TheArchive: Reviewing the Rare, Retro, and Restored

Each holiday season we dig deep into TheArchive  to provide something nostalgic that brings back that festive feeling. This year, for each day of Christmas, we're giving you another reason to watch.  So grab a comfy place to relax, curl up with some cocoa and popcorn (or just a splash of eggnog) because we've got 12 streaming stocking stuffers waiting to be unwrapped.  What better way to start than the antithesis of current release, Violent Night.  In  MY SANTA, MY DAD,  Gordon Covington's job keeps him from numerous family obligations. When he misses Christmas with his wife and kids, a grievous situation leads to his transformation into Santa Claus himself. You can see how one may confuse the two.... Next up is a "Soviet-based film" to celebrate the recent release of Brittney Griner. CANDLES IN THE DARK features Alyssa Milano, Chad Lowe, and Max Schell. Set in Soviet-occupied Estonia, a beautiful young American falls in love with a handsome rebel leader. She bec

Uncover the lost hero of ’50s television — Patricia “Casey” Jones. TV'S FIRST FEMALE COP IN... DECOY • Audrey L. Hamm •  This post was originally published on (3/5/21) and updated on (3/1/22) . In 1957, Beverly Garland pioneered the starring role of ‘Casey’ in the short-lived television series, DECOY (1957-1958). Producing only 39 episodes, Decoy was the first-of-its-kind to feature a policewoman as its syndicated star. Garland solidified her place in history as a cinematic first for women, yet remains largely unknown by American audiences.  Casey Jones offered women of the '50s an empowered and respected, female hero of the silver screen; a role model, whose story was worth telling week after week! Why has it been so decidedly forgotten?  Perhaps a lack of interest in women’s rights, at the time, made it difficult to sustain meaningful longevity in the hearts of America. The discussion and celebration of women is finally making its way out of the shadows an

Christmas movies have that timeless nostalgia that keeps us coming back for more. It's hard to find ones you have not seen so  this holiday season we decided to curate a list of ten old school classics you can only stream on  TheArchive . Hopefully you will keep coming back for more! Let's start with our favorite.... CHARLES DICKENS A CHRISTMAS CAROL : How do we not start with the best? Does this one really need explaining? Grab a kid, hopefully your own, and enjoy a journey through time that will take you back. THE CHRISTMAS STALLION : Horses. Snow. Sad. It's the joys of the holidays. When Gwen’s grandfather dies, he leaves her the farm and horses that they’ve raised together, but places her under the legal care of her uncle. When a greedy land developer pesters the family, a decision regarding whether to sell the farm rests solely on her uncle’s shoulders. SPEND THE HOLIDAYS WITH LIBERACE : This one's a serious throw back and oozes nostalgia thicker than the Macassar

When streaking becomes professional, does that mean it's serious business or just for laughs? Can't it be both? TheArchive decided to undress this conceit. Sports are back - let the streaking commence! Streaking rose to popularity in the early 1970s, as disruption to sporting events to demonstrate rebellion.  As the phenomenon grew in prominence across live sporting events, security and event handlers would do their best to diffuse the situation and discourage the daring and baring.  But alas, the streaking continued. Providing a sense of comedic flare to the otherwise tension-filled dynamic of the game, spectators seem to enjoy  both and have come to expect if not demand some nude diversion during the big game. In STREAKER , our favorite streaker movie we've acquired yet, t his Swiss film spotlights the high stakes competitive world of streaking; money and pride are on the line, and bets are placed to see who can stay on the field the

There are so many interesting stories embedded in TheArchive ’s deep archive. With a vast library of content and a rich history, we continue to distribute surprises every day.  For example, streaming on TheArchive now are all 39 episodes of 1956’s The Buccaneers starring the inimitable Robert Shaw, possibly best known for his iconic performance as Quint the shark hunter in Jaws, but an Oscar-nominee and Hollywood stalwart nonetheless, and a damn solid Buccaneer as well.  Talk about difficult schedules. 39 episodes shot over a single season, nearly a record, and only one number shy of Tom Brady’s record last year of passing touchdowns in a single season. That’s a reach in comparable statistics, but we  are  talking about the Buccaneers.  If you watch the series, one can see how amazingly, nearly 65 years later, art and life do continue to imitate one another. The plot centers around Captain Dan Tempest who as an ex-pirate, received a pardon from the King and turned privateer after his

Actor, author, and activist Michael J. Fox spent the 1980s playing a teen protagonist in massive TV series and movies, but he had a string of early roles that helped shape his future, including the role of Jay-Jay in the movie High School USA (1983).   This zany NBC pilot turned back-door M-O-W, is now on TheArchive , and features a who’s-who of TV stars like Todd Bridges, Dana Plato, Tony Dow, Ken Osmond, Bob Denver, and Dawn Wells, who unfortunately just passed away from Covid, to name a few; let’s just say the creators loved Gilligan’s Island, Diff’rent Strokes and Leave it to Beaver.  Other well-known actors rounded off this cast, including an uncredited Brad Pitt as a bumbling library nerd, but the highlights of this lovable American school title are the scenes with Crispin Glover, Nancy Mckeon and Anthony Edwards, with Edwards flexing his nerd-to-cool acting range just before starring in Revenge of the Nerds, Gotcha!, Top Gun and many other huge films and series like ER.    Whic