There are a few decades in film history that have been as scrutinized 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 to calendar with us. It's the 80s all over. I'm gonna have to go back to the hotel.

I'm gonna have to go back to the hotel.

I'm gonna have to go back to the hotel. It's the 80s all over. This month kicked off a 12 month long strike by the British industry while on TV an equally dark time began with the premiere of Katen Ali. In Manhattan Beach, California, teachers at the McMartin preschool were charged with satanic ritual abuse of their young students, part of a growing and deeply weird obsession with satanic cults by mainstream America. All charges were eventually dropped. Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express premiered, speaking of Satan, proving that his particular deal with the dark Lord was still firmly in place, and finally in a move that would one day directly lead to Rosie Perez's most intolerably annoying performance. A New York police detective gave a waitress half of his $1 lottery ticket as a tip the day before winning $6 million. You got to love a story like that as a way to kick off March of 1984. Hi everybody, I'm Drew McWenium. Welcome to 80s all over. I'm joined as always by my co-host Scott Weinberg. Scott, how are you, sir? This month has been freaking insane. This might be one of the densest episodes we're ever going to do. to do. And it starts with a very special tip of the hat to a man we just lost last week, the Great Burt Reynolds. The 80s would not have been the same without Burt Reynolds. He was endlessly likeable, funny, charming. He guys was in so many bad movies, but that doesn't really matter. He will be remembered as an iconic, lovable old school superhero

resting peace. And so many bad movies, but that doesn't really matter. He will be remembered as an iconic, lovable old school superhero, rest in peace, pert Reynolds. Thank you for all the memories and the way you didn't take yourselves too seriously. I think a lot of movie stars and people in general could take a good lesson from you in that regard. In some ways, even though the movies he was often surrounded by were not as good as him sometimes, I feel like he kind of created this style of acting and an attitude on film that we see really prevalently now in things like the Marvel Universe where there is both a wink about what you, the audience know, and also a commitment to what he's doing on screen. It's a balance that I think Bert played really well.

A young Bert Reynolds would have fit beautifully in today's Blockbuster landscape. The thing that I love about young Bert is that sort of joy of being in movies. And one of the ones I went back and watched that I dearly love and I know it takes a lot of shit, but I love it long last love, the Peter Bogdanovich film. And part of the joy of it is that they recorded all the musical numbers live on set.

So it's all them singing while they were actually doing the... I love it, long last love, the Peter Bagnon of itch film. And part of the joy of it is that they recorded all the musical numbers live on set.

So it's all them singing while they were actually doing the dancing. And a lot of it is not technically very good, but it's exuberant. And I don't think Bert Reynolds has ever looked more like he's at a party and having the time of his life than he does in that film. It made me really happy to watch that. Well, I haven't seen it in a long time, but I remember liking switching channels a little bit,

but I think his best film of the 80s might be a film we won't get to for a while called Breaking In. Yeah. I can't wait to get there with you. Yeah. And we have trashed many Bert Reynolds films and there are others. We will soon be trashing. But I hope everyone out there who listens to this show understands that even if we trash some of his movies, we will

always have a lot of affection and respect for Bert Reynolds and damn he will be missed. So this doesn't technically constitute a mistake that we made. But one of our listeners reached out after hearing our recent conversation about the deal of the century, Scott. And do you we speculated that Freken must not like the movie based on his total radio silence about it? It turns out it's not total radio silence because a guy named Nick DeSemlin, who is a journalist who follows us and listens to the show and enjoys the show, actually said something about the film on Twitter a couple of years ago and Freken tweeted back to I confess Nick. I love this film Nick ended up reaching out to him because he was working on a piece about source for and writing a book about SNL stars of the 70s and 80s that book wild and crazy guys will be in stores next summer We have a very special preview today because Nick sent to me the conversation he had with William Fre about Chevy Chase, and I'm a little shocked by the quote itself. I thought he was terrific in the film. I never thought of anyone else. He had the perfect balance of sincerity, but with an underlying comic presentation, the guy is extremely intelligent, naturally sardonic, and it was perfect for the role. I'm very pleased with that film. It's a hardcore condemnation of the arms industry,

which is still going on in America

and the choconnery that exists, the hypocrisy.

It's a very dark comedy and he was wonderful to work with. I had a very special fondness for Chevy. That is the first time I've ever heard William Freak and say anything about the movie and I'm delighted to hear that he loves it and he loves Chevy and man more than anything now,

I'd love to talk to him about it.

My first question to Bill Friedkin would be,

when's the last time he saw it, sir?

Yeah, I would love to talk to him about it. My first question to Bill Friedkin would be when's the last time he saw it, sir? Yeah. I would love to know if he's screened it recently and what his feelings are based on just the filmmaking. Like I think he was under the gun in a lot of ways. But anyway, remember that title of that book, Wild and Crazy Guys. It's about all the SNL actors of the 70s and 80s. Next got it coming out next summer. Thank you Nick for sending that to us. That is amazing. Very cool. All right. Drew, now we're going to go live to Gene Hackman in his agent's office. I'm Gene Hackman. Gene, I'm happy to see you. Yeah. Listen, listen, I don't do a good hack man, but here's the thing. Dustin had Kramer versus Kramer and John Voic cut table for five. And I brought Al Pacino here. He did author author. You got anywhere screenplays with kids in them. Al, I'm not sure what Jean's talking about. Screenplays with this man. Dusty Hoffman did the thing with the kid, right?

And that had nothing.

One kid, one child, my movie had a whole lot of kids.

I had kids coming out of my ears.

I had so many kids that film we lost a few.

Nobody knew it, but I did it so good.

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