Tag Archives: comedy

Hairspray (1988) | John Waters

November 12, 2018Dancing on Air1988, comedy, dancing, Debbie Harry, John Waters, musical, R&B, racism, Ricki Lake, segregation, set in the 1960s, Sonny Bono, tv showqwipster

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John Waters writes and directs this most accessible of his films, his only one to be rated PG, with HAIRSPRAY, the film that made Ricki Lake a prominent star to be. Set in 1962, HAIRSPRAY explores race and class in a mostly divided Baltimore, where teens of different races weren’t allowed to dance on the same show at the same time. Tracy Turnblad doesn’t see why they can’t all be one happy group, vowing to turn the local variety show to reflect the diversity of the town itself. Debbie Harry, Sonny Bono, and Divine also appear.

Explorers (1985) | Joe Dante

September 7, 2018In Your Dreams1985, aliens, comedy, dreams, Ethan Hawke, invention, Joe Dante, River Phoenix, science, science fiction, teensqwipster

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Joe Dante’s Explorers marks the big screen debuts of two future stars, Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix, who, along with Jason Presson, make up the three young boys with a thirst for adventure and scientific exploration. In their dreams, the boys have a connection to a circuit board that they eventually use to build their own little hovering spacecraft, thanks to the help of a strange spherical energy capsule in which they place an abandoned tilt-a-whirl carriage that they use their computer to control. The makeshift spaceship gets them into all sorts of adventures, before culminating in a close encounter with aliens in outer space.

Superman III (1983) | Richard Lester

July 28, 2018Superbad1983, action, based on a comic book, Christopher Reeve, comedy, computers, dc comics, hacker, richard lester, richard pryor, robert vaughn, science fiction, Supermanqwipster

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Gone is Richard Donner, gone is Gene Hackman, and gone is the epic feel of the SUPERMAN series with SUPERMAN III, in which the creators finally wrest the controls away to make what they’ve been wanting to make all along: comedies! Richard Lester returns as director, as Superman, once again played by Christopher Reeve, has to battle a genius computer hacker played by Richard Pryor from assisting megalomaniac businessman Robert Vaughn from taking over the economic future of the world through computer dominance.

The Return of Swamp Thing (1989) | Jim Wynorski

June 28, 2018Vegetable is Animal1989, b-movie, based on a comic, campy, comedy, dc comics, Dick Durock, experiments, Heather Locklear, Jim Wynorski, Louis Jordan, mad scientist, science fiction, so bad it's good, superhero, swamp thingqwipster

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Seven years after Wes Craven’s original adaptation of the DC Comics superhero, Jim Wynorski takes a stab by sending the whole thing up as a campy b-movie sci-fi/horror hybrid. Swamp Thing (Dick Durock again) is back as protector of a hot babe in the form of Abigail, portrayed by Razzie Award-winning actress Heather Locklear, to thwart the nefarious plans of her mad scientist stepfather, Dr. Arcane, once again portrayed by Louis Jourdan, who wants to take her perfect DNA to make himself live forever. It’s a bad film, intentionally, and in some of the best ways.

Little Shop of Horrors (1986) | Frank Oz

June 16, 2018Vegetable is Animal1986, Bill Murray, comedy, dark comedy, Ellen Greene, faustian bargain, Frank Oz, horror, John Candy, killer plant, musical, Rick Moranis, set in the 60s, Steve Martinqwipster

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Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s off-Broadway darkly comical stage musical came to life in 1986, directed by Muppet-alum Frank Oz, featuring Rick Moranis, and small roles for Steve Martin, Bill Murray and John Candy. Ellen Greene co-stars in this story about a 1960s loser who finds success with an exotic plant that makes all his dreams come true, if only he finds a way to keep it fed — with human blood! Production design and the catchy tunes makes this a favorite musical from the 80s.

Splash (1984) | Ron Howard

April 6, 2018The Girl of My Dreams1984, comedy, Daryl Hannah, Eugene Levy, John Candy, mermaid, New York City, romance, Ron Howard, Tom Hanksqwipster

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Ron Howard directs this delightful romantic comedy that would score one of the biggest hits of 1984, SPLASH. Tom Hanks, Darryl Hannah and John Candy would all propel to a more secure stardom after their roles in this screwball but tender love story between a man who has trouble finding the right woman until a mermaid steps…or swims…into his life.

Mannequin (1987) | Michael Gottlieb

March 30, 2018The Girl of My Dreams1987, Andrew McCarthy, comedy, department store, James Spader, Kim Cattrall, mannequin, Meshach Taylor, muse, romanceqwipster

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Andrew McCarthy and Kim Cattrall star in this smash hit bubblegum romance about a struggling artist who falls in love with a mannequin possessed by a lovelorn ancient Egyptian spirit who turns his life around. James Spader, Estell Getty, and Meshach Taylor have supporting roles in this quintessential 80s fantasy-romance. Does it hold up?

Xanadu (1980) | Robert Greenwald

March 24, 2018The Girl of My Dreams1980, art, big band, club, comedy, disco, ELO, Gene Kelly, greek mythology, Hollywood, magic, Michael Beck, muse, musical, Olivia Newton-John, painting, rollerskating, romance, Santa Monicaqwipster

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The much-maligned 1980 musical gets re-evaluated in this podcast review. Olivia Newton-John plays a muse who is sent to earth to inspire a struggling artist (Michael Beck) fulfill his dream of starting a roller-disco club with a retired construction magnate (Gene Kelly). Newton-John and pop group ELO deliver a powerhouse soundtrack in this visually impressive first effort from future political documentarian Robert Greenwald.

