Post Apocalyptic Show

Let us take a trip to the theater for “Those Lips, Those Eyes”, Released on August 15th 1980. Join us as we take our show to the stage!

Notable Movies Released in July 1980:

Xanadu / Smokey and the Bandit 2

“Those Lips, Those Eyes”

Tagline:

On stage, Harry Crystal is sheer magic. In the wings, Artie Shoemaker is learning his tricks!

Synopsis :

In the early 1950s, a star-struck Ohio boy, Artie Shoemaker, skips school to work behind the scenes for a touring stock theatrical company. Inept at his job, Artie is nearly fired until the star of the show, Harry Crystal, takes a liking to him and takes the kid under his wing. Artie becomes smitten with one of the attractive chorus girls from the show, Ramona, a worldly young woman who provides his sexual initiation. But soon the show must move on to another town, leaving Artie alone with his dreams.

Director:

Michael Pressman (Bad news bears 2, Some Kind of Hero, Doctor Detroit)

Writer:

David Shaber (Nighthawk, The Warriors)

Starring:

Frank Langella, Glynnis O’Connor, Tom Hulce

Response:

Roger Ebert “—But as a nostalgic comedy about good old days in show biz, “Those Lips, Those Eyes” should have closed on the road.

Fun Facts: 

Can’t find any.

Budget / BO:

NA / 804K

As the republicans nominate Ronald Reagan we follow the adventures of “The Earthling”.  Released on July 24th 1980. Join us as we introduce The Earthling to High West Whiskey. 

Notable Movies Released in July 1980:

Airplane! / The Blues Lagoon / Caddyshack / Used Cars

“The Earthling”

Tagline:

Two alone in the wilderness. One learned to survive, the other to love. 

Synopsis :

Patrick Foley has been on the move all his life. Tired of drifting, he wants to spend his last days in an isolated Australian valley where he grew up. On his difficult journey he meets Shawn, a little desperate city-boy whose parents were killed in an accident in this remote inhospitable territory. Being unable to accompany the boy back to the civilized world he reluctantly takes him with him on his trip to that valley and teaches him in a rugged way how to survive 

Director:

Peter Collinson (The Italian Job)

Last movie, died five months after the release of cancer. He was 44.

Writer:

Lanny Cotler 

Starring:

WIlliam Holden 

Ricky Schroder

Response:

The film drew greatly mixed reviews, with some critics reviling it, while others praised it.

Fun Facts:

Most expensive film made in Australia 

Budget / BO:

5 mll / 72K

As we roll into the summer it’s time to visit “The Island”.  Released on June 13th 1980. Join us for a mai tai on the beach. 

Notable Movies Released in June 1980:

Urban Cowboy / The Blues Brothers / Burbaker / Rough Cut

“The Island”

Tagline:

For three hundred years, a terrifying secret has been kept from the outside world.

Synopsis :

A journalist takes his son with him to investigate pirate activity off the coast of Florida. But he gets stranded on a mysterious island–where he might not be alone.

Director:

Michael Ritchie (The Bad News Bears, Fletch, Golden Child, Diggstown)

Writer:

Peter Benchley – Novel and Screenplay

(Jaws, The Deep) 

Starring:

Michael Caine

Response:

Author and film critic Leonard Maltin awarded the film a BOMB, his lowest rating, calling it “[an] Absolutely awful thriller”

Fun Facts:

To this day, Sir Michael Caine refuses to discuss this movie.

Budget / BO:

22 mll / 15 mil

We are making a stop at the carnival in May with Carny. Released on May 23trd 1980. Join us for some funnel cake and games.  

Notable Movies Released in May 1980:

Friday the 13th

Fame

Empire Strikes Back

The Shining

“Carny”

Tagline:

When you’re young and going nowhere… the Carny looks like a good way out.

Synopsis :

Tired of her dull job as a waitress, Donna decides to join two carnival hustlers and see what life in their field is like.

Director:

Robert Kaylor

Writer:

Phoebe Kaylor and Robert Kaylor and Robbie Robertson

Thomas Baum

Starring:

Gary Busey

Jodie Foster

Robbie Robertson

Response:Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote that the film had “nice performances” but was “not cohesive as it might be,” because the filmmakers “appear to be unable to resist the colorful or bizarre material that leads nowhere.”

We take a slight reality detour for our April movie, Where the Buffalo Roam . Released on April 25th 1980. Join us for some heavy drinking and drugs, don’t forget the typewriter.  

Other movies released in April

The Baltimore Bullet

Stalker

The Private Eyes

“Where The Buffalo Roam”

Tagline:

 I hate to advocate weird chemicals, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone… but they’ve always worked for me.

