Beetlejuice 2: A Sequel to the '80s Classic is in the Works

In 1988, Beetlejuice was released, with the legendary actor Michael Keaton playing the eccentric title figure. After all these long years of waiting, a sequel is reportedly in the works, set to be released almost three and a half decades later than the original iconic movie. Here’s what we know.

Must-See Movies from the '80s

The '80s gave us so much. The decade gave us great music, sports, culture, and, of course, movies. We are going to introduce you to four must-see favorites from the '80s in this article. Perhaps you've seen them all before, never seen them before, or have completely forgotten about them.

No matter what, we are giving you four great movies you should watch or rewatch this summer. Watch these movies before the NFL football season starts in the fall when all you can care about is the NFL Week 1 odds. Let us have a look at these fantastic, all-time favorites!

Influence of The '80s on Pop Culture

The social hallmark of the '80s culture in America is a specific subgenre of pop culture, but every generation has its customs, and each era is defined by its distinct combination of elements. As a result of the incredible trends and styles that emerged in the 1980s, pop culture underwent a sea of change. In this article, we will look at what was popular in the '80s and how the 1980s influenced pop culture.

What Killed Secretariat: The Most Famous Horse Of The 70s and 80s

No matter if you are interested in horse racing or not, chances are you’ve definitely heard about the legendary Secretariat, which managed to break all records in horse racing. This was an amazing horse with exceptional abilities that are not yet seen in the world of horse racing.

Photo via Dottie Day on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Secretariat managed to win the Triple Crown races in blisteringly fast time setting a record on every track individually. At the time no one in the box betting could predict the success this horse would achieve.

This incredible specimen had true horse racing attributes that were very different compared to other horses. After his win in 1973, Secretariat continued to be making covers of magazines and throughout the '80s while he was siring many Derby contenders and having a happy retirement life.

But after winning the Triple Crown, and retiring from professional racing, Secretariat started his stud career, which was short-lived due to a rare disease that will be the cause of his death.

Who Were the Best Basketball Players in the 1980s?

Scroll through social media nowadays using any old NBA hashtag and you’ll find highlight reel after highlight reel showcasing player highlights. Rewind 40 years and you had to watch highlights on the sports segment of your local news or watch on ESPN if you had cable. Most read had to read about last night's great plays in the newspaper.

While it was a simpler time to consume sports, we still enjoyed some of the best players that the NBA had to offer. Here we pay tribute with a look at the best basketball players of the 1980s.

That Time in 1989 When Jim Varney Met Robin Williams

Two iconic comedians of the '80s (and beyond) have been on my mind lately and I recently discovered some footage of them together which I had never seen before.

Earlier this week, Wyatt and I on the Memory Jogger podcast pulled the random topic of actor Robin Williams. His work really connected with us over the years beginning with his sitcom Mork and Mindy and films like Popeye, Good Morning, Vietnam, and Cadillac Man. Throughout the '90s and even '00s, Williams continued to make us laugh and one movie in particular, Patch Adams, Wyatt mentioned during the podcast helped him to overcome a bad relationship.

The other comedian that has been on my mind lately is Jim Varney who played the lovable Ernest P. Worrell in several movies and his own television series. Wyatt and I have covered Ernest quite a bit on the Rediscover the '80s podcast including a recent mystery episode of Memory Jogger that featured our memories of Jim Varney's career. We also reviewed Hey Vern, It's Ernest for an episode of Rediscovered in which we went in depth on several episodes of the Saturday morning TV show. And just released today, I hosted an episode of The Retro Network Drive-In with Wyatt and friend Adam which screened Ernest Goes to Camp. It had a been a few years since I watched it and it was great to really go in-depth on the movie's history, cast, and our favorite scenes.

While I was researching Ernest Goes To Camp, I happened onto a YouTube video that I had never seen before. It was Jim Varney (dressed as Ernest P. Worrell) back stage with Robin Williams. The two are just riffing off each other and it was great to see hoe well they interacted together. Come to find out, Varney was a guest on Comic Relief 3, a benefit event hosted by Williams, Billy Crystal, and Whoopi Goldberg. The two are back stage at the event giving the camera a little behind-the-scenes footage most likely for the events release on home video.

Memory Jogger Mystery: Robin Williams

In this Memory Jogger Mystery episode, Jason and Wyatt randomly choose from a group of topics (without any prior show notes) and see how much they can remember. After sharing their experience, they can then cheat by using the Google machine to find anything they might have missed from memory.

The random topic chosen during the show is Robin Williams! Jason and Wyatt jog their memories with movies and TV shows that they enjoyed over the years starring Robin Williams. From Popeye to Patch Adams. From Mork to Mrs. Doubtfire. Listen to the host's tribute to actor and how his career in Hollywood did more than just entertain us.

