MovieChat Forums > Revenge of the Creature (1955) Discussion > This was on NBC in the 80's in 3D!

This was on NBC in the 80's in 3D!

posted 17 years ago by Thunderspawn
14 replies | jump to latest

Hi guys, I remember this movie being on NBC in the mid 80's, at night around 8:00, and was sponsored by Zippy Mart. Every time the film went to commercial, the Zippy Mart com would play...'Just Zip To Zippy Mart...Just Zip To Zippy Mart And Zip Right Out...', and have these kazoo sound effects that were hilarious. Revenge might have even been colorized, and 3D, but I'm not sure about the color.

Take it easy, John.

"There's a broken up girl for every broken down boy"- Chicago

[–] lodger3 17 years ago

Yep, I remember this too, except in Southen California I don't think there were any Zippy-Marts. The 80's saw the last gasp of old films like these being played in prime-time. The local channel 5 (KTLA) used to do theme weeks - like all 5 'Planet of the Apes' films, or Frankenstein films, etc.

In any case, when 'Revenge of the Creature' was aired, it was in 3-D, and there was a tie-in with 7-11 to get 3-D glasses. My dad was too cheap to spring for the glasses back then, so I had to watch the film with the red & blue halo (I think my dad tried to improvise, by using the blue & red tabs from a three-ring binder - needless to say it didn't work). I remember that a local host announced that out TV sets had to have the color/hue adjusted to make the 3-D effect work, so there was a little example demonstrated so the effect would work. Wow, those were the days.

"I live the unknown, I love the unknown, I AM the unknown."

[–] Thunderspawn 17 years ago

Well I guess the convenient stores were trying to get into horror movies with this one. It's too bad, there are no 7-11's here in South Carolina anymore. We never had a Zippy Mart here either. I do remember the host telling us to change the contrast or something like you said for the 3-D effect to work. I have heard old rumors that John Carpenter was planning to remake Creature, but for some reason, Memoirs of an Invisible Man became more important. Sad.

Take care, John.

"There's a broken up girl for every broken down boy"- Chicago

[–] goodellaa 16 years ago

I remember this. Happily got a shot of my mom and I sitting there with those glasses staring intently at the TV in the hopes it would start to work, but alas it never looked like much to me.

[–] rixrex 11 years ago

Yep, I remember this too, except in Southen California I don't think there were any Zippy-Marts. The 80's saw the last gasp of old films like these being played in prime-time. The local channel 5 (KTLA) used to do theme weeks - like all 5 'Planet of the Apes' films, or Frankenstein films, etc.

I remember channel 5 doing that too, all the way up into the 90s until it became part of the WB network, and later CW. However, it may have seemed to be the "last gasp" of movies in prime time, but that has now been turned around with digital TV broadcasting.

If you are in the LA area still, you can get these channels showing pretty much all movies:

This TV - 5.3
Movies! - 13.3

Movies! is the better one as it shows them uncut and in widescreen whenever possible. And, if you can believe it, they actually REMOVE THE BOTTOM CORNER LOGO after a couple of seconds so you can watch the film without distraction!! There should be an FCC rule that they all have to do that.

You can also get these channels which show a good number of feature films, sometimes in prime time:

Cozi TV - 4.2
Antenna TV - 5.2
Bounce - 13.1
Ion - 30.1

I am getting over 100 digital channels from an antenna that look better than cable and we are 70 miles from LA. Screw the cable company and their $100 monthly fees.

[–] YankeeDood 17 years ago

I remember a release of the original Creature but not Revenge. It was aired on channel 44 (KBHK) in San Francisco and Bob Wilkins hosted it!
I bought the 3-D glasses and so did my father, but it was a major disappointment because it was a far cry from theater 3-D. TV-3D never did work in that style. The only type of TV 3D that works is the shutter style where you hook up a converter box and have to wear bulky glasses. I had this 3-D kit, but sold it because it was a nuisance.
I wish they would bring back theater 3-D, that was the best!

-L31

[–] Harold_Robbins 17 years ago

There was also a showing of John Wayne's 3D classic, HONDO.

"I don't use a pen: I write with a goose quill dipped in venom!"---W. Lydecker

[–] hadrons 17 years ago

This aired on local synication ... I actually found a copy on an old beta tape that aired on July 26, 1982 (a little of the WPIX newscast was on the tape.) I remember being really excited to see this (I even brought a big coconut cream pie for the night,) but the effects and film were so lame that I gave up.

The pie was good though

[–] the_walking_dead 16 years ago

i remember this back in the 80s. the big 7-11 3-d movie promo thing for Fox. i remember watching some kung fu movie in 3-D. that was the first one i saw. then they kept airing more. it was great. now everything sucks and kids have no idea of how cool and fun things use to be.

[–] porfle 16 years ago

In addition to this and HONDO, I also remember 3D airings of ROBOT MONSTER and GORILLA AT LARGE. The best 3D effects to me were the underwater scenes in REVENGE OF THE CREATURE.

I once got to see a double-feature at the theater with CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON and IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE in 3D. Other 3D features I saw in the theater were COMIN AT YA!, ANDY WARHOL'S FRANKENSTEIN, and SPACEHUNTER.

http://www.bumscorner.com
http://www.myspace.com/porfle

[–] UncleT 16 years ago

I have fond memories of that broadcast and watching it in 3D. Though the original "Creature" is the superior film, this one still has a special place in my heart because of that. I remember "Gorilla At Large" being aired in 3D as well and falling asleep after the first five minutes.

In the Boston area, they're showing the original "Creature" and "It Came from Outer Space" in 3D this week and I can't wait. I just came back from seeing "Dial M for Murder" in the original 3D... bliss.

Nobody cares about the man in the box

[–] WanderlustX2 15 years ago

I didn't know Dial M for Murder was 3D! :) I remember seeing this and several of the others mentioned during that same 80s period. A neighbor of mine grew up on this stuff and loved it, so I got introduced to it all. Still fond memories! :)

[–] preppy-3 15 years ago

Yeah--"Dial M" WAS 3-D. I saw it that way a few times and it really works (especially when Grace Kelly is being attacked).

I caught this in syndication in 3-D also. We had to get the glasses at Store 24. Unfortunately the 3-D didn't work well at all on TV and I had a splitting headache afterwards. They're perfected it now so you don't get a headache and it looks more realistic.

[–] thegalaxybeing 14 years ago

A picture tube TV really has to be set (color wise) perfectly for 3-D to work. Also B&W movies look better in Anaglyph 3-D (cyan/red tinted glasses)I get much better results on LED or Plasma, especially with a B&W movie. I have the original Creature From the Black Lagoon & It came from Outer Space in Anaglyph 3-D and both look pretty good on a flat panel TV. Also the glasses you use very greatly. My DVDs also support field sequential 3-D (which use shutter glasses and produce truer color and has no doubling) but I don't have the glasses. I purchased several pairs of plastic 3-D glasses (costing up to $11.00) and yet the best image I got so far were from glasses that come with Spy Kids 3-D (I bought the movie at a yard sale just to get the 4 pair of glasses)

I'm sure there are companies that make top quality plastic frame Anaglyph glasses, but I haven't come across the right ones yet. Good ones must be fairly expensive. Until I find the right set, I'll use the Spy Kids glasses to watch all my 3-D movies.

[–] 14 years ago

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