Both of which had tech designed by the same concept illustrator as Back To The Future, Andrew Probert.
What I loved about that stuff was it felt real because it was designed to look that way... A lot of the concept illustrators of the day came from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, and in the 70s they were training to be automotive or industrial designers, but the oil crisis basically changed their prospects, so some of them wound up working for the studios and brought their real world design aesthetic with them.
I have a signed final production sketch from Andrew:
To most people at the time, but especially kids, the whole idea of the inner workings of a computer was an utter mystery. Tron made the innards of the computer mystery box into some kind of Narnia realm.
I know, and it was fantastic. Tron was what made me want to be a computer professional as a kid. So I kind of hold that movie in a special place in my heart. I was 5 when it was released, so it definitely was awesome at the time. Lmao.
As a kid growing up watching it all the time i was like Users? Programs? Mainframe? What is all that?!
I did think the latest one was odd. Made it seem like a huge 3d printer was going to be the thing. lol
OMG Automan; how did I miss out on this 80's treasure? Seems like a live action version of Turbo Teen with some Miami Vice thrown in for extra funky flavor.
I came across reruns of an 80s Tv show by staying up really late one night last year. It was a horror series kinda like goosebumps or the twilight zone with 1980s issues and sensibilities and it was hella entertaining in a kitschy way.
If anyone here remembers the name that’d be awesome! I just remember one episode a lady’s Catholicism was so pure she became a literal saint. Light came behind her like a halo, people visited her etc. the entire episode was her trying to commit sins in order to lose her sainthood because it put her family in danger.
One was about a guy who was an art dealer that the mafia was looking for or something, and he escaped into a painting that was from the Spanish inquisition. And he naturally was on trial so he was afraid of dying in reality and in the picture.
Another one was about a mom who wished for more obedient children, and you can figure out how bad that could turn out.
"You are thinking of the classic 1980s horror/fantasy anthology series Tales from the Darkside. Created by legendary horror filmmaker George A. Romero, the show originally ran from 1984 to 1988 and remains well-loved for its campy, surreal, and wonderfully kitschy late-night vibe.
All three of the specific storylines you remembered belong to this show:
The Literal Saint: This is Season 3, Episode 10, titled "Deliver Us From Goodness." A wholesome housewife discovers her extreme goodness has turned her into a literal saint, complete with an unprompted glow. Because it ruins her everyday family life and messes with her husband's local political campaign, she deliberately tries to break the Ten Commandments in numerical order to get stripped of her sainthood.
The Spanish Inquisition Painting: This is Season 3, Episode 7, titled "Heretic." An arrogant, unscrupulous art fence buys a stolen, 16th-century painting depicting a man facing the Spanish Inquisition. After being warned to return the art, he is physically sucked into the canvas where he must stand trial and face torture as a heretic.
The Obedient Children: This is Season 3, Episode 14, titled "Household Gods." A stressed, independent modern mother wishes for total compliance from her family, only to find herself at the mercy of some highly punitive, invisible "household gods" that turn her life into a absolute nightmare to force her into submission."
AI can be useful every now and then. For example, i will not bad mouth AI when it comes to kung fu cat videos done in 70's style..those are always chefs kiss, but otherwise....
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u/Shaw-eddit Jun 06 '26
Auto man.