Ep. 3 - The Movies of 1984!

This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] J.J.: We're late here. We're late into the evening for this particular recording, but I'm still snacking and I'm showing you this. I'm showing the camera like people can see this, but I got salt and vinegar.

[0:12] Olaf: Yes, welcome to the visual medium of podcasts.

[0:17] J.J.: Salt and vinegar almonds for all you scratch and sniffers out there that want to know what I'm eating. You know, at some point we should actually do a movie snacks topic, mainly just so you have more of an excuse to eat while we're on the podcast.

[0:27] Olaf: I don't need an excuse, actually.

[0:39] J.J.: Clearly. I will come in ready to go. I'm like one step away from getting some sort of pantry slash refrigerator situation in here.

[0:47] Olaf: We're getting to the heart of J.J. and where he's been coming from for years on how he views eating and taking care of himself.

[0:55] J.J.: That's right. And I can only applaud you.

[0:58] Olaf: And anybody who knows me knows I take really good care of myself.

[1:03] J.J.: Yes.

[1:04] Olaf: I'm not being facetious in any way.

[1:06] J.J.: So brave to share your story.

[1:08] Olaf: It does. It sort of takes me back, you know, snacking as a kid. What was your go-to snacks as a kid?

[1:14] J.J.: Sugar.

[1:15] Olaf: Just Olaf sitting on the couch with a bowl of sugar.

[1:22] J.J.: I mean, don't get me wrong. When I found out where the sugar bowl was, no cereal was sweet enough. My go-to cereal when I was a kid. Now, this is like, take a note, we're not talking Cap'n Crunch and Apple Jacks, all that. Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Cinnamon Life were like my go-tos.

[1:40] Olaf: Cinnamon Toast Crunch, definitely. Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Puffs, Cocoa Pebbles.

[1:48] J.J.: Well, it's funny that you mention all of that. And by you, I mean we.

[1:51] Olaf: Yeah.

[1:52] J.J.: It's funny that we mention Olaf.

[1:53] Olaf: Well, why would I not here on the podcast just snacks with J.J. and Olaf?

[1:58] J.J.: Well, speaking of, this is back to the movie theater.

[2:01] Olaf: Whoa, we're in back to the movie theater.

[2:04] J.J.: We're back. We're back into the movie theater.

[2:05] Olaf: That's exciting.

[2:06] J.J.: And I brought my snacks with me because who didn't smuggle in snacks back in the day?

[2:11] Olaf: Who doesn't still now? I mean, if you're not smuggling some sort of snack into the movie theater, you might want to...

[2:15] J.J.: Oh, they're so expensive.

[2:16] Olaf: That's what I'm saying. But ladies and gentlemen, this is back to the movie theater. My name is J.J. Here with me always on this ride into the movie theater is my very good friend and co-host Olaf. Olaf, how you doing, buddy?

[2:29] Olaf: Hey, I'm doing great because it's not nearly as late here as it is where you are.

[2:34] J.J.: It is. It's late here, but we're still rolling. And I'm excited about this topic that we're going to talk about tonight. If you haven't noticed already, I'm big with dates. I'm big. I kind of mentioned that a lot of times when we're talking about a certain movie or a certain topic, I always seem to throw out, oh, this is the 40th anniversary, this is the 35th anniversary or whatever, because I really, I don't know. I've always been that way. And so I'm really excited because I really want to talk about the year that was 1984.

[3:14] Olaf: 1984.

[3:21] J.J.: Whoa, that's a big year.

[3:23] Olaf: That is a big year. It's 40 years ago.

[3:25] J.J.: Now, are you also saying that the fourth year of every decade is the best year for movies?

[3:32] Olaf: That's a bit of a bold statement. However, an argument can be made that 1974, 1984, and 1994, I mean, if you look at all three of those, it's hard to.

[3:45] J.J.: You got some big films.

[3:46] Olaf: You got some big, you got some heavy hitters, but I really wanted to talk about 84. And I'm really going to try and stay on topic here because it'd be really easy to fall into a major rabbit hole when you start talking about a lot of the movies that came out in 84 that are now 40 years old. And it doesn't seem like it when we start to talk about certain movies, some which I feel are a lot of people's favorites, a lot of people's sort of go-to comfort movies, popcorn movies.

[4:17] J.J.: Well, for a lot of people, especially for you and me, because we're relatively close in age, this is our childhood.

[4:24] Olaf: Yeah. And I always used to joke with friends of mine that my fondest memories or like my, I'm sorry, my most vivid memories started when I was around seven and that would be 85, but I could go down a year to 84 and go, oh yeah. And when you start listing all the movies that came out and I'm a little bit older than you are, but it still doesn't, I feel like it would still resonate with you as well.

