July 28th in nerd history: Waterparks, zombies, and summer jams
Last updated: June 4, 2024
Happy National Waterpark Day! The tallest waterslide in the world is called Kilimanjaro at the Aldeia das Aguas Park Resort in Brazil. Coming in at over 160 feet tall, riders hit top speeds of over 60 mph. I think I’ll just stick to drinking a beer by the wave pool.
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July 28th in Nerd History
Here are 5 things that happened on July 28th for those of us who used homemade Slip N’ Slides.
I.
Birthdays of honor: Peter Cullen (1941), Elizabeth Berkley (1972), Beatrix Potter (1866), Lori Loughlin (1964), Sally Struthers (1947), Jim Davis (1945), Edward Drinker Cope (1840).
II.
The first feature-length zombie movie came out today in 1932, White Zombie. Directed by Victor Halperin and starring Bela Lugosi, it was panned by critics but did well with audiences. Guess we’ve always been suckers for zombies. And yes, it was the inspiration for the band of the same name.
III.
In other movie releases, 1951 saw the release of the Disney Animation classic, Alice in Wonderland. For my money, it remains the quintessential interpretation of Lewis Carrol’s work.
And in 1993, parody movies were really hitting their stride as Robin Hood: Men in Tights hit theaters.
And one of the best comedies, period, came out on this day in 1978 in Animal House. It essentially invented the idea of the college comedy, and any movie that’s had even a sniff of a fraternity since should thank National Lampoon in the credits.
Oh, and if you’re into that sort of thing, Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan slashed into theaters in 1989.
IV.
The first hip-hop album to have an explicit lyrics warning label came out today in 1987 with Ice-T’s Rhyme Pays. At this time it was still voluntary, and the well-known black and white advisory sticker was still a few years away.
V.
On this day in 1980, “Bad Girls” by Donna Summer topped the charts. One hell of a summer jam.