Tag: 1980’s

Episode 126 – The Princess Bride

, with special guest:

The Princess BrideOK, we finally get to watch The Princess Bride! As one might expect, it was a challenge to find someone who hadn’t seen the movie but with a little work, we found Megan Ealain, who agreed to join us and watch the movie for the first time! If you’ve never seen this 1980’s fantasy/comedy gem before, you should definitely do so before you listen to the episode. If you have seen it before (more likely), you can enjoy our stories about the film and even Tim’s story about meeting one of the actors!

Next up, we are going to follow Peter Falk to The Great Race!

The Princess Bride (1987)
The Princess Bride poster Rating: 8.0/10 (456,456 votes)
Director: Rob Reiner
Writer: William Goldman
Stars: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Robin Wright
Runtime: 98 min
Rated: PG
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family
Released: 09 Oct 1987
Plot: A bedridden boy's grandfather reads him the story of a farmboy-turned-pirate who encounters numerous obstacles, enemies and allies in his quest to be reunited with his true love.

Episode 124 – This is Spinal Tap

, with special guest:

This is Spinal TapWe are sticking with comedy for just a bit longer as we watch the classic heavy metal mockumentary, This is Spinal Tap! Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer play the members of a rock band whose popularity is on something of a downward slide. Rob Reiner is the director of a film that is mostly improvised and still manages to have a story arc. It’s a super funny movie and Allison Anderson joins us to see it for the first time!

Next up, we are going to try to find someone who has never seen The Princess Bride!

This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
This Is Spinal Tap poster Rating: 7.9/10 (148,977 votes)
Director: Rob Reiner
Writer: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer
Stars: Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest
Runtime: 82 min
Rated: R
Genre: Comedy, Music
Released: 02 Mar 1984
Plot: Spinal Tap, one of England's loudest bands, is chronicled by film director Marty DiBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour.

Episode 123 – Clue

, with special guest:

ClueThis episode, we take a look at the best film ever based on a board game (and it isn’t close) – Clue! The movie has a stellar comedic cast and while it was something of a box office failure, it has become a huge success on home video.  Tom S Tea joins us to watch the film for the first time and they enjoy this delightfully campy romp through a mansion filled with multiple endings and a stellar comedic cast! We hope you enjoy figuring out whodunnit with us!

Next up, we follow Michael McKean to This is Spinal Tap!

Clue (1985)
Clue poster Rating: 7.2/10 (112,195 votes)
Director: Jonathan Lynn
Writer: John Landis, Jonathan Lynn, Anthony E. Pratt
Stars: Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn
Runtime: 94 min
Rated: PG
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Released: 13 Dec 1985
Plot: Six guests are anonymously invited to a strange mansion for dinner, but after their host is killed, they must cooperate with the staff to identify the murderer as the bodies pile up.

Episode 110 – The Goonies

, with special guest:

The GooniesThis week is unusual because Melissa couldn’t make it and Tim was forced to be the movie expert. This proved difficult as it was only his second time watching the film! He and guest Kelvin Hatle do their best as they watch a favorite of many people who were children in the 80’s – The Goonies! Produced by Steven Spielberg, this film feels incredibly dated if you weren’t into it in the first place. Still, it holds a place of affection in the hearts of many so we take a look at what makes it tick.

Next up is…we don’t know! Whatever movie wins the Academy Award for Best Picture.

The Goonies (1985)
The Goonies poster Rating: 7.7/10 (304,353 votes)
Director: Richard Donner
Writer: Chris Columbus, Steven Spielberg
Stars: Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen
Runtime: 114 min
Rated: PG
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family
Released: 07 Jun 1985
Plot: A group of young misfits called The Goonies discover an ancient map and set out on an adventure to find a legendary pirate's long-lost treasure.

Episode 97 – The Living Daylights

, with special guest:

The Living DaylightsWe return to our James Bond series with the first of only two Bond outings by Timothy Dalton – The Living Daylights! Chrys VanDerKamp returns as our guest to decide for herself where Dalton falls in the “who is the best Bond” debate.  Tim and Melissa are both Dalton apologists as he is frequently viewed as one of the worst actors to play the role (but he’s no George Lazenby).  We talk about why we think Dalton is underrated in the role and also why everyone disagrees on which Dalton film is the best.  Melissa prefers this one.  Tim prefers License To Kill.  Melissa won…this time!

Next up – we are going to follow Timothy Dalton to Hot Fuzz!

The Living Daylights (1987)
The Living Daylights poster Rating: 6.7/10 (107,180 votes)
Director: John Glen
Writer: Richard Maibaum, Michael G. Wilson, Ian Fleming
Stars: Timothy Dalton, Maryam d'Abo, Jeroen Krabbé
Runtime: 130 min
Rated: PG
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Released: 31 Jul 1987
Plot: James Bond is sent to investigate a KGB policy to kill all enemy spies, and uncovers an arms deal that potentially has major global ramifications.

Episode 92 – The Untouchables

, with special guest:

The UntouchablesHaving watched Sean Connery play James Bond, we move on to watching Sean Connery in the only role that earned him an Oscar.  Alex Wick joins us for The Untouchables, a Brian De Palma directed crime drama about Chicago and Al Capone.  The movie features some fantastic set piece action as well as several truly riveting performances including Connery’s Oscar winning turn.  We also gush all over Ennio Morricone’s score because how can you not?

