I'm surprised there isn't more hoopla surrounding the 50th anniversary of DS. We have the Festival coming, which is great, but gosh, the Fest REALLY needs to get with the times. Even fan events for vintage films offer membership purchases through the internet which you can buy with a credit card or even via Paypal. The Fest is still using the SASE method, which is charming in its way, but not the most modern way of doing things to say the least. The website is also in dire need of a revamp. Jim Pierson, if you're reading this, PLEASE shell out some cash and hire a web designer, sir! If it's too expensive, do a kickstarter!
As for merchandising, we seemingly have only a few things coming out this year. There's the re-release of the record album. Okay, fun, but not the most exciting offering in the world, IMO (though the purple vinyl is cool).
The retro metal lunchbox is coming, which is something I'm definitely looking forward to checking out. I will probably pick that one up. It's something new and fun, so "yay!"
We have the audio dramas, and I know the 50th anniversary edition is on the way, but I feel the audios have been on the downturn story-wise. The actors are great, but the writing and direction is off-base, in my opinion. I don't mean this to be disrespecful to anyone, but it's just my honest critique, so I hope nobody takes offense. I've listened to some interviews with the creators, particularly pertaining to the recent 'Bloodlust,' and they talk way too much about Dallas and refer to "soaps" a lot. This gives me the sense that they don't fully "get it" when it comes to DS. 'Bloodlust' itself makes references to things like "Lucky Charms" and 80's TV shows, and the characters speak in a way that simply doesn't "feel" like DS to me. All of this serves to undermine the whole "dark Brigadoon" feel Jonathan Frid always talked about. Suffice to say, I miss having hardcore fan creators like Darren Gross and Stephen Mark Rainey involved. Stuart Manning, I think, had a better grasp on the feel of DS than does Joseph Lidster. But I guess that's a conversation for a whole different topic.
There's also the series of Retropolis podcasts devoted to DS, and it has been fun hearing the actors speak at length about their experiences. The host is new to many of these stories, but he does ask some good questions.
As far as I know know, that's all that's going on for the anniversary. I'd love to see more things - commerative action figures, new comic books or even a one-shot graphic novel, an animated short, a televised documentary, new trading cards, statues, etc. I guess it's too much to ask, but it IS the big 5-0. I wonder if the Burton/Depp fiasco put the kibosh on interest from licensees or even the fans themselves.
Sorry that my first big post after a long time of not posting much is a bit negative. I am just trying to figure out why there seems to be a lack of "buzz" surrounding the big DS birthday! DCP and Jim should reach out to purveyors of Pop culture ephemera such as POP Vinyl, Re-Action, and others.
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