There are a few decades in film history that have been as screwed nuts as the 1980s, but to really understand the decade and its movies, it's going to take a couple of someone's who were there for it the first time around. Drew McQueenie and Scott Weinberg are ready to review every major film of the decade, one month at a time. The look at what worked then, what endoers now, and how it felt to be there when it all went down. Turn back the calendar with us. It's the 80s all over. The Wonderland murders, which later inspired scenes and huggie nights as well as a feature film starring Galki Homer's John Holmes, took place on the night of July 1, shocking Los Angeles with a crime that involved porn and drugs and guns and money. Sandra Day O'Connor was nominated to the Supreme Court and one entire day later, she was actually confirmed by the Senate in the 99-0 vote. The Jackson's kicked off a 36-city tour, already feeling tensions as a a family and way out at the edge of explored space, Voyager to encountered Saturn. And as the month wrapped up, the baseball strike concluded as well, how did we ever find time for movies in July of 1981? I already am Drew McQueenie and welcome to 80's all over. I'm here as I am with of course Scott Weinberg, my co-host. What's up, buddy? That's me talking over Drew to introduce myself. Nothing symbolic there. Welcome to 80s all over July 1981, the films that got run over by Raiders of the Law Star. We're just going to jump right in because it is such a strange lineup. And I think one of the things that most embodies this month of movies, which is full of strange nostalgia, you know, a lot of

films looking back. We're going to start with Bidle Mania, which is truly a baffling piece

of pop detritus.

It should be illegal.

It should be what it should be.

I know it's not because there's this. There is also Sergeant Pepper. Beetlemania as the poster notoriously indicates are not the Beatles drew, but an amazing simulation. I could see if you wanted to go see a live experience where they were playing Beatles songs and it was the early 80s

And you know it had been 20 years since the Beatles performed together

I can maybe see that if you're a fan and you just want to hear somebody play some songs live

But the film version of it is so weird because these guys maybe from a distance work as the Beatles the many you get up close to them

Not even remotely close and it just becomes uncomfortable

This is a glorified karaoke band that somehow got a Broadway show and a movie out of the deal, and probably got set up for life. Even after John Lennon was murdered, they still toured, and they still exploited great musicians for their gain. I'm not gonna lie, I made it through 20 minutes of this movie. On principle, I won't watch the rest of it. I'm sorry. And it's also one of these things where the whole thing is cut to like flash pop culture at you and it's done in the most

facel- through 20 minutes of this movie. On principle, I won't watch the rest of it. I'm sorry. And it's also it's one of these things where the whole thing is cut to like flash pop culture at you and it's done in the most facile surface way. They're saying nothing. So it just feels like, look, it's the 60s and here's some songs you know. If it was actors playing the Beatles and it was almost like a biopic, then the actors are playing their music. Then at least that would have some credibility to it. This is literally like you said, stock footage and nowhere man or whatever is playing over it and it's not even the real song. It's for idiots. I want to move on to this next film because it's there's so much to unpack in a movie that no one listening to this podcast is ever going when I double checked for my research? I'm like, oh, that can't be that dick wolf. Yeah, it is. We're going to get into that in a moment because this movie

impossible to find Paramount put one version of it out on VHS at one point and that's it. It's racist, it's sexist, it's stupid. It's basically three stooge's level jokes. How do we man Dell is in it? Susan Ansback, Donald Sutherland plays a guy who looks like he shot his entire role in one afternoon in a fake helicopter.

Sterling Hayden is in it and I don't know what booze money. Donald Sutherland plays a guy who looks like he shot his entire role in one afternoon in a fake helicopter

