The 80s Movie Podcast

Author: Edward Havens

  • Brats (2024): Andrew McCarthy Revisits the Rise and Fallout of the Brat Pack – The 80s Movie Podcast 130

    Brats (2024): Andrew McCarthy Revisits the Rise and Fallout of the Brat Pack – The 80s Movie Podcast 130

    In this episode of The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens examines Brats (2024), Andrew McCarthy’s deeply personal documentary about the lasting impact of the “Brat Pack” label. Nearly forty years after a single magazine article transformed a group of young actors into a cultural phenomenon, McCarthy revisits the people, films, and relationships that defined an era of 1980s cinema. However, the documentary asks a larger question: was the label a career-making opportunity or a burden that never disappeared?

    Along the way, we explore the origins of the Brat Pack and the media frenzy that surrounded stars such as Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson, Anthony Michael Hall, and Molly Ringwald. In addition, we discuss McCarthy’s conversations with many of his former contemporaries as he investigates how the label shaped their careers, public identities, and personal lives. The documentary offers a candid look at fame, friendship, and the unintended consequences of Hollywood branding.

    At the same time, we examine why the Brat Pack continues to fascinate audiences decades later. Furthermore, we consider how films such as The Breakfast Club, St. Elmo’s Fire, Pretty in Pink, and Sixteen Candles helped define a generation of moviegoers. Whether you grew up with these films or discovered them later, this episode revisits the legacy of a cultural phenomenon that still shapes conversations about 1980s movies and the stars who came to represent them.

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  • Smithereens (1982): Susan Seidelman’s Punk Rock Portrait of a Vanishing New York – The 80s Movie Podcast 129

    Smithereens (1982): Susan Seidelman’s Punk Rock Portrait of a Vanishing New York – The 80s Movie Podcast 129

    In this episode of The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens begins a retrospective on Susan Seidelman by revisiting Smithereens (1982), her gritty, low-budget directorial debut. The film follows Wren, a self-invented young woman chasing fame in New York’s fading punk scene. However, she finds a city where attention matters more than talent, and survival often depends on who you can use next.

    Along the way, we examine how Seidelman shot the film on a shoestring budget in early 1980s New York. She used real locations and real subculture figures to create a raw portrait of downtown life. In addition, we explore Richard Hell’s performance and the film’s connection to the No Wave and punk movements that shaped its tone and aesthetic. The story captures ambition, reinvention, and the collapse of a scene already losing momentum.

    At the same time, we discuss how Smithereens helped launch Seidelman’s career and positioned her as a key voice in independent cinema. Furthermore, we look at its Cannes Film Festival milestone and its influence on later films about identity and self-mythology in urban spaces. Whether you are discovering it for the first time or revisiting an early indie landmark, this episode revisits a stark portrait of ambition in a disappearing New York.

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  • Crimewave (1985): How Sam Raimi and the Coen Brothers Created a Cult Movie Disaster – The 80s Movie Podcast 128

    Crimewave (1985): How Sam Raimi and the Coen Brothers Created a Cult Movie Disaster – The 80s Movie Podcast 128

    This week on The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens explores Crimewave (1985), the infamous collaboration between director Sam Raimi and writers Joel and Ethan Coen. The 80s Movie Podcast and Edward Havens uncover how a dream team of future filmmaking legends came together for a crime comedy that quickly spiraled into one of the most troubled productions of the decade. As a result, the episode examines how studio decisions, production challenges, and shifting corporate ownership transformed an ambitious project into a cautionary Hollywood tale.

    First, Edward traces the origins of Crimewave from the success of The Evil Dead through Raimi’s friendship with the Coen Brothers and their efforts to create a larger studio-backed film. Meanwhile, the episode follows the movie’s difficult production in Detroit and Los Angeles, including budget overruns, casting conflicts, and a screenplay that proved far more ambitious than its resources allowed. In addition, Edward reveals how Embassy Pictures repeatedly altered the project before it even reached theaters.

    Ultimately, this episode shows how Crimewave became a pivotal turning point for everyone involved. Although the film failed to find an audience during its original release, its troubled journey helped shape the future careers of Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, and Frances McDormand. Therefore, this fascinating story offers a rare look at how one cinematic misfire helped launch some of the most influential careers in modern filmmaking.

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  • Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983): The Sequel So Troubled It Was Rebuilt Mid-Production – The 80s Movie Podcast 127

    Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983): The Sequel So Troubled It Was Rebuilt Mid-Production – The 80s Movie Podcast 127

    In this episode of The 80s Movie Podcast, we revisit Smokey and the Bandit Part 3, the unusual final chapter in the series, released without Burt Reynolds in a starring role and built around an entirely different concept than audiences originally expected. Instead of focusing on Bo “Bandit” Darville, the film shifts attention to Sheriff Buford T. Justice, played once again by Jackie Gleason, while Jerry Reed’s Snowman reluctantly steps into Bandit territory. The result is one of the strangest franchise pivots of the 1980s.

    We explore the behind-the-scenes story that makes Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 such a fascinating Hollywood curiosity, including the original abandoned concept, Smokey Is the Bandit, in which Jackie Gleason played both Sheriff Justice and a version of the Bandit before poor test screenings led to major reshoots. We also discuss the absence of Burt Reynolds and Sally Field, the shift toward broader comedy, and why the movie struggled both critically and commercially upon release.

    Over time, Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 has developed a strange kind of cult fascination among franchise fans, not necessarily because it works, but because of how unusual its production history became. Online discussions still debate the lost “Jackie Gleason cut,” the heavily reworked story, and whether the film deserves reevaluation as a chaotic relic of changing tastes in 1980s comedy and action cinema. Join us as we unpack one of the oddest sequels of the decade, and the moment a once unstoppable franchise finally ran out of road.

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  • UFOria (1985): The Cult 80s UFO Comedy Hidden Gem with a Strange Release History – The 80s Movie Podcast 122

    UFOria (1985): The Cult 80s UFO Comedy Hidden Gem with a Strange Release History – The 80s Movie Podcast 122

    In this episode of The 80s Movie Podcast, host Edward Havens explores UFOria (1985), a quirky cult 80s movie that blends comedy, romance, road movie chaos, and extraterrestrial obsession. Harry Dean Stanton stars as a dreamer convinced that a UFO will solve his problems and carry him away from ordinary life. However, his search for answers creates a series of unpredictable encounters that push him further from reality and closer to trouble.

    Along the way, we examine the film’s unusual mix of deadpan humor, offbeat characters, and Southwestern atmosphere. In addition, we discuss performances from Cindy Williams, Fred Ward, and Stanton, whose unique screen presence anchors the story. The film never found a wide audience, yet it earned a loyal following among fans of cult 80s movies who appreciate its strange charm and refusal to follow convention.

    At the same time, we look at why UFOria remains one of the decade’s most overlooked cinematic oddities. Furthermore, we consider how its blend of comedy, fantasy, and UFO mythology sets it apart from more traditional 1980s fare. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a first-time viewer, this episode revisits a hidden gem that continues to fascinate movie lovers, collectors, and film historians.

    UFOria
    Cindy Williams as Arlene, a small town supermarket clerk who believes Jesus was brought to Earth in a UFO, in a scene from Mike Binder’s UFOria.

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    The original 1983 theatrical one-sheet for UFOria.
    The original 1983 theatrical one-sheet for UFOria.

     

    UFOria
    Fred Ward and Cindy Williams in a scene from Mike Binder’s UFOria.