[4:47] J.J.: Oh, absolutely. I mean, my parents had all sorts of VHS. My dad would record everything on TV. So growing up, I just had all these VHS tapes with multiple films on them.

[5:02] Olaf: Yeah. You get like three or you could get a solid three movies per VHS tape, depending on how you're recording. Easy.

[5:08] J.J.: HBO was a huge event.

[5:09] Olaf: Huge event.

[5:10] J.J.: And then you had edited for television.

[5:13] Olaf: Oh, edited for TV. Saturday movie night. But even going to the theater was also an event. And, you know, and again, without, we haven't even mentioned any movies yet and we will, don't worry everybody. And I'm trying to figure out, man, do we go alphabetically? We're not going to obviously dissect and dive into every movie that came out in 84. We would be here forever. But even like just right out of the gate, Amadeus came out in 84.

[5:37] Olaf: Classic.

[5:38] J.J.: Classic. Best picture that year. F. Murray Abraham won. The movie won. I think Milos Forman won, the director.

[5:45] Olaf: I was disappointed that Mark Hamill was not cast in the role.

[5:50] J.J.: Over Tom Hulse?

[5:51] Olaf: Yeah. Because he had been playing the role on stage.

[5:54] J.J.: Oh, okay. That would have been interesting to see him as Amadeus.

[5:58] Olaf: Oh, I think he would have been amazing. I mean, he's proven, especially in the last 20 years, that he has that goofball ability.

[6:04] J.J.: But I wonder if it would have been, because at the time Tom Hulse had done some stuff, but he wasn't, I mean, Mark Hamill had already done all of the Star Wars movies. Like they had all come out. I wonder if it would have been received as well, or if it would have been distracting. He really would have had to have gotten lost in that role.

[6:24] Olaf: Oh, I think he did. I mean, he was certainly doing it for a while on stage. And I don't think people were like, oh, it's Luke Skywalker wearing a big wig. What's going on?

[6:34] J.J.: So, Amadeus, the next movie I'm about to mention is The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai.

[6:39] Olaf: Do you remember this movie with Peter Weller?

[6:41] J.J.: Yeah.

[6:42] Olaf: Cult classic.

[6:44] J.J.: It is a cult classic, and by no means am I a hater of it.

[6:50] Olaf: Oh, it can't be at its best for the time. It's amazing.

[6:54] J.J.: I've watched it, and I don't get it.

[6:57] Olaf: Not like I don't understand the movie, which is also kind of hard to understand, but I just don't necessarily get the cult appeal.

[7:06] J.J.: I think everybody just buys into the performance. A side note, my mom went to high school with Peter Weller.

[7:13] Olaf: Oh.

[7:14] J.J.: Yeah.

[7:15] Olaf: They go out?

[7:16] J.J.: No, no, no. They didn't know each other.

[7:18] Olaf: They just went to high school.

[7:20] J.J.: They went to the same high school, graduated the same class back in the day. And again, we're going to gloss over some of these. All of Me, Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin, directed by Carl Ryan.

[7:29] Olaf: Wait, which one's that one?

[7:31] J.J.: Because didn't they also do one with the brains, the two brains?

[7:36] Olaf: Yeah, Man with Two Brains, but that came out before this one.

[7:39] J.J.: All of Me, Lily Tomlin plays this woman who is not very nice, but she ends up dying. And her soul or her essence gets thrown into Steve Martin's body.

[7:50] Olaf: Yes. I do remember that.

[7:53] J.J.: And it's both of Steve Martin.

[7:55] Olaf: It's really just this sort of playground for Steve Martin to do his thing. And they're both great in the movie.

[8:01] J.J.: I always get it confused with Man with Two Brains.

[8:03] Olaf: Man with Two Brains with Kathleen Turner.

[8:05] J.J.: It feels very similar to me.

[8:07] Olaf: Yeah, and they came out relatively close to each other as well. Again, without just like, and now we're going to talk about this movie. But like Cloak and Dagger with Dabney Coleman and Henry Thomas, which they shot in San Antonio. And obviously everybody that knows me knows I'm from San Antonio, and so is he.

[8:23] J.J.: Yeah, it's not a good movie, but a kid would love it.

[8:28] Olaf: Oh, and I showed my son this movie a couple months ago. I was like, you've got to watch this movie. It's dated for sure, but it's like this really cool, you get to see San Antonio.

[8:39] J.J.: Wait, you're telling me a movie in 1984 is dated?

[8:42] Olaf: This one feels dated.

[8:44] J.J.: It's not like Beverly Hills Cop, which also came out in 1984.

[8:49] Olaf: Which to me, one of the best comedy movies, action comedy movies still, I think.