Next up, we take a look at the only George Lazenby Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service!

The Untouchables (1987)
The Untouchables poster Rating: 7.8/10 (335,667 votes)
Director: Brian De Palma
Writer: David Mamet, Oscar Fraley, Eliot Ness
Stars: Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Robert De Niro
Runtime: 119 min
Rated: R
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Released: 03 Jun 1987
Plot: During Prohibition, Treasury agent Eliot Ness sets out to stop ruthless Chicago gangster Al Capone, and assembles a small, incorruptible team to help him.

Episode 82 – Purple Rain

, with special guest:

Purple RainFor our latest episode, we watched Purple Rain with our good friend and podcasting megastar, Matt Allex.  In spite of being from Minneapolis, Matt has somehow never seen the film and we were able to enjoy him trying to unpack everything that is going on.  For such an iconic film, it is surprisingly clunky whenever Prince and the Revolution are not on stage performing.  We talk about the dichotomy between what takes place on stage at First Avenue and what takes place off stage in the steam tunnels of Minneapolis.  We also talk about the differences between the venue of First Avenue as it exists and the venue of First Avenue as it appears in the film.

Our next movie will be A Hard Day’s Night!

Purple Rain (1984)
Purple Rain poster Rating: 6.5/10 (24,302 votes)
Director: Albert Magnoli
Writer: Albert Magnoli, William Blinn
Stars: Prince, Apollonia Kotero, Morris Day
Runtime: 111 min
Rated: R
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
Released: 27 Jul 1984
Plot: A young musician, tormented by an abusive situation at home, must contend with a rival singer, a burgeoning romance, and his own dissatisfied band, as his star begins to rise.

Episode 81 – Stop Making Sense

, with special guest:

Stop Making SenseFor this episode, we are joined by Kyle Dekker from Hot Chocolate Media.  He joins us to watch the Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense! Directed by Jonathan Demme of Silence of the Lambs fame, this bare bones concert film is considered to be one of the best in the genre.  We talk a bit about the film itself, the band featured, and our personal experiences with the film in the late 80’s and the early 90’s.  Then we all go out and listen to the soundtrack.

Next up, we’ll still with some 80’s music nostalgia as we watch Purple Rain!

Stop Making Sense (1984)
Stop Making Sense poster Rating: 8.7/10 (21,513 votes)
Director: Jonathan Demme
Writer: Jonathan Demme, Talking Heads
Stars: David Byrne, Bernie Worrell, Alex Weir
Runtime: 88 min
Rated: PG
Genre: Documentary, Music
Released: 16 Nov 1984
Plot: A live performance of the band Talking Heads shot over the course of three nights at Hollywood's Pantages Theater in December of 1983 and featuring their most memorable songs.

Episode 70 – Fitzcarraldo

FitzcarraldoWe continue down the Werner Herzog rabbit hole this week to watch Fitzcarraldo!  A movie that was years in the making, this is one of those films where the story of the making of the movie is possibly more interesting than the film itself.  Don’t let that statement fool you, though, the movie is a spectacular journey into the Amazon jungle and one man’s madness.  Or, if you include Werner Herzog, possibly two men.  If you want to move a boat over a mountain, sometimes you have to make a movie.

Our next film will keep us in the jungle as we watch Tarzan the Ape Man!

Fitzcarraldo (1982)
Fitzcarraldo poster Rating: 8.0/10 (39,288 votes)
Director: Werner Herzog
Writer: Werner Herzog
Stars: Klaus Kinski, Claudia Cardinale, José Lewgoy
Runtime: 158 min
Rated: PG
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Released: 10 Oct 1982
Plot: The story of Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald, an extremely determined man who intends to build an opera house in the middle of a jungle.

Episode 56 – The Warrior and the Sorceress

, with special guest: ,

The Warrior and the SorceressHaving watched Akira Kurosawa and Sergio Leone tackle the same story, this episode considers John Broderick’s take on the same material.  We know what you’re thinking: who is John Broderick?  Exactly.  Frequent guest Kelvin Hatle joins us for a sword and sandal retelling of Yojimbo that is, in almost every conceivable way, a complete disaster.  The Warrior and the Sorceress takes elements we have grown familiar with and inserts bad fight choreography, gratuitous nudity, and a bizarre puppet lizard.  You have not lived until you’ve seen this film and you will never forget it once you do.

We will save you, dear listeners, from watching Last Man Standing.  Our next movie will be Moneyball!

The Warrior and the Sorceress (1984)
The Warrior and the Sorceress poster Rating: 4.2/10 (2,618 votes)
Director: John C. Broderick
Writer: John C. Broderick, William Stout, Ryûzô Kikushima
Stars: David Carradine, Luke Askew, María Socas
Runtime: 81 min
Rated: R
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Released: 07 Sep 1984
Plot: A fearsome swordsman, Kain, crosses the barren wastelands and comes upon a town where two arch enemies fight incessantly for control of the town's only well.