A New York tradition is back...sort of!

[flat-top]

Every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving, a local NY station (WOR, or was WPIX?) would have a marathon of giant monster movies all day! Starting with the original King Kong early in the morning and usually ending with Godzilla Vs The Smog Monster at night. I looked foward to this day every year (looong before I got into retail). This was in I guess the late 70's-early 80's.
I just discovered that the MONSTERS HD channel is doing a mini version of that marathon this year! Kong, Son of Kong, Mighty Joe Young, Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla and a Ray Harryhausen Documentary.
I'm psyched.
Any other NYers remember this? Did other local stations around the U.S. do the same?

 

[Tomasso]

I don't recall, but then I'm usually in a bird/stuffing/candied yams/etc..induced coma all through the weekend. [huh]

 

[MrBern]

Yes, I really miss that stuff.
As well as Saturday Morning Cartoons being played on Thankgiving morn as well. Sat mornings dont have the same feel now that some stations play news shows & of course, no more American Bandstand.

WPIX has been nostalgic this year in airing much of their classic reruns on certain holidays for the benefit of its older viewers.
Like the CHILLER presentation
http://www.wpix.com/wpix_chiller_theatre

And now theyre selling DVDs of the old MagicGarden kids show
http://www.wpix.com/wpix_magic_garden

 

[flat-top]

Yes, I really miss that stuff.
As well as Saturday Morning Cartoons being played on Thankgiving morn as well. Sat mornings dont have the same feel now that some stations play news shows & of course, no more American Bandstand.

WPIX has been nostalgic this year in airing much of their classic reruns on certain holidays for the benefit of its older viewers.

Laurel and Hardy's "March of the Wooden Soldiers" on Thanksgiving morning is one tradition that WPIX has kept alive as well.

 

[Feraud]

Yep, I remember this television tradition. My dad used to make us sit through all the Kong features.

 

[John in Covina]

The giant gorilla movies were the classic ones they used to show on Thanksgiving Day on one of the NY tv Stations in the afternoon at some point. We would either visit our cousins in Staten Island or they'd come to our house. After the usual early to mid-afternoon Thanksgiving meal we'd retire to the den and watch King Kong, Son of Kong and Mighty Joe Young, all of which were the original B&W versions.

It made for a great tradition for us as kids and I think back on it fondly.

 

[flat-top]

Read more about it here:
http://www.doomsdaydvd.com/9retro.html

 

[resortes805]

Here on the west coast "KCAL" channel 9 used to run the same Godzilla marathon. I remember that one year in the early 1990's Michelangelo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hosted it.

 

[Senator Jack]

As I recall it, it was Kong, Son of Kong, and Young on Thanksgiving, and the Godzilla festival the day after. On Thanksgiving, WNEW-TV Channel 5 would counter with Hans Christian Anderson.

As for the rest of the holiday season, how about the yearly telecast of the Alastair Sim version of 'A Christmas Carol' on Christmas Eve followed by 'Duck Soup'? On New Year's Eve it would be Jack Benny's 'The Horn Blows at Midnight' till it was replaced by 'Yellow Submarine' in the late seventies.

 

[John in Covina]

The Horn Blows at Midnight is a favorite of mine and i remember watching it back then on TV.

 

[flat-top]

As I recall it, it was Kong, Son of Kong, and Young on Thanksgiving, and the Godzilla festival the day after. On Thanksgiving, WNEW-TV Channel 5 would counter with Hans Christian Anderson.

You and John are correct.
I'm pretty sure though then that King Kong Vs Godzilla may have been the first one in the Friday Japanese monster marathon. Yeah, that's it!

 

[flat-top]

If I can get my ants in the pants 4 year old to go for it, I'm thinking of recreating this tradition for us this year via DVD (if it's not being shown somwhere that is). We may have Thanksgiving at home this year and I think this would be a great time to get this tradition going once again!

 

[Carlisle Blues]

^
^
^
and you will be creating some great memories for your 4 year old!!!!!!!!

 

[flat-top]

http://www.dvddrive-in.com/holidayfilmfest.htm

 

[scottyrocks]

I would watch the over-sized-monster movies any chance I got. They always fascinated me.

 

[Feraud]

Does the ability to own every movie on dvd ruin the fun of seeing these films that used to be shown once a year?

 

[flat-top]

Does the ability to own every movie on dvd ruin the fun of seeing these films that used to be shown once a year?

These movies were truly an event! King Kong will be on this Thanksgiving at my place via DVD for sure.
It seems that the Monsters HD channel is gone, or at least it is on my cable service.

 

[scottyrocks]

These movies were truly an event! King Kong will be on this Thanksgiving at my place via DVD for sure.
It seems that the Monsters HD channel is gone, or at least it is on my cable service.

I dont think so. The beauty of dvds is that if I wanna have fun watching a movie now, I can.

 

[Tomasso]

I dont think so. The beauty of dvds is that if I wanna have fun watching a movie now, I can.

I think you quoted the wrong person......

 

[Tomasso]

Does the ability to own every movie on dvd ruin the fun of seeing these films that used to be shown once a year?

Ruin may be too strong a term but I do think that easy everyday access diminishes the experience to some degree. Imagine if you had Thanksgiving dinner anytime you pleased.