Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries

Is Filmmaker James Cameron Trying To Drown Someone?

In this episode, Host Brenda delves into the mad world of James Cameron, who seems to have an obsession about filming people in giant tanks of water.  Whether it's a 50 foot deep tank inside of an abandoned nuclear power plant for "The Abyss", or the 30 foot deep tank where he staged the sinking of a five foot replica of the Titanic, Jimmy Cameron sure does love filming people struggling for their lives in freezing water.

The Unexpected Consequences of Light Gun Arcade Games

Since the dawn of time, mankind has been playing around with guns, and that drive even extended to video games.  Right at the very beginning of video game history, light guns allowed players to simulate the real feeling of shooting.  However, while the targets were initially simply balloons and pixelated ducks, things shifted until these fake guns were aiming at real people.

The Tumultuous Production of Little Nemo In Slumberland

This week Host Brenda dives into the chaotic production history of 1989’s Little Nemo in Slumberland, a Japanese/American animated film based on Windsor McCay’s influential 1905 comic strip.  This story involves Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Ray Bradbury, George Lucas, both of the Sherman brothers and more.  

"Steel" The Movie Walked so "Black Panther" Could Run

In an era where superhero movies are few and far between, famed music producer Quincy Jones sets out to adapt the story of the recently introduced superhero, Steel.  However, between a writer/director who wanted to change the entire story, to Warner Bros. slashing the entire budget, it's a wonder this movie got made at all!  

Unofficial Olympic Mascots: From Kapa to Fatso the Wombat (and a Pierogi Plush)

Before there were official olympic sanctioned mascots for every olympic games, there were unofficial mascots.  Sometimes they were already the mascot of an existing sporting event, or sometimes they were just a piece of merchandise that took on a life of its own, and sometimes they were a smirking Wombat with an impossibly fat ass and some really cool tennis shoes.