I could barely recall the animated wonder Gumby—something I’d briefly been into as a wee one—but thanks to the fine people at Rhino, I became immersed in it last weekend.
Rhino has released a series of volumes of original Gumby and Pokey Toyland adventures from the ’50s and ’60s. Who says animation can’t be cerebral? I was completely spellbound as Gumby went on various excursions, including “Robot Rumpus,” “Egg Trouble” and “Yard Work Made Easy.” The best part, however, comes in the form of a disclaimer/warning on the back of the DVD. Clearly, Rhino was rightly worried that today’s CGI-weaned youth might not understand the rather jerky animation of yesteryear. Thus the package reads: “This video contains technical anomalies inherent in historic footage.”

Undoubtedly one of the highlights of growing up in Edmonton came while watching a late-night TV screening of Frogs, generally considered one of the best worst B-movies of the ’70s. Oscar-winner Ray Milland plays a mean ornery patriarch who’s used too many pesticides over the years. Now all those snakes, toads and frogs are out to kill Milland and his family. As the film’s motto goes, “Today the pond… tomorrow the world!” And that’s a very young Joan Van Ark (Knots Landing) playing one of the humans tormented by vicious frogs. :

—Matthew Hays