Synopsis :

The deranged adventures of Gonzo journalist Hunter Thompson and his attorney Oscar Acosta, referred to in the movie as “Laslow”. Thompson attempts to cover the Super Bowl and the 1972 Presidential election in his typical drug-crazed state, but is continually and comically sidetracked by his even more twisted friend Laslow. Allegedly based on actual events.

Director:

Art Linson

Writer:

John Kaye

Hunter S. Thompson (Novel)

Response:It has been panned critically for being a series of bizarre episodes strung together rather than having a cohesive central plot. Movie historian Leonard Maltin remarked that “Even Neil Young‘s music score can’t save this dreadful comedy, which will baffle those who aren’t familiar with Hunter S. Thompson’s work and insult those who are.”

Our journey continues as we explore our desires in this March movie. Released on March 28th 1980. Join us as we take a dip.

Notable movies released in March

Coal Miners Daughter (Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones)

Lady and the tramp re-release

Little Miss Maker (Walter Matthue and Julie Andrews)

When Time Runs Out (Paul Newman)

Tom Horn (Steve McQueen)

We will introduce the film, give some information about it. 

Watch it – I will film most of it to see how it cuts together

Final thoughts

Sign off and remind everyone to hit all the buttons. 

“Serial”

Tagline:

One mellow movie about creative divorce, group jacuzzis, organically-fed mistresses, and therapeutic adultery.

Synopsis :

It’s the end of the 1970s. Hippies are assimilating, women are raising their consciousness, and men are becoming confused and ineffectual. Don’t expect to be able to keep track of all the names, or who’s sleeping with whom.

Director:

Bill Persky

Writer:

Rich Eustis *

Michael Elias *

Cyra McFadden (Novel)

*Legacy writers 

Response:At the time, some film critics felt that the film was endorsing sexist and homophobic attitudes. Vito Russo wrote that “the film is permeated with hatred for gays” and that it was “the perfect antifeminist, homophobic statement to usher in the age of Ronald Reagan.”

Our journey exploring movies from the greatest decade begins with the first movie released in 1980 and that movie is Windows.

Tagline:

Somebody loves Emily… too much

Synopsis :

Emily is the subject of a perverse obsession by a gay neighbor, Andrea, who not only is in lust with her but hires a rapist in order to get audio tapes of her moaning. Andrea turns peeping tom and watches Emily with a telescope as she begins a love affair with Detective Cortese.

Director:

Gordon Willis (First and only directed movie)

Massive cinematographer: Godfather 1,2,3, Annie Hall, Manhattan, All the President’s men, Money pit, Pennies from heaven  

Writer:

Barry Siegel (First and Only Movie written)

Pulitzer winning journalist 

Response:

The film was the subject of many protests from gay rights activists who accused the film of being homophobic and resorting to hateful stereotypes of lesbians. David Denby attacked the film, writing “Windows exists only in the perverted fantasies of men who hate lesbians so much they will concoct any idiocy in order to slander them.”

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert selected the film as one of their “dogs of the year” 

Awards:

Nominated for 5 golden raspberry awards. 

Worst Picture lost to Can’t Stop The Music

Worst Screenplay lost to Can’t Stop The Music

Worst Actress lost to Brooke Shields Blue Lagoon

Worst Supporting actress lost to Amy Irving Honeysuckle Rose

Worst Director lost to Robert Greewald Zanadu

Our journey continues as we answer the phone for this February movie. Released on Feb 29th 1980, which means this film can only be viewed once every four years. Join us as we try to ignore the phone. 

“Don’t Answer The Phone!”

Tagline:

He’ll know you’re alone. 

RUN – if you must. HIDE – if you can. SCREAM but … … He’ll Know You’re Alone!

Synopsis :

A deeply disturbed Vietnam veteran terrorizes the young women of Los Angeles and taunts a radio psychologist with descriptions of his grisly crimes.

Director:

Robert Hammer (First and only movie)

Writer:

Robert Hammer (First and Only Movie written)

Michael D. Castle

Response:

Leonald Maltin gave the film a BOMB rating, stating that it was another psychopathic Vietnam veteran killer film, warning readers to not watch the film

Trivia:

Shot in 18 days

All the shots of the killer on the prowl on the streets of Los Angeles were filmed without permits.

Welcome to the pilot episode of Post Apocalyptic Show. This episode’s movie is Amityville Island (2020). “A cursed survivor of killings at the Amityville House brings evil to a small island where bizarre genetic experiments are carried out on humans and animals in a secret women’s prison” Written by John Oak Dalton, Directed by Mark Polonia.

Join us as we walk you through the whole movie. Be warned we talk about it all, so spoilers. 

All film footage is used in accordance with fair use and US copyright law. All music is used with permission of the composer.

Amityville Island

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12057580/

“Post Apocalyptic Show” is about watching and discussing movies that we missed in the theaters from the 80’s. We will sprinkle in some current low budget indie films.