'80s Action Movies That Have Stood the Test of Time

The '80s were a booming time for Hollywood. Action movies started getting popular and many famous actors made their debut in films which went on to become classics.

You'd spot many heroes in denim and guns, taking the streets for a fierce battle. Most of the time it was to fend off the bad guys, while aliens and cyborgs in some films. There was no place the good guys weren't willing to go to save the day. Sometimes, you would see fight scenes at casinos and while they couldn’t play blackjack at Ignition Casino back then, we all remember the exciting action stunts that we loved in these movies.

Here are the top Hollywood action movies from the '80s that are now considered a part of any film buff's curriculum, creating worlds and franchises that stood the test of time.

The 5 Best Burt Lancaster Films of the '80s

They might seem like yesterday, but the 1980s began over 40 years ago! It was a time when everything seemed simpler and more glamorous with materialism and consumerism at their peaks. No wonder this decade introduced us to some of the best flicks! Although not a particularly strong decade in terms of quality dramas, the 1980s didn’t disappoint in terms of blockbusters, action stars, and gut-busting comedies.

Burt Lancaster was a Hollywood superstar in the 1950s and 1960s, both an actor and producer. He was nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards three times during that era, winning one. And while he was still a top bill name in 1970s starring alongside A-List actors like Paul Newman and Peter O'Toole, the 1980s brought about a resurgence in his career which included another Academy Award nomination.

Roles in crime and action dramas were primarily what Burt Lancaster focused on in the '80s. His acting abilities were still sought after and shared the screen with the likes of Dennis Hopper, Kirk Douglas, Susan Sarandon, and Kevin Costner.

Here are the five best Burt Lancaster films from this era:

Memory Jogger: Memorial For Our Friend 'Leaf'

In this Memory Jogger episode, Jason and Wyatt take a break from the mystery episodes to memorialize their childhood friend 'Leaf.' Unfortunately, Leaf passed away in 2011 before they ever thought about podcasting but over the years of recording Memory Jogger, his name has popped up frequently. Jason and Wyatt take turns sharing memories of their friend over the years including times spent at his house and his collection of popular toys and games.

Listen along and maybe we'll motivate you to memorialize one of your childhood friends and the treasured memories you have.

 

Thanks everyone for listening and subscribing! If you listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, we would appreciate your 5 star review. Please leave any of your memories we might have jogged in the comments below or tweet us @RD80s and @infamouswb.

NEW FEATURE: Leave us feedback via Voice Mail! Click over to the RD80s Telbee Page and leave us your feedback on this episode, suggestions for future topics or the podcast in general.

You can find the Memory Jogger podcast as part of the Rediscover the '80s Podcast feed or search for "Rediscover the 80s" in your favorite podcast or listening app.

Photo courtesy Depositphotos

How to Throw an '80s Themed Party (Easy Guide)

Many people are tasked with throwing a party at some point, whether it is for someone else or they get roped into helping out with something at work. Throwing an 1980s-themed party isn’t for everyone. However, if you’re willing to take on the challenge, you and your guests are guaranteed to have a great time. In the world’s current environment, you can’t put a price on that!

So, what are the keys to a great 80s party?

There are lots of different things you must do in preparation for your party. This will ensure that everything goes smoothly and people enjoy themselves.

Let’s start at the beginning and progress step-by-step.

Memory Jogger Mystery: Scary Movies

In this Memory Jogger Mystery episode, Jason and Wyatt randomly choose from a group of topics (without any prior show notes) and see how much they can remember. After sharing their experience, they can then cheat by using the Google machine to find anything they might have missed from memory.

The random topic chosen during the show is Scary Movies! Jason and Wyatt jog their memories with some movies they watched as kids that downright scared them. And being the scaredy cats that the hosts are, the films are not horror but more fantasy. Were you afraid of the Skekis creatures from The Dark Crystal? The wolf from The Neverending Story? People's faces being melted off in Raiders of the Lost Ark? We sure were and some still freak us out to this day.

 

Thanks everyone for listening and subscribing! If you listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, we would appreciate your 5 star review. Please leave any of your memories we might have jogged in the comments below or tweet us @RD80s and @infamouswb.

NEW FEATURE: Leave us feedback via Voice Mail! Click over to the RD80s Telbee Page and leave us your feedback on this episode, suggestions for future topics or the podcast in general.

You can find the Memory Jogger podcast as part of the Rediscover the '80s Podcast feed or search for "Rediscover the 80s" in your favorite podcast or listening app.

Photo courtesy Depositphotos