floor - and your mom would leave a mark on your head.

The danger from these little devils was a bit more subtle than the Clackers or the infamous Yard Darts. After you got tired of watching the things balance on their little orange plastic pylons, a fun alternative use was to rev one up and place it the hair of an unsuspecting buddy (or sister) - the longer the hair the better. The Wizzer would immediately twist up the hair and clonk the victim on the noggin. The only way to get the thing out of your hair was to cut it out.  

I can still hear the "Zunnnn zinnnnnnn ZEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" sound the things made when you revved them across the floor. I actually still have one packed away somewhere...

Yeah-those were all the rage at the playground!

I had some of these too-SSP Smash Up Derby cars!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0_EqlsH7bE

Remember digging into the ceral box to find the chezzy toy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cEOKS5-DcQ

[Allhallowsday]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A4DLAGW3a0

[retrorussell]

Some catchy British/UK nonsense that made its way overseas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qswKeWhjaUc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBn2ux5vRHk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htZir_Taizg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mSZRCWWZEs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRVSSwJYqh0&feature=related

[Allhallowsday]

This gal is British, too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op0upKxdvLs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8rkTi3wv90&feature=fvwrel