Genuflections of 80s Film

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Genuflections of 80's Film, Part 1: Mannequin (1987)

Mannequin is a consummate example of the 80’s concept comedy. A total time capsule, look to the extras in every scene for hard-core 80’s dressing; especially shoulder pads and cheek rouge. Check out the computers in the background and notice how there are ashtrays on the boardroom table. Sexual harassment was funny and just a little harmless.

We have all come so far, but at what cost? [sigh].

Starring Andrew McCarthy and James Spader (later this year they would also make Less Than Zero with Robert Downey Junior in a disciplined avoidance of typecasting), and Kim Cattrall (as the Mannequin), this film made me laugh out loud.

Remember Hollywood Montrose, the black gay character worried about his heavy thighs? Here Mannequin was groundbreaking, one of the first mainstream films to feature a highly camp gay character in an atmosphere of acceptance well before the rise of political correctness. Hollywood worried about his weight, drove a bright pink Cadillac and pursed his lips at every opportunity. Very funny and, unfortunately, quite dated. Of course, in these enlightened days, no studio would have a bar of it.

Best line: Armand (ethnic playboy working for the rival department store) and Roxy (ex-girlfriend of Andrew McCarthy) crawling through aisles in an attempt to find out how Andrew was making such great window displays. Armand stops in the menswear section, kneels up, moves to unzip his fly whilst saying to Roxy ‘May I show you something in your size’?

Ha! When did you last laugh so hard?

Simple. Easy. True 80s uncomplicated romance.

And then there is the closing track, the April 1987 No.1 ‘Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now’ by Starship. You may not have heard this song in very many years but I assure its psychic impact remains undiminished. How many of you projected those ultra-intense, heart-splitting, ‘My God, I may DIE’ teen crushes on to that special person and found this song to completely carry you away? From memory…

‘Looking in your eyes
I see a paradise
This love that I’ve found
Is too good to be true
Want so much to hold you
Want so much to show you
This love in my heart
That I’m feeling for you…
Let ‘em say we’re crazy
I don’t care about that
Put you hand in my hand, baby
Don’t ever look back
Let the world around us
Just fall apart
Baby we can make it if we’re
Heart to heart
And we can blow this thing together
Standing strong forever
Nothing’s gonna stop us now
And if this world runs out of lovers
We’ll still have each other
Nothings’ gonna stop us nowwwwww….whoa..whoa.

Fuck that is so cool.

Think back to those school dances…those parties: you’ll feel love in your life, but never again will it feel like *that*.

As for Andrew McCarthy, well…how many of you women as teenagers had images of this man stuck to your pencil-cases as teenagers? Indeed, how many men had images of Kim Cattrall stuck to their sheets?

Mannequin
@ Amazon.com

...I don't care about that

Genuflection's of 80's Film, part 2: 'Revenge of the Nerds'

Revenge of the Nerds' is a great film. Aside from the sheer (pure eighties) fun like the dialogue in the panty raid:

Booger: Step aside mama I want to see some of that muff.
Takashi: Hair pie! Hair pie!

…'Nerds' was also an incubator of 80's super-talent. To illustrate:

* Ted McGinley played Stan, the ring-leader of the Alpha Betas. He was Jefferson on 'Married... with Children'.

* John Goodman was in it too, which I didn't remember from the first time I saw it. He was great and I've always had a special place for John ever since a friend of mine told me how funny it is to pull Dan from 'Roseanne' faces when you're stoned.

* James Cromwell was in Nerds - from 'L.A. Confidential' and 'Babe'.

* The guy who played Booger (Curtis Armstrong) was in all four seasons of 'Moonlighting' where he played a dipshit funster, playing the same role in 'Nerds' and 'Better Off Dead'.

And, of course, Anthony Edwards who did great things in 'Gotcha', 'All the Right Moves' and 'Top - I hate it when it does that - Gun'. Also on 'ER'. Total hair shrinkage, though.

However, the guy who played the gay black student Lamar (I can't think of a better depiction of a black gay man in a movie except perhaps for Hollywood Montrose in 'Mannequin' q.v.) was to total 80s bit player and 'Nerds' represented his zenith of supporting actorness.

No pubescent man will ever forget Booger's 'We've got bush!' line which is right up there with 'Hair Pies'. And the small things: Gilbert Lowe's mum was called Flo, for example.

Its all been a bit rambling so far. To get to the point:

I like 'Revenge of the Nerds' because if you're a nerd you like the 1980's. America made all these movies about people your own age. There were video arcades that had lock-in sessions. You run 8-bit computer and game machine emulators on your PC (I still use and worship the Commodore 64). And, especially, the rise of pop culture - all your reference points, was just taking hold…

I was most moved by Anthony Edwards' speech at the end of the film; calling for understanding, trust, tolerance and finding joy in difference. "Join us, because no-one's really gonna be free until nerd persecution ends."

DS

Revenge of the Nerds
@ Amazon.com

Genuflection's of 80's Film, part 3: 'Electric Dreams'

This song is for the ones I love...

"Sometimes its hard to recognise
Love comes as a surprise..."

'Electric Dreams' is one of the best films ever made and sits with Citizen Kane as a truly unforgettable cinematic experience: lovely, playful, delicious and sunny and the true beginning of early geek fun. Virginia Marsden is beautiful and generous; a true delight to watch.

There were no horny teen boys or panty raids (a la 'Revenge of the Nerds') but simply a sweet love story with the genesis of home PC's as the protagonist - Edgar the jealous 'puter (who could download libraries over a 1.2 kbs modem).

A wonderful fun movie that you should see with a woman you care about.

Touching, dear and sweetly remembering a time that seems so long past.

Men and women should see this film together and then go home and make babies, suffused with an energy borne from a belief that the world can truly shine with love and trust.

To this day 'Together in Electric Dreams' be Geogio Moroder and Phil Oakey remains a best-loved song. I'll put on the LP tonight.

"We'll always be together
However far it seems
We'll always be together,
Together in Electric Dreams"

DS

P.S. Of course this film was produced by Richard Branson (Virgin) and was one of the first films I remember where it existed more to plug the Virgin artists on the soundtrack (Culture Club, et al) than for the film itself.

Electric Dreams ad. from
1984 issue of 'Billboard' (top) and
Movie Poster (bottom)

Click to enlarge.

There are MORE
'Electric Dreams' downloads on the Genuflections of 80s Music page.

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