The Summer of ’83 concussively concludes with a gloriously metal swords and sorcery adventure helmed by the 1st AD of The Beastmaster, and penned by the writer of Vampire Hookers and Rainbow Brite. Deathstalker, our morally messed up but oddly philosophical anti-hero, is sent on a quest by weird witch Toralva to unite the sword of justice, amulet of life, and chalice of magic in order to “become the power” before the evil Lord Munkar does. Join Javi, Paul and, intrepidly, Producer Brad on this wild ride into wanton violence and chaos that features a creepy meat puppet, a chatty cave ogre, random mud wrestling, a cannibalistic pig man, a gladiator tournament, some very problematic shape-shifting, John Wick’s worst nightmare cuisine, a truly epic score, and an unexpectedly bold (and timely) anti-autocracy political statement — all of which somehow spawned three sequels and a very fun 2025 remake executive produced by none other than Slash. (Really.)

Show Notes:

1983 Box Office

September 2, 1983 Weekend Box Office

Deathstalker box office

Hollywood Reporter interview with Slash discussing 2025 Deathstalker reboot.

Kickstarter campaign to fund the 2025 Deathstalker reboot.

Screen Rant article on Deathstalker comic book from Vault Comics and Slash.

Boris Vallejo movie posters here and here.

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What do you get when you mix the manic comic genius of Michael Keaton, the inimitable dramatic and comedic chops of the great Teri Garr, the legendary deadpan wit of Martin Mull, the wacky unpredictability of Christopher Lloyd, and the ever-reliable smarm of Jeffrey Tambor? Franlky, we wish you got more than Mr. Mom, a movie regarded by many as a modern classic but which left the already very domesticated Paul, Javi, and the always paternal Producer Brad scratching their heads wondering if men in the 80s were simply too brain damaged to drive a grocery store cart. There’s a few bright spots, of course, the not-so-hidden connection to Rocky III, the cute kids, and, of course, woobies. But is it enough? Honestly, we decided to watch this instead of Deathstalker because we thought we owed it to you - our listeners - to get out of the sword and sorcery space and talk about a mainstream movie… and in this episode, you get to hear your three hosts realize the depth of their error with hilarious consequences! CURSE YOU LORD MUNKAR! Yeah, come back next week, we’re watching Deathstalker.

Show Notes:

1983 Box Office

September 2 1983 Weekend Box Office

July 22, 1983 Weekend Box Office

Mr. Mom Box Office Results

Mr. Mom AFI Catalog Entry

Cole Haddon 2023 interview with producer Lauren Shuler Donner.

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Okay you hosers, so welcome to our podcast. So today we’re gonna chug a couple cold ones, put on our tuques and watch as comedy titans Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas take their beloved characters from television and comedy albums to the big screen in The Adventures of Bob and Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew! While it would have been perfectly acceptable for them to do their small screen schtick on the big screen and call it a movie, this ambitious duo instead decided to cast themselves as Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern in a brewski-themed remake of… Hamlet? Join Paul, Javier, and the ever sober Producer Brad as they brave the dark corridors of the haunted Elsinore Brewery, where the cyber-ghost of a murdered patriarch cries out for justice from a haunted coin-op video game console as the evil Brewmeister Smith - played by Ingmar Bergman regular Max Von Sydow in prosthetic buck teeth - plots to take over the world using mind-control beer and hockey-playing stormtroopers! Can our hapless duo stop this evil plot? All we can say is that any movie that features a climactic duel between Ming The Merciless and Gold Leader from Star Wars is a beauty way to go, eh!

Show Notes:

1983 Box Office

August 26, 1983 Weekend Box Office

Strange Brew Movie Box Office Results

Strange Brew AFI Catalog Entry

Rick Moranis' Second City Bio

Dave Thomas' Second City Bio

CBC Oral History of Kids in the Hall's "Headcrusher"

Globe and Mail "Best Canadian Comedies"

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Cavemen. Dinosaurs. Lasers. Robots. A mysterious medallion. A talking box. Choice meats! And oh that theme song. This barely begins to dip into the brain-bending fountain of wonders that is YOR, THE HUNTER FROM THE FUTURE. Javi, Paul and - intrepidly - Producer Brad have ventured to Yor’s World and returned forever changed by this Italian adaptation of an Argentinian graphic novel that was distilled from a four-hour television mini-series, and is criminally unavailable on any streaming service or for digital rental or purchase. But they would not be denied (thank you Internet Archive), even though it required Javi to heed the film’s counsel (“We will need a lot more hemp before we’re through.”), while Paul Plot was sent into a fugue state. Because while we’re all well-versed in spaghetti Westerns, this is a spaghetti fantasy that takes a stunning turn into spaghetti sci-fi, and somehow blurs the lines between bad and great, and stupid and genius — rendering this week’s episode an absolute fever dream. There is simply no way you can prepare yourself… for YOR!!!

Show Notes:

Yor, the Hunter from the Future (1983) [Internet Archive]

Yor's World (Theme Song) on iTunes and Apple Music

1983 Box Office - The Numbers

1983 Box Office - Box Office Mojo

August 19, 1983 Weekend Box Office

Yor Movie Box Office Results

NYT/Janet Maslin Yor review

Archived Antonio Margheriti bio

Archived interview with Edoardo Margheriti, Antonio's son.

