80s Pop Culture Vacation

80s Pop Culture Vacation

This week's assignment for the League: Summer’s coming to a close but there’s still time for one more vacation. Plot out the ultimate pop culture road trip. ROAD TRIP!!! Wow, I've contemplated many times about loading up the family and heading out west to visit Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, and the Rockies (mountains, not the baseball team.) I often thought about some famous Hollywood sites we could visit, but planning a whole vacation around pop culture landmarks would probably not go over well with the family. So if I had a chance to set out tomorrow from Alabama with just me, myself and I in the family truckster, here are the places I'd visit on a "80s Pop Culture Vacation."

STOP #1: Dukes of Hazzard town square & Boar's Nest  - Covington, GA

I've actually had the pleasure of visiting Covington, Ga back in 2010 with my good friend (and contributor to RD80s) Wyatt Bloom. He was more of a Dukes fan than I growing up, but it was definitely a fun visit. Just walking around the square downtown, you can easily imagine the General Lee turning the corner, followed my Roscoe in his police cruiser of course, and doing laps around the turnabout in front of the court house. The Boar's Nest still stands as well, but instead of being a bar, it is some kind of church building. Easily a destination I'd enjoy seeing again.

STOP #2: "Kellerman's Resort" from Dirty Dancing - Pembroke, VA

After a long haul from Georgia to Virginia, I figure a couple days at "Kellerman's Resort" would be just the thing I need. The setting for the Dirty Dancing movie, Mountain Lake Hotel still embraces its "claim to fame" by hosting a Dirty Dancing Festival each year. The festival is complete with dance lessons, a "Baby" and "Johnny" look-a-like contest, movie showings and scene location tours, and an antique car show. Or if that is too much, you can work on your lift routine at the nearby lake.

80s Cars: DeLorean DMC-12

80s Cars: DeLorean DMC-12

If you are gonna build a time machine into a car... 

why not do it with some style?

The DeLorean DMC-12 will forever be an 80s icon. After years of preparation, John DeLorean's dream to craft a sports car came to a screeching halt less than two years after producing his first car. But a 1985 movie would help lessen the tarnished image of the car by having millions dream of getting behind the wheel and traveling back in time. With almost 30 years passed since a new DMC-12 has been built, the car still remains cherished by children of the 80s and automobile collectors the world over.

DMC-12 History

The creative mind behind Pontiac muscle cars in the 1960s like the Firebird and GTO, John DeLorean left General Motors in 1973 to form his own automobile manufacturing company. He would collude with Renault, Volvo, and Peugeot to develop an engine and Lotus would assist with the bodywork. His first prototype landed in the mid 1970s and DeLorean would then again work with Renault to build a factory in Northern Ireland. The only car manufactured would be the DMC-12, the first of which would roll off the lines in 1981. But after a decline in the sales market and even being funded by Hollywood icons Johnny Carson and Sammy Davis Jr., the DeLorean Motor Company would cease production in 1982. Among bankruptcy and drug trafficking charges to fund his fledgling company, John DeLorean would not be able to save his company nor his legacy as an automobile maker...

Questions You May Ask Yourself

Single Notes Book Review: Soft Cell

Single Notes Book Review

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye: 

The Fleeting Fame & Lasting Legacy of Soft Cell

By Kurt B. Reighley

Book author, MSN music writer, and part time Seattle radio jock Kurt Reighley gives his unique perspective into the world of British synth-pop music and how Soft Cell paved the way for future artists in a new short form eBook from Rhino Records' Single Notes library. Reighley also explains how Soft Cell's impact reached beyond just music into a lifestyle of night clubbing and leather fashion that stormed the UK (and to a certain extent, the US) in the early 80s. Dismissing the "one hit wonder" moniker that has placed on the band, Reighley directs the book using his own experience of getting past the overwhelming success of "Tainted Love" and really exploring Soft Cell's music and culture. Here is the author explaining the book in his own words:

Sherman Hemsley dies at 74

Sherman Hemsley 1938 - 2012

American actor Sherman Hemsley passed away at the age of 74 on Tuesday July 24th. Known for his roles as George Jefferson in The Jeffersons and Deacon Ernest Frye in Amen, Hemsley's acting career spanned four decades on stage and screen. His work on The Jeffersons helped it become the longest running sitcom in TV history with a predominant African-American cast.

