Mighty Morphin Raiders of the Lost Ark

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.

Anybody who knows anything about cinema knows that Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is one of if not the greatest achievements in American cinema.  I couldn't even say that with a straight face.  The movie is awful, but that doesn't stop it from holding an incredibly special spot in my heart.

Many of you will remember Ivan Ooze, the main antagonist or "bad guy" in the movie.  He's so bad that even Rita and Zedd are frightened of him.  Capable of making crow monsters from snot, destroying inter-dimensional beings while playing a flute, and an oddly dedicated fan of the Brady Bunch, Mr. Ooze is bad news.

I Don't Wanna Grow Up, I'm a Toys "R" Kid!

Nothing exudes nostalgia quite like Toys "R" Us.  I'm an adult now, but every time I walk into my local store I am instantly hit with a wave of memories.  The individual toys themselves have changed, but there are still Star Wars actions figures, Lego sets and of course, Pokemon cards.  It's amazing to me that many of the brands of toys I loved as a kid are still going strong.

Star Trek's Most Resiliant Redshirt: James Doohan

Paramount Pictures

Any fan of the original Star Trek knows that the minute a crewman wearing a red shirt is tasked with accompanying an away team to the surface of planet, somebody is about to die.  It was so common for "redshirts" to buy the farm it has since becoming a running joke.

Mighty Morphin' (Gender Confused) Power Rangers

Power Rangers was an essential staple in the 90s kid's lineup of television shows he or she watched regularly.  Of course I look back on the show now and I chuckle at how I was constantly surprised by what happened on the show.

3D is How Old?!

For the last few years Hollywood has desperately been trying to convince audiences that viewing movies in 3D is the ultimate way to experience a director's vision.  Personally, I think all 3D is good for is viewing movies through lenses that make everything darker and give me a headache, but that's just me.

Charles Wheatstone, the father of 3D...in 3D!

What Does Skyrim Share with Super Mario 64?

Charles Martinet is a name that any hardcore Super Mario fan is familiar with.  Since 1996 he has provided the voice for Nintendo's portly mustached plumber.  His voice has become instantly recognizable and it's now hard to picture Mario without hearing his signature "Itsa me, Mario!"

Catches Milk Just Like Flies - One Awesome Practical Effect from Spider-Man (2002)

Remember that scene is Sam Raimi's Spider-Man where Peter manages to catch all of MJ's lunch items after she slips on a puddle of orange Juice?  MJ, who is naturally impressed, manages a "nice reflexes" before awkwardly noticing that Peter has blue eyes and then leaving with a "well, see ya."
Here is the clip to refresh your memory:

What makes this scene even more amazing is the fact that absolutely no CGI was used in its making.  Tobey Maguire actually caught all those items on the tray (with the aid of a sticky substance) with no special effects whatsoever.  Since that's all I've got for today and I don't know how to end this post, here is a funny picture of Spider-Man:

What do the Grinch and Tony the Tiger Have in Common?

Tony the Tiger is one of cereal's most recognizable mascots.  With an instantly memorable catch-phrase and an awesome personality, who wouldn't fall in love with the feline advocate of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes?

Gunpei Yokoi - The Father of Game Boy

One morning, over 30 years ago, Gunpei Yokoi was on a train, traveling to work.  As he sat on the train watching his fellow passengers his eyes fell upon a business man who was casually playing on his calculator to pass the time.  It was then that Yokoi, who worked for a prominent Japanese toy company, was struck with an idea for a product that would forever change his career, the company he worked for, and the lives of millions of commuters, gamers and bored children in the backseats of cars during long road trips.

Ah-ha-ha Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha (Mandark's Real Name, and other Dexter's Lab Fun Facts)

For those of you who did not grow up watching Dexter's Laboratory please let me offer my sincerest of condolences.  Truly, this masterpiece of the 90s was one of the greatest cartoon series to grace the airwaves of television, taking its place in the hallowed halls of the Cartoon Network's Pantheon of Cartoon Cartoons.

Secrets of the Planet of the Apes

Spoiler alert for a 40-year-old  film...

