Retro Reels at Riverside – Gremlins

Runs from Saturday 10th Jan – Sunday 29th Mar 2026

Described as a collection of replica props from the unforgettable world of 1980s cinema, that really needs expanding a little, to include TV, and the 1970s.

Gremlins, got to love them just for their origin:

Gremlins are mischievous creatures invented in the 20th century to explain technical problems in aircraft and other machinery.

Although the films developed along another theme, with cute little Gizmo exhibiting a bit of a split personality if fed after midnight, or encounters water or sunlight, they were fun.

Here we have the kitchen scene from the film.

I wonder if the person responsible for the ‘weathering’ on those kitchen units was still in that job after this. It reminds me of the fake ageing on fake antiques, where all the edges are still sharp, yet are supposed to have been caused by decades of handling and abuse of an item.

And a closer look at the gremlins.

Retro Reels at Riverside – Doctor Who

Runs from Saturday 10th Jan – Sunday 29th Mar 2026

Described as a collection of replica props from the unforgettable world of 1980s cinema, that really needs expanding a little, to include TV, and the 1970s.

I thought I might not get there, but did.

I’ll work thought the pics I collected, beginning with Doctor Who, and hopefully take another look, since I seem to have missed ET, who is listed as being there.

TARDIS, K9, Davros, and Dalek Prime.

Missed the plaque on the right, with various links. Too busy reading, forgot the pic.

They must have reorganised the displays, as K-9’s shiny head no longer has the neat reflection caught by Dougie Coull: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:tmo43ccqeocit72r2jle5klh/post/3mc65gdfj4c2v

So, they gave the TARDIS keys to a w….

I have to confess to having given up watching the ‘new’ Doctor Who since it was revived.

While walking away altogether was a fairly recent choice, I would have to say the rot started right at the beginning of the revival.

The main problem I had back then was the portrayal of the Doctor as little more than a deranged madman in some scenes., as played by the first ‘new’ version portrayed by Christopher Ecclestone.

Whatever else the original Doctor was, mad or unbalanced was not an option, although I can see how some would perhaps choose to see eccentric behaviour as the same thing.

The real, original, Doctor was anything but mad, and part of the magic was the superior intellect and reasoning of that character, in the face of some pretty severe provocation from various adversaries.

Add the poor character development to the apparent need to have celebrities and supposedly famous people take on the part, and the magic was gone in comparison to the original series.

Possibly the worst offence was that of the assistant – formerly an unknown that could ‘get lucky’ and have a career handed to them, I think it was utterly ridiculous how the ‘new assistant’ for a season was given star status, and making appearances to adoring crowds BEFORE any episodes they appeared in had even aired!

Completely ruined it for me.

Now, it seems a woman has been given the keys to the TARDIS – apparently with the inevitable result, and it’s not only the series that has crashed.

TARDIS oops