Pom Poko (1994). One of the lesser known movies from Studio Ghibli, not being part of the more well known Miyazaki canon, but yet a cult classic from one the greatest animation studios in the world. A wonderfully rich and amusing movie with an environmental message. The tankui battle against the humans, as the high-rise Japanese cities of the 1960s eat away at their forests. The shape-shifting tankui transform into humans, and in acts of eco-terrorism, attempt to disrupt the march of human progress.

Director Isao Takahata has also directed many other classics for Studio Ghibli, not well known outside of Japan.  Among ones that people should check out are Grave Of The Fireflies (1988) and My Neighbours The Yamadas (1999). Takahata, has also worked as producer on many of the most famous animations by Miyazaki to come of  Studio Ghilbli. 

Studio Ghibli is considered by many lovers of animation as the greatest studio of animation production ever. Their works are often lush hand-drawn pieces of art, with engaging characters and quietly meandering story-lines. Hayao Miyazaki, the co-founder of the studio along with Takahata, is well known for directing some of the best animation movies ever seen. My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Spirited Away (2001) and Howl's Moving Castle (2004) being among the most well known.

Clowns are creepy, fact! The fear of clowns if known as coulrophobia, as term invented some time in the 80s. From Lon Chaney's creepy clowns in Laugh, Clown, Laugh (1928) and the depressing He Who Gets Slapped (1924), to the infamous image of serial killer John Wayne Gacy, clowns are creepy! Many of us have childhood nightmare memories of seeing clowns at the circus, and on late night TV, in cult movies like IT! (1990) (with child-killing Pennywise) and Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988).

Clowns were a regular part of kids TV in America, in the 50s and 60s. There was Bozo the Clown, at one time played by Willard Scott, who also played and claimed to have invented the first incarnation of Ronald McDonald. Not forgetting the creepily 'mute' Clarabell the Clown, on Howdy Doody, first played by Bob Keeshan, who later went on to create the famous kids TV character Captain Kangaroo. And let's not forget Rusty Nails, supposedly the inspiration for Krusty the Clown.

Clowns also appeared in TV commercials, before the appearance of Ronald McDonald on our TV screens, the creepiest of all the TV clowns to send shivers down the spine was Krinkles the Clown. Krinkles was the mascot for Post's Sugar Coated Rice Krinkles. His manic face was more than enough to put you off your cereal in a morning.

The Weird Retro Creepy Circus Clowns facebook page archive has an ever growing collection of some of the best creepy clown images to be found. 

The Splatter Platters Mix-Tape takes you on a car crash journey through the golden age of teen tragedy songs, during the mid-50s to mid-60s. High-lights include Nervous Norvus - Transfusion (1956), originally banned, it uses the same stock car crash sound effect the can be heard on both Jan & Dean's - Dead Man's Curve (1964) and Leader Of The Pack (1964) by The Shangri-Las. (Both also on the mix-tape.)

Also included is the wonderfully wacky little known parody song I Want My Baby Back (1965) by Jimmy Cross. Voted one of the worst records of all time in 1978. Quite possibly the final nail in the coffin of the teen tragedy genre.

Download Splatter Platters Vol.1 - The Originals here.

Weird Retro now has a YouTube channel for fans viewing pleasure. Currently featuring some of our mix-movie compilation videos from over the years.

Coming soon... TV commercials, propaganda films, public information films, cult movie trailers and all kinds of whacked-out weirdness from our archives.

Way back in the 50s, before Rock 'n' Roll broke through and became the soundtrack of teen rebellion, a strange little genre emerged. The teen tragedy song, otherwise known as "splatter platters" or "death discs". Songs involving the untimely death of a teenager sweetheart, often involving a motor vehicle accident. The genre peaked in popularity in the late 50s and early 60s. Well known classics of the genre remembered to this day include the campy and often parodied The Shangri-Las - Leader Of The Pack  (1964) and Ray Peterson - Tell Laura I Love Her (1960). 

Weird Fact: In 1960 singer Marilyn Michaels recorded a response from the grave, to "Tell Laura I Love Her", entitled Tell Tommy I Miss Him.

Credited as one of the first ever splatter platters is Black Denim Trousers And Motorcycle Boots by The Cheers (1955). The song was released only weeks before the tragic death of James Dean in a motor accident. It's possible that the song was inspired by the Marlon Brando movie The Wild One. The song is also credited as being the first ever biker song.

Weird Fact: There is a French version of the song "L' Homme à la Moto" recorded by Edith Piaf in 1956, which became one of her biggest hits.

Coming soon... Mix-Tape Mondays... Don't miss the chance to grab some musical retro weirdness every Monday on the Weird Retro blog.

The way the God-Jesus Robot apparently works is that you pray to it for romantic advice, and then it either nods or shakes its head to tell you what to do. The perfect toy for the many socially awkward young Japanese kids. Why it was called the God Jesus Robot... Well It's the Japanese, what more needs to be said... Any explanation would be more surreal than the name itself.

God Jesus Robot was made by Bandai in 1985, and sold in Japan. The little 5.25” romantic robot fortune-teller toy randomly held a crucifix aloft. When the battery operated robot was asked questions, it would give positive or negative answers in a similar way to a well-known Magic 8-ball.