[8:55] J.J.: I'm trying to refrain from saying of all time.

[8:58] Olaf: But it's just, I love.

[9:00] J.J.: I mean, that's high marks.

[9:02] Olaf: It is high marks, and it's again one of those movies that suffers because of the subsequent sequels that have come after it.

[9:09] J.J.: Well, I don't think Two is bad at all.

[9:11] Olaf: It's not bad.

[9:12] J.J.: It definitely had a different tone.

[9:14] Olaf: Three was way off.

[9:17] J.J.: Three was awful.

[9:18] Olaf: I was like, I don't know what this movie is.

[9:20] J.J.: I don't recognize it.

[9:22] Olaf: By that point, Eddie Murphy had decided, I'm not going to be Eddie Murphy anymore.

[9:27] J.J.: That's a whole thing. He and Landis had a big falling out during that movie because John Landis directed it.

[9:34] Olaf: The first movie, though, soundtrack, Glenn Frey, Pointer Sisters, Patti LaBelle.

[9:42] J.J.: I used to have that. My mom had that on cassette tape. We would be blasting that thing in the car and at home.

[9:48] Olaf: But Eddie Murphy in that movie, because he had already done 48 Hours. You watch that movie, and you forget that he's 23 in this movie.

[10:00] J.J.: He's 23 in Beverly Hills Cop?

[10:02] Olaf: Yeah, in Beverly Hills Cop.

[10:03] J.J.: Because he's 63 now.

[10:05] Olaf: He's 23.

[10:06] J.J.: He looks much older.

[10:08] Olaf: He does.

[10:09] J.J.: He looks much older.

[10:10] Olaf: He looked like he was early to mid-30s.

[10:13] J.J.: I know, but he's not.

[10:14] Olaf: He's 23.

[10:15] J.J.: That's crazy.

[10:16] Olaf: It's a little mustache.

[10:17] J.J.: But you're right. It's the perception, too, of it all. But if I were to watch it now, I wouldn't think he's 23.

[10:22] Olaf: No, because he didn't look early 20s in 48 Hours, either.

[10:26] J.J.: No, he didn't, and he was 21.

[10:28] Olaf: Yeah. You get Dune, which now that we are in the time with the new one and the second one that is now out. I did a rewatch of Dune when the remake came out a couple years ago, two or three years ago. I loved the remake, and I still haven't seen part two.

[10:46] J.J.: I haven't either. I know that when we do, we will go into a deep dive of that. And I don't have a problem with talking about the original.

[10:55] Olaf: That's a rough rewatch, by the way.

[10:58] J.J.: It is really hard to get through.

[11:00] Olaf: What amazes me about Dune is the thought that you could try and get all of that into one movie, into one under-two-hour movie.

[11:08] J.J.: I don't even think it's two hours.

[11:10] Olaf: It might be right at two or maybe a little bit over. But it's like, what were you guys thinking there?

[11:15] J.J.: What was the thought process? Because you can't do everything that you're wanting to do and say and show everything you're wanting to show and say in that period of time and do it any type of justice.

[11:25] Olaf: Well, that's why they were like, we'll just put a narrator on at the beginning and spend some time just explaining.

[11:31] J.J.: Virginia Madsen.

[11:33] Olaf: Yeah.

[11:34] J.J.: There's nothing that gives me a good feeling about a movie when they just have someone come up with just a shoulders-up camera shot, looking dead into the camera, explaining what you're about to watch. I'm like, all right, we're going to be in for a good film.

[11:51] Olaf: What I really loved about 84, when I sort of look back at it, is you get the movies like Splash, Starman, 16 Candles, Neverending Story. All of these, what turned out to be some cult-y classic type.

[12:08] J.J.: Neverending Story, to me, kind of falls into that cult classic. I remember seeing that in the theater, and it was fun and it was entertaining. But I think over time, cable TV, that movie still gets referenced. It still puts you in your feels in some sort of way.

[12:25] Olaf: You get movies like I mentioned Splash. Tom Hanks kind of breaking free. He did two movies in 84. He did Bachelor Party, and he did Splash.

[12:35] J.J.: I loved Splash as a kid. I remember watching that on TV, and that may have been my introduction to Tom Hanks, really. I think I probably saw him on Bosom Buddies, but I think as a kid, I think I really recognized him and was like, oh, this is an actor in Splash.

[12:56] Olaf: Yeah, I would agree with that. I think because of reruns on television, I spotted him. I clocked him on Bosom Buddies, but it didn't mean anything to me until Splash.

[13:07] J.J.: Tom Hanks is one of my favorite actors, and I always like to think that Ron Howard and Penny Marshall, at certain points in Tom Hanks' career, threw him a bone that had a lot of meat on it that helped his career move to the next level.

