Movies - 5/13 - Retroland

Young Guns

The extralegal exploits of Henry Carter, a.k.a. "Billy the Kid," received the treatment of a rock star in 1988 with screenwriter John-Fusco's western redux, Young Guns. With a cast of brash young actors and a rock n' roll soundtrack, Christopher Cain created an account of the events surrounding the Lincoln County War in 1877 New Mexico. And while the film was sketchy on some of the facts, it was spot on with wit, humor, and hell-raising gunfire. Breakfast Clubber Emilio Estevez, Stand By Me villain Kiefer Sutherland, La Bamba star Lou Diamond Phillips and Ferris Beuller bad-boy Charlie Sheen comprised the title characters while Superman's Terence Stamp, City Slicker Jack Palance, and Lost star Terry O'Quinn shored up the supporting cast.

Saturday Night Fever

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The term “ground zero” describes a point where an explosion occurs. Concerning the explosion of the disco era, few would argue that the catalyst was the 1977 blockbuster film, Saturday Night Fever. Cross-marketed with a musical soundtrack that is still considered one of the most successful of all-time, the film managed to send a significant portion of the population to the nearest dance floor, to boogie the night away just like the film’s character, Tony Manero. It also marked the film debut of America’s favorite sweathog, John Travolta, whose slick dance moves were soon imitated in every disco in America. For better or worse, the disco era had arrived.

National Lampoon’s Vacation

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They say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. And if you need demonstrable proof of that statement's validity, look no further than the 1983 blockbuster comedy, National Lampoon’s Vacation. With its semi-autobiographical screenplay by teen angst-king John Hughes, the directing skills of Harold Ramis (Ghostbusters, Caddyshack, Groundhog Day,) and a cast of wonderfully colorful characters, this chronicle of a suburban family’s summer road-trip vacation delivered laughs by the carload.

Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead

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Most people are familiar with Christina Applegate for her long-running role as brain-dead teen harlot, Kelly Bundy on the hit television series, Married With Children. In 1991, however, she showed quite a different side, proving herself much more the responsible adult in the fondly remembered comedy, Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead.

The Love Bug

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Even with a star-studded cast that included Dean Jones, David Tomlinson, Buddy Hackett, and Michele Lee, there was no misconception with audiences as to who was the real star of Walt Disney's The Love Bug. That title belonged solely to Number 53, a sassy white Volkswagen Beetle, complete with blue and red pinstripes and a whole lot of attitude in this 1968 classic.

Crocodile Dundee

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Inspired by a visit to New York that left him feeling like a true fish-out-of-water, Australian film star Paul Hogan sat down and helped pen a script that would go on to become one of the most successful films of 1986. The story of Crocodile Dundee enchanted moviegoers of all ages, and made Hogan a household name.

Bugsy Malone

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Plenty of films over the years have depicted Chicago during the gang-ridden Prohibition Era. How many of them were musical comedies starring kids as pie throwing gangsters? Only one that we know of - the unforgettable 1976 classic, Bugsy Malone. Starring Scott Baio (Chachi from Happy Days), a very young Jodie Foster, and featuring the lyrics and music of composer Paul Williams, Bugsy Malone was a tongue-in-cheek ode to a violent era, and full of loving jabs at 1930s gangster films.

Robin Hood

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Sly like a fox, that Robin Hood was. So, when Disney decided to bring the epic adventure to the big screen in animated form, they indeed gave the role to an anthropomorphic fox. And they found critters to play each of the famous roles. Marian was also a fox, Prince John and King Richard became lions. Little John was now a bear, Friar Tuck was a badger, and the sinister Sheriff of Nottingham was a wolf - in Walt Disney’s classic 1973 film, Robin Hood.

Peter Pan

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Walt Disney long held an affinity for Sir James M. Barrie’s classic children’s book Peter Pan. But even though he acquired the story rights in 1939, it would take until 1953 before his imaginative interpretation would enthrall theater audiences. Some six decades later, audiences of all ages remain hooked on this animated masterpiece.

Real Genius

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Geeks and nerds the world over had plenty of reason to rejoice over the 1985 film, Real Genius. For once, the brainy characters were the stars, rather than some misfit outcasts injected into a plot for mere comic relief. As a result, this endearing movie about a group of highly intelligent teens has remained a favorite, even a cult classic, ever since the film was originally released.