In this episode of the 80s Flick Flashback Podcast, we dive into the quirky charm of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985), a film that not only captured the essence of the 1980s but also became a pop culture touchstone. Blending childhood innocence with the decade’s irreverent humor, it launched Tim Burton’s directorial career and solidified Paul Reubens' Pee-wee Herman as an iconic figure. Join Tim Williams and his guest co-hosts Ben Carpenter & Laramy Wells as they discuss Pee-wee’s absurd cross-country quest to recover his stolen bike, exploring its vivid visuals, eccentric characters, and lasting influence on comedy, fashion, and filmmaking. Grab your light grey suit and red bow tie, and tune in for a nostalgic trip back to this offbeat classic!

Here are some additional behind-the-scenes trivia we were unable to cover in this episode:

• The "Mr. T" cereal eaten by Pee-Wee actually existed. It was not something made up for the film.
• After seeing the finished product, the studio wasn’t so sure it wanted to put much more money behind Pee-wee's Big Adventure. Finding it all a bit bizarre, they decided to roll the film out slowly and on a regional basis. Warner cranked up the publicity machine When it proved popular with even a limited audience. By the time all was said and done, Pee-wee had earned nearly $41 million at the box office.

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Sources:

Wikipedia, IMDB, Box Office Mojo https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/66919/15-fun-facts-about-pee-wees-big-adventure

Some sections were composed or edited by ChatGPT

We'd love to hear your thoughts on our podcast! You can share your feedback with us via email or social media. Your opinions are incredibly valuable to us, and we'd be so grateful to know what you enjoyed about our show. If we missed anything or if you have any suggestions for 80s movies, we'd love to hear them too! If you're feeling extra supportive, you can even become a subscription member through "Buy Me A Coffee". For more details and other fun extensions of our podcast, check out this link. Thank you for your support!

• https://linktr.ee/80sFlickFlashback

In the early ’70s, films like The Omega Man, Soylent Green, and THX-1138 painted a bleak future of chaos and government control. By 1981, the tone had shifted, with films like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Clash of the Titans offering escapism and classic good vs. evil battles. But then came this 80s flick, set in a dystopian 1997 where Manhattan is a prison island. The hero, a morally gray anti-hero on a mission to rescue the President, must navigate a world full of shady characters and alliances.

Join Tim Williams and guest co-host, Nicholas Pepin from the "Pop Culture Roulette" Podcast, to dive into Escape from New York on this episode of the 80s Flick Flashback Podcast.

Here are some additional behind-the-scenes trivia we were unable to cover in this episode:

• The idea of putting a wig on at one point in the film was improvised by Donald Pleasance.
• The shot of Maggie's corpse under the Duke's car was added after principal photography was done as John Carpenter felt the audience wouldn't get that the impact had killed her. Carpenter and Adrienne Barbeau filmed the shot in their garage with her under their own car.

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Sources:

Wikipedia, IMDB

https://www.the-numbers.com/box-office-chart/weekend/1981/07/10

https://www.gq.com/story/escape-from-new-york-40-kurt-russell-john-carpenter-grim-future

Some sections were composed by ChatGPT

We'd love to hear your thoughts on our podcast! You can share your feedback with us via email or social media. Your opinions are incredibly valuable to us, and we'd be so grateful to know what you enjoyed about our show. If we missed anything or if you have any suggestions for 80s movies, we'd love to hear them too! If you're feeling extra supportive, you can even become a subscription member through "Buy Me A Coffee". For more details and other fun extensions of our podcast, check out this link. Thank you for your support!

• https://linktr.ee/80sFlickFlashback

In the mid-1980s, few films targeted young adults, and studios were still figuring out how to connect with the emerging Generation X. Enter St. Elmo's Fire—a quintessential 80s flick that featured a star-studded cast of rising talent: Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Mare Winningham, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, and Demi Moore. Centered around a group of recent Georgetown grads navigating the post-college world, the film perfectly captured the spirit of the Reagan era. It resonated with a generation on the cusp of adulthood. In this episode of the 80s Flick Flashback Podcast, join Tim Williams and guest co-host, JB Huffman, as they dive into the cultural touchstone that is St. Elmo’s Fire.

Here are some additional behind-the-scenes trivia we were unable to cover in this episode:

• The higher education campus featured in the movie is Georgetown University. All the main characters in the film attended this university together. However, after reviewing the script, the administrators at Georgetown University declined to allow the producers to film on campus. As a result, the on-campus scenes were shot at the University of Maryland instead. The only appearance of Georgetown University in the film is a long shot taken from across the Potomac River.

Sources:

Wikipedia, IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, Box Office Mojo

https://ew.com/movies/2017/04/11/st-elmos-fire-oral-history/

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/st-elmos-fire-movie/

Some sections were composed by ChatGPT

We'd love to hear your thoughts on our podcast! You can share your feedback with us via email or social media. Your opinions are incredibly valuable to us, and we'd be so grateful to know what you enjoyed about our show. If we missed anything or if you have any suggestions for 80s movies, we'd love to hear them too! If you're feeling extra supportive, you can even become a subscription member through "Buy Me A Coffee". For more details and other fun extensions of our podcast, check out this link. Thank you for your support!

• https://linktr.ee/80sFlickFlashback