[13:24] Olaf: For me, Ron Howard directing Splash and the two of them working together gave him a vehicle that allowed him to transition out of that TV sitcom-y world and really establish him as somebody to look out for.

[13:40] J.J.: I mean, it didn't hurt that he had John Candy playing his brother.

[13:44] Olaf: And Eugene Levy.

[13:45] J.J.: Eugene Levy. And then Daryl Hannah.

[13:47] Olaf: Oh, she was fantastic.

[13:48] J.J.: Yeah. And then Sixteen Candles, the John Hughes. I feel like that was the first of the John Hughes, Molly Ringwald movies.

[13:58] Olaf: It was that and Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink, all kind of like boom, boom, boom.

[14:04] J.J.: Welcome back to the show! Today, we're diving into the movies of 1984.

[14:34] Olaf: That's right! 1984 was a monumental year for cinema. So many iconic films came out that year.

[15:04] J.J.: Absolutely! I mean, just think about it. You had movies like "Ghostbusters," "The Terminator," and "Gremlins."

[15:06] Olaf: And let's not forget "Footloose" and "Beverly Hills Cop." It was a great mix of genres.

[15:08] J.J.: For sure! It was a year that really showcased the creativity of Hollywood.

[15:10] Olaf: And the box office numbers reflected that. Many of these films became instant classics.

[15:12] J.J.: Right! "Ghostbusters" alone grossed over $200 million. It was a cultural phenomenon.

[15:14] Olaf: And "The Terminator" introduced us to Arnold Schwarzenegger in a role that would define his career.

[15:16] J.J.: Not to mention the special effects for that time were groundbreaking!

[15:20] Olaf: They really were. And the storytelling in these films was just as impressive.

[15:22] J.J.: Exactly! Each film had its own unique charm and appeal.

[15:26] Olaf: Speaking of charm, how about "The Karate Kid"? That movie inspired a whole generation.

[15:28] J.J.: Yes! "The Karate Kid" taught us about perseverance and the importance of mentorship.

[15:30] Olaf: And who could forget the iconic "wax on, wax off" scene?

[15:32] J.J.: Classic! It’s amazing how these films have stood the test of time.

[15:34] Olaf: Definitely! They still resonate with audiences today.

[15:36] J.J.: So, what’s your favorite movie from 1984?

[15:38] Olaf: That's a tough one! I’d have to say "Ghostbusters." It’s just so much fun.

[15:44] J.J.: Great choice! I think I’d lean towards "The Terminator." It’s such a thrilling ride.

[15:46] Olaf: Both are excellent picks! It’s hard to go wrong with any of these films.

[15:50] J.J.: Agreed! Each one has its own legacy and impact on pop culture.

[15:52] Olaf: And they all contributed to making 1984 a standout year in film history.

[15:54] J.J.: For sure! Let’s dive deeper into some of these films and discuss what made them so special.

[15:56] Olaf: Sounds like a plan!

[15:58] J.J.: Alright, let’s start with "Ghostbusters." What do you think made it such a hit?

[16:00] Olaf: I think it was the perfect blend of comedy, action, and supernatural elements.

[16:02] J.J.: Plus, the chemistry between the cast was incredible.

[16:04] Olaf: Absolutely! Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis brought such great energy to the film.

[16:06] J.J.: And the iconic theme song is still beloved today!

[16:08] Olaf: It really is! It’s one of those songs that gets stuck in your head.

[16:10] J.J.: So catchy!

[16:12] Olaf: Moving on to "The Terminator," what stands out to you?

[16:14] J.J.: The concept of time travel and the idea of a machine sent back to kill Sarah Connor was revolutionary.

[16:16] Olaf: And the way it blended sci-fi with action was groundbreaking for its time.

[16:18] J.J.: Plus, Arnold’s performance as the Terminator was unforgettable.

[16:20] Olaf: He really made that character iconic.

[16:22] J.J.: And the film’s tagline, "I'll be back," has become legendary.

[16:24] Olaf: It’s amazing how a simple line can have such a lasting impact.

[16:26] J.J.: Definitely!

[16:28] Olaf: What about "Gremlins"? That film had a unique mix of horror and comedy.

[16:30] J.J.: Yes! It was a fun twist on the holiday movie genre.

[16:32] Olaf: And the practical effects for the gremlins were impressive for the time.

[16:34] J.J.: They really brought those creatures to life!

[16:36] Olaf: And the moral lessons woven into the story were quite clever.

[16:38] J.J.: Absolutely! It’s a film that’s both entertaining and thought-provoking.

[16:40] Olaf: So, what do you think is the overall legacy of 1984 in film?

[16:42] J.J.: I think it set the stage for many trends and styles we still see in movies today.

