Everything 80s

If you grew up in the 80s, there's a good chance that the very first computer you ever used or owned was a Commodore 64. And this is because it's the machine that changed home computing forever... Today we look back on the history of the Commodore 64. It was the machine intended to be for  the masses. A machine that was not only practical and usable, but above all: affordable. The C64 is the computer that also changed the gaming industry forever, and quickly went on to become one of the most succesful--and best-selling--personal computers in history.  Get access to new episodes early and ad-free along with The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

What do you get when you combine Pong, the Disneyland Tiki Birds, and a coyote? You get the foundations for one of the most beloved children's restaurants ever. Today, we look back on the history of Chuck E. Cheese, a restaurant that has had a tumultuous existence, but was always the ultimate birthday destination. We'll look back on its origins, the various names it went through, the success, competition, downfall, and resurgance. We'll also take a look at Chuck E. Cheese himself, a spokescharacter with a more detailed--and emotional--backstory than you might realize... Support the show and get access to the Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

With a Beetlejuice sequel finally about to hit theatres, we revisit the original 1980s classic by traveling back to 1988. It was a movie that many weren't too sure of--including some of its cast. Today we look back on the making of Beetlejuice, how the original version was going to look quite different from the version we know, and how the movie almost went by an entirely different name...  It was a film that one of its stars believed would ruin everyone's career, but it ended up becoming a cultural touchstone spreading into all aspects of pop culture.  The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

"Ford to City: Drop Dead..." These are the words that appeared on the cover of The Daily News in 1975. Financially, New York was hanging by a thread and the city appealed to President Gerald Ford for some federal help. As the 70s came to an end, and the 1980s began, it felt like a make-or-break decade for the city that never sleeps. Today, we look back on a tumultuous decade for the Big Apple and how it started to turn the corner. But a lot of amazing things came out of NYC in the 80s, and we also look back on the music scene, Broadway, and a lot of beloved 1980s movies set in Manhattan. Special Guest: Greg Young (The Bowery Boys History Podcast) National Lampoon's Vacation Movie Review: Patreon.com/80s

When you think back on the video game consoles of the 80s, I'm sure Atari, Nintendo, and Sega immediately come to mind--but there are many others... The early 80s gave us an explosion of new video game consoles as many companies wanted a piece of the white-hot home video game market--but little did they know what was waiting for them in 1983... Today, we look back on some video game systems that came and went quickly, others that got caught up in all the competition, and a few that even gave Atari a run for its money. The NeverEnding Story movie review: Patreon.com/80s

As a new decade began, the late-night sketch comedy show found itself hanging in the balance. The start of the 80s represented a time of massive transition for Saturday Night Live and the show underwent some major changes. The 1980s became a make-or-break period for the late-night institution. Today we look back on this tumultuous time for SNL, how it managed to turn the corner, and then brought us some of the best performers, writers, and sketches in the history of the show. The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

It seems weird to think, but there was a time when Hollywood didn't look favorably at comic book and superhero movies. The original Superman from 1978 had been successful, but for comic book films, the 80s seemed like a string of flop after flop. This all changed in 1989. Tim Burton's Batman was a project ten years in the making that no one believed in. Not only was Batman facing a giant uphill battle to get made, but the casting of the Caped Crusader created one of the biggest fan backlashes ever. Despite all the challenges, Batman hit theatres--but then it had to compete during one of the biggest summers in movie history... The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

It's been exactly 40 years since one of the most important Summer Olympics in the history of the modern Games. The Summer Olympics were coming off two less-than-ideal previous editions and very few cities even wanted to host. Add to this a Soviet-led boycott, and the 84 Summer Games faced serious uncertainty. However, the Los Angeles Summer Games changed everything about the Olympics as we knew them. The technology, the presentation, the broadcast, and the corporate sponsorships transformed the Olympic games into the ones we're familiar with today. But let's not forget the events. The 84 Summer Games gave us some astonishing sporting moments, drama, and history-making athletes and performances. It was one of the first big sporting memories for a new generation of kids, led to one of the biggest marketing blunders ever, and even inspired one of the most beloved sitcoms of the entire 1980s... The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

What do you get when you combine Nerf with the Garbage Pail Kids? You get Madballs, one of the most memorable toys of the 1980s. Madballs came out during a time when a big segment of the toy industry followed the motto, "If it's gross or smells, it sells." Madballs continued with that formula of gross-out humor and quickly made a dent in the toy market (and on heads...) Today we look back on the creation, launch, and remarkable success of Madballs, along with the controversy that resulted in them getting banned in some schools. The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

When does performance art go too far? How long do you suspend disbelief before you start asking yourself whether what you are seeing is actually real? Or is that the whole point... When it comes to performance art, there may be no better performer ever than Andy Kaufman. And in the 1980s, he took his unique brand of comedy to a wider audience than ever before. Most people knew him from Taxi, but an even wider audience would know him from two shocking network television moments--one that even happened on live TV... Let's go back and witness the chaos created by Andy Kaufman in the 80s. The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

