TCM’s Rewinding The ’80s: Cinema Under the Influence of Music Videos, Action Stars, and a Cold War by John Malahy is in book stores now, courtesy of Running Press. Fans of ’80s pop culture and film will be delighted by this fun and informative trip down movie theater memory lane!
Malahy’s text is comprehensive and complete, focusing on every genre the decade had to offer. I enjoyed reading about all of the big hits of the ’80s, such as the Rocky films, E.T., and more; but I found myself even more delighted when some of my lesser-known favorites like The King of Comedy and Captain EO received just as much coverage. There’s something for everyone who grew up in the ’80s in this book, and there are even dedicated “Beyond Hollywood” sections of the book which illustrate what was going on in the Indian, French and other international film industries of the time.
As the title suggests, Rewinding The ’80s: Cinema Under the Influence of Music Videos, Action Stars, and a Cold War isn’t just a retrospective of the movies of the decade. Malahy goes into tremendous depth revealing the underlying social, political, musical, and sometimes religious influences on the filmmaking of the period. The author is able to bring the era to life, explaining all of the factors which led to director’s taking incredible risks with their work and A-list actors branching out into independent and experimental films. Reviewing the book makes it so easy to see just how and why so many timeless films were created in just those ten years.
When people think of the ’80s, the music is probably just as important and influential as the movies, and Malahy makes that connection in Rewinding the ’80s. Not only are the titans of movie scores discussed at length, but it was a pleasure to read about those who received less of the mainstream spotlight but who influenced the industry for generations to come. Composers such as Vangelis and Giorgio Moroder get their just due in this book. Also, this book wouldn’t be complete without focusing on the massive pop stars of the ’80s who both influenced the films of the time and crossed over into acting gigs during the period too, and Prince, Madonna, and Michael Jackson’s contributions to the movies of the ’80s are thoroughly explored.
The ’80s also saw the birth of the PG-13 rating and the complete merging of moviemaking and merchandising, and Malahy is there to cover all of these ’80s phenomena. It’s these extra tidbits that really bring the book to life and make it a definitive story of the time period rather than just a series of features on movies that came out during the decade.
Rewinding the ’80s has a quality presentation to its printing that is similar to some other TCM books by running press. It is a thick softcover with fold-over covers which give it some extra weight and heft. The 274 pages inside feature beautiful glossy photos which support nearly every aspect of Malahy’s text. The book is just the right size to curl up with and comb through its pages. Since receiving it, I’ve thumbed through it multiple times just to enjoy its visual layout after I read the book.
TCM’s Rewinding The ’80s: Cinema Under the Influence of Music Videos, Action Stars, and a Cold War by John Malahy is essential reading for anyone who grew up during the time period, and for those who wish to know more about the circumstances which brought so many iconic franchises and movie moments to life.