Fanbasepress article speculating on Antonio Margheriti connection to 2001: A Space Odyssey

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Behold the birth of the cinematic icon that is Nicolas Cage. Bask in the glory of his historic first on-screen freak-out. Witness his wondrous weirdness expertly unleashed by director Martha Coolidge, who made the most of a tiny budget, tight schedule, and tepid script to deliver a (sub-)cultural landmark by way of the Sherman Oaks Galleria. This week, Javi, Paul - and for sure, like totally, Producer Brad - pop their pastel polo collars as they venture valiantly into the strange suburban vortex of vapidity that is VALLEY GIRL. Demure Julie (Deborah Foreman) falls for pseudo-punk Randy (Cage) from the scary side of the Hollywood Hills, but when her high school social circle disdainly disapproves, she’s torn between lofty love and crushing conformity. Will peer pressure prune her passion? Or will she stop the world and melt with Randy a million miles away on Electric Avenue? Whether you’re in the mood for the valley or not, our hosts have got the vibe, even if their brains are bad news from that creepy clown doll. Have a nice flight!

Show Notes:

1983 Box Office

Valley Girl Weekend Box Office, April 29, 1993

Valley Girl Box Office, August 12, 1983

Valley Girl Box Office Results

AFI Catalog entry for Valley Girl

Roger Ebert review of Valley Girl

AFI Movie Club segment on Valley Girl with DP Frederick Elmes

NYT 2020 article on Valley Girl quoting Martha Coolidge exploiting nudity requirement loopholes.

Indie Wire article with quotes from Nicholas Cage praising Martha Coolidge.

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Put on your Ray-Bans, rev up the Porsche, and crank up the Tangerine Dream! It’s time for the movie that made Tom Cruise a star, which somehow Javi and Paul had never seen! Listen as they, with the help of ever-patient Producer Brad, get past their preconceived notions and are rewarded with a teen sex comedy that has more in common with Blue Velvet than Porky’s. Suburban high school senior Joel (Cruise), afflicted with anxiety about getting into Princeton and left home alone by his materialistic parents, is prodded by devil-on-his-shoulder pal Miles (Curtis Armstrong) down the path to some Risky Business in the form of call girl Lana (Rebecca De Mornay), who turns Joel’s home into a brothel. Is it a swooning love letter to capitalism, or subversive indictment of it, or both? Javi and Paul marvel and muse at this unexpectedly layered, nuanced, and finely crafted film rife with symbolism, sex positivity, delightful dream sequences, awesome needle drops, surprisingly positive trans representation, a crystal egg, and a young Joe Pantoliano as Guido the Killer Pimp. There is no substitute!

Show Notes:

1983 Box Office

August 5-7, 1983, Weekend Box Office

Risky Business Box Office Results

Hollywood Reporter excerpts from Curtis Armstrong's 2017 memoir, Revenge of the Nerd.

Top 100 Stars in Leading roles at the Domestic Box Office

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What is Krull? Who is Krull? Where is Krull? Why is Krull? These are all time-honored questions asked by no one - except those of us who have experienced the fantasy sci-fi would-be saga that is Krull. Join Paul, Javi, and the stalwart Producer Brad as they journey through space (they think) and time (maybe?) to experience the (it thinks) epic battle between a princess, her prince, and their rag-tag misfit army of actors who would go on to do far better work (Liam Neeson? What are you doing here?) against an intergalactic dictator (we guess) and his army of poorly-armed, partially-ambulatory stormtroopers (kinda). Thrill to the modest swordplay, marvel at the adequate production design, and let your spirit rise to the strains of one of James Horner’s minor soundtracks! It’s a deep (ish) dive into one of the lost (not really) classics (now we’re being generous) of the summer of ’83, so buckle your swash and get ready, because once you go Krull, you come back… uh, null?

Show Notes:

1983 Box Office

July 29,1983 Weekend Box Office

Krull Box Office Results

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Does it get any more ’80s than Flashdance? Luminous Jennifer Beals is a welder by day who dances at a bar by night, but must conquer imposter syndrome to achieve her ballerina dreams. It’s sort of a music video-esque Disney musical crossed with an inspirational sports drama (a la Rocky or Rudy), yet somehow Javi and Paul had never seen it, much to Producer Brad’s amusement. Join them in a world made of steel, made of stone (aka Pittsburgh) as they bask in the glory of Giorgio Morodor’s memorable music, wrestle with the film’s male-gaze-fantasy-meets-aspirational-female-empowerment dichotomy, and get pleasantly sucker-punched by this surprisingly sweet fairy tale about having faith in oneself (and dancing like you’ve never danced before). And did we mention it’s from the future director of Fatal Attraction, future screenwriter of Basic Instinct (and Showgirls), and action impresario Jerry Bruckheimer? (And is that Cynthia Rhodes playing her same character from Staying Alive?) Break out your leg warmers, Diet Pepsi and torn sweatshirt — it’s time to take your passion and make it happen!

Show Notes:

1983 Box Office

April 15, 1983 Weekend Box Office

July 22, 1983 Weekend Box Office

Flashdance Box Office Results

As mentioned by Paul, Angela Trimbur Dance classes!

AFI Catalog on Flashdance

USA Today Article Commemorating the 35th Anniversary of Flashdance

NYT Article on the dismissal of class action lawsuit over Polish jokes in Flashdance.

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