Born in Philadelphia, PA, Hemsley decided to drop out of high school and join the Air Force. Upon his return, he began working as an actor at night while maintaining a job at the US Postal Service during the day. After moving to New York, he made his Broadway debut as Gitlow in the musical Purlie in 1972. He was noticed by television writer/producer Norman Lear and offered the role of neighbor George Jefferson on All in the Family. In took Lear two years to convince Hemsley to leave Broadway and join the show. Teaming with Isabel Sanford as his wife, Hemsley would get his own spinoff show less than two years after entering the television sitcom world. The Jeffersons portrayed an affluent couple moving from a working class neighborhood in Queens, NY to an upscale apartment in Manhattan. The show would be broadcast for 11 seasons and 253 episodes from 1975-85, surpassing even the length of All in the Family. A year after The Jeffersons was cancelled unexpectedly, Hemsley joined the cast of Amen. Set in his hometown, Hemsley played Deacon Ernest Frye who at times carried the irreverent spirit of George Jefferson. Amen ran for 110 episodes and five seasons from 1986-91.

Rhino Releases New eBooks On 80s Music Artists

Rhino Releases New eBooks On 80s Music Artists

Is your eBook collection running a little low on 80s topics? Yeah, mine is too. That's why I was excited when I was recently contacted from Rhino/Warner Music about their new series of eBooks entitled Single Notes. Each short form book in the series tells about "music and pop culture that builds on Rhino/Warner Music Catalog’s award-winning reputation for insightful and entertaining liner notes by offering today’s top music scribes artistic license to explore the wide range of music-related subject matter that stokes their passions" according to the Single Notes website. Three of these books focus specifically on artists that had a great impact on 80s music.

I've been given the opportunity to write a review about each of these three books, right here on the RD80s website. I'll be releasing one review each week over the next three weeks AND WILL ALSO GIVE RD80s FOLLOWERS A CHANCE TO WIN ONE OF FIVE COPIES OF EACH BOOK!! That's 15 books I'll be giving away in the next few weeks, so stay tuned for details.

Here is the book lineup that I'll be reviewing. (Photos and descriptions courtesy Rhino.Com)

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye: 
The Fleeting Fame & Lasting Legacy of Soft Cell

By Kurt B. Reighley

Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, the 1981 debut album by British duo Soft Cell. A ten-track carnival of sleaze and squalor… and a pop phenomenon. In two years, Soft Cell racked up five UK Top Ten hits, including the best-selling British single of 1981, "Tainted Love." That cover of an obscure '60s soul song went #1 in seventeen countries, landing in the Guinness Book of World Records. Coupling the electronic grooves of Dave Ball with Marc Almond's over-the-top vocals, Soft Cell ushered in a wave of synth-pop acts: Eurythmics, Yazoo, Pet Shop Boys. Writhing suggestively in black leather and bangle bracelets, the effeminate Almond was beamed into suburbia courtesy of The Merv Griffin Show. For young misfits weaned on jiggle TV, The National Enquirer, and daily abuse dished out by classmates, the duo's black humor and genuine pathos came as a godsend. And the band's lives mirrored their art. While working in New York City, Soft Cell ran rampant through the underground club scene; their EP Non-Stop Ecstatic Dancing was mixed entirely under the influence of ecstasy, and their dealer even rapped on it! Far more than mere "one-hit wonders," Soft Cell fashioned a musical last gasp of pre-AIDS nightlife culture, influencing a generation of artists and fans that followed.

$1.99*
Click the link below to buy from Amazon:
Say Hello, Wave Goodbye: The Fleeting Fame & Lasting Legacy of Soft Cell - A Single Notes Book

Forgotten 80s TV Shows: Bumper Stumpers

Bumper Stumpers

The show that turns a highway hobby into challenging fun for you!

SLV PL8S

If Jeopardy didn't tease your brain enough and if spelling wasn't your best subject in school, then Bumper Stumpers was the game show for you! We've all had that moment when we've been driving and nearly wrecked the car, trying to figure out the vanity license plate in front of us. Bumper Stumpers removed the danger of solving plates on the highway and conveniently brought it to your living room. (Note To Self: Create game show based on texting.) Two sets of contestants battled through "Jump-Ins", "Super Stumpers", and annoying car horn sounds to get to the bonus round and win the perfect prize for an automobile themed game show...a new car! WHAT?? They DIDN'T give away any cars? Sadly, the max prize in the bonus round ranged from $1500-$2000. Of course, that was decent money 25 years ago, but was still just a down payment for new car.

