I love the ‘80s; it is the decade that shaped and created my interest in movies. Rewinding the ‘80s: Cinema Under the Influence of Music Videos, Action Stars, and a Cold War by John Malahy provides an in-depth look at what transpired through the decade along with the directors, stars, and films that were extremely influential. Malahy is a writer, an editor, and has been a staff member for Turner Classic Movies for over 10 years. His love for the ‘80s and films shines through, making it a pleasure to read.
Buy Rewinding the ‘80sThe book is well organized by first taking at look at instrumental directors of the ’70s and how they needed to pivot to continue to be successful with the first chapter “Old New Hollywood.” Many experienced extreme highs and lows. I enjoyed learning about the struggles of Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, William Friedkin, Robert Altman, and many others as they navigated the new challenges presented by movie studios. Many films considered bombs upon their release have held on and are now considered beloved classics. Some directors adapted better than others such as Norman Jewison with Moonstruck (1987), and Sidney Lumet with Deathtrap (1982), The Verdict (1982), and Running on Empty (1988).
Chapter Two takes on “New Studio Auteurs.” Steven Spielberg kicks this off and is who Malahy considers the greatest storyteller of the ‘80s. I can’t argue with that. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) is one of my first memories of going to the movies. My Uncle Ted took me and my cousins, and I still remember even him tearing up. While Spielberg was making his own hugely successful films, he was behind the scenes for films such as Poltergeist (1982) and was the reason Joe Dante received the script for Gremlins (1984).
Producers regained creative power and control through the decade. Talent managers also started having a major impact. For example, Michael Ovitz of Creative Artists pioneered the concept of teaming up actors and directors before presenting a project to the studios. Product placement grew in popularity due to the acquisition of Columbia Pictures by Coca-Cola. It is nuggets like this that appear throughout the book, bringing such great insights to reader about what shaped filmmaking and why it changed so dramatically.
After providing an overall look at what was happening and shaping the decade, the book is then organized by genre: animation, the cold war, action, teen, horror, music, documentaries, and alternative. Each chapter showcases what was happening in each genre and the primary influences along with spotlighting specific films and their relevance. The teen movies chapter provides more of an overall discussion and how the industry shifted to focus on this demographic as never done before.
The Fox and the Hound (1981) was the last film worked on by Walt Disney’s “Nine Old Men” animators, and the production faced a walkout by animators led by Don Bluth due to the decline of the studio. I also learned that Corey Feldman was the voice of young Copper, which blew my mind and warranted an immediate rewatch. Bluth went on form his own film studio, which competed with Disney through the decade starting with The Secret of Nimh (1982).
If you are a huge fan of the ‘80s, like me, Rewinding the ‘80s will fill you with joy and fond memories along with providing a wealth of information. It reminded me of so many beloved treasures that I had forgotten about while introducing me to new films that I can’t wait to discover. It is also a pleasure to look at thanks to the images included.
