The boys performed—I use the term loosely, as I don’t believe the cords on those instruments or that microphone are plugged into anything—on Solid Gold later that day: March 20, 1982.
Archive for the '’80s Movies/TV' Category
Buckner & Garcia Perform `Pac-Man Fever’ on American Bandstand, 1982
Published August 19, 2014 '80s Decor/Design/Fashion , '80s Movies/TV , '80s Music , Video Games Leave a CommentWizards and Warriors: The Complete Series (1983) Now on DVD
Published July 29, 2014 '80s Movies/TV , Fantasy Movies/TV 5 Comments
All eight episodes of Wizards and Warriors, the fantasy-comedy (or vice versa) I first talked about here, are now available on DVD from Warner Archive. The synopsis, according to Warner:
TV’s first real foray into the realm of high fantasy was a truly ahead of its time combination of awesome adventure and witty self-awareness. Prolific sitcom writer Don Reo (The John Larroquette Show, Two and a Half Men) had a different vision in mind than previous grim and gritty attempts at the genre as seen in cinema – a vision underscored by the show’s own opening titles, which frame the action as comic book panels. Jeff Conaway (Taxi, Babylon 5) stars as valiant Prince Erik Greystone who, along with his strongman sidekick pal Marko (Walter Olkewicz), battles evil Prince Dirk Blackpool (Duncan Regehr, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) and malevolent magic-user Vector (Clive Revill) for control of the continent of Aperans and his country of Camarand. And for the hand of fair, spoiled and leather pants-obsessed Princess Ariel (Julia Duffy, Newhart). Now the time has come to heed the call of adventure – and comedy!
I don’t think the show was very witty or ahead of its time, but it is historical and worth watching at least once if you’re interested in the evolution of the sword and sorcery genre and/or the ’80s fantasy boom.
Mr. T Pencil Top Eraser (Diener Industries, 1984)
Published July 14, 2014 '80s Movies/TV , A-Team, The , Diener Erasers , School Supplies Leave a Comment
Wow. That’s one mean eraser.
Disneyland Grad Nite Program, 1987
Published June 23, 2014 '80s Decor/Design/Fashion , '80s Movies/TV , Disneyland , High School 1 Comment
I never really think of the 1980s as having such an unmistakeable look, but here it is: a sort of flamboyant, sugary Art Deco. It may be tacky, but damn, it sure is fun.
Wang Chung is underrated, in my opinion. Starting with 1983’s Points on the Curve, they put out several catchy, sophisticated pop albums. I hated them in 1987, of course, and would have been going on Space Mountain over and over again when the music started. That’s what I did at my grad nite in 1990.
Check out pre-“My Prerogative” Bobby Brown! It’s hard to think that at one time he was a somewhat normal guy with a more than tenuous grasp of reality and common sense.
See a whole lot more grad nite material at the ultimate old school Disneyland source, Vintage Disneyland Tickets.
TV Guide Ads for TV Movies: The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins (1984)
Published June 13, 2014 '80s Movies/TV , TV Guide 1 Comment
Was anyone else sitting in front of the TV when this dreck aired? In retrospect, it’s kind of interesting as an example of what the adult world saw as a generation of game-addled, reality-phobic daydreamers (the underrated Cloak and Dagger came out later the same year), with the dreamer redeeming himself in a Cold War caper. Too bad it’s unwatchable.
Here are a couple of painful reminders (watch for Jason Bateman in the first clip):
Inflatable V Bop Bag (Arco, 1984)
Published June 13, 2014 '80s Movies/TV , Space Toys/Playsets , V (Television Series) Leave a Comment
You can have the derivative, bloated TV miniseries and its crappy sequel. I’ll take this slice of kitsch gold and call it a day.
Kids Posing with K.I.T.T., 1984 – 1985
Published May 22, 2014 '80s Movies/TV , Amusement Parks/Theme Parks , Knight Rider 2 Comments
A K.I.T.T. replica was at Universal Studios from 1984 to 1996. A Universal employee, somewhere off screen, would act as the car’s voice, greeting visitors, cattily responding to questions, and so on.
You may remember the Diff’rent Strokes two-parter “Hooray for Hollywood” (1984), where Arnold and Dudley sneak out of the Universal tour to track down David Hasselhoff, who’s shooting a Knight Rider episode at the studio. They get stuck in a car set for demolition, and The Hoff and K.I.T.T. have to save them.
(Images via therpf.com, efholtmann1/Flickr, Nathan King/Flickr)
‘Olympians’ Bodybuilding Supplements Ad Featuring Conan, 1982
Published May 14, 2014 '80s Movies/TV , Ads , Conan the Barbarian , Fantasy Movies/TV 1 Comment
Conan especially likes his protein powder when it’s chocolate-flavored and served in fancy crystal—with a strawberry on the rim.
(Image via Catch the Sparrow/Flickr)
Double Trouble (1984) Was a Real Show on TV and I Can Prove It
Published May 7, 2014 '80s Movies/TV , TV Guide 3 Comments
Kate and Allison (Jean and Liz Sagal) are identical twin teenagers with totally opposite personalities! One is serious; one is happy-go-lucky. I don’t remember which has what trait, and it doesn’t matter, because they look exactly the same. They’re dancers, see, and dad (Donnelly Rhodes) owns a dance studio that’s also sort of a health club. Hilarious antics ensue, right? Nope.
In the second (and last) season, the setting was moved from Des Moines to New York. Dad was replaced by the cool aunt, and the girls pursue acting and design school. It doesn’t matter which one pursued what occupation, because they look exactly the same.
Patricia Richardson, a terrific actor who held Home Improvement together for eight years, appears in the first season of Double Trouble.
The openings from both seasons are below. If you wanted to describe the mainstream vibe of the ’80s to visitors from outer space, the first one has you covered.
TV Guide Ads for TV Movies: The Day After (1983)
Published March 17, 2014 '80s Movies/TV , Ads , Cold War Flashbacks , TV Guide 14 Comments
What I remember about The Day After is that I had to wait a long time to see the now infamous nuclear attack sequence. I was deeply fascinated by the sight of mushroom clouds—actual test footage and various representations in movies, books, and comics—throughout the ’80s: they were like a dark magic in a world that was tediously ordinary. As an adult, I understand that nothing is more mundane than the willingness of one group of people to annihilate another group of people on a mass scale, and despite global collateral damage.
I thought I’d seen the movie when it premiered, but my mom says she doesn’t remember letting me watch it. I don’t know where else I would have been. It was Sunday night and we had one TV. It’s possible I could have seen it on video a few years later.
The juxtaposition in the promo is pretty damn effective.
2 Warps to Neptune 