Enough, Already With All the Sloppy '80s References in Movies and TV
Fascinated as I am with much of 1980s popular culture, I absolutely despise contemporary comedies set in that decade. I hit my breaking point last night when, after a day of post-blizzard 2010 traveling, I was too tired to get off my bed to retrieve the remote control that would allow me to watch anything other than a show on TBS called Glory Daze. Only then did I discover how Glory Daze symbolizes everything wrong about how we as a society treat the 1980s.
To wit, there seems to be a conventional wisdom when setting a film in the 1980s that "the '80s" were just one year. In other words, if a film is set in 1988, a reference that would have been appropriate from 1981 is acceptable. Also: the more references the better! Here's how the dialogue in pretty much any movie set in the '80s is written:
"Hey, buddy, what are you up to today?"
"Well, once I get out of my Jams and put my parachute pants on, I'm going to play Q*Bert until it's time to go to the Cutting Crew concert. Have you seen my one white glove?"
Believe it or not, there actually is a strong cultural difference between 1981 and 1988. On popular radio, the more New Wave sounds of a band like A Flock of Seagulls or Devo had, by 1988, been replaced by the musical stylings of Rick Astley and INXS. This would be like a movie being set in 2008 yet littered with Napster references and music by The Corrs. Admittedly, I've only seen one episode of Glory Daze, so perhaps it's not a big enough sample to make a judgment of its use of pop culture. But the show has been on for a few weeks, and based on this episode and the commercials, I feel like I can safely assume its constant 1980s references are a trend: Set in the fall of 1986, Glory Daze centers on a group of college students pledging a fraternity. That's right: 1986, even though the previews for Glory Daze feature Madness's song "Our House" playing in the background -- a song that was released in 1982. Though I was young, I don't remember anyone setting down Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet long enough in '86 to jam to "Our House." Not to be outdone, the opening credits for Glory Daze feature Space Invaders, released in 1978, and a Rubik's Cube, released in 1980.
The main focus of this particular episode was Top Gun. Of course it is. References! At this point I will give credit that Top Gun actually did come out in the summer of 1986. Though, for a character (Eli) to be so enamored by Maverick in the late fall, considering Top Gun was released May 16, is a bit of a stretch. It would be like one of your friends all of a sudden showing up for work today dressed as Cobb from Inception. Also of note, when Eli purchases a ticket to Top Gun, the other three movies playing were Three Amigos, Hannah and her Sisters and Pretty in Pink. I can almost get that the theater would still be playing Top Gun from May, but Hannah and her Sisters was released on Feb. 7 and Pretty in Pink opened Feb. 28. And before you assume this was the dollar show for second-run films, apparently this theater was getting an advanced screening of Three Amigos, which didn't come out until Dec. 12. Considering all of those films actually were from 1986, I was about to give Glory Days a pass -- until, for no reason, a reference was made to Billy Idol's "Dancing with Myself," a song that was released in 1980 (and re-released in 1981).
If I had to guess, the movie that started this trend was Adam Sandler's The Wedding Singer. Released in 1998 and set in 1985, The Wedding Singer took a fairly lax attitude toward '80s historical accuracy. One example: Robbie's (Sandler) brother-in-law yells frantically that someone just shot J.R. -- a reference to J.R. Ewing being shot in a cliffhanger season finale of Dallas that originally aired on March 21, 1980. Again, this would be the equivalent of a show based in 2010 having a character yell from the other room, "Hey, get in here, Jack and Locke got the hatch open!" Regardless, considering the film's success, the trend continues today. I will spare you any examples from the short lived answer to That '70s Show, That '80s Show, but, in comparison, Glory Daze is a clinic on subtlety and accuracy.
Even this year's fairly enjoyable Hot Tub Time Machine was guilty. Actually, it might be a little worse. On the one hand, yes: The idea of criticizing Hot Tub Time Machine for anachronisms or plot holes is perhaps a bit much. The whole movie, about a hot tub that hurtles four men through time, is one giant plot hole. (Did they become their 1986 versions or did they just look like their 1986 versions?) On the other hand, it's just annoying me that most of the music referenced in a 1986-set film was from the early 1980s. The most egregious example: A group of preppy kids assault Lou (Rob Corddry), then steal his backpack. Inside they find a modern-day Russian energy drink. One preppy accuses Lou's group of being Red Dawn-style Communists and explains away their youth (remember, Lou and his friends appear young to the other characters) by comparing them to the show 21 Jump Street. It's early 1986 in the film; 21 Jump Street premiered April 12, 1987. How is that possible? Even with the silly rules that apply in this film, that reference defies every single one of them. But, hey, it's the 80s! Any reference will do!
Again, I know these properties are all silly comedies and, yes, I'm probably overreacting to their historical inaccuracies. But here's the thing about the 1980s: There is an absolute treasure trove of material to mine out of each and every year. Wouldn't this material be better if they stuck to the specific time period that the characters happen to be living in, maybe making a slightly more esoteric or singular reference than the all-encompassing '80s-reference jamboree? Why should the conventional wisdom hold that people love their references and like them easy? Enough, already. Meanwhile, if you will excuse me, I have to turn off my Glow Worm and get ready for the Stray Cats concert... as long as I can avoid the Noid. And also, for no reason, "Footloose."
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Footloose! Yes! I loved that movie!
I watched this for about five minutes before getting frustrated that they didn't bother doing much of anything in the way of wardrobe or hairstyling. It's not like they had to outfit Victorian times. It's pretty simple stuff. Why do the hairstyles on the show basically look like now? The stylist didn't show up because she was late for the Scritti Politti show and the costumer got lost in an Au Coton of the past?
