To all DUers who are of a certain age, GET THIS!!!

[freethought]

I was doing my daily internet routine, a daily trip to a few news/information sites. Among these sites is a quick stop at Yahoo.
Double-clicked Yahoo-Movies to see what is coming out that I may be interested in. Scrolled down to the bottom of the page.
I nearly fell over backward when I saw what was coming out.
SPEED RACER!!!!!! I remember that cartoon from when my age was still in single digits. They put it on film!! Holy S__t!!
The Mach 5, Speed himself, Jim Jim the Monkey, Stridle, they even have someone to play Racer X. Oh yeah, there was Trixie too, I just can't remember if she was sister or girlfriend. Oh well.
I don't know if I should feel old or giddy!!
Knowing me and some of the movies that I actually paid to see, I'll probably go and see it. On the flip side I pretty sure that this movie is an indicator that Hollywood is running out of good script ideas. Considering they have to copy a cartoon that appeared on TV over 30 years ago, I don't take it as a good sign.

For those DUers who may be unfamiliar with the "Speed Racer" Series, a quick rundown. Back in the seventies a few cartoon series produced in Japan made their way across the pond to the U.S. Among them were "Star Blazers", another was "Samba: The White Lion" and
then there was "Speed Racer". All were early versions of the anime style of cartoons. Needless to say Speed Racer was about a racecar driver and his family who always seemed to get embroiled in or uncover some evil plot to take over the world and somehow Speed Racer with his supercar would manage to foil those plans-and still win the big race later that day!! The car was known as the "Mach 5" and it could do the following drive at extreme speed, it had some sort of vaulting mechanism on the underside and could jump high and long,
saw blades mounted in the front grill that would clear anything that was in the way(they could retract completely out of site). It also had a kind of flying robotic messenger bird that was launched out of the hood. Oh yeah, and with a hit of a button, the place where the driver sat would be totally covered and watertight. Did I forget anything? If you were to look at the cartoon now, likely you would say that it sucks ass. But back in the 70s and you were 6 or 7 years old, it's show you didn't miss.

[madeline_con]

1. One of THE stupidest things ever broadcast. Nuff said.

[JCMach1]

31. I agree... and I can't imagine it being any good as live action

:puke:

[MrScorpio]

2. That was KIMBA the White Lion, You mixed it up with Simba the Lion King

I'm not even going to approach Sambo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYXuCu8apL0

[freethought]

15. Yeah! You're correct. Sorry!! N/T

[porphyrian]

3. I was watching Star Blazers before anime was cool.

And we used to call it "Japanimation" then. Speed Racer was another one, but his car was cooler than he was.

[flvegan]

9. Starblazers and Force Five were awesome!

[porphyrian]

14. Starblazers is out on DVD now, too.

It's not quite as cool as it seemed back in the day, but it's worth renting for nostalgia, anyway.

[freethought]

17. Is it the Japanese version or the "sanitized" U.S. version?

I recall seeing a website on the series and one thing that was emphasized was the fact that the "Star Blazers" series had to be edited and 'sanitized for the American market. As I understand there were scenes of violent and sexual nature that Americans never saw.
Looking at it now you have a hard time believing that you could have been really into something that looks so goofy.

[porphyrian]

21. Both! In Japan, the series was called Space Battleship Yamato.

The subtitles are entertainingly Engrish at points.

[many a good man]

4. Was Rex Racer his long-lost brother?

Was he the bad guy? Who was the Italian monkey-grinder guy? His grease monkey? What about his dead father?

I watched it every afternoon. It came on right after UltraMan.

[TZ]

16. I watched and liked both shows myself.....n/t

[freethought]

18. Racer X had a tendency to show up when

Racer X tended to show up when Speed got into reeeeeaaaaal trouble. Saved his ass more than once. I thought Racer X was a long lost older brother.

[Kutjara]

30. Racer X...Racer Rex....Rex Racer.

Could be.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. meh

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MQyYPP9zR7M

[MrScorpio]

7. It's official

Nothing is sacred

[freethought]

20. Hey look!

I didn't make the film. I am just showing you someone else did.

[Steven_S]

6. Chim-Chim..

The monkey.

My 10 year old brother, who was so weak I used to beat him up with his own fists, would develop super-human strength to pick me up and throw me away from the TV when I went to change the channel. I didn't care for it too much. We still laugh about it. Had to be '67 or '68.

Thanks for the reminder. :)

[freethought]

22. I stand corrected again. Strike TWO!! n/t

[Diamond Dave]

8. The car was BADASS!

From the movie:


I remember my fifth birthday party, when Speed came on, my friends all left, and I didn't notice them gone.

[evlbstrd]

10. I liked Astro Boy better.

http://www.astroboy-online.com/

I remember the Japanese black and white version.

[amerikat]

11. The original Speed Racer Cartoon opening on you tube

I watched speed racer all the time.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtIu61s2PDo&feature=related

[DS1]

12. Crappiest cartoon of that decade

[YankeyMCC]

13. I was a big fan of that show

the Mach 5 fascinated me and I really not much of a car guy. And I knew about this movie for a while and was excited about the idea of brining my nephew who's is obsessed with cars.

But I saw the preview in coming attractions this past weekend and it just looks...odd...they kinda went the Dick Tracey route in the sense that they are trying to make it look and feel cartoonish but from what we saw it was also dark and just that sort of oddness that makes it a bit creepy. So now I'm not sure if I will take him.

[MrScorpio]

19. The Original Speed Racer opening rocks in Japanese

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScF_ZGdg6ik

[freethought]

25. I wonder if the original Japanese series had to be

edited and 'sanitized' for the American audience like "Star Blazers" was?

[MrScorpio]

26. I'm finding out that they all were

I found a Kimba comparison earlier

[Maestro]

23. I watched it all the time!

As I got older though I thought that Speed Racer was a bit "emotional." I didn't get the anime thing back then.

[Critters2]

24. Oh great. An hour and a half of pictures that don't move.

And it only costs $8.

Thanks, but I'll be doing something else that day.

[Doc_Technical]

27. Yawn.

when they bring out a new version of Fireball XL5 let me know.

[Breeze54]

28. Go speed racer ...go!!!

:P

Cool! It was a fun cartoon to watch and I still like the theme song! ;)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

29. It was "Kimba the White Lion"

I used to watch Astro Boy, myself.