There's 8 movies to choose from in this journey back to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The advertisement quality is not the best (note to self: write an angry letter to the Daily News Journal on their abysmal offset press process on this date), but I believe you can make out what was playing. The theatre's were chock full of hits! I was still living out in the sticks without a car so I didn't see any of these in the theatre, but would watch them on VHS or television later. The main theme of almost, if not all, of these films is the underdog triumphing. It's a formula that works.
We'll begin at the Martin Four with Ghostbusters. I'm pretty sure you've heard of this one. Bill Murray is great and I love Annie Potts. The movie itself is fun, but I am still a bit mystified by how huge a hit it became. I guess people love to see the underdogs triumph. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the film, but there are several movies playing on this date that I would rank above it. One of them is playing right next to it.
Gremlins is just bonkers and I love it. I find Ghostbusters to be slow at times, but Gremlins (which is actually a minute longer) just goes by like a runaway train. Zach Galligan is fine, but Phoebe Cates is much finer, but the real star is the gremlins themselves. This movie helped lead to the PG-13 rating due to the violence of its animatronic stars. I just think it's a perfect Christmas movie.
The Karate Kid was just beginning its run at the Martin. Ralph Macchio plays a young man named Daniel moving from one coast to the other and he quickly makes an enemy of villainous Johnny played by the ever awesome William Zabka. After a few karate beatdowns, Daniel gets tutored by Japanese gardener Miyagi san portrayed by Pat Morita. He received an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor and he deserved it. He is the best thing about the movie. The television show Community even has an episode that highlights this view that Miyagi san is the true hero. There are also fairly well know YouTube clips that point out that Danny is the villain instead of Johnny. Not to mention that illegal move!
The fourth film playing is the Walt Disney classic The Jungle Book which was on its third theatrical run having debuted in 1967 with a second run in 1978. It would be re-released in the US in 1990. The film earned more than $23.8 million in its first run making it the most successful animated film ever at the time. I copied that from Wikipedia so take it with a grain of salt. The movie is just loads of fun and if you have never seen it you really should do so.
We couldn't get Huey Lewis to do our theme so how about Ray Parker Jr. instead?
How long do we have to wait after midnight before feeding it?
Wax on wax off.
Baloo is loaded with both brains and brawn.
The Marbro has Breakin' and Hot Dog The Movie up on the big screen that would soon be silenced forever (or at least until somebody gives me enough movie to buy up the businesses there now). I've never seen Breakin', but I do own the soundtrack. Hip hop was making its way into the mainstream in a big way in 1984. The movie about a struggling dancer packed them in on its first run and led to a quickly released sequel Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo.
Hot Dog The Movie is your typical R rated sex comedy of the 80's. A small town kid competes in a freestyle skiing contest against a smug European. There's gratuitous nudity along with some skiing. I saw this on cable years later and it's okay. The underdog theme is here that everybody loves and which flourishes in both of the movies playing across town at the Cinema.
What kinds of names are Ozone and Turbo?
Were you on shrooms or what?
Revenge of the Nerds and Purple Rain would be surprise hits that summer. First up we have the nerds at Adams College overcoming the jocks. Stereotypes abound in this goofy movie and there's gratuitous nudity in this one just like in Hot Dog The Movie, but there's better characters here. Anthony Edwards is endearing and Curtis Armstrong is a scene stealer. Robert Carradine's Lewis is the main focus and he actually gets on my nerves. Thanks to VHS and my cousin Ronnie I saw this movie and Purple Rain on the same night in July of 1985. I was visiting my grandmother in Mississippi and we were all at my Aunt Ermie's home when Ronnie went and rented a VCR and the movies. My grandmother didn't like Revenge of the Nerds and she was asleep by the time we watched Purple Rain.
Purple Rain would leave the Cinema and then come back a few weeks later, but it was beginning its second week on this Friday night back in 1984. I already loved Prince's music, but I didn't have any interest in going to see the movie. I had my doubts it would be good. I was so wrong. It blew me away when I saw it that night in Mississippi almost a year later. Prince plays a local music star in Minneapolis who is being eclipsed by Morris Day and the Time. The writing is on the wall and he's about to lose his steady gig if he doesn't get it together. He has trouble at home, trouble with his girl, and his band. Will the Kid make it? I think you know the answer to this question.
Nerds! Nerds! Nerds!
That ain't Lake Minnetonka
Here's how I rank these movies:
1. Purple Rain
2. Gremlins
3. The Jungle Book
4. Revenge of the Nerds
5. Ghostbusters
6. The Karate Kid
7. Breakin'
8. Hot Dog The Movie
No comments:
Post a Comment