Wednesday 18 March 2015

80 From the 80s has moved

If you've been enjoying the 80 From the 80s column on Box Office Voodoo, it's now moved to its own custom domain 80 From the 80s 

All future columns will appear there going forward. There's also an archive on the site for the older columns you may have missed. 

The first new essay, covering the entire production history of 48 Hrs, is already online.

Thank you for your continued support.

Tuesday 3 March 2015

80 From the 80s - Dragnet


Dragnet

‘Just the facts’

Studio: Universal :::::::::: Release Date: 26th June 1987
Director: Tom Mankiewicz :::::::::: Starring: Dan Aykroyd, Tom Hanks
Budget: $20M :::::::::: 2015 Equivalent: $42.5M
U.S Box Office: $57.3M :::::::::: 2015 Equivalent: $121.7M

Summer. 1987. Joe Friday is an old school, by-the-book cop and something is rotten in the City of Angels. Working with new laid back partner, Pep Streebeck, he has to investigate a series of bizarre crimes orchestrated by P.A.G.A.N - People Against Goodness And Normalcy.  It doesn't take Joe long to realise that if wants to deal out justice, he's going to have to take a leaf out Streebeck's book, even if it means putting his precious job on the line.

Tuesday 17 February 2015

80 From the 80s - Young Sherlock Holmes



Young Sherlock Holmes

Before a lifetime of adventure, they lived the adventure of a lifetime

Studio: Paramount Pictures :::::::::: Release Date: December 6th 1985
Director: Barry Levinson :::::::::: Starring: Nicholas Rowe, Alan Cox
Budget: $18M :::::::::: 2015 Equivalent: $40.1M
U.S Box Office: $19.7M  :::::::::: 2015 Equivalent: $43.9M

Meeting for the first time at college, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson soon find themselves investigating a series of mysterious deaths. Discovering a link between the victims, the would-be detective uncovers an even greater danger, and will need to rely on all his powers of observation and deduction if he and Watson are to survive the Pyramid of Fear.

Saturday 7 February 2015

80 From the 80s - The Secret of My Success



The Secret of My Success

There’s no such thing as an overnight success. Brantley Foster took two weeks.

Studio: Universal Pictures :::::::::: Release Date: 8th April 1987
Director: Herbert Ross :::::::::: Starring: Michael J. Fox, Helen Slater
Budget: $12-18M :::::::::: 2015 Equivalent: $25.4 – 38.2M
U.S Box Office: $66.9M :::::::::: 2015 Equivalent: $142.1M

Brantley Foster has dreams of making it big in the world of business. Coming to New York, he gets a rude awakening and ends up having to call upon a distant relative for a job. But starting in the mailroom might not be such a bad thing, especially when he starts leading a double life as executive Carlton Whitfield. If he can survive the advances of his aunt, the corporate sharks and his suspicious boss, he might just make it to the top. 

Tuesday 27 January 2015

80 From the 80s - The Lost Boys


The Lost Boys

Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. Never die. It’s fun to be a vampire
Studio: Warner Bros. :::::::::: Release Date: 31st July 1987
Director: Joel Schumacher :::::::::: Starring: Jason Patric, Keifer Sutherland
Budget: $8.5M :::::::::: 2015 Equivalent: $17.9M
U.S Box Office: $32.2M :::::::::: 2015 Equivalent: $67.4M

When Michael and Sam move to Santa Carla with their mother, they’re all hoping for a new start. But when Michael falls in with a bad crowd who have a taste for blood, it’ll be left to Sam and the Frog Brothers to battle the creatures of the night and save Michael’s soul before its too late…

Saturday 17 January 2015

80 From the 80s - Fletch


Fletch
Meet the only guy who changes his identity more often than his underwear.
Studio: Universal Release ::::::::::  Date: 31st May 1985
Director: Michael Ritchie :::::::::: Starring: Chevy Chase
Budget: $8M :::::::::: 2015 Equivalent: $17.7M
U.S Box Office: $50.8M :::::::::: 2015 Equivalent: $111.9M

Posing as a beach bum while investigating the local drug trade, journalist Irwin 'Fletch' Fletcher is approached by a well dressed man with a proposal. All Fletch has to do is show up at the man's house, shoot him dead and he'll be rewarded handsomely. Intrigued, and with his drug story stalled, he agrees to the deal and begins to investigate, little suspecting the danger he's about to put himself into. He'll have the story of his career, all he has to do is live long enough to write it.

Friday 9 January 2015

80 From the 80s - Heathers


Heathers
Best Friends, Social Trends and Occasional Murder
Studio: New World Pictures :::::::::: Release Date: 31st March 1989
Director: Michael Lehmann :::::::::: Starring: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater
Budget: $3M ::::::::::: 2015 Equivalent: $5.8M
U.S Box Office: $1.1M :::::::::: 2015 Equivalent: $2.1M

 Veronica Sawyer is a reluctant member of the most powerful clique in her high school. Heather Duke, Heather Chandler and Heather McNamara are unrelenting in their judgement of others. But when loner J.D joins the school, Veronica may have just found her ticket out of the popularity game, even if it means murder.