[16:44] Olaf: Agreed! It was a pivotal year that influenced countless filmmakers.

[16:46] J.J.: And it introduced audiences to some of the most memorable characters and stories.

[16:48] Olaf: It’s fascinating to look back and see how far we’ve come since then.

[16:50] J.J.: For sure! And it’s always fun to revisit these classics.

[16:52] Olaf: Absolutely! So, let’s keep the conversation going and dive into more films from 1984.

[28:08] Olaf: Are in a movie theater and Olaf is the only one who can do anything.

[28:12] J.J.: Olaf is a perfect example of staying alive and being a rhinestone.

[28:16] Olaf: No, you can't. Flying too close to the sun.

[28:20] J.J.: No, you can't. Dolly Parton, sure, totally in her element. It's basically like a glove for her.

[28:24] Olaf: Not that this movie does her any favors either, but at least you're going, okay, well, I mean, you sort of belong in this world that they've created.

[28:32] J.J.: I have no idea what he's doing here, or why he's even chosen to walk through this door.

[28:36] Olaf: Yeah, and he too stepped through the door.

[28:40] J.J.: It is really bad. His performance is god-awful.

[28:44] Olaf: It's hard to imagine that he's done all these other great films before this movie.

[28:48] J.J.: Yeah, and because he's so smart, and again, as a person, and the things I've seen, he's a smart guy.

[28:52] Olaf: Very smart, very intelligent in terms of choices he makes, but I think you're right. It was one of those things where, flew too close to the sun, he's, sure, let's do this, because at the time, he hadn't done First Blood Part 2, he hadn't done Rambo 2 yet, but he had done a couple of Rocky movies, he had done First Blood, he had had some movies that he thought were going to be better than they weren't, and so, hey, if they offered me Rhinestone, I'd do it in a second, but that's just me.

[29:28] J.J.: Speaking of a movie that is hilarious, but for the right reasons, there was a movie that came out in 1984 that is definitely a huge favorite of my dad and myself. I mean, I dare say I think I like this more than Airplane.

[29:44] Olaf: It is so funny, and the jokes just keep on coming, and they range from super smart to super dumb, but they all hit.

[29:52] J.J.: It doesn't matter what level of humor they went for in that joke, it hit everything, and it's so funny, and it stars someone that you would never think would be the star of a comedy like this.

[30:04] Olaf: But I'm talking about Val Kilmer in Top Secret.

[30:08] J.J.: Top Secret is so good.

[30:12] Olaf: No one's ever seen it.

[30:16] J.J.: It blows my mind because that's when I first clocked Val Kilmer was that movie, because it was his first thing. He graduated from Juilliard. He hadn't done anything really big because Real Genius came out right after, and then Top Gun.

[30:32] Olaf: Top Secret, man, is so... See, it's hard because we could over-hype it to the audience, and somebody who's never seen it would go see it and be like, I get it, but here's the thing, everybody. I have proof because I had some friends who were several years younger than me, and we were talking about movies and they wanted to watch something, and I was like, well, what are you looking for? And they were like, something funny. And I said, I've got a movie for you. And I said Top Secret, and they're like, never heard of it. They've never heard of this.

[31:16] J.J.: So I talked it up. They were like, okay, we'll give it a go. And I was sweating bullets because I'm like, this is a younger generation. Who knows how this is going to go because comedy is not always universal.

[31:28] Olaf: Yeah, it's an uphill battle for sure because you just don't know, especially with that kind of humor. We watched the movie. It ended, and they loved it.

[31:36] J.J.: Oh, man, I'm so glad you brought this movie up because it had slipped my mind. Because you're right, it's a forgotten gem that is streaming on Netflix, by the way.

[31:48] Olaf: Is it?

[31:52] J.J.: It is streaming on Netflix right now. Everybody, go watch Top Secret. Put this on pause. Go watch Top Secret. We're not going anywhere. We'll be right here. By the time you get back, we'll have definitely moved on from it. So you'll have to just talk to your friends about it. And hopefully by the time you listen to it, it'll still be on Netflix. But at the moment of this conversation, it is on Netflix.

[32:12] Olaf: So yeah, I don't remember when I first saw it, but I remember seeing it going, because I had seen Airplane, one and two already. They had already been out. I love Airplane. The second one is okay. I love them both. I mean, Airplane is better than two, but two is so good. It has some good jokes. It didn't lose a lot of its oomph with the second one.

[32:36] J.J.: To me, that's one of those sequels that didn't dip a lot. I could watch both of those. Well, I mean, they really just did the first one again and added William Shatner. Done. Done deal. He went full with it.