He-Man Humor

He-Man Humor

BY THE POWER OF NUMB SKULLS! Ever think about if He-Man ever had a bad day? I mean, just not up for battling Skeletor or would rather just sit around the castle as Prince Adam and sing or something? Well, our internet friends have found some unique ways to cast He-Man and the rest of our Universe Masters in a not so bright spotlight. 

Skeletor, watch your mouth!

a short clip of Skeletor insults

The Holy Grail of Shopping Sprees

The Holy Grail of Shopping Sprees

This week's assignment for the League: This week we’re going to try something a little different–we’re going shopping! Here’s a blank check, now head over to the Profiles in History Dreier Collection auction and buy something nice for the cave. (You can buy more than one item, but leave some for the rest of us.) (((DROOLING))) ...a blank check to fill the RD80s man cave! I'm a huge fan of Hollywood Treasure on the SyFy channel and being able to bid live at one of their auctions would be a dream come true. This upcoming auction is incredibly large with a 220 page catalog of movie costumes, props, and collectibles! But since I have to leave some items for my fellow LEB members, I'm going to see how well I can do on a budget of $50,000 and using the average of the estimated auction price range. I've scanned the catalog...now it's time to get the items at the top of my list!!

Item 241 - Grail cup from Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade

How could I let the"holy grail" of 80s movie props get away! Now, the auction also has a screen-worn fedora that I would easily choose above of the grail....however, it's from the most recent Indiana Jones movie. (PASS!) Other auction items available from the Last Crusade include the grail tablet, costumes worn by Harrison Ford & Sean Connery (see image), and the knight's sword. From the Temple of Doom, you can buy one of the Sankara stones, Kate Capshaw's dress, or a vast array of swords and guns. Very nice start to any IJ collection, but c'mon...it's the holy grail! If you are gonna get one item to represent your love for the Indy films, would you rather say "I have a Sankara stone" and have to explain to your parents that you don't need a painful medical procedure to remove it? OR would you rather announce "I have the holy grail!!" PRICE TAG - $10,000

Movie vs. Soundtrack Punch-out!: "Dirty Dancing"

Can you imagine watching the Breakfast Club without hearing "Don't You Forget About Me?" Do you think of John Cusack holding a boombox over his head everytime you hear "In Your Eyes" on the radio? Movies and music go hand-in-hand, but if you had to choose just one...which would it be? Movie vs. Soundtrack Punch-out! will determine once and for all whether the movie or the soundtrack is better! Each bout includes a brief overview, a look at the commercial success of each and then, the legacy. And since I'm not the only voice in the 80s universe, a poll will be posted for everyone to cast their vote!

Movie vs. Soundtrack Punch-out!: "Dirty Dancing"

Dirty Dancing is a 1987 film that is set in the summer of 1963. Frances "Baby" Houseman (Jennifer Grey) and family visit an up-state New York resort for the summer, before Baby enters college in the fall. She gets invited to a secret after-hours party where she witnesses the "dirty dancing" for the first time. Her crush on the resort's dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) develops even more after receiving quick lesson from him at the party. Baby also learns that Johnny's professional dance partner Penny is pregnant by a guy who is also dating her sister. Baby helps Penny get enough money together for an illegal abortion by asking her father, who doesn't know what the money will be used for. Subsequently, Baby becomes Johnny new dance partner and begins rigorously training for their performances. A romance ensues as they continue to train and perform. Eventually, the truth is made known about Penny's abortion and Baby's relationship with Johnny. Her father forbids them to see each other. But at the final performance of the season, Johnny returns after being kicked out of the resort and snatches Baby from her now famous "corner" seat. He proclaims that he is a better man because of Baby...err "Frances." Johnny and her dazzle the audience one more time, finally achieving "the lift" part of their routine for the first time.

The "Fall" of 1990: 80s Movies Murdered by TV

The "Fall" of 1990: 80s Movies Murdered by TV

Okay, here is what I don't understand...a movie comes out, it does extremely well at the box office, the producers/owners of the movie scurry around to give moviegoers more and make more money for themselves. I get that. But what is worse...making a bad sequel that might at least get some hype before its release to theaters or making a TV series with totally new actors based on the movie that has no guarantee to make it past 13 episodes. Give me a movie sequel. Why you ask? Because before I did the research for this post, I had not only forgotten (or tried to forget) about most of the shows, but some I didn't remember even existed!

I'm not sure if there was a writers strike in 1990 or if TV producers decided to just take a vacation from creativity for the fall schedule. Five, yes that's 5 (or "cinco" in Spanish,) FIVE television series based directly from feature films made their debuts in the fall of 1990.

