August 17, 1984 (Revisiting the Past) Film Flashback Edition

 This edition of (Revisiting the Past) is a Film Flashback.

August 17, 1984. It was a Friday in Murfreesboro and that meant movies for lots of people. Here is what was playing at all of the local movie theaters on this date.

The Martin Four was showing Ghostbusters, The Karate Kid, Sheena, and the Clint Eastwood movie Tightrope. 

Ghostbusters has become an iconic classic, but it was a film I didn't see until getting a VHS player in the late 80's. I rarely went to the movies during the time I lived on Jimmy C. Newman's farm some 14 miles out of Murfreesboro. That mileage seemed so long back then. Even though I didn't see the movie until years later it seemed like I had seen it due it being a pop culture phenomenon. 

Play Doh Ghostbusters

Ghostbuster ghost trap

I didn't see The Karate Kid until it aired on network television many years later. It was okay. I thought Pat Morita was a standout in the film. I think this YouTube clip where it is shown that Daniel is the real bully is genius. I'm pretty sure I've shared it before too. 

Daniel is the real bully

Sheena is one I've never seen. The late Tanya Roberts starred in this jungle drama/adventure/romance film.

 

 Sheena trailer

Tightrope was making its debut on the screen nationwide so I'll bet this was a hot ticket in Murfreesboro. Eastwood movies always did good box office. This is another movie I've yet to see. Eastwood plays a detective (not Dirty Harry this time) on the trail of a strangler loose in New Orleans. The trailer implies that this strangler could be Eastwood's character. 

Tightrope trailer

The Marbro Drive-In has the Walter Hill directed Streets of Fire and Arnold Schwarzenegger in the John Milius directed Conan the Barbarian. I still haven't seen Streets of Fire even though it does have the lovely Diane Lane in it. I caught Conan years later on television and found it to be a bit ponderous.

"The only law is a loaded gun" Streets of Fire trailer

Conan the Barbarian trailer

Cinema One and Two were showing Gene Wilder's The Woman in Red which introduced moviegoers to Kelly LeBrock and Red Dawn which also happened to be directed by John Milius. "Wolverines!!" Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Red Dawn was the first movie to be released with the new PG-13 rating standard. Another bit of trivia: Patrick Swayze got frostbite during the filming. I've never seen The Woman in Red, but after watching the trailer I will have to check it out. I saw Red Dawn many decades later for the first time and thought it was okay. 

"Come and get it cowboy" The Woman in Red trailer

Wolverines!!!