[32:44] Olaf: But Top Secret, fantastic. I mean, there's so many great jokes in it, and I'm constantly quoting them whenever I can. And one of my personal favorites, just because it was just short and quick, he's in Germany. And a waiter comes over and asks what he wants, but he's speaking German. And the woman he's with, he looks at her and says, I'm sorry, I don't know any German. And she goes, it's okay. I know a little German. And then the little German guy. He's sitting right over there.

[33:16] J.J.: And there's a little person in lederhosen, and he gets off the table and he waves.

[33:24] Olaf: And you're right, because I feel like there are a lot of people that haven't seen Top Secret. So the one good deed and service we're giving people at this point is that we're going to introduce them to this classic movie. You could call it a guilty pleasure. It's just a fantastic film. Mind you, is that if you liked Airplane, the naked gun type humor, this movie is right there.

[33:44] J.J.: And it did. It launched Val Kilmer, because then he did Real Genius. Top Gun, of course, was the big one. But this was his first sort of dip into the number one on the call sheet. He was great. Everyone in it was hilarious. I can't recommend Top Secret enough. That's a solid pick.

[34:08] Olaf: It's a huge win for my dad and I. We love this movie.

[34:12] J.J.: That's a good one. I keep mentioning movies that spawned sort of franchises. Karate Kid came out in 84, with the 40-year-old Ralph Macchio playing 17-year-old Daniel LaRusso.

[34:24] Olaf: No, he wasn't 40.

[34:28] J.J.: But he was definitely not 17. Which is crazy, because he's one of those lucky few that just looks forever young.

[34:36] Olaf: Forever young. I mean, even now, you forget in the Cobra Kai show. Like, come on, dude. And you're like, oh, wait a minute. No, he's like 62. He doesn't need to be doing a roundhouse kick for anybody anymore.

[34:48] J.J.: Karate Kid, such a huge film in 84. I mean, martial arts really found its swing there because of movies like Karate Kid.

[35:00] Olaf: Are you talking about in general, or just in the movie landscape?

[35:04] J.J.: I'd say just in general. More and more people were signing up for Karate.

[35:08] Olaf: After that movie?

[35:12] J.J.: Yeah. It was huge. And it spawned some sequels. Some we would mention, some we would not mention. We could dive. That's another rabbit hole in another episode.

[35:20] Olaf: There was another movie that came out in 1984 that brought us an incredible performance by the amazing Christopher Lloyd. Do you know what I'm talking about?

[35:24] J.J.: He was so good in it.

[35:28] Olaf: I can't say that he was the star, but he definitely stole every scene that he was in.

[35:32] J.J.: Just another reason why Christopher Lloyd is an icon. And that was 1984's Star Trek III. The Search for Spock.

[35:44] Olaf: Playing an evil Klingon. And he was so good.

[35:48] J.J.: He was a fantastic villain. He was good and to me a highlight of the movie itself because, again, another topic for another day. I'm not a huge fan of III compared to II and IV.

[36:04] Olaf: No, III is weak.

[36:08] J.J.: It's the odd number Star Trek curse of the original movies. But it had some memorable performances. Not just performances, but moments. I mean both. Shatner losing his soul. Vulnerable Shatner. We get to see that. That was very powerful. As I said before, Christopher Lloyd's performance as the villain was just electric. He was so good in it. Them stealing the Enterprise and then blowing it up. That was big. That was huge.

[36:36] Olaf: It's just a shame that the rest of the film, there wasn't a lot for anyone to do. And it's tough to follow up what had just come prior.

[36:44] J.J.: But Leonard Nimoy directs this movie. He directed this one and the fourth one. And I thought if anybody in the cast is going to direct a movie, a Star Trek movie, it should be him and only him of the original. But hey, what are you going to do?

[37:00] Olaf: And let's not forget John Larroquette as the other Klingon in Star Trek 3, which I love too. And you've got that face like you're like, wait a minute, John Larroquette was in Star Trek 3? And absolutely he was.

[37:12] J.J.: It's the very end. They take over the Bird of Prey. They beam themselves on the ship. And John Larroquette goes, I don't deserve to live. And Kirk looks at him and he goes, I'll kill you later.

[37:24] Olaf: That's John Larroquette. And he goes, I thought you were going to kill me. And he goes, I lied.

[37:28] J.J.: That's John Larroquette. Full Klingon makeup is awesome.

[37:32] Olaf: Wow. I just learned something today, guys. I love it.

[37:36] J.J.: I had no idea. Was he even credited in it?

[37:40] Olaf: Yeah.

[37:44] J.J.: He's credited in it. And he was doing Night Court at the time, but it's so, to me, such a random sort of like, and there's John Larroquette.

[37:52] Olaf: Well, and we'll talk about this more. We'll definitely have a big episode about Star Trek. We'll talk about it then. But there were so many random big names that showed up in that franchise.