Uncle Buck - This was the revelation that started this blog post. Totally forgot that CBS tried to bring the beloved 1989 John Candy role to the small screen. The premise: Tia, Miles, and Maizy lose their parents to a car accident and Uncle Buck is designated as their legal guardian. WHAT??!! Make him move next door or something, but don't kill off the parents! What a way to begin a show! Well turns out, the show itself crashed and burned after just 22 episodes. Nothing against Kevin Meaney, but you just don't replace John Candy and almost $80 million at the box office. The sequel that should've happened...Uncle Buck 2: Buck Moves In.

80s Art That Is Part Of This Complete Breakfast!

 "Part Of This Complete Breakfast"

80s Cereal Box Art and More by artist Ian Glaubinger

I love searching the net for new spins on 80s pop culture. After a recent search, I stumbled onto the art of Ian Glaubinger. He recently did a feature series of cereal box art for Geek-Art.Net entitled "Part Of This Complete Breakfast." In the series, he incorporated four beloved 80s franchises with original cereal boxes (some even with awesome prizes inside!) My favorite of the bunch is the Back To The Future box featuring "crunchy clock tower o's with marshmallow lightning bolts." Here are the others in Ian's series:

If You Watch It...He Will Cry.

This week's assignment for the League: What movie, TV show, book, etc. turns you into a blubbering baby every time you see it? Well, there are a few 80s movie scenes that have worked their teary-eyed magic on me as a kid AND as an adult. As a kid watching Superman II, I remember crying when he first decides to remove his powers and quit being Superman. And then if that wasn't enough, he gets the crap beaten out of him by that trucker-type guy at the diner. Those scenes had a major impact on me. Another emotional roller coaster I experienced as a kid was The Neverending Story. From the highs of flying with Falcor in the clouds to the lows of losing Atreyu's horse Artax in the muddy Swamp of Sadness, it was amazing I was able to function at all after watching that movie as an 8 year old.


Then there was that day in 1986 we all experienced..."the day the cartoons died." Watching Optimus Prime die in Transformers: The Movie is probably the Old Yellar moment for children of the 80s. Thankfully Optimus came back, but those moments that gripped us as kids still come out when we watch the movies today. Recently I found a VHS copy of E.T. and watched it with my boys. It was first time in years I had watched it and the first my boys had ever seen it. I didn't seem to remember the emotional ties I had to the movie. E.T.'s death, the flying bike scene over the police cars, the departure home...they all had me tearing up. But there is one movie as an adult now (at least on the outside) that gets me every time.

Field of Dreams has the firmest grip on my tear ducts. I loved playing baseball as kid. Whether it was wiffleball with the neighborhood kids, organized little league, or just playing catch with my dad, I felt like I grew up with a glove permanently attached to my left hand until I was about 13. I connected with the movie at first, mainly because I was a fan of baseball. I appreciated the story for what is was, but didn't truly connect with the emotions. But now, after having becoming a father myself and playing baseball with my two boys, the ending of the movie gets me every time. Watching Ray's blind faith to build the field and then embarking on a journey with no end in sight just magnifies the climax of the film. Ray's reconnection with his dad by just playing catch is so simple but yet, so pure. The introduction of Ray's daughter to his dad and the question "Dad? You wanna have a catch?" is an awesome emotion to experience. It's one of child-like joy and parental pride all wrapped into one. I feel fortunately that I've got to personally experience both sides. And that's why I cry every every time I watch Field of Dreams.

More Posts To Make You Cry:

ShezCrafti talks about how "I lost my horse and my dignity in The Swamp of Sadness."
GreenPlasticSquirtGun says Fred Savage chokes him up in "The Little Boy That Could Fly."
FlashlightsAreSomethingToEat says "The Rookie" is one movie that gets him every time.

Movie vs. Soundtrack Punch-out!: "Footloose"

The 80s gave us unforgettable movies, many of which that also had killer soundtracks that were just as good (or even better) than the movie itself. Can you imagine watching the Breakfast Club without hearing "Don't You Forget About Me?" Do you think of John Cusack holding a boombox over his head everytime you hear "In Your Eyes" on the radio? Movies and musics go hand-in-hand, but if you had to choose just one, which would it be? I've decided to start a series of posts called the Movie vs. Soundtrack Punch-out!, in which either the movie or the soundtrack will get knocked out! Each bout will include a brief overview, a look at the commercial success of each and then, the legacy. And since I'm not the only voice in the 80s universe, I will also put up a poll for everyone to cast their vote too!

