Smithsonian Magazine on MSN

This Revolutionary but Largely Forgotten Video Recorder Debuted 50 Years Ago. Devoted Fans Say the Machine Had the Best Quality of Its Time

Tech lovers continue to tout the superior resolution of Sony’s Betamax—even though it became obsolete after VHS overtook it ...

This Campy '80s Horror Film Remains Essential Viewing for Any B-Movie Lover

A lot of '80s horror films stumble into camp without meaning to. C.H.U.D. walks right up to it, shakes its hand, and then pulls it into a damp tunnel. Yes, the effects are rubbery and ridiculous in ...
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“I was trying to write something heavier than the bands I was listening to, and that felt like the first time that I’d done it”: How Metallica broke the thrash metal ...

Pinching a riff from Kirk Hammett’s former band and inspired by a Charlton Heston film, Metallica reached a new level with ...