[38:00] J.J.: Oh, absolutely. I mean, Christian Slater was there.

[38:04] Olaf: Christian Slater was there because he was a huge fan of Star Trek and his mom was like a casting director or something.

[38:12] J.J.: We haven't mentioned a couple of these, and I feel like we haven't mentioned them on purpose, and I'm okay with it because I'm not quite ready to get there yet. The movie that single-handedly saved Robert Zemeckis' directing career.

[38:36] Olaf: I was wondering if you were going to bring this up.

[38:40] J.J.: Absolutely. I was going to bring it up if you didn't. Another one which I watched so much because I felt like it was on TV all the time. I love Romancing the Stone.

[38:48] Olaf: Romancing the Stone. It's fantastic.

[38:52] J.J.: Everybody in it's great. It's great, man. I love that movie. Per my mom, it is her favorite movie.

[39:00] Olaf: Wow.

[39:04] J.J.: As a kid, when I bought her a DVD of it, to this day, I'm pretty sure she's never watched it.

[39:08] Olaf: She wants to keep it in the package, untouched.

[39:12] J.J.: In fact, now that they've moved away, I'm pretty sure they don't even have those DVDs anymore.

[39:16] Olaf: Probably not. Just know that she watched it so much when you were a kid. You just don't know it.

[39:20] J.J.: Maybe a red flag was when she asked, did you keep the gift receipt?

[39:24] Olaf: I was a kid. I didn't know. What happens if I don't open it? I thought I did something good.

[39:32] J.J.: No, man. Romancing the Stone, again, it was one of those movies where Zemeckis, he directed a few things, one of them being this Beatles movie that came out in the late 70s called I Want to Hold Your Hand. It came out in like 78 and it's about these girls that are trying to get to the Ed Sullivan show to see the Beatles perform live.

[39:52] Olaf: Again, a lot of his stuff prior, he hadn't had a hit. This was make or break when Romancing the Stone came out. Obviously, it was this huge commercial hit.

[40:00] J.J.: So much so that they did a sequel the next year.

[40:04] Olaf: The sequel to Romancing the Stone came out the following year, Jewel of the Nile, which not as good.

[40:08] J.J.: Which, by the way, I got her both.

[40:12] Olaf: The two for one double combo.

[40:16] J.J.: I got both because I was like, oh, this is a surefire. Oh, that's a win. I'm going to make my mom happy. Double feature. Look what I got you.

[40:24] Olaf: Maybe it was Jewel of the Nile. Maybe she's like, why would you even put Jewel of the Nile with Romancing the Stone? Why would you do this?

[40:28] J.J.: Do you not like Jewel of the Nile?

[40:32] Olaf: Oh, I like Jewel of the Nile. I just don't know if she did.

[40:36] J.J.: It is a subpar sequel.

[40:40] Olaf: I don't know if she likes Romancing the Stone.

[40:44] J.J.: It is a subpar sequel, but obviously Zemeckis didn't direct it because he was directing Back to the Future.

[40:48] Olaf: Yeah, he was a little busy.

[40:52] J.J.: But I love Romancing the Stone. Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito in this movie is so great. Shooting the gun backwards, running around when he's got the jewel. The end when this cousin leaves him and he's just like begging and pleading for his life because he knows he's about to go to some sort of Central American prison for who knows how long.

[41:12] Olaf: It was one of those swashbuckling, old-timey adventure movies.

[41:16] J.J.: Yeah, it's very much like Indiana Jones.

[41:20] Olaf: Very much like Indiana Jones. I agree with that.

[41:24] J.J.: And Michael Douglas is perfect in this film.

[41:28] Olaf: Oh, he was so good in it.

[41:32] J.J.: Perfect in this film. We also can't forget to mention 1984, we got a classic film adaptation of an Alexander Dumas novel full of depth and drama and obviously I'm talking about Cheech and Chong's The Corsican Brothers.

[41:40] Olaf: I was going to say, where is this going?

[41:44] J.J.: No, it's so bad, but this was my introduction to Cheech and Chong as a kid was this movie where they play two brothers separated at birth and if you hit one, the other one feels it.

[41:56] Olaf: I just felt we needed to at least gloss over this movie.

[42:00] J.J.: I feel like they're playing with house money at that point. Obviously they had their run in the 70s and why not squeeze a little bit more out of it.

[42:08] Olaf: I don't know if you remember this movie. This is a sequel.

[42:13] J.J. Gonzalez: Welcome back to the show! Today, we're diving into the incredible movies of 1984.

[42:43] Olaf Adsit: That's right! 1984 was a monumental year for cinema, with so many iconic films released.