Ah yes, Footloose. I remember my mom putting on her best flapper dress, piling us kids in the Sonata and taking us to see it on a double bill with an episode of Small Wonder. Ya gotta love the 70s!
Sorry, I would have responded earlier but I was playing Yars' Revenge. But, yeah, you're right, there's nothing in this show that looks at all like it belongs in the 80s. Hence the references.
I remember the best thing about the 90s was wearing my flannel shirt while listening to Big Band Swing music and playing Metal Gear Solid on my Nintido 64.
My favorite day from the 90s was wearing my flannel shirt, listening to Marilyn Manson, and playing Metal Gear Solid on my Sega Genesis while sipping on a martini and waiting for my pager to go off so I could meet my friends for the opening weekend showing of T2: Judgement Day.
I may have just caused a time paradox!
As someone who grew up in the '80s and has very fond memories of it, I couldn't agree more. First of all, the people I knew didn't constantly name drop every '80s television show, movie or song. I did have a friend that liked to use "Top Gun" quotes as often as possible, but he also thought it was the height of shock humor to call someone overweight a "Fattie", so I'm thinking he's the exception, not the rule. And I remember very distinctly that musical taste - just like now - was very varied. One of my best friends loved Steve Winwood, the other liked Violent Femmes, and I was into Cyndi Lauper and, I hate to admit it, Tiffany's "Could've Been". Flock of Seagulls was '83 or '84, and Devo was even earlier, I think. And what about everything else going on? I didn't get into country music until the Nineties, but there were some amazing R & B classics in the '80s. These lazy writers want shortcuts; "99 Luftballoons" is a simple, obvious time definer, while "Freeway of Love" or "Pop Life" is too subtle.
It also drives me nuts when '80s movies feature frat boys rocking out to stuff like New Order, which only college-radio kids were listening to, while in real life the popular jocks were jamming to Mister Mister and Starship.
'80s-*set* movies, that is...
As an '80's frat boy, we were TOTALLY rocking out to New Order, are you kidding? Nothing went better than New Order, cheap beer and piles and piles of cocaine.
Not to keep adding on to the Hot Tub Time Machine, but the anachronism that really got to me was the Rambo 3 poster showing up in the kids' room two years before it was made and released.
Then I reminded myself that I'm watching Hot Tub Time Machine, and then I got some snacks and felt better about myself.
I actually remember theater-hopping when Top Gun was playing at my local 6-screen (oh, back when 6 screens were a huge number of screens), and the same week Top Gun was out, they were also playing Maximum Overdrive, and the Robin Williams tropical-pot comedy Club Paradise.
But ditto on the Wedding Singer problem, especially that JR line which totally gagged me with a spoon.
Weak or played out concepts for a show usually slap a time period tag on themselves so they can revert to a time before political correctness and nanny states. It gives the writer freedom. The necessity of "being 80s" is that it was probably the last time in recent history where a college-aged man or woman could engage in the last follies of youth. The references to 80's nostalgia are obligatory hack, easy jokes to remind you what era they're supposed to be in and are no funnier than the references they'd make about '00s. The writing is as lame as the costume and set design.
Yar's Revenge...Yeah, I flipped it! BTW, I have been on a tirade over all this flagrant misuse of 80's references for years. It warms my heart "E.T. style" to know that I'm not alone. Great post!
When I want a hit of 80's nostalgia, I just watch a movie FROM the 80's. Repo Man, anyone?
Return of the Living Dead? Revenge of the Nerds? Scarface? Blue Velvet? Used Cars? To Live and Die in L.A.? The Sure Thing?
Really, why would you watch movies from any other decaed?
oops, DECADE...
winner!
Honestly, the way I talk with my friends, all those references to the 80's would be more appropriately placed in a sitcom based in the present day. Because, we don't go around ironically referencing present day culture, everyone is already immersed in it.
But isn't is a romantic view of the 1980s rather than an attempt to accurately recreate the exact time period? I mean, look at Back to the Future; it has certain contained look at the 1950s. You have to hit on all the beats of the decade to resonate with the audience.
But isn't it a romantic view of the 1980s rather than an attempt to accurately recreate the exact time period? I mean, look at Back to the Future; it has certain contained look at the 1950s. You have to hit on all the beats of the decade to resonate with the audience.
You bring up a really interesting point here. I don't know enough about '50s popular culture to really know, but what specific references were made in BTTF? There was the "Pepsi Free" bit, but that was more a joke about the 80s. There was a direct reference to The Honeymooners, but I don't remember too many instances of "hey, it's 1955, I just saw Rebel Without a Cause!" They did play "Mr. Sandman" in the background, which was released in 1954, but that doesn't seem too egregious. BTTF almost seemed to poke more fun at the 80s than it did 1955. Anyway, this is a great point, but I still think the '80s get the brunt of this phenomenon more than any other decade.
Wow, I'm actually quite impressed, I was terrible at Yars' Revenge. Your E.T. reference though made me think of the E.T. Atari 2600 game which may rank as the worst game ever created. "Oh, great, I fell into another pit. This is so fun."
You've just been Avatared! In 3d!! Facebook it, twitter fool...
i agree with a lot of what is said. but not everyone was the extreme in the 80's. i had hair that was long and straight. not "typically 80's." and i also think that we all talk about what movies we saw recently today like we did then. while it is 2010, we still hear and jam to things 1 year, 5 years, or many years ago...
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