1987 was a good one. So was 1989. But summertime at the movies may not get much better than the magical summer of 1984. Today, we travel back exactly 40 years to one of the defining summers of the entire 1980s. The summer of '84 gave us blockbuster after blockbuster and fully cemented the summer movie season as one of the most important of the year. A huge sequel, a coming-of-age classic, a new horror favorite, and a supernatural comedy are just some of the era-defining films that came out. It's the summer that gave us some of the most beloved movies of not just the 80s--but ever. And there's one day in particular that may be the most significant of the decade when it comes to two all-time 1980s classics... The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

After the phenomenal success of Sesame Street and then The Muppet Show, it seemed as if things couldn't get much better. But as the 1980s began, Jim Henson was just getting started... Two groundbreaking films, new Muppet movies, and one of the most beloved children's series of all time--these are just some of the amazing creations by Jim Henson in the 80s. But it goes even deeper: countless TV specials, a Sesame Street movie, a cherished cartoon show, and even a few holiday favorites. For Henson, the 1980s were a decade of prolific creation, and we were the lucky ones who got to experience his unique form of magic. The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

As the NES and Sega Master System were dominating the 1980s video game market, something interesting was happening in Japan. Something ahead of its time. Something revolutionary... The dream of a 16-bit system felt like it was years and years away, but, in 1987--it happened. It took a few more years, but the system that began as the PC Engine in Japan eventually hit North America. But now, it had a new look and a new name: the TurboGrafx-16. This is a look back on the system that ushered in the fourth generation of video gaming, changed how video games looked and sounded, and had a huge influence on the future of gaming. Bonus 1980s audio content: Patreon.com/80s

When it first aired in September 1986, no one was quite sure what to think of it--especially critics and parents. It was loud, bold, colorful, and crazy...and kids loved it. This is the story of one of the most remarkable kids' shows ever made. A show that provided an educational component, but they also promised you the nuttiest establishment you've ever seen. All you had to do was spend the day with Pee-Wee and you'll see what they mean... It was wacky, it was nutty, golly, it was even cuckoo, because when you landed there, you landed in a place where anything can happen...This is the history of Pee-Wee's Playhouse. The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

As we enter the mid-80s, the Edmonton Oilers are on top of the hockey world. And on the best team was also the best player in the world: Wayne Gretzky. But while all this was going on, something remarkable had also been happening in the hockey world, and in the most unlikely place. You may not know the name Tony Hand, but in 1986, both he and the Oilers eventually crossed paths--and the results were nothing short of extraordinary. This is a story that's about more than sports; it's about how greatness can come from anywhere... Bonus audio content: Patreon.com/80s

They couldn't all be hits... During a decade that gave us so many beloved classics, there were other great movies that just flew under the radar. Whether it was too much competition, inadequate marketing, or bad timing, there are plenty of 1980s movies that could have been big hits, but just weren't. Today we look back at ten of those movies. Movies that had everything going for them; big-time directors, huge stars, exciting stories, and cutting-edge special effects. But because of a variety of issues, they just didn't reach the heights of other classics from the 80s. The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

We're three years into a new decade and the 80s as we know it is starting to take shape. From the movies to TV shows, and music to video games, things are changing quickly--and pop culture would never be the same. Welcome to Rewind and an all-new version of my review of 1983. We look back on all the big pop culture moments along with sports and the tech that made up a remarkable year. And speaking of tech, 1983 brings us two critical innovations. Innovations that would have a bigger impact on our lives today than anyone could have ever imagined... The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

Armed with a pocket full of change, you walk through those sliding doors and are greeted by a wonderland of amazing options as far as the eye can see. The biggest issue you face is what do you choose; candy, chocolate, chips, or a drink? This is a look back on the best snacks and junk food from the 80s, a decade that gave us some of the greatest products of all time. Products that are still with us to this day. But then, there are also some less fortunate favorites that didn't last long and went to that big convenience store in the sky... Top Gun movie review: Patreon.com/80s

There's a good chance you're reading this on your phone right now. And that phone of yours has some humble origins that go all the way back to 1983... This is the history of the Motorola Dynatac 8000x: the world's very first commercial cell phone. It's a story that begins in the 1970s and is followed by a massive uphill battle that lasted a decade and cost more than $100 million. But in 1983, the Dynatac 8000x finally hit the market. The giant brick of a phone slowly caught on, and also became a part of pop culture; from Wall Street to Bayside, the mobile revolution was truly underway... Bonus 1980s content: Patreon.com/80s

Titanic was called the 'Ship of Dreams,' and for oceanographer Robert Ballard, his dream had always been to find the most famous shipwreck of them all. Today, we travel back to September 1985 and revisit an event many thought would never happen. The discovery of The Titanic made headlines around the world, but was there more going on beneath the surface than we realized? Was the search for the legendary ship just a coverup for a top-secret, Cold War mission...? Bonus audio content: Patreon.com/80s