[43:43] J.J. Gonzalez: Absolutely! From action-packed blockbusters to unforgettable comedies, it was a year that had something for everyone.

[44:13] Olaf Adsit: Let's start with some of the biggest hits. I mean, who can forget "Ghostbusters"?

[44:17] J.J. Gonzalez: "Ghostbusters" is a classic! The blend of comedy and supernatural elements was just perfect.

[44:21] Olaf Adsit: And the cast! Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis really brought those characters to life.

[44:24] J.J. Gonzalez: Not to mention Sigourney Weaver! She was fantastic in that role.

[44:29] Olaf Adsit: For sure! And the theme song is still stuck in my head to this day.

[44:32] J.J. Gonzalez: It's one of those songs that you can't help but sing along to.

[44:35] Olaf Adsit: Speaking of iconic songs, "Footloose" also came out in 1984.

[44:39] J.J. Gonzalez: "Footloose" is such a fun movie! Kevin Bacon really knows how to dance.

[44:43] Olaf Adsit: And the soundtrack was a huge hit! It really captured the spirit of the '80s.

[45:13] J.J. Gonzalez: Another film that made waves that year was "The Terminator." Arnold Schwarzenegger was a force to be reckoned with.

[45:43] Olaf Adsit: "I'll be back!" became one of the most quoted lines in movie history.

[45:50] J.J. Gonzalez: It really did! And the special effects were groundbreaking for the time.

[45:54] Olaf Adsit: Absolutely! It's amazing to think about how far we've come since then.

[45:59] J.J. Gonzalez: And let's not forget about "Beverly Hills Cop." Eddie Murphy was at the top of his game.

[46:05] Olaf Adsit: "Beverly Hills Cop" was hilarious! Axel Foley is such an unforgettable character.

[46:10] J.J. Gonzalez: The mix of comedy and action was just right in that film.

[46:13] Olaf Adsit: And the soundtrack was fantastic too! "Axel F" is a classic.

[46:18] J.J. Gonzalez: It really is! 1984 had so many memorable films.

[46:26] Olaf Adsit: We could go on and on about this year in cinema.

[46:33] J.J. Gonzalez: Definitely! But we should also mention "Gremlins." That movie was a game-changer.

[46:44] Olaf Adsit: "Gremlins" was such a unique blend of horror and comedy. It really stood out.

[46:49] J.J. Gonzalez: And the little creatures were both adorable and terrifying!

[46:55] Olaf Adsit: Exactly! It's a film that has become a holiday classic for many.

[47:03] J.J. Gonzalez: Speaking of classics, "The Karate Kid" also came out in 1984.

[47:13] Olaf Adsit: "The Karate Kid" is a timeless story about perseverance and friendship.

[47:43] J.J. Gonzalez: And who could forget the iconic "wax on, wax off" scene?

[48:13] Olaf Adsit: That scene is legendary! It really encapsulates the spirit of the film.

[48:43] J.J. Gonzalez: 1984 was truly a remarkable year for movies, and we’ve only scratched the surface.

[49:13] Olaf Adsit: There are so many more films we could discuss, like "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom."

[49:43] J.J. Gonzalez: "Temple of Doom" was a wild ride! The action sequences were incredible.

[50:13] Olaf Adsit: And the characters were so memorable! Short Round is a fan favorite.

[50:43] J.J. Gonzalez: Absolutely! It's amazing how these films have stood the test of time.

[51:13] Olaf Adsit: They really have! And it's fun to revisit them and see how they've influenced modern cinema.

[51:43] J.J. Gonzalez: For sure! 1984 was a pivotal year that shaped the future of film.

[52:06] Olaf Adsit: And we hope our listeners enjoy revisiting these classics as much as we do.

[52:13] J.J. Gonzalez: Definitely! If you have a favorite movie from 1984, let us know on social media!

[52:43] Olaf Adsit: We’d love to hear your thoughts and any memories you have associated with these films.

[53:13] J.J. Gonzalez: Thanks for joining us today as we took a trip back to 1984!

[53:43] Olaf Adsit: Be sure to subscribe and follow us for more cinematic adventures.

[54:13] J.J. Gonzalez: Until next time, keep watching those movies!

[54:43] Olaf Adsit: See you at the theater!

[55:13] J.J. Gonzalez: Back to the Movie Theater is hosted by J.J. Gonzalez and Olaf Adsit.

[55:44] Produced by me, Johnny Clay.

[55:49] J.J. Gonzalez and Olaf Adsit.

[55:51] Theme song and incidental music by The Dimes.

[55:54] Follow us on Instagram and TikTok at Back to the Movie Theater.

[55:57] And find us on YouTube at Back to the Movie Theater with J.J. and Olaf.