Everything 80s

Here's a special preview of the new season of Cautionary Tales from Pushkin Industries. On Cautionary Tales, best-selling author Tim Harford shares stories of human error, natural disasters, and tragic catastrophes from history that contain important lessons for today.

In this episode, you'll hear about the Hyatt Regency Hotel disaster. With its splendid modern architecture, The Hyatt Regency was the place to be seen in Kansas City in 1981. Beneath space-age walkways, guests drank, laughed, and danced... not realizing that 60 tons of glass, concrete, and steel hanging above their heads was about to come crashing down. One hundred fourteen people died. But why? Was it cheap materials? Shoddy construction? Or a tiny error that seemed so insignificant that no one paid attention?

Hear more from Cautionary Tales wherever you get your podcasts. 

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People sure were scared of the devil back in the 80s. As the fear of Satanic cults grew, one simple role-playing game became the spokesperson for all the evils facing youth: Dungeons and Dragons. How did this game that appealed to creative people become blamed for so many terrible events?

This is a look back on the rise of Dungeons and Dragons and the fear that swept through the nation. A game that was played by a niche community was now on network news and fear and hysteria were being pumped into every living room in the country. Why was D&D singled out? And did it become the scapegoat because of negligent parenting...

If you want to support this show--and get access to the Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast--you can head over to Patreon.com/80s to learn more.

Show Notes: Dungeons and Dragons.

Was 1985 the best year of the decade? If it's not, then it's pretty damn close. In this review of 1985, we'll look back on all the notable movies, TV shows, cartoons, technology, music, sports, and world events that made up a pretty astounding year.

1985 is also the year of one of the biggest marketing disasters in history, some of the most significant films of the decade, and a new source of entertainment that would change the lives of kids forever. To me, it's the best year of the decade; but is it as good as you remember? Listen up to find out!

If you want to support this show--and get access to The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast--you can check out Patreon.com/80s to learn more.

You may not know the name Rax, but they played a significant role in the fast-food game during the 80s--and you've no doubt seen their influence in the industry to this day. The company goes back to the 1960s but rose to prominence during the 80s.

In the 80s, they started to add a huge amount of items, changed their decor, and aimed to be the "champagne of fast-food restaurants." Heading into the late 80s, the company was in financial trouble and the restaurant that was "fast food for adults" would introduce one of the most bizarre characters ever to try and save the company: Mr. Delicious.

If you want to support the show--and get access to the Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast--you can check out Patreon.com/80s to learn more

Show Notes: Rax restaurants

Whoa nelly, this has been a doozy. I'm going to recap everything that went on during Volume 1 of Stranger Things season 4. We will do a plot summary breakdown of what transpired over the last 7 episodes, explore some of the deep themes used this season, look at the movies that influenced it (one horror movie, specifically), look at the importance of music during this season, and uncover all the Easter eggs and 1980s references I could find!

Spoiler warnings if you haven't seen season 4 yet

Support the show: Patreon.com/80s

Show Notes: Stranger Things Season 4 Recap

It's almost here... After nearly three years, Stranger Things is back with its highly anticipated fourth season--and it couldn't come at a better time for Netflix. In this preview show, we'll do a recap of season 3, discuss everything we know about the plot and production, do a trailer breakdown, discuss theories, and look at another great commercial crossover.

Season 4 promises to be bigger, better, scarier, longer, and WAY more expensive than the other seasons--and I hope you're as excited as I am!

If you want to support this show--and get access to the Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast--you can check out Patreon.com/80s to learn more. Tell 'em Large Marge sent ya.

When Crocodile Dundee was released in 1986, it caught everyone by surprise. The movie from Down Under starring an actor no one knew became a monster hit. This is a look back on the Crocodile Dundee franchise and the man behind the croc: Paul Hogan.

Hogan's story is a true rags-to-riches tale and how he went from Australian celebrity to worldwide star. We look at how this film came together, why no one expected it to be a hit, Paul Hogan's rise to fame, the sequels, the surprising film role that Hogan turned down, and the ultimate crossover movie that never came to be.

If you want to support this show--and get access to the Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast--you can consider supporting me at Patreon.com/80s. Tell 'em Large Marge sent ya...

Before there was the Chernobyl disaster, there was Three Mile Island. This is an accident that appears to be a lot more serious than you may realize. What appeared to be just a "close call" could have actually been catastrophic. This is a look back at the story of the first nuclear accident; all the misinformation that eroded the public's trust; coverup; Jane Fonda; whistleblowing, and the aftermath that was felt for years.

If you want to support the show--and get access to the Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast--head over to Patreon.com/80s to learn more.

How is it possible that the greatest toy store we've ever known could end up bankrupt? No, it's not just because of the internet (though that does play a role). The once-dominant toy store would face many setbacks that resulted in its closure. In this episode, we look back on the history of the iconic store, how it shaped the childhoods of millions, helped create a lot of pop culture as we know it, and then faced a very sad demise.

This is also a look at how in the year 2000, things could have turned out very different regarding a certain gigantic online store. This episode also features some economics, Geoffrey the Giraffe, and a whole lot of nostalgia.

Show Notes: Toys "R" Us

Support the show: Patreon.com/80s

The 1980s not only gave us an explosion of pop culture, but a new era of snacks, beverages, and junk foods. A lot of this was only possible because of one specific ingredient: High fructose corn syrup.

This is a look back on the explosive growth of sugar consumption going into the 1980s and how it may have created some significant health issues. We also look at another ingredient introduced in the 80s that also has a very sordid history of its own: aspartame.

This episode is a combination of politics, economics, marketing, health, government corruption, and a bit of good old nostalgia.

*potential trigger warning: in this episode, we discuss some health and food-related issues including obesity and other health conditions which may be problematic for some listeners

Support the Show and Get Access to the Everything *0s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

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