Movie vs. Soundtrack Punch-out!: "Footloose"

Footloose is a 1984 film about the small town of Bomont, Utah, which has forbidden dancing and rock n' roll music within the city limits at the behest of the local minister.  Upon moving to Bomont from Chicago, Ren McCormack quickly learns about the unique laws and begins to influence his new friends to help him overturn the laws in order to have a senior prom. New friend Willard eventually becomes Ren's dancing protege, while local girl Ariel also catches Ren's eye. But Ariel already has a boyfriend and also happens to be the minister's daughter. Ren is challenged by Ariel's boyfriend Chuck to a game of chicken with farm tractors. Ren wins the challenge, and subsequently Ariel's heart, but her father forbids her to see Ren. With senior prom approaching, Ren appeals to the city council to lift the dancing ban by reading Bible scripture at a town meeting. His plea doesn't work on the city council, but affects Ariel's father enough to eventually change his mind and allow the teens to hold a dance. An old barn is the setting for the incredible final dance, where even the minister and his wife are seen dancing.

Nothing More Patriotic Than Defeating Russians

Nothing More Patriotic Than Defeating Russians

As we Americans celebrate our nation's birthday once again, let's take a look back at some "patriotic" 80s actions films that showed us just where those oppressive Russian villains could put their hammer and sickle.

Action films in the 80s seemed to choose Russians almost as the default "bad guys" in many movies. Of course, the cold war was still active and would frequently make its way into current event news throughout the decade. But Hollywood has used Russians throughout the the cold war era, not just the 80s, as the perfect villains for American action movies. The movie villain stereotype of the aggressive, overbearing, world conqueror just seemed to go hand-in-hand with the American concept of Russia. Which makes me wonder, did Russian films depict America in the same way? I'm guessing that the Russian media might have, but doubt that Russian cinema had the same impact as all the American films did on the general public. Not all films depicted the U.S.S.R. hostile takeover of the US or other countries, but most seemed to always have some kind of Russian involvement like in Rambo: First Blood Part II. Even trying to save a few P.O.W.s in Vietnam just couldn't be allowed to interfere with Soviet military dealings

Even today we have movies with Russian villains. The difference nowadays compared to those 80s action flicks is that it's not the entire Soviet Union plotting against the world, mainly because of its disbandment in 1991. Today, we see more groups or individuals depicted with that cold war U.S.S.R. attitude, like the Russian extremists in Air Force One or Teddy KGB in Rounders. I think we still have these Russian bad guys as a direct result of a few 80s movies that really pushed the need for Americans to triumph over the Soviet Union.

Red Dawn - This World War III story was pretty impactful in 1984, the 20th highest grossing film that year. In the alternate universe of European countries withdrawing from NATO, Russian and Cuban forces invade the U.S.A. causing citizens, even teenagers, to defend their country. When Russian paratroopers land in small town Colorado, high schoolers flee the oppression into the wilderness and attempt to help rescue captured citizens (including parents.) This movie depicted the "what if" that was in the back of everyone's mind during the cold war. The movie implies that America ultimately prevails the invasion, but at the cost of desperate measures taken by youthful groups like the "Wolverines."

Invasion U.S.A. - Holy Crap! They're invading Florida? And you thought it was a safe place to retire. So Colorado and now Florida...no place is safe!! My dad and I are big fans of Chuck Norris action movies. And although this 1985 movie wasn't a huge hit at the box office, it was enough of an impact in my mind that it was possible that our Communists neighbors in Cuba could wreak some havoc as well. Also, another point I took away from this particular film was that any attacks by the Cubans would obviously be initiated by the Soviet Union. Any attacks on the US was a direct result of strings pulled by the Soviets.

Rocky IV - Ivan Drago is probably the most recognizable Russian villain of all time mainly because of the success of the film. Rocky IV was the 3rd highest grossing film at the box office in 1985. And although it wasn't a war movie per se, it depicted the American/Russian tension at the time with each boxer a representative of his country. When Drago punches the life out of Apollo Creed, a swelling of American patriotism ensues with a must-win attitude over the Soviets. Of course, we all knew that the US was not undersized and outmatched like Rocky was depicted in the film, but it put in all our minds that when the Soviets come calling...the USA answers.

So those are a few 80s action films that I vividly remember having an impact on my view of Soviet Union. There are many more that showed us those Russian bullies were a force to be reckoned with...but also that they were nothing the good ol' USA couldn't handle. Happy 4th of July!