The 80s Movie Podcast

Author: Edward Havens

  • Jensen Farley Pictures: The Wild Independent Studio Behind Some of the 1980s’ Most Unforgettable Cult Movies – The 80s Movie Podcast 002

    Jensen Farley Pictures: The Wild Independent Studio Behind Some of the 1980s’ Most Unforgettable Cult Movies – The 80s Movie Podcast 002

    This week on The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens uncovers Jensen Farley Pictures: the forgotten independent studio that helped fill America’s movie theatre screens and video store shelves with some of the decade’s most unforgettable cult films.

    Jensen Farley Pictures rarely made headlines, but frequently took chances on films that larger studios overlooked. During the early home video boom, those risks found new audiences on VHS shelves across America. As a result, Jensen Farley became an unexpected home for fantasy adventures, offbeat comedies, horror films, and future cult favorites. Its name may not be familiar today, but many movie fans still remember the films it helped bring to the screen.

    Edward traces the company’s roots to former Sunn Classic Pictures executives Rayland Jensen and Clair Farley. Together, they built a distributor that embraced projects others considered too unusual or too risky. Along the way, we revisit films like The Last Unicorn, Private Lessons, Joysticks, Madman, and Curtains. We also examine the business decisions that shaped the company’s rise and the changing film market that challenged its survival. Meanwhile, the growth of home video created new opportunities for independent distributors willing to think differently. Jensen Farley seized those opportunities and built a catalog that continues to attract curious movie fans decades later.

    Every studio leaves a legacy, even if its name fades from public memory. Jensen Farley Pictures proved that independent companies could influence film culture without matching the size of the major Hollywood studios. Today, many of its releases enjoy loyal followings because audiences continue to discover them through specialty labels, streaming services, and repertory screenings. Edward revisits the company’s lasting impact and explains why its story deserves a place alongside the better-known studios of the decade. This episode celebrates a forgotten chapter of 1980s film history and the unexpected company that helped shape it.

    Jensen/Farley
    The company logo for Jensen/Farley Pictures that accompanied all their theatrical releases.

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  • John Hughes: The Filmmaker Who Defined 1980s Cinema – The 80s Movie Podcast 001

    John Hughes: The Filmmaker Who Defined 1980s Cinema – The 80s Movie Podcast 001

    There was no better place for this podcast to begin than with the filmmaker who, for many people, defined the movies of the 1980s.

    This week on The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens explores the extraordinary career of John Hughes, the filmmaker who helped define 1980s cinema.

    We begin with a simple question.

    Why do his movies still connect with audiences decades later?

    The answer goes far beyond the teenage comedy.

    Hughes understood people.

    He filled his stories with believable characters, honest emotions, and moments that felt familiar to almost everyone. Although his films reflected the 1980s, their themes remain timeless. As we revisit his remarkable career, we discover why his work still stands at the heart of the decade’s most memorable movies.

    We follow Hughes from his early days writing for National Lampoon to his rise as one of Hollywood’s most influential filmmakers. Along the way, Edward revisits classics like Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. We also explore how Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Uncle Buck expanded his reputation beyond teen movies. More importantly, we look at the ideas that united all of his work. Hughes believed small, personal stories could leave the biggest impression. As a result, his films became cultural touchstones that continue to entertain audiences around the world.

    Today, John Hughes remains one of the defining voices of 1980s filmmaking. However, his influence extends well beyond the decade that made him famous. Modern filmmakers still borrow his approach to character, humor, and heartfelt storytelling. Likewise, new audiences continue to discover his films every year. Edward revisits Hughes’ lasting legacy and explains why his work continues to resonate across generations. Whether these movies shaped your childhood or you are discovering them for the first time, this episode offers a fresh look at the filmmaker whose stories helped define an unforgettable era of American cinema.

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