Sterling Hayden is in it and I don't know what booze money they offered him But it's shockingly bad work by Sterling Hayden a man who I genuinely think was rarely bad in anything as you mentioned The screenplay is credited to they call him Richard wolf in the credits, but indeed Dick Wolf The man with the best name and show business. I can't believe that this is him like you look at what his work is now And what he's known for and it's all built around social ideas and it's all built around turning reality into television and this is So far off the mark from what he is known for that he wouldn't surprise me if he bought it and buried it Because I would it by where him it's terrible I also want to bring this up as an example of something we're gonna see a lot of in this decade Which is the comedy film where they can't afford the rich Talented version of a celebrity from her family. And so instead they hire the younger brother

who's not very funny, but who kind of resembles his older brother. So we're going to hope you buy it. A la Jim Blushy, a la Joel Murray, and Jim Hanks. And now in this movie, I was treated to, and I really, I feel like it was a treat, a privilege really to witness the work of Peter Acid. Oh, dude. There's a sequence early in the film where he's like bantering with Susan Ansbach and it is painful. It is like him clearly trying to like do the cadence and the tone of his brother's voice. Well, when he starts talking and he kind of sounds like, damn, I've got a little bit and he's got that Canadian thing thing going but he's not funny. It's really weird.

Yeah, and you know no offense to Peter Acroix.

I'm sure he's a sweet guy but it's like you blame the producers who like oh well we can't

afford Dan Acroix.

So if we put Peter Acroix name in there maybe we'll confuse some people into thinking that's

who they like.

And the running joke that he is doing in the movie is that his sister is a hot blonde and she is going out on dates with Howie Mandel and she's out in the world and he follows her around because he doesn't want her to have sex with anybody else because he wants to. That's the actual storyline he's playing in the film. It's Lothsome. Howie Mandel is the romantic lead here. You know, hey, good luck with that. There was a brief period where there were a number of movies made that had gas lines and sort of that culture in it. And we'll get through a couple next month as well. But it feels like this is just the laziest version of how can we put something in there. They're super, super fast that just is every dick and fart joke possible built around a gas station. Yeah, yeah. I mean, this was an era when SNL was making was huge. So you could see a lot of these people trying to like throw together, farce comedies, piecemeal and gas feels a lot like a whole bunch of sketches. If your movie's going to be mostly like barely connected sketches, make them funny because you're already robbing us of an interesting narrative. So if you're going to be just a bunch of episodes, make those episodes funny and they're not. If, you know, Dick Wolf, at least as a screenwriter went on to other stuff, I don't know this director at all. It looks like a Canadian tax shelter production. It's eminently forgettable. So let's go ahead and move on. It's better than Biddlemania. You know what i i don't know that i can argue with you i think it's no matter how bad it is gass is at least somebody's attempted an original idea better than beetle mania yes they can quote you on the back if they ever put gas out now better than beetle mania scott wineberg so we move from one of the final quote gash crisis comedies to the first 3D film of the 80s for better or for worse. And now it's time for Drew and I to talk about. Come and act your own, sir. When the hero and come and act your dynamite's the hideout of the villain. Did you find that your three 3D viewers now made you part of the explosive action? Oh yeah. Come and act at you when they like the fuse you hold the time of my coming at you rated R So I talked my mom and to taking me to see this in the theater. Oh nice So we have very different stories. So tell me how this went and I did I did not mention to her in the pitch that it was rated R I didn't bring that up. I just said it's a Western and it's 3D and you guys talk about 3D movies So I want to go see a 3D movie and she bought it and so she took me to see it and all I remember is at a certain point about 20 minutes in the film being yanked by my arm down the middle of the theater row with my mom red face going That's it enough! We're out and then going to see Arthur instead because something pushed her button and outraged her. When this played fantastic fest, I went to go see it specifically because I'd not seen it since 81 and I wondered what set her off and after watching it again as an adult, I still have no idea. I don't know why she flipped out the middle of the movie. I think it might have been a bit too violent. It's a pretty hardcore violent western. I'm glad you mentioned the drafthouse because you and I both have very different experiences on this film. You saw this as a kid. Me, I grew up obsessed with the 3D films which will cover, so I'd seen them all accept coming at you. And then a couple of years ago, Drafthouse resurrected it and I saw it on the big screen. In many ways, it's a silly laughable amateurish movie, but with a big crowd and with the 3D and everybody really enjoying the kichiness of it, it's a fun piece of schlock. If you like watching it by yourself as a film analyst, it's pretty dire. Well, I like that Tony Anthony, the guy who is the star and the writer and the producer and everything. He looks like Kevin Pollock. So it's like if Kevin Pollock said, I'm making a clean eastwood movie and I'm playing the lead. He's not a tough cowboy looking actor,

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