I recently bought this used souvenir VHS from 1991 called Universal Studios Florida: Experience the Magic, figuring there'd be something worth clipping and posting. Little did I know that it would be full of nonsense in the form of desperate overacting, weird celebrity cameos (John Forsythe hosts it, for one thing, and I barely know who that is), abused hair follicles, monkeys, beyond easily amused park-goers and a criminal ignorance of all things film (its specialty). But it is and so I've clipped the best of the nonsense and assembled it in the following reel. Enjoy, but even if you don't, know that I am. This is my new favorite thing. Embed this on my tombstone please.
P.S. Mick Jagger!
In 1991 I was 4 years old. My family decided to take a theme park trip to Orlando and we visited Universal Studios. The only thing I remember about Universal Studios was screaming in sheer terror at everything and everyone, and being absolutely terrorized.
Now I know why.
Posted by: Nadya | July 31, 2009 at 03:57 AM
Coming in 1992?! Magical. Did you put the repetitive clips of "fascinating, absolutely fascinating" in there, or was it already edited in that way?
Posted by: Becky | July 31, 2009 at 04:42 AM
The clip captures perfectly the desperation, the ennui of an actual early 90's visit to Uni.Stu Orlando, take it from someone who had the joy twice annualy throughout childhood (thank you, FL resident discount). Disney's Magic Kingdom, Epcot and MGM theme parks all have different but related flavors of this exquisite despair.
Posted by: Gilit | July 31, 2009 at 06:40 AM
This is so 90s it hurts.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 31, 2009 at 08:18 AM
Oh man, hearing that tiny string bit from the Psycho soundtrack will be enough for me to hear Busta Rhyme's "Gimme Some More" run through my head all day now.
Kissin' on a banana?!??! Foley artists are nuts.
Posted by: Craig D'Arville | July 31, 2009 at 08:43 AM
What the actual f&*k. Some of this stuff just scared me for life I think.
Posted by: Jules | July 31, 2009 at 09:15 AM
My mom worked at Universal Studios from 1992 (after the arrival of the JAWS ride) to 1994 so I experienced all of this magic at least once a month. I visited again for the first time since in 2006 and except for a few minor changes (there is now a Shrek ride) it is almost exactly the same as it is in this video!
Posted by: Jamie | July 31, 2009 at 09:18 AM
what's an extra terrestial?
...apparently i've been saying it wrong all these years.
Thanks, John Forsythe!
Posted by: Ana | July 31, 2009 at 10:20 AM
I remember almost all of this stuff. Those were the best shows and rides ever! I can't believe they got rid of that Back to the Future ride. It was amazing.
Also, why am I the only person who noticed that Alanna Ubach (from Waiting..., Legally Blonde, and Renaissance Man) was in that video!
Posted by: April | July 31, 2009 at 10:47 AM
Holy moly! That was fascinating...absolutely fascinating. Also hilarious.
Posted by: Georgia | July 31, 2009 at 11:16 AM
lolerskates. this brings me back. i'm pretty sure this was made around the same time period i was in the audience for family double dare and had a similar clusterfuck experience. this video is wonderful...simply magical.
Posted by: molly | July 31, 2009 at 11:51 AM
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKIN AT BUTTHEAD
Posted by: Kat | July 31, 2009 at 12:03 PM
The breakdance segment was magical!
Posted by: Miss Lisa | July 31, 2009 at 12:53 PM
As a general rule, any post on FourFour that begins "I recently bought this used souvenir VHS..." means it is a stop everything and watch this experience and this did not disappoint. I love early 90's kitsch. Did you know John Forsyth is still alive? I think he's as old as Mr. Burns' mom. And was that Jerri Blank doing her famous mule show?
Posted by: Joe | July 31, 2009 at 12:57 PM
When I was a kid we went there and my entire family recorded one of those music videos. We covered Loveshack. Oh how I wish I still had that tape.
Posted by: Doug M | July 31, 2009 at 01:49 PM
You, sir, have outdone yourself this time.
Posted by: jennifer | July 31, 2009 at 02:30 PM
Is that woman at 2:13 supposed to be Kennedy's doppelganger?
Posted by: Brian | July 31, 2009 at 03:33 PM
Oh man, this makes me feel old - the Universal tour I saw in CA featured Cylons (from the original series) shooting their laser cannons into the crowd. The term "butthead" hadn't yet entered the public lexicon.
'Scuze me while I go break a hip.
Posted by: spazmo | July 31, 2009 at 04:16 PM
It breaks my heart to see chimps and monkeys used for entertainment. I hope they don't do that anymore...the horrible things those animals go through to amuse people is very wrong.
Posted by: maria c | July 31, 2009 at 08:55 PM
Snarfle. Extra terrestial. My first reaction was immediate shame over all the times I've said it wrong.
Posted by: fka | July 31, 2009 at 09:02 PM
You have not seen anything yet.
Posted by: Anna von Beaverplatz | July 31, 2009 at 09:54 PM
This is genius. Oh, the LULZ! You should moonlight at Everything Is Terrible!
Posted by: John R | August 01, 2009 at 03:10 AM
More late 80's/early 90's GOLD
Posted by: missbish | August 01, 2009 at 07:17 AM
Half of that stuff is still there. I ~experienced~ the Jaws, ET, and man on fire things just a few years ago. You'd think they'd update stuff more often than they do.
Posted by: Nic | August 01, 2009 at 06:50 PM
Is that Kennedy?
Posted by: merideth | August 01, 2009 at 09:01 PM