Back to the Future Part III (1990) | Robert Zemeckis

February 23, 2018Back to the Future1990, adventure, back to the future, Bob Gale, Christopher Lloyd, comedy, Mary Steenburgen, Michael J. Fox, old West, Robert Zemeckis, science fiction, time travel, westernqwipster

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The third and final entry in the BACK TO THE FUTURE Trilogy sees Marty and Doc in the Old West of Hill Valley in 1885, where Marty must save Doc from getting gunned down by an ancestor of Biff Tannen. It’s a softer, and more romantic effort, as Doc finds love with the charming schoolteacher, Clara Clayton, who is also supposed to meet her maker, unless Marty can figure out a way to save them both without messing things up for the future!

Back to the Future Part II (1989) | Robert Zemeckis

February 15, 2018Back to the Future1989, back to the future, Bob Gale, Christopher Lloyd, comedy, Michael J. Fox, paradox, Robert Zemeckis, science fiction, set in the futureqwipster

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Marty and Doc must head 30 years into the future to save Marty’s kids from calamity,l but end up making a mess of the past when Biff Tannen takes over the DeLorean. Will they save themselves, and their pasts, as well as their futures?

This ingenious sequel takes the premise of the original film for a loop-de-loop of logic few were expecting it to go, from the minds of Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale.

Back to the Future (1985) | Robert Zemeckis

February 8, 2018Back to the Future1985, back to the future, Bob Gale, Christopher Lloyd, comedy, Michael J. Fox, Robert Zemeckis, science fiction, set in the 1950s, time travelqwipster

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Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale and Steven Spielberg present the original 1985 class, BACK TO THE FUTURE!

Michael J. Fox plays 17-year-old Marty McFly, a spirited teenager who doesn’t seem to quite fit in with his current family, so much so that he spends a great deal of his time helping out an eccentric local scientist, Doc Brown, in his kooky experiments. One night, Doc calls Marty out to an empty mall parking lot to witness his latest triumph, a souped- up DeLorean that he has modified as a time machine. Upset that Doc has used the plutonium given to make a proposed nuclear bomb for his own machine, some angry terrorists gun him down in cold blood, leaving Marty with no other choice than to escape in the DeLorean, which sends him back in time to the date Doc first came up with the idea for time travel, November 5^th, 1955, which also happens to be the date that Marty’s parents met and fell for each other. Problems ensue when Marty’s mother begins to fall for him instead, which would completely negate the existence of Marty and his siblings. Marty must find a way for his parents to fall in love, and get back to the future without the nuclear component necessary, with only the younger Doc Brown to help him.

My Science Project (1985) | Jonathan R. Betuel

February 1, 2018Hi-Concept High School1985, comedy, Fisher Stevens, high school, Jonathan R. Betuel, junkyard, science fiction, science project, time travelqwipster

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John Stockwell, Fisher Stevens and Dennis Hopper appear in this low-budget sci-fi/comedy from 1985, MY SCIENCE PROJECT, where teens find an alien contraption of seemingly unlimited power that opens a portal from which people and things from Earth’s past and future pour into their high school. Now the teens need to pull the plug on it before everyone is in mortal danger. It’s a very 80s movie in the best ways — and the worst.

Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) | Francis Ford Coppola

January 27, 2018Hi-Concept High School1986, comedy, drama, Francis Ford Coppola, housewife, Kathleen Turner, Nicolas Cage, romance, set in the 1950s, time travelqwipster

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Francis Ford Coppola directs this fluffy but endearing film that asks the age-old question, “what if we could do it all over again?” An Oscar-nominated performance from Kathleen Turner bolsters this whimsical romantic comedy-drama with a time-travel twist, with a quirky role for Nicolas Cage as her no-good husband.

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) | Stephen Herek

January 20, 2018Hi-Concept High School1989, Abraham Lincoln, Alex Winter, California, Clarence Clemons, comedy, George Carlin, high school, Joan of Arc, Keanu Reeves, Napoleon, San Dimas, science fiction, Socrates, Stephen Herek, time travel, water parkqwipster

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The breakthrough performance for Keanu Reeves, along with co-star Alex Winter, in this fun time-traveling romp through history, as two California teens pick up verious historical figures in their phone booth through time to pass an oral presentation that will secure Earth’s future — a future in which Bill & Ted are revered as saviors! George Carlin supports in this fun flick from 1989.

Scrooged (1988) | Richard Donner

December 24, 2017Stocking Stuffers1988, A Christmas Carol, Carol Kane, Charles Dickens, comedy, Karen Allen, Richard Donner, TV producer, tv showqwipster

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I look back at a film that some people herald as a great Christmas film. I’ve always had issues, but wanted to give it another shot. Do I come around?

Bill Murray stars as Frank Cross in this modern take on the Charles Dickens’ class, “A Christmas Carol”. Richard Donner directs.

Around the World in 80s Movies Podcast

A concise podcast reviewing the films released in the 1980s, with history, trivia, fun facts, and film critic Vince Leo's personal recollection with the era that defined a generation's taste in movies.

Tag Archives: comedy

Hairspray (1988) | John Waters

Explorers (1985) | Joe Dante

Superman III (1983) | Richard Lester

The Return of Swamp Thing (1989) | Jim Wynorski

Little Shop of Horrors (1986) | Frank Oz

Splash (1984) | Ron Howard

Mannequin (1987) | Michael Gottlieb

Xanadu (1980) | Robert Greenwald

Back to the Future Part III (1990) | Robert Zemeckis

Back to the Future Part II (1989) | Robert Zemeckis

Back to the Future (1985) | Robert Zemeckis

My Science Project (1985) | Jonathan R. Betuel

Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) | Francis Ford Coppola

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) | Stephen Herek

Scrooged (1988) | Richard Donner