When Planet of the Apes was released in 1968 it stunned audiences with it's incredible make-up design, special effects and crazy twist at the end.  Fast-forward over 30 years, audiences were anticipating  a remake helmed by Tim Burton.  What they were given was a hot mess which pretty much killed the franchise off for the next decade.  Enter Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

A Boat and a DInk: Secrets from Doug the Nicktoon

Ah Doug, the first cartoon to air on Nickelodeon.  Not only was it the first in a long line of awesome Nicktoon series it was arguably one of the best.  As a kid who loved to daydream, wear sweater vests and save the world in his underwear, I really identified with the titular character.

How a Scrap of Newspaper Spawned the Modern Comic Book Movie

Gotham High's Cutest Couple 1989

Does the name Michael Uslan ring any bells for you?  If you are not a major film buff this name probably means nothing to you.  And yet this man is the reason comic book fans can finally see their childhood heroes on the big screen in serious, high quality films.  You see Uslan was the man who worked tirelessly for nearly a decade to bring the masses a serious depiction of Batman on the big screen.  The success of Batman paved the way for the serious, darker takes on comic book characters in movies, despite Joel Schumacher's best bat-nippled efforts.  More importantly, the film set the standard for telling engaging, character driven blockbusters.

Hey Arnold! Origins

Hey Arnold was literally one of the greatest cartoon series that aired during the 90s.  With a cast of actual children providing the voices of the main characters (a first for a Nickelodeon series) and some surprisingly poignant stories filled to the brim with pathos, the show managed to convey a feeling of sincerity and genuineness not found in many other animated TV shows.

But did you know that Arnold himself debuted long before his show would in 1996?  Arnold made his first appearance in an animated claymation short called "Arnold Escapes from Church" which was made way back in 1986 and can be viewed below.

Shortly after his first appearance, Craig Bartlett (Arnold's creator) began making shorts for Sesame Street before finally developing an animated show which was picked up by Nickelodeon.   Pretty crazy to think that the incredibly fleshed-out world of Hey Arnold came from such humble beginnings!

Since I'm feeling particularly generous today, I leave you with one more fun fact for the day.

The man who provided the voice for this guy:

Also provides the voice for this guy:

Source: IMDB.com

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Do you like video games from the 90s?  Check out my YouTube Channel  where I post videos exploring the totally rad games of the past! 

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William Wallace's Wardrobe Malfunction

"William Wallace kell'd fefty men. Fefty. Af'it was one!"

Braveheart is one of the most loved movies from the 90s, and for good reason.  Who doesn't love a good tale about standing up for FREEDOM and liberty?  Commies.  Commies don't like tales about freedom and liberty.  But I digress.

The picture above shows William Wallace flanked by British guards looking completely B.A.  What is it about him that looks so B.A, you may ask?  Well he's got a mane of wild long hair, a look of pure ice on his face despite being surrounded by enemies, and of course, he's wearing a kilt.

The Danish Tartan...because I'm 1/4 Danish.

The are very few things more epic than watching a 13th century Scotsman run into battle wearing a kilt.  The only problem is that no 13th century Scotsman ever ran into battle wearing a kilt.  That's because kilts weren't introduced in Scotland until the 17th century, about 300 years after William Wallace's death in 1305.

As for tartans, the patterns used in making kilts, they are much more ancient than kilts, with evidence present
of them existing in Scotland as far back as 320 AD.  Many people have been taught that specific tartans are assigned to specific clans in Scotland and have been for centuries.  In fact the assigning of tartans to clans did not start until the 19th century when a crafty weaver by the name of William Wilson decided that, instead of using numbers to identify his patterns, he would name them after clans, family names and towns in Scotland.  The trend caught on, in large part because of the intense nostalgia that reined in Scotland and Britain during the time, and now there are many families who use tartans as identifiers.  There is a national register for tartans where anybody from anywhere may register a new tartan, but the registry is not regulated in any way.



Source: The Early History of the Kilt

If you liked this article be sure to like and/or share it on Facebook, Google +, and Twitter.  Please feel free to follow this blog so you will never miss a Fun Fact of the Day!

Do you like video games from the 90s?  Check out my YouTube Channel  where I post videos exploring the totally rad games of the past! 

For all things 90s related and beyond be sure check out my other blog at www.theninetieskid.com. 

If you like what you read/saw please take a moment to like me on Facebook  and follow me on Twitter!